3D Self-Replicating Printer to be Released Under GNU License

Rob O'Neill writes "A Kiwi open source developer is working on a self-replicating 3D printer, RepRap, to be made available under the GNU license. 'The 3D printer works by building components up in layers of plastic, mainly polylactic acid (PLA), which is a bio-degradable polymer made from lactic acid. The technology already exists, but commercial machines are very expensive. They also can't copy themselves, and they can't be manipulated by users, says Vik Olliver. RepRap has a different idea. The team, which is spread over New Zealand, the UK and the US, develops and gives away the designs for its much cheaper machine, which also has self-copying capabilities. It wants to make the machine available to anybody — including small communities in the developing world, as well as people in the developed world, says Olliver. Accordingly, the RepRap machine is distributed, at no cost, under the GNU (General Public License).'"

Skynet Tag

[kylehase]

Self replicating machines... need a Skynet [wikipedia.org] tag.

One Question

[pete-classic]

Can this printer print a printer so large it, in fact, can't print it?

-Peter

How long till the virus bots show up?

[TheNarrator]

There are at least seven copies of the RepRap machine in the world that Olliver knows about. The 3D printer also allows for a new and fascinating way of communicating: Olliver can design something at home in New Zealand, which then appears on another researcherâ(TM)s desk, in Bath, in the UK, or the other way around.

So I'm going to double click an email attachment and wake up the next morning to find my house infested with little insect like robots wandering around my house looking for credit cards.

weapons [and?] sex toys

[binarybum]

"We know that people are going to use the printer to try to make weapons [and] sex toys and drug paraphernalia," he says. "This is obviously not what we're hoping they are going to build. We are hoping they are going to build more and better RepRaps." ... so that we can then use those to build more and better weapons [and] sex toys, drug paraphernalia.

That's great...

[PRMan]

But the liquid plastic cartridges are $250 each...

Re:Really?

[BlackSnake112]

... There are many copies. And they have a plan.

The singularity

[Toonol]

If this can be pulled, off, it could be world-changing. Imagine being able to download plans and create anything out of varieties of plastic! It would be the key to untold riches, with the only limitation the supply of cheap and plentiful... petroleum products.

Oh, never mind.

whoo! lego!

[kris.montpetit]

this is going to be the ultimate answer to lego. Which of course means as soon as it comes out, it will destroy the social lives of millions of tinkering adults.

At least the cat can't pee in it XD

Re:Really?

[TheWanderingHermit]

... There are many copies. And they have a plan.

But that's toasters, not printers...

Free? They make all their money off the 3D ink!

[Anonymous Coward]

Free? They make all their money off the 3D ink!

Re:Really?

[Grishnakh]

Hey, racist terms like that aren't tolerated here!

Re:Really?

[Drooling Iguana]

Bah, the fax machine is just a waffle-iron with a phone attached!

I'll get it to make...

[fiannaFailMan]

Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

Re:Really?

[joaommp]

They can replicate all they want, we will still find a way to disrupt them. If we get in real trouble and they go after the asgard core, we call our ancient next door.

researcherÃ(TM)s

[XanC]

Anybody know what's causing that apostrophe gibberish?

We're doomed!

[countach]

What happens when these things run out of control replicating themselves, and the planet becomes a crawling oooze of 3D printers? Have they thought of that? No, I'll bet not. Smash any 3D printers you can see NOW!

Here's a short-cut for ya

[RexDevious]

"We know that people are going to use the printer to try to make weapons [and] sex toys and drug paraphernalia," he says.

All you have to do is, when some tells the machine to print a copy of itself - have it print a weapon instead. Then it points it at the user and says, "Go buy another copy of me and tell everyone I printed it. And if you think you can come back here with the police instead - keep in mind that I can also print sex toys and drug paraphernalia. So... do we understand each other?"

Granted, it'd make for some pretty awkward moments at trade shows - but it would still technically be a self-replicating printer.

Re:We're doomed!

[wellmington]

I, for one, welcome our 3d printing, self replicating overlords. Surely they can't do any worse than our current burger eating, oil selling overlords.

Re:Version 1.0?

[Torvaun]

I'm still not sure why we're going smaller on this. I want my Magrathea, dammit!

Self Replicating Printer

[Isotopian]

Unfortunately, the ink required to print a new printer costs 200% what a new printer would cost.

Re:We're doomed!

[bigdavesmith]

I'm betting you still have to put batteries in each new copy, or plug them in, which makes the entire thing take way too much effort for me...

Kiwi?

[fm6]

A Kiwi open source developer...

Do you mean the fruit, or the extinct flightless bird? Either way, I find it difficult to take the project seriously!

Re:Really?

[jameskojiro]

They have toasters that can print burn patterns into toast, so there!

Re:Really?

[inkyblue2]

Actual printing of semiconductor devices is still in the early research and implementation phase at various corporations and universities. Printable motors are the remaining practical hurdle.

lol. i'm almost done building a space shuttle out of papier mache. the only parts i'm still working on are the engines and the heat shielding for re-entry. consider this a 0.1 version.

Re:Really?

[davetd02]

Until they can print toasters on toast we're safe.

If a toaster can toast itself, is it self-aware?

Re:Text

[bdwebb]

"I think they're web server was built..."

You keep using that word...I do not think it means what you think it means...

Re:Really?

[ah42]

No, it's toast.

You've got to tell them...

[DragonHawk]

TFA said the typically-used plastic on these printers is PLA, polylactose acid, which is made from lactose, an ingredient in milk, human muscles, and various other biological sources...

RepRap ink is people!

Re:Really?

[Yvan256]

May I suggest sodium bicarbonate and vinegar? Or maybe Diet Coke and Mentos?

Damn those new-fangled printers

[ignavus]

I tried using one of these fancy 3D printers to print my assignments, but all it did was make my mistakes stick out.

Re:Really?

[nametaken]

I've heard about your replicating printer problem, and thought I might be able to help. I'm going to recommend time dilation and superconductors for this one. It's the answer to everything really.

Hugs n' Kisses,
Sam

Re:Really?

[mimada]

There are at least seven copies of the RepRap machine in the world that Olliver knows about.

He obviously doesn't know about the final five.

Nah...

[LanMan04]

If a toaster can toast itself, is it self-aware?

Nope, it just gets hairy palms.