Re: [atxhs-discuss] Abridged summary of atxhs-discuss@googlegroups.com - 6 updates in 1 topic

[Steve Baker]

STEP 1: What the heck is a glass-blowing lathe?

So google it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bufCaD5YSY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRXl9jlU8o4
...etc...

STEP 2: What operations are needed?

This looks to be an entirely conventional lathe - but with both ends
somehow constrained to spin at the same speed.

A torch that can be moved up and down along the length of the lathe - and
possibly in and out too.

Then there are a variety of other "manipulators" (including human
fingers!) used to push and pull the liquified glass (yikes!).

STEP 3: How does one build this machine?

Seems mostly like a bunch of stepper motors and X/Y platforms.

STEP 4: How would you program such a thing?

There seems to be a lot of hard-to-quantify/skillful steps in making
anything at all with one of these. I suspect that you'd want to teach
the machine by example - have it just mindlessly copy a human operator.

But it seems that a lot depends on which of the wide variety of weird and
wonderful steps are required to make the particular class of objects you
care about.

-- Steve

[william menzies]

Steve,

I agree that there will be inputs that might be hard to quantify. My thoughts, which might be total irrelevant, are that inputs would be measured by manual process then coded in. The process would then need to be fine tuned.

Inputs needed:

1. Tailstock travel on x axis

2. Torch travel on x axis

3. Gas inputs and actuation for torch

4. Mold engagement on the y axis

5. Synchronous stepper motors start and stop

6. Air pressurization in millibars and duration of said pressure for inflation of piece

There might be more inputs, but these are the major ones that mimic our manual process.

Thanks,

William

[Steve Baker]

Yeah - that's more or less what I saw in various videos - although it
appears that there are many, varied techniques that people are using on
these things that not everyone uses.

From your list (and from what I saw), it looks like the torch and the
tools are moved in all three axes - not just one...and with both the tool
and the gas jet having to move along the full extent of the X axis, you
have the problem of one having to cross over with the other (probably you
want two identical tools - one to the left of the gas jet and another to
the right).

It's not clear how necessary that all of this is though...it all seems to
depend on what your particular application of the lathe is. Most people
think in terms of a completely generalized tool - but probably that's more
than you strictly need.

But with just the inputs you're describing, this is going to be a
complicated and expensive machine to make.

-- Steve