In case you take pleasure in 3D printing as a passion, you’ll be able to thank the early contributors to the RepRap venture for making that doable. Their efforts created the muse on which your complete hobbyist and client 3D printing business is constructed — a monumental achievement that’s nearly inconceivable to overstate. Vik Olliver was considered one of just some individuals on the unique core workforce and with out him, 3D printing wouldn’t be what it’s right this moment. Now Olliver is again with a brand new design that might make waves once more: the RepRap Micron.
I’ve super respect for everybody who has contributed to the RepRap venture and particularly for individuals who had been concerned within the early years. However I don’t assume it’s controversial to say that RepRap has stagnated previously decade — except you rely Voron or RatRig— as client 3D printing proved to be a worthwhile business worthy of business curiosity. However Olliver’s new design, which he showcased at FAB25 Czechia, is certainly price discussing, as a result of it’s one thing solely new.
Excepting a couple of RepRap-adjacent initiatives, RepRap designs have all been FFF (fused filament fabrication) designs. However the Micron is totally different and doesn’t extrude thermoplastic in any respect. As a substitute, it deposits very small droplets of UV-curable resin from the tip of a needle-like wire with some extent the scale of a micron. The ensuing objects have an efficient “decision” of 10-20 microns.
Working at that form of scale (so small that the printer incorporates microscopes for viewing) with conventional movement programs can be nearly inconceivable. Even if you happen to gear down with an enormous ratio, the slightest backlash (which is inevitable) would exceed the specified decision. For that motive, Olliver made use of intelligent flexure-based kinematics borrowed from the OpenFlexure Microscope design that don’t have backlash issues.
There are industrial 3D printers able to even higher precision than the RepRap Micron, however they’re wildly costly and much outdoors the attain of hobbyists. Olliver’s Micron could be constructed for lower than $300 and the recordsdata are already on GitHub.
The most important “competitors,” if you wish to name it that, is MSLA resin 3D printing. There are client MSLA resin printers that strategy the Micron’s efficient decision on paper, however the practicalities of the expertise make printing elements on that scale unfeasible.
Extra importantly, that is only a very early (alpha launch) prototype and it’s certain to enhance. Olliver is even optimistic about ultimately attaining nanoscale printing utilizing the tech, which might be genuinely astonishing. That will make nanoengineering accessible to small groups and even hobbyists.
