Has anyone who designed or built a cnc device with interchangeable cutting heads? For example: a milling head, a laser cutter, interchangeable with a plasma cutter?
I’m currently working on switching spindle, 3d printing and vector cutting.
We’re working on a design for just such a thing. The laser is the most exoensive component so we’re building it as a modular unit
There is one illustrated on grabcad:
http://grabcad.com/library/my-diy-cnc-milling-plasma-laser-3d-printer-machine
The laser on grabcad is only 1 watt. This is only enough to cut dark paper or lightly engrave a few soft materials. I havent looked through his docs yet for the details. We’ll have a minimum 40watts and optimally 80-120 watts to be able to cut cardboard and thin woods and acrylic plastics
@michael_culp Same plate to mill and laser on? With or without a full enclosure with a see-through hood of the right wavelength? How do you plan to keep the mirrors aligned and the fragile laser tube intact with all the vibration while milling?
Plasma cutting on THAT table?
The laser is a snap on module. Mirror alignment might be a problem. More worried about capping the mirros and lenses from dust. Both fully enclosed with air and vac or large bed in enclosed room options. The table is removeable to jave both water table and open bed options. In the small table top fully enclosed model not going to do plasma. Just mill, laser, 3d print, drag knife and plotter.
Why drag knife instead of vector knife?
Its much cheaper and easier to change blades using standard easy to find parts
I got a Roland compatible blade holder and blade from China.
Easy to get and replace.
@Jean_Lotz - Qu-Bd is just about to start shipping their RPM (3d printer + CNC machine hybrid). Also, there are a couple other similar hybrid machines recently announced on kickstarter I think…