Plantener software for low-fidelity prototyping

Anyone seen this:

looks pretty amazing…

7 Likes

That video was actually one of the main drives for me to pursue getting a cutter to augment my rack of printers :slight_smile:

1 Like

Okay, you have my attention…
BTW, just how many printers do you have?

“Only” 3 (Some people honestly do have far more, but that realistically is more than I need).

I started with a Printrbot Simple Metal, then wanted to have a heated bed and dual extruder, so got a Monoprice 3D printer (a Makerbot Dual Extruder knockoff). Still haven’t dialed in settings on the Monoprice to the point it prints reliably. And then later I obtained a Form 1+ so I could do SLA printing.

Then last semester we built a laser cutter using most of the guide for a Lasersaur, but smaller materials. The software doesn’t do rastering, and we still haven’t built an enclosure and venting system for it, so I am getting the GlowForge.

In CNC land… our machine shop has 4 industrial CNCs that I never get time on, so I built a Zenworks 12x12, but am now looking at getting an XCarve, after seeing them talked about on here and researching them a bit.

So overall… I am massively overkill for not even technically being a machine shop on campus (but hey… the only other printers on Campus I learned about later, and most of them aren’t dialed in. And the only other laser on campus is booked constantly by Art & Architecture. I like to have my own toys!)

5 Likes

Just stumbled on this thread, and that software looks incredible.
I found this page: http://hpi.de/baudisch/projects/platener.html but nowhere do they talk about publishing the software, selling it, downloads, etc.

@jacobturner any insight into availability?

3 Likes

Yea can’t find it anywhere, seems to just be a research project

1 Like

Dr. Baudisch came by the office last week! Wonderful fellow - looking forward to seeing what his team can do with a GF.

If someone wants to curate a list of questions for him, I’d be happy to pass it along. (Maybe start a new thread?)

6 Likes

I never researched beyond watching that video. I took it as more of a mental exercise to keep in the tool chest for more effective rapid prototyping, and a speed comparison for laser vs printer.

Since then of course I have grown a hearty respect for simple cutting and folding of cardboard. Remarkable that I never maintained a stockpile before. Insanely useful to just ALWAYS have cardboard available.

This is so brilliant! Now that my partner has his 3D printer in house (and we can see how slowly it works), it’s become even clearer how valuable a laser will be in the prototyping process.

1 Like