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Main => Everything Else => Topic started by: shorthair on June 24, 2007, 03:36:12 pm

Title: home-made 3D printer
Post by: shorthair on June 24, 2007, 03:36:12 pm
Though it's using sugar, it's a step:

http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/candyfab
Title: Re: home-made 3D printer
Post by: Disturbed013 on June 24, 2007, 03:44:17 pm
-bookmarked-

I want one.  3D fab where you can just eat your mistakes, awesome!


Reading the page made me hungry though, I think I'll go make some CNC toast.
Title: Re: home-made 3D printer
Post by: Samstag on June 24, 2007, 04:49:49 pm
Interesting.  They don't seem to mention their technique for putting new sugar layers down, which is the real key to getting this to work.  For any accuracy you need nice flat layers of identical depth.

Building custom chocolate shapes sounds like a fun idea.
Title: Re: home-made 3D printer
Post by: NightGod on June 25, 2007, 04:36:25 am
From the sounds of it, the added layers just happen when it gets lowered and the sugar flows into place. With the resolution they're going for, I don't think they're too concerned with making perfectly flat layers of identical depth.
Title: Re: home-made 3D printer
Post by: danny_galaga on June 25, 2007, 06:07:15 am


                                                      dare i say it?


                                                          SWEET!
Title: Re: home-made 3D printer
Post by: shardian on June 25, 2007, 08:28:51 am
That is awesome!
Title: Re: home-made 3D printer
Post by: Samstag on June 25, 2007, 12:44:45 pm
From the sounds of it, the added layers just happen when it gets lowered and the sugar flows into place. With the resolution they're going for, I don't think they're too concerned with making perfectly flat layers of identical depth.

They've mentioned 2mm accuracy.  Sugar isn't going to flow to anything close to that without some help

Looking at it again, though, I think I see what's going on.  I was puzzled by the tracks through the sugar in one of the torroid photos but now that I think about it they probably overfill a little and push the excess away with the nozzle.  But even then you can't go too overboard.  Maybe they shoot for 4-6mm coverage.  I'd still like to see the procedure just for my own amusement.  I'd never build one (although I have 90% of the parts needed) but I'd still like to know how.
Title: Re: home-made 3D printer
Post by: shorthair on June 25, 2007, 03:45:00 pm
Interesting.  They don't seem to mention their technique for putting new sugar layers down, which is the real key to getting this to work.  For any accuracy you need nice flat layers of identical depth.


Yeah, knowing very little about this but knowing that part, I've always wondered how anyone would achieve this. Hm...maybe another approach would be a vectoral one, though. As for these people, here, maybe they have a patent or something in mind.
Title: Re: home-made 3D printer
Post by: Samstag on June 25, 2007, 04:53:29 pm
Interesting.  They don't seem to mention their technique for putting new sugar layers down, which is the real key to getting this to work.  For any accuracy you need nice flat layers of identical depth.


Yeah, knowing very little about this but knowing that part, I've always wondered how anyone would achieve this. Hm...maybe another approach would be a vectoral one, though. As for these people, here, maybe they have a patent or something in mind.

A patent wouldn't be in the "Maker" spirit.  Maybe they thought that part was obvious.  Or maybe the info is in there and I just didn't dig deep enough.  Being an amateur machinist I've always been more concerned with removing material to make something.
Title: Re: home-made 3D printer
Post by: shorthair on June 26, 2007, 12:22:22 am
Ahhh. I can understand that. I had an experience once where I had to file down some plastic into a tear drop shape. It wasn't TOTALLY symmetrical, but it was rounder and more symmetrical than anyone else's in the class....maybe cos I spent more time on it...and I was totally blown away by it, myself. Mighta been the motivation and attention from the assistant teacher, cos it's not something I'm given to off-hand. But I dunno about these folk. I didn't read the article. I'm more interested in the development and capacity than the nuts and bolts.
Title: Re: home-made 3D printer
Post by: danny_galaga on June 26, 2007, 05:52:49 am
Interesting.  They don't seem to mention their technique for putting new sugar layers down, which is the real key to getting this to work.  For any accuracy you need nice flat layers of identical depth.


 I've always wondered how anyone would achieve this.


you couldnt really have...

(http://www.yes-minister.com/images/ym22_jimbernard.jpg)