Detector housing

[ivconic]

I am exploring new method in making plastic housings for metal detectors. Friend of mine bought new 3d cnc. We need some md housing sketched fully,prepared for cnc output, in testing purposes. File can be prepared for Corel or Auto Cad...no matter.
Anybody have simillar file to send here? Can be any housing. Preferably simple one like those for Fisher 1266 or simillar. Or something like Minelab Musketeer, or Cscope ...Square,flat without to many curves, yet not very simple, we want to explore whole possibillity of this machine.Other words - nice, good looking but not to complex, since we are plain beginners in this. I will try to make prototype on cnc and see results. As material intend to use wood, only for testing...Later will disclose about other.
If no such file available than any good sketched .jpg or .bmp (housing splitted on parts) will do. I'll try somehow to import it in Corel....
When finished i'll post resultes here.
Another approach is to extract shapes and dimensions from file, rearrange and make matrix for plastic.....matrix from wood or steel..
Any ideas?
Please post here anything on this subject..
Best regards!

[ivconic]

emachineshop.com

Huh! No one interested...!? Well...
It is not only about making pcb and populate it with components. Everybody can do that. To make really good product it will need much more.Most painfull for me are housings for coils and detector...OK coil housings i solved for now...Nest step are detector housings...
I am working in Corel...well iam not expert, but can do a lot of things with it.
But right now i dont have time to evolve quite new techniques to draw rather complicated project for detector housing (good one...not just plain box).
What i need i specialised software covering only that subject...easy to use...blah,blah,blah...
So i "googled" arround and after many "blanks" i found pretty nice software which can suits above demands.

I suggest to all of you to visit these pages and especially see offered videos, something like "geting started.."..
Also software can be downloaded for free!
Pretty good and free...!!!? Is it possible? In this case YES it is..

Check this out:
http://www.emachineshop.com/

regards!

P.S.
Except AutoCad and Corel...any other software?

[ivconic]

first steps...

Videos are really good...after watching them, took me 10 minutes to design simplified housing for md...Not state of the art...i am still learning..In week or two i'll be able to draw exact Sovereign GT housing with its all elements separatelly...This is what i needed...this software!

[Nuclieye]

If you give me the dimensions you wish to cut and your machine info I can easily make your ACAD file as well as output it to G code for your CNC. Please include all info you can as to material you wish to use and what tooling you intend on cutting it with for the proper offsets and speeds.

[Geo]

I am afraid that the plastic housing for your metal detectors (with picture,,, letters.... colours) will cost near the rest detector. Why you don't look for a ready simple housing???

[ivconic]

something gotta give...

Well, in case of Delta Pulse i used ready made,general purpose housings.Those are suitable due fact DP is PI usually carried on the belt, not on shaft....But in case of smaller VLF such as TGSL, it would be unappropriate to use simple,square box...It need small,well designed,nice housing with possibillity to mount on shaft...Such boxes-housings cant be finded at shops as general purposes. Ican find only square,brute...ugly boxes, usually made from recycled plastic....buuuiakk!
Must do something else on this subject..

[Max]

Well, in case of Delta Pulse i used ready made,general purpose housings.Those are suitable due fact DP is PI usually carried on the belt, not on shaft....But in case of smaller VLF such as TGSL, it would be unappropriate to use simple,square box...It need small,well designed,nice housing with possibillity to mount on shaft...Such boxes-housings cant be finded at shops as general purposes. Ican find only square,brute...ugly boxes, usually made from recycled plastic....buuuiakk!
Must do something else on this subject..

Hi Ivconic,
why using a CNC machine to do the job ??? Are you planning making a motor or something ?

Of course you can do that way... but it's very expensive for materials (e.g. Nylon blocks useful for CNC prototyping) and also about time ... and end result.

I think that best way to make shaped housings with small investment is using vacuum forming... I mean using epoxy and some filler fiber... to make a kind of fiberglass housing... both for coils and circuit box.

Then you'll say... ok but how ?

There are a lot of projects over the internet that explain e.g. how to make a vacuum pump from a tyre-compressor... and the like... you can make your own crude vacuum forming device and stamp things using epoxy or other plastic potting material with reinforcing fibers or even thermoplastic materials directly.

To have an idea of what I mean look here:

http://members.aol.com/GCGassaway/vacuform.htm

It's not easy of course... but you can do it if find right stuff and with godwill... and I think this topic could interest some other people here.

Best regards,
Max

[ivconic]

Max you missunderstood me. I do not intend to use cnc to make serie of housings....Shheeeeesh NO!
Only to make steel or wooden matrix (negative) for further production of plastic housings....
About method, yes you are absolutelly right.

[ivconic]

Yes you are very right; vacuum forming is what i ment at the first place.
But if i would ask somebody else to make me matrix for vacuum forming, it would cost me arround 1000 euros or even more. I am gonna need at least 2 negatives; upper and down part of box, assuming there are only two parts of future box - meaning two negatives...
Now, this is to much expensive for me! Although once i have matrix i can use it to produce million pieces of plastic...it is payable for sure..
But i dont want to go that way. 1000 euros are 1000 euros! It will cost me much less to make it on cnc.....also i do have possibility to make it as complex as i want (on cnc everything is possible)...
If we take as example, mentioned GT box...well,well, it has more than two separate pieces when reassembled...Each of piece must be processed separately and each of piece need separatelly matrix...! Lot of job!
That's why i liked this software at first glance, If you take a closer look on it, you'll realise how great it is. Man can design each piece as separate project....Wow! I experimented a bit more this morning...more and more overjoyed!!!
Try it!
regards!

[Max]

Yes you are very right; vacuum forming is what i ment at the first place.
But if i would ask somebody else to make me matrix for vacuum forming, it would cost me arround 1000 euros or even more. I am gonna need at least 2 negatives; upper and down part of box, assuming there are only two parts of future box - meaning two negatives...
Now, this is to much expensive for me! Although once i have matrix i can use it to produce million pieces of plastic...it is payable for sure..
But i dont want to go that way. 1000 euros are 1000 euros! It will cost me much less to make it on cnc.....also i do have possibility to make it as complex as i want (on cnc everything is possible)...
If we take as example, mentioned GT box...well,well, it has more than two separate pieces when reassembled...Each of piece must be processed separately and each of piece need separatelly matrix...! Lot of job!
That's why i liked this software at first glance, If you take a closer look on it, you'll realise how great it is. Man can design each piece as separate project....Wow! I experimented a bit more this morning...more and more overjoyed!!!
Try it!
regards!

Hi,
sorry... yes for prototype CNC is very good. Right.

About "matrix" yes... it's a big problem... cause often the best choice is using steel for it... so you really need CNC for details etc... I saw one time one made of brass with CNC machine instead of steel but don't know about plastic melt in that case.

Anyway... about the vacuum table... here is an interesting project, and seems truly possible, take a look:

http://www.tk560.com/vactable4.html

Kind regards,
Max

[ivconic]

Thanks Max!

[Max]

Thanks Max!

Hi Ivconic,
if you make try with homemade vacuum forming take special care on ventilation and fumes extraction using a pipe and fan to convoy fumes outside home.

That's truly important for health do not breath fumes from e.g. PVC that's really dangerous.

Then if you find a suitable way to housings... I'd like to know too.

Best regards,
Max

[Qiaozhi]

Hi,
sorry... yes for prototype CNC is very good. Right.

About "matrix" yes... it's a big problem... cause often the best choice is using steel for it... so you really need CNC for details etc... I saw one time one made of brass with CNC machine instead of steel but don't know about plastic melt in that case.

Anyway... about the vacuum table... here is an interesting project, and seems truly possible, take a look:

http://www.tk560.com/vactable4.html

Kind regards,
Max

I luv that welding mask! Where can I get one?

[ivconic]

Box?

So i played few hours with this software....I designed one box/housing.
Uncommonly shape and sizes cose i wanted to put everything inside. My TGSL pcb is 120x65mm. Also i put lower space for batteries...
Not bad...this software! Not bad at all! I just need to learn it more...There were few things i wanted to change here, but didnt knew how!?
Anyway good for a start...

[Max]

I luv that welding mask! Where can I get one?

Hi,
you can make one!
Seems really easy... all about some wood... iron... holes... and a working vacuum pump... maybe you can do for less than 100eur! Good DIY project.

I think that it's really good also for model airplanes and the like... using e.g. foam mold with thin plastic covering and the like... light and resistant stuff like some on sell kits!

Real problem would be the toxic/waste generated by heating of plastic sheets (ABS or PVC etc)... very toxic stuff about fumes. Much of care needed to avoid problems with vinyl compounds fumes and particles...

Kind regards,
Max