Modular construction systems

Frame and fastener

• Bitbeam Construction Set, M-Bitbeam
• First Robotics S3 Frame
• Metric Contraptor adapted to the OpenStructures OSGrid
• MicroRax
• Lynxmotion
• Vex Robotics
• TETRIX Robotics
• Dexion Speedframe
• VSlot,
• Fischertechnik
• 80/20 beams
• MakerBeam
• OpenBeam

• Bosch Rexroth Profiles
• item Aluminum Profiles (the original)
• MK Aluminum Profile System
• pegboard: wood sheets with a regular grid drilled into them
• slatwall (Is this the same as T-slots routed into MDF ?) [1]
• fischertechnik parts -- FTIStrap is the first RepStrap to succeed in printing 3D objects
• LEGO (especially Technix)
• Erector and Meccano
• Merkur
• The Phenostream Robotics BuildPlate construction system looks like a quick way to assemble hand-sized robots
• Plastic T-slot
• The Free Universal Construction Kit is a set of adapters for interoperability between several of the above construction "toys").
• 8 mm threaded steel rod (aka "threaded rod" or "allthread" or "M8 studding"): Many RepRaps and RepStraps use all-thread as a easily-adjustable frame material. Many also have at least one axis driven by a "lead screw" of 8 mm threaded road or nearly equivalent 5/16" threaded rod that acts as a worm gear, turned by a stepper motor, that pushes parts back and forth. A few use bigger sizes such as M12 and M10 threated rods in the BiBONE[2] or smaller sizes such as the 1/4 inch threaded rod used in smaller SAE Mendel machines.
• 8 mm smooth steel rods (aka smooth rod, aka "drill rod"): Most RepRaps and RepStraps have parts that slide back and forth on 8 mm or nearly equivalent 5/16" smooth rod. A few RepStraps (Template:Tag) spin a smooth rod with their motor rather than a threaded rod. A few use other sizes such as the 12 mm smooth rod used by HaMendel[3] and BiBone. "O1 drill rod" ? "A2 drill rod" ?
• Makerslide
• OpenBuilds
• Robot Digg
• EZ Tube
• Telescoping square tube
• Makeblock
• The square metal tubes with round holes in the side pictured in "Pull Yourself Together, Bot!" look a *lot* like grid beam -- would "real" grid beam work just as well?
• http://www.gridbeamers.com/
• http://gridbeam.biz/
• http://www.alliedtube.com/sign-support/traffic-sign-posts/telespar-square.asp
• http://www.mcmaster.com/#steel-structural-tubing/=49tu63
• 2020 T Slotted Aluminium Extrusion
• 2020 V Slotted Aluminium Extrusion
• 2040 V Slotted Aluminium Extrusion
• 2060 V Slotted Aluminium Extrusion
• 2080 V Slotted Aluminium Extrusion
• "Parametrically Designed XY Motion Stage", apparently part of the thesis "Rapid Prototyping of Rapid Prototyping Machines" by Ilan Ellison Moyer.
• Wrench-built machine is a RepStrap built mostly out of 1" square perforated tube.
• square tube construction techniques; Grid Beam
• http://www.gridbeam.com/
• http://www.gridbeamers.com/
• http://gridbeam.biz/
• Vention
• http://www.alliedtube.com/sign-support/traffic-sign-posts/telespar-square.asp
• http://www.mcmaster.com/#steel-structural-tubing/=49tu63
• Bitbeam
• OpenStructures
• electrical conduit (~20 mm OD steel tube)
• Steel water pipe and fittings
• PVC water pipe and fittings -- much lighter weight and lower cost and easier to drill than metal; but is it rigid enough? XtruBot, RepRap Morgan, LISA Simpson, Easy build delta printer, etc.
  • possibly using the "PVC pipe construction set" as described at "PVC Pipe Construction Gets Boost with 3D Printed Corner Connectors"
• Large-diameter PVC sewer pipe -- using 6" (or larger) nominal I.D. pipe as a tower/gantry to mount the other parts of the printer. PipeDream
• low-cost softwood dimensional lumber, roughly 18x45mm and 18x70mm (close enough to "1x2" and "1x4"), bolted together -- 1X2 and WolfStrap
• poplar planks -- Tommelise
• extruded aluminum L rails
• cut sheets without any plastic printed parts (RepStrap):
  • sheet metal cut, drilled, and folded to approximate the square profile
  • sheet metal cut, drilled, and folded in other ways -- Tony's sheet metal RepStrap
  • laser-cut plastic (typically clear acrylic)
  • sheet plywood -- PlywoodRepRaps such as LaserCut Mendel; CupCakeStrap; CupCake ??? ; Gunstrap; DeltaTrix ([4]; [5]); etc.
  • foamcore -- see imoyer's Foamcore CNC Machine [6] [7] [8]. Can this be laser-cut?
  • "flat sheets of wood or plastic (currently HDPE) ... Cut ... on some 2.5D CNC router" -- Isaac, LaserCut Mendel, etc.
• Hybrid: cut sheets and plastic printed parts complementing each other:
• Dibond
• gridbeam.com; official website
• gridbeamers.com, defunct
• Quikstix page (gridbeam company of the jergensons)
• exercise-desk.com (defunct)
• recliner-workstation.com (defunct)
• edburtoncompany (defunct)
• gridbeam page at P2PF
• gridbeam.biz (defunct)
• The paper book, and the e-book
• photos
• Marble run DUPLO compatible blocks, Duplo compatible marble run cones
• Modular marble runs

Conduit or pipe

• Tubelox
• Mostly Printed CNC
• 4 1/2" angle grinder chop saw
• NEMA17 Conduit Wheel with Pulley
• MPCNC Tangential Knife
• MPCNC Pen holder

1/2 inch

• Bearing roller for 1/2" EMT conduit
• Conduit Bimini fittings for duck boat blind
• Conduit junction
• Conduit clip
• Fittings for 0.5 inch conduit
• 1/2 EMT Conduit (.710 OD) 90 Degree Bracket

16 mm

• 16mm Conduit Building Blocks

20 mm

• 20mm Conduit 30 & 60 degree Tee
• 20mm Conduit Corner Connector
• 20mm corner conduit pipe connector

3/4 inch

• 3/4" Conduit Clamp - "F" Style
• 3/4 inch conduit cutting jig
• Conduit to 2040 Aluminum extrusion clamp
• EMT (Electrical Metallic Tubing) Conduit 3/4" Fittings

25 mm

• Easy Conduit Clamps

1 inch

• PVC Pipe construction set
• Easy Conduit Clamps
• LowRider2 Full Sheet Capable CNC Router

References

• A Maker's Guide To Modular Building Systems - Draft