Hi all, would any one need PCBs/parts cut using my machine?
It looks like my CNC is finished and ready to do stuff, so I was wondering if could make some money out of it.
Stuff I could fabricate:
I should be able to use the machine to fabricate the following stuff:
- PCBs made with Eagle up to the maximum size allowed with the free version - I'm still working on the details but I'm sure I'll get it to do this properly, first tests look promising
- parts for your robots cut out of acrylic sheets (or some other plastic material) and ply wood (I think up to 5 mm think is fine for both more than that would increase the time to fab them) maybe aluminum too I have to test at some point.
- other stuff - ideas are welcome
Now regarding PCBs I can also create kits or assemble and test your design, assuming I can find the parts.
Regarding parts, with the end mills I have available I can go as low as 1 mm, for example if you need a gear the minimum distance between the teeth should not be less than 1 mm. So think that the minimum resolution I can work with to keep things simple is 1 mm. Later I might get some smaller end mills and increase the resolution.
Quality:
I will try creating parts/PCBs of the best quality possible, but mind that I'm not going to be able to provide the quality you would get from a proffesional service, so if you need this kind of stuff you know where to go.
Quantity:
Depends on size, material and available time, the price will probably be the same as for one piece regardless of quantity unless it's a very very simple part.
File formats:
The designs for the PCBs can be in the Eagle format as long as I can load them in the free version. Other formats might be usable too but I haven't tested that yet.
For milling parts, SVG, DXF, and HeeksCad files should be ok later on I might be able to use others. Of course if you have no experience creating the design, I can probably help with that too.
Prices:
I think it is best to negotiate them based on the project.
Shipping costs I have no idea yet.
I'm willing to accept swapping for other parts if you have something to offer that of course is of interest to me.
Conditions:
1. I cannot, and will not provide any warranty on stuff I cannot test or it is designed poorly (for example you order a PCB board with your design or someone elses, and after you assemble it it blows up ... bad luck)
2. I will only take orders I think are feasible, in my time constraints
3. Shipping will be done using postal services, except you decide to pay for another shipping service
BTW: I'm used to work with metric units so it would be best to design using metric units to avoid conversion issues.
That's it for now it is more of a draft.
I'd like your input on this, what do you think?
@ Tue, 2010-02-02 15:38
non digital formats
as some might have notices, I do all my digital graphic work in MS Paint...
If I have one part prototyped in paintstick/polymorp/whatever, is there any way you can translate that into those digital formats you mentioned? One idea that struck me was to put my part on a flatbed scanner and mail you that picture, would you be able to trace that into something useful?Sorry for being so helpless.
@ Tue, 2010-02-16 22:34
Scanner work
If you have precision MS Paint work or a scan, you can use an Inkscape plugin to trace the edges. There are some tutorials under google search "SCAL Inkscape", for example:
http://scraption.com/2008/12/how-to-use-inkscape-sure-cuts-alot-scal-software/
That'd be only good for 2-D design though, and if the part is low-contrast you might have to apply some sort of processing first.
my 2¢,
-John
BTW, great idea, TinHead. I was thinking about doing something similar myself (supplying PCBs at cost or a little above) to test my machine at first, and maybe later to support my electronics habit. You might want to create an EagleCAD Design Rule File for your machine.
@ Wed, 2010-02-17 17:50
Re: A joint venture?
A joint venture sounds good -- the machines ought to have roughly similar capability (within a factor of 2) and I wouldn't mind helping out in shipping within the USA. I have similar caveats to what you've written -- no liability, et cetera, and I'll try my best (but I'm not a professional). Mostly I'd like to help people, test my machine, and get some experience in machining.
I set up some design rules that should do for my machine as long as the minimum clearances don't come up too often:
Risky Design Rules v1: http://www.freakivy.com/Valkyrie_minimum.dru
Safe Design Rules v1: http://www.freakivy.com/Valkyrie_safe.dru
The "Safe Rules" are a good guide to what I can reliably do, and the "Risky Rules" may result in a bad trace every once in the while. (I don't think I can do much better until I improve my X-Y-Z stage assembly).
-John
@ Wed, 2010-02-17 17:54
Cool so US people can ask you for help ...
... while EU people can get my help :D
I still haven't nailed PCB's yet, I find it very hard to align the head to the PCB surface, I actually had it right once while playing around manually but then when I sent the actual file trough it was off again ... I think disabling the Z-axis when it doesn't have to move might be a bad idea so I'll try leaving it enabled ... and hot as hell ... that might be true for the rest of them too ... A fact which just gave me a new idea to try: keep em enabled but with half power ... which might just do the trick >:)
@ Wed, 2010-02-17 04:11
A joint venture?
Maybe? :)
@ Tue, 2010-02-02 15:53
Hi maneuver,