5-axis 3D printer on Prusa i3

[Freddiester]

@o_lampe I picked i3 hardware because it's common and inexpensive. I have another machine built into coreXY but they work quite similar in principal. I assume it is harder to implement the kinematics on delta.

[RAFFACNC]

@freddiester
thank you so much, in git hub insert a link for donations, for support your project.

[T3P3Tony]

@freddiester really interesting work, thanks for sharing it here!

@xyzdims is also doing interesting work in this area.
(https://xyzdims.com/)
As are others on this forum.

This has felt like a chicken and egg issue for a while: not a huge amount of focus on the hardware because there were not a lot of optins on the software tool chain side. Similarly not a lot of work on the software because there were few hardware options available. I think the corner is being turned in that regard!

[T3P3Tony]

This was great to see in person at 3d Meetup Sweden

Would love to hear from anyone else who is planning on building one!

[o_lampe]

@t3p3tony said in 5-axis 3D printer on Prusa i3:

Would love to hear from anyone else who is planning on building one!

I don't have enough imagination to see what else could be printed by it?
OTOH, I proposed this rotary table to my friends in a laser-forum, where I'm currently working on 2.5D laser engraving (aka powermapping)

[T3P3Tony]

@o_lampe this has so much potential both for support less printing, and for non planar printing where the layers are oriented and optimised for the shapes function.

[o_lampe]

@t3p3tony said in 5-axis 3D printer on Prusa i3:

where the layers are oriented and optimised for the shapes function.

I see, but the blades of the propellers from the example prints are no good example then. Their strength relies completely on layer bonding, which IMHO is the weakest. (except for ABS cured afterwards)

In other words: I want to see more prints

[T3P3Tony]

@o_lampe said in 5-axis 3D printer on Prusa i3:

Their strength relies completely on layer bonding, which IMHO is the weakest

For some materials printed incorrectly this is true (e.g. HIPS at too low temperatures) but is interesting to see research done to show that interlayer adhesion is not always the dominant failure mode:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341289167_Interlayer_bonding_has_bulk-material_strength_in_extrusion_additive_manufacturing_New_understanding_of_anisotropy

That said the ability to orient the extrusion path with more freedom using 5 axis printing will certainly help in a lot of situations, especially when continuous fibre tools are used.

[CNCModeller]

Hi All,
Seems to me that if we could find a way to print a first wall in the optimum direction for printing and then wrap a second around that core with the filament direction aligned for strength this would be an optimal solution. It'd be a bit like a fibre placement machine.

Very impressive

Looking forward to seeing how the slicer works too.

All the best
Barry M

[T3P3Tony]

@cncmodeller the "slicer" is currently written in grasshopper which is part of the CAD software Rhino.

@xyzdims is working on open source slicing options for non planarity, I highly recommend following his blog.

[CNCModeller]

@t3p3tony said in 5-axis 3D printer on Prusa i3:

@cncmodeller the "slicer" is currently written in grasshopper which is part of the CAD software Rhino.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll have a look when I have some spare headroom.

It'd be interesting if the approach could be ported over to Fusion 360 as they have a fully integrated CAM approach.

I've often wondered if a 5 axis 3D surface toolpath with a ball end mill would work as a way to generate a wrap layer for such an application.

Anyway great stuff!

Cheers
Barry M