Leo.dearden

Leo Dearden

to me, replab, Open, Olle, Erik, Marc, Jeb, Smári

show details 9:45 AM (1 hour ago)

2009/11/23 Marcin Jakubowski <joseph.dolittle@gmail.com>

   I would like to call out further for participation in RepLab. The focus is economic significance, ie, applicability of open source tools to real production functions of society. Sam discussed this point in his post, On Replication.

I'm in.

   (1), tell us the tool(s) of interest to you;

RepRap.

- support material
- for electronics
 - Pick n place
 - conductive material deposition
- for mold making
- for ceramics

CNC Machine Tools. Lathe, Router, Mill.

- air bearings based on graphite blocks for linear slides and spindles
- casting whole machines from epoxy/granite/carbon fiber composites
- using laser interferometers during fabrication and operation to tool up to extreme accuracy from inaccurate components and with inaccurate tools.
- fabricating low cost high performance linear motors for extremely high motion performance low to moderate load tools
- carbon fibre composite air bearing screws for high load high performance tools

Software tools

- Electronics place and route for RepRap
- Unsupervised CAM (subtractive cutting path generation)

Curing oven for composites Vacuum mixing and casting systems for composites

   (2), what specific technical developments you are willling to contribute to the project - such as design, calculations, research, fabrication, testing, documentation, web development, marketing, resource development, parts sourcing assistance, etc.

I will work on (in order, subject to revision)

- CNC router bootstap: improved spindle mounting, then 4th axis. Later, vacuum clamping and precision kinematic clamping.
- RepStrap (based on CNC router cartesian bot): single plastic extruder head, second head, paste head, low melt alloy and copper composites for extrusion, printing circuits, pick and place.
- Powerful and high precision machine tools as detailed above.

I'll offer advice and comment wherever it's welcome.

   (3), resources and infrastructure that you have available, and what gruops you are involved with or that you can leverage for assistance

I have a fairly extensive personal workshop (http://fabricationsofthemind.blogspot.com/2008/10/in-praise-of-good-workshop.html).

I'm peripherally involved with the RepRap project, and will get more deeply involved as I work on my RepStrap. I'm a well liked friend of the explosively growing Noisebridge San Francisco hackerspace. I currently work for Google. I may be able to harness or evoke contributions from any of these, and I will listen for opportunities to do so.

   (4), suggestions on strategies and enterprise models that can be utilized in development

I've funded my work so far from my income. In the next three years I intend to bootstrap through having more free time to taking paid work based on RepLab technology to develop and deploy machines. The things I learn in that work will be contributed open source and the money from it will support me and my work. If possible, I will replicate this model, supporting others in doing the same.

   (5), suggestions on tools missing, and how you're willing to contribute to devloping them

See above, below, and other posts.

   (6), how much energy you can commit - do you 'have a job' or can you commit significant time?

I'm working very full time at the moment. I can currently contribute a very little. I'll have a little more time in the spring, and hope to secure one day a week to work on open source circuit printing, as part of my paid job, later next year. Beyond that, more and more time as I can arrange it.

Build/Defer is ever only a personal opinion. FWIW, I'm open to persuasion, and more importantly, whoever wants to Build anything, can of course get on with it. :-)

   TOOL LIST - from FabLab (see  detailedhis for a list)
   1. Laser cutter - large DIY community exists for C02 lasers

Very handy. It's basically a new tool head for a plasma table or similar. Defer.

   2. ShopBot - RepTab is the Factor e Farm version

RepTab looks like a good plasma table. I'm not sure how well it will handle cutting loads. Perhaps it will require modification to do that, but some sort of gantry router will work well and should definitely be in the toolkit. Build soon.

   3. Precise router for milling circuits

Precise router, for many things. If we can make it stiff and coolant proof enough, it becomes a Mill, too. If it's heat and RF resistant enough it's a plasma table. If it's fast enough it's a laser cutter, or a RepStrap. Build soon.

2 and 3 can have a lot in common. 3 is just smaller and more precise. Common designs could be mostly parametrised to provide both.

   4. Plasma cutter - power circuit is main point to opensource

Yes. The head is also non-trivial, IMHO. I suggest: Defer.

   5. Welder - power circuit is main point to opensource

Yes. Likewise, Defer.

   6. Oscilloscope - can a computer oscilloscope cover most needs?

Yes it can. It can be just as good as (or better than) a standalone one. There are projects out there to make these already. Obtain, commercial or open source.

   Beyond FabLab:
   1. RepRap - fabrication streamlining and open business model needed

Build or Obtain a kit then Build our version as discussed in other posts.

   2. Mill

Build

   3. Drill

Hand drill, drillstand: Obtain. Pillar drill can be built as part of the Mill.

   4. Lathe

Build.

   5. Induction furnace - power electronics are main point to opensource

Defer.

   6. Ciruit fab - automated process including pick-and-place

Build.

   7. Aluminum extrusion

   8. Metal casting - of ingot from induction furnace, and other molds
   9. Hot rolling
   10. Cold rolling
   11. Forging
   12. Metal shear and hole punch for up to 1" steel
   13. Wire drawing

Defer all.

   These tools cover electronics, precision fabrication, heavy metal work, and ability to make other tools for producing any technology known in advanced civilization. Tools created from the above can even yield clean room technology. The above is quiate a limited set, but is sufficient to generate other tools. The latter parts focus on serious industrial process, with a bias towards building replicable, post-scarcity resilient communities with capacity to bootstrap largerly from scrap steel.

The heavy industrial infrastructure will be easier once we have the machine tools working. We'll also have a better idea of what we want and need.

Beyond FabLab

Air compressor Vacuum Pump

- 0.1 mbar, >10cfm for degassing and lamination.
- 0.1 bar, >100cfm for vac clamping.

1 phase -> 3 phase converter. Shaker, for casting