Fwd: Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: direct printing PCBs

On Wednesday 16 August 2006 12:28, Graham Stabler wrote:

> --- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, Sebastien Bailard - Dubsen
>
> > Hey Graham,
> >
> > I've been meaning to ask you, any interest in helping design a
>
> wire-EDM head
>
> > to go on a RepRap?
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > -Sebastien Bailard
> > reprap.org
>
> Although sometimes described as a precision band saw its just a tad
> more complicated and doesn't really suit a modular approach.
>
> Its not as simple as just setting a cutting head running before
> watching a part fall out, it is a project as big as your reprap itself
> getting something that will produce decent parts. I'm only trying
> myself because I make a set of assumptions such as "I will cut only
> small parts", "I will only cut material up to 3mm thick", "I will
> accept super slow cutting speeds".
>
> One thing you need to consider is the space that spools of wire, wire
> tensioning equipment, filters, pumps, tanks etc will take up then if
> you use water you need a de-ionizer and if you use oil you need
> somewhere to store that. It also isn't exactly rapid.
>
> So I guess the answer is no but if I do get something working it will
> be available in some open-source format I should think.
>
> Graham
>
> p.s. Do a search on this group for wire ECM, it might suit better if
> you can stand the accuracy (not that I know what it is). The
> advantage is that the wire is not consumed, it might also be faster
> and the control should be easier. But I'm still sceptical.

Thank you for taking the time to explain matters. I had a sense of some of
the complexity, but let my eagerness override my caution.

We're still in the feasibility-proposal stage. But the project lead thought
it was doable. You've thought about it more than I have, and probably more
than he has.

With all the overhead you're describing, it sounds like a removable head is
nonsense, and it makes more sense to make a standalone system, which was my
fallback plan... Do you think you'd be able to design most of the parts for a
standalone system to be RP-able, or at least EDM-able?

Maybe we'd want to go with a edm machine that could, along with parts from a
reprap, reproduce.

Regards,

-Sebastien