[EricH]

Originally Posted by Tmaxxrox97

Actually a RepRap printer that would be able to make a pretty decent wheel is around $500- $1000 depending on where you buy the parts and on which model you buy. That is also an un-assembled version (I'm assuming that a robotics team would be able to put it together).

Won't argue on cost, but I would suggest that the ability to put it together might run into some issues. I've built a couple RepRaps (actually, somewhat modified versions) and if I hadn't had a fully-functional one to reference, I don't think I could have done it. Mechanically, probably. Electrically, bring your own reference documentation.

Then I had the pleasure of showing a bunch of other teams how to build these printers. It took all day to get the mechanical part down; the electrical was being started.

I actually went in and rewrote the entire assembly instructions--CAD included--to make them easier to understand. (Couldn't do anything about the electrical, though.)


Now, that wheel comparison shown is pretty solid. Saving a pound and a hundred bucks, and possibly some time, could be huge in this competition. I do encourage that testing you're planning to do--break it, rebuild it, break it again, work all the bugs out, then build one without the fairing on one side for the judges to see.