From: Adrian Bowyer (A.Bowyer@bath.ac.uk)
Date: Thu Jun 09 2005 - 01:31:26 EEST
Quoting Brock Hinzmann <bhinzmann@sric-bi.com>:
> I was also thinking of the Bath Univ. open source RepRap
> project and the Fab Lab in terms of, if you can get the
> functional electronic parts out of re-used computers and
> toy robots, wouldn't an RP machine be useful for custom
> structural parts?
This is more-or-less how we're making the first RepRap machine itself, except
(apart from experiments - anyone want a pile of plastic inkjet printer
cases?...) we're not using parts recycled from used equipment, because supply
of that is not guaranteed worldwide; instead we're using standard new
engineering components like PIC chips and ground silver-steel rods alongside
all the "geometry-deciding" parts. These parts are made by RP. This way
anyone who has a RepRap machine will be able to make another by ordering up a
kit of completely standard parts and using his/her existing machine to make the
rest. The target cost for the kit of standard parts is £300.
We're also putting a lot of effort into reducing the toolset required to put
together a RepRap machine to a developing-country-acceptable minimum. Thus,
for example, though I sometimes use a lathe to make parts for experiments, the
production version will only need what our man Vik Olliver calls an Afghan
Lathe; i.e. a Black & Decker clamped to a bench.
Count fingers before and after use...
Yours
Adrian
http://staff.bath.ac.uk/ensab
http://reprap.org
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