Hey all, just want to give an update as to how the new metal-cutting fiber laser is progressing.
The bed of the laser + just about all the components have been machined/lasered and it’s about 60% assembled.
Initially, the bed won’t be very rigid, but we’ll be able to use the laser to improve itself by laser cutting additional steel support for the top of each corner and more support for the legs.
The main things that are currently blocking us are:
- We need 2x 220V 20A connections to the biolab, which @EricP thinks will require connections from both the machining area breaker panel and the panel near the wood bandsaws because we’re low on space.
- We need to bring the chiller into the bioroom. The chiller itself is very heavy, so we’ll need some kind of jack, or perhaps a few people to help it onto some rollers.
- We need to cut the slats out. This is really easy to do on a fiber laser, I’m thinking that we’ll just lay the 11 gauge sheets on the frame and cut it out. It will bend in the middle a bit, but the capacitive height sensor should mostly compensate for that.
- Once I get a few remaining screws, I’m going to be able to finish wiring the machine so we’ll be able to see it move probably by the end of the week.
- We need clean dry air for the laser, and lots of it. There’s a few options for how; we can either get the new atlas copco gas compressor fully working, or we can add a dryer/filter to the existing compressor, or we can just get compressed air in tanks. I’m not sure which would be the easiest, but getting the new gas compressor online is probably the best option.
Also, shout out to everyone who’s helped so far: @PareshPatel for machining the steel connectors, @EricP for the rails + design help, @jamesfreeman for 3d printing the belt clamps, and @dannym for design help and providing the awesome 1kw laser that this is all built around