RepRap Breeder
The RepRap Breeder project has in mind to branch off a Replicating Rapid Prototyper with only one focus, reproduction. Where the main branch of RepRap is focused on increasing the percentage of the device that is printable, this branch is only focusing on making it easier to reproduce. All design choices lead back to making the device faster to replicate, easier to set up, & made from parts that are more universally available.
I (Spacexula) have decided to start the project based off the current Mini-Mendel. I plan to make the following changes to the current Mini Mendel design.
-Z Axis & all smooth rod will be 8mm / 5/16 inch (easier to use with 608 bearings)
-Will only use 4mm/ ANSI #8 screws (m3 will still be necessary for the motors)
-All bearings will be moved to 608 bearings (606 will be needed for the extruder)
-All motors will be NEMA 17 (A DC gear motor will be used for the extruder to make it simpler)
-Belt will stay the same unless someone can point out to a more universal belt.
I will be using this page as a log to keep myself honest until I am ready to release this design as a finished printer.
072010 I finished a marathon print of Mini Mendel to get my starting point. I uploaded my bare minimum build plates to thingiverse http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3581
072210 Assembled the outside frame, found the vertical frame vertex http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2200 to be too fragile for how ruff I treat parts, and too short for my usuage.
See also:
- scaling
- doubling time
- Making "hollow parts" improves replication time -- as in the Hollow Mini-Mendel by MarcusWolschon. There seem to be 2 approaches -- which one gives the fastest overall replication time?
- reduce infill slightly in non-strength-critical areas, producing parts that are slightly weaker than the original Mendel parts but still plenty strong enough to build a RepRap.
- reduce infill to almost zero, producing flimsy parts that are just barely strong enough to hold themselves up, but with water-tight bottom and sides. Then fill each part with epoxy, producing solid parts that may be stronger than the original Mendel parts. Hopefully the "extra" time required to fill the parts with epoxy and waiting for the epoxy to cure is less than the printing time saved by reducing infill.
- "fast production" on the RepRap blog
