3D printers reprap

an exhibition of repraped parts

Look at your computer setup and imagine that you hooked up a 3D printer. Instead of printing on bits of paper this 3D printer makes real, robust, mechanical parts. To give you an idea of how robust, think Lego bricks and you're in the right area. You could make lots of useful stuff, but interestingly you could also make most of the parts to make another 3D printer. That would be a machine that could copy itself.

Contents

• 1 The Realization
• 2 Machine Self-Replication
• 3 Scholarship and History
• 4 Spread the Word
• 5 Glossary
• 6 Also See
• 7 Longer Video

The Realization

RepRap was invented by Adrian Bowyer and the idea first appeared online in February 2004.

The word RepRap is short for Replicating Rapid-prototyper. It is the practical self-copying 3D printer introduced in the video on the left - a self-replicating machine. This 3D printer builds the parts up in layers of plastic. This technology existed before RepRap, but the cheapest commercial machine then would have cost you about €30,000. And it wasn't even designed so that it could make itself. So what the RepRap team are doing is to develop and to give away the designs for a much cheaper machine with the novel capability of being able to self-copy (material costs are about €350). That way it's accessible to small communities in the developing world as well as individuals in the developed world. Following the principles of the Free Software Movement we are distributing the RepRap machine at no cost to everyone under an open source license (the GNU General Public License). So, if you have a RepRap machine, you can use it to make another and give that one to a friend...

The RepRap project became widely known after a large press coverage in March 2005.

Machine Self-Replication

Not counting nuts and bolts the latest RepRap can make 70% of its parts; the other parts are designed to be cheaply available everywhere. The primary goal of the RepRap project is to create and to give away a makes-useful-stuff machine that, among other things, allows its owner cheaply and easily to make another such machine for someone else.

To increase that 70%, future versions of RepRap will be able to make their own electric circuitry - a technology we have already proved experimentally - though not their electronic chips. After that we'll look to doing transistors with it, and so on...

Adrian Bowyer (left) and Vik Olliver (right) with a parent RepRap machine, made on a conventional rapid prototyper, and the first complete working child RepRap machine, made by the RepRap on the left. The child machine made its first successful grandchild part at 14:00 hours UTC on 29 May 2008 at Bath University in the UK, a few minutes after it was assembled.

Scholarship and History

Academics and others seeking peer-reviewed journal articles on RepRap may care to start with this paper in Robotica. The citation and link are:

• Jones, R., Haufe, P., Sells, E., Iravani, P., Olliver, V., Palmer, C., and Bowyer, A.,: RepRap - The Replicating Rapid Prototyper, Robotica (2011) volume 29, pp. 177–191. Cambridge University Press.

For great insight to RepRap as a self replictor see:

• Bowyer, A., 2014. 3D printing and humanity's first imperfect replicator. 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing, 1(1), pp.4-5. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/3dp.2013.0003

If you are interested in the legal aspects of this technology, then you may care to read this paper:

• Bradshaw, S., Bowyer, A. and Haufe, P.: The Intellectual Property Implications Of Low-Cost 3D Printing, ScriptEd, April 2010 pp.5-31. Also available here.

If you are interested in how the RepRap can be used to assist in sustainable development see:

• J. M. Pearce, C.M. Blair, K.J. Laciak, R. Andrews, A. Nosrat, and I. Zelenika-Zovko, 3-D Printing of Open Source Appropriate Technologies for Self-Directed Sustainable Development, Journal of Sustainable Development', 3(4), 17-29, 2010. '

If you are interested in the economics of RepRap see:

• B.T. Wittbrodt, A.G. Glover, J. Laureto, G.C. Anzalone, D. Oppliger, J.L. Irwin, J.M. Pearce (2013), Life-cycle economic analysis of distributed manufacturing with open-source 3-D printers, Mechatronics, 23 (2013), pp. 713-726. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mechatronics.2013.06.002 open access (self built Mendel)
• Emily E. Petersen and Joshua Pearce. Emergence of Home Manufacturing in the Developed World: Return on Investment for Open-Source 3-D Printers. Technologies 2017, 5(1), 7; doi:10.3390/technologies5010007 open access (commercial Lulzbot RepRap)
• Emily E. Petersen, Romain W. Kidd, Joshua M. Pearce, Impact of DIY Home Manufacturing with 3-D Printing on the Toy and Game Market. Technologies 2017, 5(3), 45; doi: 10.3390/technologies5030045 open access
• Aubrey L. Woern and Joshua M. Pearce. Distributed Manufacturing of Flexible Products: Technical Feasibility and Economic Viability, Technologies 2017, 5(4), 71; doi:10. 3390/technologies5040071 open access
• André O. Laplume, Bent Petersen, Joshua M. Pearce, Global value chains from a 3D printing perspective, Journal of International Business Studies 47(5), 595–609 (2016). doi:10.1057/jibs.2015.47 open access

If you are interested in the environmental benefits of RepRap see:

• Megan Kreiger and Joshua M. Pearce (2013). Environmental Life Cycle Analysis of Distributed 3-D Printing and Conventional Manufacturing of Polymer Products, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, Engineering, 1 (12), (2013) pp. 1511–1519DOI: 10.1021/sc400093k Open access
• Megan Kreiger and Joshua M. Pearce (2013). Environmental Impacts of Distributed Manufacturing from 3-D Printing of Polymer Components and Products. MRS Online Proceedings Library, 1492, mrsf12-1492-g01-02  open access

There is also a study on the spread of RepRap and its population:

• Erik de Bruijn: On the viability of the open source development model for the design of physical objects, November 8th 2010, University of Tilburg, The Netherlands.

For a reasonably up-to-date literature review of RepRap technology see:

• RepRap Lit Review

To get a copy of the entire RepRap Blog from its very start as a single PDF file download this (41MB; thanks to Gary Hodgson). The images in the early posts of the online blog are broken, but they are all in that file.

There are many reports, student RepRap projects and theses that are available as PDF files from this site. They are all linked from relevant pages but in addition we should, perhaps, index them as well. In the mean time you can get a complete list of all of them by following this link.

The very first RepRap - the RepRap Darwin made by Adrian Bowyer and Ed Sells at Bath University - is now in the collection of the London Science Museum.

Spread the Word

You can freely use the RepRap Logo (see the licence terms on the left) and QR code:

Glossary

• RepRap - n. any free rapid prototyping machine that can manufacture a significant fraction of its own parts; v. t. (in lower case: to reprap) to make something in a RepRap machine.
• RepStrap - n. any free rapid prototyping machine that doesn't make its own parts, but is intended to make parts for a RepRap.
• reprapper - n. a person engaged in making or using RepRaps or RepStraps.
• reprapable - adj. capable of being made in a RepRap machine.

Also See

• Adrian Bowyer's One sheet Description of the RepRap Project
• Background

Longer Video

Here is a recent talk and Q&A by Adrian Bowyer about RepRap and self-replicating manufacturing machines.

Repair of 3D printers in Krasnodar

Service center IT-Lab performs repairs of 3D printers in Krasnodar . We have quality original parts and components, modern equipment and experienced professionals. You pay for the result - only after the repair. In addition, we give a guarantee on all types of work!

Has your 3D printer stopped printing? Did it malfunction? Or does the 3D printer need to be professionally calibrated? Service center IT-LAB offers high-quality repair and maintenance services for 3D printers in Krasnodar. Our highly skilled craftsmen are guaranteed to bring your 3D technique back to life!

Maintenance and repair of 3D printers

A 3D printer is a rather complex device in technical terms, consisting of many moving parts that must be very precisely tuned and calibrated. Like other equipment, such devices sometimes require maintenance and repair.

If you have doubts about whether your 3D printer is working properly or the quality of printed parts has decreased - do not be discouraged! Most likely, the matter is in the downed slicer settings. Such problems can sometimes be solved with your own hands, guided by the manuals that usually come with the printer. If they did not help you (or if you are not confident in your abilities), then most likely you need to contact the service center for maintenance. Our experts will conduct a thorough diagnosis, determine the cause of the problem, perform repairs and accurately calibrate all components and systems!

Most common breakdowns and repair costs of 3D printers

Diagnostics	Comprehensive 3D Printer Diagnostics	Free	Order Order
3D printer does not work, does not turn on	Repair of power circuits	from 2000 rubles.	Order Order
	Switch button repair	from 1000 rubles
	Component or compute repair	from 3000 rubles
	Firmware	from 1500 rubles
Plastic does not feed when printing	Extruder repair	from 1000 rubles	Order Order
	Nozzle repair and calibration	from 1000 rubles
	Clearing blockages in the extruder	from 1000 rubles
Computer "does not see" 3D printer	Interface repair	from 1000 rubles	Order Order
	Driver installation	from 1000 rubles
	Firmware	from 1500 rubles
3D blank does not stick to the printing surface	Print bed repair	from 1000 rubles	Order Order
	Nozzle to platform gap calibration	from 1000 rubles
	Head calibration	from 1000 rubles
	Platform re-adhesion	from 2000 rubles.
Not enough or too much plastic to print. Defects are visible on the workpiece	Maintenance, extruder gauge	from 1000 rubles	Order Order
	Repair of moving mechanisms	from 500 rubles
Overheating of the material - the workpiece "flows".	OS driver installation (Windows)	from 350 rubles	Order Order
	Extruder calibration	from 1000 rubles
	Temperature sensor replacement	from 1000 rubles
Uneven or misaligned layers	Replacing belts	from 1500 rubles	Order Order
	Replacing worn gears	from 1500 rubles
	Nozzle to platform gap calibration	from 1000 rubles
	Head calibration	from 1000 rubles

Service center IT LAB repairs monoblocks of all firms and any faults. By entrusting the repair to us, you can be calm, because your property will return to you in full working order.

Our advantages

• We employ only qualified specialists with extensive experience;
• Our repair prices are below the average for Krasnodar;
• We use only high-quality and original spare parts;
• Warranty is always provided, despite the complexity of the repair;
• We have 4 service centers in Krasnodar, choose the closest one.

Still have questions?

Request a call, we'll tell you everything! 8(861)2907700

2-999-800 | 8961-509-11-33| 290-77-00
[email protected]

Whatsapp

Viber

Fedor Luzana, 6
Mon-Fri 9:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 18:00
How to get there?

Partner network of collection points where you can hand over your equipment for repair.
A single number for all collection points:
8-903-450-40-30

Tselinogradskaya 2nd, 44k2
Mon-Fri 8:30 - 19:00 Sat 9:00 - 18:00
-903-450-40-80
How to get there?

how the Top 3D Shop service works in Moscow and St. Petersburg / Sudo Null IT News0001

3D printing and CNC manufacturing have become an integral part of life, they are used by everyone: do-it-yourselfers in home workshops, small businesses creating things to order, development engineers to create prototypes and parts for new devices, and many others . The number of daily 3D printers and machine tools is constantly growing. The same can be said about robotics, equipment for 3D scanning and vacuum casting.

Like any technically complex equipment, all these devices need maintenance, repair and upgrade. In this article, we talk about how the service department of Top 3D Shop, the largest 3D printing and engineering company in Russia, works.

How it works

To carry out maintenance, the client addresses his problem to technical support, by mail [email protected] or by phone 8 (499) 322-23-19. During the communication, information about the printer, description, photo and video of the malfunction is requested - to provide an initial consultation on its elimination. Often it is possible to eliminate the malfunction during the consultation. This is convenient - the client does not need to take his equipment anywhere.

If the equipment still needs qualified repair, it is possible to order the necessary spare part from a remote warehouse in advance, find out the approximate terms of diagnostics and repair.

Upon receipt of the equipment by the service center, an acceptance certificate is issued, which will need to be presented upon receipt.

Diagnosis is carried out within three days after receipt, in some cases a little longer. After the diagnosis, if the repair is under warranty, it starts immediately.

If the warranty is over, or the equipment was not purchased from us, which also often happens, the cost (according to price list ) and repair time are agreed with the client. If the client is satisfied with everything, the service engineer starts the repair. After the repair is completed, a test print is carried out and an act is issued on the repair work performed.

What does the service do besides repair

In addition to repairs, the Top 3D Shop service also deals with equipment diagnostics, modification of printers and CNC machines, as well as pre-sale preparation and installation of equipment. This also applies to robotics, 3D scanners and ancillary equipment such as moulders, ultrasonic cleaners, high temperature furnaces and vibrating tables, injection molding ovens and injection molding machines.

Commissioning (commissioning)

The Top 3D Shop service department performs commissioning of 3D printers, CNC machines - laser and milling, as well as other equipment supplied by the company.

Our engineers travel to the customer's site to install the purchased equipment, test its operation and train the customer on how to use it.

This service is available to both individuals and organizations.

As an example, we recently completed the selection of equipment, pre-sales preparation, installation and training of the client's personnel at a plant producing electronics for river and sea vessels.

You can read more about this here .

What is the most common failure

The most common problems are related to the print head: plastic stuck in the thermal barrier, nozzle clogging, plastic fusing on the print head, insufficient gear pressure, loose gear on the motor shaft, temperature sensor failures, etc.

Then there are problems with belts, table calibration, motion end sensors and electronics.

When it comes to photopolymer printers, the most common problems are calibration and resin spillage.

What problems can arise during repairs and how they are solved

During the repair, problems with nodes that the client did not indicate during the registration of the printer for repair may be revealed. For example, they can bring a printer with a completely disassembled print head, or any other failed unit, and after its restoration, a malfunction with something else will be revealed.

The customer is warned before carrying out repairs that this situation is possible.

Do I need to improve my equipment

Brand new printers and machines usually require no modifications and work great out of the box or with a little initial setup. People who purchase such equipment want to get results quickly, without wasting time studying the technical part.

RepRap and DIY kits are usually modified, the quality of components in which often leaves much to be desired, and assembly by an inexperienced user can lead to malfunctions.

Modification allows you to replace or add some components to improve the operation of the device. For 3D printers, for example, add a heated table, airflow to the model, a closed chamber, replace sensors, guides, strengthen the frame, etc., for machine tools, replace the spindle or laser tube with more powerful ones, add a more powerful cooler or compressor, install optional nodes.

Sometimes the manufacturer himself releases additional modification kits. Such kits allow you to optimize the equipment for specific tasks.

The simplest and most complex repair cases in our practice

The simplest thing that happens is fitting and switching loose or incorrectly connected contacts, replacing components and calibrating the printer.

Sometimes, after fixing these kinds of problems, more complicated problems appear.
Difficult ones include working with printers of unknown origin.

Non-standard design solutions, lack of documentation and the use of unknown spare parts turn the maintenance of such a printer into an interesting, but long and laborious quest. Often, it is necessary to refine the design, functionality and firmware of the printer so that all nodes work correctly.

Interesting and informative cases

Any complex repair is interesting in terms of experience. Repairing printers of unknown origin and making improvements to the design of printers are just in this series.

How Top 3D Shop maintains the quality of service

Any equipment, upon completion of work on it in our service, undergoes calibration and test printing. During work, all actions are recorded, which are then entered into the act of work performed. A photo report is being made - before and after the repair work. All works and terms are negotiated; if something changes, the new information must be agreed with the client.

How we improve our skills

The company successfully operates a system of initial training of employees and advanced training. We create training programs for all positions, including engineering, in the company's arsenal of dozens of existing courses, from theoretical to practical.

We make sure that our engineers are ready for any problems that customers may have.

Service employees carefully study new equipment, both independently and in cooperation with suppliers, including at the manufacturer's enterprises, where they have the opportunity to communicate with the people who created this equipment.

Study trips, including abroad, allow not only to study the equipment according to the manufacturer's program, but also to personally get acquainted with the developed culture of production.

In the last year alone, our engineers have traveled several times to study in Germany and Poland, Italy, China and the USA.

During these trips we obtained the necessary knowledge about the equipment and certification from HP, Omni 3D, Apium and Sinterit, Shining 3D, DWS, and other manufacturers.

As part of the training, engineers got to know the products of these companies in detail and considered possible problems and ways to solve them.

Another advantage of such international communication is the opportunity to share experiences and compare approaches. Not every engineer can boast that he has worked side by side with specialists from other countries. This communication is useful not only for engineers - the manufacturer himself can get useful feedback on his product and, possibly, improve something in its design.

Advice to owners of 3D printers and CNC machines from our engineers

Like any complex technical device, 3D printers and CNC machines require careful handling and timely maintenance. It is necessary to monitor the cleanliness of the surface of the working platform, print head and moving parts, lubricate and clean in a timely manner. Comply with the operating and safety regulations.

Beginning users must read the manual that is attached to the equipment in paper or electronic form or is taken from the manufacturer's website.

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