RepRap, a (potentially) self-replicating 3D printer

http://ligress.wordpress.com/2009/08/01/reprap-a-potentially-self-replicating-3d-printer/

by jonmc12 • 17 years ago

32 18 17 years ago

ligress.wordpress.com

jonmc12• 17 years ago

So, it looks like computers have a reproductive system now.

kiba• 17 years ago

For a more practical application of RepRap, see makerbot at http://makerbot.com.

sp332• 17 years ago

For a less practical (but tastier!) version, see CandyFab! http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/candyfab

christopherolah• 17 years ago

Think modern copyright has problems? Wait till 3d printing becomes widespread...

daeken• 17 years ago

Cory Doctorow has a very interesting story on this, Printcrime: http://craphound.com/?p=573

wr1472• 17 years ago

I think when 3D printing takes off it will be the intellectual property where the money is at. Industrial infrastructure (ie. factories, logistics, etc) will become just another commodity like computing hardware is now. China will be the industrial giant no more if it continues to rely on its manufacturing industries and doesn't adapt.

What about when 3D printers are printing buildings, bridges and other structures? Wow that would be amazing.

ijhoh• 17 years ago

Thats already the reason for China - injection moulding is very cheap (once you have made the mould) and commodotized. It's assembling and packaging the parts that takes a lot of time/labor. It's the low labor cost of assembly that is the reason for China - a million 3d fab machines replacing a few injection moulders isn't going to change the time it takes to put the bits in boxes.

replicatorblog2• 17 years ago

The RepRap is an awesome project, but it is NOT self-replicating. It can print the plastic parts which make up a small part of system Bill of Materials, at much lower resolution. It is very lossy. I use a high end 3D printer at my office and even with precision machines they are very finicky and prone to malfunction. MakerBot is similarly cool, but again it won't reproduce itself.

A sub $1000 3D printer is cool enough, lets not get carried away.

donw• 17 years ago

I'm going to guess that's why they have 'potentially' in the title. The video also mentions that the next version of the RepRap will be able to print out circuit boards, which brings it one step closer to actually being a little self-replicating factory.

replicatorblog2• 17 years ago

Donw, I know, but it is a weak qualifier, sure by part count the thing is 50% reproducible, but my proportion almost none is e.g. the metal bars. Its kind of like saying that your desktop printer can reproduce itself by printing layers of paper that can be cut and glued together. I bet someone could do something, but it is unlikely.

akd• 17 years ago

A self-replicating printer isn't that until it can build machines to go out and source the materials needed for the continued operation of the printer.

die_sekte• 17 years ago

Buy a 3D printer now for only $300 and get a free grey goo scenario on top of that!

njharman• 17 years ago

Build machines / enslave humans. But, yeah one or the other.

viraptor• 17 years ago

It's sad, that they don't advertise this project more at the university... I'm at Bath Uni and heard about RepRap before, but didn't know we've got one right there! I really wouldn't mind working on it as a part of some project.

(actually two, not one... unless they were in a good mood one day and made some more ;) )

kris_michael• 17 years ago

We have a Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) machine at my work, its better than a 3d printer and with larger capacity. Its pretty awesome.

kragen2• 17 years ago

"3D printer" is a colloquial term for a variety of 3D automated fabrication machines, including FDM machines.

onreact-com• 17 years ago

This is only pointing to another post:

http://jonathanstray.com/self-replicating-desktop-manufactur...

Also it does not even link the RepRap homepage:

http://reprap.org

Thus I submitted the original source it refers to:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=807627

RepRap, a (potentially) self-replicating 3D printer

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