Senior Design (BRR)

Written By Alex Walters

The Benchy Rapid Replicator (BRR) in Action!

What?

For my senior year design project we formed a team made up of five of the most skilled engineers at The Catholic University of America. The goal of our project was to create a rapid formed deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printer to compete in the Annex Engineering Speedboat Challenge. The competition consisted of printed the popular “3D Benchy” model as fast as possible within the following set of rules:

  • You must use PLA, PLA+, PETG, ASA, ABS, ABS+ , PC/ABS blends, and PC/ASA blends you cannot use filled, metallic, or silk filaments (these filaments typically hide defects)

  • The print must finish

  • The maximum nozzle or line width size is 0.5mm

  • The maximum layer height is 0.25mm

  • You may combine infill every other layer

  • You must record the whole print

  • You must use 3 top and bottom layers

  • You must use 2 walls and 10% infill

  • The finished print must be dimensionally accurate (within reason)

  • The machine must be powered by stepper motors

  • There must be a timer/clock shown in the video to verify its real time

The 3D Benchy model

Why?

Since its inception, 3D printing has been plagued by its slowness. Our goal is to research and implement new and innovative ideas to improve the speed of 3D printing technology.

Pictures

Front view

Isometric view

Top view, showing the 4 motor H-Bot movement system (one of the first in the world to use 4 motors instead of 2)

Hotend mount and part cooling

Website to control the 3D printer

Alex Walters
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ASME Drone