ORD custom heated build plates: They're HERE !!!

Topics Related to the ORD Bot Printer

Stepper modules

Postby frob » Mon May 21, 2012 5:07 pm

Enraged wrote:If your board is going to be an "all in one" board, then run with it, I don't think you need modular drivers.
Completely agree.
The modules are actually an independent range of product i'm getting ready to market in parallel.
frob
 
Posts: 260
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 6:24 pm
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Re: ORD custom heated build plates: They're HERE !!!

Postby orcinus » Mon May 21, 2012 7:38 pm

Enraged wrote:I have used big mills and lathes, but those were full machine tools, but this is totally new for me. There isn't even a basic "how to do your first print". Pronterface is great, but like most open source software there is a lack of information, so I'm struggling through it.


It's a journey vs. destination kinda deal. 3D printing in general is a finnicky thing, with lots of learning, effort and time needed to start achieving good results, and there's always room for improvements. That's exactly the thing that attracts enthusiasts into the field.

I've noticed the CNC/Shapeoko crowd is noticeably different. They're shopping for tools, not a learning experience. And they always stray towards techniques and solutions they've seen or used while dealing with big tools and do their best to stay away from the readily available reprap world solutions, and get easily frustrated if things aren't of a level they've come to expect from big, shop-level tools.

I guess that's part of the reason Shapeoko is getting so popular, it's much simpler, it's all-in-one and it seems more familiar to people with previous CNC experience...
orcinus
 
Posts: 720
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 4:03 am

Re: ORD custom heated build plates: They're HERE !!!

Postby Enraged » Mon May 21, 2012 8:48 pm

orcinus wrote:
Enraged wrote:I have used big mills and lathes, but those were full machine tools, but this is totally new for me. There isn't even a basic "how to do your first print". Pronterface is great, but like most open source software there is a lack of information, so I'm struggling through it.


It's a journey vs. destination kinda deal. 3D printing in general is a finnicky thing, with lots of learning, effort and time needed to start achieving good results, and there's always room for improvements. That's exactly the thing that attracts enthusiasts into the field.

I've noticed the CNC/Shapeoko crowd is noticeably different. They're shopping for tools, not a learning experience. And they always stray towards techniques and solutions they've seen or used while dealing with big tools and do their best to stay away from the readily available reprap world solutions, and get easily frustrated if things aren't of a level they've come to expect from big, shop-level tools.

I guess that's part of the reason Shapeoko is getting so popular, it's much simpler, it's all-in-one and it seems more familiar to people with previous CNC experience...


I find that it is a very fine line between enjoying learning, and utter frustration :)

Don't get me wrong though, I'm enjoying the whole process.
Enraged
 
Posts: 439
Joined: Fri May 06, 2011 3:13 pm

Re: ORD custom heated build plates: They're HERE !!!

Postby orcinus » Mon May 21, 2012 10:29 pm

Don't get me wrong either, i understand both sides :)
I've been in both camps at various times with various hobbies and projects.

Just making an idle observation.

That said, ORDbot's been one of my least frustrating builds to date, largely thanks to Bart's awesome schematics and packaging, as well as the fact i've been assembling it uberslowly (about 15-20 minutes a day, sometimes before and sometimes after work, with huge gaps inbetween). Plus, i've been lurking around reprap forums and browsing the wiki long before taking the plunge. I'm guessing it'll be the other way around for me with Shapeoko, as i've ordered it without doing any research apart from reading the build instructions and browsing the forum a bit.
orcinus
 
Posts: 720
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 4:03 am

Standoff height: 8mm

Postby frob » Tue May 22, 2012 10:09 pm

Quick update on these...
a1521.jpg
a1521.jpg (29.46 KiB) Viewed 18749 times
a1523.jpg
a1523.jpg (19.51 KiB) Viewed 18749 times


With the bare LAVA boards expected here Friday, ive been working to track down some of the harder to obtain parts -
On the LAVA boards there aren't many parts, but it turns out the threaded SMT standoffs are a lot harder to get and more expensive than i expected.
I just managed to find a stash of available inventory and had to jump on it quickly to get them fedexed over here in time to get a batch going on friday,
and hopefully get a few LAVA's shipped before the weekend;
The parts i was able to get are 8mm long, rather than the 4mm or 6mm i originally planned to use, which are unobtaineum at the moment.
After doing a lot of tweaking on my Hadron to get the it printing well, i concluded that the longer threaded length is actually useful, since it accommodates less than optimal screw lengths (what i could buy locally) and allows for a good adjustment range too - the 3-4mm long ones would have been too little imho, and the 6mm "just right" - so an extra 2mm shouldn't hurt.
I hope the extra few mm height is not an issue for anyone, but if it is please let me know-
I still have a few samples left of 3mm, 4mm and 6mm (enough for 1 board each) .

For future batches i will look at using different types which are less costly and more versatile (ex: usable with an aluminum PCB :-) )
I discovered for example a threaded stud (M3 x15mm) that can be pressed-in or SMT soldered - or both- and is 1/10 the price of the other standoffs- close to what i expected to pay -
so that might be an interesting option. Any opinions on that ?
a1705.jpg
a1705.jpg (19.65 KiB) Viewed 18749 times

I'd really like to get all outstanding LAVA pre-orders shipped out by early next week,
so i can focus on getting ORDduinos done and out the door right after that.
I'm doing a batch of 100 LAVA hotbeds to start, and the extras will end up for sale on my website right after.
Considering the actual cost of doing this batch, (which i'm doing at a loss at this point)
there will be an unavoidable price increase starting next week.
The new price isnt 100% decided yet, but expect somewhere in the $40-$50 range.
If anyone from Inventables, Makerbot or or other 3D printer manufacturer / store is reading this...
there would be a significant volume discounts, and customization options available :-)
frob
 
Posts: 260
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 6:24 pm
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Re: ORD custom heated build plates: They're HERE !!!

Postby Enraged » Tue May 22, 2012 11:22 pm

have you looked at PEM fasteners? They have distributors everywhere, and are pretty cheap in quantity.
Enraged
 
Posts: 439
Joined: Fri May 06, 2011 3:13 pm

SMT standoffs

Postby frob » Tue May 22, 2012 11:43 pm

Yes, i have, since these are, in fact, PEM products :)
Unfortunately none of the electronics distributors i have accounts at carries the line.
The local hardware distributor PEM referred me to are stuck in the stone age, they pretty much gave me the blow-off treatment, and have no stock of any of these types anyway. Major Fail there.
The SMTSO parts are about the only product of this type in existence that's supplied on tape & reel with kapton vacuum pickup dots on them, (perfect for high-volume automated assembly) unfortunately that makes the so special, it seems they believe it makes them worth 10x as much as an otherwise nearly identical broaching type standoff supplied in bulk boxes.
Luckily i found a small stash at a US outfit that has fantastic customer service, and much more reasonable pricing.
So from now on, if i can get it there, that's where i'm buying it.
Enraged wrote:have you looked at PEM fasteners? They have distributors everywhere, and are pretty cheap in quantity.
frob
 
Posts: 260
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 6:24 pm
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Re: ORD custom heated build plates: They're HERE !!!

Postby Enraged » Wed May 23, 2012 2:53 am

We used a distributor in Vancouver that was really good, sent us lots of free samples :)

However, we were using the standard sheet metal type PEM studs and nuts, I would imagine the ones your after are more specialized, and hence more expensive.
Enraged
 
Posts: 439
Joined: Fri May 06, 2011 3:13 pm

Re: SMT standoffs

Postby canadianavenger » Thu May 24, 2012 1:48 am

frob wrote:Yes, i have, since these are, in fact, PEM products :)
Unfortunately none of the electronics distributors i have accounts at carries the line.


Try Irwin Industrial... They carry PEM.
canadianavenger
 
Posts: 153
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2011 3:24 am

LAVA is here and ready to flow!!

Postby frob » Fri May 25, 2012 8:23 pm

Good news, got the LAVA boards in today, and the SMT threaded standoffs -
Boy that was a heavy box!
The high temp FR4 seems noticeable harder and flatter than regular FR-4 - when i tap it, there's definitely more of a 'ring' to it...
The boards are perfect! i could not be more satisfied with the results ; With this batch
The resistance at room temp in a 12V configuration is *exactly* 1.000 Ohms according to my LCR bridge -
so 12V at room temp that's ~ 144W, quickly dropping to ~ 120W by the time it reaches 100C (this is due to the normal tempco for copper)
Given the resistance of mosfets and cabling, in actual use on a RAMPS i would expect that to work out to something like 130W / 100W respectively.
All the above now confirmed by well instrumented tests at full power.
Temperature uniformity is *perfect*, as far as i can tell with my IR thermometer. Wish i had a FLIR IR camera right now.
Shipping out preorders will commence Monday -
IF you have preoreded a LAVA and want an alternate Voltage/Power setting, please PM me this weekend with your choice.

Note: Last chance to get in on the $25 preorder pricing is midnight ( EST ) Sunday.
Pricing on future orders, once i've got the webstore online, is not yet determined, but certainly no less than $39.99.
frob
 
Posts: 260
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 6:24 pm
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

PreviousNext

Return to ORD Bot

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 26 guests

cron