ZMorph Releases CNC Milling Machine with 3D Printing Toolhead

ZMorph is certainly intent on keeping their users busy—into infinity and beyond—as is demonstrated with yet another multi-faceted machine, just released. The ZMorph CNC Milling Machine is designed to meet the needs of their community, which is passionate about DIY projects that require cutting, engraving and milling. The set also includes the ZMorph 2.0 S Hybrid 3D printer mounted with a CNC PRO Milling toolhead. Read more at 3DPrint.com: http://3dprint.com/119027/zmoprh-cnc-milling-machine/
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That would work poorly (at best) in CNC mode. You can get away with all those flimsy unsupported rails in a 3D printer, because there's no force required to push the head along. But supporting a cutting tool is different; then you come up against cutting forces that are considerable, and increase with the hardness of the material being cut. This would be more accurately described as a 3D printer with a cutting head added (for some reason); it's not a CNC machine.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

I find it rather interesting that they seem to be using the exact same spindle motor that has been on the Hyrel Drilling/Milling head for about a year now. That said, I agree with awerby, even with a sturdier frame, we don't claim to make the Hyrel printers into a full-scale CNC with the DM1 head. To put it in the simplest terms, the features of a 3D printer are the flaws of a CNC mill.

I notice also that if the Z-Morph moves that tool up more than about 4 inches, it'll crash into the top support bar. Also, calling it a Hybrid implies that it can do hybrid additive/subtractive manufacturing simultaneously, which it obviously can't when limited to one tool at a time.