I was repacking my backpacking kit now that hiking season is going and needed something to wrap some duct tape around. Typical hiker wisdom is to wrap it around your water bottle, stove fuel, trekking pole, or similar item. After an experience last year where I wanted to just give my roll away to someone who was repairing stuff as I passed by I decided to wind it around something I could hand off this year.

This is the first prototype of my 3d mouse. It was created to test out the precision of the sensors and lacks a grip and buttons.

To see it in action:
youtube.com/watch?v=taLBV3AzXNk
in stereoscopic 3d:
youtube.com/watch?v=xyEZV3lYuxE

I am using a Phidget I/O board and 3 of their potentiometers.

The demo program was created in python using the phidget library, pygame, and pyopengl.

To hold it on to the table I am using Rotoscan's Clamp with some Sugru for grip:
thingiverse.com/thing:12616

I think for now I will explore the software side of things, I'd like to integrate alternative input support into Blender 3D, and maybe try to use Kinect to see what the quality of 3d tracking is. The reason I created this now is that I have actually wanted to create this several years ago (before Kinect, before Arduino), and had the Phidget i/o board and potentiometers sitting in storage for a long time and the difficulty for me was in creating the frame, and now that I have a 3D printer it is much easier to create things like this.

A while ago i saw the 8163 Xfollower - and i became interested.
I have designed a replace of the "idler" side plywood for the Xcarraige.
It uses two Ball Bearings (Outer = 8 mm,Width = 4mm,Inner = 3 mm).
The bronce bushings has to be taken out.

This is a reversible modification as you can go back if you need it.

The definition is in SCAD and VERY parametric, so you can trim the device as you need.

After installation it might be nessary to re-shim the buildplatform, using the calibration script.

I have no time for doint the extensive performance measuremnts for the MOD, i hope that others will do something about that.

I hope the Thing will do some good.

This is a 3D printable version of a harmonic drive. Harmonic drives are mechanical gear systems that have some very nice properties such as no backlash, high gear ratios, and being able to hold their position without power :

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonic_drive

Harmonic drives have an elliptically deformable inner gear (the flex spline) that is meshed into a ridged outer gear (the circular spline) using an elliptical horn ( the wave generator) that attaches to a motor. As the wave generator moves it deforms the flex spline and changes its contact points with the circular spline. Every full rotation of the wave generator moves the flex spline by only by the difference in the number of teeth in the flex spline and the circular spline. This design has 32 teeth in the flex spline and 34 teeth in the circular spline. See more details:

projectbiped.com/projects/harmonic-drive

Check out the video of the drive in action:

youtube.com/watch?v=vF3HHH-Et4c

This is the Aperture Science logo, featured in the Portal games made by Valve.

Modeled by me, optimized for printing.

Portal and it's logo is respective property of Valve inc.

He loves piggies and tacos, and he loves you thiiiiiiis much!

3/6/12 Update: New and improved, now with stronger ears!

GIR 2.0 fixed thanks to Landru!

This is a derivative of the "Parametric airless tire" thing by tjhowse. I simply added an option for a Solarbotics like, double flat motor shaft. I also added the option to extend the bore cylinder. Thanks to tjhowse for this great thing!

Video: youtu.be/LJolOII2_-k

Request: If you use this firmware, please take the time to click on "I Made One" with a picture of your bot.

This firmware took approx 5 months to write / test.

Because this isn't something printable, the best appreciation you can show for this work is to encourage others to use it by keeping it on the Thingiverse front page. Thanks to those who have done this already.

This Motherboard firmware upgrade enables acceleration with GCode support. No LCD interface required.

Supports: ThingOMatic, Cupcake, Reprap and Others.

Video showing an acceleration comparison: youtube.com/watch?v=AY6_h80hKOI

** NEW ** Firmware Manual: wiki.makerbot.com/jetty-firmware

This firmware contains many new features, some of which are: acceleration, mood light and buzzer support.

Feature list: wiki.makerbot.com/jetty-firmware#toc3

Requirements: wiki.makerbot.com/jetty-firmware#toc1

Latest Changes: (Version 3.4 - 05/20/12): wiki.makerbot.com/jetty-firmware#toc66

Any updates will be placed here, so check back often.

Note: This is not an official Makerbot firmware release.

This Mk7 replacement features a spring-tensioned, quick-release 623 bearing idler, and won't interfere with dualstrusion. The back is also open to make it easy to clean the teeth of the drive gear.

This works with MBI's Mk7 and QU-BD's MBE extruders. It will fit the Mk8 as well, but the Replicators have plates above the extruders that will interfere with the spring arm. There are several derivatives that solve this problem, most at the expense of the rear clean-out opening.

The best shaft for the bearing seems to be an M3x10mm flat-head screw, inserted from the motor side of the idler piece. A piece of 3mm filament should also work in a pinch.

For the cosplayers out there, accent your sweet costume with a full sized kunai. Should go well with anything Naruto related. To get the size I wanted, I ended up splitting up the print into 4 parts first, but then realized the layering wasn't stable enough due to the vertical printing direction. so I switched it to an 8 piece print. Including holes to use bits of 3mm ABS to help join the pieces.

I've been debating whether or not to post this since I read the blog post about posting weapons. Would this be considered a weapon or another toy? What would you say?

Steven Paul Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011)

This is my submission to the MakerBot Robot Mascot Challenge!

A few comments:

Although I am no stranger to 3D modeling, this is my very first model intended to be 3D printed. I do not own a 3D printer of any sort and I have never 3D printed anything. That being said, I tried my best to research good design practices for FDM printing and I sure hope I did all-right!

Anyhoo, this little guy is customizable by having different parts printed in different colors. Also, he was designed to be able to be personalized by the producer being able to place his or her own model in the body to add personal flair. The feet articulate as do the head, arms and claws. Everything should snap together. The spool on his back is Mr. Maker's fuel supply! Take some 1.75mm filament and wind it on the spool (you may have to warm it to be more pliant) then thread the end through the top of his head.

Now he's ready to go!

I designed this in about 10 hours with Autodesk Inventor 2012.

(Many thanks to "techknight" for the advice on re-orienting the models in ReplicatorG!)

Also, I would LOVE to know how well this prints. I tried very hard to be mindful of the vertical slopes and tolerances but this being my first design for print, I don't really know for sure. If anybody prints this, I would GREATLY appreciate it if you could explain any issues. THANKS! :)

UPDATE!
I'm working on the Mark II version as well as an Experimental Mark III body that acts as a stylish enclosure for the Gen 4 electronics guts. I don't own the parts so it's a lot of guesswork at the moment...Along with a new segmented head so it can be wired up with lights or cameras or whatever you can fit in there! (The FOO and BAR lights on the console for example!)

The Mark II I'll be uploading soon. Unfortunately not soon enough for the contest, but it was always my goal to create a neat little gizmo that was hackable and modular for ultimate customization!

More to come!

Update: Name Change! As a nod to robotic lore, this little guy will now be known as R. Maker!

This is a 3D scale replica of the United States, the state height corresponds to the number of electoral votes each state controls in a presidential election. I thought it could be a fun visual tool for learning about U.S. politics.

Also included in this thing is a flat 2D Sketchup map of the U.S. suitable for resizing, extruding, scaling, puzzle making, you name it!

More about this project in my blog post here: thenewhobbyist.com/2011/09/3d-printing-for-the-classroom/

Prodos is the second prototype robot from Project Biped (http://www.projectbiped.com) whose goal is to create an open source 3D printed dynamically balancing walking robot. Prodos was designed to demonstrate how to coordinate simple limb chain actuation using a microcontroller. It has 8 degrees of freedom (joints) and can perform a simple walking action. The servos used were selected for economy and aren't powerful enough to bear the robot's own weight, so Prodos must be externally supported while it is executing its walking action. See a video of Prodos in action at projectbiped.com/prototypes/prodos/walking-analysis

Prodos has the following features:
*Uses an Arduino Duemilanove microcontroller
*User interface via OLED display and 4 button panel
*8 degrees of freedom
*Detailed assembly instructions

One surplus AT4 (Bazooka) used + PVC PIPE + 3D Printer = Dangerous Fun


Experimental way to convert a used Bazooka Tube into a unique Firework artillery shell launcher.

3D printer can make you some semi useful stuff like whistles or bottle openers, but lets look deeper. Personal 3D printers give you the ability to make custom high precision parts quickly. Allowing you to combine two parts into one Assembly for maximum fun!

Primary Test video (A Must Watch!)

youtube.com/watch?v=TUdNGFR3cIw

Previous Life:

youtube.com/watch?v=h6Gq0GCP3BU

This is a fully parametric, fully printable, quadrocopter frame design done with Inventor. With this design you can print a quadrocopter with a 160-260mm motor to motor distance, giving enough room to accommodate props from 101.6mm (4") to 177.8mm (7").

Motivation: I wanted to build a quadrocopter which I could use to learn with, a basic requirement of this being that I need to be able to fix it with minimal cost and difficulty. So its a good job I have a 3d printer!

Draft: I started this design with the intention of squeezing all the electronics into the centre of the hub area, in the same plane as the arms. I completed a draft with this in mind, but I wasn't happy with how much plastic it consumed and I also hadn't given any though to how I would route cables around the frame. In addition to this, I based the design on "guestimate" dimensions, it was always going to need some sort of reworking.

Revision 1 (Pictured): The draft design gave me some good ideas to move forward with, it also gave me the confidence to buy the parts I'd need to eventually get this thing into the air. For this revision I moved the electronics to a more standard location on top of the hub area. There are fixing holes for the electronics on a square of 45mm about the centre, this can be varied. Another variable dimension is the motor to motor distance, which for this revision is set at 180mm allowing for a 10.16-12.7mm (4-5") prop.

With this revision I gave a little thought to routing of wires and came up with the "power layer". This component stacks with the hub of the quadrocopter and allows the esc's and battery to plug into the frame. Many quadrocopters suffer from the "flying spaghetti monster" problem, this solution goes some way to alleviate that.

This is the design I have printed, as it turns out I was being a bit ambitious with the prop size, all things accounted for it weighs about 450g. I calculate about 600g of thrust with this set up meaning its going to have to run at over 3/4 throttle to fly. Whilst not a show stopper its certainly going to strain the motors and esc's, and I doubt its going to be manoeuvrable.

Landing gear has also been added, not sure how it will perform but it certainly looks the part.

Revision 2: This design incorporates some lessons I learned from the previous revision. The arms are thinner, making them lighter per unit length, and allowing for greater prop sizes up to 177.8mm (7"). The thinner arms also mean the hub area uses less plastic, more weight saving. The minimum thickness of all components has also been reduced slightly in an attempt to remove some more redundant plastic. Due to the allowance for larger props I hope to achieve over 1kg of thrust with this design, giving much more acceptable performance.

Major Dimensions:
motor_to_motor = Distance between motor centers, dictates arm length which is limited by build platform size.
arm_width = Self explanatory
arm_height = Self explanatory
mounting_square = The side length of the square who's corners lie at the center of the mounting holes.
hub_square = Width of the hub.
pinch_gap = Width of the gap between the top and bottom hub components.
power_thickness = The max thickness of your power distribution circuit.
battery_width = Self explanatory
battery_thickness = Self explanatory
structural_cover = The minimum thickness of any section.

Please take note, I havent flown this yet. I ordered a receiver that as incompatible with my transmitter and am waiting for a replacement from chine (boo). I shall update this thing with pictures and hopefully videos when I get the last bits in place.

I'm open to any suggestions as to how I can improve this design further. Moving forward, I'm going to experiment with different thickness's in an attempt to find a good trade off between weight and strength.

Electronics Supplemental
Some info on the electronics was requested. There is an awful lot of choice in this respect, you ultimately need to decide on a control unit and a drive system. For my control unit (not pictured) I use an Arduino nano, "All in one" sensor board which can be found on ebay, and a fly sky 6 channel receiver (FS-R6B) to go with my fly sky transmitter (FS-TH9X). Such a control system will work for any quad configuration. The drive system is dependent on the quadrocopter weight and maximum allowable prop diameter, this choice is non trivial and I suggest you visit some quadrocopter forums where you will find a huge amount of sadvice and suggestions.

There is a wealth of further information at Aeroquad.com and multiwii.com

Well this is an proof of concept so to speak. Not really a thing ;-). What i do here is generate scad files. I was playing with that thought for a while now. Because its a bit strange. I use one programming language (action-script 3.0 and flex in my case) to generate the other.

In this case for the polygon method within openscad witch is powerfull but hard to read. So a made the visual helper for generation polygon call with a bit of extrusion

Weird but it works what do you think mad or mad science ;)

The small air app does not have any undo functionality and you can only draw on a grid, it was just to test something maybe i will add stuff to it ? should i ?

youtube.com/watch?v=0oSW9zlKsZ8

Update 14 Jun 2011:
Thanks for the great response but a bit of warning is in place the fxp source code is, well.. how do is say it.... very sloppy ;-) , just so you know build it 2 or 3 hours or so ( hack hack )


Update 13 Aug 2011:
Still working on it but not ready for its first release :-(
Some hints
- Layers (one layer is one openscad module) each layer its own color
- Adding and Deleting of Points and of course Moving points Splitting of segments
- Curves (Maybe)
- Save files (some json or xml) so you can save your work
- Web based and AIR app
- Etc Etc ;-)

Update 2 Aug 2012 :
New version at
thingiverse.com/thing:13348
Or
protorabbit.nl/?p=32

Full writeup on my blog at: eclecti.cc/hardware/physical-keygen-duplicating-house-keys-on-a-3d-printer

It occurred to me recently that I had printed almost nothing actually useful on my RepRap 3D printer, aside from parts to improve on or build more RepRaps. I am rectifying that with this project. The goal here is to generate working house keys by inputing the key code of the lock into a parametric OpenSCAD model. Instead of having to explain to my landlord how I ended up with a wedge of plastic jammed in my front door, I ordered a box of (well) used locks and latches from eBay to experiment on. Luckily, the lot includes both Kwikset KW1 and Schlage SC1 locks, which are the two most commonly found in the US. I created an SC1 model to start with, but I’ll probably make a KW1 soon.

EDIT: I uploaded a KW1 model as well.

Designing the key model was actually pretty straightforward. I measured a key with a ruler and calipers and created an approximate model of it that is reasonably easy to print. I then got pin depth specifications and parametrically differenced them out of the model. To generate new keys, you can just edit the last line of the file and enter in the key code for your key. If the code isn’t written on the key, you can measure the height of each bit and compare to the numbers in the Root Depth column on the aforementioned pin depth site. Perhaps more nefariously, you could implement something like SNEAKEY to generate key codes without physically measuring the key.

I have made a bunch of improvements in this design, and I would consider it my first real "success".
Changes:

1) I changed the pressure angled of the V-groove from 45 to 22.5 so the v-groove bearing are easier to print.
2) many modifications to the shuttle and added in adjustment screws, slide tracks, etc for mounting
3) changes to the bearing system, I'm now using 608 bearings with a v-groove sleeve.
4) changed the height of the tube, the herrringbone track is now printed separately and inlaid into the track space.

My to-do list includes:
-More shuttle modifications
-Mods to the motor mount
-Cleaning up code
-Usage of parametric printed bearings
-get rid of all nuts and bolts and replace with printed materials

Well, I started out wanting to do some nicer fillets on my OpenScad designs, and suddenly, I have a full blown Bezier surface/solids library!

This thing is the Version 1.0 for this stuff. I think it's actually good enough to produce some nice looking objects.

The technique used here is a linear extrusion of a bezier surface. The surface itself is described by 16 control points in a mesh. The machinery then takes care of rendering that to the thickness that you want.

The workhorse module can be found in the Renderer.scad file: DisplaySurfaceMesh()

This will generate a surface, according to your mesh, and extruded to the thickness that you specify (default 1mm). It is a solid, so it will play nicely with the other CSG functions in OpenScad.

There are a few demo/test/samples provided in the .scad files, so it should be fairly easy to make up your own examples.

I use colors in the examples because it makes for some pretty pictures. They don't affect the rendering process at all. If you don't like the color ramps, you can select your own.

Although this version provides only one mechanism for doing solids from the Bezier surface mesh, it has all the fundamentals for you to do other forms as well. you don't even have to use the Bezier functions for bezier surfaces, you can use them for anything where you'd like something to vary in a parametric sort of way in your designs. The color ramps are another example of how the Bezier curves can be used.

At any rate, there are other forms of curves, and more rendering methods to be pursued. RapCAD is doing some interesting work, and hopefully Bezier shows up as a core feature of these various text based tools.

But, until that day... enjoy!

UPDATE: Blog entry to go with it:
williamaadams.wordpress.com/2011/05/26/linear-extrusion-of-bezier-surfaces/

This is still a bit of a work in progress but I think it's mostly workable now.

Warning! There be overhangs here!

I have yet to see what sort of torque this can handle but it seems like it will handle quite a bit. I'm able to stop it if I grab two of the screws sticking out of the planet carrier. Hopefully I'll measure the torque soon.

This is intended to be used with another bearing somewhere on the output shaft. I can't imagine that it would handle any load with only one bearing on there. A different cover could easily be made with a spot for another bearing.


The current design adds 38.5mm in length to your stepper, it could be less but the makerbot supplied stepper that I have has long shaft so I had to make it longer to stop it from interfering with the bolt for the output.
It could probably be 5mm or so shorter pretty easily with a shorter stepper shaft.

Change Log

5/11/2011 Initial Upload
5/12/2011 Switched to 2x 683ZZ bearings for planets, shortened planets a bit, increased backlash and clearance, added list of some possible ratios
5/13/2011 Added addendum/dedendum adjustment to gear library for internal gear.
Removed most of the constants at the top and switched to arguments with defaults
Added multi-stage capability, now you can stack multiple stages in one case
5/20/2011 Added a way to get a screw in to bolt to the stepper and nuts in so that you can bolt it to something (I didn't think it would be too easy to find screws to go through the whole thing into the stepper)
Added a relief on the underside of the cover to clear the screws in the carrier.
5/25/2011 Uploaded separate STLs and modified involute_gears library

The ultimate in Bezier curviness in OpenScad is to have thickness of surface, without having to use a bazillion granules to render an object.

This thing is some updating of the bezier functions to deal with the mesh better. Specifically, you can hand the BezierMesh() module a set of 4 Bezier curves, and it will do the surface interpolation/tesselation, and generate a mesh of triangle patches that will represent the surface.

I labelled this as version '0.5' because there are some pretty horrible bugs. As can be seen in the first picture, those blue dots are the calculated surface normals for each of the quad faces. There is a flaw in the rotation angle calculations such that there is a bias, which causes the normals to point off axis in the wrong direction depending on this and that. On more interesting meshes, this will show up even worse.

Also, there are still cracks between the 'rows' as I am not properly calculating the lengths of the sides to match up properly. I know what needs to be done, but I was trying to get the normals right first.

I'm releasing this now, even though it's not quite functional, because I want other people to take a look and possibly do the math better than I am. It's all really straight forward actually. Nothing too harry other than getting some trig right. The rest is just multiplication and addition. Easy optimizations abound, particularly in the BezierMesh() module. The first, to speed up processing, would be to separate the Bezier coefficient calculations from the general 'pointoncurve' calculation. That would be way efficient.

There are some updated functions in the 'maths.scad' file, as well as the 'Render2D.scad' file.

For the final, I'll separate out the "render" stuff for granules from the core drawing. The ideal would be that you could drop in your own renderer, and get totally different behavior. I think that's a fairly easy way to extend OpenScad.

At any rate, just a step along the path...

UPDATE: Here's a blog entry to go with it...
williamaadams.wordpress.com/2011/05/19/mr-beziers-new-perspective/

This is a DIY CNC mill.

The z axis is kind of universal. Mine currently makes use of thingiverse.com/thing:8481 to attach a Dremel as spindle, but using other tools or even an extruder shouldn't be a problem.

This thing contains only the (mostly wooden) mechanical construction of the mill.

Electronics and software are not included. I use custom made electronics and software with mine, but both aren't ready for publishing yet. You might use a RAMPS board or even Makerbot PCBs to drive this mill.

For more information on the Pleasant Mill project, see
pleasantsoftware.com/developer/3d/2011/05/13/poor-mens-laser-cutter/

[Update] I already stated this in the above blog post, but since there was a complaint in the comments, I'd like to add attribution to David Carr (http://makeyourbot.org/mantis9-1) also here. He designed the Mantis Mill, which the Pleasant Mill's design is based on. However, I designed my own Z axis, use linear ball bearings, different (and metric) dimensions and a bunch of other design changes and additions. See above link for more info.[/Update]

Additional pictures are available here:
picasaweb.google.com/ZaggoPS/PleasantMill?feat=directlink

As a project for our electrical engineering (for mechanical engineers) class, and since Ottawa mornings can be extremely dark, me and my group decided to build a lamp that could simulate the sunrise during the morning to help with waking up. My modular gear reducers, which i posted about a month ago, were designed for, and played a huge role in, this project.

Once built, the lamp plugs into a wall timer, and as long as the control switch is open (optional part) the lamp begins turning on as soon as electricity is applied from the wall timer.

These kinds of lamps exist for purchase, but usually go for around $200. We spent around $70 total, but you could definitely build it for much less.

Video at youtube.com/watch?v=9fHnanEdq4w

Some other turret models have been posted and people have been asking for the model for this one on the flickr set ( flickr.com/photos/7820200@N05/sets/72157626476156514/with/5614051491/ ), so I thought I'd post my progress. There's a lot left to be done, but the white shell parts are pretty much finalized. It's a complex model, and rendering will take a while, this is normal. You can change the $fn variable at the beginning to make smoother curves with smaller facets, but the larger the variable, the longer it will take to render. I've been working on other projects, but if/when I finish this, I'll update this space.

This model is based on careful measurement of images from screenshots from Portal, Portal 2, and Portal 2 promotional materials. It is actual size, as measured by taking screenshots in which Chell can be seen standing next to the turret, and assuming her to be average height for an adult female. This resulted in an estimate that the standing turret is 1.5m tall including the antenna, and the spheroid portion is 1m tall when folded.

Update: thanks to eric1000 for the pics of a 1/10 scale shapeways print!

Update 2: The design now has parameters for size (height of the complete spheroid, "full size" is 1000mm) and thickness of the shell in mm. This should make it easier to produce printable STL files. Also, the different parts are now modules that can be easily disabled at the beginning of the file.

Update 3: I've successfully printed all of the shell parts on my Makerbot with supports at 1/5 scale. Pictures have been added, and I've posted the STLs I used.

Update 4: I've added the black feet and updated the legs with small recesses to insert them into. The scad file is also updated, and includes the code for generating the printable plates.

Easter and finishing Portal 2 inspired me to make this basic turret template for use with the Egg-Bot. The back of the design has one of the famous quotes by everyone's favorite, child-like home defense product.

Watch it being printed here: youtube.com/watch?v=U4bl18mVOv4

This is an entry in the MakerBot United contest.

We wanted to see how good a city would look printed out on a Thing-O-Matic. What better city to choose than New York? So here is lower Manhattan. The file was originally downloaded from Google's 3d warehouse, but it has been heavily modified to make it printable. This was created by MakerBlock and I. The bridges didn't come out too well, but to scale them up so they would be recognizable would just make them ridiculously big.


Original sketchup file was created by Wolfman and was dowloaded here:

sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=2ce6d321c188c63f6de399f9a6d47fc8&prevstart=0

I added embossed hearts on the sides to make it an actual companion cube. ;)

These are nicer versions of the pine tree experiment first tested in thing:7018.

Pine tree 2 has a more random look and has 5 mm vertical spacing between branches.

Pine tree 4 has fuller look and has 2.5 mm vertical spacing between branches.

A miniature castle.