Comments on RepRap: Blog: RepRap achieves replication!

nice post!So, does this mean we'll see cheap/affor...

2009-11-02T20:18:27.110Z

nice post!So, does this mean we'll see cheap/affordable repraps on the market this year, then? ;)

Thank you for your fine work.-Skynet.

2008-09-30T03:06:00.000+01:00

Thank you for your fine work.

-Skynet.

Yes they make atrbitrary 3D plastic objects from c...

2008-09-19T15:44:00.000+01:00

Yes they make atrbitrary 3D plastic objects from computer models.

Complexity costs nothing so, once designed, anything can be made for just the price of the plastic which is pennies.

do these machines have a purpose other then self r...

2008-09-19T15:40:00.000+01:00

do these machines have a purpose other then self replicating??

When I envision "replication", it involves the sel...

2008-07-05T11:41:00.000+01:00

When I envision "replication", it involves the self-manufacture of 100% of the parts as well as complete assembly. They really need to quit flogging the "achieved replication" thing until they actually achieve it.

Ahhh ... self replication, I guess that means you ...

2008-06-30T19:44:00.000+01:00

Ahhh ... self replication, I guess that means you can print metal supports, circuit boards, and copper wiring ... congrats!

1st,2nd,etc. generation replication NOT a child-

2008-06-22T03:03:00.000+01:00

1st,2nd,etc. generation replication NOT a child-

Lost Wax or Foam (styrofoam) works the same way. Y...

2008-06-17T03:16:00.000+01:00

Lost Wax or Foam (styrofoam) works the same way. You put the Wax or Foam model in a casting material. After the casting material dries you pour in the aluminum. The Foam or Wax is burn off or LOST!

See link

http://www.theworkshop.ca/casting/casting.htm

Cranky - the lost wax and aluminum idea is one tha...

2008-06-16T23:20:00.000+01:00

Cranky - the lost wax and aluminum idea is one that has occurred to me as well. I've read about lost wax but never tried it. How does one melt the aluminum?

my gosh, I didn't get a chance to go online til no...

2008-06-13T20:38:00.000+01:00

my gosh, I didn't get a chance to go online til now due to multiple assignments... major congrats!!

I have built about 40 proto-type CNC machines and ...

2008-06-12T01:40:00.000+01:00

I have built about 40 proto-type CNC machines and I sell plans for I think 10? I can see your machine has a seconday use if you can get it to make objects out of wax that could then be case using the lost wax method and aluminum.

John Cranky Kleinbauer

www.crankorgan.com

"Can you say 'Replicators'???? Scary."I know that ...

2008-06-10T20:46:00.000+01:00

"Can you say 'Replicators'???? Scary."

I know that was a joke, but I was asked this by a journalist today. Most people who do ask it seem not to have realised that replicators are the one type of thing that humanity is most used to dealing with.

We call it agriculture.

And for the last 12,000 years agriculture has always trodden the same path: domesticated replicators are more compliant, more docile, more hard-working, and more productive than their wild cousins because that's how we breed them. RepRap starts off as a domesticated replicator.

How many people are frightened of a tulip?

thank you for your breakthrough work, as a cyborg ...

2008-06-10T03:17:00.000+01:00

thank you for your breakthrough work, as a cyborg anthropologist, i am truly excited by this development.

Um.. doesn't anyone watch Stargate SG-1??? Can yo...

2008-06-09T16:57:00.000+01:00

Um.. doesn't anyone watch Stargate SG-1??? Can you say 'Replicators'????

Scary.

:D

There could be nice synergies with this. Lego bri...

2008-06-09T11:37:00.000+01:00

There could be nice synergies with this. Lego bricks for some parts, reprap pieces for other parts. Funny looking hybrids we could be looking at!

I realize that the RepRap project is economics-cha...

2008-06-09T00:09:00.000+01:00

I realize that the RepRap project is economics-challenged (e.g. "Wealth Without Money"), but perhaps self-replication should tip on cost? The RepRap self-replicates because it makes all the parts that are cheaper to make than buy.

Similarly, it's cheaper for people to assemble the RepRap than for it to assemble itself. At some time in the future that will change, at which point somebody will make a reprap that assembles itself.

Hey, I just stumbled on RepRap today and I have to...

2008-06-08T21:26:00.000+01:00

Hey, I just stumbled on RepRap today and I have to say - this is amazing! Congrats on this major milestone, and hopefully I'll get myself a RepRap of my own sometime soon.

Sebastian,You don't actually expect a critic to DO...

2008-06-08T20:47:00.000+01:00

Sebastian,

You don't actually expect a critic to DO SOMETHING[!] do you? They're only programmed to make facile objections.

Congratulations (Grandpa) Adrian.

Adrian,That's a factually true but emotionally unc...

2008-06-07T00:54:00.000+01:00

Adrian,

That's a factually true but emotionally unconvincing position.

Fundamentally, it's arguing over definitions, when what people in both camps* should be doing is is getting off their fundaments and making more and better RepRaps.

*I'm in the "Sure it's self-replicating, you see two machines there, don't you?" camp.

If you do a part count of the mechanics, washers s...

2008-06-06T22:43:00.000+01:00

If you do a part count of the mechanics, washers swamp everything... If you leave out fastenings, then RepRap makes about 60% by count of its mechanical parts.

Of course, no one writing to this blog is a true replicator either - there are eight amino acids that none of us can make, and none of us can make vitamin C, and - well, the list is endless...

I agree with Du and whoever said; declare exactly ...

2008-06-06T20:21:00.000+01:00

I agree with Du and whoever said; declare exactly what we're making. I suggest the % component mass that Darwin can make.

For example, "RepRap can make X% of its parts by mass."

"I'm going to print more printers, Lanie. Lots mor...

2008-06-06T15:04:00.000+01:00

"I'm going to print more printers, Lanie. Lots more printers. One for everyone."

Grats to everyone involved in RepRap. I've been watching the project for a while and waiting to hear this -- you guys are totally badass.

It might be tedious criticism from some, but other...

2008-06-06T10:56:00.000+01:00

It might be tedious criticism from some, but others really just don't know exactly what the machine can do.

I agree with whoever said you should say what exactly it is making. You don't need to invent terminology, just say "RepRap can make X% of its plastic parts, Y% of the metal ones and Z% of the electronics" or whatever.

srimech, right now the RepRap can make all its ow...

2008-06-06T06:59:00.000+01:00

srimech, right now the RepRap can make all its own plastic parts. Next up will be printing circuit boards.

Technically, we should distinguish between "weak" replication and "strong" replication (to invent terminology), but it's too much bother.

Normally we just say it's self-replicating, and then go on to specify what the machine is capable and incapable of doing. Even so, in every comment thread we get pedantic types like kodabar saying "Welllll, it's not realllly self replicating..." It's a tedious criticism which is very easy to make, and one which ignores the merits and drawbacks of the machine.

Merits/Drawbacks include:
{price, ease of use, self-replication, usability, open source} / {no support material yet, can't make small (1mm-2 mm) gear teeth yet (or toothed belt, threaded rod), can't do materials like metals/ceramics yet, etc.}

Sebastien, I hope my comment didn't sound too crit...

2008-06-06T00:00:00.000+01:00

Sebastien, I hope my comment didn't sound too critical, I have been a fan of reprap for a few years now and I think this is a very important work. Perhaps some of the negative comments stem from not understanding what you've defined as self-manufactured components and what are 'common parts' like motors. Some people might not be happy until it makes itself entirely from soil, but at the other extreme one could claim to have a self-replicating machine if they listed 'one reprap' as its sole component. You are obviously some way between those extremes - and getting closer to the former. Perhaps some more detail on the exact point you're at would help?