ETHOS Technical Reports
Document Type
Report
Publication Date
10-4-2017
Abstract
This past summer, two mechanical engineering students from the University of Dayton’s ETHOS program traveled to Auroville, India to work with Minvayu on their delta 3D printer project. Auroville, India is an idealistic, utopian-driven experimental town in southeastern, India. Minvayu is a small organization located on the edge of a farm that focuses on developing and teaching sustainable energy projects in rural India. One of their primary technologies is implementing wind turbines to supply energy and pump water to help rural families and farmers have a steady energy and water supply. Minvayu’s newest project is to create a 3d printer able to print in both plastic and clay, able to complete large-scale construction projects. Such projects are aimed to include printing small houses and large wind turbine blades. This 3D printer can reduce time and labor costs for large construction projects, despite its high upfront costs. Entering the new project in the earliest brainstorming stages, the group’s objective was to design, assemble, and use a delta 3D printer in eleven weeks.
In order to complete this, the group split the large project in smaller components, consisting of the columns, extruder assembly, carriage system, and rail system. The team researched 3d printers, focusing on incorporating already existing technologies but scaling it up for larger applications. The team also completed work outside of the project in order to make the project possible. Such projects included building grates for storage, designing and raising a heat-protecting tarp over the workshop, and expanding the workshop’s workspace. After eleven weeks, a final structure was not assembled due to time constraints, but the groundwork was laid for future completion.
eCommons Citation
Mott, Andrea and Ross, Grant, "India: Printing Houses" (2017). ETHOS Technical Reports. 70.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/ethos_reports/70
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