RepRap Build-a-thon at HacDC

We’re going to be holding a free, two-day RepRap Build-a-thon at HacDC, on Jan. 24 & 25th.

HacDC, the Washington, DC-area technology and arts collective, is presenting a free, open to the public two-day event over the weekend of January 24th – 25th. Attendees will participate in the construction and use of a remarkable open source tool, the “Replicating Rapid Prototyper” or RepRap. Anyone can make a RepRap machine, using parts made by another person with a similar machine, and a few additional parts that can be found online or from a local hardware store. RepRap is capable of making a nearly complete copy of itself, given a small amount of (possibly recycled) plastic. Once the machine is made, the user can download designs for other objects from the Internet or create their own designs, which can then be printed with the RepRap machine.

The two-day sessions will include talks by RepRap founders and pioneers, as well as demonstrations by local experimenters who have built their own RepRaps and contributed to the development of the system. After the talks, the seminar participants will participate in the construction of a RepRap from the ground up. Attendees will complete this process during the seminar, providing a great opportunity for everyone to get some experience assembling and using a RepRap. Smaller breakout sessions on related topics, such as stepper motor function, microcontroller programming and 3D modeling will be presented, in order to provide the attendees with the skills needed to construct and use the RepRap system.

More info at HacDC.