From 14131b281ea4f60a44a4390e9fa730820aa6785b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: dakkar Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 17:55:04 +0200 Subject: new documents about the makerbot including images, and templates for "figure" and "image" ReST directives --- src/HW/makerbot/cupcake-build/document.en.rest.tt | 203 ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 203 insertions(+) create mode 100644 src/HW/makerbot/cupcake-build/document.en.rest.tt (limited to 'src/HW/makerbot/cupcake-build/document.en.rest.tt') diff --git a/src/HW/makerbot/cupcake-build/document.en.rest.tt b/src/HW/makerbot/cupcake-build/document.en.rest.tt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..757c913 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/HW/makerbot/cupcake-build/document.en.rest.tt @@ -0,0 +1,203 @@ +================================== + Building the MakerBot CupCake +================================== +:CreationDate: 2009-09-07 09:15:47 +:Id: HW/makerbot/cupcake-build +:tags: - hardware + - 3dPrint + + +Wednesday 2009-09-02 I started building the CupCake, together with a +few friends. + +Actually, the package had arrived on 2009-08-20, but I've been away +from home for about ten days, and I couldn't build it as soon as it +arrived. I had photographed the package's contents, though: + +[% INCLUDE 'image.tt' pic='img_0888' alt="The package's contents" %] + +Having all the pieces, and the instructions, we start building. + +The ``USBtinyISP`` programmer +============================= + +(`link to the instructions `_) + +It would not have been strictly necessary, since the batch #5 CupCakes +come with pre-programmed microcontrollers, but it was in the package, +and maybe one day I'll need it, so I built it. + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0948' alt='PCB, resistors, ICs, +connectors…' %] +The USBtinyISP kit. +[% END %] + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0949' alt='Dakkar working the +soldering iron' +%] +The soldering. +[% END %] + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0951' alt='Soldering iron touching the PCB' +%] +Soldering detail: an IC's pins. +[% END %] + +Motherboard and controllers +=========================== + +(`link to the instructions `_) + +Now we start building and testing the rest of the electronics. After +having connected the motherboard to the steppers' and extruder's +controllers, we turn it on: the technical name of this operation is +"smoke test". + +[% INCLUDE 'image.tt' pic='img_0952' alt='Smoke test' %] + +Although I had read `the warning about the power supply +`_, I managed to +blow up the nice power supply included in the kit. Luckily I have a +few of my own! + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0953' + alt='Powre supply, motherboard, controllers' %] +Electronics, plugged in and turned on. +[% END %] + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0955' + alt='Motherboard with lights' %] +Detail of the motherboard, you can see the green lights; +in the background, the extruder controller, also turned on. +[% END %] + +Assembling the body +=================== + +(`link to the instructions `_) + +Nothing hard: the assemblage with tabs and captive nuts is a stroke of genius. + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0956' alt="CupCake's body, with Z +belt" %] +The body, essentially completed, including the threaded rods for Z +translation, and steppers for Z and X. +[% END %] + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0957' alt='Z belt and pulleys' %] +Detail of the top part of the body; note how the pulleys on the rods +have been aligned by simply having them touch the bearing brackets. +[% END %] + +(Yes, I've skipped a few steps, I haven't shot everything) + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0958' alt='Body, completed' %] +X and Y stages built and installed, electronics installed, including +the end-stops. +[% END %] + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0959' alt="Electronics in its place" %] +Electronics installed in place; cables for the end-stops and the +extruder controller are still missing. +[% END %] + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0960' alt='X and Y stages' %] +X and Y stages built and installed; you can see the Y end-stops and +the (paper) tabs to trigger them. +[% END %] + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0961' alt='Y end-stop, glued' %] +While I was tightening the bolts for this end-stop, the wood broke. I +then fixed the end-stop with hot glue. +[% END %] + +I stopped here for the first day, also because it was already dinner +time. I started again the following morning. + +The extruder +============ + +(`link to the instructions `_) + +It seems that for many people this part is the hardest, and the one +giving the most problems: I did not have any particular difficulty. + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0965' alt='Extrusion head' %] +The completed extrusion head; the red wire is connected to the +nichrome resistor, the black wire to the thermistor. +[% END %] + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0967' alt="Extrusion mechanic, completed" %] +The mechanic part of the extruder, completed. +[% END %] + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0968' alt="Pinch wheel and idler +wheel" %] +The idler wheel aligned perfectly on the first try. +[% END %] + +A note on the alignment of the idler pulley: I followed exactly the +`alignment instructions +`_, then I put +the wheel inside the extruder body: on one side it was too near the +motor, on the other it was precisely centered. + +.. note:: Double idler wheel + + Someone built a `double-width idler wheel + `_, by gluing + together the two wheels included in the kit. In my case, + and `apparently also for someone else + `_, + the resulting wheel is too thick to fit between the flanges of the + pinch wheel, so it's impossible to use. + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0970' alt="Extrusion canal" %] +View along the extrusion canal; the hole at the end is the exit of the +melted filament. +[% END %] + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0971' alt='Extruder at work' %] +Extrusion test: it works! Note that the short black ABS wire I used +for the test has been extruded completely. +[% END %] + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0972' alt='ABS filament' %] +Results of the extrusion test: a black ABS filament, randomly curved. +[% END %] + +First print +=========== + +Finally, I can print! The test object is a `clip-on Z end-stop trigger +`_, since my kit's Z platform +doesn't have the slots for the triggers. + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0973' alt='CupCake printing the first +layer of the raft' %] +First layer of the raft. + +This is actually the third try. The first try caused a head crash, +resulting in a small hole in the print platform; the second try +started too high, and the raft did not adhere to the platform. +[% END %] + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0975' alt='CupCake finishing printing +the clip' %] +Final layers of the clip. +[% END %] + +[% WRAPPER 'figure.tt' pic='img_0978' alt='Finished clip' %] +The finished clip: I must study SkeinForge's parameters before +obtaining something actually usable. +[% END %] + +Summary +======= + +About 19 hours of work, very few problems, and a working printer: +probably the best-spent two full days of work so far ``:)`` + +.. _`CupCake`: http://wiki.makerbot.com/cupcake +.. _`l'avvertimento relativo all'alimentatore`: http://wiki.makerbot.com/cupcake-dont-do-that#toc2 + -- cgit v1.2.3