PhlatPrinter could be useful to SU Users.

Mike Lucey · 7 Jul 2009, 22:53

Hi Guys,

I'm getting a little afraid to post new SU related things at these times for fear of being ridiculed However I will carry on regardless as I think the PhlatPrinter is a great idea from what looks like a guy working from his garage. Check out his videos at http://www.phlatboyz.com/

The blurb goes,

This site was created to introduce you to the Phlatprinter and soon the Phlatprinter MK II. The Phlatprinter (patent pending) is a special type of CNC machine invented by Mark and Trish Carew. After years of trial and error, we believe we have a robust machine that anyone can build. Most of the materials can be purchased at your local hardware store at a cost effective price that allows anyone to become a kit builder of their own designs.

They use SketchUp for the design work and have developed a Ruby for this,

The PhlatScripT is a set of SketchUp tools that will allow for fold cuts and stepped angles for airplane control surfaces not to mention a host of other cuts.

I also notice that they mention Jim's Blog, 'Unfold Plugin Blog Jim's blog on his unfold plugin. Super nice guy / great script' but the link does not work for me so I cannot be 100% sure.

The PhlatPrinter Mark I costs $468 and the Mark II will be $899 when launched. As can be seen from their gallery of users it seems to be used mostly by RC airplane guys but I wonder could be be utilised for building arch models and rough product prototypes?

I really enjoyed making cardboard models of buildings years ago. There is great satisfaction to be had working with ones hands. This could supply the same satisfaction while using SU at the same time, all in package that does not involve cut fingers

Building the PhlatPrinter could be a hoot also. I love the 'home made' look of it!

Mike

pilou · 7 Jul 2009, 23:22

And why not 3D Sugar Printer?
How : Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories
Why : Candylab
Miam miam

ken · 7 Jul 2009, 23:53

Mike

Please continue. I do a lot of research (playfull looking), however, you always seem to find things I am interested in. So please keep the post coming.

Ken, always gratefull for any info concerning Sketchup, since I now earn my living by this program.

Coronel · 8 Jul 2009, 00:14

I read about this one before but any new is always welcome for me.
This model is a little priced anyway. You can find more robust and versatile cnc drill machines from China actually for similar prices or even cheaper. This one is more ecological.

ely862me · 8 Jul 2009, 00:15

Interesting stuff...maybe this is a short way for cutting the sections of my car ..i think i m on the way to make a cnc router
Thanks for bringing this in our attention !

Elisei

Mike Lucey · 8 Jul 2009, 00:25

@unknownuser said:

And why not 3D Sugar Printer?

Does 3D Sugar printer use some app to 'model' the end results. Or is it a p take? Haven't read much there but again I'm not much into sugar creations

Mike Lucey · 8 Jul 2009, 00:29

Yeah Elisei, I could see it being useful for car model mockups

pilou · 8 Jul 2009, 02:33

@unknownuser said:

Does 3D Sugar printer use some app to 'model' the end results

The funny of the thing is that it's Sketchup who is used for the construction of the 3D Sugar printing machine!!!
Plans drawing are given!
3D objects are made with another prog

Mike Lucey · 8 Jul 2009, 09:52

Pilou, I can't find what 3D app is used for the 3D Sugar model maker! Any idea?

Mike Lucey · 8 Jul 2009, 11:15

@coronel said:

This one is more ecological.

Yeah Coronel it looks very much so! I would like to get one sometime as I would have some work for it BUT my wife would blow a fuse if she saw me stuck in the middle of all the bits and pieces of the kit.

Still Christmas is not that far away

Mike

pilou · 8 Jul 2009, 11:34

As say here

@unknownuser said:

Software

There are several different layers to the software needed to control a three-dimensional fabricator, and they are implemented in our system with a variety of different techniques. We begin with a 3D model generated in (or imported into) POV-Ray , and then render the POV-Ray image as a set of two-dimensional bitmaps of slices through the image. The bitmaps are generated in such a way that they directly represent which points will, or will not, have the printing medium fused. We then take the bitmaps and use them to "draw" with our hot air gun at all of the black points on the bitmap.

Here is one of our 3D models, along with one of the generated 2D bitmap slices through that object:

You can download the 3D model, both the POV-Ray document, the rendered and sliced versions here . (53 kB ZIP archive)

So any 3D prog can be used if you can import the file format in Pov Ray!
I suggest you TopMod but I doubt that it can be export to Pov Ray
and more scientist k3Dsurf
K3Dsurf has direct Pov-Ray Inside!!!
All free
And of course SU (I doubt)

But as the machine want Bitmap "slice images" black and white you can in fact use any prog 3D! Even SU and TopMod
It just some tricky saves / export 2D prog slice surfaces
I believe that SU has a slicer plug Slicer3 by TIG or modify byAsteronimo
no really difficult things (because Pov is not an easy thing

But I suppose you will not near to have the sugar engine so...all that is conceptual for us

TIG · 8 Jul 2009, 12:07

I don't have any use for one [yet] BUT I really want one too... gadgets...

EscapeArtist · 8 Jul 2009, 15:35

I've been wanting to build a home made CNC machine for a while, a rep-rap too if I could find one with a good enough resolution...

Anyway, the "printer" up there reminded me of this home made kit: http://buildyourcnc.com/blacktoe.aspx

Looks like a lot of fun.