I didn't know where to put this. I am going to assume this is the "Parallel Robots" sub-forum.
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YOUTUBE CANDY!
INVENTOR FILES!
This is a variant of the Tripteron and the Quadrupteron. Following that naming scheme I had to call it the Sextupteron for a 6 degree of freedom version. The video has been shown to lead to confusion and drooling. Watch responsibly.
You could use this for 3D printing on surfaces that aren't flat, for an assembly robot, print with layers that aren't parallel to the xy-plane, printing extreme overhang, etc.
This is a full design. Every nut, bolt, board, bearing, and stepper has been accounted for. The only thing I fudged was the central hub and the ball connections. I think I will redesign it so that chrome steel balls snap into the end of the arms. I will also embed strong magnets directly in the plastic of the hub as it is printing. (Complete encapsulation.)
This style mechanism is protected under patent law and I don't control the patent. I hope to work a deal with the owners to open it up for open source development. If I understand the law, you can make one of these but you can't profit off of it. Yet.
Specification:
Outside Dimensions: 500mm cube
Print Dimensions: 325mm cube with the right arms and bigger if you tilt the hot end out to get past the tradition edge.
Allowable Tilt: With a redesign I should be able to get 45 degrees without sacrificing too much stability.
12 500mmx75mm identical pieces made from the flat stock of your choice.
8 unique plastic pieces.
45 plastic pieces
6 12mm x 510mm rods
12 LM12LUU bearings
8 608 bearings
6 185 tooth xl belts .1 pitch
120 M3x16
120 M3 nuts
6 M8x100
6 M8x60
12 M8 nuts
6 Nema17 steppers
etc.
The frame can be used for a 3DOF bot all the way up to a 6DOF bot. You could even do 2 independent 3DOF heads in the same space. You can see that you can mount a stepper in any orientation at any corner. The plastic pieces have rod seats built in so you can mount rods above any of the blue boards. There are also spots to mount an idler pulley everywhere you can mount a stepper.
I don't have time to build this monster and the electronics aren't really there yet but I would love for anyone else to take the idea and run. This was an idea in my head that I just had to get out or I would go crazy. Now that it is out, I now have 20 more ideas of what I could do with it. Arg!!!
BTW, the 3DOF version should be quicker to assemble than anything else out there and should be super cheap. (Not as cheap as Simpson or Wally but as cheap as a bot with rails can be.)
YOUTUBE CANDY!
INVENTOR FILES!
This is a variant of the Tripteron and the Quadrupteron. Following that naming scheme I had to call it the Sextupteron for a 6 degree of freedom version. The video has been shown to lead to confusion and drooling. Watch responsibly.
You could use this for 3D printing on surfaces that aren't flat, for an assembly robot, print with layers that aren't parallel to the xy-plane, printing extreme overhang, etc.
This is a full design. Every nut, bolt, board, bearing, and stepper has been accounted for. The only thing I fudged was the central hub and the ball connections. I think I will redesign it so that chrome steel balls snap into the end of the arms. I will also embed strong magnets directly in the plastic of the hub as it is printing. (Complete encapsulation.)
This style mechanism is protected under patent law and I don't control the patent. I hope to work a deal with the owners to open it up for open source development. If I understand the law, you can make one of these but you can't profit off of it. Yet.
Specification:
Outside Dimensions: 500mm cube
Print Dimensions: 325mm cube with the right arms and bigger if you tilt the hot end out to get past the tradition edge.
Allowable Tilt: With a redesign I should be able to get 45 degrees without sacrificing too much stability.
12 500mmx75mm identical pieces made from the flat stock of your choice.
8 unique plastic pieces.
45 plastic pieces
6 12mm x 510mm rods
12 LM12LUU bearings
8 608 bearings
6 185 tooth xl belts .1 pitch
120 M3x16
120 M3 nuts
6 M8x100
6 M8x60
12 M8 nuts
6 Nema17 steppers
etc.
The frame can be used for a 3DOF bot all the way up to a 6DOF bot. You could even do 2 independent 3DOF heads in the same space. You can see that you can mount a stepper in any orientation at any corner. The plastic pieces have rod seats built in so you can mount rods above any of the blue boards. There are also spots to mount an idler pulley everywhere you can mount a stepper.
I don't have time to build this monster and the electronics aren't really there yet but I would love for anyone else to take the idea and run. This was an idea in my head that I just had to get out or I would go crazy. Now that it is out, I now have 20 more ideas of what I could do with it. Arg!!!
BTW, the 3DOF version should be quicker to assemble than anything else out there and should be super cheap. (Not as cheap as Simpson or Wally but as cheap as a bot with rails can be.)