How to make your own 2D CNC machine that converts into a 3D Printer and back to a CNC machine in less than an hour. Costing less than a CNC machine or 3D printer! (~$1,000.00) In addition, the design will go further than the traditional 3D printer printing ABS/PLA, and move forward to printing with new materials such as 3D Printing Nylon derivatives like tauman 618 as well as Acrylic and PET.
Latest Updates to this Instructable as of 9/12/2012:
1. There is a full 2BEIGH3 update here, along with a source for Nylon 3D Printing material here.
2. If you have a new 3D Printing material, there is a Safety Test Procedure for any new and previously untested material here.
As a sample of the unique new properties of just one of these new materials, Here is a 3D Print of a Childs NYLON Prosthetic Insole on the 2BEIGH3 3D Printer.
With the 3D Printer configuration of the 2BEIGH3, you will be able to print parts that meet much higher standards for strength, flexibility and pliability. You will be able to design parts that can take 100's of severe strikes from a sledge hammer and still have a soft velvet like texture.
You will be able to print parts that are almost equal to Factory Die Extrusions. And in some cases, parts that can not be Die extruded due to complexity. The term "delamination" will cease to be a concern.
Nylon and it's derivative polymers have some great features that can be modified with fill density and layer height. Imagine being able to print a permanent coffee filter, bearings that need no lubrication, pliable IPhone cases, extremely tough bands that are so flexible you can tie them in a knot and they'll still support 200lbs!
My hope is that people use this guide to bring their designs and projects to tangible parts and objects as paper and CAD designs are great, but unproven, till built.
My goal for this guide is to take the mystery out of both CNC and 3D printing in such a way as to eliminate that….”its all to overwhelming” feeling or thought.
Because there are several other specific machine designs out there, both CNC and 3D Printer, please refer to this machine as the "2BEIGH3" or "2 by 3" as I will within this guide.
Latest Updates to this Instructable as of 9/12/2012:
1. There is a full 2BEIGH3 update here, along with a source for Nylon 3D Printing material here.
2. If you have a new 3D Printing material, there is a Safety Test Procedure for any new and previously untested material here.
As a sample of the unique new properties of just one of these new materials, Here is a 3D Print of a Childs NYLON Prosthetic Insole on the 2BEIGH3 3D Printer.
With the 3D Printer configuration of the 2BEIGH3, you will be able to print parts that meet much higher standards for strength, flexibility and pliability. You will be able to design parts that can take 100's of severe strikes from a sledge hammer and still have a soft velvet like texture.
You will be able to print parts that are almost equal to Factory Die Extrusions. And in some cases, parts that can not be Die extruded due to complexity. The term "delamination" will cease to be a concern.
Nylon and it's derivative polymers have some great features that can be modified with fill density and layer height. Imagine being able to print a permanent coffee filter, bearings that need no lubrication, pliable IPhone cases, extremely tough bands that are so flexible you can tie them in a knot and they'll still support 200lbs!
My hope is that people use this guide to bring their designs and projects to tangible parts and objects as paper and CAD designs are great, but unproven, till built.
My goal for this guide is to take the mystery out of both CNC and 3D printing in such a way as to eliminate that….”its all to overwhelming” feeling or thought.
Because there are several other specific machine designs out there, both CNC and 3D Printer, please refer to this machine as the "2BEIGH3" or "2 by 3" as I will within this guide.
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Signing UpStep 1: Goals and Approach
As I read through the 2D and 3D blogs and sites, it’s obvious that people with 2D want a 3D and people with a 3D want to try and convert it to a 2D. They are both limited because their machines were meant for a specific action. While CNC machines work with large X-Y lateral forces (cutting bits) they are very powerful but move very slow and 3D printers have almost no lateral force requirement (other than the platform) and move very fast. Because neither machine needs a fast “Z” axis, the 2BEIGH3 is designed to allow you to swap out the X-Y sections, recalibrate and back to cutting or printing in less than an hour. Actually, my 2BEIGH3 takes 15 min including calibration.
The process is going to be that we build a machine, to make a better machine to then build a slightly different machine. And while that seems complicated, it’s mostly nuts and bolts. I will try to specifically show you how to create or build the parts you need and where appropriate, provide detailed drawings and CAD files.
You’ll see that I have borrowed some ideas from others here on the Instructables web site, and if I forget to mention an already published detail, please let me know and I’ll update.
So before we get started, what exactly does a 2BEIGH3 look like?
The process is going to be that we build a machine, to make a better machine to then build a slightly different machine. And while that seems complicated, it’s mostly nuts and bolts. I will try to specifically show you how to create or build the parts you need and where appropriate, provide detailed drawings and CAD files.
You’ll see that I have borrowed some ideas from others here on the Instructables web site, and if I forget to mention an already published detail, please let me know and I’ll update.
So before we get started, what exactly does a 2BEIGH3 look like?
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I used your picture as a reference and successfully removed (bypassed) one of the optocouplers but I'm having the same results. I max out at approximately 80rpm before the stepper just stalls and makes a horrible racket. I know your videos are all time-lapse, do you have any that aren't? As it stands right now, I could get the steppers working but movement would be at a snails pace.
Any ideas on where I could look or maybe additional forums I could query would be most appreciated.
Best,
Tim
If it's 12 volts, you may want to bump it up to 24 volts.
As to the metals, yes , I found that I could melt them (Tin and Bizmuth) but couldn't control the cooling as well as I wanted. I'm sure it's doable, it just requires a knowledge of metal thermodynamics. If you do go the way of metals, you might try a system that extrudes an "almost melted" metal. Has a narrow temp range, but might just work.
Bizmuth is hard to control, but melts easy. Tin is probably the way to go.
taulman
Thank you so much for putting this instructable out there for us. I have always wanted to build my own cnc and I never thought I would. Thanks taulman for all your hard work and documentation. I wounldn't be doing this if it wasn't for your great instructable
Wow.....that's a large machine, Joe!... You'll be able to make furniture , musical instruments and a small block engine..!
Good luck in your build, Joe and thanks again for your comments.
taulman
I've started to build my own 2beigh3. I purchased the 4/5 axis TB6560 stepper controller from cncgeeker and the 8kg NEMA23 steppers from circuitspecialists. I have them all wired up with a 15A 12V power supply and a 9V power supply for the logic side. All looks happy with LED's happily lit abroad. I connected it all up to a spare PC I had and tested out the motors. Here is where everything started going downhill. After many trials and tribulations, I discovered the parallel port was maxing out at 3.3V, so I ordered a PCI expansion port and now have it happily at 5V where it should be. Now, motor tuning... ugh. No matter what config I use, I can't get the motors to turn well. Using the example config you provided, they make a lot of noise, but very little movement, mostly jerky action. I've tried lowering the accel and velocity, changing the steps, adjusting the low active on the pins and changing the pulse widths, all with the same poor results. In idle, the motors lock up as they should be with remarkable holding force. I'm unable to turn by hand at all. I've tested the motor leads and I'm seeing 12V as expected. I have the DIP switches for the stepper drivers set at 0% decay, 20% torque and 1/8th steps. Any suggestions or ideas on what I can test next would be greatly appreciated. I'm thinking it may be the opto-couplers that I keep reading about, but I'm not convinced yet.
Thanks again for all you have done. Not sure where else to turn for assistance quite yet as googling it provides a hodgepodge of results. --Best, Tim
I have added a photo of how to remove the opto and replace with two short jumpers on the last step and last photo. Bypassing the optos helped me after I noticed some creep on my boards.
Also, Mach3 "jog" defaults to 100%. use your tab key to bring up the jog screen and set the number to 10% to start to troubleshoot.
taulman.
-Jordan
Most CNC driver boards have opto isolators to isolate the Motor Drivers from the computer for protection of the computer. These devices require a 5 volt signal to work consistently. Try searching the CNC forums on 5 volt LPT boards as I'm sure they're out there and inexpensive. I have a mod for those drivers as well I'll try to post that bypasses the optos. Basically, you don't need them unless you're in an industrial wired facility using 3 phase power.
Rob,
http://whatisacnc.com
taul
Actually, Mach3 can handle two lpt ports. So if you have two printer lpt port boards in your computer, you can control 8 motors (maybe 10) at the same time. I think the main screen only shows four at a time, but there may be a "PRO" version that does more. Take a look at their site. Each of the lpt output pins can be assigned in setup.
You can also add some serial line controls....It's a very nice program. They have excellent video tut's on their site....worth the time!
taul
"The good thing about Mach3 is it has a lot of settings to manipulate operation.
The bad thing about Mach3 is it has an awful lot of settings to manipulate operation." and if you don't get em right, it may not work right.
Anyway, good transition. There are others here that have asked about linux CNC, so, if you want to msg me your setup, I'll edit this ible to add any helpful information. Either way, good luck in your build!
Also, 3mm natural round Nylon will be available in just a week or so!
Thanks again,
Skunkmere
1. Max Current
2. 1/8 th step
And I can't tell any diff with the other jumpers for damping.
You might try setting em up like that and then trying my xml..?
Either way, let me know!
taul
Is the nylon you extrude as flexible as ABS ribbon? If not, I'll need to consider moving the feeding mechanism directly above the extruder. Any thoughts on things that could go bump?
Thank you.