Help Design a robotic 3d printer, that can print and assemble another printer

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I need help to design a robotic 3d printer, that can print and assemble another printer.

it can be 1 large bed and a arm, or many small robots that add up to be able to finish the task.

I want to be able to feed a printer filament, and somehow print and wind motors as well as potentially 3d printing a magnet somehow if that is even possible.

bottom line I want a self replicating 3d printer design.

then I need to start printing printers that make giant plastic or glass lenses…

edit: just thought about it - Twisted fishing line muscles + hot and cold could work as motors if we could get them to be fine enough resolution to 3d print with - reducing complexity considerably

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Have you seen these?
https://www.eurekalert.org/features/kids/2013-01/aaft-amp010413.php

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THe problem is that about 10-20% of a 3D printer is not printable with current technology. It is, to date, impossible to print a motor (because you cannot print a magnet). It’s also very hard to print a bearing, and even harder to print one that’s any good.

Then there’s the fact that a metal 3D printer tends to be a laser sintering a metal powder, and thus needs to be bigger than the thing it produces. Admittedly, with a bit of clever trickery you can avoid this (assembly after printing), but then you’ll lose accuracy.

Now, it is potentially possible if you are 3d printing iron and have some very clever things going on. You could make a weak magnet by magnetizing it yourself, and you’d have to combine it with a plastic 3D printer to produce the insulation on the windings - perhaps some sort of plastic dip would be better for that though. Then you make a whole bunch of parts, and with a robotic arm that exceeds current levels of dexterity, assemble your new printer.

Estimated Size: >1m
Estimated Mass: >30kg
Estimated Unit Cost: >$10,000
Estimated Development time: > 25 man years (ie 5 people take 5 years, 25 people take 25 years)
Estimated Development cost: > half a million
Estimated Power Draw when operating: > 500W

Now admittedly, we could think smaller. But then accuracy becomes hard and I suspect development time would increase, driving costs up even more.

Visual appearance: a box filled with metal powder, a robot arm on one size and a laser on an XY plotter across the top. A fancy actuator/brush that I can’t remember what it’s called to put on the next layer of metal powder.

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It would seem that nanotechnology would do the trick.
Eectrostatic motors maybe easier to use for this.

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what about something like this?

but the thing switches tips and dips etc? -> you only print more cubes and tips?

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Maybe make a artificial lifeform to help the robot make it’s parts.Like snails can make shells.
It may sound cruel.Maybe a snail can be genetically altered to make a robot.
Here are things that could be used.
http://singularityhub.com/2016/06/07/from-living-computers-to-nano-robots-how-were-taking-dna-beyond-genetics/

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Sure, and while we’re now in the business of suggesting the use of fictional technology, I suggest we simply make the printers using a replicator.

Seriously, where is BPR going to get an artificial life form for his project?

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Our bodies make of lot dead things teeth,hair and nails.Would it not be inconcievable to genetically engineer cells to make a robot.

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You would need live cells to do that first of all.

Second of all, this is stuff that’s probably far off in the future, as we’ve just recently been able to get certain types (like bone) to grow into various shapes for medical purposes (which isn’t even remotely close in complexity to a robot).

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Here is a device to insert dna into cells and bacteria. http://news.mit.edu/2016/microfluidic-device-dna-insertion-bacteria-genetic-engineering-0219

Here is something else of interest.
http://www.impactlab.net/2016/08/25/the-robot-baby-project-amsterdam-researchers-create-robots-that-can-mate-and-reproduce/

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let’s bring this back to reality, what can I build in my garage* or order custom parts to make the first one from someone with a 3d printer.

I think the modular cubes that can reconfigure is a good idea and reduces total complexity, because you can use the same part over and over.

then each printing head could also be a unique print / winding etc.

I think ->1 modular arm prints object

1 Modular arm switches tips to a winder, while others switch to a lathe like setup

then after it winds the parts, it assembles them.

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Does the robot actually make his parts?Can it make it’s parts from a big block of metal?How would you cut the parts use a minature laser?

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imagine a metal sintering laser on the tip of an arm made of something like these* except some joints were telescoping and linear instead of angular.

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have a child & be an inspiration :stuck_out_tongue:

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Seems like you have robophobia.

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The real problem arises from tolerances, You’ll never get something of usable. IMHO.

paolo

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How is the robot going to make a metal sintering laser.You could use acid but it needs to make something to store it.And also something to make the acid.Maybe microbes could make the acid.

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stintering is turning metal powder into metal parts by welding the powder into solid metal.

I think you can use ideas from this page

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But you would have snrink a similar machine to that down to a reasonable size for the robot.Which is a substantial task.
Then the robot would have to be able to make every piece.