Modular construction systems
From
- First Robotics S3 Frame
- Metric Contraptor adapted to the OpenStructures OSGrid
- MicroRax
- Lynxmotion
- Vex Robotics
- TETRIX Robotics
- Dexion Speedframe
- VSlot,
- Fischertechnik
- 80/20 beams
- Tubelox
- 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
- MakerBeam
- 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
