exxos 3D soldering machine build

[exxos]

Found some steel tubing on evil bay which I think will shove into the PTFE tube and allow me to bend it at the angles needed to guide the solder. I'm not at home tomorrow and got work Thursday morning so I guess waiting around for it to arrive does not really impact anything.

I have unhooked this stuff out of the loom and just left it hanging out the back of the printer for now. I don't know if the printer will go nuts with stuff unplugged yet. So will worry about that stuff another time.

IMG_1186.JPG (495.19 KiB) Viewed 1041 times

Was going to start working on the new Z-level sensor mechanism. Only to find I made a oopsies and I cannot fit the printhead back on the assembly

IMG_1188.JPG (226.82 KiB) Viewed 1041 times

IMG_1189.JPG (228.24 KiB) Viewed 1041 times

So I need to redesign the bottom section to include a large hole

[exxos]

We’ve got to the third page without any flames

Page 5

Reminds me of something in my old job when I was a repairing jukeboxes. Because each time someone in the workshop repaired something, they would all say "Right stand back" and nobody would take any notice.

However, when I used to repair something and say "right stand back". Everybody used to make a bline for the door and hide!! I asked the supervisor about this, as to why everyone else can say it and nobody takes any notice, except when I do, and the supervisor replied, "because we know you mean it Chris!"

[exxos]

New hole done. Had to allow make the base 2mm thicker as I don't think its going to miss the end of the bolt. Might still not.. So let's print it and find out..

1.PNG (197.35 KiB) Viewed 1037 times

2.PNG (111.28 KiB) Viewed 1037 times

[exxos]

I know the probe has been a bit iffy before. Currently it cannot seem to make its mind up what temperature the head is at

IMG_1192.JPG (54.19 KiB) Viewed 1034 times

IMG_1193.JPG (50.09 KiB) Viewed 1034 times

[exxos]

Getting there

IMG_1194.JPG (170.32 KiB) Viewed 1025 times

IMG_1195.JPG (176.79 KiB) Viewed 1025 times

IMG_1196.JPG (466.18 KiB) Viewed 1025 times

IMG_1197.JPG (331.07 KiB) Viewed 1025 times

Ultimately I may have to do a new mount altogether if I need to angle soldering iron. There are professional "top down" stations, so it may not be a totally dumb idea to have it straight down. Time will tell.

[exxos]

The next problem is the Z offset. As it stands the soldering iron is almost hitting the bed already.

The problem here is that different PCBs are going to have different heights. So the Z offset needs to be manually adjustable somehow.

I'll probably have to have some sort of block with a long bolt which I can adjust the height of or something along them lines. Or maybe something telescopic like a small antenna might work as well.

IMG_1198.JPG (265.64 KiB) Viewed 1018 times

[exxos]

So "thinking out loud" part 1 :

1.PNG (70.3 KiB) Viewed 1015 times

Well it makes sense in my head anyway

[exxos]

Version 1 was a little bit fragile, so here is version 2

2.PNG (109.63 KiB) Viewed 1006 times

[exxos]

Dammit my mathematical guesswork was a little off

IMG_1199.JPG (155.6 KiB) Viewed 999 times

Onto version 3...

[exxos]

Getting there...

IMG_1200.JPG (154.58 KiB) Viewed 991 times

EDIT:
Now working