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    <title>Reprap Forums</title>
    <link>http://forums.reprap.org/index.php</link>
    <description><![CDATA[]]></description>
    <language>EN</language>
    <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:24:18 +1200</pubDate>
    <lastBuildDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:24:18 +1200</lastBuildDate>
    <category>Reprap Forums</category>
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    <item>
      <title>[Fabrication] Re: Laser Cutting Head</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?70,13836,13894#msg-13894</link>
      <author>Lampbus</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Dylan, the gas lasers use a gas AFAIK sealed in a tube (sorta like a fluorescent lamp). Often they need cooling with a water circuit.
The cutting process uses gas too - for two main reasons :
1. A clean gas is blown across the focussing lens. Because it hangs over the workpiece it can be contaminated by solid and gasious material blown from the cut. (optics are very expensive because they are not glass. Co2 laser energy is absorbed by glass (so you can laser cut glass sheet) so all mirrors are polished metal too.
2. Gasses are blown into the cut, usually from a gas nozzle thet is co-axial with the laser beam. This blows burnt/melted material away from the cut. it helps prevent fires in wood/paper/plastic. In Carbon steel cutting, oxygen is used as it helps increase the temperature and thus the cutting speed. Stainless steels use nitrogen (which is slower but gives a beauiful edge) because oxygen causes removed material to build up on the back edge of the cut as a nasty sharp and very hard jagged edge.

I have used local laser cutting companies for many steel fabrication projects and I can througherly reccommend : www.acornlaser.co.uk in Washington (UK). Their lasers are about 3kw !

edit: co2 lasers use a small consumable gas flow in the lasing tube. The point is, its not gasoline or flamable gas. THe dangerous bit is the IR light in the beam and reflected off the workpiece.]]></description>
      <category>Fabrication</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?70,13836,13894#msg-13894</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:24:18 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[RepRap Groupe d'Utilisateurs Francophone] Re: Comment on pourrait créer un groupe d'utilisateurs francophone?</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?110,12838,13893#msg-13893</link>
      <author>bonob0h</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Salut Freepic

Effectivement c'est en cours ...

En résumé : 

Approfondissement de la lecture des documentations anglophone afin de mieux comprendre ce qui est nécessaire ... en cours 

Bien comprendre les parties à acheter pour une première machine ... en cours 

Traduction d'une première documentation de base ... en cours ...

Mise en place d'un site avec articles de news, wiki, forum, gestion de projet, etc ... en cours normalement sous joomla ... un coup de main serait nécessaire

Appel a participation de compétences complémentaires ... déjà un peux lancé dans le forum futura ;) ... mais ça n'a pas l'air de mordre pour le moment ... 

Developpement de la traduction des documents techniques et achat des composant pour une première machine ... à venir 

Construction d'une première machine sur Paris ... à venir  

Elaboration d'un &quot;kit Ikéa&quot; ... modélisation 3D en imagerie, Cao et au sein d'une application &quot;d'immersion en web3d&quot; ... les grandes lignes sont prêtes 

Présentation de la première machine ... soit le 24 septembre dans le cadre d'une présentation d'un logiciel &quot;d'immersion en web 3d&quot; décentralisé en opensource ... soit après ... 

Développement, mise au point de l'a partie électronique du &quot;kit Ikéa&quot; ... est envisagé le concours d'une ou de plusieurs écoles de techniciens/ingé en électronique 

Etc ...

As tu des remarques, suggestions , autre ?]]></description>
      <category>RepRap Groupe d'Utilisateurs Francophone</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?110,12838,13893#msg-13893</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:07:05 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[General] Re: What are you going to do with your Reprap?</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?1,13886,13892#msg-13892</link>
      <author>Lampbus</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Well, in sorting out my bedroom to make a corner of it into a workshop (small house, living room full of electronics already) I found I needed :

New feet for my workmate - the rubber ones fell apart &amp; the bare metal scratches the wood floor.

New feet for my wardrobe - my house is 250 years old and nothing is flat or upright. So the wardrobe is perched on bits of variable thickness plywood and could thus do with some smart white (and probably fully adjustable) feet.

Also, in order to make a fortune and support the purchase of more toys, I have an idea for a product that needs some plastic rp to get development tests done. (Is this too commercial for the reprap ethos?)

Part of my bedroom reconfig involves fitting new skirting boards. Im using MDF ones, but I always dreamed of making custom modular skirting - with motion sensors and LED lighting with built in power &amp; comms. Eliminates trailing leads and lights your way when u get up to answer the phone/call of nature in the dark.

Can you tell I am an inventor who spends long hours in bed thinking ? All I need now is a woman with similar aims ;)]]></description>
      <category>General</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?1,13886,13892#msg-13892</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:03:03 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Mechanics] Re: Anti-ooze nozzle</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?14,13853,13891#msg-13891</link>
      <author>Lampbus</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Dylan - the animation is cool :)

But in my Antiooze3 the nozzle valve is controlled (almost) directly by the melted plastic pressure as follows :

As the extruder motor starts to feed filament into the heater, the pin valve is closed so pressure builds. Instead of filament feeding into the heater, the motor &amp; its mounting do an Indian rope trick and climb the filament a teeny bit. This upward movement pulls on the rod, cranks the crank and opens the valve. Plastic flows.

When its time to stop, the extruder motor reverses a teeny bit, climbing back down the filament and dropping the whole assembly with the help of the springs. Rod pushes, valve closes.

If the motor stops without backing up, a small ammount will ooze until the pressure drops and the valve still closes.]]></description>
      <category>Mechanics</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?14,13853,13891#msg-13891</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 21:50:29 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Reprappers] Re: RepRap SourceForge Site</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?4,13525,13890#msg-13890</link>
      <author>Leav</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Hi Kyle,
I tried doing that, but couldn't find rapid prototyped objects anywhere on the list.

it looks like a list of stuff to buy, as opposed to a list of all the stuff you need.

am I wrong? (hopefully) :)

-Leav]]></description>
      <category>Reprappers</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?4,13525,13890#msg-13890</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:02:00 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[General] Re: What are you going to do with your Reprap?</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?1,13886,13889#msg-13889</link>
      <author>Dylan</author>
      <description><![CDATA[I've spent a few hundred so far. I don't think I've broken $1000 yet, but I'm not too sure. I plan on using it for almost everything listed on the site, art, PCB, final production pieces, prototypes for molded metal parts, etc.

I would consider myself a hobby engineer/inventor and do a lot of electronics. I don't want to keep making breadboards and then shipping my design off to china, pay a lot of money, wait a month, just to get a small PCB, and I don't want to buy a laser printer and do the etching solution either. That's where reprap comes in.

I also like robots and RC and plan on making some of the vehicles from video games into RC cars (like the warthog from halo). The case and circuit boards could be made on the reprap.

I got started with the reprap group long after I decided to build my own RP machine, then I did some googling and found this group that had already started, so I figured I'd save myself a lot of time and just tag on.


I wonder what the &quot;nanofactory machine&quot; will do to the worlds economy. Once that thing works properly, anyone could make counterfit anything better than the original. Money, rolex, computers, cameras, etc. This might be a bad thing, or it might open up the world to a market where the design is worth more than the product. That would be NICE. Design a cel-phone ( $500 iphone), sell the design to a bunch of people for a moderate fee, they can print it themselves and everyone saves money. Recycle the old &quot;stuff&quot; into new &quot;stuff&quot; and the raw materials wouldn't have to end up in a landfil like they often do with old things. This would also help keep everyone on the same level of compatibility without poor people like me being left behind because of the economics of keeping up with the market (I'm talking about more than just cel-phones, this idea works for almost anything).

It would be nice though.]]></description>
      <category>General</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?1,13886,13889#msg-13889</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:32:43 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Fabrication] Re: Laser Cutting Head</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?70,13836,13888#msg-13888</link>
      <author>Dylan</author>
      <description><![CDATA[I was going to put a laser on mine too, but the salvaged ones are not good for much. I was looking into a 2-5+ watt diode. I want to stay away from gas powered ones just to keep it simple (and safer).
It would probably take too much power to do anything significant that wouldn't be easier with a CNC toolhead. I was going to use mine for laser etching, PCB, possibly SLS or SLA prototyping or something along those lines.]]></description>
      <category>Fabrication</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?70,13836,13888#msg-13888</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:17:09 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Mechanics] Re: Anti-ooze nozzle</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?14,13853,13887#msg-13887</link>
      <author>Dylan</author>
      <description><![CDATA[I think Richard's &quot;AntiOoze3.jpg&quot; alternative is a good idea. I can't see how to move it up/down to affect the pressure in the nozzle.
The other spring ideas are good, but it would be too hard to get the right tension spring to get enough pressure in there to stop the flow when needed, but not hinder the regular usage.
Sorry for using your image Richard, but it was easier adding to it than making a new one.
My idea uses a pawl system utilizing the current motor for the filament feeder. This way, one motor, and full control over pressure.

There is no need to reverse the motor on the GM motor except when you want less pressure in the extruder, and at the same time you could use that reverse motion to lock the nozzle with a good ammount of pressure. When the motor goes forward, it doesn't do anything to the blocking wire, when it's reversed slightly it will use the pawl gear to push the rod down blocking the extruder head. When it goes forward again a spring would push the rod back up releasing the wire to a neutral position.
Animation should help:
[attachment 909 anim2.gif]

(Of course, it's just a sketch at the moment. placement of gears and sizes in comparison to where the GM is and it's angle will need some tweaks)]]></description>
      <category>Mechanics</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?14,13853,13887#msg-13887</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:13:00 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[General] What are you going to do with your Reprap?</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?1,13886,13886#msg-13886</link>
      <author>reece.arnott</author>
      <description><![CDATA[I'm giving a talk in a month or so on the Reprap project as part of the joint Computer and Information Science seminars at the University of Otago (New Zealand) and I'm stuck on a slide that begins with the title 'Why?'

The real reason I got involved in the Reprap project was because I thought it was cool. Thats basically it. So I thought I'd give the rest of you the chance to have your say:

Why did you get involved in the Reprap project?
What things are you planning on making with your Reprap?
What sorts of people are you planning on dragging into the project and why?

And for bonus marks, how much time and money have you spent/will spend to get to the point of having a working Reprap (if that is your goal)?

As for my answers to the above, I am just wanting to get to the point that I have a reprap to give away so I can give it to one of my friends (I have a choice of engineers, retired electrician/computer tech, or the artist of the family). I have no real need to make anything with it, I just want to make it easier to use for those that do.

My penultimate vision is to see the reprap become the desktop nanofactory imagined here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqyZ9bFl_qg in 10-20 years time.

By the time I've finished it will have taken me 1-1 1/2 years to build and test my reprap but that probably only works out to 80 hours or so actual work on the Darwin itself with a significant chunk of additional time eaten up in reading and writing on the forums and another large amount of time producing the LiveCD/DVDs (a couple of hours a night for a month at a time) with a final lot of slack time due to buying things piecemeal and having to wait for parts to be shipped.

All up I will have spent a little over $US1000 for parts, shipping, additional/spare parts, and tools (I started with screwdriver and drill).]]></description>
      <category>General</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?1,13886,13886#msg-13886</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:42:10 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Electronics] Stepper Motor Exerciser issues</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?13,13885,13885#msg-13885</link>
      <author>Graxe</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Hi all,

I am currently still working on buildling a Reprap and have gotten to a point where I am testing the Universal Controller Boards for Darwin. When trying 

to test the board on test three in the tutorial I cannot seem to get the debug led to blink. Both power and programming of the pics were successful. 

There does not appear to be any issues with the soldering. I also cannot get the stepper motor to run when it is plugged into the board. The leds on the 

universal controller board however do blink so I believe it is transmitting and reciveing. The other issue that goes along with this is that when trying 

to use the stepper exerciser in the host software the exerciser does not seem to be transmitting or recieveing through the board. I have also built a 

stepper tester but it does not function either. Any thoughts on what the problem might be?
Thanks,
Greg]]></description>
      <category>Electronics</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?13,13885,13885#msg-13885</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:32:42 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Mechanics] Re: Anti-ooze nozzle</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?14,13853,13884#msg-13884</link>
      <author>Lampbus</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Viktor, I am basing my ideas on : http://blog.reprap.org/2008/05/anti-ooze-first-design.html
and the assumption that the tip of the nozzle contains fluid plastic due to being very close to the heater. This will also mean the cross-drilling dosn't have to be very precise or have seals. Seals are also a reason I avoided a sliding nozzle or heater (see peteredworthy's sketch) and slid the whole heater/insulator assembly in option 2. there isnt any molton plastic to seal at the top of the insulator.

Actually, if it were possible to heat/cool a small part of the final narrow nozzle independently from the main heater, that could be an effective valve. Unlikely to be fast enough though.]]></description>
      <category>Mechanics</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?14,13853,13884#msg-13884</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 09:38:37 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Mechanics] Re: Anti-ooze nozzle</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?14,13853,13883#msg-13883</link>
      <author>VDX</author>
      <description><![CDATA[... main problem could be clogging of the valve with material in the feeding - you need much force to pierce a needle through a plastic-filled hole ...

For a simple valve-mechanic you can use a heated nitinol-wire as actuator against a strong spring. It's the simplest method for applying high forces when you can drive the current.

Viktor]]></description>
      <category>Mechanics</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?14,13853,13883#msg-13883</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 08:18:09 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Software] Re: AoI Alternatives</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13882#msg-13882</link>
      <author>Lampbus</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Lego designer is free (but not open source?) and easy to use.
It would be interesting to get STL files out of it, but I had a quick google and didnt find anything.
The build-from-layers-on-a-baseboard is a good starting point for future non-engineer reprappers.
Pro-Engineer (also closed etc) is available for £75 educational. Very powerful indeed.

The point is surely that users should be able to use almost any type of design software, but we mustn't exclude the open stuff. Having said that, by putting the open stuff at the top of the list, its development is encouraged and steered to suit our set of requirements.

update: found ldraw for lego parts - I will investigate (ldraw.org)]]></description>
      <category>Software</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13882#msg-13882</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 08:05:44 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Software] Re: AoI Alternatives</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13881#msg-13881</link>
      <author>VDX</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Forrest Higgs Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
&gt; Sounds interesting!  Are you going to have a go at
&gt; it?  :)-D

yes, i want to make some experiments with layered fabbing with lasercutted plastic- and paper-sheets in plane and on cylindrical surfaces and this kind of designing would help a lot.

But actually i didn't have much time for this - today i finally managed to mix one of Fernandos UV-curing receipes (which i promised making in April!), but over the weekend i'm offhouse again, so this have to wait some time more ...

Viktor]]></description>
      <category>Software</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13881#msg-13881</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 08:03:04 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Mechanics] Re: Anti-ooze nozzle</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?14,13853,13880#msg-13880</link>
      <author>Lampbus</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Kyle Corbitt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
&gt; Richard, I especially like your first concept.  It
&gt; has the potential to be effective without
&gt; substantially increasing the complexity of the
&gt; extruder.  It's almost a drop-in addition to the
&gt; current design.  Props.

THats what I thought :)
Problem is it will have a pressure drop across it which will contribute to the overall extruder motor loading. Also, I dont know how much ooze will occur from the spring area. It needs to be kept as compact as pos in there whilst still allowing a low friction path for flowing material.
(I sometimes design valves for a living, my latest at www.charltonco.uk.com)

Option 3 is attached.
This is even easier to adapt from existing parts :)
The bell crank can be made unequal so that only say 0.25mm lift is required at the  rod/drive assembly to withdraw the pin 1mm. THere is plenty of power available for this, but slack in the pins will be a problem (im thinking of reprap precision, not instrument bearings)
THe floating link could be eliminated if the bell crank has a large enough radius and the wire pin is flexible and/or the pin drilling is not needed to be a good fit. THe link is on the wrong axis to be a good engineering solution. It is also extra complication.

Please give it a go someone, my repstrap is still in bits - some of which are currently mid Atlantic - hurry up parcel farce.]]></description>
      <category>Mechanics</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?14,13853,13880#msg-13880</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 07:39:18 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Software] Re: AoI Alternatives</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13879#msg-13879</link>
      <author>Forrest Higgs</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Kyle Corbitt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

&gt; But I'm still curious what you see as the problem
&gt; with Alibre Design Xpress, which is crippled
&gt; compared to the full version but will design
&gt; individual components just fine and outclasses AoI
&gt; on nearly every front.

I've got no problem with it at all, if it in fact is as capable as you say it is.  How many hours experience have you got on Alibre Express and AoI do you have on which to base that judgement?  How many objects have you designed?]]></description>
      <category>Software</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13879#msg-13879</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 07:33:12 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Software] Re: AoI Alternatives</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13878#msg-13878</link>
      <author>Forrest Higgs</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Sounds interesting!  Are you going to have a go at it?  :)-D]]></description>
      <category>Software</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13878#msg-13878</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 07:30:44 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Washington, Seattle RepRap User Group] Re: Organizing Discussion</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?112,13590,13877#msg-13877</link>
      <author>Kyle Corbitt</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Might want to announce your intentions at http://www.seattlerobotics.org/ as well.  I know of at least one member of that group who is interested in building/collaborating on a reprap, and it's the sort of group that I know there'll be others.  They meet monthly, and generally 50-100 tech-oriented enthusiasts will show up at any given meeting.]]></description>
      <category>Washington, Seattle RepRap User Group</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?112,13590,13877#msg-13877</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 07:10:53 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Washington, Seattle RepRap User Group] Re: Washington, Seattle RUG</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?112,12910,13876#msg-13876</link>
      <author>Kyle Corbitt</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Hey, I've been involved with RepRap for over a year and my workshop is littered with outdated components.  Never thought to start a group though because I hadn't met anyone else from the area on the forums.

I'm actively working on a CNC milling machine/RepStrap combo.  It's not much to write home about yet, but I'll try to keep y'all updated.  I'm game for any meetups or workshops that anyone is putting together.

RepRap has a larger presence in this area than you would expect - no fewer that three friends or acquaintances of mine have INDEPENDENTLY discovered it and talked to me about it because they found my name on the map on the main page.  However, I don't know of anyone else actively working on one right now.]]></description>
      <category>Washington, Seattle RepRap User Group</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?112,12910,13876#msg-13876</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 07:06:47 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Software] Re: AoI Alternatives</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13875#msg-13875</link>
      <author>VDX</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Hi Forrest,


Forrest Higgs Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
&gt; ... 
&gt; Is there a question here?

... it was a kind of brainstorming with an alternative construction-strategy that would be similar to the fabrication and maybe meet better the reprap way?

- Instead of thinking and assembling in the common way, where you construct a box in the size of your desired object and start to cut away holes, throughputs and free volumes ...

- Why not start with a big magazine of predefined shapes and blocks in the height of a single layer or a factor of them?

Then the object wouldn't be a set of 3D-points with triangles between them, but an array-list of defined shapes per layer, so the slicing will be much simpler, then calculating a cut through the aligned surfaces.

When this layering would be already part of the designing process, then you have a total different way of designing, constructing and reprapping your parts - similar to build complex objects out from lego-bricks ...

Viktor]]></description>
      <category>Software</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13875#msg-13875</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 06:59:17 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Mechanics] Re: Anti-ooze nozzle</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?14,13853,13874#msg-13874</link>
      <author>Kyle Corbitt</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Richard, I especially like your first concept.  It has the potential to be effective without substantially increasing the complexity of the extruder.  It's almost a drop-in addition to the current design.  Props.]]></description>
      <category>Mechanics</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?14,13853,13874#msg-13874</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 06:54:16 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Software] Re: AoI Alternatives</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13873#msg-13873</link>
      <author>Kyle Corbitt</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Forrest Higgs Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
&gt; Like for instance?  I've heard you talk about
&gt; Inventor (~$3,000) and Alibre (~$1,000-1,500) so
&gt; far.  Pardon me if I've got a creepy idea about
&gt; what you think &quot;alternatives&quot; are.  ::o


Well like I've said, you've got a fair point with Inventor and I already apologized for that.

But I'm still curious what you see as the problem with Alibre Design Xpress, which is crippled compared to the full version but will design individual components just fine and outclasses AoI on nearly every front.]]></description>
      <category>Software</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13873#msg-13873</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 06:31:32 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Software] Re: AoI Alternatives</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13872#msg-13872</link>
      <author>Forrest Higgs</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Kyle Corbitt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

&gt; I'm not advocating that anyone go out and buy
&gt; Inventor.  

You're not the only one who's done this.  Ed and Adrian, after making a big to do about sticking with open source and freeware what with SDCC, Java and Linux did the parts for both ARNIE and Darwin using SolidEdge, a very good 3D CAD package that is DEFINITELY not a bargain price-wise.  The parts, iirc, had to be migrated into AoI from scratch afterwards.

&gt; I'm only saying that it is well worth
&gt; our time to talk about the various alternatives. 

Like for instance?  I've heard you talk about Inventor (~$3,000) and Alibre (~$1,000-1,500) so far.  Pardon me if I've got a creepy idea about what you think &quot;alternatives&quot; are.  ::o]]></description>
      <category>Software</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13872#msg-13872</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 06:19:29 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Mechanics] Re: Anti-ooze nozzle</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?14,13853,13871#msg-13871</link>
      <author>Lampbus</author>
      <description><![CDATA[And another idea :

Have a fixed insulator&amp;heater like current design, but allow the extruder drive bracket to float UP a milimeter with the vlave wire connected to it.
As the filament is fed, the motor/clamp raises slightly it opens the valve.
Gravity and a spring will push it back down.
To keep the valve wire short to prevent it buckling on closeure, an actuator rod could be used. THis would have a flexible joint at each end and would thus be self-aligning (if you see what I mean)]]></description>
      <category>Mechanics</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?14,13853,13871#msg-13871</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 06:14:16 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Software] Re: AoI Alternatives</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13870#msg-13870</link>
      <author>Kyle Corbitt</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Forrest Higgs Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
 
&gt; Yeah, and the moment you outgrow that limitation [&gt;10pc assemblies]
&gt; you are either going to have to plunk down $1,000
&gt; or head over to Pirate Bay.  I downloaded and
&gt; worked with Alibre.  It looks like a good package
&gt; for all that it is apparently written in Java. 
&gt; The price jump from the limited use free package
&gt; to the entry level commercial package is, however,
&gt; a tad steep.

With AoI, there are much greater limitations that cannot be overcome with all the money in the world.  You're holding these equally priced (free) programs to wildly different standards and implying that the existence of an optional upgrade path is a detriment.

&gt; I don't think that anybody here can be properly
&gt; accused of considering AoI as being &quot;above
&gt; criticism&quot;.  That's a ridiculous and utterly
&gt; hyperbolic charge to make.

Good.  Then I'm criticizing it.  But we all know that a critic who doesn't offer any solutions is useless, so I and others here are also offering potential alternatives.

&gt; &gt; While it is useful in
&gt; &gt; some applications, it is far from ideal.
&gt; 
&gt; No doubt about it.  I guess what annoys the hell
&gt; out of me with this discussion is folks like
&gt; yourself pretending that commercial software like
&gt; Inventor and similar are realistic choices for a
&gt; low cost, open source project like Reprap when you
&gt; know very well that most of the people who are
&gt; already struggling just to afford Darwin are going
&gt; to have to go out and literally steal the software
&gt; you are promoting to stay in the game.

Perhaps bringing Inventor into it was a mistake.  I understand that a hobbyist cannot afford software like this (for the record, I never use pirated software and received both Inventor and Solidworks as promotions through an engineering competition I'm involved with).  I only used it as an example of the capabilities of this class of software because it is the program that I'm most familiar with.  However, free  or low-cost solutions such as Alibre Design exist in the same category.

I'm not advocating that anyone go out and buy Inventor.  I'm only saying that it is well worth our time to talk about the various alternatives.  I also am not advocating that anyone go out and buy a Dimension, but we've had plenty of threads on this forum discussing features that that machine has that we don't, including some that seem near impossible for this machine even in the future, such as a heated build chamber.  Are those threads implying that you should go steal a Dimension?  Maybe so, but I don't see it that way.]]></description>
      <category>Software</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13870#msg-13870</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 05:55:08 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Colombia RepRap User Group] Re: RepRap en Colombia</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?114,13679,13869#msg-13869</link>
      <author>Sebastian</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Thank you very much

I hope to continue contact with all you on my learning

.....................................................

Hola

Pense que talves podia comprar todo el REPRAP por internet o algo asi, pero me parece muy interesante aprender un poco de electronica y robotica para poco a poco ir construyendo mi propio REPRAP.


Igualmente deseo que si alguien en Colombia esta leyendo este mensaje y esta interesado se comunique conmigo ( sebastian.rodriguez@ubuntu-co.com ).

Soy estudiante de Ingenieria Industrial y me interesa mucho el proyecto.]]></description>
      <category>Colombia RepRap User Group</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?114,13679,13869#msg-13869</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 04:16:36 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Mechanics] Re: Anti-ooze nozzle</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?14,13853,13868#msg-13868</link>
      <author>Lampbus</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Nice diagram Peteredworthy. 

You inspire me to get doodling :)

It would be nice to put the pin inside as you show, but as you say, the plastic is solid at some point in the insulator so gets in the way.
THe spring would only be stiff enough to support the weight of the heater/insulator and liquid contents and to overcome any friction in the mount/valve pin. The pressure from the pushing filament is X. 

Does anyone have a value for the barrel pressure ?

My diagrams are attached.]]></description>
      <category>Mechanics</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?14,13853,13868#msg-13868</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 04:15:04 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Reprappers] Re: Part dimensions and drawings</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?4,13453,13867#msg-13867</link>
      <author>brucew</author>
      <description><![CDATA[The Original Cartesian Robot parts were made using Solid Edge using an academic license. The parts for the extruder were made using AOI. I can convert the solid edge files to any thing solid edge will convert to for you. 

Bruce Wattendorf]]></description>
      <category>Reprappers</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?4,13453,13867#msg-13867</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 02:44:34 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Electronics] Re: Cheap digital storage oscilloscope</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?13,5086,13866#msg-13866</link>
      <author>Aleksey</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Sorry for my bab English. 

It coast $400

Manuals in Russian, but is simple.

Possible translate in English.]]></description>
      <category>Electronics</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?13,5086,13866#msg-13866</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 02:42:52 +1200</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Software] Re: AoI Alternatives</title>
      <link>http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13865#msg-13865</link>
      <author>Forrest Higgs</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Kyle Corbitt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
&gt; Surely it is beneficial to know that there is
&gt; something better out there, at least.  

Knowing it's out there is one thing.  Suggesting that it is realistic to include it as part of Reprap is quite another.  Right now, you can plunk down $30,000 and get an entry level Dimension printer that will run circles around Darwin.  Does that mean that promoting Dimension printers on these forums is reasonable?

&gt; And you
&gt; don't need to break the bank to get a decent CAD
&gt; package - I've heard good things about Alibre
&gt; Design, which has a free version that has full
&gt; functionality for creating parts and even lets you
&gt; make assemblies with up to ten unique parts,
&gt; enough for many small projects.

Yeah, and the moment you outgrow that limitation you are either going to have to plunk down $1,000 or head over to Pirate Bay.  I downloaded and worked with Alibre.  It looks like a good package for all that it is apparently written in Java.  The price jump from the limited use free package to the entry level commercial package is, however, a tad steep.
&gt; 
&gt; I think that even if such a discussion must be
&gt; confined to open source projects, it is still
&gt; worth having.  There are various alternatives to
&gt; AoI that haven't been explored such as Open
&gt; Cascade, and having a place where people can share
&gt; their experiences with these free tools is
&gt; valuable.  

There are a variety of open source 3D cad packages out there.  Blender is the most obvious.  What we need is for people to get out there and use them and then share their experiences here so that other folks can benefit from their trail-breaking work and get up to speed with them faster.
 
&gt; What seems least healthy to me is treating AoI as
&gt; a deity above criticism.  

I don't think that anybody here can be properly accused of considering AoI as being &quot;above criticism&quot;.  That's a ridiculous and utterly hyperbolic charge to make.

&gt; While it is useful in
&gt; some applications, it is far from ideal.

No doubt about it.  I guess what annoys the hell out of me with this discussion is folks like yourself pretending that commercial software like Inventor and similar are realistic choices for a low cost, open source project like Reprap when you know very well that most of the people who are already struggling just to afford Darwin are going to have to go out and literally steal the software you are promoting to stay in the game.

Imagine how someone who came into the forums promoting Dimension printers would be received when the subtext of their promotion was that in order to play the game people were going to have to literally hijack such printers to stay in the game.  IMO, promoting expensive commercial software is morally equivalent to that.]]></description>
      <category>Software</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?12,13723,13865#msg-13865</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2008 02:37:38 +1200</pubDate>
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