Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Our Extruders Hardly Ever Catch Fire
Well, not much these days*. But they do frequently throw tantrums, and some of those get close. So for those RepRappers who fell like sharing in a more "modern" context, we bring you the "RepRap Tantrums" Facebook group. This is a place where you can post pictures and videos of extruders engulfing themselves, particularly artistic birds' nests, or an absolutely spectacular huge printout - with an extruder driven through the middle of it.And now a seasonal warning for you to all check the batteries in your smoke alarms. Thanks.
Vik :v)
*Every software hack in the world wouldn't have stopped the first extruder fire I had, when an overheating TIP122 dribbled solder onto stripboard, permanently wiring the heater to 12V.
Comments:
<< Home
I was just thinking on that the other day as I was writing some firmware for a CNC machine based extruder.
If the firmware is controlling a ATX powersupply it could detect a runaway heater and kill the master power.
If the firmware is controlling a ATX powersupply it could detect a runaway heater and kill the master power.
I was just thinking on that the other day as I was writing some firmware for a CNC machine based extruder.
If the firmware is controlling a ATX powersupply it could detect a runaway heater and kill the master power.
Are you describing firmware and circuitry that simultaneously 1: is broken, and 2: realizes it is broken?
-----------------------
I'd suggest a mechanical time and analog circuit breaker inline on the ATX power supply.
You'd get "5 minutes of boost-phase power to bring the heater to its working temperature, and then the circuit breaker is allowed to start working, and regulating things while you go out for a walk, got make some tea, or in some other way ignore the machine.
You can probably find an automatic module to do all this, and it would cost a "mere" $50 from digikey. And people would start defeating the guard on the machine because it annoys them.
...
Post a Comment
If the firmware is controlling a ATX powersupply it could detect a runaway heater and kill the master power.
Are you describing firmware and circuitry that simultaneously 1: is broken, and 2: realizes it is broken?
-----------------------
I'd suggest a mechanical time and analog circuit breaker inline on the ATX power supply.
You'd get "5 minutes of boost-phase power to bring the heater to its working temperature, and then the circuit breaker is allowed to start working, and regulating things while you go out for a walk, got make some tea, or in some other way ignore the machine.
You can probably find an automatic module to do all this, and it would cost a "mere" $50 from digikey. And people would start defeating the guard on the machine because it annoys them.
...
<< Home
