Open-source conversion of Stratasys FDM Vantage X rapid-prototyping machine : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering in Mechatronics at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

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dc.contributor.authorHare, George Graham
dc.date.accessioned2015-07-23T23:45:04Z
dc.date.available2015-07-23T23:45:04Z
dc.date.issued2014
dc.description.abstract3D Printing or Additive Manufacturing is quickly redefining how companies design and develop products (Maxey, 2014). Increasingly, with advances in technology and materials, end-use parts are now being manufactured. Wellington Drive Technologies Limited (WDTL), a world leading supplier of energy saving, electronically commutated motors (ECM) are based in Albany, Auckland. They use fused deposition modelling (FDM) to prototype new products and concepts. WDTL suffered a failure of a Stratasys FDM Vantage X machine used to 3D print prototype parts. The cost of rectifying the problem put the machine beyond economic repair. The machine was therefore gifted to Massey University, Albany. Mechanically the machine was in good working order, it made sense therefore to attempt to resurrect the machine for research purposes. However, due to the cost of OEM repairs, and the associated research limitations, it was decided that where possible, open-source solutions should be sought. The purpose of this dissertation is to prove the viability of replacing closedsource proprietary hardware and software solutions with open-source. The electronics and firmware were designed around the MakerBot Thing-O-Matic while ReplicatorG was used for the front end, all of which are open-source. Ironically on the 19th June 2013, almost a year after starting this project, Stratasys bought MakerBot, taking a big stake in the consumer based 3DPrinter market. Subsequent releases of Makerware (MakerBot's successor to ReplicatorG) have been made closed-source.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10179/6890
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherMassey Universityen_US
dc.rightsThe Authoren_US
dc.subjectThree-dimensional printingen_US
dc.subject3D printingen_US
dc.subjectRapid prototypingen_US
dc.subject3D printer softwareen_US
dc.subjectStratasys FDM Vantage Xen_US
dc.subjectMakerBoten_US
dc.subjectReplicatorGen_US
dc.subjectOpen-source softwareen_US
dc.titleOpen-source conversion of Stratasys FDM Vantage X rapid-prototyping machine : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering in Mechatronics at Massey University, Albany, New Zealanden_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
massey.contributor.authorHare, George Grahamen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineMechatronicsen_US
thesis.degree.grantorMassey Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelMastersen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Engineering (M.E.)en_US
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