Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] 2D printer-real parts

Joe, Ian,

check out Jon's photo plotter:

http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~jmelson/photoplot.html


He uses a laser diode to expose hi-res film, from Gerber files, as I
understand.
Now if we could get him to share a little more of the details! ;>)

Alan

Ian Wright wrote:

>
> Joe,
>
> This particular reference seems to just use the same technology as
> photoresist PCB making and you could easily do the same using the spray-on
> photoresist lacquers. To do what you suggest and use a printer to make
> chemically etched parts you would have to go one of two ways. Firstly, you
> could try to find an ink which would be resistant to etching chemicals and
> put this in inkjet cartridges. It would have to be something like a thin
> shellac solution although this would probably harden in the cartridge long
> before you could use it! I'm sure if this was easily possible, someone in
> the PCB production brigade would have done it by now.
> The other way which springs to mind and which could, perhaps, be more
> practical, would be to use a high intensity UV source and fibre optic to
> work on metal coated with photoresist. Mount the end of the fibre(s) on the
> printer carriage and lead them away to a high intensity UV lamp - perhaps a
> kind of arc lamp? (dangerous source if not well shielded!). It would
> probably be difficult to get the exposure correct as you only really have
> the light intensity to work with but, in theory, it should be doable and you
> could then just develop the coating with NaOH and etch like any PCB.
>
> Ian
> --
> Ian W. Wright
> Sheffield UK
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Joe Vicars" <jvicars@...>
> To: <CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@egroups.com>
> Sent: 11 October 2000 16:03
> Subject: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] 2D printer-real parts
>
> > I am fascinated by Photo Chemical Machining, and the possibility of
> > doing this at home somehow converting an inkjet.
> > Start with laminated sheets of almost any metal and then the burn
> > away the laminate with a 2d printer. Then drop the metal in acid and
> > you've got parts. Tiny and intricately detailed up to about .050"
> > thick.
> > You could make wheels or strips for quadrature encoders ALL day
> > long. You could also make PCB which I know has been discussed before.
> > Check it out!
> >
> > http://www.mansfieldgraphics.com/