Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Complete again!

All the way from New York, One of the missing pieces of the NEXT 3D printer has just arrived! How exactly this small aluminum plate made it's way from the highland park music festival in Detroit to New York isn't quite clear. Now that it's back the printer will be online soon and some awesome furniture to follow!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Exhibiting in Detroit!

Part of the Highland Park Music Festival, check it after the Jump!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

late nights-

What to do when your IP Project isnt going according to plan? Hack it to do something silly... like play StarWars theme music-

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Exhibition Posters are up!

Planning our group exhibition has been super stressful, complete with our original venue backing out at the last minute! Finally things are starting to fall into place and we were able to get show posters printed and pinned up tonight! Have a look and come to my show!

Exhibiting Seniors: Eric Harman (Me!), Erika Cross, and Maida Nikovecic




Monday, March 28, 2011

Dream Job

My dream job is definitely working for a company like the german-based FESTO. These guys create some of the most amazing things all inspired by the nature. Beyond simple biomimicry in form language, the mechanisms that actuate these machines are based on the underlying structures within living organisms. In essence we are talking about the mechanical equivalent of true muscles. Below is the most recent (re)creation based on a seagull. Pretty amazing stuff that marries cutting edge technology, with a strong foothold in nature-


also check on youtube for the jellyfish and searay- both are equally amazing.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Hello world!

First full 3 axis test of the printer!

...and yes, that is a purple marker tapped to my machine, deal with it-

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Final Product Criterion for the Appropriate use of Digital Fabrication

  • The design must be as innovative as the means to produce it. Without such a cyclical relation, the designer is a slave to his tools (predictable) or the design may become so naively idealistic that it exists outside of the realm of manufacture (unattainable).

  • Challenge the expected outcome of mechanical and manual processes and in doing so blur the distinctions between them.

  • Strike a balance between the necessity of process with the noise of possibility.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Print Bed

The large size of my printer design presents an interesting challenge of how to create a 4'x4' flat surface for the build platform. Ideally this would be perfectly flat, practically thats nearly impossible without using a precision ground slab of granite. There's also considerations with respect to weight: a heavy platform will require more force to move, and once moving will carry greater inertia and require even more force to stop.

It was originally suggested that I simply use a piece of manufactured lumber such as MDF, around 1" thick so it doesnt warp over time. While this may satisfy my requirement of consistent flatness, it surely is not a lightweight solution. Instead I chose to use a sheet of 2" foam insulation, laminated in 1/8" acrylic or polycarbonate. This solution is extremely light, the foam core weighing around 4 lbs, as well as durable. The foam is rigid but lacks any tensile strength, the lamination process solves this problem and from an engineering perspective, is similar to an I-beam. In my research of of other existing FDM 3D printers, Molten ABS or PLA sticks well enough to acrylic during manufacturing and can be easily removed once it cools. It may be adventageous to later score a grid into the surface.








Large scale 3D Printing

3D Printed Bike is as strong as steel but 1/3 the weight of aluminum

"This funky bike is making news today not just for its design but for how it is made. UK engineersprinted the bike using a powder composed of nylon and metal which results in a frame that has the strength of steel while also being 65% lighter than aluminum. The Air Bike is a demonstration of a technology called additive layer manufacturing which was able to create the fully working bike with only six parts. The goal is to show how the technology can revolutionize product design from airplanes to satellites to more down to earth items like bike"


A perfect example of the promise for rapid fabrication technology to reduce material consumption while preserving an object's design and functional integrity.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

More Custom Parts


Hopefully this weekend was the last one I have to spend making custom parts. Here are some process photos, and a few finished ones too.

This weekend:
3 Motor Mounting Plates
4 1" Bearing Mounting Plates
1 2" Bearing Mounting Plate
3 Motor Couplings
2 Geared shaft couplings
and 1 mounting plate for an ENORMOUS iron nut








Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Extruders Galore

For DIY 3D printing, there seems to be no shortage of extruder designs on the web. In terms of reliability and print quality, these designs seem to be all over the map with no clear indication of which one actually works best. Looking over some of the more popular designs, I've been able to find components of each that I would like to have in my 'ideal' design.

MakerBot Industries is now producing it's 5th generation of thermoplastic extruders so its seemed appropriate to identify the strongest, and weakest attributes of their design. Early thermoplast extruders used Nichrome wire wrapped around hollow all-thread. These designs were clumsy and prone to shorts and uneven heating. MakerBot instead uses surface mount power resisters instead, and a stainless steel thermal block to distribute the heat evenly.

Weaknesses include the dc gear motor, and the tension screw that keeps the filament in contact with drive pulley.

Another site, MakerGear, produces extruders that use a stepper motor to more precisely control the filament feed. The motor is also used in conjunction with a 13:1 gear reduction, resulting in an extremely powerful feed mechanism.

The Brutstruder is another opensource option available on thingiverse.com. This design's most powerful advantage are the spring's it utilizes to keep the filament constantly pressed against the drive pulley. According to its author, the Brutstruder is capable of lifting 27 lbs-

The ideal extruder for my printer will combine all of these elements: geared stepper motor, surface mount power resistors, and spring tensioning.



Postcards

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Assembly update



Nearly finished with the main structural assembly, ran out of 1/2 inch bolts today so had to put off completion until I can make a trip to the hardware store tomorrow. The last bits to be added will be the drive screws and motors responsible for linear control of each axis. I'm going to be fabricating the mounting plates and shaft couplings this weekend, and the machine should be ready to turn on sometime over spring break (Feb 28th- march 4th)


Monday, February 21, 2011

Technical Design and Early Fabrication

Having worked on the nitty-gritty details of the technical design for my rapid fabricator since Christmas, I began fabricating components last week. The first pieces to be machined were corner gussets for the 80/20 frame. While similar supports are available through the manufacturer, it was far less expensive to spend a few hours making my own.


The last 2 days have been devoted to machining the linear bearing assemblies for the X-Y-Z axis. Each tracking mechanism required machining on 3 sides, as a result it look much longer to fabricate and maintain a constant level of precision between operations. Again, 80/20 manufactures linear bearings, but at roughly $200 apiece. I chose instead to make my own at less than a tenth of the cost.

Dimensional Drawings


Milling bearing mounting plates




Cutting bearing Bushings on a speed lathe


Final Bearing assemblies



Sunday, February 20, 2011

I love ANONYMOUS


This is a re-post from towleroad.com. It's a letter from a group of concientous hackers that have sucessfully targeted government websites during the protests in Egypt and Visa after some shady dealings with the american government to stop the flow of funding to Wikileaks. The letter is addressed to the Westboro Church-

I think it's pretty badass.

"We, the collective super-consciousness known as ANONYMOUS - the Voice of Free Speech & the Advocate of the People - have long heard you issue your venomous statements of hatred, and we have witnessed your flagrant and absurd displays of inimitable bigotry and intolerant fanaticism. We have always regarded you and your ilk as an assembly of graceless sociopaths and maniacal chauvinists & religious zealots, however benign, who act out for the sake of attention & in the name of religion.

Being such aggressive proponents for the Freedom of Speech & Freedom of Information as we are, we have hitherto allowed you to continue preaching your benighted gospel of hatred and your theatrical exhibitions of, not only your fascist views, but your utter lack of Christ-like attributes.

ANONYMOUS cannot abide this behavior any longer. The time for us to be idle spectators in your inhumane treatment of fellow Man has reached its apex, and we shall now be moved to action. Thus, we give you a warning: Cease & desist your protest campaign in the year 2011, return to your homes in Kansas, & close your public Web sites.

Should you ignore this warning, you will meet with the vicious retaliatory arm of ANONYMOUS: We will target your public Websites, and the propaganda & detestable doctrine that you promote will be eradicated; the damage incurred will be irreversible, and neither your institution nor your congregation will ever be able to fully recover. It is in your best interest to comply now, while the option to do so is still being offered, because we will not relent until you cease the conduction & promotion of all your bigoted operations & doctrines.

The warning has been given. What happens from here shall be determined by you."


...and the response is predictably hilarious and saddening.




Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Parts!

My mail-order parts started arriving today! Inside the first box... A shiny new Driver board!


Sunday, January 30, 2011

New Budget- YIKES!

Material

Unit Cost

Quantity

Total Cost

Aluminum Framing

36”

48”

60”

72”


7.56

10.08

12.60

15.12


2

2

4

2


15.12

20.16

50.40

30.40

Leadscrews

48”

72”


50.00

105.00


3

1


150.00

105.00

Electronics

NEMA 34 Stepper Motor

Stepper Driver Board

Power Source

Extruder


102.00

75.00

20.00

185.00


3

1

1

1


306.00

75.00

20.00

185.00

Software

Mach3 CNC License


175.00


1


175.00

Misc.

Bolts(1 box)

Print Media (PLA)

Corner Gussets

80/20 Slot Bolts

MDF(4’x4’)

Other Fasteners


27.00

150.00

2.90

0.65

30.00

100.00


1

1

16

50

1

1


27.00

150.00

46.40

32.50

30.00

100.00

Total Cost

1517.98





Christmas Reading List

I decided to supplement my Christmas vacation with some Design reading that might be relevant to my IP.

Henry Drefuss "Designing for people"
A cult read among designers for more than half a century, the famous manifesto of America's greatest industrial designer is finally back in print! From the first answering machine ("the electronic brain") and the Hoover vacuum cleaner to the SS Independence and the Bell telephone, the creations of Henry S. Dreyfuss have shaped the cultural landscape of the 20th century. Written in a robust, fresh style, this book offers an inviting mix of professional advice, case studies, and design history along with historical black-and-white photos and the author's whimsical drawings. In addition, the author's uncompromising commitment to public service, ethics, and design responsibility makes this masterful guide a timely read for today's designers.Henry S. Dreyfuss is considered the founding father of industrial design and one of the most prolific designers of the past century. Born in New York City in 1904, he authored or inspired countless American design landmarks, including the model 300 Bell telephone, Hoover appliances, the Twentieth Century Limited locomotive, and RCA televisions.

Barry Katz/MIT Press "NONOBJECT"
What happens when designers think beyond the object to creative positive, unexpected design experiences.
“A designer’s motto should always be ‘What if?’ It certainly is the motto of NONOBJECT. The fantasy of what an object should or could be becomes a way for the designer to embrace experimentation and imbue projects with a vitality that expands beyond the physical object and into our experience.”
Paola Antonelli, Senior Curator, Architecture and Design, The Museum of Modern Art

Fumihik0 Maki "Spoon"
SPOON presents the work of 100 product designers, selected by 10 critics, educators, designers and entrepreneurs who are all involved in innovative developments in contemporary design. Essentially an exhibition in a book, it provides an overview of the product design world and presents the most forward-looking and ground-breaking designers of today. The different kinds of objects illustrated – from furniture to tools, from high-tech products to cars and motorcycles – make up a wide collection of what is today considered good design.