I really like your idea there Crash, would be an awesome contest

 

I'd like to post a contest if that is allright?

We are CNC machining the shape of our car out of 108 sheets of 2'x8'x2" styrofaom (blue board or green board), then sealing it and laying up carbon fiber over the top for the most quickly produced car ever (or close to it), and then bringing it to the auto show alongside or X Prize 100 MPG race car. Our team is composed of volunteers who met online (51 volunteers in 6 countries, http://www.wikispeed.com).

Our Phlatprinter 3 isn't here yet, so I'd like to open it up as a contest to other folks who can help by cutting a stack of 2'x8's during December 2010. The "contest" part is to see if it is even possible to make a full size car shape and put it right on the auto show floor using our Phlatprinters, and anyone who helps generate the phlatscript or machines foam for the project will get their name on the car at the auto show (NAIAS, http://www.naias.com/). We'll pay for the foam (but feel free to donate it, we are all volunteers and self funded!)

Here is an image of the car body to be cut:
, http://www.facebook.com/WIKISPEED.

Hope this is interesting to a few folks, we need the help and we'd love to see it happen to shock the auto-industry with how much power lives inside our $995 "garage factories" We have exhibit space on the main floor of the auto show as of the last floor plan I was sent, on the main promenade!

Is this type of contest all right Mark and Trish?

 

That's what I'm thinking. with 7 stacks of 2'x4'x8'x2" sheets, we have 14' of length (more than enough) and more than enough width (8'). So after someone helps us with the Phlatscript, we could have 7 different machines each doing a stack, and they'd really get to see the cross section of the car when they are done.

 

If someone can work up the 3D rendering I think Meshcam can slice the 3D rendering into manageable pieces.

Sounds like a fun project but I don't know how many are going to be able to get their Phlatprinters built and fine tuned in time to participate.

 

I'll check out meshcam today. We also have Alibre Design, which I believe slices well also, and with a little luck the "slices" will be ready shortly for folks who can cut a slice or 18.

Once we have the slice created, what software would you folks use to prepare it for Phlatprinting? Since our phlatiprinter is not yet here I'd love to hear what the next step would be, and at least do the software work in advance.
Best,
Joe

 

Meshcam produced some nice gcode when I used it, but my trial version has expired.

I also liked Cut3D from Vectric but it is a bit pricey.

I will eventually buy Meshcam I think.

 

Fantastic to have endorsement from Mark and Trish!

I've posted the CAD files where we all can download them; the CAD does need to be sliced into stacks of 2'x8'x2" thick slabs. The idea is a female mold, of 7 stacks, with locating dowel holes vertically through each of the four corners of each stack to line them up prior to sealing and carbon layup. We'll arrange the stacks upside down (opening upward) and lay up right inside.

These CADs are of the male form, a boolean subtract against a CAD of the stacks of 2'x8'x2" rectangles will give the stacks, which we then need help getting into phatscript.

STL format:
http://www.shaolinsoftware.com/CAD/2010 ... ng_STL.zip

STP format:
http://www.shaolinsoftware.com/CAD/2010 ... AP_214.zip

Note, CAD was composed with input from the entire team, but almost all produced tirelessly by Rob Mohrbacher (http://www.mohrcomposites.com), during many iterations of fully volunteered hours. Enormous thanks to Rob and his understanding family.

Thanks to anyone who can help a bit with the phlatscript, which then lets anyone who can print out a few blueboard 2x8's!

 

Check your files again... The STL zip file does not contain an STL file.

I don't know what an STP file is, but it is not something we normally use. We use SKP (Sketchup) files.

 

Thanks for the quck catch- the STL file .zip has been corrected. Hopefully this opens well in sketchup.

 

Boy, that is a lot of foam.

I opened the STL file in cut3D and sliced it into 2 inch blocks. There were 84 of them, and the blocks are roughly 39" x 80" each.

Somehow those would have to be cut into even smaller segments as the Phlatprinter can only handle 27" (actually 26.5") widths.

Sheet foam comes in 8' lengths (96") so the length is not a problem, but the width would be the problem.

I suppose one could first slice the car in half and then slice that result into 84 sections...

I don't have a licensed copy of either cut3D or Meshcam and the trial versions of cut3D does not let you cut anything other than the samples. Meshcam on the other hand does let you create gcode, but my trial period has expired on it and I don't know if it has the same slice options as cut3D.

Maybe someone else can get the ball rolling but I really doubt there is enough time to organize this large a task.

 

Sorry for the necropost -- can someone from Wikispeed please give an update on how this project went; as far as using a Phlatprinter? I am only generally aware of the Wikispeed car design, and I am sorry that I did not get to see the car when I was at the X-Prize Knockout Round (as a guest member of Edison2).