Revision as of 21:02, 7 December 2016

Kijenzi Printer

The Kijenzi printer is a modified version of the Athena Reprap printer that is designed for usage in rural/rugged areas. "Kijenzi" loosely translates to "little maker" in Swahili, and this page details the design and development as the Kijenzi printer as it is prepared for usage in western Kenya.

This printer line is being designed with help from users in Kisumu, Kenya. This user group represents a small group of technical professionals who are responsible for the maintenance and repair of both medical and non-medical equipment in the the county's many health facilities.

The Kijenzi printer is being developed iteratively, with new features constantly being added in between field trials in East Africa. Some of the desired features,their reasons for inclusion, and their current development status can be seen below.

Feature	Description	Reasoning	Status
Collapsible Frame	Frame that separates the printer in to 5 modular components	Useful for quick deployment, convenient packing, and modular repairs in the field	Prototype construction underway
Climate controlled build space	Build envelope that allows for indirect control of temperature, dust, and humidity	Useful for being able to attain quality prints in a range of environments	Prototype completed
Heated Bed	Printer build plate with controlled heating	allows for a wider range of build materials	Prototype construction underway
Dual fan Extruder Head	Improved cooling for parts and hotend	allows for a wider range of build materials	Prototype construction underway
Autocalibration/Autoleveling	Allows for printer to be calibrated without user	Necessary for collapsible frame	Researching options
Bluetooth connectivity via phone	Printer controlled via bluetooth	Majority of users in the developing world have access to smartphones, but not laptops	Prototype construction underway
Back up power supply	Allows for printer to continue operation after power outages and insulation against surges	Power connectivity is often inconsistent in developing nations	Prototype construction underway
Android App for accessing key stl files/gcode	Printer app that connects to vetted database of parts	Allows for easier access to the useful parts for developing world consumers	Ideation

Climate controlled build space

The purpose of this modification is to create a base for controlling the climate of the build-space. The primary focus of this modification thus far is to create a positive pressure within the build-space by closing off the printer and including a large, constantly running fan on the top of the printer. This design is also fairly insulated so that with the future addition of a heated bed, the temperature in the build space can be kept uniform for better quality prints.

Tools and BOM

Tools needed

MOST Delta Reprap
Power drill
Circular Saw
Drill bits (1/2", 1/4", 1/8")
Level
Jig Saw
Superglue
Plastic bonding agent (must be appropriate for polypropylene)
Ethernet cable crimper
Phillips

BOM

Hardware

Item	Quantity
#8 Machine Screws, 1/2"	20
#8 Machine Screws, 3/4"	20
#8 Machine Screws, 1"	4
#8 washers, 3/4"	16
#8 Self-drilling machine screws, 3/4"	12
3" utility hinges (may optionally be printed)	2
Magnetic drawer latches/plates	2

Wood, Plastics, Rubber

@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 ===BOM===
+====Hardware====
 {| class="wikitable sortable"
 ! Item !! Quantity !!
 |-
-| Collapsible Frame || Frame that separates the printer in to 5 modular components || Useful for quick deployment, convenient packing, and modular repairs in the field || Prototype construction underway
+| #8 Machine Screws, 1/2" || 20
 |-
+| #8 Machine Screws, 3/4" || 20
+|-
+| #8 Machine Screws, 1" || 4
+|-
+| #8 washers, 3/4" || 16
+|-
+| #8 Self-drilling machine screws, 3/4" || 12
+|-
+| 3" utility hinges (may optionally be printed)|| 2
+|-
+| Magnetic drawer latches/plates || 2
+|-
+|}
-|}
+====Wood, Plastics, Rubber====

Kijenzi Printer: Difference between revisions