Unlimited range CNC router
 

This is pretty neat. Some researchers at MIT CSAIL have cooked up a device which turns a manual router into handheld CNC. The existing tool sits within a mechanism which allows a human to move it around on the work piece. Using a camera and some positioning tags, the device uses its internal actuators to move the tool in the correct fine pattern while the human moves it in a coarse pattern around the piece. How cool!

http://www.alecrivers.com/positioncorrectingtools/

Re: Unlimited range CNC router
 

From my programmer's-eye-view, I see something, hopefully within the budget of a lot of FRC teams, that could make precision-made parts much more accessible. Sweet!

Re: Unlimited range CNC router
 

That's awesome! Could it cut aluminum as accurately?

Re: Unlimited range CNC router
 

Probably not as built. It's really cool but right now it's not "accurate" at all, at least not on the scale of FRC parts go. Super neat/promising concept though, for the right application.

Re: Unlimited range CNC router
 

I think if this was built as a rigid gantry system versus held by hands and then also improved the detail/resolution of the "reading" it could work on production machines. The .001" level easily achievable, .0001" much harder.

The hackaday community doesn't quite understand engineering tolerances/precision. A comment in post discussing this router mentioned that .003" tolerance required temperateure, humidity control, etc...

Re: Unlimited range CNC router
 

I can't imagine you'd get below .001" without some serious changes. .0001" is hard enough on some full size mid range machines.

Re: Unlimited range CNC router
 

The engineering community doesn't quite understand that there is alot of work ,need and money in the +/- 1/64" realm.