3d printed PCB

[Eaglezsoar]

At .56, and at 1.51. And they're using two ceramic heaters!!!! How many times have I been told I don't need two?

You are correct now that I see the images of the hotend. That raises a good question, why are they using two? Like you I have always been told
to use one and have told other folks to only use one, now I am confused why they felt they needed two. Anyone having an idea why they used two
please jump in and let us know.

[Eric]

At .56, and at 1.51. And they're using two ceramic heaters!!!! How many times have I been told I don't need two?

You are correct now that I see the images of the hotend. That raises a good question, why are they using two? Like you I have always been told
to use one and have told other folks to only use one, now I am confused why they felt they needed two. Anyone having an idea why they used two
please jump in and let us know.

We don't have enough information. The most common 12 or 24V cartridge is 40W, but they can be found in other ratings. If they're using 20W cartridges, two may be appropriate. But even at 40W x 2, it's not an actual problem so long as the supporting electronics can handle the switching load.

Or, it may simply be that someone important thought it would look better if the hole was filled, so it was done.

[teoman]

If their conductive filament has high thermal capacity, it may be cooling the hot end down. They may need a very fast response from the hotend during operation.

[bubbasnow]

If their conductive filament has high thermal capacity, it may be cooling the hot end down. They may need a very fast response from the hotend during operation.

the conductive paste is extruded from a sepearate nozzle from the plastics

[Nylocke]

I think he means they are trying to keep the conductive paste (looks like a paste driven extrusion system to me) from heating up, since it is electrically conductive its probably thermally conductive as well, and they probably don't want it heating up the plastic (PLA but the looks of it, which does have heat soaking problems) and having it soften and ruin the parts? Who really knows...

[626Pilot]

I'd love one of these. You could knock off little knick-knacks in a single step, and sell them for cheap.

[Jimustanguitar]

I was much more impressed with the Voltera.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YMJrhG6Aos[/youtube]

[626Pilot]

I was much more impressed with the Voltera.

Why does everyone in tech begin their sentences with "So"?

[jdurand]

So...you can sync on the symbol rate of the rest of the sentence. So...just like the preamble on HDLC.

So...did that make sense?

[626Pilot]

So, no.

[barry99705]

I was much more impressed with the Voltera.

Why does everyone in tech begin their sentences with "So"?

It sounds better than "Umm".

[geneb]

Um, like so yeah!



g.

[Jimustanguitar]

So it's like verbally writing code with a while statement.

[Eric]

So, why does everyone say everyone when they don't literally mean everyone?

[barry99705]

Um, like so yeah!



g.

No. It goes "So, umm, like ohmagod!" [Headtilt]

[626Pilot]

So, why does everyone say everyone when they don't literally mean everyone?

Someone really smart said that we live in specifics, but think in generalities because it's easier and we're lazy. I suppose that explains political parties.

[geneb]

Um, like so yeah!



g.

No. It goes "So, umm, like ohmagod!" [Headtilt]

"Ermahgerd!"

g.

[dclarkm]

It's interesting, but like a lot of the current 3D printing (on the non-commercial side) it's more of a novelty use of the technology than a practical application of the technology to any true prototyping (or manufacturing) problem that needs an alternate solution.

Not saying it's useless or a waste to develop, but it's certainly not the "killer app" 3D printing needs to explode into new markets.

[626Pilot]

I wouldn't say it isn't practical. You can try PCBs in-house to see if any magic smoke is released, before ordering real PCBs that will take days to reach you.

[Captain Starfish]

Only the sort of PCBs that you could knock out with a Dalo pen and bottle of ferric chloride, by the looks of it. Doesn't look anywhere near the resolution required for 10 thou tracks with 5 thou separation.

Still, it's an approach that holds promise if it's refined - wouldn't it be nice to print multilayer boards with printed solid vias rather than having to drill, coat, plate, tin and mask to get the layer to layer contacts working.

[626Pilot]

Only the sort of PCBs that you could knock out with a Dalo pen and bottle of ferric chloride, by the looks of it. Doesn't look anywhere near the resolution required for 10 thou tracks with 5 thou separation.

Still, it's an approach that holds promise if it's refined - wouldn't it be nice to print multilayer boards with printed solid vias rather than having to drill, coat, plate, tin and mask to get the layer to layer contacts working.

I decided to spend more on components with integrated PCBs and easy wiring (I2C and SPI for example) because I don't want to get into all that stuff. I have a CNC router at home so I can mill my own double-sided PCBs, but I'd just as soon let that be someone else's problem - pay more in order to worry less.

This kind of printer would be perfect for some of the projects I've worked on. Microcontroller here, input device there, output device somewhere else, and I wouldn't have to strip wires or solder them to anything. I could print everything into a solid object that gets thrown away if anything malfunctions, or I can use a backplane design, where things plug into a bus - a printed bus. Probably with those little springy metal things that are put in contact with metal pads, the ones they use for solderless connections between components and PCBs. No solder fumes, no "ick I'm touching lead with my bare hands" feeling, no having to get out the little filter-fan I use to clean (some/most?) solder fumes out of the air. I could have four layers, eight layers, weird shapes, etc. and everything comes out as a finished product. Everything would always be printed the same. I'd never have to worry about accidentally soldering something wrong, shorting Vcc to ground, accidental solder bridges, etc. I'd still have to verify the alignment of components, but at least the possibility of mis-routing a wire would be gone.