New member from Suffolk/Essex/Cambridge

[richb77]

Hi Irving,

Looks like i have either a long development schedule ahead or build a monster :)

As for FAE tools.

I dont know much about any possible open source software but i use Cosmos in Solidowrks quite regularly.

Its pretty good for tension, stress, deformation and heat dispersion but to expect anything less than 80% accuracy would be optimistic.

The other issue is th epower needed to run such software. A simple heat transfer model on a heatsink will take a machine with 2GHz processor and 4Gb RAm approx 5 minutes. Doesnt sound much but add a few other parts and it raises that time quite a bit.

As for my dilema. I may scale the JoeCNC to suit what i need frame wise. I dont like the idea of an MDF frame for anything other than maybe a small scale wood router. Aluminium or at a push HDPE or similar frame will do for what i am after.

[irving2008]

Hi Irving,

Looks like i have either a long development schedule ahead or build a monster :)

As for FAE tools.

I dont know much about any possible open source software but i use Cosmos in Solidowrks quite regularly.

Its pretty good for tension, stress, deformation and heat dispersion but to expect anything less than 80% accuracy would be optimistic.

The other issue is th epower needed to run such software. A simple heat transfer model on a heatsink will take a machine with 2GHz processor and 4Gb RAm approx 5 minutes. Doesnt sound much but add a few other parts and it raises that time quite a bit.

As for my dilema. I may scale the JoeCNC to suit what i need frame wise. I dont like the idea of an MDF frame for anything other than maybe a small scale wood router. Aluminium or at a push HDPE or similar frame will do for what i am after.

I've been using Framework which is freeware but has some limitations. Runs fine on a 2GHz laptop and gives a good idea about deformation under load of a gantry for instance...

I'm interested in your suggestion of HDPE... there was a recent discussion here about PVC v Ali for construction and a bit of research suggested that PVC was about as rigid as MDF but stronger in tension. When I looked at other plastics, including HDPE, I wasn't impressed by much of them as compared to thin-wall Aluminium box section which, weight for weight is more rigid and stronger. Can you shed any more light on this? PVC was much more expensive as well....