Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

3D Self-Replicating Printer to be Released Under GNU License

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the damned-recursion-damned-recursion dept.

Rob O'Neill writes "A Kiwi open source developer is working on a self-replicating 3D printer, RepRap, to be made available under the GNU license. 'The 3D printer works by building components up in layers of plastic, mainly polylactic acid (PLA), which is a bio-degradable polymer made from lactic acid. The technology already exists, but commercial machines are very expensive. They also can't copy themselves, and they can't be manipulated by users, says Vik Olliver. RepRap has a different idea. The team, which is spread over New Zealand, the UK and the US, develops and gives away the designs for its much cheaper machine, which also has self-copying capabilities. It wants to make the machine available to anybody — including small communities in the developing world, as well as people in the developed world, says Olliver. Accordingly, the RepRap machine is distributed, at no cost, under the GNU (General Public License).'"

4 of 313 comments (clear)

  1. so last year by jim.hansson · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/11/01/2048205

    --
    preview button, my computer does't have any preview button
    1. Re:so last year by jim.hansson · · Score: 5, Informative

      and here is one more, not the same but close http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/02/24/1713208

      --
      preview button, my computer does't have any preview button
  2. Re:Real headline by nog_lorp · · Score: 5, Informative

    Well, it is free as in thought. They give you plans for it. There is a 'not-for-profit' store for kits, setup by reprap.org - http://reprap.org/bin/view/Main/PartsSupplies

  3. Re:Really? by PinkFuzzyBunny · · Score: 5, Informative

    Currently the machine can produce %60 (by mass) of it's non-electronic components with the remainder being largely commonly available (metric) hardware like rods and bolts. Work is underway on a printhead capable of printing circuit traces via solder type alloys. Actual printing of semiconductor devices is still in the early research and implementation phase at various corporations and universities. Printable motors are the remaining practical hurdle. So granted this is a 0.1 version. It still however represents an order of magnitude drop in the price of 3d printing devices, and thus seems worth some attention.
    Also as to the applicability of the GPL to a device, It is the plans, designs, and instructions which are GPL'ed and, Yes copyright has been used in attempts to control physical device distribution(Epson printer cartridges I believe).