3: Third attempt at self-reproducing machine tool
Generalities
The third and current as of 2018 attempt to instantiate a self-reproducing machine tool is a suite.
A suite of standard specialized machine tools, for example: table saw, band saw, vertical and horizontal mills, drill press, and lathe.
Each can make a part of itself and some parts of the others.
Together they can make all parts of each.
Together they are co-reproducing.
Individually they are partially self-reproducing and partially other-reproducing.
By adding a redundant X axis slide to the heads of the mills and powering the X slides,
out-of-range duplication of that X slide becomes possible, in addition to
duplication of all smaller parts.
With clever design, I believe all parts of all the other machines can be made "smaller", that is,
within the limited work envelope of the mills and the other machines.
It is necessary to prove two things:
One, that every feature on every part can be made, and,
Two, that every part will fit into the work envelope of its featuring machine.
If this is done, the proof is complete.
We may remember that part overhang is permitted as long as
features located with a machine are within the work envelope.
Some features are not located to such precise tolerance.
Jig overhang is also permitted.
Specifics
I intend to start with
a board foot of material per machine.
Initially I'll use a 1/4 inch slab of virgin HMWPE and a 3/4 inch slab, each
12 x 12 inches.
Later, I'll use a 3/8 inch slab of MIC-6 aluminum tooling plate, and
a 5/8 inch slab, each 12 x 12 inches.
The table saw can grind aluminum to a bearing surface.
HMWPE is a low friction material suitable for a model.
The third attempt will *not* involve a foundry.
The third attempt will *probably* not involve CNC.
The third attempt *must* use opposing motor driven redundant X axes on
the milling machine heads and ways to reproduce
those X axes to a non-trivial degree of precision.
The dovetail ways will initially be built up from
slab segments cut with a table saw at bevel angles,
clamped and permanently screwed together with
permanent washer and removable paper shims
to establish the needed working clearances,
including a gib strip.
It seems likely that a doubled Y axis will be necessary
to support
the long X axis
during reproduction.
Such doubled Y axes would be
timing belt synchronized
to avoid jamming.
In a final version these ways *might* be
granite
with brass bearing faces.
References:
Robert A. Freitas Jr., Ralph C. Merkle, Kinematic Self-Replicating Machines, Landes Bioscience, Georgetown, TX, 2004. 3.12 Bradley Self-Replicating Teleoperated Machine Shop (1980) http://www.molecularassembler.com/KSRM/3.12.htm