Re: JP5 machine

From: michael rees (zedand00@sound.net)
Date: Thu Apr 02 1998 - 21:12:26 EEST

Ian Gibson wrote:
>
> Can anyone tell me a little more about the JP5 machine? I particularly want
> to know how much it costs. The web page for Armdroid is singularly
> unforthcoming on that point.
>
> Has anyone out there bought one? What do you think of it? Could it be a
> useful aid to teaching design, art and craft type subjects?
>
When I looked into the jp 5 a year and a half ago I was disappointed. It
has the positive qualities of teaching the capability of additive
manufacture and that wears off fast. I can do that in 20 minutes in a
lecture.

It is simple and accesible. IT runs proprietary software to drive a
knife sign cutter, cutting adhesive backed material. each layer has
registration to guide the user in assembly.

The cost, as I remember it was about US$3K for the machine and us$7 k
for the software.

Here's what I found to be its draw backs.
The not very functional software is expensive.
The models are small and unimpressive.
The look of the models depends on the skill of the assembler.
Assembling 200 layers for a 2" part is unsatisfying as an experience.
Assembling 200 layers for a 2" part is really boring(and students get
easily bored)

I can accomplish everything that the jp 5 does in my software. I can
take those sections to a whole variety of materials. With some
cleverness, my students can create rather thick layers in foam and
sculpt them out much faster, and much larger than the JP 5 parts. And
that model can be burnt out and cast in aluminum. This method teaches
much broader problem solving skills than running a cutter and gluing
layers together.

At the same time, for about 1/3 of the price, my school can buy a small
3 axis mill, some basic machining software and learn one heck of a lot
more.

My two cents.

best, 

-- 
michael rees SCULPTOR 		http://www.sound.net/~zedand00/
1212 w 8th St. Bldg B #2, 	816 753 3020 voice    zedand00@sound.net
KC, Mo 64101			816 753 1542 fax

For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Tue Jun 05 2001 - 22:45:14 EEST