3d printed parts in aluminum?

Does anyone know, or have an informed option on, whether or not making the 3d printed parts out of aluminum (cnc machined or DMLS printed) would significantly improve rigidity?

I honestly doubt it. Most of the parts hold just fine and none of them would be that easy to make from aluminum. Plastic sxares a lot of people, but the design has a lot to do with that and PLA is pretty rigid. This design, with these applications, with bolts in these places, does a fine job. Most of our groaning about rigidity is to temper expectations of CNC machines that cost less than $10k.

I have a Taig tabletop cnc mill. I’d like to duplicate its ability to cut aluminum with a lowerider setup. But yeah, I’m not expecting anything like the bigger more expensive machines.

Wondering if one were to use the LR2 to mill aluminum items, outside of ensuring the jigs and hold downs are good to go, is probably take multiple passes and only take smaller amounts out of the billets of aluminum. Once you have an end mill grab a hold of a chunk of metal - I can only envision a thunderous catastrophe as the shuttle gets thrown of the X-axis bars.

where there is a will there is a way :slight_smile: maybe some of the quad span mods would help? like this one:
lowrider 2 (NEMA 23 upgrade)

not sure if that will help or not, but maybe its a place to start?

You could do the plastic parts form aluminum by splitting the design in half across the bolt holes and then just mill the outside profile and use a ball nose end mill to make the holes into a round bottomed slot. Then put the two halves together to make a whole bearing mount assembly.

Like has been said, you probably won’t gain much. The most gains I could see would be on the bearing holders that bolt onto the Y plate

In my opinion you gain most rigidity with XZ mains made of aluminum :wink:

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I was thinking something like this. Maybe with a second rail under the table.

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