Comments on RepRap: Blog: Screw thread drive preliminary experiment

They are also running out the 2803 :(I'm using UDN...

2005-08-14T06:29:03.583+01:00

They are also running out the 2803 :(

I'm using UDN2559B's and ULN2003's side by side in the latest prototype circuitry. They're even more impressive than the 2803's in as much as they sink 700mA per channel and have nice protection features. But they only have 4 channels.

If anyone knows of a ready alternative to 2003's or 2803's please squeak up!

Vik :v)

Allegro appears to be phasing the ULN2003 out, but...

2005-08-12T16:50:47.980+01:00

Allegro appears to be phasing the ULN2003 out, but it seems worth note that STMicroelectronics appears to be producing them as well, and I can't see anything saying they're stopping. Also, they have a part ULN2803 which is roughly the same thing, but has an additional pair, for eight channels - which ends up meaning it could handle either two 500 mA motors or run outputs in paralell and drive a 1A motor.

Absolutely. The problem is getting the heat out. W...

2005-08-11T20:06:22.163+01:00

Absolutely. The problem is getting the heat out. When I increased the deposition rate by 60%, no amount of fans could cool the workpiece sufficiently rapidly, and the whole thing always turned into a puddle.

As the plastic is deposited in a very thin layer, it conducts sufficient heat through from the nozzle to melt the underlying material. We're not just passively laying down a noodle of plastic here.

Vik :v)

I've found that the hammer effect can get quite ex...

2005-08-11T18:51:25.870+01:00

I've found that the hammer effect can get quite extreme when one realizes that a stepper motor is not quite a box that will rotate a shaft in specific increments, but rather a ring of coils and a ring of magnets that will rotate the magnets relative to the ring in specified increments that is generally put into a box. Or vice versa, for that matter.

As for the comment concerning heating the space where the part is being made, in the preliminary experiments the opposite was true - the parts tried using EVA needed to be cooled in order to avoid making a mangled puddle.
I also believe that there's some contemplation of a hot-air assembly attached to the extrusion nozzle, to pre-warm the region of the part that is to be added to if necessary.

If I've followed what you're doing correctly you'r...

2005-08-11T16:44:38.813+01:00

If I've followed what you're doing correctly you're going for the Fused Deposition Modeling approach. From what I've seen systems using that approach keep the production stage in a box kept at a temperature just below the melting point of the plastic being worked. I know that with polyethlyene unless the surface being built on was very hot the extruded thread of new material wouldn't adhere. The thermal resistance of the polyethlyene was too high for enough energy from to new thread to melt the surface it was being deposited on so that a good bond was created.

Is this how you plan on going at it?

Best,

plaas

Thanks, will do.We're still considering belt drive...

2005-08-10T22:25:08.136+01:00

Thanks, will do.

We're still considering belt drive powered by a larger stepper, but right now we have some steppers that work and we need to learn about driving screw threads - so this is an obvious move and one I hope to learn a lot from.

I'm also suffering from that well-known condition whereby when you have a hammer, all problems start to look nail-shaped...

Vik :v)

looks like you're making some good progress. keep...

2005-08-10T21:13:46.346+01:00

looks like you're making some good progress. keep posting and keep up the good work!!