For this week's assignment we needed to answer some questions refering to our final project. This questions, I think, will let us dimensionate the project and landing it, eliminating all aspects that are not needed and that will complicate the task. This is like the planning phase.

What will it do?

My project will be a DLP printer. This means that it will print 3D model in a photosensible resin. With this technique of projection, instead of using a laser to photocurate the resin, its faster, and with more detail than the one seen in a conventional fillament printer.

Who's done what beforehand?

This is a machine that can be made in a DIY fashion though it's not common because though it's cheaper that way, you still need to get a projector and create a photosensible resin basin which is made with some dangerous chemicals. So this is a project you can't make in an afternoon.

I found a good instructable of an user named TristramBudel, this guy shows step by step how to create one from scratch.

I also found a DLP printer that uses the light of your smartphone screen. This printer is named OLO and it was succesfully kickstarted the last year. This is a very small but functional printer. You can left your phone charging and printing while you sleep. And it's very cheap, it cost only $99 dollars. This ONO enterprise wants to bring more money in with the resines that they designed and sold and that allegedly exlusive for this printer.

What materials and components will be required?

I will need:

-A projector with at least 3000 Lumens.

-A mirror.

-Photosensible resin.

-Sylgarde (or something a like)

-Borosillicate glass

-MDF

-Worm gear

-Stepper motor

-Some aluminum

-Some plastics like acrylic

-Aluminum board.

-Screws

 

For the electronics, I will use a Gestalt Node:

-Attiny 85

-Resistors

-Capacitors

-Pins

-Clamps

 

Where will they come from?

Many of the things we have in my Fab. We have a spare projector that no one uses. Some photosensible resins that I need to try if they get curated with our projector. We also have a container with pieces of borosillicate glass. Aluminum, MDF and everything else we have. The real problem is the Sylgarde, this one is shipped from USA I will try to reeplace it with a local subtitute of this material.

All of the electronics we also have.

How much will it cost?

Technically, at the moment, won't cost anything because I have everything already gathering dust. The cost can be high depending on acquiring the resins, the projector and the Sylgarde, if I manage to obtain a cheaper but functional substitute, the cost can get much lower. I stimate $400 dollars maybe, more or less.

Real cost:

MDF 3mm- $8 dlls

Screws and nuts -$5 dlls

Petri Dish -$10 dlls

Photosensible Resin- $80 dlls

Stepper motor- $12 dlls

Electronic SMD components -$8 dlls

Linear Tread- $4 dlls

Aluminum T profiles - $130 dlls

Projector (optional) - $300 dlls

 

Total

Without projector $257 dlls

With a projector $557 dlls

 

What parts and systems will be made?

Everything will be made.

I need to build all the parts of the maqchine to hold and adjust the projector and the mirror. I want this parts to be portable and easy to dismount but at the same time, easy to calibrate and secure when the machine it's working.

I need to design the worm gear for the Z axis.

Also need to develop the basin, this one is the tricky part because it will be acombination between alumin and acrylic, sealer and the borosyllicate glass. It also needs to be really really clean in order to have the sylgarde applied.

I need to fabricate the electronics, I will use the I2C protocol so I will need a master and a slave. For the slave I will use the Gestalt node based in architecture that we designed and previously used in our CNC Tufting machine.

I will add an interface to load the 3D model, slice it and send it to the machine.

I will also design the plattaform in which the catalyzed resin will adhere to.

And finally, I will design the carcass to contain the machine.

 

 

 

 

What processes will be used?

I will be using:

Laser cutting in MDF and acryllic.

Soldering of metals.

Circuit designs.

Outputs.

Inputs.

Interfaces.

Router CNC for the carcass.

3D printing for some unions of the structure.

Some chemical processes to clear the basin.

Vinyl to isolate and decorate the machine.

What tasks need to be completed?

-The design of the base in which I will hold the projector and the mirror.

-Manufacture the holder of the projector and the mirror.

-Apply the worm gear for the Z axis.

-Design and build the basin.

-Design and build the plattaform to adhere the resin.

-Join everything.

-Design the carcass.

-Isolate the carcass for the UV rays.

-Load the program and the interface.

-Try the machine.

-Fix the problems.

What questions need to be answered?

Do every projector has installed an UV filter?

Does every photosensible resin catalyzes at 3000 lumen?

Which ones do it?

Which is the best supplement to avoid the sylgarde?

How cheap will it be?

What is the schedule?

May-All the machine design, mechanical design the electronics and the basin.

June- The tests.

 

How will it be evaluated?

By producing at least one good 3D print.