AMPEL: September Update
Most of my efforts through the last month have been (unfortunately) focused on things aside from 3D Printing. As AMPEL is still in “startup mode, work is often put on the back burner as other issues consume my time. The last month has been relatively fewer designs and printing time, but the designs and prints have been “better” in a variety of ways.
Designs are more deliberate. Unlike CubeUp, which was a pet project and ultimately “just for fun”, the things designed and printed lately are made with intent and serve a purpose in the actual world.
Designs are more complex. In the spirit of creating useful products and experimenting with new techniques, recent prints have integrated motion, shock absorption, and internal complexity to support.
Designs take more advantage of the community. Not everything I print is completely designed by me. There is a host of other, more experienced designers on the net who eagerly share their experience and creations. Reddit, Github, and Thingiverse are the main communities which I interact with, both soliciting advice and learning from others.
New Capabilities
Motion: recent designs and test have shown capability in print-in-place models which integrate motion. Though still limited to rotational motion, this is a significant stepping stone.
Tools: design of nuts and bolts are the start to my library of print-on-demand tools and constructive helpers. These must be edited specifically for 3D printing, as the detail of threads (on bolts or screws) are limited by the detail at which i can print (currently a nozzle with diameter of 0.4mm allows me to print at detail of 0.2mm). Luckily, this has changes with more detailed hardware.
Detail printing: the purchase of a new nozzle which has a diameter of 0.2mm allows me to print at new detail: 0.1mm. I plan to get another printer so that I can allocate one to print with the 0.4mm nozzle and one to print with the 0.2mm nozzle. The time and effort to switch them out on one printer constantly would become increasingly time and productivity consuming.
Dynamic testing: this involves specifically designed models which allow me to test and observe functionalities of the print. Having moved past “hobbyist” printing, a small support community of friends and investors has assembled which actively tests and provides feedback of models.
Current Challenges
Research and Writing: as I become more adept at designing and rapidly prototyping, it is harder and harder to allocate time for documentation.
Automated motion: now that I’ve had successful tests of models which I can manipulate by hand, the challenge becomes building models whose points of motion can be activated by a pre-programmed servo or rotor. Research and practice in this programming has been significant, but there’s still a long way to go.
Dual-extrusion: this is a tough one as I’m limited by the technology available. I’m not sure if the printers which I currently own are capable of dual extrusion; in fact I’m sure that they’re not. Though still in the research phase, this is a desirable capability especially when combined with my newfound acquisition of conductive filament.
Conduction: I’ve got my hands on 1 kg of conductive filament, though application will likely not happen for significant time. This is because dual-extrusion is the best way to apply this into complex models. This will be an awesome capability in the future, as I will be able to easily print out models with a built-in circuit.
Wearables: these have been a running trend throughout the AMPEL journey. A goal of ability to print things whose usefulness can be applied by wearing them is still present. This type of production requires an exorbitant amount of repetition, though: measuring, designing, prototyping, evaluating, and starting over again.
Motivation: as I mentioned above, AMPEL is in an early startup phase. The work I do appears to seem pointless to others and the benefits of this technology are lost on my peers. Coupled with frequent failure, this work is often discouraging. Failure, though, is the ladder whose rungs build experience.
Cool Projects
In light of these successes and failures, here’s some of the stuff I’ve been working on!
This project allowed me to practice very specific parametric design. The design process required detail down to the millimetre to ensure connection between the gear teeth. Too far apart and they would not interact; too close and the system would jam. In the far right image you can see the actual overlap as the gears spin.
This project was the first of many in which we’ll see the constraints of the print volume. The goal in this case was to print a rod for holding a spool of filament during printing. In order to avoid printing tall and thin, I created interlocking segments. This project was a good first run; the system is a WIP.
Finally, this was a project in detail printing. The purpose of this was to get an idea of how fine the 0.4mm nozzle would print, and how that detail would look. Though a bit of a grainy image, this print included detail testing in all three dimensions. I’ll run this test again with the 0.2mm nozzle.
And with that, back to work!
