A Rapid Prototyping Machine for $750: RepRap
I’ve just finished hosting another episode of the Engineering and Architecture Internet Radio Show.
My guest was Dr. Adrian Bowyer, a brilliant mechanical engineer who works at the University of Bath. He and his team have developed a rapid prototyping machine that costs only $750, and which can make the parts to replicate itself. (A typical commercially available machine costs in the neighborhood of $45,000).
Adrian and I discussed in great detail the operating principle of the machine, the skills required to operate the machine and the specification of the plastic feedstock for the machine. The nature of these issues is quite the opposite of that of commercially available rapid prototyping machines. For instance, the feedstock is nothing but commonly available plastic welding rods!
Another interesting angle to Adrian’s work is that his rapid prototyping machine, called RepRap, has startling similarities to living organisms, including the capability to mutate over time, which is incredible (to say the least).
To get the whole story, I eagerly encourage you to listen to the archived 30-minute episode, which you can find here. It’s an engineering blast!
Cheers,
