Applications and implications

plan and document a final project that integrates the range of units covered:

      what will it do?
The project I am working on should be able to possibly 2D and 2&1/2D engraving. For example. it should be able to mill circuit boards  and be able to do 3D milling of wax and other compatible materials. Not that deferent from what the Roland MDX and the Fab-in-a-box would do.

      who's done what beforehand?
I had this idea when I got to know about the mobile Fab-Lab. I thought it would be nice to have compact machines in it that would stand a very low risk of damage irrespective of the conditions faced by the Mobile Lab. I also thought it would be nice to have more machines in the Mobile Lab and still have free space for people on the go. This  was how my I idea of the transformable machines started.

It was not until I saw videos of ILAN and NADIA displaying a similar idea that I realized how possible it was to make transformable machines. One other video I saw was on transformable furniture from the Resource Furniture show room. Seeing these videos made realize the essence of my idea of transformable machines.

Below are two links to the videos:

                    PopFab                                                                                                                  

Resource Furniture

      what materials and components will be required?
Taking into considerations the strength and compatibility, I have been considering the use of materials that will not take up more space, have less weight, less expensive, and most of all can last very long.

The major materials for the machine will be:
*   Aluminum alloy sheet (about 2 or 3 millimeters thick), but I am currently going to use acrylic
     sheet ( at least 6mm thick) and 12mm thick Ply wood.
     The enclosure will be made of the Ply wood were as the other frame works will be made of
     the acrylic.
*  Bushings
*  Pulley mounts.
*  Gears
*  Screws and bolts & nuts
*  Threaded rods
*  Sliding rails (shafts)
*  Pulley belts
*  Bearings
*  Springs
*  Stepper Motors
*  DC motors
*  Power Supply
*  Motion control system

      where will they come from?
With the knowledge acquired from class, I intend to build all the buildable parts such as:
* Frame works
* Bushings
* Pulley mounts
* Gears
* Other Equally buildable Mechanical parts.
* Power supply
* Motion control system
The parts that I intend purchasing are going to be the supper high precision parts that I are almost impossible for me to build. Parts such as:
* Bearings
* Threaded rods
* Linear rails ( shafts)
* Motors
* Pulley belt
* Screws, bolts and nuts

      how much will it cost?
I am working on getting the actual estimate, but from my rough estimate, it should be just around $700 and $800. I will post the final estimates in a few weeks when I am done.

      what parts and systems will be made?
I intend to make most of the parts. Some of the parts I will be designing and building include:
* Frame works
* Bushings
* Pulley mounts
* Gears
* Other Equally buildable Mechanical parts.
* Power supply
* Motion control system

      what processes will be used?
Taking a look at the parts that I intend to design and make, it appears I will be using almost all of the processes I learned from the class. I will be using :
* Milling process ( this includes soldering)
* Programming
* Wood routing
* Molding and casting ( some bushings and pulley mounts)
* Laser cutting and engraving

      what tasks need to be completed?
I am working to complete the frame works for the machine in the next three or four weeks. (hopefully by the 13th of July). and finish work on the assembly in about a week after.

     how will it be evaluated?
I would love to see the machine work just as perceived. I want to be able to evaluate it by running it and see it functioning.