FOAM CUTER AND 3D PRINTER

i am trying to put together and machen that will cut wood foam and 3d print it is design to use for airomolders so they can design make and repair model airplanes all so i wont to make it as low price to make as pos so this is what i have so far were i need some help is the software side i wont to rune it from a desk top computer from a USB to a Arduino controller board like
3D Printer RAMPS 1.4 Mega2560 12864 LCD Controller DRV8825 for Arduino Reprap
R3 Shield For Arduino & Driver Hot Extension Board A4988/drv8825 Kit Uno Cnc V3
may be use both as the printer will use 2 X 1 Y dual Z and 2 extruders steepers were the foam cuter will use 1 X 1 Y 1 A 1 B so need some firmware for Arduino to run it

Hello dpot

I'm very interested in your mechanical design, and would like to cooperate with you...If you like! and would like to have more information about the mechanical parts and the functionality of the movements.
I was searching long time for a similar Hot Wire cutting machine. I started to study the electronic parts and the software needed.
Today I have the following:

Hardware*:
- Arduino Mega
- Ramps 1.4 Board
- 4 DRV8825 Stepper Drivers
- 4 Stepper Motors nema 17
- Power Supply 24V / 36V

Software:
- GRBL 0.8c MEGA RAMPS.
Which was firstly adapted for 4 axis by*Letartare,
further improved by*Skwee*and adapted to work with the Ramps1.4 board by rasciodc.

- GRBL HotWire*Controller.
The program is a modified version of*Grbl-Panel, adapted by rasciodc.
It handles 4 axis, controls the hotwire temperature and visualizes Gcode being executed graphically.

Hope this will help you start up with the software. If you have questions...don't hesitate.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Donelma

Hello dpot

I'm very interested in your mechanical design, and would like to cooperate with you...If you like! and would like to have more information about the mechanical parts and the functionality of the movements.
I was searching long time for a similar Hot Wire cutting machine. I started to study the electronic parts and the software needed.
Today I have the following:

Hardware*:
- Arduino Mega
- Ramps 1.4 Board
- 4 DRV8825 Stepper Drivers
- 4 Stepper Motors nema 17
- Power Supply 24V / 36V

Software:
- GRBL 0.8c MEGA RAMPS.
Which was firstly adapted for 4 axis by*Letartare,
further improved by*Skwee*and adapted to work with the Ramps1.4 board by rasciodc.

- GRBL HotWire*Controller.
The program is a modified version of*Grbl-Panel, adapted by rasciodc.
It handles 4 axis, controls the hotwire temperature and visualizes Gcode being executed graphically.

Hope this will help you start up with the software. If you have questions...don't hesitate.

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Hi i am just starting to get all the parts printed and searching for all the hardware at the lowes prices list below when it all arrived i will post the links, so i know that they are good suppliers the 60 Plastic Wheel W/ 625zz Bearing Passive Round Wheel are normley 4.5 euro each and i got them for 1 euro each and they are just the same as v slot , list below is a rough idea of the overall cost

16mm steel tube form a local supplier 6m length is 10 euros and 50c for each cut so that is 30 euros for the steel
60 Plastic Wheel W/ 625zz Bearing Passive Round Wheel Gear for V-slot 3D Printer UK with out nuts and bolts for 34.55 £
5pcs 17 Stepper Motor Bipolar 84oz.in(59Ncm) 4-lead 3D Printer L9M 34.16£
R3 Shield For Arduino & Driver Hot Extension Board A4988/drv8825 Kit Uno Cnc V3 16.17$
RAMPS 1.4 Controller Board + 5PCS DRV8825 StepStick Driver Module For 3D Printer 11.56£
the belt and all the V slot parts come out at 70.23$
3D print if you had to get them printed 60 hrs i have my printer so hobby king pla is about 15 euros 1 kg 15.00euro
that comes in at--181.67 £$E

i have a cnc router / foam cutter / they are running on the hobby cnc setup parallel port software i use is dev / fuz / wing / foam / then to mach3 to run the gcode my 3d printer is on the ramps 1.4 USB software is Arduino / Marlin-1.0.1 / Simplify3D / cad software rhino autocad .

i have had a look at GRBL 0.8c MEGA RAMPS / GRBL HotWire*Controller / and the gcode sender but have not got it to run on my computer i was wondering if it is because i am running a 64 bit system my R3 Shield For Arduino & Driver Hot Extension Board A4988/drv8825 Kit Uno Cnc V3 has arrived so i will try to get it up and running

Congratulations!
Great work and I am excited to try your approach when you send the links. Seems to fill out most of the holes for me.
About your problem running the GRBL HotWire Controller...
The software is written in Visual Basic dot Net, a Microsoft Platform, and it has a dependency to some .Net FrameWork libraries V4.5.2 that you should download and install on your machine (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down....aspx?id=42642) ...But if you have a Windows XP machine this Framework version is not compatible with XP. then you have to upgrade your OS to Windows 7 or 10. Sorry for that!
I will try to recompile the source code in an XP compatible Version....

i have been looking at this software https://sites.google.com/site/foamcuttercnc/software as i wont to use the Arduino UNO /drv8825 V3 should finesh the printing end of week

It looks like a huge and mechanically very weak machine. I may be wrong, but if not then my opinion is that you should reconsider or make changes in your design.

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Originally Posted by A_Camera

It looks like a huge and mechanically very weak machine. I may be wrong, but if not then my opinion is that you should reconsider or make changes in your design.

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that is the thing about foam cutters they do not push or pull anything it just glides the hot wire on the g code path as for the attachment for the 3d printer this my be a problem but it works on my home build printer
the final size of the machine is up to you as it is design on a belt driven and tube system so just cut the tubes as long or as short as you like.
i am building my cutter 1m x 1m and then i will have 4 tubes 1.5m to connect the two towers together one will be clamped to tower A and then i can move tower B so i can cut fuz sections at 300mm x 300mm x 100mm apart and wings from 500mm up to 1400mm long and deta wings with no problem.

the strength of the PLA 3D printed parts are good if you need to make them stronger you could use nylon to print them but this would put the price up a bit.
as for the design of the 3 solid v slot rollers that are set so the tube sites supported by all 3 only one is adjustable for tension and the natural spring in the plastic helps the rollers are space 100 mm apart with one in the middle witch gives stability along the tube and having 2 tubes for the z axis stops aney twisting there.
we could look at upping the tubs form out =16mm / in =14mm steel tube to 22mm / 20 tube this is no problem
there is one place that i my have problems the stress on the tubes lower X / A axis from the wire tensioner this will be around 1 to 2 kg but should be ok we should not get any bending on those tubes if so we will have to up the size or use solid bar i have look at a honeycomb filed carbon tubes witch would be just the job but this is F1 technology and very expensive so thats is out.
for the 3d printer attachment i am going with the v slot system as this has proven to be a good design

Perhaps I am wrong and I have never built a foam cutter but have built two CNC and I am currently on my second 3D printer and my experience is saying that your design is weak and you underestimate the forces. Forces can be higher than you think due to inertia, even in a 3D priner and I would guess even in foam cutters. Quality of the work is better if the machine is more rigid, but it all depends on the requirements you have.

Yes, I know that PLA is strong enough for many applications if you print with high enough density, that's not what I'd worry about, it is the design and the pipes and the size and the belts which look pretty undersized.

The other thing is the combination. I think it is better to make a 3D priner which is just a printer than to combine the two.

I also had a look at this software...the firmware is working perfectly, the controller is also good and works for older pcs but harder to adapt...
We only have to check if the pins definition needs mapping for the uno.
A disadvantage for this UNO solution is you don't have enough pins for the end limits and you can control only 4 motors.
With the Ramp/Mega solution you have plenty pins, up to five motors (rotary if needed), up to 6 swithes, and can also attach a display if required.
Attachment 393440

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Donelma

I also had a look at this software...the firmware is working perfectly, the controller is also good and works for older pcs but harder to adapt...
We only have to check if the pins definition needs mapping for the uno.
A disadvantage for this UNO solution is you don't have enough pins for the end limits and you can control only 4 motors.
With the Ramp/Mega solution you have plenty pins, up to five motors (rotary if needed), up to 6 swithes, and can also attach a display if required.
https://www.cnczone.com/forums/attac...d=393440&stc=1

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yes i think we need to look for a board that fits are needs
i have had a look at the devfoam pro and devfoam cnc software it will do it all but at a price

have finished all the printing just waiting on a delivery of parts from hong kong then i need to get the nema 17 steppers

if you wont to take a chance on the printed parts i can do a zip for you

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dpot

yes i think we need to look for a board that fits are needs
i have had a look at the devfoam pro and devfoam cnc software it will do it all but at a price

have finished all the printing just waiting on a delivery of parts from hong kong then i need to get the nema 17 steppers

if you wont to take a chance on the printed parts i can do a zip for you

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Personally I will stick to the GRBL Hotwire Controllersoftware as I have the source in vb.net and I ported to c# as I'm more confortable with c# syntax. This will give me the opportunity to make software changes and write extensions as needed. I will also write simple CAM software for 4-Axis.
Yes! it will help me if you send me the printed parts, and if you don't mind also the 3d parts. Thanks.

wish i could wright software i am ok on the cad side pm me with your email for win rar

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dpot

wish i could wright software i am ok on the cad side pm me with your email for win rar

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[email protected]
Please send me also the 3d cad files (if you have)...thanks

Hello dpot...Did you already assemble your Foam cutter machine? Let us see how it looks like...! Regards

yes the wheels end stops and belts have arrived now waiting for steppers and ramps 1.4 but for now i have a 7 day stay in hospital to sort out my diabetes scanner then a 6 week project to start so lot to do

all fits but head to Chang the end stop plat as the roller hits it the wight tension tub all works OK and the axis move very smoothly and there is a natural sprint form the pla plastic that gives a good tension on the rollers with out giving any friction cant wight to fit the steppers and get it moving
sum good reading her

https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?131,535407

https://www.jedicut.com/blog/carte-c...haud-partie-1/

Thanks for the update...looks really GOOD!
I wish you all the best and a speedy recovery...:wave:

Yes I had a look at jedicut and I think his hardware/electronic extras are unbeatable, very easy and nice. What I don't like is that, it has its own firmware and CAM software and is not using grbl and gcode (standard) .... not extensible.

Looking t build a new machine, keep me inform