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Comments · 9
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Methods for homebrew circuit board already existHow does it copy its circuit boards and metallic components? Until the heads to "print" metal are ready on the RepRap machine (which is their longterm plan), the boards will have to be supplied separately (think of it as "vitamins" for the reprap).
*BUT* currently other methods already exist to build your very own circuit board in your kitchen using common household items (laser printer, paper, ironing) and not too difficult to obtain chemicals (etchant).
The plans of the circuit board are open anyway (either the first generation that was done using custom designs for the RepRap, or the Arduino which would probably be used in future versions).
As of the metallic components, they're just plain metal rods and standard screws. Available in most hardware stores. The mechanical complexity is in the plastic parts, which the current machines can already reproduce.
So the net result is that, given a small budget to buy raw materials and electronic components (that you can find locally - nothing special that must be ordered at an official RepRap distributor), given another machine to build the parts, and some patience (to make your homebrew boards, solder the components on them and assemble the stuff), you end up with your own machine. The only thing you need from them are the plans and instructions.
The nearest competitor is the Fab@Home which still needs $2300 worth of parts that must be ordered at various vendors who sell the special parts.
That's the difference, the "self-building" that is already being achieved by the RepRap : everything inside the machine that is custom can be build using the machine itself (plastic), or by the user (boards), the rest are common items. -
Re:Making stuff yourself???An iron is not special equipment.
A toaster oven is not special equipment.
SOIC chips and 1206 parts are easy to deal with, while SSOP and 0805 take a little dexterity. If you can make the jump to SMD, you'll find a new world of tinkering opens up to you. Best of all, no more drilling!
Just don't sneeze, a $100 of parts could disappear.
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Re:Mostly stabilityOne cool way I was told about for etching a board is to print the mirror image on a laser printer and ironing the printout onto the copper side of the board. Here is a page describing the process and best materials in detail.
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Re:Can also be done in a much simpler...
I've been using Staples Picture Paper to transfer the ink to PCBs (you have to print your mask with a laser printer - inkjet won't work). That particular brand of paper works extremely well, as determined by a fellow who tested dozens of types of glossy photo-quality printer paper to see what transferred toner the best.
I don't see why this wouldn't work on cases. You use an iron to transfer the toner from the paper to the surface to be etched. Extremely narrow traces can be obtained ("MUCH less than 0.01 inches") with this method, so I'm sure it would give good results for case mods.
This website has the detailed instructions:
http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg/gooteepc.htm
Dan East -
Easy design masking
Easily done. Head to Techniks or some other similar place and get some Press 'n Peel PCB transfer film.
Draw what you want to etch as a negative and then iron it onto your metal. Dip the whole thing in the acid bath and wait a bit. Steel wool to clean off the resist and that should do it.
If you're really cheap, toner is a decent resist. No different than making a homebrew PCB.
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PCBs
Let's not overlook the ability to etch your own PCBs amongst the discussion of PCB fabrication sites. The following site is a detailed description of one process for making PCBs, that seems to work well.
http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg/gooteepc.htm -
Please learn how to make links.Please learn how to make links.
<a href="http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg/gooteecn.htm"
(without the "; " that Slashdot put in there) yields: Build a simple CNC router.> Build a simple CNC router</a>.
Interesting link, BTW. -
RoutersNot the kind that hum in the closet - the kind that hum in the workshop. A few old printers - or some surplus pipe, a few roller skate wheels, a trio of stepper motors and a sheet of plywood will provide all you need for your very own CRC machine - except the brains.
Now, take an old 200MHz Pentium, FreeDOS, and CNC Pro and you got it all.
There's all kinds of uses for DOS. Lots of people still use it every day, even on their desktops. There's a LOT of old systems out there and recycling is a far better use for them than landfill.
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Re:Bean there, done that...
Oh no, you gotta dive in really deep to work with steppers. I've got a bunch of other IC's, such as L293D's for H-Bridge motor control.
Also, I'm into Atmel AVR's for my brains. I specifically use the AT90S2313, and AT90S8535. I bought these from eBay for cheap just a few $'s each.
You can't power a motor using the 5V output pins of the AVR. You've got to send them into the L293D (H-Bridge) to drive the motors.
If you dare dive in. Maybe start with the comp.robotics.misc news group.
It's a very complicated work (Hobby Robotics) and is a very demanding hobby to produce anything of substance.
The first thing you need is a breadboard. This can be integrated with a prototyping environment. But you need something to test out your circuits.
Then, you need soldering, wiring, resistors collections.
Then, go ahead and get yourself a halfway decent at least dual channel o-scope. After searching on eBay for quite some time, I ended up going with striaght to This dude's site and got a 150Mhz o-scope for $225.
Have fun. If you're an EE, you'll feel good about using your education.