Posted on June 3rd, 2008 by Zach Smith
As the RRRF grows and matures from a crazy idea started in my tiny Brooklyn apartment, I’m gradually starting to apply better business practices. Previously, I had been setting prices by taking the costs, and adding a markup that ‘felt right’. Well, now ‘felt right’ has a number value: 30% for most things, and 100% for PCBs (to cover the dual pricing of prototypes / production).
The end result: many prices are reduced, and a couple have gone up. The best benefit is that it will be much easier to project how the RRRF is doing, what it is capable of doing, and how much it needs to grow in order to take it to the next level (and say have an employee or two.)
Anyway, here’s what changed:
PCBs
DC Motor Driver: $3.50 -> $3.00
PWM Driver: $5.00 -> $4.00
Opto Endstop: $0.75 -> $0.50
Arduino Breakout: $10.00 -> $5.00
Electronics Kits
Stepper Motor Driver: $30.00 -> $28.00
PWM Driver: $12.00 -> $11.00
Opto Endstop: $2.25 -> $3.00
Temperature Sensor: $3.00 -> $4.00
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Posted on May 29th, 2008 by Zach Smith
I’m pleased to announce that the RRRF is now stocking ABS again. These 5lb coils will be enough to print quite a few things. I only have 20 coils, so get them while they’re hot (and molten!)
This is the same plastic that professional RP machines use, and Nophead has recently had great results using it.
You can buy it here.
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Posted on May 22nd, 2008 by Zach Smith
Arduino Diecimila
The RRRF finally scraped together enough money to do a bulk order of Arduinos, and now we are able to offer them on the store. The plan is to eventually sell a full kit of the electronics with the Arduino included. That way you can get everything needed to build the electronics for a RepRap in one fell swoop.
Buy your Arduino Diecimila here!
Molex Y Connector
I’m very close to having all the full electronics kit ready, but unfortunately I’ve sold out of the Arduino Breakout kits. They’re on re-order, but until they get here you’ll have to wait. It will be worth it though. In the meantime, I have another cool new product: a Y splitter for ATX cables. Add extra connectors to your power supply!
Buy your Molex Y Connector Here!
Filed under: Foundation News, New Products | 2 Comments »
Posted on May 15th, 2008 by Zach Smith
Yay! I just put the the last piece in the puzzle for getting the electronics required to drive a RepRap machine! With the completion of the Stepper Motor Driver v1.1 Kit, the RRRF now offers kits of all the electronics needed to build a RepRap machine. That means you dont have to deal with 5 different suppliers to get all your electronics parts. You can get all the kits from us, have all the parts easily available, and be up and running in no time flat!
The best part, is that this kit is only $30! Thats ridiculously cheap for a stepper motor driver board of this quality. Yay open source hardware!!!
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Posted on April 29th, 2008 by Zach Smith
With the help of George and Alicia at NYC Resistor, we recently assembled 100 total electronics kits! 50 of them are DC Motor Drivers, and 50 of them are PWM Drivers.
New Kit: PWM Driver v1.1
This kit allows you to drive things like heaters, fans, solenoids, etc. It uses TIP120’s which can put out up to 5A per channel with the right heatsinks. It’s a nice little board and pretty cheap too: only $12.
New Kit: DC Motor Driver v1.1
This kit allows you to drive 2 small DC motors in both forward and reverse with a simple 2-pin interface. It uses the rad L293D chip which can handle up to 1A per channel. It’s a nice little board and pretty cheap too: only $12.
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Posted on April 28th, 2008 by Zach Smith
Present: Adrian Bowyer, Ed Sells, Simon McAullife, Vik Olliver, Zach Smith.
Absent: Sebastien Bailard
Meeting started on skype at 0830GMT.
Bylaws were approved unanimously.
Zach, Simon, Vik, Ed, Adrian all voted to board unanimously
Nominations were made as follows:
Director, Treasurer - Zach
Secretary - Ed
Chair - Adrian
Vice-chair - Simon
Temporary Secretary - Vik, until September.
All positions voted in unanimously.
Jonathan Santiago of FabLab and NYC Resistor was proposed for a space on the board. The application was received positively pending his introduction.
Adrian proposed we meet in a fortnight to discuss voting Jonathan in, conversation to be made by e-mail.
Zach proposed issuing a bounty for manufactured parts. Adrian suggested a web page be used to coordinate fabrication of kits to ensure the right quantities of each part. Vik suggested that if this facility is developed it should be made available to local groups.
Zach to submit paperwork for tax-exempt non-profit status for the RRRF.
Paperwork currently in the hands of the lawyers.
A round of thanks were given to Zach.
Meeting closed 0910GMT
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Posted on April 27th, 2008 by Zach Smith
I recently found and sourced an awesome thermistor: its 100K rather than 10K, which means its alot easier to use in both the PIC and Arduino setups. It is also rated up to 300C, although it can probably only take 250C for long periods of time. Its also cheaper!!! Only $1.50 each. This is the new standard for thermistors for the RRRF.
Buy it here from the RRRF.
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Posted on April 23rd, 2008 by Zach Smith
Stepper motors are back in stock. Got a shipment of 48 of them, and they’re for sale for $25 / ea. These motors are awesome, and are the recommended motors for building a RepRap machine.
Parts for kits for DC Motor Driver and PWM Driver have been ordered. Kits will be up this weekend!
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Posted on April 20th, 2008 by Zach Smith
I made up a bunch of new kits today. Slowly but surely, I’m working closer to the goal of being able to offer a full RepRap electronics kit. Only 3 boards left!
Anyway, here are the kits:
Temperature Sensor v1.1 Kit
This kit allows you to measure the temperature on your extruder using a thermistor. Cheap, relatively accurate, and awesome. Only $3.00!!! It contains everything you need to build a temperature sensor.
Arduino Breakout Shield v.1.2
This kit is super useful for both the RepRap project, as well as any other project you can do with an Arduino. It plugs into your Arduino and gives you all the Arduino inputs/outputs as screw terminals. Only $20.00. Rad!
Next Up: DC Motor Driver and PWM Driver boards. After that, Stepper Motor Driver boards.
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Posted on April 9th, 2008 by Zach Smith
I just finished making 25 of the new thermocouple sensor kits. You can buy them from the RRRF store for $20. The main cost for this kit comes from the AD595, a fairly expensive chip that allows you to easily monitor the temperature with a thermocouple.
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