#- (hash) printer with super simple gantry

[o_lampe]

More and more test hours for the gantry and it is beginning to show an issue. The dual-dual roller constraint fails sometimes.
I think, I have to split the Aramid-line into two parts and fix the ends. Which means, I have to disassemble the whole gantry

Before/after:

[o_lampe]

Just for the record, I have configured bed leveling (G32) and mesh leveling with the mini-IR probe.
It's blazing fast, the first G30 to set Z=0 always scares me

[o_lampe]

@o_lampe Almost forgot to mention that it runs with the split dual roller constraint now and it never failed yet.

It's time to add some extruders and print some benchies.

[o_lampe]

It's ALIVE...
Actually no big things to report here, it just finished the first print. With only a single nozzle and without a fancy mini-Z axis. I just want to see if the two smooth rods are stable enough to carry a direct drive sherpa mini and to gather some experience with the new_to_me pertinax build plate. (feel free to share your findings with yours and PLA, PETG)

The result reminds me a bit of my first prints on a Prusa i3...there's room for improvement

Sorry for the blurry pic, it's a screenshot from a short video

[o_lampe]

@o_lampe
I have to add more tie-raps (*), just doubling up the drylin bearings doesn't help much.

*) can you believe it, German hardware stores are running out off supplies?

[oliof]

I use 0.5mm FR2 (pertinax) on flex steel sheet, needs a good sanding and then works pretty well and is very resistant to abuse (-;

[o_lampe]

@oliof I skipped the steelplate and placed it directly on selfadhesive ferro-film 1mm.

What about bed-temps? I'm at 65C for first layer, but through the thick magnetic sheet the temp drops 5-8 degree (and takes extra pre-heat time of ca. 5min.)

[oliof]

No discernible difference compared to PEI sheet at 0.5mm. I know it can take a long time to heat up at higher thickness.

[o_lampe]

@mrehorstdmd calling
Everytime I see your sand table videos, I want to build one.
Now I think to build a square or round hashTable with 4 steel balls zipping around. They could draw the same mirrored pattern or 4 individual patterns ( two at a time)
The main argument to do this, is the lack of slicer and RRF options to run a printer with hash gantry.

[oliof]

@o_lampe Why do you think RRF couldn't run a hash printer? It looks like a pretty linear relation ship between axis so should be definable with M669 matrix option. While tool changing might be a challenge, 4x copy/2x2mirror mode should be relatively straightforward to setup.

[o_lampe]

@oliof
I've already prooven that the XYUV kinematics work, but a printer needs a perfect first layer and that's the culprit for now.
RRF3.5 will have means for individual Z-axis adjustment of heightmap-corrections, but until then I have to find usecases with less critical Z-height. Sand table or laser engraver or feltpen plotter comes to mind.

Quad ball sand table is by far the coolest option IMHO.

[oliof]

@o_lampe you could go old school and print with rafts.

[oliof]

@o_lampe said in #- (hash) printer with super simple gantry:

@oliof
I've already prooven that the XYUV kinematics work, but a printer needs a perfect first layer and that's the culprit for now.
RRF3.5 will have means for individual Z-axis adjustment of heightmap-corrections, but until then I have to find usecases with less critical Z-height. Sand table or laser engraver or feltpen plotter comes to mind.

Quad ball sand table is by far the coolest option IMHO.

Arkanoid style animation would be fun, three balls drawing bricks, that a third one destroys (-:

[o_lampe]

@oliof said in #- (hash) printer with super simple gantry:

@o_lampe you could go old school and print with rafts.

That came to my mind, too. But it takes extra time to print the raft and I'm afraid that even with 4 extruders in copy mode it melts down the otherwise significant time-advantage.

[o_lampe]

@oliof said in #- (hash) printer with super simple gantry:

Arkanoid style animation would be fun, three balls drawing bricks, that a third one destroys (-:

I'd be happy to play TicTacToe, but if you write a meta-code macro for Arcanoid, I'll try it for sure

[oliof]

@o_lampe sure it won't be fast, but proving the concept is the first step to get it optimized. I get your hesitation though, and the world needs more sand tables (-:

[o_lampe]

@oliof
One Arcade classic game would be suitable for a sand table : Tron
Or Snake for single player

[o_lampe]

@o_lampe said in #- (hash) printer with super simple gantry:

Quad ball sand table is by far the coolest option IMHO.

I've checked options how to put a sand table on my hash gantry and it seems, I can simply put it on top of the existing printer. Just have to design the tool holders for magnets and some frame adapters. Easy to revert, when serious stuff happens on Slicer or FW side...

[oliof]

@o_lampe any news on your hash printer? It's been a while since you posted an update l and I am curious.

[o_lampe]

@oliof , thanks for asking.
I got a bit distracted by the NeoPixel situation I found in RRF. When I played with other controller options I saw a nice Ocean wave animation, which would perfectly fit the sand table theme.
Last month I bought a CO2 laser, which will engrave acrylic sheets with a wave pattern. Those sheets will be enlighted by the neoPixel wave animation.
Commissioning the laser took a while, it's still not perfect. In the meantime I try to find the best wave pattern for engraving.

//edit I also had the idea to put 4 Laser diodes (or even CO2 tubes) on the hash printer, they are not so critical with Z-height. But the firmware situation regarding multi-beam collaboration is even worse than multi-extruder collaboration.
I will ask the discord channel of the "K40Keller" if they like the idea...they helped me a lot with my K40.