Zoltrbot back home....

Its been a while,.......

Changed the J-head to kind of hybrid with detachable nozzle.

 

Did have a new trial over the weekend...

Previous test with the PLA did fail as the PLA got
desintergrated in the feedertube.
It was hard to get the remains out of the PTFE tube and hotend.
The domed nut makes it a lot easier I must say.

Anyhow,

Its moving....and plastic-ABS is getting out.
But no decent product printed yet.
I even ruined some of the settings Rik previously made.



For the calibration I could use real help getting the settings right
into the Arduino. Is there anyone in NL, Kampen region
willing to give me a hand on on this?
That would be much appreciated!

just contact me at:



____________________________________________________________



Next to that .... what I think a very interresting development:

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/easy-reprap-electronics



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cmlr97qLxYA

This is one of the first really decent& complete reprap electronics Ive seen so-far.
On the software side not much has changed but this is a superb improvement to the hardware.
compared to the previous cable salad situation we have with the Ramps.
>Support up to 3 extruders!
>Decent display
>Dialer & Cardreader to have it work stand alone
>All stepperdrivers

Lets make 3D printing more accessible
to the electronically less fortunate hobbyists............

Help Dirk to make this very nice piece of electronics available!

Act noW!  - 48 hours left

 

New feeder-design has ultimate grip with mini Hyena!

Got the New filament feeder with the Mini Hyena working now.
It does have a superb grip on the filament.
In the bottom I made an extra hole for eventual rasps getting off the filament.
So then there is no risk of clogging up in there.
The Hyena gear- lineup- with the filament & hollow bearing
is perfectly to adjust with the M3 Hex screw.
The extra supportbearing on the shafts-end, was a good choice.


Cant even tear an inserted filament out of the assembly anymore....

Rik are you ready to start callibrating and testing soon?
Hope these small steppers with reduction are up to the job.

-chris-

Hyena adapted filament feeder

Next -for the filament feeder -
I will test a reduction motor removing the big gear and Nema17
The reduction motor is similar priced as the Nema17 so worth a try.
This setup is now modified to take up the 8mm shaft Hyena
and uses the hollowed 608 bearing.



It does look rather complicated but its just a stack of fairly simple
cutup from 8mm trespa parts.
The backplate can be modified to several type of steppermotor mounts.
This way it can be adapted more easily to other available motors (in time).
Its a more convenient easy to adapt testbed.

Looking forward cutting the needed parts comming weekend.

More later.

Zoltrnot ready....!

The original hobbed bar / gear has been replaced for the "Hyena" hobbed bar from Arcol.hu
(http://shop.arcol.hu/) that I did order some time ago.

http://www.zoltar-cnc.nl/media/forum/Hyena8mm09012012.MP4

Also did purchase the hollowed bearing what does not deform the filament.
This extra bearing is prob not needed as the hollow shape of the hobbed bar
takes care of the alignment well.

This 8mm Hyena has real good grip on the filament.
Even with the little spring - what worked insufficient with the first gear-
it does now show some great improvement.

Preparing the previous week for our meeting last weekend,
I figured nothing could fail now anymore....
Man I was wrong.

Murphy's LAW struck by lightning, although no blast
A lot of stinky smoke indicated an electronics part did fail.
The heater that worked last time without any problem - died -
Pity, as there is no printed plastic product to show here now.



That was the end of this exercise, although electronics,
switches and display dialer & cardreader work well now.
Mechanics with a new ballbushing installed runs very smooth.

Next waiting for a new hotend resistor and Rik
will takeover further testing as the setup is now at his place.

-chris-
(http://www.zoltar-cnc.nl/forum/index.php?topic=25.300)

Zoltar 2013-PR- New years resolution for 2013!

Looking back on 2012 and moving into 2013, .....

It took me little over a year, but now I figured out a "heavy duty" Version
developed from the current joined 3D printer project overhere:



Proud to announce is now a new Zoltar 3D printer concept ....
(and of course)
Now a combined (hybrid) 3D router CNC-pcb cutter/mill-router with a 3D printer.

Since it may take a longer time before the community
can actually 3D-print accurately usable PCB's@home
a combined tool like this new setup may provide
a true usable solution for the time being.

See also:http://kprize.wordpress.com/prize-specifications/
•Print at least three different materials,
including one that is usefully electrically conductive.
•The ability to print electronic circuit boards.

Due to its build-in reduction its still fast enough for 3D printing (9~10m per Minute)
and is rigid & precise enough to use it for CNC cutting applications.

This next Zoltar-2013-PR-setup can solve the problems combining
a CNC router and 3D printer into a Hybrid .

Specs:
All stainless steel enclosure and Chassis.
Hardened steel rails and ball bushings.
All belts shielded for safety.
Z-axiz is ballscrewdriven for higher repetition accuracy.
Y and X resolution gets at 0.05mm mm repetition or even better accuracy.
(as can be concluded from mechanical trials with the first setup)
Tabletop can be detached easely for compact transport.

Applications:
As a 3D mill: using a lightweight brushless rotary motor with ER11-mount,
and with 100mm toollength a cutting volume 200x200x100mm -XYZ-.
-Purpose foam and light materials
As a router/ PCB cutter - a lightweight brushless rotary motor
on a floating Z-axiz for cutting PCB's with dust drain by vacuum
-3D printer with dual heads- so two colors 3D printing.

It uses now a toolplate on Y - for a quick toolchange, and conversion.

So-far my 2013 - New Years Resolution!

Ideas, support is more than welcome!
Contact me :


Wishing all visitors a Happy 2013 and the best print (and CNC-cutting) possible.

Greetings!
Chris Reinders,
Designstudio Zoltar, Kampen The Netherlands.

Christmas maze & J-head mod

Trying to get into the Chrismas spirit.....preparing for the first actual print.... 

- A (symbolic) tree -

Download STL HERE

Pronterface accepts the STL now.

Some small issues left to solve and fix:

1-st install the "Hyena" for optimal bite

_{(For reference bottom pic the current filament "gear" which does not work that well)}

Original on the J-head only a tiny hole was provided to mount the sensor....

Could not imagine and find the thoughts behind that.

A dependable fix for the sensor has been achieved with the above solution.

Clamped and glued with heat suitable silicone keeps the sensor in position.

The final dependability finds itself often in the detail.....

-chris-

Zoltrbot - moving!

In the end a stepstick change and and some rewiring made it work....
The Marlin & Arduino software has a steep learning curve for me.
There are many settings possible.
This means a lot more exploring on this matter for me.
A whole new Adventure!

At least the mechanics does behave very nice to rapid changes,
no backlash so that seems sorted so-far.

Now next to do is the need tidying it up,
connect the display and cardreader
and make it ready for the further calibration & first trialprints.

Hoping now for printed Christmas tree decorations.....

-chris-