What if you could build a machine which can build a copy of it’s self? The RepRap project is aiming for just that. But what is it?
The current version of the RepRap is a rapid prototyping 3D printer which can be built from fairly inexpensive components. This 3D printer creates physical 3D models from digital models, allowing you to download and share schematics of many useful objects.
This video from RepRap.org explains it all:
RepRap from Adrian Bowyer on Vimeo.
Some of us from Leeds Hackspace want to construct a RepRap to create components both for further RepRap machines and for other projects such as Pingball (just imagine if other hacker spaces could print out identical kits for their own pinball machines!).
To join in with this project just turn up to a Tuesday evening meeting and discuss it with others.
Other hacker spaces have their own 3D printer projects, such as London’s Makerbot. For inspiration though, look no further than Copenhagen’s Labitat – they have made phenomenal progress on their own RepRap projects in the past year and provide some excellent RepRap resources.