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Anyone know anything about CNC machines (bonus points for 3d printer knowledge too)...
I want to buy a metal-capable CNC as well as a 3D printer to supplement it. Mostly to do random projects. But could use advice on what to purchase.
I am also curious about the software side, ideally id like to get a CNC that is easy to work with from a software level and bonus points if i could somehow use the same software to design for both CNC and 3d printer since parts for any particular project are likely to come from both.
Thanks, yea thats kinda what i figured on the 3d side.. though im not clear how you go from a CAD design to the slicer. Presumable a cad design consists of multiple parts in one design fitted together. The 3d printer, as well as the CNC (depending on which part) will handle the parts indivudally.
So I presume there is some way in the CAD program to break up your design into files where each file represents a different part in a single design. Then you send the 3d ones off tp the slicer, then the CNC ones off to whatever handles that.
Also, like you, I am less clear on the CNC side than the 3d side (though im not all **that** clear on the 3d side either except at a high level, where you seem to have worked with it more).
@freemo Your CAD software will treat each manifold object as a "body" (terminology varies) and you export each body to a mesh in STL/OBJ format for your slicer to process. Slicer gives you gcode for the printer.
@PCOWandre ahh ok that makes sense. So the cad software at least has some sense of discrete parts and can break it down when it comes time to manufacture it...
Now the only question is, what printer and CNC do I buy that is both metal capable and feature rich from a software compatability standpoint (I'd imagine some CNC or 3d printers night not work on open standards or something that i need to look otu for).
@icedquinn not sure i heard of Prusa yet, ill check that out.
@icedquinn Ahh just checked, Prusa is the slicer, not the design software... ok still useful but I assume all slicers work ont he same file formats so I think picking the design software might be the more critical decision here, correct me if im wrong.
@icedquinn ahh ok, i was looking at the software by the same name. cool. I think for a 3d printer im going to need high-resolution and dual filament as minimum requirements... I will likely need a pretty generous size as ill probably be printing relatively large objects.
@icedquinn To clarify I know that on the 3d printer I'm looking for a bare minimum of 0.1mm resolution or better. I know that rules out most printers that are less expensive,especially when you couple it with my need for a relativly large printing volume.
@freemo Also, I can't speak to choosing CNC hardware, but three quick printer reviews:
1. Ender3 -- requires patience. And mods.
2. Anycubic Chiron -- huge print area but can be annoying to level. Ultrabase build surface is great.
3. Artillery SX1 -- very nice quality out of the box, but the clone Ultrabase isn't as good as the real thing.
@PCOWandre can you elaborate on #1 a bit?
@freemo The Ender 3 issues/mods? The stock extruder was plastic and had slippage and wear problems; replaced. The stock BuildTak-type surface seemed to flip between failing to stick and holding with enough force to mandate a hammer to get things loose. Replaced with magnetic build surface. Stock firmware has thermal runaway protection disabled, which might have changed by now. Spool holder is stupid.
Ultimately, I got plenty of good prints out of it but the hassle was enough to move it on when I got the Chiron. The Chiron hit the reliability point where I don't stick around to watch it.
@PCOWandre ok so yea that sounds troubling and speaks to quiality issues... so might not want to go that route then thanks.
@freemo I'd strongly advise everyone considering their first 3D printer purchase to remember one thing: the cheap 3D printers from China are exactly what you'd expect from cheap Chinese products.
They're certainly capable of doing the job, but they're a hobby, not a commercial tool. These machines require one to make a hobby of 3D printing, not just use it as a simple tool towards a greater whole.
You will fight with levelling issues and speeds/feeds for new filaments and bed adhesion and alignment and banding and vibration and all sorts of fun things. On the plus side, there's usually a fair few useful mods on thingiverse that you can just print to work around issues.
Tip number two is a lot of the community for these printers is gated away in members-only Facebook groups which is a pain in the arse.
@PCOWandre I already knew going in that the cheap stuff wasnt an option, particularly given my high resolution requirements. Precision machining is never going to be cheap.
@freemo Depending on where you are, it might be more sensible to proof your CNC designs on your 3D printer and then send the CAD files to a job shop to get them machined.
@PCOWandre that would get too expensive over the long term, especially considering that there may be many design iterations. Plus the CNC is likely to also enable me to do PCB and other things.
If nothing else having my own CNC is going to greatly reduce turn around and thus reduce project development time significantly.
