13. Applications and implications

Propose a final project masterpiece that integrates the range of units covered, answering:

What will it do?

MakerSpace is a powerfull tool for fast prototyping, It’s also a desktop machine, a combination of 3D printer, laser engraver, and CNC machine with interchangeable heads. It can wirk in the future as 3D scanner - all in one machine.

Who has done what beforehand?

The fisrt prototype of MakerSpace was designed 2019, for the first Machine Building workshop in tunisia. This workshop was organized by OpenLab Hamburg and FablabENIT and it was financed by BMBF German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. I was one of the machine builders & coach for 20 makers to teach them how to make the machine & reaplicate it.

Photo for all makers who build the machine during the workshop.

For more info visit the workshop website: www.makers-for-tunisia.org/

To design one of this machines I was inspired from other existing project like FABtotum, Zortax, BoxZY, StepCraft…

Every machine model was special and more devoleped than the other like for example The FABtotum machine I really apreciate the idea of adding a 3d scanner to the printer it was verry weel developed by adding a 4th axis and make as turning table to place and hold the pieces on and scan it, The 4th axis was usefull not only in 3D scanning but also for CNC, I decided to apply the Z axis and the plate system in my project.

For the BoxZy, I really liked the XY sustem and the swithching tool system used in the machine so i devloped the same solution in my project.

for the other two machines, I liked the mechanical solution for fixing tools and parts on the palte, It was really helpfull.

What will you design?

I’m redesigning the machine and make some changes. But mainly I’m designing my first complexe board which is the controlling borad for the project. The Ramps board. My board is orriganally based on the open source ramps 1.4 model and I am also Folowing the FabRamp board. This board was designed by my freind Hashim Al Skkaf who was a fabacademy student 2017 and he is now the fablab manger at Fablab UAE

During this week I’m designing the board for my final project.

I also designed the stepper board seperatly to make the wiring simple and the manufacturing easier.

I will design also The mechanical part using solidworks and assemble all the macine in the computer to know all the issues before fabrication

First I will strat modeling the frame, after that I design the mechanicl parts like the X Y axis parts which is a critical phase. he X and Y axis should be easy to assemble and can handle 3 tools for diffrent operations.

Then afte the X and Y, I should think about a good solution for the z axis

What materials and components will be used? Where will they come from? How much will they cost?

To make this machines low cost, I’ve decided to make the frame from MDF so will use 8mm MDF thickness. Maybe in the second phase, the materiel will change for stronger frame. I am planing that every tool or the command box will stick to the frame to inssure a compast design. The good thing is that all the materiel needed can be found locally in my country. So it’s all made in tunisia machine.

This is the estimation cost:

What parts and systems will be made?

  1. Main frame with laser light about 450/500 nm filter for safety uses.

  2. Supports for mechanisms and tools.

  3. Custom PCB controller board.

What processes will be used?

  1. Laser Cutting: I will use laser cutting to cut the top inclouser and the protection wndow and dor from plrxiglass. I will also use it to cut the frame from aluminium using TruLaser 3030

  2. 3D Printing: In my project 3D printing will be used a lot to coomplex pieces like the tool holder for laser cnc and extruder and many other parts like the electronic box and all

  3. CNC Milling: For CNC, i will use t to mull some aluminium parts and POM parts for the holders and the frame

  4. PCB precision milling

  5. Electronic production: I will produce my boards using a CNC for pcb an LPKF cnc.

What questions need to be answered?

  • Will my board support correctly the firmware and all the machine tools (Inputs & Outputs)?

How will it be evaluated?

The evaluation of the project will depend on the success of the various parts that compose it and mechanismes. In fact the system certainly depends on the correct writing of the firmware and the software of the management of the machine, but also on a precise correspondence in the movements of the motors that move the axis. There is still a lot of work to do and a lot of effort to reach the goal.