Project:Maker Faire Newcastle 2011

Proposal for a Maker Faire exhibit

Concept

A giant 3d printer, using concrete, plaster or some such substance for media. Takes the whole show (or maybe a whole day) to print a gnome, tux, pedobear, statue of Jonty etc.

Design

Based around a scaffolding tower (could be hired in Newcastle rather than transported) with a winch at each corner suspending the hopper / dispensing nozzle in a frame of 4 wires (could use 3 but 4 allows travel right into the corners).

Winch drum rotations and cable tension are measured for position feedback and load sharing. Winches could be windscreen wiper motors, wheelchair motors or similar.

Prints a layer, then parks the hopper. Hopper is flushed while layer is allowed to set. This could allow a reasonably rapid-setting cement without fear of blocking the hopper (parking place should be accessible in case it needs manual attention).

Development

Make a mockup the size of a fridge. Possibly using the glass fridge if it's truly broken. Might also be usable in hackspace as a vending machine if fitted with a grab. Use this to develop coordinate transformation and failure mode testing. Use it as actual exhibit if larger version is not finished in time.

Bonus features

• Camera on hopper for hopper's-eye-view. Use camera for 'instrument-landing' if it ends up being manually controlled.
• Replace hopper with ball for destruction of object.
• Make a subtractive printer by starting with a large block of foam and removing bits with a suspended strimmer.

Questions

• Can we use reprap software with a coordinate converter ?
• What media to use ?
• What's the budget ?