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The RepRap (and indeed the whole concept of 3D printers) is awesome and exciting and I think has the potential to make a huge difference to the world. However,
by almost 17y ago
The RepRap (and indeed the whole concept of 3D printers) is awesome and exciting and I think has the potential to make a huge difference to the world.
However, they really need to stop describing it as "self-replicating". It's only self replicating if you ignore most of the parts and the assembly which is to say it's not at all self replicating in any way. Yes, it's cool that it can make some of the parts in itself (those that happen to be small and made of plastic) but when you describe it as "self-replicating" you set up unrealistic ideas of what it actually is. Sell it on its on merits, not on inflated claims!
- deleted 17y ago[deleted]
- cabalamat 17y ago> It's only self replicating if you ignore most of the parts and the assembly RepRap is to replicators as thre Altair 8800 was to microcomputers: not enormously useful in itself, but showing enormous potential.
- flogic 17y agoIf they get it to the point where it prints it's own circuit boards, I would be inclined to let it slide. Basically if you can boil all the non self made parts down to off the self components.
- Auzy 17y agoWell, actually, many people have hacked theirs to use black permanent markers (which are etch resistant), so, I don't see any reason why you couldn't use it to black out circuit tracks on PCB's, than simply etch the boards with acid. It isn't quite printing them, but it does make the process much easier!