Lemo, Gots one of those too!!
www.metalphysic.com
Thats my friend, is some serious printing!
I have an eva head I want to pring real size, can I borrow your machine?!:lol:
Everything in here is amazing. Its great to see some real life sculpts. 
The crock is so awesome colored!
arbayne, it’s always exciting to get a new piece of gear. Especially a well built unit such as the ‘bot’. It’s break in period can also be very…exciting. 
I finally got the last of the important bits for my Zbrush to wood machine.
Nice croc John.
Hope you guys keep posting new stuff, it’s inspirational.
[[attach=177374]HSD-8.2Hp.jpg[/attach]]
If it ain’t got more than 3 axis…you’re just cutting ply. 
3Point14, 3, 4, 5 axis? Wood carving from ZBrush files is something I am going to try very soon. As far as an exciting “break in period”, one of the first movements I made with the Kuka was through the wall (didn’t even flinch, missed stud by “” that much). Quite a dangerous machine (moves faster than you would think). Post pics of your ZB to wood machine!
“one of the first movements I made with the Kuka was through the wall”
If you listen carefully… it can say ‘Wooosshhhhhhh’.
Quite a few years ago I programmed a pair of robot arms to shoot a tennis ball back and force for the Hanover Industrial Fair in Germany. That was a lot of fun. The arms served the ball to themselves… Not to each other. Was quite a spectacle. I used the teach mode to get them to do it. So no real ‘programming’ was involved.
best of luck and don’t let the KuKa steal your lunch!
Lemo
@3Point14
I got the same spindle. Let it warm up at min rpm for 5-7 minutes before loading it!!! Did you get a VFD yet for it? I got some left form a larger project which never happened. %^$@^%@#@ economy.
@ arbayne, it is 4 axis. Will post pix when more complete.
@ lemonnado, I am also building a 3 axis foam carving unit for a friend. Maybe you have some spare parts I can use, depending on freight costs.
I’ve just landed on this thread - really cool stuff. I work as a Graphic Design lecturer in West Wales UK. We are fortunate enough to be one of the only colleges in the UK to work with iron casting (as well as bronze). Our Sculpture department is about to hold an international iron pouring convention in July in Kidwelly, West Wales. (check it out here: http://www.internationalfe10.com/ )
I have been using ZBrush for just over a year now, and am currently working with a colleague of mine (Sinzalot - for those who might know his work) to cast direct to iron.
Has anyone out there done this, and if so - what material do you 3D print in for direct burnout?
We have done one test using an ABS plastic 3D print, where we tried a direct burnout using bronze, but it hardly touched the plastic!!
If anyone has any tips or tricks, or advice, I’d love to hear from you.
Otherwise I’ll keep you informed…
Domingos, Yea we have tried ABS from a 3D print (Dimension I think) through a dewax oven even and it is too ashy, expands too much for lost wax method. EPS will work though. Carved EPS for direct burnout in packed sand works for bronze or iron. We don’t do it in shop because it just doesn’t allow for the level of detail achievable through traditional lost wax. For direct 3d print, ZCorp I think has a material that you can cast into…print the negative and Bob’s your uncle. Have looked into Perfactory material but don’t really know. Post if you find a solution.
Any one have any advice on the wood scenario using 3D… Dying to invest in a system, but have burnt my fingers in the past with other technologies such as the T-Jet t-shirt printers sold from the USA… So a bit scared to just jump in…
Ziggy
Dont use what is know as a typical 3d print material.
Get the material of your choice cnc’d.I havnt seen it done any other way.
Got the Kuka carving finally…Now maybe I can find the time to start feeding it some ZBrush files! Hope I uploaded the movie correctly at YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBUZqND7bhI
Cool! Instead of ‘just’ indexed, can it also run contiguous?
Great to see that you stopped poking holes into the shop wall with it 8)))).
Lemo
Hey Lemo…Yea, it can run any CAM you feed it in APT format. You have to simulate the CAM file first and fix any joint issues you come across…very different from a typical cnc machine. You basically give it a path to walk on and let it go for a stroll. Very little control over how it runs the path. You can’t really tell it what to do, you just give it suggestions until it gets it right. How are your projects going? Last we talked you were working with your casting. How has that been going? Jobs coming in at work-a-day job?
this post is awesome! expecially love the giant girl and the croc, awsome the final look of the prehistoric croc!
Jobs suck right now. And you know that you WILL cast it 8).
To be able to nudge it into the right direction is totally awesome.
My 5th is coming along well. But reliably only with indexing.
Otherwise it’s prone to joint problems 8))). But I am fiddling with it.
Got featured on the Mecsoft Cam webpage…
http://www.mecsoft.com/CaseStudies/PDF/CaseStudyRainerSchmidt.pdf
And I’ll be giving a T-Splines webinar to show the Rhino->T-Splines->Cam workflow for tsplines.com this month. If all that does not lead to an improvement in jobs, then I will sell everything, buy a bike, and drive to CA. Or ask you for a job as mold dipper… or so hahaha.
Cheers
Lemo
Lemo, Job as mold dipper…Ha Ha…the most over qualified mold dipper in the industry!! Though seriously, times are tough all over. I am going to Siggraph this month to see if I can scare up some work connections for the Robo. It’s not that I have no work, just not enough, but that is true for every job shop it seems. Just keep keeping on! Great that you have got your 5th working. Continuous 5 axis isn’t the holy grail…indexing can get you pretty much all there. The Kuka is sorely lacking in a 7th axis. Believe it or not, 6 axes with a robot limits you quite a bit…the working area of a robot takes some getting used to…spherical rather than linear. Maybe for Christmas I can get a rotary 7th, if I’m super good…Save me Santa!
I’ll try and post some more shots of the Kuka carving full 5 soon. Looks kool (way Terminator). We should be getting some more detailed ZBrush carves done as soon as the new collettes arrive.
7axis… hmmmm I recently build a turn table for a client. Can move 500 lbs. Stepper or Servo. Step and direction driven. If you can interface, we can do it without breaking the bank. I’m not going to Sig this year. Monstermaker did not let me sleep in his dog house… Said something regarding full moon, scratch marks… and fur again in the pool skimmer… lol
Lemo
Lemo, The rotary 7th is pretty standard stuff except: have to use Kuka servo. Have to use Kuka servo driver. Have to use Kuka wiring harness and cables. Sooo…a certain amount of up-front cost is associated with starting the build. Most of the parts can be purchased on Ebay, but the servo and driver must be matched. I am in the process of pricing out the parts to see if a build your own is worth it. I will get back to you about building it. As far as configuring in the controller, the Italians (QDesign) can remotely take care of most issues.
This will be my first trip to Siggraph. Have you been and, if so, was it interesting and worth the headache?
Sig is a US typical well organized event. Nametags, lines, programs, and zero chance for fun and creative chaos. You will enjoy it. The lab and the innovation section are usually amazing and show things which you will never see elsewhere. Or in 5 years when patented. You can meet a lot of people in one place which you will have a hard time visiting otherwise. It’s a good contact making event. One thing you have to focus on is to get a beer ticket from the guy’s you wish to talk to in more detail. It’s the ticket for the after show party… Where the real stuff goes on. I got kinda lost in Boston after the XSI and the Rhino one… So take a cellphone with you and have the name of your hotel, their phone number, and the approximate cab fair in cash in your front pocket when you embark on the party trail 8)). Why not cast a business card 8).L