[ELECTRON] New Member
Andrew Beattie
andrew at tug.com
Thu Jun 4 16:10:38 BST 2015
On second thoughts, I *will* be there.
Andrew
> On 4 Jun 2015, at 09:24, Andrew Beattie <andrew at tug.com> wrote:
>
> The Flight Test designs are based of the features of paper-skinned foam (to make the “A” and “B” folds etc, so that is whet we are using in the first instance.
>
> Although we may open with FT plans for paper-coated-foam, we have several areas that we may expand into and have been discussing which to do first. Options include:
> Adapting the FT plans for uncoated foam
> Designing our own planes from scratch
> Cutting balsa for wings with wooden ribs and a skin
> If my ammeter turns up, I am likely to be doing laser fitting long into the night. First a test of the tube with it’s new PSU on the bench. Then physical fit. Then I have a new 100mm focal length lens to fit in the head. Then calibrate the angles on all the mirrors.
>
> Next, by trial and error i find the best working height for the laser and print a nozzle the right size so that we can pump compressed air right at the cut.
>
> Then I re-calibrate the power map and cutting settings. We do this by cutting a grid of squares with different settings, changing Z-height and cutting speed to discover the best combination to use. The grid turns into a physical bar graph of the effectiveness of different settings. The grid is repeated in different areas of the board to identify the change in power delivery.
>
> Then we cut a sheet full of 20mm squares to prove (or disprove) that the cuts are consistent all over the bed. I’ll be at it for hours…
>
> And then I need to be up, bright eyed and busy tailed in the morning - I’m taking a whole school assembly at the primary school on the isle of Cumbrae.
>
> Andrew
>
>
>> On 4 Jun 2015, at 07:08, Nathan Collins <mr.nathan.collins at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> I'm a big fan of the Flite Test <http://flitetest.com/show> guys, so it
>> will be great to be able to get hold of their designs without having to pay
>> for shipping from the US, or go through the hassle of cutting my own. I'm
>> curious about the type of foam you are using. Is is still paper backed
>> foam, or are you using Depron?
>>
>> Feel free to drop in to the Open Source Hardware Group tonight.
>>
>> On 4 June 2015 at 04:17, Andrew Beattie <andrew at tug.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Nathan,
>>>
>>> The Foamies project is just about to go live. I don’t have the exact date
>>> but it has been “within the next week or so” for about a month :-)
>>>
>>> We have built a 3-axis A1 cutter for doing it. Full featchured tull chain
>>> for efficient production control. Single interface for reading SVG
>>> drawings, managing the relationship between drawn lines and actions
>>> (library of “black for cut, red for score, blue for engrave” etc and how to
>>> interpret that in foam, flat card, corrugate, plywood etc). We understand
>>> containment (so the toolchain spots that curve A is inside curve B and cut
>>> A first, so that materials that warp or fall out during the cut don’t cause
>>> problems). The G-code generation is very efficient to minimise head travel
>>> time. We map the power delivery in different parts of the board and modify
>>> cutting speeds to compensate. We can deal with anisotropic materials (like
>>> corrugated board) that require different cutting speeds in different
>>> directions. I think “fully featured laser cutter” if a fair description :-)
>>>
>>> Our starting range will be the the freely available Tiny Trainer, Funjet,
>>> Speedster and Scout from the good folk at FlightTest. Indeed it was the
>>> thing that kicked off the whole project was the fact that if you want to
>>> build a FT kit in the UK, you end up giving more money to the postie than
>>> to FT..
>>>
>>> The kits are re-constructed fro their plans. We change the layout so that
>>> the sheets can be cut from European A1 size sheets and cut them up so that
>>> we stay within a 61cm maximum dimension in order that we don’t get gouged
>>> by the post office. We cut our own custom packaging for the foam and the
>>> various “bits” (pushrods, bbq skewers, velcro etc. We include a 3D printed
>>> scraper for helping to scrape foam out from channels during the build.
>>>
>>> Our foamboard is a lot better quality than the FT stuff and there is a
>>> weight penalty to pay for this, so our prop/motor specs are beefed up a
>>> little to compensate.
>>>
>>> So, i have been all over the technology end of manufacturing the things,
>>> but the actual flying and testing of them has been by my co-designer,
>>> Damian, down in Swindon. I have been working flat out on getting the
>>> production running sweetly while he has been doing all the actual testing
>>> and flying. I don’t even have a transmitter. Once we actualy get into
>>> production and I can breath a little, I guess that will chage pretty
>>> quickly.
>>>
>>> All that stands in the way of project launch is fitting of the new laser
>>> (today I hope, but it will probably take all weekend...) and some final
>>> tweaks to the web site...
>>>
>>> Andrew
>>>
>>>> On 3 Jun 2015, at 22:17, Nathan Collins <mr.nathan.collins at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Andrew,
>>>> I'm an RC flying machine enthusiast and could help but have my interest
>>>> piqued by this thread. What foamies do you build/deliver? It would be
>>> great
>>>> to hear more from you. Do you fly locally?
>>>>
>>>> Nathan
>>>>
>>>> On 3 June 2015 at 19:49, Andrew Beattie <andrew at tug.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> It is a while since I saw a Stratoscoop in the air…
>>>>>
>>>>> The laser is not delivering the 25W that it is meant to today.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have a higher quality 40w tube on the desk ready for installation but
>>> I
>>>>> am waiting for a microammeter panel display that I want to install at
>>> the
>>>>> same time that is due to be delivered tomorrow. Then I’ll find out if
>>> it
>>>>> actualy fits in the space :-)
>>>>>
>>>>> It is primarily going to be for cutting foamies (ultralight model
>>>>> aircraft).
>>>>>
>>>>> But I also cut:
>>>>> Plywood (control horns and firewalls for the foamies)
>>>>> Cardboard (we make our own packaging for the foamies, carefuly designed
>>> to
>>>>> give the right protection and fit within UK postage rules)
>>>>> Kite fabric (to make “feathers” that kite fliers tie to their hats)
>>>>> Hardboard (I am re-cladding the laser-cutter in hardboard as we speak)
>>>>> Andrew
>>>>>
>>>>>> On 3 Jun 2015, at 19:02, Rob Spencer <spencer.rob at slvi.co.uk> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Welcome Andrew,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Love the kites! My dad still has a huge Stratoscope that we used to get
>>>>> pulled on the beach with.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> What power is the lazer cutter? Is it for acrylic or will it so metal
>>>>> aswell? I've been thinking about hooking up a lazer head to my cnc.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Cheers
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Rob
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 3 Jun 2015, at 16:36, Martin McGrath <mcgrath.martin at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Welcome Andrew Beattie:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "Hi, I guess that in this context, You would probably get a good idea
>>>>>>> of who I am if I list my favourite toys: 1) Kites. Big ones. Words
>>>>>>> don't do justice, so have a quick look at http://tug.com/kites/ 2)
>>>>>>> Computers. A passion in my younger years. My living later but now
>>>>>>> mostly just a tool for getting stuff done. I am on the Unix side of
>>>>>>> the divide and OS X as a result. 3) Photography. Lets just say 85mm
>>>>>>> f1.2, 200mm f2, 800mm f5.6 on the front of my 1DsIII 4) Sewing.
>>>>>>> Specialist, straight stitch only Industrial machine which is happiest
>>>>>>> sewing through 2 tonne Spectra. 5) Kossel. 6) A1 scratch built laser
>>>>>>> cutter. (designed and built by a friend in Swindon hackspace) 7) Van.
>>>>>>> 3 ton worm drive winch fitted with 120m of 8mm Dynex for kite flying.
>>>>>>> 8) One of the worst internet connections in the developed world :-(
>>>>>>> Every day I look at
>>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>> http://www.superfast-openreach.co.uk/where-and-when/default.aspx?pc=pa17%205da
>>>>>>> to see if the cabinet at the end of the road is ready yet. Until then
>>>>>>> I live off a horribly congested 3G tower. Since moving (back to) to
>>>>>>> Scotland a few years ago, my face-to-face contact with technical folk
>>>>>>> has been severely limited. I'm looking for the opportunity for both
>>>>>>> online and meatspace interaction with local(ish) people."
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Andrew, you can check out future events in the calendar, we're also on
>>>>> IRC:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> http://www.electronclub.org/calendar/
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> http://www.electronclub.org/doku.php?id=howto:irc
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Martin
>>>>>>>
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