Vacuformer
Vacuum pump/chamber for degassing resins & during casting
Frame for rotocasting
Line heating element for bending plastics
We may want to also create a SIG that specializes in the cross-committee uses of multiple pieces of equipment. Examples of such would be:
I think I saw the acrylic bending table behind Lasersaur tonight.
Thatâs great that Science Committee agreed to take on this task, but I emphasize that we must have floor space outside of our standard 210 square feet to hold at least the larger pieces of equipment. Science Committee is willing to take on the task of maintaining this equipment, such as Vacuformer, and providing training, provided that we have a place to put it.
It would be nice if @Ian_Jaeger, @Collin or other interested in composites would let us know what they think of this.
Love the idea of dedicated and posted cmte specialists!
I could help with occasional training, but sadly my schedule these days runs on a 24-48 hour notice, which is making my involvement tough if possible at all.
As far as another committee⌠Iâve seen that debate before and Iâll defer 
Yeah, I know how that is. My boss tells me on Friday afternoon where in the country I have to be on Monday, and then I have two days to make all the arrangements and get out of town. Itâs very exciting! I try to do what I can at DMS, but I never know where Iâll be from week-to-week. Fortunately, Science Committee is a passionate group interested in pitching in and keeping us running.
Just know that any time you get the urge to teach a class, we will try to have the appropriate equipment available.
I think it makes a lot more sense that the 3D Fab crew take on these tools, since their established forte is the making of things from non-metallic/non-wood materials, and are already carrying a significant tool inventory. Since Lisa has expressed an interest in carrying them, and since the members of that committee are more likely to develop and maintain a permanent interest in tools for the fabrication of plastics, I think it would be better for the long-term health of the tools to locate it there.
3D fab should take on the tools as the nature of their current role is âPlastic Fabricationâ after all
3D Fabâs established forte is 3D extrusion printers. That has nothing to do with acrylic, or bending tables, or silicones, or thermosetting plastics. It doesnât even have much to do with polymer science, as they are just the end users of that product.
Whatâs 3D Fab going to do with any tool that isnât a 3D printer? Store it under a table? Put it on a table in the middle of the room while everyone else is printing away on the half-dozen 3D printers that are also in the room? Just as a practical matter, how is 3D Fab supposed to expand into other fabrication tools, when it doesnât even expand into other types of 3D printers? I agree with Lisaâs decision to focus on ABS (with some Ninjaflex), and just use standard-sized 3D printers, but if they want to expand, they have lots of areas in 3D printing that we all would like to see expanded. Mitch apparently is expanding into PLA, but weâve also asked about SLA resin machines or large-bed machines. Also, I have to wonder how much more current drain they can place on that roomâs electrical outlets.
I think that 3D Fab should concentrate on 3D printers, regardless of the material they are fabricating in those machines. They are skilled at 3D printers, not so much the materials run through those printers or other fabrication methods (though, Lisa and Mitch do know a lot about laser cutters).
I think that plastics fabrication generally would work better in the warehouse. That has space, electrical power and direct access to other machines. Indeed, one of the reasons we donât have an SLA 3D printer is that it is messy. Well, messy is what a warehouse does. Plastics can get messy, so a warehouse is a better area, especially when you need more than 3 square feet of work area.
This same argument could be applied to science as wellâŚ
Actually, to greater effect:
Scienceâs established forte is not plastics. In fact, it has nothing to do with acrylic, bending tables, silicones, or thermosetting plastics at all. It doesnât even have much to do with polymer science, as they would be just the end users of the tool.
Let science focus on science.
[quote=âChrisPattison, post:34, topic:5679â]
This same argument could be applied to science as wellâŚ[/quote]
Then, 3D Fab and Science Committee would seem to be evenly-matched in terms of plastics fabrication skill. However, you should not be hasty in judging us. Science Committee consists of several people with advanced college degrees, and several members have experience in plastics fabrication and materials science. Whatâs more, we have a regular need to use these skills. Several of our projects need plastics fabrication.
You mean, like, Polymer Science?
See, the thing with Science Committee is, we are at the root of all technologies. We have the education and training in chemistry and physics. If we encounter a problem we havenât seen before, we are more likely to figure out the solution than would other people.
And yet, when constructing your nitrogen laser your team made multiple, basic, fabrication errors when working with plastic, which would imply a lack of the practical skills involved.
We are not developing new plastics, nor are our members typically pushing the envelope of material science. They are just actually making stuff with a variety of materials. Any of the committees that focus on actually making stuff, woodshop, metalshop, machine shop, laser, and 3D fab seem to have a pool of people with such practical experience, which is of more importance to this subject then pieces of paper.
The real issue is that it doesnât appear that anyone is willing to take the lead on managing the tools to work with these materials as tools. @LisaSelk 3DFab was willing to take responsibility, but only if someone was to step up to manage. @lukeiamyourfather was willing to host the acrylic bender, so it was donated to that committee.
Without a single comprehensive group to deal with managing the tools for plastics, we can get by as we have by using the tools we already have for plastic as well as their primary purpose. Certainly the vertical bandsaw, the horizontal bandsaw, the milling machine, and the lathe are all appropriate tools for working with plastic. And for CNC tooling we have the HAAS, the EMCO, and I believe the CNC router (with proper permission).
Science Committee had volunteers to manage the tools at the last committee meeting. Some of our members are highly interested in using and maintaining these tools.
I donât believe that Luke @lukeiamyourfather necessarily accepted the acrylic bender; heâs mostly just tolerating its presence in storage, until someone else takes it off his hands. Iâm willing for that someone to be us, and I know that some of our Science Committee members want to use it. That also applies to the vacuformer. We just need the space and electrical access that any group would need for these tools.
Space is at a premium; however, the tools we are currently talking about; the vacuum former and the acrylic bending table already have space allocated to them. It isnât space they need, but a person or persons to claim responsibility. As it currently stands the acrylic bender has had laser claim responsibility on the condition the tool actually gets used (a good condition). I donât believe anyone has really yet done the same for the vacuum former. In particular no one has taken the lead on getting the vacuum former its own power source.
As to the electrical access, that is simply a matter of the person(s) taking responsibility either getting an electrician to run the cabling or doing it themselves. At least that seems to be how I have seen the electrical work done for the Car lift, vertical band saw, and the new drill press.
Not really. The vacuformer simply occupies a no-manâs land, unsponsored by any committee at the moment. Science Committee is offering to take charge of that tool and provide power to it, with the agreement that we can keep it where it is. One of our members also volunteered to maintain it.
Laser Committee is providing a wall against which the acrylic bending table can be stored when not in use. Thatâs all the space the Laser Committee has allocated to the acrylic bending table. Science Committee could do that much.
We have. The process is underway.
Speaking only to any power requests we have a contractor we bring in for any new circuits which I believe is what your wanting to do.
What I need is
Voltage required?
Max Load (current) requirement?
How many phases?
Location of circuit preferably on the scale drawing.
What kind of nema outlet?
Floor (power pole) or roof power?
Also to correct Walter there is to be no DIY on the electrical panel licensed and approved personal should be the only ones accessing the main breakers.
I have to go out of town in an hour, but @Tron and @StanSimmons have this, and more, information. I would appreciate it if you could work with them in setting this up.
I donât know if the work I saw included a new circuit (connection to main panel); however, the member I saw running electrical cable between the new lift and the electrical room was not a licensed electrician.
Advanced college degrees are not an indication of ability. I know of several people with advanced college degrees that make absolutely terrible design decisions, so to say that theoretical knowledge equates with practical ability is just plain bullshit.
There are projects in all parts of the space that would benefit from plastics fabrication.
I have been in a research lab that focuses on polymers. You know what they have? Computers.
Please layout a detailed research plan that will show the exact value of each piece of equipment and justify why it would be absolutely mission critical for Science to have this tooling. If Science cannot answer this better than another (or new) committee, then there is no reason to believe that the equipment would be best maintained by Science.
If youâre implying that others in the space do not have the education, training, or problem solving abilities, youâll be disappointed. (I will put money on this)
WowâŚthatâs just crazy talk.