WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
MULTIFAB
The Multifab XYZ gantry precisely controls the relative position between its working surface and a toolhead. The current version, Multifab1, has a work volume of an 8" cube and a positioning resolution of 0.001". The capabilities of the Multifab depend greatly on which toolhead is mounted to its XY shuttle and what sort of working surface is attached to the Z axis table. Vinyl cutting, PCB milling, and plotting have all been accomplished to date using the Fab-in-a-Box electronics, and 3D printing has been done using Makerbot's printhead and control boards. A 5 axis trunnion has also been developed to permit milling of complex surfaces as well as positional indexing.
The Multifab is the marriage of two modular assemblies: the XY gantry and the Z axis stage. The XY gantry is comprised of an aluminum tubeset, a drive system (motors, belts, pulleys, tensioners, etc...), and the moving shuttle to which tools are mounted. The Z axis is comprised of a plywood frame, a leadscrew-driven carraige, and a work table which moves with the carraige.