Rep Rap Project - History

History

RepRap was founded in 2005 by Dr Adrian Bowyer, a Senior Lecturer in mechanical engineering at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom.

23 March 2005

The RepRap blog is started.

Summer 2005

Funding for initial development at the University of Bath is obtained from the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

13 September 2006

The RepRap 0.2 prototype successfully printed the first part of itself which was subsequently used to replace an identical part originally created by a commercial 3D printer.

9 February 2008

RepRap 1.0 "Darwin" had successfully made at least one instance of over half its total rapid-prototyped parts.

14 April 2008

Possibly the first end-user item is made by a RepRap: a clamp to hold an iPod securely to the dashboard of a Ford Fiesta.

29 May 2008

Within a few minutes of being assembled, the first completed "child" machine made the first part for a "grandchild" at the University of Bath, UK.

23 September 2008

it is reported that at least 100 copies had been produced in various countries. The exact number of RepRap in circulation at that time is unknown.

30 November 2008

First documented "in the wild" replication occurs. Replication completed by Wade Bortz, the first user outside of the developers team to produce a complete set for another person.

20 April 2009

Announcement of first electronic circuit boards produced automatically with a RepRap. Using an automated control system and a swappable head system capable of printing both plastic and conductive solder. Part is later integrated into the RepRap that made it.

2 October 2009

The second generation design, called "Mendel", prints its first part. The Mendel's shape resembles a triangular prism rather than a cube.

13 October 2009

RepRap 2.0 "Mendel" is completed.

27 January 2010

The Foresight Institute announced the "Kartik M. Gada Humanitarian Innovation Prize" for the design and construction of an improved RepRap. There are two prizes, one of US$20,000, and another of $80,000. The administration of the prize was later transferred to Humanity+.

31 August 2010

The third generation design, "Huxley", is officially named. Development is based on a miniaturized version of the Mendel hardware with 30% of the original print volume.

2012 first half

RepRaps and RepStraps building and usage are widely spread within the tech, gadget and engineering communities. RepRaps or commercial derivatives has been in many mainstream medias and are on the permanent watch list/theme of tech media like Wired and some influential Engineering professionals news-media.

2012 late-summer/fall

There has been much focus on smaller upstart companies selling derivatives, kits and assembled systems and R'n'D results into new related processes for 3D Printing at magnitude lower price the current industrial offers. In terms of RepRap research results is perhaps most notably the first successful Delta design, Rostock, are maturing slowly and has an initial working solution for experimenting self sourcing builders of some experience. While the Rostock is still in an experimental stage with major revisions almost monthly its also near the state of the art and a radically different design. Latest iterations uses OpenBeams, wires (typically Dyneema or Spectra fishing lines) instead of belts and so forth which also represents some of the latest trends in RepRaps.