Our DSPC machines use generic 486DX2 machines (ISA bus) with 32MB
typically. We run DOS, but only to boot into our virtual-memory C program
which actually does the slicing and machine control. Since we are only
dealing with a raster pattern (as opposed to the vector data of DTM &
3D), we have much smaller data requirements, and we can slice each layer
on the fly. For most applications, we can also deal with line data for
our 43 active jets (inkjet printhead) within the turnaround time of our X
axis. We do have a problem with doing multi-transition parts where there
are more than, say 500 transitions on a line, but parts like that are
rare enough that we haven't even bothered to move to a synchronous bus
like PCI. Our machine just takes two passes to make a complex line,
that's all.
Since our machines are already the fastest part-builders in the
industry, we're in good shape, however, our future will certainly include
multiple printheads with more jets per head, so we will eventually get to
build a nice little embedded MIMD datapath engine.
Take a look at our website www.PartsNow.com. If you have QuickTime
capability, you can see computer videos of our machine in operation. It's
actually very low-tech in every respect except the process itself and the
closed-loop printhead controller
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o ___
V_=_=_DW ===--- Don Wilde [ don@PartsNow.com ]
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Tue Jun 05 2001 - 22:37:47 EEST