==================================
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 <https://learn.adafruit.com/usbtinyisp>`_)
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 <http://wiki.makerbot.com/cupcake-electronics-assembly>`_)
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
<http://wiki.makerbot.com/cupcake-dont-do-that#toc2>`_, 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 <http://wiki.makerbot.com/cupcake-body-assembly>`_)
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 <http://wiki.makerbot.com/plastruder-mk3>`_)
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
<http://wiki.makerbot.com/plastruder-mk3-assembly#toc16>`_, 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
<http://wiki.makerbot.com/when-things-go-wrong#toc14>`_, by gluing
together the two wheels included in the kit. In my case,
and `apparently also for someone else
<https://groups.google.com/group/makerbot/msg/05a43a719f7dcb0f>`_,
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
<http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:929>`_, 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
