Bibliography

I'm wondering if it might be useful to have a Recommended Readings list for RepRap, particularly for people who might be coming to the project from backgrounds other than engineering. (Personally, I've trained an architect and an artist).

Is there be a set of readings that can help us bootstrap ourself with respect to the electronics, mechanics, software and even the conceptual issues? For example, I finally got my sanguino working last night. It didn't immediately work and I eventually found myself staring at the sanguino schematic (http://www.flickr.com/photos/hoeken/2696504917/sizes/l/) with a quizzical "what the...?" expression.

To be fair, I've only just started reading documents like [arduino.cc] , but even those references aren't entirely clear, and I'm sure I'll find myself at "What the...?" again.

The idea for a reading list is largely inspired by Bill Turkel's Reading List for Humanistic Fabrication: [digitalhistoryhacks.blogspot.com]


Cheers,
Liav.

Didn't your technical courses in architecture at least introduce you to this stuff? I used to teach those courses in Hong Kong and we were VERY big on hands-on experience in electrical systems and controls.

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Hell, there are no rules here - we're trying to accomplish something.

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

Thomas A. Edison

I'm not sure where a list of readings would even begin if you wanted to learn all of the mechanics, electronics, and software.

To learn the electronics I guess you could start with the pseudobible Art of Electronics.
To learn the sanguino/arduino I would say to get an arduino kit, and work through
the examples. Or go even more basic and get an AT8 microcontroller and programmer and learn from it.
For the mechanics, I would recommend Fundamentals of Machine Design published by McGraw Hill.
For the software, well I don't know what to recommend there, I have yet to find a book on java that I really liked, but then again, I don't really like java anyway.

In truth, to learn all of it would probably take a few years of studying. I've been doing robotics/electronics stuff for over 20 years and I still learn a new or different way of doing something every week.

Luckily, we have this whole group of people who are great in one or more of the fields to get a reprap going. If you ask a question on the list, someone is going to answer it. I think that most people here would agree that the only stupid question is the one that isn't asked.

As to a few years, yeah, to become knowledgeable. Knowledgeable and useful are two very different things, however.

For example, learning how to solder isn't all that big a trick. Learning that you have to orient electrolytic capacitors and diodes properly is probably the first thing you want to do.

Years ago, I wrote a little primer on components when I was in the situation you are now. You can find it on my website at...

[3dreplicators.com]

You can find that little guide embedded in a larger, document on the Reprap website at...

[reprap.org]

I can see that I need to expand that page on my website.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/09/2009 02:28PM by Forrest Higgs.

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Hell, there are no rules here - we're trying to accomplish something.

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

Thomas A. Edison

Just joking...

What I know is for building a reprap is a basic understanding of soldering and electronics (if you can solder velleman kits, you can solder this too). Also basic understanding of handtools like a hacksaw and a file.

For making a reprap work, you only need a pc and a working program. If you want to screw around with the program, you should learn at least Java or C++.

If you want to go deeper on the extrusion process, I would recommend reading [en.wikipedia.org] or starters.

If you want all the basics behind the reprap and build a better one, its recommended to do some classes about mechanical structures, physics to understand forces, the limitations of plastic and metal... (in fact a complete industrial engineering class)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/09/2009 05:54PM by Mr. Seeker.

>
> What I know is for building a reprap is a basic
> understanding of soldering and electronics (if you
> can solder velleman kits, you can solder this
> too). Also basic understanding of handtools like a
> hacksaw and a vile.
>
Is that an American units or SI vile? They're different, don'tchaknow.

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Hell, there are no rules here - we're trying to accomplish something.

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

Thomas A. Edison

Forrest Higgs Wrote:
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> Is that an American units or SI vile? They're
> different, don'tchaknow.

Sorry, tried to speak cloglish... (its the dutch form of engrish).