3 ms·
1. Patents 2. Cheap CAD 3. Arduino (IMHO...before this it wasn't easy to interface to USB/PC for anyone who wasn't EE) 4. Surge of DIY online (Forums, mailing l
by Ccecil 2y ago
1. Patents
2. Cheap CAD
3. Arduino (IMHO...before this it wasn't easy to interface to USB/PC for anyone who wasn't EE)
4. Surge of DIY online (Forums, mailing lists, instructables, pinterest)
5. Reprap leading the way with recycled parts as well as cheap imported motors and controllers.
6. Lack of interest- Machinists could usually do the same thing but better using subtractive. Additive was seen as "useless" for real world items even after reprap.
There are probably a couple other things I am missing...and what order you place my list probably doesn't matter. It took everything at once happening.
- simne 2y ago> 3. Arduino (IMHO...before this it wasn't easy to interface to USB/PC for anyone who wasn't EE) I seen CNC of late 90s, which use x86 desktop computer as controller, and in Usenet stored lengthy talks about which boards are suitable for this task (as they made PWM by software on LPT port). Sure, LPT was not connected to stepper motors directly, but using opto-coupling. To be informative, Arduino is used to protect from copy printer by Chinese, as directly driven via LPT is not protected at all, but on Arduino you could set read-protect bits for mc flash and it will be not easy to read it (even when Western hackers regularly show read protected flash, it is not regularly happen). ..And from marketing view, it is good, that printer with Arduino could work from flash card, without working computer near.