In the Colorado School of Mines Design Lab we have a total of six MakerBot Replicator 2X 3D printers that we received a little over a month ago. Since they arrived, one machine has consistently had a jitter in the X axis during diagonal movement from the rear left to the front right. The other five machines recently developed the same problem. Today we traced down the problem to a molex connector on the X axis stepper motor. It seems that the strain relief on the wire and the movement isolation for the wire are not enough, and that motion happens at the molex connector on the individual sockets. That motion is enough to cause momentary loss of connection which causes the jitter. Below is a video demonstrating the diagnosis of the problem and a partial solution. We are working on a permanent solution and are hoping that MakerBot will also develop a permanent solution for the problem. It is unfortunate that these printers have such poor design and build quality.
Message to my class during spring break
While my Machine Design class at the Colorado School of Mines is off enjoying spring break, I sent them a short “Throwback Thursday” note about the rockets of yesteryear and the rocket systems being designed today. The note I wrote is below:
Hello class,
Long before any of us were born, NASA was doing some really interesting engineering design work. NASA engineers in the 1960s relied upon the same sort of analytic techniques and design skills that you are learning in Machine Design this semester. Engineers at SpaceX, Blue Origin, Orbital Sciences, Bigelow Aerospace, and Armadillo Aerospace rely upon the same basic engineering knowledge today as their predecessors did over 60 years ago with the Saturn V development.
Here is a short vintage NASA video going over some high-level information about the Saturn V launch vehicle:
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Here is a video of Elon Musk speaking about the future of design and manufacturing at SpaceX:
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Have a good spring break and I’ll see you all next week in Design Studio.
– Dr. Van Bossuyt
OSU 2012 Commencement
Yesterday was the OSU 2012 Commencement. This was the line for people to get into the TRUAX indoor football practice facility where we passed through metal detectors and lined up. Usually everyone lines up in campus and marches down. This year they corralled us like cattle inside TRUAX for several hours. Evidently the First Lady needed extra security.
The line stretched all the way back to Dixon.
Inside TRUAX. The little person way up on the railing by the windows is Chris Bell, the chief marshal of the ceremony. There were about 4000 people in this building. Somehow I suspect that this violated fire code.
Irem, David, and me waiting to head into the stadium.
Marching toward Reser Stadium.
Graduates marching out of TRUAX.
Faculty applause line.
Entering Reser Stadium.
There’s Jesse!
It looked to me like about 30,000 people were in attendance. Biggest audience ever for graduation.
Marching in and turning the corner.
Marching up to our seats.
Chris Bell, Minister of Silly Hats.
PhDs sitting.
My family was somewhere back that way.
The crowd got bored waiting for the ceremony to start so they started doing the wave. Over and over and over and over.
Platform party with Michelle Obama on the left.
Colors going to their resting place.
Conferring the honorary doctorate.
Michelle Obama gives her speech. It was quite good.
The official video of her commencement address.
Looking back at the masses of Masters Candidates and Baccalaureate Candidates.
Walking up to get my degree.
David walking across the stage.
Yay David!
David and Irem having their photos taken.
Me, Irem, and David with our two fancy pieces of paper.
Yup, it’s real. Oregon State University actually gives you your real diploma at commencement. I think that’s pretty neat.
All of the people streaming out of Reser.