Dynacept.com has been given a much needed overhaul.  The new web site is much more modern and cleaner and will easily allow us to update it.  It also allows the integration of our blog directly at dynacept.com/blog.

This blog will remain online, but we will not be putting up any new content and all commnets will be closed. Please visit our new web site and blog.

Back in July of 2008 Michael Arrington of TechCrunch wrote a blog post about making a simple, inexpensive web tablet.  I immediately forwarded the article to my co-worker Greg.  Greg and I have been discussing this type of computing device for probably 3 years, and wanted to get involved.

Our thoughts around this type of device are simple.  An 8″-12″ tablet with a touch keyboard. The device would mainly be used for consuming media. A “couch” device that runs a stripped down Linux distro. It needs to boot quickly, be able to stream video from all the major sites such as YouTube and Hulu, have IM, and VoIP capabilities and last but not least, be inexpensive.  Michael echoed what Greg and I have been discussing in his original blog post and we were hooked.

After commenting on the post I was contacted by the TechCrunch team to see if Dynacept could help to create some prototype housing assemblies.  Something simple that would hold the current components and allow for easy prototyping of the tablet. Greg created the 3D models and we built the housings in our Viper Pro SLA machine. The SLA parts were then finished to an engineering E3 level finish and shipped to the TechCrunch team to begin work on assembling Prototype B.

We are pleased to have done some work on the CrunchPad and worked with the TechCrunch team.  We are looking forward to having a CrunchPad in our hands!

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Happy Holidays from Dynacept

We recently made some additions to our finishing levels.   Download the print ready pdf here: 

Engineering Finishes - Overview

E2: Minimal cleanup for all processes.
SLA: supports removed.
Machining: burrs removed.
Casting: gate and flash removed.

E3: Part is lightly sanded and/or bead or vapor blasted to minimize evidence of the build process and achieve consistent finish.

E4: This is an upgraded E3 with customer specific instructions.  Example: further cleanup, fitting, clear coating for “engineering” level clarity etc. The end result is still considered an “engineering” model.

Appearance Finishes - Overview

A5: Part is sanded smooth on exterior surfaces, eliminating evidence of the process where necessary, and fitted if required. Part is primed and ready for final paint or rubber mold if part is being used as a pattern.

A6: Part is sanded smooth on exterior and interior surfaces and clear coated or polished for appearance purposes.

[Read more →]

Below is a chart comparing the heat deflection temperatures of the various SLA resins that we currently run here at Dynacept.  PCA cure (standard UV cure) and thermal post cure values are listed.  Please note that not all resins can be thermally post cured.  A printable pdf version of this chart can be found here. 

Related Items:

• Thermally post curing SLA parts.
•  SLA product data sheets.

The photo below shows the three different finish levels available for clear SLA parts.  The part in the picture was built using DSM Somos WaterClear® Ultra 10122.

• E3 - Engineering Finish.
• E4 - Engineering Clear.
• A6 - Appearance Clear.

A print ready version of all of our finishing levels is available here.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - May 29, 2008 - As of June 1, 2008, Spectrum Plastics Group will be the new name of Midwest Plastic Components (MPC) headquartered in Minneapolis, MN. The former MPC purchased Peerless Injection Molding, Spectrum Plastics, and Dynacept in the last six months. The injection molding manufacturing companies and prototyping company are located in Southern California, Connecticut and New York, respectively.

[Read more →]

We will be exhibiting at the Atlantic Design & Manufacturing show June 3-5 at the Javits Convention Center, New York, NY.  We will be located in the CAD/CAM/RP section booth 212.  Stop by and visit.  We will have lots of good stuff you will want to see. 

We have added a few new pieces of equipment recently.  Get a fresh copy of our complete equipment list here.

Related Items:
New Viper SLA Machine
New Haas CNC

DSM Somos recently released a video from the 3DSUG conference where they did some live Gardner impact tesing of various RP materials.  The video is meant to demostrate the impact toughness of DMX-SL™ 100 resin.  It is quite impressive and worth watching.  Click the image below to be taken directly to the video.

 Related Items:

DMX-SL 100 Product Page
Tensile Bar Abuse Video
DMX-SL 100 Product Data Sheet

Some SLA resins can be thermally post cured in order to achieve higher heat deflection temperatures (HDT). Clean, UV post cured parts are placed in a thermal oven with sufficient support material (usually fine sand). The oven temperature is then ramped up to a specified temp and held at that temp for a given time. The oven is then turned off and the parts allowed to slowly cool. Cooling the parts too quickly can lead to thermal shock.

ln general, parts will become a bit stiffer and elongation at break will decrease after the thermal post cure process. Thermally post cured parts will also change color, turning slightly yellow / brown.  The picture below shows the color differences with parts built in Somos 10122 WaterClear Ultra before and after thermal post cure.  The process of thermal post curing parts can add an additional day to our normal speedy delivery.

A complete list of our resins and product data sheets can be found on our Downloads page. Resins that can be thermally post cured are called out. If you have any questions regarding thermal post cure, please contact one of our estimators, or your project manager.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – April 8, 2008 - Midwest Plastic Components (MPC), a contract manufacturer providing plastic injection molding services, has recently purchased three well established plastic molding companies, Peerless Molding, Dynacept Corporation, and Spectrum Plastics, to enhance the service offerings provided to customers.

The acquisition of Peerless Molding, located in Gardena, CA, took place on December 18, 2007. Continuing to do business as Peerless Molding, the plastic molding contract manufacturer specializes in injection molding, mold making and assembly services in the following markets: medical and dental devices, aerospace components, office and consumer products, industrial components, safety products, packaging and more. “Peerless Molding offers customers manufacturing in the California market with a highly experienced staff and facility,” states Peter Thompson, CEO, Midwest Plastic Components.

[Read more →]

We added our second Haas VM-2 CNC machine.  This makes for a total of 15 CNC machines at Dynacept.  The addition of this CNC further further increases our capacity for machining rapid prototype parts and building injection mold tools.

Our Current Roster of CNC Equipment Includes:

• (2) Roders High Speed Machining Centers
• (2) Haas VM-2 Machining Centers
• (2) Haas VF-O Machining Centers
• Haas VF-2 Machining Center
• Fadal 4020 Machining Center
• Chevalier Mill with 3 axis Prototrak
• (3) Bridgeport Mills with 2 axis Prototraks
• (2) Bridgeport Mills with 3 axis Prototraks
• Bridgeport CNC Lathe with E-Z Path

In our efforts to continually invest in the latest technologies, we have added yet another Viper si2, giving Dynacept a total of 10 SLA machines.

Our current SLA machine roster includes:

• 7 Viper si2’s with Hi Resolution (HR) capabilities.
• 1 Viper Pro - The largest SLA build platform available.
• 1 SLA 5000.
• 1 SLA 3500.

SLA resins currently available:

• DSM Somos 18420 ProtoGen O-XT
• DSM Somos 11122 WaterShed XC
• DSM Somos 9120
• DSM Somos DMX-SL 100
• DSM Somos 10122 WaterClear Ultra (New)
• 3D Systems Accura 55 Plastic
• 3D Systems Accura 60 Plastic

Product data sheets available Here.

OpenMoko recently released the CAD files for the Neo Handset.  If you are a developer in need of prototype parts for your OpenMoko project, don’t hesitate to contact us.  We can create prototype parts using one of our many SLA or CNC machines.  Check out our portfolio for examples of similar type work.

Related Items:

OpenMoko
CAD Files
Dynacept Portfolio
OpenMoko Press Announcement