RepRap: Blog

I thought it'd be interesting to take the BoM and analyse Darwin's parts (so to speak) to see how we did in terms of our part types. Different parameters give different results (e.g. weight, volume), but the most useful is probably part count. Here's the proportions of parts for a Darwin machine including one Mk2 extruder.

Notes:
- each pcb board including all its bits counts as one electronic part
- all the wires counts as one part



The problem with a part count analysis is that it looks at the average fastener as four parts (nut, bolt, 2 washers). Seeing as we're eventually looking to swap fasteners for RP snap fits here's the analysis without the fasteners:



So what's that "others" proportion made up of I hear you cry:

Plastic bag (moulding release)
Timing belt
Capa
Stepper motor
Spring
Grease
Bed (MDF)
Fan
PTFE barrel holder (PTFE rod)
200:1 geared motor
200mm Heater wire (0.2mm nichrome)
Thermistor
Flexible coupling (steel wire)
Silicone tube
Grease
High-temp epoxy (JB Weld)
Plumber's thread seal tape
Half bearing (brass)

I think for our first release we've succeeded with Darwin by keeping this "others" list low, and equally importantly, widely accessible - all in all a solid development platform I reckon. Nice one chaps!! All Mendel's got to do is 'build on this' (heheh. heheheheheh. heh. sorry.)