3D Printer Swarming

Imagine a weekend workshop:

1. 100 3D printers built
2. Each printer prints dome parts overnight. These are both tubes and corners, and facing so the dome is enclosed and watertight.
3. 100 kg dome is created
4. People design stuff on Day 2, and print overnight.
5. Day 3 - people assemble the dome, then we donate it as a practical useful item to a community center or as an art piece for the city

Calculations

• 1" PVC pipe equivalent - 3' long - about 1 lb [1]
• 2v dome - [2] - 8' radius dome requires 65 pieces - so 65 printers printing 1lb overnight, to make a 10 foot diameter dome where sides are about 2.75' and 3' long.
• 1 lb of plastic is $8. Compare to off-shelf PVC - 1" is $4 for 10' length - so it is much more cost effective to buy the PVC and use 3D printed hacksaws to cut.

Materials

• Hacksaw blade - 60 cents - [3]
• PVC 1" - [4] - $4 for 10'
• 3D Printing filament, $16 for 1 kg.

Links

• Geodesic Dome