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Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel

Posted by tbfleming 
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tbfleming
Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
March 13, 2010 06:08PM
My brother Brett and I are working on a new RepStrap design based on the Mendel:

IMG_3031

  • Its parts are produced by 2-1/2-D CNC machines
  • It's belt driven
  • It completed its first test print today using a MakerBot extruder! spinning smiley sticking its tongue out


Brett is stitching together the video footage of its first print; I hope to have it posted sometime tonight.

Even though it's printing, it's not quite ready yet. We noticed several things that need changing first; we'll place a notice in the For Sale forum when the time comes. We plan to post the design (Alibre) on the wiki as soon as the first kits go up for sale.

Todd

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Isaac Mendel: a CNCed RepStrap
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tbfleming
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
March 13, 2010 09:04PM


Todd

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Isaac Mendel: a CNCed RepStrap
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spacexula
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
March 15, 2010 12:46AM
Beutiful work! are you going to upload the files as a branch of RepRap?

repraplogphase.blogspot.com
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bfleming
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
March 15, 2010 08:45AM
Yes we are going to make the design available. Don't know how/where yet. We definitely want as much feedback as possible so that we can keep making it better for everyone.

You know, in hindsight I probably should use a different username. bfleming is way to close to tbfleming, my brother.
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tbfleming
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
March 21, 2010 03:12PM
Development is progressing; we made some changes to the X carriage (our previous one was a bit of a pain to assemble; now it's easier), the Y carriage (fewer parts than last week's version), and modified the frame vertexes to make room for the mechanics. Here's prototype #2 printing:



Todd

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Isaac Mendel: a CNCed RepStrap
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spacexula
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
March 21, 2010 05:38PM
If you keep this up, Makerbot is going to have some stiff competition in the US.

Are you using the RepRap boards, or are you using commercial CNC boards?

repraplogphase.blogspot.com
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tbfleming
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
March 21, 2010 06:07PM
Right now it's using the boards and extruder from my MakerBot smoking smiley

Todd

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Isaac Mendel: a CNCed RepStrap
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Arvin
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
March 22, 2010 10:06AM
Your video's are great. So when's the first kit going to be available.
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bfleming
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
March 22, 2010 12:29PM
If all the stars align correctly, we may list a few on eBay to test the waters this week. It depends on when our first round of belts and pulleys show up. We plan on including those in the kit unless the buyer requests otherwise.
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tbfleming
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
March 27, 2010 01:28PM
The belts and pulleys have all arrived, but we're still working on improvements. I started a Wiki page and I began assembly documentation. I'd like some feedback on the assembly documentation; does it look like this style will work, or should I try a different approach to document assembly?

Todd

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Isaac Mendel: a CNCed RepStrap
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AgentHH
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
March 29, 2010 02:01AM
Looks good! The assembly documentation could use some parts lists so it's obvious which bit is being added in each step.

As for the kits, does this include all of the bars / studding / screws, or is it just the wooden bits?
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bfleming
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
March 29, 2010 08:06AM
We are going to start with just the machined pieces, belts and pulleys. We might add others as time permits but there are Mendel electronics, extruder, and hardware kits already for sale on these forums.

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Isaac: a CNCed Mendel Derived RepStrap
FlemingCNC
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tbfleming
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
March 29, 2010 12:23PM
A quick note on the hardware: the qty of nuts, bolts, washers, etc. changed. We also had to change some of the bar lengths. Brett is cutting parts for prototype #3 today; if we're satisfied with the result then we'll produce a final part count and start producing kits.

Todd

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Isaac Mendel: a CNCed RepStrap
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bfleming
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
April 05, 2010 02:34PM
We are now cutting kits for Isaac. This is a Mendel derivative and will have nearly all the same abilities as the original. We changed pretty much every single part (sans simple clamps) to make it easier to machine.

All the critical dimensions for the Mendel have been maintained so that our parts could be substitute with original parts, not on a per-part basis but definitely on a per-assembly basis. So if you really wanted you could replace the z-motor and z-tensioner on our with the original with no side-effects.

Also every single one of our parts is printable on a Mendel sized machine, this means you can print another one from ours to truly be self replicating. Hopefully in less than 60 hours too >grinning smiley<

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Isaac: a CNCed Mendel Derived RepStrap
FlemingCNC
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librab103
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
April 10, 2010 06:47AM
The assembly reminds me of LEGO technic instructions. I agree with AgentHH with that I think a BOM for each step would be good. Other then that looks good!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/2010 06:49AM by librab103.
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tbfleming
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
April 10, 2010 10:28PM
The sources are now on the wiki. There's a little more we need to add; see the wiki for a list.
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bfleming
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
April 27, 2010 04:43PM
Build procedures are coming along swimmingly and are available here. I'll be adding to them throughout the week so keep coming back. If you have any like/dislikes let me know. The new instructions are already a result of your feedback from our first iterations.

Thanks

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Isaac: a CNCed Mendel Derived RepStrap
FlemingCNC
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SebastienBailard
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
April 27, 2010 05:41PM
I'll be adding to them throughout the week so keep coming back. If you have any like/dislikes let me know.

I like it when people use the wiki. grinning smiley

-Sebastien, RepRap.org library gnome.
Remember, you're all RepRap developers (once you've joined the super-secret developer mailing list), and the wiki, RepRap.org, [reprap.org] is for everyone and everything! grinning smiley
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bfleming
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
April 28, 2010 09:20AM
I'll be using that too spinning smiley sticking its tongue out
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Matthieu
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
May 25, 2010 12:56PM
That's great stuuf ! Exactly what we wanted since we haveaccess to a 3d cnc only. We'll try your design !
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Matthieu
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
May 25, 2010 01:07PM
By the way, does your design includes a cnc-doable holder for the extruder too ?I'm asking because you said you use makerbot extruder, which seems to be out of stock for some time now

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/2010 01:09PM by Matthieu.
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bfleming
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
May 25, 2010 10:00PM
We do not currently have an extruder, but one may be in the future. We actually use the Wades extruder on our machines now. Much faster printing than the MakerBot extruder. We just provide the adaptor for those who are upgrading from MakerBot to Isaac eye rolling smiley

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Isaac: a CNCed Mendel Derived RepStrap
FlemingCNC
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jmarsden
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
June 08, 2010 01:35AM
Has anyone printed a set of Isaac parts using an Isaac (or using a small huddle of Isaacs in parallel)? If so, how does the build time and total amount of feedstock needed compare to an original Mendel parts set? Does print speed/quality/reliability of an Isaac differ from an "original Mendel"?

I realize Isaac was designed primarily for the CNC-capable community (to which I do not belong); I'm just wondering if you feel that you have in any sense improved the overall Mendel design in the process of making it CNC-able. If you have, can you outline what those improvements are?

Lastly (for now), could or should some of these Isaac design changes find their way back into a (currently hypothetical) "updated Mendel" design?

Jonathan
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Matthieu
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
July 14, 2010 09:55AM
Dear Brett and Todd,

Just to let you that we have started the cnc process. We'll let you know how it goes.

One quick question, to what extend has the Mendel design been changed compare to the original ? Ie can we follow the mendel wiki for everything else than the assembly detailled for Isaac parts ? Are there changes - rod lengths, belts, whatever - not mentionned on the wiki ?

Thanks for the design - is the project on hold ? I notice less activity in the forum nd wiki
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VDX
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
July 14, 2010 10:10AM
... it's vacation-time winking smiley

Viktor
--------
Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]
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Matthieu
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
July 14, 2010 11:57AM
Should be more of it then, what do you people do with your free time ? smiling smiley
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bfleming
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
July 14, 2010 04:48PM
jmarsden,

We've never timed the prints of the parts, nor computed total print volume. We just printed the most complicated ones just to verify our own claims. While we did try to reduce the number of parts and still have them printable, reducing the print volume was not a criteria. I'd guess that good decisions on fill-density would yield strong parts with an reasonably low plastic use.

Matthieu,

There is much better documentation on our website than the wiki. Yes some of the rod lengths have changed, but none of the critical ones. The belts lengths changed a bit which is why we include them in every kit, along with the y-chassis aka 'smashed-frog'.

Vacation would be nice. Between work and the machine shop working Isaac I'm surprised I found time to sleep. So yeah, documentation is a bit lacking, but so far everyone has built the machine with what is listed on the website plus the full 3D models we published on the reprap site.


Brett

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Isaac: a CNCed Mendel Derived RepStrap
FlemingCNC
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tesla893
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
July 24, 2010 12:27AM
Has anyone made any blog posts about Isaac yet? I've been searching with no luck. Let's get a Isaac support group going or something. I cannot wait to get mine. grinning smiley

-Steve
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Matthieu
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
July 24, 2010 07:06AM
We're making one, but no blog - we should !

Ok for the support group smiling smiley
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tesla893
Re: Isaac: a CNCed RepStrap based on the Mendel
July 24, 2010 06:35PM
Matthieu Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We're making one, but no blog - we should !
>
> Ok for the support group smiling smiley


Alright coolness. I am going to be documenting mine in the wiki and anythings I find I will add in there.

-Steve
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