Mobile Open-Source Solar-Powered 3-D Printers for Distributed Manufacturing in Off-Grid Communities

Abstract

Manufacturing in areas of the developing world that lack electricity severely restricts the technical sophistication of what is produced. More than a billion people with no access to electricity still have access to some imported higher-technologies; however, these often lack customization and often appropriateness for their community. Open source appropriate technology (OSAT) can overcome this challenge, but one of the key impediments to the more rapid development and distribution of OSAT is the lack of means of production beyond a specific technical complexity. This study designs and demonstrates the technical viability of two open-source mobile digital manufacturing facilities powered with solar photovoltaics, and capable of printing customizable OSAT in any community with access to sunlight. The first, designed for community use, such as in schools or makerspaces, is semi-mobile and capable of nearly continuous 3-D printing using RepRap technology, while also powering multiple computers. The second design, which can be completely packed into a standard suitcase, allows for specialist travel from community to community to provide the ability to custom manufacture OSAT as needed, anywhere. These designs not only bring the possibility of complex manufacturing and replacement part fabrication to isolated rural communities lacking access to the electric grid, but they also offer the opportunity to leap-frog the entire conventional manufacturing supply chain, while radically reducing both the cost and the environmental impact of products for developing communities.

High-Efficiency Solar-Powered 3-D Printers for Sustainable Development

“…In addition with Franklin firmware [42], true power failure recovery is possible during a print. The results show that the new design validated here is a considerable improvement over the mobile solar-powered 3-D printers demonstrated in the past (with initial total cost of US$2500) [28], which required two 220 W modules and four 120 Ah batteries. Here 1/6 the battery storage and 1/5 the PV power resulted in a print time of nearly a working day without any solar flux.…”

“…Here 1/6 the battery storage and 1/5 the PV power resulted in a print time of nearly a working day without any solar flux. Furthermore, the FoldaRap 3-D printer used in the past can only print smaller components (140 mmˆ140 mmˆ155 mm) [28,43] compared to those printed on the MOST-Delta printer (250 mm diameter, 240 mm high cylinder) [44]. The cost of the designed system is approximately $630 plus the $400 for the delta RepRap components.…”

Distributed Manufacturing of Flexible Products: Technical Feasibility and Economic Viability

“…These increases are likely to continue in the medium-term future, but as shown here the electrical portion of the total cost of distributed manufacturing is minor. In addition, several solar-powered 3-D printing systems have been developed [100,101] that would eliminate that price increase directly.…”

Evaluation of Potential Fair Trade Standards for an Ethical 3-D Printing Filament

“…Finally, when possible the electricity used for the recyclebot operation should be from renewable and sustainable sources of energy. There has already been some technical development of solar-powered 3-D printers (King, et al, 2014) and further work could produce solar photovoltaic powered recyclebots. In addition, to the clear ecological benefit of offsetting the combustion of fossil fuels and their concomitant pollution, there is also the potential advantage of flexibility.…”