Mechanical Design (how to build a machine)
Why you should build useless things...
While you are learning to build machines, don't feel much pressure to build anything you would consider high-end.
Makers learn how to build through experimentation. Build lots of small, simple machines. Many of these machines will fail, and that is very important. It is through understanding these many failures that we often improve the most.
Sure, you can pursue a degree or apprenticeship to minimize failures, but....where is the fun in that? 😉
**Hopefully we all have the COVID-19 vaccine by here, so group work isn’t a problem...
Unit 18.1 =====
Mechanical Design
System vibration & resolution (accuracy & precision)
Tension and Compression
Turning, bearings, bushings
Linear movement & guide rails
Zero-ing surfaces
Rigidity & compounding errors in machine
Step resolution & why Z-axis is commonly the worst on 3D printers
Group activity: tour MakeHaven and find these parts on the machines around the lab. identify what makes for higher and lower precision versions of similar machines.
As a group you will be building a hot-wire cutter machine. Design what the structure of that machine will look like.
Unit 18.2 =====
Mechanical Design
More time to allow for group work in designing machine & building
Fab Academy:
These are in-depth discussions of topics related to this unit, borrowed with love from the Fab Academy archives. The videos linked here (and on the rest of the webpage) are intended to deepen your knowledge on the topics. They are not required for the Foundations of Fabrication course, but they are often good to watch for more perspectives on the same ideas. We love 🎧 listening to videos while doing the repetitive tasks of making; 👀peeking over whenever they've got something good on screen.
Fab Academy 2020:
Fab Academy 2019:
Fab Academy 2017: