Just a little idea to improve the concept : the electrolisis is a reaction that is limited in speed by equilibrium (because of thermodynamics) as such, the faster you get rid of the aluminium ions next to the work piece, the quicker you will be able to machine your parts. There are two ways to improve the exiting of aluminium ions : - increse voltage : it will increase the electric field , E and the ions, subjects to Lorenz attractive force, F=q*E, will go away quicker. - make a directed stream of water from the cathode : thanks to the HO- ions, the metallic ions will get consumed and increase the speed of the reaction, it's called equilibrium displacement. The downside of your design is that the current of water only comes from one side of the tip making an asymmetrical reaction on the part
@7:49 recommend adding on a termination fitting with a bushing on the end of your FMC to avoid damaging your wire insulation over time. Vibration and movement will cut through over time, you may pay attention to prevent that but many others won't. Important to think about when releasing a new product. Open source?
You are absolutely right, but I did not have any on hand. Everything is open source. The link to the grabcad files are in the description. I provided a complete CAD file for the printer/ECM machine, and both sets of firmware
How much needle will wear and looses its shape? You told would insulate needle, maybe like using emalic coating? (like coil copper wires) Is Aluminium faster than Steel? Do it make it more accurate? How small holes/slots could made? I would need max 1.0mm grooves to 6-10mm thick piece, not suiting for ECM?
Have you tried this as a plunge method instead? Like have a shape and plung that down into your work piece slowly i would think that would be better than a "mill style bit" (dunno what else to call it lol) for something like this. 3d print a part paint in conductive paint and electroplated with copper and use it as your tool piece for plunging. If that would work it would open the metal world up to just about anybody
salt electroplating you could multi metal rebuild surfaces too replace head with gutted syringe electrodes and earth the plate it will deposit metal so you could cut then resurface with a surface hardening all at one station then :)
Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems like the spring loaded auto leveling thing is unnecessary. Because both the needle and the part are conductive, you could just test connectivity between the needle and the bed as you lower it. Is there some advantage to the spring design that I'm missing?
Great project! I'm tempted to try something similar on my own 3D printer, so I'm curious what sort of filtration you use with your salt water solution. I'm hoping to go the route of jet ECM but I'm not sure if a 34 gauge needle could withstand non-trivial amounts of aluminum hydroxide. Would it be simpler just to use a new batch of salt water every cut?
If you drilled first all the way through the work piece and only then started moving horizontally, wouldn't the cutting go faster? You'd be using the entire surface of the needle? Also, I looked it up and in industrial applications they tend to use conductive molds, negatives of the work piece. So how about print the mold in plastic, cover in conductive paint, install on the carriage and lower over the work piece.
A finished stepper motor costs less than the price of the metal you would need for the housing if you made it yourself. As long as parts are available there is no point in making them yourself. This only becomes useful when you need custom parts. Even then metal prices are insane for small quantities with the prices being 5-10x what a manufacturer pays. In many cases it is cheaper for me to buy a microwave than it would be to buy the steel sheet used for the housing.
th-cam.com/video/CtM7xQWHMTw/w-d-xo.html secondly what do you think of this approach(creating custom cutting tooling using a 3D printer and plating)? Any massive cons? Thanks for putting this out. Very hard to find hobbyist info about this!
I use to have a Davinci 1.0. I would never convert it to ECM. The salt water would mist would rust all the steel inside. Go buy a crappy printer like a Tronxy and use that instead
Very interestingn project but the way you machined the plate was done poorly. Why only limit it at 300mA? You removed your hotend which usually draws about 3A and your heated bed draws about 10A both at full power. So then why are you pumping out 1/40 of your psu capability?
I am glad to have some criticism. Your concern is valid. When conducting these tests I used a multimeter to measure the current during operation that was being drawn by the electrode (300 mA). This was very low. Especially considering that nothing else (hotend or the bed) was on. I think this is because of the power supply I am using, which does not force enough current through the electrode.
@@Bisofication Yes, I have tried changing the distance. I found that minimizing it produced cleaner results. The best results thus far were achieved using an initial distance of 0.2 mm, with a movement 0.025 mm down every 2 passes The needle was powered by a PC computer 12 volt power supply. One ground line was attached to the needle through a relay. A 12 volt line went to the workpiece
Hey bro, excellent video do you have any social media or an email for me to contact you about this project, I'm currently trying to design a small desktop ecm machine and your input would be much appreciated, thanks Josh
@@3er24t4g1 not "wrong" edm is the same thing in machine shops used for die making and tight tolerance machining with electrical current that has been used since the early 60s. check it out. this a lower tech way but i like it . so dont jump to to the "wrong" conclusion. i am a MACHINIST.
@9:05 lol you had me at tramming! So many people refuse to change from calling it leveling to the actual machinist term "tramming". Thank you!
I have been watching too much of Tom
@@MorlockEngineering Can you post the reddit link?
Tramming and leveling are separate things.
UK machinists call it clocking
Just a little idea to improve the concept : the electrolisis is a reaction that is limited in speed by equilibrium (because of thermodynamics) as such, the faster you get rid of the aluminium ions next to the work piece, the quicker you will be able to machine your parts. There are two ways to improve the exiting of aluminium ions :
- increse voltage : it will increase the electric field , E and the ions, subjects to Lorenz attractive force, F=q*E, will go away quicker.
- make a directed stream of water from the cathode : thanks to the HO- ions, the metallic ions will get consumed and increase the speed of the reaction, it's called equilibrium displacement.
The downside of your design is that the current of water only comes from one side of the tip making an asymmetrical reaction on the part
Great work, looking forward to seeing the next version.
@7:49 recommend adding on a termination fitting with a bushing on the end of your FMC to avoid damaging your wire insulation over time. Vibration and movement will cut through over time, you may pay attention to prevent that but many others won't. Important to think about when releasing a new product. Open source?
You are absolutely right, but I did not have any on hand. Everything is open source. The link to the grabcad files are in the description. I provided a complete CAD file for the printer/ECM machine, and both sets of firmware
Fantastic project and a great video! Well done!
You need a air line around the nozzle so the water is dispersed as you're machining it. It will improve the accuracy a lot.
Sir wonderful process to learn in college life
Very interesting demo. I quite enjoyed it.
How much needle will wear and looses its shape?
You told would insulate needle, maybe like using emalic coating? (like coil copper wires)
Is Aluminium faster than Steel? Do it make it more accurate?
How small holes/slots could made? I would need max 1.0mm grooves to 6-10mm thick piece, not suiting for ECM?
Have you tried this as a plunge method instead? Like have a shape and plung that down into your work piece slowly i would think that would be better than a "mill style bit" (dunno what else to call it lol) for something like this. 3d print a part paint in conductive paint and electroplated with copper and use it as your tool piece for plunging. If that would work it would open the metal world up to just about anybody
Is it possible to set this up on a Creality Ender 3?
Yes, check TH-cam now their are a few examples. None seem to be that accurate yet unfortunately
Good job I'm impressed
Nice! Congratulations!!
Hello, I want to ask how you could be able to control the gap between tool and workpiece in ECM machine
Maybe could try sucking ant stray liquids via a concentric tube to easy add to a 3D printer, keeping it dry
salt electroplating you could multi metal rebuild surfaces too replace head with gutted syringe electrodes and earth the plate it will deposit metal so you could cut then resurface with a surface hardening all at one station then :)
Have you looked into syringe electroplate metal printing?
Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems like the spring loaded auto leveling thing is unnecessary. Because both the needle and the part are conductive, you could just test connectivity between the needle and the bed as you lower it. Is there some advantage to the spring design that I'm missing?
From the looks of it, the bed level sensor and the needle are on different circuits so they need different connections
so awesome!! great job!
This is really freaking cool! Keep it up, dude!
Great project! I'm tempted to try something similar on my own 3D printer, so I'm curious what sort of filtration you use with your salt water solution. I'm hoping to go the route of jet ECM but I'm not sure if a 34 gauge needle could withstand non-trivial amounts of aluminum hydroxide. Would it be simpler just to use a new batch of salt water every cut?
I dont use any filtration and on smaller diameter needles it leads to clogs. I recommend just using new salt water and throwing away the old stuff
@@MorlockEngineering Thanks!
Very cool presentation! Did you win?
If you drilled first all the way through the work piece and only then started moving horizontally, wouldn't the cutting go faster? You'd be using the entire surface of the needle? Also, I looked it up and in industrial applications they tend to use conductive molds, negatives of the work piece. So how about print the mold in plastic, cover in conductive paint, install on the carriage and lower over the work piece.
No, that's an entirely different process and I believe it's classified as EDM Molding..
A finished stepper motor costs less than the price of the metal you would need for the housing if you made it yourself. As long as parts are available there is no point in making them yourself. This only becomes useful when you need custom parts. Even then metal prices are insane for small quantities with the prices being 5-10x what a manufacturer pays. In many cases it is cheaper for me to buy a microwave than it would be to buy the steel sheet used for the housing.
Great sir
you are awesome !!
Two questions, if I was using an existing printer (davinci 1.0) how big of a concern is shorting the rest of the machine with the water?
th-cam.com/video/CtM7xQWHMTw/w-d-xo.html secondly what do you think of this approach(creating custom cutting tooling using a 3D printer and plating)? Any massive cons? Thanks for putting this out. Very hard to find hobbyist info about this!
I use to have a Davinci 1.0. I would never convert it to ECM. The salt water would mist would rust all the steel inside. Go buy a crappy printer like a Tronxy and use that instead
@@MorlockEngineering it’s already unusable for printing. Wouldn’t all printers rust?
@@fozbstudios Not really. The davinci is an enclosed printer with almost bear steel. On an open air printer it is fine
Very interestingn project but the way you machined the plate was done poorly.
Why only limit it at 300mA? You removed your hotend which usually draws about 3A and your heated bed draws about 10A both at full power. So then why are you pumping out 1/40 of your psu capability?
I am glad to have some criticism. Your concern is valid. When conducting these tests I used a multimeter to measure the current during operation that was being drawn by the electrode (300 mA). This was very low. Especially considering that nothing else (hotend or the bed) was on. I think this is because of the power supply I am using, which does not force enough current through the electrode.
@@MorlockEngineering have you measured the resistance of the needle and work piece, or changed the distance between the needle and the work piece?
@@MorlockEngineering Very awesome work here, but I had the same concern. As far as your electrode -- how was it actually being powered?
@@Bisofication Yes, I have tried changing the distance. I found that minimizing it produced cleaner results. The best results thus far were achieved using an initial distance of 0.2 mm, with a movement 0.025 mm down every 2 passes
The needle was powered by a PC computer 12 volt power supply. One ground line was attached to the needle through a relay. A 12 volt line went to the workpiece
@@MorlockEngineering Can someone get this man a decent power supply hahaha :D
Looking forward to see more
Great info. Subbed
Nice engineering work. I may try this. BTW, it is a peristaltic pump not peristatic. And please stop eating the Eloi.
This is so cool
Ever thought about selling this ?
Hey bro, excellent video do you have any social media or an email for me to contact you about this project, I'm currently trying to design a small desktop ecm machine and your input would be much appreciated, thanks Josh
EDM uses less than 80v not thousands of volts.
edm electrical discharge machining
Wrong, He said it was ECM, not EDM
@@3er24t4g1 not "wrong" edm is the same thing in machine shops used for die making and tight tolerance machining with electrical current that has been used since the early 60s. check it out. this a lower tech way but i like it . so dont jump to to the "wrong" conclusion. i am a MACHINIST.
@@slasherchris1735 but they are clearly not the same thing at all...
@@slasherchris1735
You are "wrong", no matter how MACHINIST you may be
@@robbiejames1540 Hey I have to get to work. Can I get 2 orders oh fries with that . Thanks bud you are doing a great job 👍
You need to re edit this video, it's good info but deliver needs work. Sound drops out, voice over voice, and get rid of the bird chirping.