I had a daft idea the other day: It started off with a double-decker RepRap, and ended up with a vision of RepRaps in a 19" rack frame. The RepRap below was building the RepRap above...
In theory, RepRaps should work upside-down or even in zero gravity. The extrusion is forced out in contact so doesn't need to fall anywhere. So, time to get 2 Darwins running simultaneously in the workshop and then get creative with some 2x4. Anyone near Auckland with an unused 19" rack who really likes RepRaps?
Vik :v)
This might not be the most ideal place to say it but i just wanted to pass on some support to all involved in the project - its really inspirational. I love the concept - its already an amazing machine and the mind boggles at what could be possible with future implementations. I reckon even Ray Kurzweil would've fallen off his chair after seeing one of these machines in action. I'd be interested to read what he had to say (if he's been shown one - if he hasn't please do!).
ReplyDeleteThe potential uses for this machine blow my mind. Hats off to all involved on the project for all your hard work! And a big thank you to the developers for looking at the bigger picture and making it an open source project... it's good to know there's people out there making the world a better place!
Actually, I think gravity is somewhat involved in making the current layer ooze and adhere to the one below. Maybe zero-gee extrusion would work, with extrusion parameters tweaked for it. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be getting a chance to try it any time soon.
ReplyDeleteMy company (which designed the Apollo guidance system) is having a big celebration on Monday (40th anniversary of the first manned moon landing.) As a technologist, I find it distinctly bittersweet that we left so soon, and haven't been back there in so long.
-- Larry
No promises, but I think that it'll be easy to put Mendel upside-down and run it. Whether the build works is another question, of course...
ReplyDeleteWouldn't the object you are building detach from the reprap and fall?
ReplyDeleteI was working on that too, but instead of putting it all in a rack I was thinking more of stacking them on top of each other. I want to try if I can stack squares on top of each other, like boxes. Right now there is a lot of space that is consumed by air, and the biggest part we need to make wont use the whole machine, so why not scale it down to fit?
ReplyDeleteCheck my blog for more information, I will begin working on this next month (when I have vacation). If you need ideas I am always willing to share.
So if it''ll build upside-down - wouldn't it also build on it's side? Is this a way to solve the overhang problem?
ReplyDeleteSteve, gravity or no, it still needs something to adhere to, so building upside down doesn't help much with overhangs.
ReplyDeleteVik :v)