Open Source 5-Axis CNC mill and plasma cutter | Hacker News Reader

Open Source 5-Axis CNC mill and plasma cutter

kickstarter.com

34 pointsGelada10 comments

Unless you have to do some crazy undercuts, you'll never need more than 3 axes. And even if you do, you can flip the part. A good Cam program and some ball endmills will do very complicated 3D machining.

We had a giant 5-axis Thermwood gantry router to make composite tooling - I think we used the additional axes only once - they are a lot more time consuming to program and can get out of tolerance much easier.

Although its true that a 3-Axis can do a lot more than people expect with some creative thought, there is a reason 5 (and higher) axis machines exist. For some tasks they can be essential.

I think this would appeal to many more people if it were a machine the size of a Taig or Sherline. Although some of the concepts are transferable, there will be a lot of issues in building something this size which would not be relevant to a smaller machine.

Are there really that many people with the kind of space for this and the items it produces who want to build their own 5 axis mill?

I also wonder how many people need the parts produced by a 5 axis machine with its enormously greater hardware and software complexity. In most cases you could design what you need to be built on a 3 axis machine and assemble it. For under $2000, you can have a lot of fun by buying/assembling a Taig CNC mill with a 4th axis. 2 1/2D and 3D raster software is not crazy expensive or complicated.

Something of this size and cost is perfect for many local hackerspaces to build and operate.

That makes sense. But I still have to wonder how many projects need the extra 1 or 2 axes. Any examples?

While I doubt there are many individuals with the space or need, although there certainly are some, there are certainly a lot of hackerspaces that I'm certain would love to have and/or build this. http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/List_of_Hacker_Spaces

A simpler machine would appeal to more people? I agree. However, to the people who need the increased capabilities? In the right hands, this looks like it could produce some interesting objects that the smaller/cheaper machines couldn't handle.

You'd be surprised how much more you can find to do with simultaneous 5 axis, not to mention how much it can decrease machining time . . . you can use a relatively huge cutting tool and still get a great finish. --Cheers!

Can someone who understands this space well tell me where something like RepRap (http://reprap.org/wiki/Main_Page) compares to this, conceptually?

The central difference is whether the process is by addition or subtraction. 3d printers, like the reprap, add material (for example melted plastic) to make an object. A router on the other hand removes material from an object until it is the required shape. As a result you can use many materials (like wood) that cannot be easily broken up into smaller parts and reassembled.

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