Hi all -
I have mused over the possibility of producing and SLA printer as I have had much success with modifying my FDM machine over the years and being a moderately capable designer/engineer with more time than money, I thought it was the right time to do it - but on the cheap.
So lets set the scene - I justify the build by convincing myself that there could be some commercial benefit (I am a freelance designer and often procure SLA's for customers). I have a handful of CNC bits left over from some dealings a while ago. I have slowly collected the extra parts, the resin, the knowledge and produced some resemblance of a design . . . . but I keep agonising over the little details in CAD. What about the tilt/peel mech? Coating the VAT sounds annoying - are there alternatives? Maybe I should CNC this bit - bugger the CNC is offline, I need to fix that . . . . sod it. LASER EVERYTHING, LASH IT TOGETHER, HAVE A PLAY, ACCEPT THAT IT PROBABLY WONT WORK AND YOU WILL RE DESIGN IT.
And that's what happened - I created a machine from stuff left over from other machines. . . . a Frankensteins SLA. I think it looks fairly good considering its name.
Construction:
6mm Ply
6mm MDF
6mm Acrylic
ISEL linear rails + bearings
Isel Ball screw and nut
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY - DragoKirov's super special non stick plastic sheet
Electronics:
Infocus IN24 + EP (800x 600)
Ramps 1.4 (ebay sunshine something seller?)
CWS on a Surface Pro 3
And would you Bloody believe it. . My first prints were not gelatinous blobs of nothing!!
I highlighted the importance of Drago's material in the construction list above - I have no tilt system on my vat. Drago advised that I clamp the film/plastic at the edges and drill a hole in the supporting structure to allow the plastic to flex slightly. It appears to work. Obviously I will continue to test with increasing contact surface areas, but it looks really promising.
I realise now that what I lack is the extra sundries that are a part of the printing process (adequate IPA, appropriate vats for cleaning, etc) but also the experience and knowledge that has been amassed on this forum. I look to you all for advice and hope that somehow I can contribute and influence in a way that reflects the way this forum has assisted me.
I love 3D printing - not just as a manufacturing process, but as an influence to industry and product design. I wanted to do a PhD in 3d printing but could not find supporters that would fund my project and so my passion for this remains a hobby/useful tool for my freelancing. I see this machine as a next level shift to making better prototypes, but I would like to refine my designs into something as stable and turn key as possible. Or even better, collaborate with others to make a machine which democratises DLP SLA printing in the way that RepRap did for FDM machines.
Feel free to get in touch, ask any questions, I will be trawling the forum to steal some good ideas from you all
Chris
Frankensteins SLA
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Re: Frankensteins SLA
nice work!
but, the first thing i think about you seeing your photo album was : " this dude visit also david laser forums " . true?
im also fighting with a canon eos, but i will end buying a industrial usb camera ...
but, the first thing i think about you seeing your photo album was : " this dude visit also david laser forums " . true?
im also fighting with a canon eos, but i will end buying a industrial usb camera ...
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- Posts: 8
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Re: Frankensteins SLA
Yeah! That's me! Always trying to get top technology on the cheap.
I gave up on the Canon - I made a camera from a dismantled HD logitech Web Cam. Such a good decision as it made everything so much simpler!
I gave up on the Canon - I made a camera from a dismantled HD logitech Web Cam. Such a good decision as it made everything so much simpler!