Sunday, December 7, 2008

RepStrap: Why I am building a RepStrap

While attempting to build a web cam mount in one of my other blogs I realized that I did not have the tools or the resources for a legitimate solution. Looking around the Internet a bit revealed no company willing to prototype small quantities of anything at a small price. This is when I started wondering whether creating my own rapid prototyping device was within my reach. A quick Google search shockingly confirmed the positive! This brings us to the RepRap or the Replicating Rapid Prototype Machine conceived by Adrian Bowyer. Below is a picture of the Darwin, first iteration, model.



Image can be found at RepRap.org.


Since their website is top notch I will not attempt to rehash the purpose of the project. Let us just say that it has a print head that can extrude plastic while moving in three dimensions. This allows it to build up layers of plastic into a 3D object that is accurate up to 0.1 mm (in theory).

I will begin building after a bit more research. Oh, here is a video of Adrian Bowyer talking to the economic and social impacts of a Replicating Rapid Prototyper: RepRap Pop!Cast

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