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RepRap – the replicating rapid prototyper

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 January 2011

Rhys Jones ,
Patrick Haufe ,
Edward Sells ,
Pejman Iravani ,
Vik Olliver ,
Chris Palmer  and
Adrian Bowyer
Rhys Jones
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bath University, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
Patrick Haufe
Affiliation:
Faculty 5, Department of Biomimetics/Biological Materials, Hochschule Bremen, University of Applied Sciences, Neustadtswall 30, D-28199 Bremen, Germany
Edward Sells
Affiliation:
Bits From Bytes Ltd., Unit 17 Hither Green Industrial Estate, Clevedon, North Somerset BS21 6XU, UK
Pejman Iravani
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bath University, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
Vik Olliver
Affiliation:
Diamond Age Solutions Ltd., 72 Warner Park Avenue, Laingholm, Waitakere, New Zealand
Chris Palmer
Affiliation:
Boatmans Row, Astley Green, Tyldesley, Manchester M29 7JQ, UK
Adrian Bowyer*
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bath University, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: A.Bowyer@bath.ac.uk
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Summary

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This paper presents the results to date of the RepRap project – an ongoing project that has made and distributed freely a replicating rapid prototyper. We give the background reasoning that led to the invention of the machine, the selection of the processes that we and others have used to implement it, the designs of key parts of the machine and how these have evolved from their initial concepts and experiments, and estimates of the machine's reproductive success out in the world up to the time of writing (about 4500 machines in two and a half years).

Keywords

Self-replicating machineRapid prototypingAdditive fabricationBiomimeticsMutualismOpen-sourceFree softwareFused-filament fabrication
Type
Article
Information
Robotica , Volume 29 , Special Issue 1: Robotic Self-X Systems , January 2011 , pp. 177 - 191
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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