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.
Read more about this topic: Rep Rap Project
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“We are told that men protect us; that they are generous, even chivalric in their protection. Gentlemen, if your protectors were women, and they took all your property and your children, and paid you half as much for your work, though as well or better done than your own, would you think much of the chivalry which permitted you to sit in street-cars and picked up your pocket- handkerchief?”
—Mary B. Clay, U.S. suffragist. As quoted in History of Woman Suffrage, vol. 4, ch. 3, by Susan B. Anthony and Ida Husted Harper (1902)
“While the Republic has already acquired a history world-wide, America is still unsettled and unexplored. Like the English in New Holland, we live only on the shores of a continent even yet, and hardly know where the rivers come from which float our navy.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“He wrote in prison, not a History of the World, like Raleigh, but an American book which I think will live longer than that. I do not know of such words, uttered under such circumstances, and so copiously withal, in Roman or English or any history.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)