phlatprinter
Eugen Leitl
http://www.core77.com/blog/technology/diyers_develop_an_affordable_cnc_machine_in_the_phlatprinter_19274.asp
DIY'ers Develop an Affordable CNC Machine in the Phlatprinter
Posted by hipstomp | 9 May 2011 | Comments (1)
New-Jersey-based Mark and Trish Carew are an RC enthusiast couple who make
their own radio-controlled model airplanes from scratch. While refining the
designs of their planes, the Carews found it tedious to keep recutting shapes
with different tweaks, so they sought a better solution. "We researched CNC
machines," the Carews write on their website, "and they were all very
expensive. The ones that seemed to be in our price range were unable to cut
materials large enough."
The Can-Do Carews then created the Phlatprinter, an affordable CNC machine
that they sold as a DIY kit. Introduced to the RC community, the machine was
a hit, and the Carews have now advanced the design into its third iteration,
the Phlatprinter 3, which sells for $1,250.
The Phlatprinter 3 (patent pending) is an affordable, compact, CNC
machine Kit specially designed for cutting foam and other sheet media. The
cabinet size is 41.5" X 15-5/8" X 17" but don't let the compact design fool
you, the maximum cutting width is 27" and it is able to accept 2" thick
material and cut 1 3/4" while the unique design allows for unlimited length!
We walk you through building your Phlatprinter, testing your electronics, and
setting up your software through an easy to follow step by step build log
video. We have done everything we can to keep the cost as low as possible and
building and using your Phlatprinter as easy as possible.
Here's a video of the Phlatprinter in action, but rather than cutting
materials, it's got a fun Sharpie attachment mounted on it. The video is
horribly shot, but if you can get through the motion sickness, it's neat to
watch the image take shape:
Windell H. Oskay
> The Phlatprinter 3 (patent pending) is an affordable, compact, CNC
I don't think that patenting simple DIY CNC machines is a *good* thing, at
least for those of us who want to encourage the creation and adoption of
open-source CNC machines.
Oren Beck
of what the terms really mean. The mundanes have even LESS grasp of
what the terminology really means, let alone why it's important to
know.
The reasons for that are IMO, based on old world models=Economics of
Repression.. where Patent meant "Closed" and "Open" meant no legal
terms could apply/have power to affect anything. IIRC there's ZERO
reason that someone could not Patent "whatever" with a strict
terminology of "Patent usage limited to non-profit/hobby users" and
commercial users pay $1 + assign Derivatives etc back to the pool.
I may someday release some stuff of mine on a condition of "Be
Excellent" to your world if you want to use my designs with Good Karma
attached..
I've always been extremely mindful that "Process Tech" can be more
important than the basic Patent itself. OM/OSHW needs to enshrine
that reality. Literally "Bake It In" to our standards&practices ethos!
If the process lacks some bit of seemingly trivial operational info-
it's *NOT* fully Open.
Patent law is stuck in an old world where Obfuscation and
Obstruction=Patent Trolling compete with Theft by deluge of MONEY to
bury an invention/destroy an innovator. We can prove the reverse.
Patent our stuff. Assign it to an appropriate "foundation" with power
to grant rights. Tell the Oligarchy to go to Gehenna if they don't
like that :> And- someday we *WILL* get a CC/Copyleft society to
really work as it should.
Jerry Rutherford
I created a product but did not get a patent on it... they gave me $0.35 each... and I took in about $100 per month from it.
A year later, an Asian company added a second LED and called it a new product... I now get $0 per month.
I can se why they are doing that. They developed a good product... they deserve compensation for the development of it. If they were not doing it for money then they could/would give it away. But they are in business... and developing new products... that takes money.
Askjerry... everyone else does.
Visit me online at http://askjerry.info
See my projects, video links, tutorials, and blog today.
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MauiMaker
group to start collecting prior art and thinking of defensive
strategies. The Phalt Boyz may not have intentions of putting other
low cost cnc out of biz, but others may not be so generous. There are
a LOT of desktop CNC systems in development/coming online as
(semi)commercial products. I expect the legal side to get busy soon as
companies choose to innovate with lawyers.
Couple of the desktop cnc products I'm watching:
* http://www.mydiycnc.com - 8.5/11 work area, heavily overfunded
Kickstarter nearing ship date
* U.Hawaii Manoa "Makery", Dr. Neil Scott http://www.coe.hawaii.edu/about/stories/invention
(etc)
More links to be found after Maker Faire.