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11. Open Source Hardware - From Fibers to Fabric

Final output video from Alessia.

Research & Ideation

cnc

This week we worked as a group to turn the ShopBot CNC Milling machine into a tool for automated block printing with natural dyes.

This research builds off of the past two years of Fabricademy at TextileLab amsterdam, as well as the Waag pilot for the Tracks for Crafts project.

tracks

Links Below to stories tht informed our work this year:

kateondrukkerij

De Katoendrukkerij at Volmolen Amersfoort Tools and Products

Cotton Block Printing in Amsterdam

dotwork

Staphorster Stipwerk Tools and Process, Image by Josette Veltman, 2013

Staphorster dotwork as intangible cultural heritage

weekly assignment

Check out the weekly assignment here or login to your NuEval progress and evaluation page.

get inspired!

References & Inspiration

stamps

dyes

Planning

Hardware: Maddie & Asli

Electronics: Alessia & Irja

Grasshopper code: Flora & Asli

Fabric prep, mordants, dyes: Johanna & Amber

Laser-cut stamp design: Flora

Day 1 Goals:

  • Make Stamps
  • Prepare fabric (mordant or other treatments)
  • Choose and prepare dyes
  • Begin Arduino-Servo Motor programming
  • First iteration of stamp tool

Day 2 Goals:

  • Make ink pad
  • Design stamp for second iteration
  • Finish prepping dyes and mordants
  • Test static stamping tool on the machine with the code
  • Continue programming microcontrollers for servo motor stamp
  • Begin design for servo motor-controlled stamping
  • Create derivatives of the stamping code on Grasshopper

Day 3 Goals:

  • Finish servo motor holder and stamp holder; 3D print parts
  • Connect electronics to hardware
  • Choose best material for ink pad
  • Test other printing pattern codes
  • Assemble and test the servo motor-controlled stamping process

I felt a little bit in my own world this week, because the modelling as a beginner can take a long time. I was not as involved in developing the dyes and preparing the fabrics. But, we have a Miro board to share valuable information. We communicate very well in person and works together very nicely, where our goals align without super strict planning down to the hour or minute. We trusted each other to make it happen, and by Friday evening we had achieved our biggest goal!

Tools

Process

Static Stamper1

For the first iteration, Alessia and I measured the area of the shopbot we could attach a tool to. Knowing that the area we would use was adjustable, we decided to base our tool off of the mounting plate designed by last year’s students, Isobel and Carolina. They noted some trial and error before getting the proper distance between the screw holes.

We first downloaded the .3dm for the mount, and laser cut it out of the wood Flora was using the make the stamps. I took note of the diameters and distance between the screw holes here. Alessia and I discussed our ideas for the shape of the tool. A plunger type design with a truncated base made sense to us, and was simple to create in Rhino. Here’s a simplified version of what I did, because I am a beginner and there’s multiple ways of doing this. Another way may make more sense to you!

  1. Made a truncated pyramid → extruded the top surface to create a handle.
  2. Made 2 cylinders the diameter and distance of the 2 screw holes (placed vertically on the z-axis). Used a boolean difference to subtract the cylinders from the handle.
  3. Exported as an .stl, sliced with PrusaSlicer, and printed it with PLA on the Prusa CoreOne. Used Generic PLA print settings, didn’t adjust anything.

At this point, our first prototype was made and tested. The center of gravity was off due to not being attached directly to the moving part of the machine. It was flimsy because of the low amount of infill and thin, flat base. The screws used the attach the plate to the machine were on tight, but a size up from M3 to M4 could fit the machine better with less wiggle room.

Taking these changes into account, I started working on the second iteration of the static attachment.

  1. Made a truncated pyramid with a slightly taller base → extruded the top surface to create a handle → extruded the bottom surface 1 mm
  2. Made 2 cylinders with the new measurements for the 2 screw holes, (placed vertically on the z-axis). Used a boolean difference to subtract the cylinders from the handle.
  3. Exported as an .stl, sliced with PrusaSlicer, and printed it with PLA on the Prusa CoreOne. Used Generic PLA print settings, but changed to 80% infill.

Static Stamp Holder by maddieolsenn on Sketchfab

Servo Motor Stamper

This consisted of two 3D-printed parts: the motor holder and the stamp holder. A servo motor connects the two pieces. A FabriXIAO board and battery pack control and power the servo motor. A button and second ESP32 microcontroller wirelessly control the servo motor, allowing the user to rotate the stamp at a defined angle.

Motor Holder2

Using the measurements provided from the FabriXIAO datasheet5 and our chosen Servo Motor datasheet6, I created a plate with tabs where the motor could slide in and screw on. This left enough space to screw onto the machine and attach the FabriXIAO board.

Asli suggested to strengthen the connection by making the tabs where the motor screws on thicker and adding a filet curve to the joints. I also aligned the holes where the plate attaches onto the machine with the motor attachment to maintain the best center of gravity.

We tested the measurements by printing just the small area where the motor should fit, and it worked! From there, I printed the entire piece with Generic PLA settings, but I used 100% infill to make it solid.

Servo Stamper (motor holder) | Part 1 of 2 by maddieolsenn on Sketchfab

Stamp Holder3

Because the X shaped motor attachment’s holes are so small, it was difficult to get precise measurements for the screw holes on the stamp holder. The first iteration had circular holes but did not fit because the X shaped piece on the motor was not completely square. So, Asli created slots that would allow the fit to be adjusted. Printed with 80% infill.

Servo Stamper (stamp holder) | Part 2 of 2 by maddieolsenn on Sketchfab

Ink Pad4

I made a square, used an offset to get lines for the walls, then extruded the bottom outline to create a base and the top outlines to create the walls. The large size provided room for human intervention, testing different materials, and movement of the stamp. Printed with generic PLA settings.

Ink-pad by maddieolsenn on Sketchfab

Bill of Materials for 3D printed tool attachments

Material Quantity Purpose Cost Link
PLA filament 1.75 mm 1 roll (it will use less than this) Ink pad. Static stamp mount. Servo motor+XIAO mount. Rotating stamp mount. Use your preferred or available PLA. Prices vary. Prusament used here at normal price is €32.99. link
M2 * bolts + nuts 2 Attach the rotating stamp mount to servo motor. €14.50 + shipping for kit of M2, M3, and M4 link
M4 * bolts + nuts 6 Attach tool to CNC skirt holder. Attach the servo motor to the holder. The CNC piece actually uses imperial screws, but with the available metric nuts and bolts, M4 provided the most secure fit. The 3D files are designed to work with M4 bolts. Included in the kit above. link
MG995 High Speed Metal Gear Dual Ball Bearing Servo 180 degrees with attachments 1 motor (with the X shaped attachment) Turns the stamp design to create dynamic patterns. €6.99 + shipping link

Process of designing in Rhino. Screenshot from Maddie Olsen.

rhino

Photos comparing the hardware and products of the static and motor-controlled stamping tools. It was very exciting to see something I modelled in action! I couldn't have made these without planning with Alessia and and Rhino help from Asli.

The circle on the top highlights the interlocked pattern made by manually turning the stamp 90 degrees and re-attaching it to the tool. The circle on the bottom shows the button used to rotate the tool 90 degrees with the servo motor. This gave us a better aligned print, but it is harder to see the outcome since it was with a mordant and not a dye.

collage

Lovely wiring diagram made by Alessia. She worked together with Irja, who is a current FabLab intern, to get the tool working as planned. They also let me solder a bit of the wiring to practice! wiring

Fabrication files

  1. Static Stamp ↩

  2. Motor Holder 1/2 ↩

  3. Stamp Holder 2/2 ↩

  4. Ink Pad ↩

  5. FabriXIAO Datasheet ↩

  6. Servo Datasheet ↩