Idea = extruder/mill head

Ok here's an idea that just popped into my head that's probably already been thought of 1000-times over, but how about a reprap with both a extruder and a mill head?

The extruder could of course lay down the raw materal, and the mill could in turn do touchup work in details with precision that the other couldn't handle, such as perfectly (well... relatively) smooth or sharp surfaces. The combo would also allow the mill tool to do work on surfaces it wouldn't normally be able to reach after the object was completed.

It was thought of years ago. It hasn't been actually done, though.

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Hell, there are no rules here - we're trying to accomplish something.

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

Thomas A. Edison

Hi Tornadoboy,

... here: - [forums.reprap.org] i tried with stacking sheets and milling them - it works better/faster with prefabbed sheets than extruding the slices by single trays.

Or look here: - [forums.reprap.org] for another approach ...

... and here some more specific: - [forums.reprap.org]

Viktor

I thought the RepRap couldn't do milling because it wasn't structurally strong nor accurate enough. I'm not trying to downplay the idea, I'm just trying to see how this idea could be built upon. Maybe, instead of a drill, we could have a small sanding tool. that way, the edges and sides of a printed part could be sanded automatically, producing a very clean end product.

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"The whole is more than the sum of its parts." - Aristotle

[www.cyrozap.com]

Better to just put down $10 and get a proper end mill.

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Hell, there are no rules here - we're trying to accomplish something.

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

Thomas A. Edison