CubeSpawn

Here are the Elements of the CubeSpawn System as the stand today:

https://picasaweb.google.com/103828779781480193226/DougsShopPhase2#6202620107616244994

Daily progress seems slow, but the cumulative progress is beginning to become significant:

the CubeSpawn system consists of 5 basic sub-systems:

1. The cubical enclosures, (Frame)

2. A removable Mechanical Module

3. A removable Electr(ical/onics) Module (the control software runs in here)

4. A backplane to connect the two modules to each other and the frames sensors

5. The mechanical/electrical and electronic connectors to tie the machines together.

These are all in some fairly advanced functioning state, and in building them I have discovered a significant number of improvements that could be implemented (leading to a "two steps forward, one step back" cycle of design improvements.)

This, in turn, has made everything take months where I thought it would take weeks, but I think the payoff is getting pretty close.

While waiting for some parts to come in I have worked on a modular fixture solution for the Milling Machine Cube. Due to the overwhelming engineering task involved in creating a whole flock of machine designs, I will be adapting existing open source machines to the mechanical modules rather than rolling my own machines, since this, after all is why we open source!

From a practical standpoint, this means finishing out the circuit mill/router/milling machine design is going quickly, The 3D printer is done, all but a few details...

Since I'm using existing open source designs, appropriately adapted to the modules constraints, this also applies to a Laser Cutter, a Vacuum Former, a Surface Grinder and several others.

Additionally, I have part of a Cube mounted on a CNC milling machine to test out and expand the modular fixture setup, and I am using the fixture to make cube parts and plan sequencing for said parts (some require multiple setups, g-code, and tools.

I feel that this only the tiniest of preliminary steps, since there is an open field for application, since many of the projects I see on Hackaday could be made into automation templates and created semi-automatically on a CubeSpawn array.

Some fixture parts

Making Cube side panels on the modular fixturing

While the main Focus has been on the 3D printers Hot-End, while waiting for parts I put together a few more pieces of the Modular Fixture for the Milling Cube:

the 350mm Pallet, indexed on 4 pins to a 400mm Base-plate, I'll mount the clamps next to be able to swap plates out for multiple operation machining and 3D printing fixtures.

An automatic fixturing cube is partially designed to robotically set-up fixturing to turn stock into parts.

In the Cube mill, the Base-plate will be a part of the machine more pix here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/103828779781480193226/DougsShopPhase2?noredirect=1#6140248481839799042

Feedback appreciated!

Building the Hot End,

working out the modular electrical setup for the Heated bed pallet

Here is the 350mm "Light" Pallet for the 3D printer, Circuit Board mill etc

I have been trying to ping all the relevant components to the central idea:

So I added a post to the Ethereum discussion:

https://forum.ethereum.org/discussion/98/cubespawn-an-affordable-distributed-open-source-fms-flexible-manufacturing-system#latest

And the latest pics are here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/103828779781480193226/DougsShopPhase2?noredirect=1#

Couple of short video's to the Youtube channel also

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_pD1fekqXGpVXcshxrsQRQ

N Joy!

feedback appreciated!, help, even more so.

I have not invested much time in updates, instead choosing to focus on getting some hardware up and running, a sponsor has given me the run of a fairly complete machine shop, but its about 3 hours away from home, so it requires some planning...

--> the latest is to get the 3D printer module running and implement a working backplane:

Getting close to a generally usable design for the light milling machine, a "heavy" mill and a lathe... stay tuned

I will be putting a lot of the documentation here: goo.gl/MO0sta

CubeSpawn Ultimaker 3D Printer Module

and here: goo.gl/7BaBIh

CubeSpawn 3 Axis Mill Module