Availability of parametric 3D files of the FT5

[Cyoung]

Hi All. Recently got my FT5 up and running and have been printing mods for it as I can. I will need to start designing my own parts soon and I was wondering if 3d files of the printer are available anywhere? It would save me a lot of time and work if I didn't have to model the printer (or parts of it at least) before I can start designing my own parts.

Thanks!

[PaulS]

there are tons of stock and customer parts on thingyverse all you could want and then some LOL

[csorrows]

There are lots of people who have started but I have the only complete model that I know of. Unfortunately, I am not able to distribute as I was commissioned to model it and the rights are not mine.

[Ron]

Perhaps I can work on one if I can find some spare time.
I can do it in Inventor or TurboCAD Pro.
.igs, .stp or .stl formats perhaps? Suggestions?

[Cyoung]

There is a frame for the FT5 available on grabcad.

https://grabcad.com/library/ft-5-frame-folgertech-1

and the z plate

https://grabcad.com/library/ft16-1

If you do decide to model it, PLEASE PLEASE dont do them in .stl files. They dont contain much usable information (at least in Solidworks) and most people can convert other files to .stl's easily enough.

I could make the model as well. I was just inquiring because if there was one out there in the wild, it would save me the time of taking all the measurements and doing the modeling.

[Ron]

.stl was just an idle thought.
I typically prefer .igs/.iges personally.

The problem with .stl is of course that most people can't do much with them after the fact (if anything at all).
I can work with them using TCPro, but even then they can be awkward and exasperating.

[csorrows]

Mine was 100% modeled in SketchUp. Every piece is modeled individually as components. I do mean every piece, even the extruder assembly right down to the bolts. Lots of time and work.

[Cyoung]

Yeah. Thats the right way to do it, sorrows. Im a design engineer by trade so I run solidworks a lot. It's best to make sure you have all the fiddly little bits accounted for. It stinks when you have parts made and you have interference problems with screw heads or something because you neglected to add them into the model. Ask me how I know...

[Ron]

Me too. I am more of an AutoCAD/Inventor/UGNX (and lately TurboCAD) person.
We do have Solidworks at work but I don't personally have a seat license for it.
Over the years I have accumulated a library of parts that I can insert.
Mostly .stp and .igs format.
Easy to import or share.
As for forgetting things. Ummmm, been there, done that.
Ruins your whole day, Particularly after having sent it out to a machine shop,

[csorrows]

I'm actually quite glad I took the time to go into that much detail. Some steps in the CNC manual include taking the extruder apart. It was simple to illustrate as I had already modeled each little piece individually.

[grkn1461]

Hello csorrows, Can you share with me your FT-5 part drawings ? I want to draw but I dont have any referances for it

grkn.koc@hotmail.com

[sagamore]

Our designers just released a 3D PDF of one our products (Ground source heat pump). We use Solid Edge along with Team Center.

Total file size is about 20meg. You can zoom in and rotate the object, and also has the part numbers in a tree. When you highlight a part on the drawings it shows you the part number in the tree. Would be amazing to have something like this for our printers.

[csorrows]