Open Source Hardware

Started by Gopher, May 31, 2014, 07:03:32 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Gopher

http://www.placecomponents.com/ could be interesting. Also appears to be at least one other related project in the works somewhere

Mike

Not convinced  this is any more than a set of drawings at this stage... I'll believe it when I see it!
Looks very similar to the cheap Chinese TM220/TM240 machines.

SteveW

I think it's real - but it looked like the designer has orphaned / abandoned / moved on from it.
It's this chap -
http://www.vbesmens.de/en/projects.html


Gopher

I'm not sure the original project is abandoned, but rather he doesn't want to sell/support it commercially. I think this place intends to supply the custom parts and support those in some fashion. The other project I noticed today during some idle surfing was something called the SMT700, which might be the other project someone says they are close to releasing in the OpenPnP forum. The SMT700 is mentioned in a thread on dangerous protoypes here http://dangerousprototypes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=6477.
I do remain somewhat sceptical about niche "Open" mechanical projects, the equipment and expertise means you really need a central supplier of the custom bits. It's one thing to knock up software on a Pi, or solder SMT using tweezers and a toaster, but you can't really knock up a robot with a junior hacksaw and a cordless drill.

SteveW

That makes sense - but good luck to him - any time he starts showing signs of covering his costs, let alone making a profit, some git's going to set up, undercut him and go under...
How much of a machine do you think you could get made out of FR4? 3.2mm for the sturdy bits, 0.8mm for covers. You get decent dimensional stability, holes where you want, and easy global manufacture.
The SMT700  does look like renderware and promises, where vbsemens appears to exist and having had a look at the files, may well be repeatable. If I had to place a bet, I'd, err, stick with my RV1s for a couple more years :)

Mike

Quote from: SteveW on May 31, 2014, 08:47:32 PM
How much of a machine do you think you could get made out of FR4? 3.2mm for the sturdy bits, 0.8mm for covers. You get decent dimensional stability, holes where you want, and easy global manufacture.
I've long thought that a stencil printer in FR4 would be doable - there is definitely a gap in the market for a decent stenciller that can use unframed stencils. I have the Eurocircuits one, which is OK but  very over-built

Gopher

Both projects still look pretty dead, the SMT700 guy seems to be hawking some piece of Chinese crap that would look to be a TM220 copy/rebadge while working on another piece of renderware which is of course coming soon...