The team at Fab@Home have posted open source plans to build your own 3D printer.
Via Popular Mechanics April 2007:
Engineers from Cornell University are trying to convince people to build their own "rapid prototyping machine" - essentially a 3D printer that can "print" objects, such as bottles, or watchbands. the scientists hope their Fab@Home design, which can be assembled from about $2400 in parts, will spur innovation, and do for 3D Printing what home computer kits in the 1970s did for the PC.
Way cool. I remember riding the wave of technology in the pre-PC era. I tried the same with robotics, but that wave has yet to pick up. This is really exciting and I think it shows great potential to democratize innovation.
Imagine being able to make a quick 3D model of an idea or a process and doing so with inexpensive materials like hot glue or cake frosting? [As a bonus, if you print it using frosting you can eat it when you are done. (see web link) ]
I checked the parts list and I have many of the key parts in my lab. I'll have to add this to my someday/maybe project list.
What would YOU make if you had one of these?
Web site: FAB@HOME
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