Update on the 3D Scanner

The camera and its ribbon connector have been built into the camera tower, with the ribbon cable enclosed in a sheaf.  The top part of the Raspberry Pi case has also been attached.

3D Scanner Software - Freelss - Using Raspberry Pi

The 3-D scanner I am building will use a Raspberry Pi running Freelss open source software. I am currently installing all the dependencies and the other pieces of small software such as Raspicam etc, in preparation for installing the Freelss software itself.

When running the 3-D scanner will connect wirelessly to a laptop over the local wi-Fi network and be controlled from the laptop and the 3-D models can then be saved.

I will Post about the next stage in the 3-D scanner build next week.

Been testing the old brain, hasn't quite gone to mush yet.....

IQ Test

3D Scanner Assembly

I have started assembling the 3-D Scanner, with help from my younger brother, as it turned out to be a four hand job. 

The 3-D Printed parts were assembled using machine
screws and nuts

The fully assembled turntable arm. The stepper motor can be seen at the top
with its cables running down the arm to where the camera tower will be attached.

The next stage is to build the camera tower which supports the Raspberry Pi, the two Lasers, and the camera.

3-D Printer Repair - Fractured X Axis Belt Tensioner - Fitting The Part

The 3-D printed part required no post printing finishing, such as filing or drilling, so could be fitted as soon as the 3-D Printer had cooled down.

The fitting process required disassembling  the central Print Head Bracket on which both plastic extruders and the three fans are fitted, but the replacement fitted correctly.

The fitted part.

Protobox CNC machine.

I am hopeful to expand my prototyping and modelling capabilities and would love to own a Probotix CNC machine. I think they really look good you can see them on this link: http://www.probotix.com/

If I recover from Inflamatory Arthritis (and stop being an improverished  student) I would certainly buy one of these CNC routers. 

3-D Printer Repair - Fractured X Axis Belt Tensioner

My 3-D printer is a Rep-Rap style machine and therefore it is made from several 3-D printed plastic parts. Recently one of these components broke. The part which holds the X axes stepper motor belt fractured as you can see in image.

Broken belt tensioner for the X axis.

I got in contact with the manufacturer (Omni 3D) and got a copy of the CAD file for the part. I used some Heath Robinson inspired adaptions to the printer and got it to limp along and print out successfully the replacement part reasonably successfully, to a surprisingly high quality.  I increased the thickness of the printed part, especially around the fracture sites of the original, to make the part more durable.

The 3-D Printed replacement component.

This demonstrates the benefit of the Rep-Rap 3-D printer model as it allows components which are under stress or wear to be manufactured by the 3-D printer itself, reducing the need for components manufactured elsewhere to be stocked.