Updated Timelines for Focal Projects @Handibot (evolving from last year’s report)

Updated Timelines for Focal Projects @Handibot (evolving from last year’s report)

Hardware                                                                                              Targeted Store Release Date
-Acc: Rotary 4-Axis (automated)                                                                      AVAILABLE NOW
-Acc: Manual 4- and 5-Axis system                                                                 AVAILABLE NOW
-Acc: (Automated) 5-Axis                                                                                               [1]
-Acc: Laser Marking and Engraving Head                                                             2/2017 [2]
-Acc: 3D Print Head                                                                                      (current lack of interest)
-V2.0 Handibot (with FabMo Controller)                                                          AVAILABLE NOW
-Acc: Plotting/Drawing Pen Attachment                                                           AVAILABLE NOW
-Acc: Quick router change collar                                                                       AVAILABLE NOW
-Acc: Tangential Reciprocating/Oscillating Knife (cardboard)                                  12/2016
-Acc: Extended Length Base (y-axis) for V2 Handibots                                            12/2016
-Acc: Crawler                                                                                                                    [3]
-V1.x to V2.0 Upgrade Service/Exchange                                                             12/2016 [4]

Also available in Store:
= bit kits and bit holders
= large drag knife
= large material jig
= accessory base fixture
= various V1.x upgrade and replacement parts
= drag knifes for vinyl and thin materials
= V1.x Plotter pen attachment
= V2 Laser sight

[1] We have working prototypes of a 5-Axis Handibot system, but the prototype is overbuilt and the design would result in unappealingly high prices. We’ve back-burnered development at the moment but expect to finish project with alternative mechanicals in Spring 2017.

[2] We’re being a little careful with the Laser because we want to make sure that we have full safety features and govt approval in place before release.

[3] For those who have been following our work on the “Crawler”, an automated sequential positioning accessory for Handibot, you will be aware that our initial approach was not successful. We arrived at an accessory we thought would work pretty well, but found that it failed in serious testing. The approach of essentially dragging Handibot as an indexed sled resulted in machining heights that were just too variable for the approach to be useful. We are currently continuing with an alternate strategy that we believe to be promising and hope to report on it the first of the year. In the meantime, feel free to jump in. Thoughts, suggestions, prototypes, or third-party accessories could be interesting to the Handibot community.

[4] We are working on a DIY update/rebuild kit for upgrading V1.x Handibots to V2. In the meantime, we plan to offer V1.x owners the options of purchasing manufactured upgrades to V2 using recycled motors and rails returned for upgrade. We expect to have this program in place and announced by December.

Controls, Software, Web Ecosystem                                                              Targeted
– FabMo Digital Fab Control Card                                                           AVAILABLE NOW with V2 [a]
– FabMo Card Upgrade for V1.x Handibots                                                   AVAILABLE NOW
– FabMo Example Apps and API                                                                     AVAILABLE NOW [b]
– Handibot specific FabMo Apps                                                                     AVAILABLE NOW [c]
– FabMo Developer site                                                                                           12/2017 [d]
– Handibot Gallery and Share Area                                                         It’s UP, see Handibot.com
– Handibot Project Area                                                                                           12/2017

[a] We are very excited about the new FabMo Digital Fab platform that is shipping with the V2 Handibot. FabMo will run all ShopBots by next year and we are expect it will be attractive for the control of digital fabrication equipment from other manufacturers.

Our followers will note that we are about a year behind in our hoped-for release date of FabMo. We apologize for that. FabMo has been a lot of work. But we are excited with the result, believing it will bring better motion and cutting, as well as much more convenient control and workflow. Because our goal is for FabMo to run a wide range of manufacturing equipment we wanted to insure it had a strong foundation and reasonably well developed features before we released it for Handibot use. Please see www.gofabmo.org for full info on FabMo.

[b] The FabMo we now ship with Handibot comes with example Apps (and a definitive “example” App) as well as links to information about programming Apps for the FabMo environment. The materials are all available on the FabMo Github project: https://github.com/FabMo but you will want to start at www.gofabmo.org for an introduction and links to docs.

[c] The FabMo we ship with Handibot includes Apps that are specific to Handibot. However these Apps only begin to scratch the surface of the project and utility Apps that will build out the functionality of Handibots and smart power tools.

[d] As a focus for the coming work on such Apps, we will be attending to the (previously inactive) Handibot Developer Forum as a location where there should be plenty of generalized App action.