Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Amazing Suction Capacity @ Parallax — Parallax Forums

Amazing Suction Capacity @ Parallax

Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
edited 2011-09-24 17:01 in General Discussion
Hey Everybody!
Scott (our lead machinist) and I wanted to share a major success in our production methods today...

Our Router table (Haas SR100) has a 4x8 foot vacuum table capacity. We typically draw a vacuum with a significantly smaller vacuum pump than is normally used - we can do this by using non-porous spoil-boards and non-porous finished product material.

However, one of the issues that we run into is the requirement to *coax* into place the material as it is being "sucked" down by the vacuum pump. The volume (if you can call it that) of vacuum is typically quite small, which necessitates a larger pump.

Today we created a very large "vacuum reservoir", which as the video shows, makes the "suck-down" a no-hands, no extra weights, no muss, no fuss, event!

This may be boring to some of you, but it really is a cool addition to our "arsenal" of in-house capabilities :-)

Check it out:

This dramatically enhances our ability to produce (in this case) Madeusa and Eddie Robot Bases, and various "coming attractions", as well as our Solar Panels, etc.

-Matt
«1

Comments

  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2011-09-21 15:49
    Wow.. That really sucks...

    :)

    /ducks

    OBC
  • bomberbomber Posts: 297
    edited 2011-09-21 15:51
    Where is the video? I do not see a video. It is not on Parallax's youtube channel either.
  • $WMc%$WMc% Posts: 1,884
    edited 2011-09-21 16:54
    Its sucks....Cool
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2011-09-21 18:12
    Sometimes it's good to suck!
  • bsnutbsnut Posts: 521
    edited 2011-09-21 18:21
    Suck is a good thing. What you don't want is no suck, that want be a bad thing.

    BTW, May the suck be with you always
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2011-09-21 18:43
    Matt,

    I'm so glad you put "vacuum reservoir" in quotes! But -- seriously -- what else can you call it? I've got one of those in the trunk of my car, since vacuum is what operates the door locks, trunk lock, gas cap lock, engine shutoff, brake assist, and heaven knows what else. Pulling up a floor mat reveals tiny plastic hoses running everywhere. So I've faced the same dilemma when explaining it to people: what do you call the tank that "stores" the vacuum "supply" when the engine isn't running?

    Cool video, BTW!

    -Phil
  • RobotWorkshopRobotWorkshop Posts: 2,307
    edited 2011-09-21 18:57
    Hello Matt,

    Now all you need is a fixture that you can set on top with a few heating elements to hold some plastic sheets and you should be able to do some cool vacuum forming projects....

    Robert
  • TtailspinTtailspin Posts: 1,326
    edited 2011-09-21 19:07
    ^^^^^^ And with Halloween around the corner, you could put a pumpkin on that thing and see what happens...:innocent:

    @ Matt, Did you get all the sand out of everything yet? That stuff sticks to everything..
    Wife says, its fire ring and chairs next time, Our treat..:)

    -Tommy
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2011-09-21 19:46
    @Phil -
    what do you call the tank that "stores" the vacuum "supply"
    Exactly!? In its purist form it's a storage container for absolutely nothing!

    @ Robert -
    you should be able to do some cool vacuum forming projects....
    My thoughts exactly! A very good, long time friend built his first vacuum forming machine in 1962 - He's still using it - he develops educational equipment for the UC Berkeley Lawrence Hall of Science...
    I do see a Vacuum Former in Parallax's future :-)

    @ Tommy -
    Delightful time @ Pismo! Thanks for joining us :-) Next time? You're on!
    And no. We still have sand everywhere - my wife's purse still has 1/2 cup, at least :D

    @ the rest of you -
    Yeah, you're all correct - in this case, we suck :D

    -Matt
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2011-09-21 19:47
    ...put a pumpkin on that thing and see what happens
    You had to go and bring that up?!
    Thanks. Thanks a lot :innocent:
    -Matt
  • TtailspinTtailspin Posts: 1,326
    edited 2011-09-21 19:59
    I was just sayin... Halloween and all.. What could possibly happen??.

    -Tommy
  • bomberbomber Posts: 297
    edited 2011-09-21 20:02
    Where is the video?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2011-09-21 20:45
    What's goin' on Bomber? It shows up fine in my Chrome as well as Internet Explorer- anybody else having problems seeing it?
    -Matt
  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2011-09-21 21:02
    Hi, I am a Chrome user, and I have a problem seeing your video.

    (All: Hi Chrome user)
  • Roy ElthamRoy Eltham Posts: 3,000
    edited 2011-09-21 22:04
    I'm using Chrome right now, and I see the video just fine.
  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2011-09-21 22:11
    I suppose I should make the distinction: I am a Chromium user...
  • TorTor Posts: 2,010
    edited 2011-09-22 01:18
    I'm a Chromium user too, and I see the video as well..

    -Tor
  • JLockeJLocke Posts: 354
    edited 2011-09-22 06:52
    We used to run a small vacuum pump to a medium-sized "air compressor tank" to get enough vacuum to demo a wafer prober in our office. The small pump could produce the needed vacuum, but when the prober was running it would sometimes dip below requirements and stop operation. More of a capacity issue. But it is strange trying to explain that you are building up a reserve reservoir of vacuum!
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2011-09-22 07:03
    I think the best part of the video is the tapping on the gauge to "recalibrate" it! :lol:

    That being a vacuum gauge, it actually measure how much nothing you have in the reservoir? Cool!
  • bomberbomber Posts: 297
    edited 2011-09-22 07:08
    I still cannot see the video on your post, but I tried replying with a qoute to show the nonexistant video, but then I came accross the video URL. I can copy and paste it to go to the video link. Try re-posting the video. That just might fix it.
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2011-09-22 07:45
    actually measure how much nothing you have
    it is strange trying to explain that you are building up a reserve reservoir of vacuum

    In this application it is obvious that the more nothing you have, the better :smile:
    -Matt
  • Peter KG6LSEPeter KG6LSE Posts: 1,383
    edited 2011-09-22 08:21
    Matt I challenge your Vac to a sucking contest ..
    Vs my roomba .





    Peter ..
  • TtailspinTtailspin Posts: 1,326
    edited 2011-09-22 08:32
    mindrobots wrote: »
    I think the best part of the video is the tapping on the gauge to "recalibrate" it! :lol:
    I wonder why no one has made a "Gauge tapper" before. Maybe some kind of servo set up that automaticly taps the gauges on start up.
    Just about every good airplane movie could have used one, in fact there is a scene in star wars that could have used the gauge tapper...

    -Tommy
  • Spiral_72Spiral_72 Posts: 791
    edited 2011-09-22 09:02
    The video plays nicely on Firefox.

    Nice cnc btw. very nice :D

    Ttailspin wrote: »
    I wonder why no one has made a "Gauge tapper" before. Maybe some kind of servo set up that automaticly taps the gauges on start up.
    Just about every good airplane movie could have used one, in fact there is a scene in star wars that could have used the gauge tapper...

    -Tommy

    Chewy! engage the gauge tapper! we're getting outa' here.
  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    edited 2011-09-22 09:22
    Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) wrote: »
    I'm so glad you put "vacuum reservoir" in quotes! But -- seriously -- what else can you call it?

    I'd call it a container of "anti-pressure"! :innocent:
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2011-09-22 09:29
    davejames wrote:
    I'd call it a container of "anti-pressure"!
    Good one! And we all know what happens when pressure and anti-pressure combine!

    -Phil
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2011-09-22 10:50
    And we all know what happens when pressure and anti-pressure combine!

    Somewhere on the 'net a cat picture gets posted.......

    Kirk: Spock, get ready to charge the anti-pressure vessels!
    Spock: Captain, that's illogical.
    Kirk: Ok, then we'll discharge the anti-presure vessels.
    Spock: Captain, that won;t work either.
    Kirk: Damnit, Spock! I'm a thespian, not a physicist!
  • Beau SchwabeBeau Schwabe Posts: 6,568
    edited 2011-09-22 12:21
    But technically isn't the inside nothing the same as the outside nothing, only the inside nothing is just spaced further apart ... So that would mean it's something right? :-)


    Seriously ... pumpkins? ... talk about a Pandora's box
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2011-09-22 19:46
    Ttailspin wrote: »
    I wonder why no one has made a "Gauge tapper" before. Maybe some kind of servo set up that automaticly taps the gauges on start up.
    Some aircraft instrument panels have these mounted on the backside (front, really).
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2011-09-23 05:06
    Congratulations on a fine project and addition to the machinery in the Tool Shop.
Sign In or Register to comment.