Revision as of 12:20, 3 February 2016

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Source

Jephias Gwamuri, Dhiogo Franco, Khalid Y. Khan, Lucia Gauchia and Joshua M. Pearce. High-Efficiency Solar-Powered 3-D Printers for Sustainable Development. Machines 2016, 4(1), 3; doi: 10.3390/machines4010003 open access
To build: Solar Panels holders (Solar powered delta) - for basic build -- use the more advanced and simplified electronics discussed in the paper.
You can upgrade to print with fluids (e.g. silicone) and do PCB milling: Multi-material additive and subtractive prosumer digital fabrication with a free and open-source convertible delta RepRap 3-D printer

What could you print with it?

Abstract

The release of the open source 3-D printer known as the RepRap (a self-Replicating Rapid prototyper) resulted in the potential for distributed manufacturing of products for significantly lower costs than conventional manufacturing. This development, coupled with open source-appropriate technology (OSAT), has enabled the opportunity for 3-D printers to be used for sustainable development. In this context, OSAT provides the opportunity to modify and improve the physical designs of their printers and desired digitally-shared objects. However, these 3-D printers require electricity while more than a billion people still lack electricity. To enable the utilization of RepRaps in off-grid communities, solar photovoltaic (PV)-powered mobile systems have been developed, but recent improvements in novel delta-style 3-D printer designs allows for reduced costs and improved performance. This study builds on these innovations to develop and experimentally validate a mobile solar-PV-powered delta 3-D printer system. It is designed to run the RepRap 3-D printer regardless of solar flux. The electrical system design is tested outdoors for operating conditions: (1) PV charging battery and running 3-D printer; (2) printing under low insolation; (3) battery powering the 3-D printer alone; (4) PV charging the battery only; and (5) battery fully charged with PV-powered 3-D printing. The results show the system performed as required under all conditions providing feasibility for adoption in off-grid rural communities. 3-D printers powered by affordable mobile PV solar systems have a great potential to reduce poverty through employment creation, as well as ensuring a constant supply of scarce products for isolated communities.

Keywords

Appropriate Technology; Distributed Manufacturing; Open Source Hardware; Photovoltaic; Solar Energy; 3D Printing; OSAT; off grid

Presentation

Pearce Prezi on OS Solar-powered 3-D Printing intro in 2012.

Other Versions of Solar Powered 3-D Printers

Mobile Open-Source Solar-Powered 3-D Printers for Distributed Manufacturing in Off-Grid Communities - for the first two versions of mobile solar powered 3D printers
Markus Kayser's solar concentrator sand sinter 3D printer: http://www.markuskayser.com/work/solar-sinter/
Mark Fuller's PV-powered Mendel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzo-M5c_73Y
The inventor of RepRap, Adrian Bowyer, in a true show of classiness is running his RepRap making factory off solar power and feeding the excess back into the grid.[1]
Solar powered Gigabot

In the News

Open source, solar-powered RepRap 3D printer brings 3D printing to developing communities - 3Ders
Print Off the Grid! Michigan Tech Develops Solar-Powered 3D Printer - 3D Printing Industry
Latest Developments in Solar Powered 3D Printing Released by Michigan Tech - 3DPrint.com
3D Print From Dawn Till Dusk with this Solar Powered RepRap 3D Printer - 3printr
Solar-powered 3D printers bring sustainable development to impoverished communities - Local Motors

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 * [http://3dprint.com/115706/solar-powered-3d-printer/ Latest Developments in Solar Powered 3D Printing Released by Michigan Tech] - 3DPrint.com
 * [https://www.3printr.com/3d-print-dawn-till-dusk-solar-powered-reprap-3d-printer-0433957/ 3D Print From Dawn Till Dusk with this Solar Powered RepRap 3D Printer] - 3printr
+* [https://localmotors.com/blog/post/solar-powered-3d-printers-bring-sustainable-development-to-impoverished-communities/1972/ Solar-powered 3D printers bring sustainable development to impoverished communities] - Local Motors
 [[Category:MOST completed projects and publications]]

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