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Fabrication & Manufacturing

Proposed Q&A site for people interested in fabricating or manufacturing physical things. Including 3D printing & scanning, CNC milling or cutting machines, CAD/CAM software and how we can share ideas between industry and the maker & hackerspace communities.
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65 Example Questions (2 closed)

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up vote 3 down vote
How can I support this large overhang [example] when 3D printing?
added by naught101 Jan 25 at 0:30
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up vote 3 down vote
I need to lap weld two 1/8" thick stainless steel sheets, can you help me choose the most effective welding process?
added by shoul25 Jan 29 at 20:14
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up vote 2 down vote
Which ABS colors are least likely to change color during printing?
added by uncovery Dec 18 '12 at 9:31
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up vote 2 down vote
What tricks can I use to achieve more than plain 2.5D in milling/printing with plain 3-axis devices?
added by SF. Jan 1 at 23:02
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up vote 2 down vote
Does PLA give of any toxic by-products when melted using something like a Filabot?
added by naught101 Jan 25 at 0:29
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I would edit this to "What are the safety considerations for consumer PLA reclaiming/recycling?" – circuit-bento Apr 5 at 9:04
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Hrm.. I know what you mean, but "safety considerations" seem a bit broad (have you read an instruction manual for a consumer product lately?). I'm specifically interested in what happens with PLA when it's melted, because it's commonly used for food containers. I don't want answers like "don't burn yourself" or "don't stick your fingers in the grinder"... – naught101 Apr 5 at 23:29
up vote 2 down vote
How do I CNC an injection mold without electrical discharge machining?
added by Joe Baker Jan 29 at 4:39
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Originally asked by Jon Rodriguez on Robotics: robotics.stackexchange.com/questions/835/… – Joe Baker Jan 30 at 8:08
up vote 2 down vote
How can a 3D surface be polished using only a CNC mill? The material in question is 7075 aluminium.
added by rhooligan Apr 16 at 23:35
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up vote 1 down vote
What are some techniques for holding parts that are somewhat flexible (ie: plastic boxes) in a vise?
added by rhooligan Dec 2 '12 at 1:55
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up vote 1 down vote
How do you select a Contract Manufacturer, and is it helpful to have them local to you?
added by SF. Jan 1 at 23:08
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I would edit this question to "What are the differences between how you select a local and a remote Contract Manufacturer?" – circuit-bento Apr 5 at 9:06
up vote 1 down vote
How can I edit STL files in FreeCAD?
added by naught101 Jan 25 at 0:31
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up vote 1 down vote
How can I control CNC machines that use Resolvers instead of Encoders?
added by Ian McMahon Feb 24 at 7:09
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up vote 1 down vote
How do you account for different machine tolerances to unify standards in a shop for drawings and manufacturing?
added by RJay75 Mar 4 at 20:06
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up vote 1 down vote
Would conductive ink heat too much in use for printing over a wooden surface?
added by Randall Williams Apr 1 at 10:32
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up vote 1 down vote
What are unique roles and responsibilities that a Hackerspace Board formally organizing as an educational 501(c)3 might run into?
added by circuit-bento Apr 5 at 8:47
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up vote 1 down vote
Can polycarbonate or acrylic stock be milled on a lathe into lenses?
added by rhooligan Apr 16 at 23:37
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Acrylic could. The big problem is keeping the heat down. I just made the frame for a 3D printer out of 10mm acrylic, hand cut with a jigsaw.. so much melting... – naught101 May 8 at 5:07
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How to output from [software] to a [3D printer]?
added by Renan Dec 12 '12 at 13:21
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up vote 0 down vote
I want to outsource production. How do I stop the manufacturer from selling my product as their own, bypassing me? Will patents suffice?
added by SF. Jan 1 at 23:03
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Before you deem this off-topic, please consider this was very much on-topic in "Hardware: How to design, prototype, and manufacture a physical product" currently merged into this proposal. – SF. Jan 1 at 23:06
This is a good and relevant question as it may be the next step after the prototype phase. – rhooligan Apr 16 at 23:36
up vote 0 down vote
Is it possible to 3d print over a pre-existing object?i.e. by putting another piece in the printing container.
added by Randall Williams Apr 1 at 11:23
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up vote 0 down vote
How do I start a dorkbot?
added by circuit-bento Apr 5 at 8:28
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up vote 0 down vote
What 3D printing materials are not only food safe, but also heat / microwave safe after hardening / curing?
added by ylluminate May 3 at 6:44
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up vote 0 down vote
Is it ethical to 3d print weapons/should it be allowed?
added by dylanisawesome1 May 14 at 1:08
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up vote -1 down vote
What applications are available for 3D printers, free and paid versions? [closed]
added by Marcelo Jun 28 '12 at 21:35
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closed as not constructive by warren, Robert Cartaino♦ Jun 29 '12 at 15:31

This question is not a good fit to our Q&A format. We expect answers to generally involve facts, references, or specific expertise; this question will likely solicit opinion, debate, arguments, polling, or extended discussion.

What do you mean my applications? Software applications for running a 3d printer, or applications that the printer could be put to? – Mark Booth Jun 29 '12 at 10:20
sounds like a shopping list / software rec list to me :| – warren Jun 29 '12 at 13:05
Sorry, shall I repost that as software needed to create/design/render objects that a 3D printer will then translate into a workable file? I can research said software and post links or is this not the forum for that? – Marcelo Jun 30 '12 at 8:00
That's precisely the problem - it's a research / options/ list answer, not a definite answer (yes/no/use this tool _). difficult to get a 'right' answer. – Renoir Jul 3 '12 at 19:24
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@upvoter - Feel free to allocate your precious up vote to a question which hasn't been closed. – Mark Booth Oct 22 '12 at 14:47
up vote -3 down vote
What applications are available for a 3D scanner, free and paid versions. [closed]
added by Marcelo Jun 28 '12 at 21:32
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closed as not constructive by warren, Robert Cartaino♦ Jun 29 '12 at 15:31

This question is not a good fit to our Q&A format. We expect answers to generally involve facts, references, or specific expertise; this question will likely solicit opinion, debate, arguments, polling, or extended discussion.

What do you mean my applications? Software applications for running a 3d scanner, or applications that the scanner could be put to? – Mark Booth Jun 29 '12 at 10:20
To me the question seems specific to software due to the phrasing - although I'm not sure whether that makes it more or less acceptable to a SE site. – Matthew Bernhardt Jun 29 '12 at 12:54
sounds like a shopping list / software rec list to me :| – warren Jun 29 '12 at 13:05
@upvoter - Feel free to allocate your precious up vote to a question which hasn't been closed. – Mark Booth Oct 22 '12 at 14:47
up vote -3 down vote
I'd like to use linuxCNC with a Chinese CNC Machine recently purchased from www.carving-cnc.com. Can someone provide set-up and configuration links?
added by Isaac Kleinman Mar 5 at 23:15
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By SE platform standards this question would appear to be spammed advertisement; the only "question" involved is asking the community to go locate, copy, and paste links. Stack Exchange is not a search engine. – bosco Apr 26 at 21:41
up vote -3 down vote
What is the cheapest way to make gear?
added by oneat Mar 30 at 11:38
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To make a gear or to make "gear," i.e. equipment? In either scenario, the question is excessively broad but could be improved by adding specificity, i.e. "What is the most cost-efficient material with which to produce 3.5" diameter gears for simple, low-stress mechanical prototyping?" – bosco Apr 26 at 21:59
@bosco: pretty sure "gear" is referring to drugs or heroin-using utensils ;D – naught101 2 days ago
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