Build Your Own SLA/SLS

I'm in the R&D phase of designing a multiple use Cartesian platform. I plan to switch my machine between different additive manufacturing methods, and technologies.

Can Creation Workshop switch between filament printing, and DLP-SLA printing, or is that still in development?

Does Creation Workshop software require a lot of work to switch between different uses, or do you need a dedicated machine?

Should I purchase an ARM based CPU controller for the Creation Workshop software, or will a Megatronics v2.0, or Arduino Mega 2560 R3 be adequate for Filament+DLP-SLA printing?

To be able to use different technologies, should I be looking at using a SmoothieBoard, or will Creation Workshop software be able to switch between them using the ubiquitous Arduino products?

SmoothieBoard
http://smoothieware.org

Is there going to be software support for additional technologies other than filament, and DLP-SLA, for example:
Laser cutter
Clay extruder
Plotter
Etcher
Engraver

Is there any thing special that I need, or should know to design my multiple use platform using Creation Workshop software?

Tks!

Wow, Lots of questions...
I made Creation Workshop to work with a multitude of machines types. the first I implemented was DLP-SLA. In Beta 13, I also had initial support for FDM printing. CW can act as a generic GCode host controller, meaning that any machine you can control with serial GCode, should be supported. That being said, I'm really trying to create more plug-in modules that can completely customize the GUI and add new functionality for different machine types. For example I have an (unfinished) FDM plug-in that removes all the DLP/SLA specific controls and adds in FDM specific controls.

As of today, I just added in support for the LaserShark board for X/Y Laser Galvanometer displays. This means that official support for Laser SLA's will be in the next release (with a free LaserShark plugin).

I'm always looking to add new machine types to Creation Workshop (It happens even faster when I get paid...)

What kind of combination machine are you looking into?

Maybe the Novena laptop can manage a diverse collection of firmware, and allow you to switch between different technologies?

Novena open source hardware and software laptop.
Comes with a general-purpose breakout board; the inclusion of a ‘ROMulator’ breakout board; the inclusion of the MyriadRF software defined radio, I/O ports, a 1.2GHz Freescale quad-core i.MX6Q ARM architecture computer closely coupled with a Xilinx FPGA, dual Ethernet ports, a three-axis accelerometer, and easily extended hardware, etc.

Novena Wiki
http://www.kosagi.com/w/index.php?title ... _Main_Page

CrowdSupply
Video shows a SLA printer
https://www.crowdsupply.com/kosagi/novena-open-laptop

Novena Open Hardware Laptop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9mjDt-4XIM#t=102

Blog
http://www.bunniestudios.com/

Novena (computing platform)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novena_(computing_platform)

Hackaday
http://hackaday.com/2014/05/22/bunnie-t ... re-laptop/
http://hackaday.com/2014/04/02/bunnie-l ... en-laptop/

Or you could do it the easy way and use a Beaglebone Black with a BeBoPr++ Cape running LinuxCNC or Repetier firmware to control the various machines you want to use it with.
Cost would be around $230 with 1/32 driver boards, at least that is what mine ended up costing for my 400mm diameter Delta build.



Clinton

@Finhead:
I'm not familiar with the Beaglebone products, is it able to switch between different firmware like the SmoothieBoard can?
I would also like to see your mega delta, got pics...

@PacManFan:
I've only read about SDR, that's pretty cool that you work with it. What's your opinion of the Novena Open Hardware Laptop?