As the topic title asks, what limits the size of these machines? I am a complete newcomer to the world of RepRap machines, introduced only a week ago by subscribing to "Model Engineers Workshop" magazine recently. I am trying to grasp the basics and the one thing that struck me looking at the Prusa they built is that it wouldn't quite be big enough for the kind of things I'd like to make. So, ignoring the more boring practicalities of scale, will the software cope with a RepRap twice the size? Will it accommodate whatever's thrown at it? How do you ensure a component modelled 50mm tall, 50mm wide and 50mm long actually comes out to those dimensions within a reasonable tolerance? I wouldn't want to get started if the outcomes aren't 'good enough'...Is there a guide out there which answers all and more newcomer questions?! Cheers, Tom Henderson. https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,146959#msg-146959 Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:24:03 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,148217#msg-148217 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,148217#msg-148217 akhlut General Tue, 14 Aug 2012 21:36:52 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,148205#msg-148205 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,148205#msg-148205 -------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks all for the interesting replies.
>
> More than a plate full of food for thought!
> So, bigger means enclosed cabinet to retain heat.
> It could simplify things in some respects, one
> could just heat the whole thing with a small
> electrical element and not bother with the table
> on it's own.
>
> Will the software happily run without a Reprap
> machine? I thought I might have a play and get
> used to it's features. I gather there's a variety
> to choose from, can someone point me in the right
> direction? Cheers!
Even with a heated chamber a heated bed would be required to some extent.]]> Dark Alchemist General Tue, 14 Aug 2012 18:26:28 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,148204#msg-148204 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,148204#msg-148204 quat-fro General Tue, 14 Aug 2012 17:59:12 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,148203#msg-148203 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,148203#msg-148203 -------------------------------------------------------
> Will the software happily run without a Reprap
> machine? I thought I might have a play and get
> used to it's features. I gather there's a variety
> to choose from, can someone point me in the right
> direction? Cheers!

Everything will work without a RepRap, except the actual machine control of course. I recommend Repetier host. It includes built-in slicers and an stl viewer and composer.]]> NewPerfection General Tue, 14 Aug 2012 17:58:25 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,148192#msg-148192 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,148192#msg-148192
More than a plate full of food for thought!
So, bigger means enclosed cabinet to retain heat. It could simplify things in some respects, one could just heat the whole thing with a small electrical element and not bother with the table on it's own.

Will the software happily run without a Reprap machine? I thought I might have a play and get used to it's features. I gather there's a variety to choose from, can someone point me in the right direction? Cheers!]]> quat-fro General Tue, 14 Aug 2012 17:01:00 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147979#msg-147979 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147979#msg-147979 hondalawnparts1 General Mon, 13 Aug 2012 14:14:19 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147876#msg-147876 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147876#msg-147876 Scrachbuilder General Mon, 13 Aug 2012 02:16:40 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147863#msg-147863 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147863#msg-147863 Dark Alchemist General Mon, 13 Aug 2012 01:11:51 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147857#msg-147857 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147857#msg-147857 assembly for the major parts of the structure.]]> Scrachbuilder General Mon, 13 Aug 2012 00:31:59 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147710#msg-147710 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147710#msg-147710 Dark Alchemist General Sun, 12 Aug 2012 00:15:47 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147696#msg-147696 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147696#msg-147696 complicated 3D concrete designs for construction projects.]]> Scrachbuilder General Sat, 11 Aug 2012 21:50:29 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147666#msg-147666 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147666#msg-147666
I doubt a RepRap is going to do this but I see the future homes being done using PLA or something similar that uses plant wastes to make the plastic. Save the trees (yes, I hug a tree every single time I see one, lol), pollute the environment less, and less damage to the eco system all around (no more tearing up the natural habitats of animals too).]]> Dark Alchemist General Sat, 11 Aug 2012 17:03:09 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147660#msg-147660 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147660#msg-147660 xiando General Sat, 11 Aug 2012 16:45:59 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147641#msg-147641 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147641#msg-147641 problems of flexing which, as previously posted, will distort printing.

I have used the injection molded vertices - available on eBay.

I am building to take a small router for milling model engineering, and
on both the x and y axis have increased the rods to 12mm. The top
brackets have aluminum outriggers at 7cms for router headroom.

Both the x & y axis are screw driven, so now all three axis are driven
on 8mm threads. I have adopted 3/4" x 3/4" aluminum angle for the
y-cross members on the base. As a rigid base, each end they benefit
from the feed on the end vertices, The central span provides support
immediately under the spindle with its own adjustable feet each end.

The angle is also used for 6mm threaded posts, tapped into 12 mm
rods; with the bed traveling on open linear bearings.The angle also
provides mounting for the y-axis motor and end bearing.

The angle provides mounts for 8mm threaded inserts for motion
on x & y axis.

The ends of the x-axis ride on 1/2" aluminum plate for the z-axis. the
thickness is used to hold linear bearings and threaded inserts. The
thickness also holds 3/16" thick motor mount at 90.]]> Scrachbuilder General Sat, 11 Aug 2012 14:16:39 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147514#msg-147514 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147514#msg-147514
but it is possible, your heatbed would be the first problem to check i think

How do you ensure a component modelled 50mm tall, 50mm wide and 50mm long actually comes out to those dimensions within a reasonable tolerance?
what do you think is reasonable, mine at the moment does 0,1mm dont see a problem wwhy a bigger printer couldnt do that with some extra time and extra work]]> Weedz General Fri, 10 Aug 2012 19:51:22 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147072#msg-147072 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147072#msg-147072 NewPerfection General Thu, 09 Aug 2012 02:12:33 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147040#msg-147040 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147040#msg-147040
Alright how much did that cost and how long to build?

I am amazed but, as I said, nothing is insurmountable just time and money.]]> Dark Alchemist General Wed, 08 Aug 2012 19:39:56 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147039#msg-147039 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,147039#msg-147039 forums.reprap.org]

FYI

to bad for u it is in dutch but pictures tell a thousand words]]> Weedz General Wed, 08 Aug 2012 19:22:47 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,146975#msg-146975 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,146975#msg-146975
Basically we can't go larger without increasing the speed at which it prints so it can get back to the other spots before it cools too much which means it needs external heat as well with an enclosure. A monumental task but not one that can't be overcome with lots of time and money (always comes back to money, hehehe).]]> Dark Alchemist General Wed, 08 Aug 2012 12:28:40 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,146971#msg-146971 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,146971#msg-146971 Justin Andrews General Wed, 08 Aug 2012 12:17:23 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,146966#msg-146966 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,146966#msg-146966 almost any size. I say almost because I have not tried a printbed larger than 300 x 300 x 200mm, though I'm pretty sure it would scale up to a reasonable size. So to answer your question, yes, a double scaled Mendel is theoretically possible. The biggest issue you are going to face when scaling up is rigidity. The standard Prusa Mendel is built from threaded rod which works great at its standard dimensions but becomes overly flexible when scaled up. You can look into MendelMax variants (what I am currently running) which use aluminum extrusion in place of threaded rod. You are also going to need to beef up your linear Axis from 8mm to probably 10-12mm to deal with the longer spans. There are many more issues (stepper motor size, build platform weight, etc.) that you are going to run into when seriously upscaling any of the current designs. None of these are insurmountable by any means but will take some work to overcome.

In regards of accuracy, when you first commission your printer (calibration, alignment, etc.) you will run test pieces of a specific size and then compare the real world printed result to the input geometry. You can then adjust your stepper motors in the machines firmware to reproduce accurate geometry to within .1mm (if not closer). Take a look at Josef Prusa's calculator for more information.

--Edit-- The best place to look for information on these systems is the Reprap wiki.]]> archistrong General Wed, 08 Aug 2012 12:00:37 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,146959#msg-146959 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,146959,146959#msg-146959
I am a complete newcomer to the world of RepRap machines, introduced only a week ago by subscribing to "Model Engineers Workshop" magazine recently.

I am trying to grasp the basics and the one thing that struck me looking at the Prusa they built is that it wouldn't quite be big enough for the kind of things I'd like to make.

So, ignoring the more boring practicalities of scale, will the software cope with a RepRap twice the size? Will it accommodate whatever's thrown at it?

How do you ensure a component modelled 50mm tall, 50mm wide and 50mm long actually comes out to those dimensions within a reasonable tolerance?

I wouldn't want to get started if the outcomes aren't 'good enough'...Is there a guide out there which answers all and more newcomer questions?!

Cheers,

Tom Henderson.]]> quat-fro General Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:09:55 -0400