Creating 3D Printers out of E-Waste

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11-07-2013, 08:33 AM
Newbie101

Creating 3D Printers out of E-Waste

I think this is a brilliant idea. It's being done in Africa (http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/1249...rican-inventor), where they are taking old scanners, printers, computer and other "e-waste" and building 3D printers out of the materials.

It think it would be awesome if someone could create a detailed manual on how to do this with e-waste. Creating a really good 3D printer for just $100 would be something just about anyone could afford to do. Better yet, it could really help third world countries move closer economically to the developed world.
11-07-2013, 11:41 AM
jzatopa

Really you only need 2 things to make a 3d printer, linear motion and motion control. There are steppers in a lot of different applications, I found one in an old floppy drive. If you can find enough of the right steppers and a way to drive them, a linear motion system can be cobbled together out of a lot of things. It is impressive that someone has already achieved this.
11-08-2013, 07:50 AM
BakerEvan

Quote:

Originally Posted by jzatopa

Really you only need 2 things to make a 3d printer, linear motion and motion control. There are steppers in a lot of different applications, I found one in an old floppy drive. If you can find enough of the right steppers and a way to drive them, a linear motion system can be cobbled together out of a lot of things. It is impressive that someone has already achieved this.

You have me lost at "linear motion" lol I wish I was bright enough to build my own printer from e-waste. One day hopefully printers become cheap enough so that everyone can afford one.
11-08-2013, 10:27 AM
jzatopa

Quote:

Originally Posted by BakerEvan

You have me lost at "linear motion" lol I wish I was bright enough to build my own printer from e-waste. One day hopefully printers become cheap enough so that everyone can afford one.

Linear motion is a way to keep an object moving in a straight line. For example the rods and LM8uu bearings on the Prusa i3 keep the parts moving in straight lines. It's not as complicated as it sounds but it helps to have built a 3D printer to really understand it.