Quotebobc These big companies have a reputation for being aggressive with their IP. I hope everyone here understands that had Stratasys really wanted to be aggressive with their IP, they would have shut down the RepRap project before it ever got started. Please see this thread from 2008 for some background on the relation between Stratasys and RepRap. As Forrest Higgs (core member at the time)by MattMoses - General
Send an email to general@reprapmagazine.com ( for more info see the inside cover of Reprap Magazine Issue 1 )by MattMoses - RepRap magazine
The magnetic logic stuff is great! I'll post some ideas about that after I've thought about it a while. On the relays: A typical low power signal relay (like the TE Connectivity IM03GR) is rated for 100,000,000 mechanical operations. The maximum electrical operations depend on the load, but they range from 100,000 to 2,500,000 operations (for this relay). Just a rough calculation - if the stepby MattMoses - Developers
There is not. There might be someday though! See this thread for some discussion on the matter.by MattMoses - General
Check out Gary Hodgson's Prusa Mendel Visual Instructions and/or Building Your Own 3D Printer by Steven Devijver. If you google "reprap bom" the first four hits will land you at: Prusa Mendel Iteration 2 Mendel materials procurement MendelMax SAE Prusa Mendel All with detailed lists of printed and non-printed parts (bom stands for "bill of materials", by the way). See also The incomplete reprby MattMoses - General
QuoteNormandC I already provided that link in my previous reply. I know, NormandC, thank you. I figured it wouldn't hurt to add it again They only need $1400. I think they can still make it... Tell your friends! Send it to hackaday! Post it on reddit!by MattMoses - General
Here is the link to the English lanquage version of the W.AFATE page. Only eight days left!by MattMoses - General
VDX suggested the very same idea a few years ago. There is some discussion here: Printing methode for 'endless' objects There was also some discussion about this on the rep-dev mailing list, in particular what Vik Olliver called "the old 5x4x3 box trick". See here and here. QuoteVik A 5x4x3 box can extrude from the 5x4 surface a 4x3 box of infinite length, so theoretically being more and able tby MattMoses - Developers
Hi Ohmarinus (and everyone else), I think a new users sub-forum is a good idea. However, if it is not located right at the top of the forums list, I don't think many new users will actually be attracted to it, and thus it won't perform its function. Maybe the mods would put a newbie subforum above the "General" one but I doubt it... A sticky post at the top of the General forum is probably a gby MattMoses - General
On the main page there is a pie chart from a 2012 study. (A link to the study is provided below the chart.) The study concluded that RepRap was the most widely-used of the low-cost 3D printers at that time. In the 2011 RepRap Robotica article the authors estimated 4500 RepRap and RepStrap machines in existence in 2010. How is interest in RepRap changing with time? Here are Google Trends resultsby MattMoses - General
There are dozens of FAQs on the wiki. Here is a small sample: The incomplete reprap beginner's guide RepRap project FAQ QandA FAQ KlickiBunti Reprap 2012 Latest Stable Build The IRC has this announcement at the top: "Ask us anything, that's why we're here. (don't ask to ask, just ask) | Beginners see and | If you are wondering what printer to build, go for the Prusa i3 | RepRapMagazine is oby MattMoses - General
There is an article on the RepRap wiki by Adrian Bowyer himself about how the RepRap host slicing algorithm works. It may be a bit outdated, but it is a good place to start. See the section "Detailed description of geometry processing" on the Reprap host software wiki page and follow the links from there!by MattMoses - Developers
Hi Tarakan, It is great to see new people with new ideas come to the forum. Welcome! You might be interested in taking a look at some of these projects that are related to what you are proposing: See this forum thread discussing an additive lathe project. More information on the additive lathe can be found here. Various ideas for making electronics are listed on the Automated Circuitry Makingby MattMoses - Developers
See also: Metal FDM thread Metal-print RepRap 3D Metal Printer Projectsby MattMoses - General
If you didn't already see it on the RepRap blog, there is an interesting article about a project called W.AFATE, which is an effort to build a 3D printer from recycled electronics at the WoeLab in Lomé, Togo. The project was conceived by Afate Gnikou. Electronics waste from all over the world is brought to the nearby town of Agbogbloshie in Ghana, where the metals are recovered by unsafe and higby MattMoses - General
On relay computers: don't forget the TIM8. It even has a tape reader! TIM8 is incredibly entertaining to watch in action. Here it computes the answer to life, the universe, and everything. And here it plays Mary had a Little Lamb using a relay-driven soundcard. Yes, a relay-driven soundcard: Quotefrom the video Now it's always interesting to see if it works, because relays aren't designed tby MattMoses - Developers
Quotejohnrpm could the bead be stretched (as in the above info) during deposition? I think so... The polymer molecules are going to get somewhat aligned as they are extruded, and then when the bead is deposited it gets kind of stretched and flattened out too. I think that just depositing a single thin layer using a normal extruder might provide enough alignment. And you wouldn't need fancy electby MattMoses - Developers
That's a cool idea. johnrpm's thread from 2009 is here. A couple things to note: 1) While the PVDF piezoelectric response is higher than that of quartz and other polymers, it is much less than PZT, which is a typical material for actuators. 2) If you just print out a chunky block of PVDF, the piezoelectric effect will (probably) be negligible, whether or not you pole it in the nozzle. PVDFby MattMoses - Developers
There was interesting article about the construction complexity of microchips, from the standpoint of environmental impact. It was a lot of work for the authors just to estimate the materials input for the microchip - let alone the materials to make the machines that make the microchips! The link is unfortunately behind a paywall, but you can find the pdf by searching around: The 1.7 Kilogram Mby MattMoses - Developers
QuoteGene Hacker Now on the issue of tape: converting these files for reprap wallace to gcode using Slic3r, I get a gcode file that is 315 kb in size. Assuming we can convert file size directly to tape and standard 7 bit tape with a hole spacing of 0.1 inches. We get a tape ((315 kilobytes) / (7 bits)) * 0.1 inches = 0.9363456 kilometers long. Using this online calculator here to figure out rolby MattMoses - Developers
Well, Jacobblue34, it depends on what you mean by "the whole printer". You mention: gears, screws, nuts, and frame. It is actually quite common to see functional designs with 3D printed gears and pulleys. Some designs have frames that are almost completely printed. The original (non lasercut) version of Tantillus is one example, as is Webca's 3D printed full size makerbot. Every single 3D printby MattMoses - Kartik M. Gada Humanitarian Innovation Prize
That is beautiful work, Petrus! Excellent documentation too!by MattMoses - Look what I made!
The "Rep" in RepRap stands for "Replicating", and don't let anyone tell you different, Nicholas! It even says on the front page of reprap.org: "RepRap is humanity's first general-purpose self-replicating machine." Folks who just want to build a "Rap" should by all means follow crispy1's advice and get some off-the-shelf linear rail. Those truly interested in the "Rep" part (and I hope there wiby MattMoses - Developers
Quoteredreprap someone will have to do it steampunked style It's been done (well, maybe except for "real steam"): 3D Printed Oscillating Steam Engine Wobbler Engine printed on a 3D Printer But what's that? You say you want a steam-powered stepper motor? How about one of these with four cylinders: Radial or Hula Motor Now just add a fluidic controller and a tape reader and you're all set! Fluiby MattMoses - Developers
Hi Kartik, The general reprap forum is this one Some other places you might consider making an announcement include: G+ 3D printing community page 3D printing subreddit Reprap subreddit Reprap IRC channel reprap-dev mailing list I think many people who frequent the broader 3D printing pages would be interested in the prize. Best of luck! -Mattby MattMoses - Kartik M. Gada Humanitarian Innovation Prize
Just saw this one, via hackaday: Homemade 3d Printed Stepper Motor. Not too different from the other printable motors out there but still cool! See also: printed "4 cylinder" solenoid motor pcb coil axial air-gap motor plastic and wood's metal motorby MattMoses - Developers
If you want to make a printer so you can print stuff, you should definitely, definitely just buy some cheap steppers and get on with it (as xiando recommends). If you're interested in advancing the self-replicating aspect, or you like DIY projects for the fun of it, then it's perfectly reasonable to work on stepper alternatives. There's a whole wiki page on motor alternatives here. Feel free toby MattMoses - Developers
If you haven't seen it already, some cool new stuff is posted in the MetalicaRap forum.by MattMoses - General
QuoteFl0yd Is there a donations page to help pay for the costs? Yes! On reprap.org's Main Page you will find a link to a Donation Page on SourceForge.by MattMoses - General
Hi Everyone, According to this post the $20,000 Gada Prize (now called Uplift Prize) is alive and well. The competition criteria have been revised, and the deadline extended. Quote The prize will be awarded to the inventor or team of inventors who create the 3D printer that can be assembled from its components to a fully working state most quickly by one person and that: - Requires the least sby MattMoses - General