I 3D printed a 5-axis CNC machine

Cost: About 300 dollars
I 3D printed a 5-axis CNC machining. This would be nearly impossible to do with plastic prints, but because we are using ECM (electrochemical machining) we can now cut nearly any metal. We can drill straight through titanium. We can engrave. We can machining. The designs are all open source. The firmware is just marlin (links to the configuration on GitHub). Everything was printed on my Elegoo Mars Pro and Phrozen Transform using Phrozen's blue resin.
Zurad Engineering
/ zurad
Links to previous video on ECM
• Cut and Engrave Any Me...
Ender 3 to CNC ECM Conversion
• Insane Ender 3 Mod Cut...
GitHub: CAD Files and Firmware
github.com/Joh...
Music
• (free) 'Lo fi' prod. b...
#3DPrinting
#Machining
#3DPrinted
#OpenSource
#Marlin
#ECM
#EDM
#Resin
#MSLA
#Robotics

[@maxi123ism]

Outstanding work king

[@MorlockEngineering]

Thank you

[@rock3tcatU233]

Those results were amazing, and I like your design of a 5-axis ECM machine too.

[@mystictransience1959]

Some more user friendly firmware is in order, its going to take a metric ton of calibration and testing to get this functional and accurate with conventional CNC programs. The "holes get larger depending on speed" part alone sounds annoying but cool and powerful if properly utilized. There does appear to be one or two companies that produce 5 axis ECM machines so it clearly is feasible and scaleable. This whole project gives me santa machine vibes, like those fellas making 3d printed guns, imagine making an entire 1911 with a machine like this? Springs and all. Sounds incredibly cool.

[@samirfreij1067]

First video I’ve watched and knew I had to subscribe.

[@jacobmurray3621]

just came across this video. Even if you only have a few videos up hands down I am a big fan and hope to see your channel grow and excited for any future projects.

[@kleaflab]

I love the variety of your channel, all your video are put together so nicely and are always fun to watch!!

[@joshuameldru4004]

Impressive! You’re an intelligent young man with a fantastic approach to engineering. Great job and thanks for sharing

[@ZURAD]

Using an awful lot of my footage for not even a shoutout in the description 😤 Nah jk, looking good! Super smart to use the extruders as the A&B axis control. Marlin is surprisingly flexible for what it is. Can't wait to see more of this thing

[@MorlockEngineering]

Did the KZbin cards not show the link to your channel?

[@KaletheQuick]

Hot damn, a few hours after i find you and you kick it up a notch. My duxe, polish up your video powers, and start a kickstarter to make ender3 ECM conversation kits. Kick the industry up a notch too!

[@grimthejugger526]

Your channel is sure to blow up. Great work!

[@andrewbeaton3302]

We learn so much from our projects! Beefier aluminum 1/2" plate everywhere :) Cast mold everything to steel. Ball screws will save your life! CNC tolerance stack-up is a huge issue, especially with more axis. Great 3d prints on that blue pla! Can't wait to see a hulk mod of this to be able to handle big material!

[@MorlockEngineering]

Resin not PLA. I made them on my Mars Pro and Transform

[@StripeyType]

Casting steel is... nontrivial for the home shop. Cast iron? sure. Steel not so much.

[@robsproducts]

Would love to see more on what type of cavities you can make with this, very cool

[@MrMrjwongy]

dudeeee, this is freaking awesome

[@samm7716]

can feel this channel gonna be popular in future

[@hockeymaskbob2942]

woman are temporary, revolutionary diy manufacturing is forever

[@iulianhagea5815]

Underated Chanel!!!

[@raffertyorourke7061]

I might build this to cut spur gears. Great build! Love your channel ❤

[@Warthog71]

What ever happened to this guy. Truly brilliant and ahead of his time on this platform

[@3er24t4g1]

He works at Rack Robotics now making desktop EDM machines

[@dirrtbikekid7]

Interesting I saw a guy called zurad comment that a lot of the footage was his and joking with him and said good job. Over a year ago. Zurad in his channel description says he runs rack robotics. So if what you say is true that’s cool that a KZbinr he like inspired him and then now he might work with him cool man.

[@ThantiK]

You're a super small channel, but this is high quality stuff so have a sub :)

[@billnoname8093]

thanks , keep up the good work.

[@Blake-gh8xl]

Damn son!!! Someone better be at MIT

[@dirteater70]

Truely a hero

[@randomhuman1965]

SUPER COOL!! EVERYONE MUST SEE THIS! Please try some Tungsten carbide etc!

[@MorlockEngineering]

Tungsten carbide is not a conductive material (as far as I know)

[@theofficialczex1708]

Very cool! I haven't seen this type of machining. I've been interested in wire EDM, but I hadn't heard of this cousin to it before.

[@Askjerry]

Very nice build!

[@KFRogers263]

Ohhh....I think I know what my next machine will be!

[@artofeverything1816]

Nice little ECM(fixed) machine. I’d love to see some attempts at more 3D parts! Also a wire EDM might be nice. I want a way to make a cheap and precise wire EDM for cutting precise shapes in thick metal.

[@MorlockEngineering]

ECM not EDM. I would like to try out wire ECM one day.

[@artofeverything1816]

@@MorlockEngineering Ah 😉. Had to look up the difference. So the more common EDM uses a die electric solution and electricity flows in the the tool while ECM uses an electrolyte solution and conducts electricity in the fluid.

[@MAYERMAKES]

incredible work! that goes on my list of projects to dig into.

[@HvdHaghen]

I've worked in a factory where they made cooling canals in the blades of the engines for F16's. They did it in the same way, exept they used hollow graphite electrodes. I had to put electrodes of different diameters (0.1 to 2 milimeters) in boxes that were sold. They even could etch bended holes with bended electrodes. I've no idea how they made those holow electrodes out of the qubic meters graphite blocks. Very interesting project. Love it!

[@DRAGUNOV1902]

I think you are talking about pure EDM machining, this is electrochemical machining. You sure its like this?

[@HvdHaghen]

@@DRAGUNOV1902 I did a search on the internet, and I'm shure it was not EDM. It was Electrochemical machining (ECM) with very small hollow graphite electrodes. The electrolyte is pumped through the electrode. The graphite is conductive and resistant to the acid. On the tip of the electrode the electrolyte is not saturated. The electrolyte etches it way through the metal while the electrode is moved forewards. The clue is to have the right voltage, flow rate and feed rate so the etching happens almost only at the tip of the electrode.

[@hemanthkumarHere]

Great build.

[@spendymcspendy]

This is really awesome!

[@bcs7686]

Worth a sub nice work

[@dominiquerenard9212]

Superbe, vous êtes au top. Sujet, vidéo .

[@ianbottom7396]

Impressive build. Not sure the lack of precision in the ECM makes it worth the effort for me at least

[@jobssteve9581]

Ecm can be just as accurate as EDM under the right circumstances

[@ianbottom7396]

@@jobssteve9581 not in this case

[@barebooger]

Why ECM and not EDM? Looks like only minor mods to EDM. Wouldn't EDM be faster and probably more precise? Great, ground breaking video. Keep up the great work!

[@ZURAD]

EDM requires more specific power supplies and wears the electrode as well as the workpiece. Not to mention EDM requires dielectrics as opposed to electrolytes, which can prove more of a problem to acquire/dispose of for the home machinist. Both methods provide their own challenges when it comes to accuracy and we're still only scratching the surface of what can be done at home with non-traditional machining techniques.

[@templerea5262]

Impressive! Maybe your rotary axis is misaligned because the side wall of your tank has a draft angle.

[@MorlockEngineering]

I compensated for this in the 3D prints. The print bottom surface is at an angle.

[@nathanauger8352]

Amazing , thanks for sharing this awesome way to cut metal without a huge investment. Do you know how it it cuts titanium? Was not sure if it rate needs to be adjusted based on metal type ? I'm now about go down this rabbit hole haha. New sub from me, hope to hear back about titanium cutting.

[@bridgetshepherd5202]

It should work for titanium. You’ll need to do some research into electrochemistry to learn the voltage requirement and the current per gram of material. That will get you rough estimates that you can dial in through trial and error.

[@user-wz2sc2ou4o]

Could you please make an update maybe with a rack robo powercore? This is a new machine that would possible help with your production!

[@TheRedMenaceProductions]

based

[@Hobypyrocom]

great project and video, subscribing because i am eager to see your next projects... but that camera effects man, i really hate them, especially that anaglyph effect 🤣

[@DBXLabs]

Deserves more views than this.

[@dominik_meffert]

Nice build. ECM looks really promising for desktop machines. Can I ask you something about your marlin feature request?

[@TheAtomicSoul]

Can it cut shapes into a block of aluminum to create molds?

[@MorlockEngineering]

Sure, but you will want a die for that. Die ECM is great, Zurad has a video on it.

[@RixtronixLAB]

Nice video, thanks :)

[@6alecapristrudel]

Ok so i gotta ask. What happens if you fill it with acid copper electrolyte and plate metal instead of cutting? Will it be too slow and diffuse to be useful as a 3d print?

[@Proven88]

Good stuff. I don't think limit switches are necessary since you do not need to home the device

[@MorlockEngineering]

It cuts down on prep time if you can home the machine

[@ZURAD]

@@MorlockEngineering You could home with TMC2209s and no switches

[@MorlockEngineering]

@@ZURAD I hate sensorless homing. I used it before and it was far from perfect

[@ZURAD]

@@MorlockEngineering idk get gud I guess

[@3D_Printing]

Almost is a magic word

[@MorlockEngineering]

Almost. You could put a hole thorough 3 inches of titanium armor with it no problem, or drill into a safe.

[@3D_Printing]

@@MorlockEngineering WoooOoo tweeted and addeded to playlist kzbin.info/aero/PLUqt0sTiXUDdU5N33YjmedEZsWYqJRbpb

[@NicksStuff]

Can you (theoretically) actually make a turbine wheel with a 5-axis EDM?

[@MorlockEngineering]

Yes

[@RCairplanefy]

btw what happend with metal 3d printer

[@2000freefuel]

Why not build the machine on top of a 5 Gallon pail?

[@danielreborn4707]

Great project.I done bit of research into ECM looks like distance control from electrode tip to work piece surface is critical for quality of cuts.I wonder how to do it ?Maybe by monitoring current in electrode- work piece circuit then use PID to control electrode distance-also some initial calibration pass should be done before cutting desired shape?Then somehow port this control to gcode on the fly?

[@MorlockEngineering]

I accomplished it in the past using auto bed tramming (auto bed leveling)

[@bengamble7033]

I wonder what your depth limitations are?

[@walkers0314]

Hey, great idea, i may just try it myself, but i was wondering, doesn't electrolyse generate dihydrogene ? do you have something setup for it, because it sounds like a bad idea to have a highly inflamable gaz in a workshop or just near electronics no ?

[@jamesdonnelly8888]

Amazing

[@kocovgoce]

how many volts and amps are you using

[@WCollinsWhiteIII]

This is neat. couple of questions tho. How is feed rate determined? and, I have a 225 amp TIG machine that I could use as a power source that can provide 0-225 amps. AC/DC or pulse DC 0.1Hz to 200Hz. Thoughts on this?

[@MorlockEngineering]

Great question. I covered the math in the video I linked. It is based of the Law of Electrolysis and some algebra. But in reality you need to do some testing and calibration. I usually go for 5 mm per 10-15 minutes at 12 volts and 1 amp. The higher the current, the greater the possible speed. But if you use too much current you will boil the water and turn it to steam. So maybe do not use the TIG machine yet, or if you do film it so we can watch what happens. If you have a really large electrode (like 5 cm across), I can see a TIG machine working. But the supply must be DC to work.

[@fitz3540]

Waiting for someone to cut out AK stampings, and then 3d print the dies.

[@MorlockEngineering]

I am working on a super fast resin printer. Might try printing a monolithic nylon lower with a printed upper as well. Someday someone will make a resin friendly FGC like platform. I really want to make a FOSS rocket propelled flare launcher RPG-7 style

[@scruffy3121]

Wire ECM next ? 😁

[@darkshadowsx5949]

why you using salt water? An EDM uses distilled water.

[@MorlockEngineering]

This is ECM, not EDM

[@KyrychenkoAnton]

But how fast it was though? How much time it took for it to cut one of those holes in 3mm aluminum?

[@MorlockEngineering]

With my setup 15 minutes per 3 mm

[@KyrychenkoAnton]

@@MorlockEngineering ok thx

[@250smacks]

Can u cut a handgun slide?

[@titanproductions6350]

can the 3d parts be printed in pla instead of resin?

[@MorlockEngineering]

Not the parts with integral bushings

[@scififan698]

1:07 wha's with the color-separation crap filter? Just when I want to see what kind of quality the parts are, you put a blurry filter on it? sheeshhh. wtf?

[@hubertkubowicz337]

I wait for more videos, i want to build one if it Work better 😁😁

[@3darms]

Wow

[@KEcAzZ1]

why not "I grinded a 5-axis CNC machine"

[@gertfrom588]

That music make me puke, shame for this awsome chanel…

[@theofficialczex1708]

*Beta approaches*

[@violentdesire7325]

interesting topic, pleasant host and still only 1000 subs? interesting....ill be following your progress and growth with great interest. (but please for the love of god, maintain a proper image aspect ratio. in the middle, i thought my graphics card had a stroke. Good stuff tho

[@HaidarHasani]

but i don’t see advantage in this method!

[@MorlockEngineering]

If you can build a normal 5-axis machine, than yes that is better. ECM trades speed for simplicity and low cost.

[@kyliewynne638]

It's way cheaper than most metal CNCs that can cut steel. Lots of downsides but it's applications are limitless for micromanufacturing, combine it with custom 3d printed stamps and dies and you can make some very complex projects for prototyping or otherwise.

[@MorlockEngineering]

Yes! In one of my videos I showed how you can use it for micromachining. I was able to make features 100 microns across and a few microns deep. I had some good shots from the microscope. Customs dies are the future. Zurad has a video on it.

[@ZURAD]

@@MorlockEngineering For the record, I think that custom dies would best be made from graphite blocks with something like an MPCNC or printNC, but printed may work with proper preparation.

[@MorlockEngineering]

@@ZURAD Stick some aluminium tape on a print to make it conductive