
3D Self-Replicating Printer to be Released Under GNU License - naish
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/tech/2F5C3C5D68A380EDCC257423006E71CD
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dkokelley
At my dad's work (Rocketdyne-owned by Pratt&Whitney, used to be owned by
Boeing, makes engines for space craft), they have several large rapid
prototypers that are used to create prototypes for different designs to test,
and they even make an air duct used in F/A 18s.

They're really fun, but what they can create is rather limited from my
understanding. They can do very intricate designs (even objects within
objects, like a triangle INSIDE of a complete sphere), but only out of certain
plastics, and only one material at a time, so the usefulness is limited. You
couldn't build an engine block with it, because it can't work with the metals.

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xirium
> can't work with the metals

There was an article in Make Magazine about the RepRap and it works with
metals which have a low melting point, such as Field's metal (
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field's_metal> ). This allows the RepRap to
include wiring. Additionally, the machine can pause to allow electronic
components to be inserted.

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tokipin
i keep waiting for these personal fabrication things to get popular and cheap
so i can design my own coffee warmer

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pmorici
A self replicating machine, this brings to mind Terminator and AI taking over
the world.

