GVCS Technical Development - Open Source Ecology Forums

FreeCAD

eukreign — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:20:36 +0100

What is missing in FreeCAD for it to be useable by GVCS?

http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/free-cad/

Multimachine development

jershonda — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 10:31:03 +0200

Hi,

I've been working a some models for the Multimachine, details are on the wiki at "multimachine into", but I don't have any experience with reinforcing concrete or with hydraulic systems. The hydraulics that I need are fairly simple, hooking up a motor for variable speed, forward and reverse ... at least I hope its simple. As for the concrete I'm getting a book but I need to learn how close to an edge I can place an insert, and what kind of reinforcement I can and should use. If there is any one who knows either of these topics and would be willing to help if you could post here, on the multimachine development page, or email me (my emails on the wiki under "Jershonda_Baker")

Also if there is anyone who knows statics and dynamics and would be willing to work on the project please contact me.

Shonda

Alternate CEB press designs: mutual improvements

elifarley — Mon, 09 May 2011 07:15:12 +0200

As pointed out by Nagpada, the Auroville Earth Institute has a manual CEB press which seems capable of producing various block shapes.

What should we copy from them? How to best collaborate with them, so that all of us can end up with an improved machine?

GVCS Development Cost Estimates

aaronmakaruk — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:40:18 +0100

Hello everyone. We are developing a budget estimate for the GVCS development, and I'd like to invite everyone to have input. If you want to have input, respond with a filled out copy of this template.

If you have any credentials that would add validity to the estimate, please add them as well.

Thank You,

Aaron

Machine Name:

Design cost estimate:

Rationale:

Prototype materials cost estimate:

Rationale:

Unimog shop books?

Lisa_G — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:18:06 +0100

RE: the truck project

Does anyone have access to the two Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 shop manuals? They're pretty pricey.

-- Lisa

Manual CEB Press (Category 1) proposal

Dawg — Sun, 08 May 2011 21:13:11 +0200

I'm thinking a much simpler CEB press could be beneficial in the pursuit of a manually operated version. A Category 1 design. Heck it might even be a good idea for the existing one.

I am proposing a process that uses only one piston. This piston would be horizontal. It would open enough to accept some dirt from above then push that dirt into a form or a tunnel. This tunnel would be shaped in such a way to continuously extrude long thin brick material. The tunnel would be approximately 2 bricks long.

At the beginning of the process the piston would be cycled till a certain amount of pressure had been exerted on the material. This would be done by watching a gauge. Once this was accomplished, the pressure would be released. A gate/cutter would then be opened at the exit. The piston would be advanced one brick length and the gate lowered to cut off a brick. That's it. Simple.

This cycle would then be repeated over and over again.

Other than being much simpler to build than the existing design, it also has other benefits. One is that the pressure exerted on the brick can be altered for different mixtures if need be and the density of the bricks will always be the same because the piston is stopped when a pressure point is reached not after traveling a certain distance. Two, the size of the brick could be adjusted if need be. Neither one of these abilities are present or practical in the existing design.

The existing design puts a certain charge of dirt into the form and stops pushing when the desired shape is reached. If there happens to be some fluctuation in the density of the dirt going in, the bricks will not be consistent.

This design I'm bringing forward is also a good candidate for a non powered, fully manual press (Category 1). One could envision building a unit that is half the size of the existing one that would be easier to carry around. The ram or piston could possibly be lever operated or screw operated via a crank handle.

I'll work on a concept model to make it easier to visualize.

Does this sound interesting? Can anyone think of any shortfalls to my design?

Cheers,

The Dawg

Title Block?

Mike_Apostol — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:48:37 +0200

Does anyone have a title block for drawings done up? I've gone through the old posts and website and there was talk of this but nothing finalized it seems. If there isn't I'll start putting together a standard block for different paper sizes A/B/C/D/E in DXF so that it can be imported into any program.

CAD draftsman needed

Conor — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 09:47:15 +0100

Do you have CAD skills? Are you willing to spend about an hour on a project that could fill thousands of empty bellies?

See my proposal at: http://openfarmtech.org/wiki/3D_printed_beehives

CEB Press Manufacturing Instruction inconsistencies

Howard_V_Agnew — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 11:28:29 +0200

Hello,

I am attempting to create a working first draft of manufacturing instructions (in OpenOffice format) for the GVCS CEB Press, drawing on various information and instructions from the wiki and other places. Unfortunately, upon getting to the very first actual manufacturing instructions for the Primary Arms, I have found what I perceive to be inconsistencies between two diagrams (which are supposed to be mirrors, according to the text, but aren't) and the actual text instructions (even beyond from the two arm diagrams not being mirrors). I have noted the specific inconsistencies on the talk page for the CEB/Manufcaturing Instructions/Primary Arms article on the wiki: http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Talk:CEB_Press/Manufacturing_Instructions/Arms_-_primary

If someone actually at the Factor e Farm who is familiar with the construction of the current iteration of the CEB Press, I would appreciate them looking over and verifying whether either of the drawings or the text are correct (or none of the above). I do have sufficient experience with Sketchup that I could, myself, save downloaded copies of either model and fix them (or create new models based on accurate manufacturing descriptions), so I don't need someone to actually do that if time is (as I understand) thin on site.

I will attempt to avoid flooding the forum for any additional inconsistencies I find, but would appreciate information on who a good person on FeF would be to contact to address any such additional inconsistencies I find. I understand Marcin himself is spread very thin, so hopefully someone with at least a little time on their hands to read and respond to e-mail would be great.

Many thanks anyone and everyone who helps out on this. GVCS x 50 by 2013!

XYZ table status and design

Jason — Thu, 26 May 2011 17:37:07 +0200

I recently started a topic about the top priorities for bootstrapping the GVCS here:
http://openfarmtech.org/forum/discussion/227/bootstrapping-the-gvcs-priorities

I believe the XYZ table is one of the most key components here. I'm not sure what the plans are, but it seems to me that this single xyz table could be:

* torch table
* laser cutter table
* cnc router table
* 3d printing table

I think it would make a lot of sense to have as single xyz table platform. There could be perhaps two sizes of the same basic design: larger for the big stuff, and small for the precision stuff.

There is already a wiki page started for the XYZ table:
http://openfarmtech.org/wiki/XYZ_Table_Concept

I'd like
(1) for it to be updated with what the team is currently using, if what they're using is worth documenting (might be a "lessons learned" type thing and not worth documenting), and
(2) for a lot of brainstorming on the wiki as to how we can come up with the best common platform for our needs.

Also, lets keep in mind this table with have to mate with the stepper motor and stepper motor controller, for example, motors must be sized properly. I've been doing a lot of research on the motor controller side. Check it out here:
http://openfarmtech.org/wiki/Stepper_Motor_Controller

I nominate the XYZ table, motors, controllers, and controlling software as "top priority" right now. Of course I'm not actually on the farm and don't know what real-world challenges are being faced, but it seems like the table is key.

Systemic approach to food production

Fabiofranca — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 08:57:03 +0200

I think that food production is an important subject that needs more activity in the OSE community.

We have some general references to discuss this subject here:

http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Category:Food_and_Agriculture

and here:

http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Open_Source_Agroecology

But I think we need some "think structure" to help the discussion. So I'm proposing a systemic aproach to discuss agriculture and food production in OSE.

We can study any agricultural system as a combination of the following elements:

Physical space >> the area used by the system, that includes the area for effective plant grown, area for crop processing, area for composting, the area needed for the storage of equipment, tools and materials.

Seeds >> Or other form of propagation material (clones, seedlings) of good quality and appropriate for the local (temperature, photoperiod etc)

Light >> necessary to promote photosynthesis

Growing media >> soil or other growing media (compost, hydroponics media etc)Nutrients >> macro and micro nutrients

Water

Basic Materials >> as irrigation pipes and connections, plastic

Equipment and tools >> hoes, tractors, plows, pumps....

Energy >> to move water, to power tools etc

Chemicals (organic or not) >> to control pests, weeds and diseases

Agricultural procedures >> set of operational procedures

Human labor

These elements can be considered as inputs, “withinputs” or outputs of the agricultural system.

Each agriculture technique devised presents a unique combination of these elements to extract production. In commercial agricultural systems, where production in measured in profits not in primary food production, the arrangement of elements give priority to maximizing the use of cheap resources (fossil fuel for energy). Permaculture systems, on the other hand, the emphasis is in maximizing total system production (food, fiber, wood etc), with the maximum use off “free” and local inputs (rain, sunlight, nutrients…).

When discussing an agricultural system, we need, for instance, to address its scale. It is “backyard system” to supply some of the needs of a family, or a large scale farm system, to supply food for a whole city? Each scale will need special considerations on the combination and intensity of use of the elements. In particular, it is important to decide about the equipments an tools to be “open sourced”. A combine and a spader could be adequate to a big farm, but they have no use in a “micro farm” or in a backyard aquaponics system.

I propose that we consider these elements when discussing agricultural issues here in OSE. It is not complete and need some clarification, but I think it is best to post it now as is, and refine it with the help of the OSE on line community.

So what do you think? How to improve this systemic aproach? Which agricultural system should be the priority for the OSE community to open source?

CEB press controller source code

elifarley — Thu, 12 May 2011 20:57:54 +0200

I've found some source code for the CEB press controller at http://openfarmtech.org/wiki/Category:CEB_press_software

We should organize that and put it under source control:
https://github.com/OSE/ceb-controller