RepRec-Project
Investigating a peculiar part of the design space of
productive self-replicating pick-and-place robots
by identifying, analyzing, designing, and testing (prototyping) the function and interplay of
necessary sub-systems for a first initial instance of such a machine.
Context
Primary aim/focus here is prototyping for future macroscale style machinery at the nanoscale.
- This is about NON-compact self-replication with pre-produced parts that are supplied
from a lower assembly-level (where they will be mass pre-produced via piezochemical mechanosynthesis). - This is not to be associated with the outdated concept of molecular assemblers!
(Molecular assemblers were about direct atom-by-atom self-replication – ultra-compact self-replication – difficult, inefficient, undesirable).
Results of this work may also be usable in other contexts.
Note that some design decisions that originate from the primary aim/focus of
gemstone based nanomachinery here might not seem sensible in these other contexts.
Two main other contexts coming to mind are:
- The automated space industry (including space mining) – think recomposable trussworks and von Neumann probes (wikipedia)
- The DIY manufacturing field – think RepRap 3D printers augmented with RepRec robots reducing the need for manual assembly
DIY workshop usage seems rather questionable in feasibility, given size, slowness, and cost. We'll see.
If nothing else results may at least by pretty.
Elaborate kinetic sculptures, oddly satisfying to watch.
Don't expect masterpieses like Martins Marble Machine X series though.
An eventual complete prototype is supposed to become a productive self-replicator, so it should become able to assemble just about anything.
Including marble-machines. I will most certainly not go that route though.
The author can be supported here: https://www.patreon.com/mechadense
Main Content
Upcoming … (there is quite a lot already, but it needs clean-up before publishing)
Published crude writeups
On the authors APM-Wiki:
On the RepRap Wiki:
License
Unless otherwise noted the content of this project (documentation, vectorgraphics, rastergraphics) is
licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license,
Unless otherwise noted code in this project (including programmatic 3D models) is
licensed under the Mozilla Public License 2.0.