RepRap Project

The RepRap is a 3D printer that can be used for rapid prototyping, and can also manufacture all plastic parts of its components (auto- replication). The name RepRap stands for Replicating Rapid- prototyper. The plans for the device and the necessary software under the GNU General Public License.

The idea

Adrian Bowyer invented and developed the idea of ​​RepRap and have this documented.

He has placed under the GNU General Public License, with the aim to reach the widest possible dissemination His constructions. The material costs for the first version of the RepRap amount to about € 500. Thus, the machine should be for each building and usable.

Another important aspect of his philosophy is the replicability of the structure. At least under European patent law of the replica also patented designs for their own use is permitted, therefore, a conflict of exclusively self- printed parts and standard parts (eg screws) composite printer with any existing patents are excluded from the outset for the home builder. Replicability also allows minor changes easily and quickly bring in the production of child printers, so that further development can take place similar to biological evolution. Third aspect of replicability is that with increasing number of built printer at the same time, the number of " production machines " increases, so that sooner or later a high competition leads to low prices.

Operation

Darwin

The RepRap works according to the principle of melt stratification. It consists of a lifting platform, over which is located a fixed printhead in two axes; this leaves the coordinates at which the object to be created to contain material. In this case, it melts a thin, usually about 3 mm thick plastic extrusion and pushes it from a print head with an opening of less than one millimeter wide. Are used often PLA or ABS. For more positions, the lift lowers each by the thickness of the deposited material.

Mendel

This model has a machine bed, in contrast to its predecessor, can not proceed in the height, but it moves but on the Y -axis. The print head, however, this procedure is in the X- and Z -axis. The design is compact and uses less material to produce.

Modifications

A heater bed can improve the quality of products: During the processing of ABS, it comes with plastic parts with a large mass to warp. In order to reduce this, the printing surface is heated. The current electronics and the latest software are already set up on it.

Current status

In September 2006, the prototype of the RepRap 0.2 created for the first time a part of himself, which was built right. A RepRap version 1.0 ( "Darwin" ) replicated in May 2008 for the first time all of its plastic components itself, the remaining components (only plastic parts can be printed at a time) can be purchased at the hardware store for about 400 €. The RepRap can initially produce only plastic objects. Since extensions and improvements but can be produced by the machine itself, as soon as the corresponding parts were created on a computer, you can always bring the machine itself up to date, similar to software updates. From the created components after the first descendant of a RepRap printed parts of itself was assembled. This descendant has also printed after a few minutes the first part of another RepRap. More advanced versions of RepRap are also able to produce electronic interconnects. This could produce their own boards, the machine then.

In October 2009, Version 2 ( " Mendel " ) was published. The third version is a scaled down version of " Mendel " and should thus be replicated faster and cheaper.

Since about mid-2011, there will be a veritable " explosion" of model diversity. Mid-2013, there are about 500 known variations, many of them created by hobbyists or founders. The centrally organized development of a common printer model, however, was largely abandoned. The distribution is currently ( mid-2013 ) instead of about 100 independent domicile in virtually all parts of the world internet shops.

Since the production is self-replicating printer requires little manual skills and changes or even new designs can be tested very quickly, an early end to this trend in sight. Similarly, there are already designs of printers that use a different method than that of the melt stratification.