Equipment Bid: Rapid Prototyping and Vacuum Casting to Support Robotics Research at BRL

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This proposal is submitted under the Equipment for Multiple Projects scheme, and is specifically made to purchase equipment identified and required by the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL). Funds are requested for the purchase of a rapid prototyping machine RP (47,532) and vacuum casting unit VC (21,152) which will play a vital underpinning role in a large number of current and future research projects conducted in BRL. To be crystal clear, this submission relates to the use of the requested equipment to support current and future research projects; we are not explicitly conducting research in rapid prototypying although we will be pushing the technology to its limits.The need for rapid prototyping has been substantiated by the constant use of the current facility in the BRL, a FDM RP machine. However this has also emphasised what could be achieved with greater functionality and resolution, and therefore the urgent requirement for additional facility in rapid prototyping and vacuum casting, on site. BRL has the current machine in an air-conditioned machine room and full-time technician for operation and maintenance, and therefore has both the designated space and qualified technician to ensure safe operation. The proposal sets out the capabilities of two requested machines, how they extend and enhance the current capability and examples of how they will be extensively used in the many projects undertaken in the laboratory (see www.brl.ac.uk). In addition we request some funding for the BRL technician in order that time can be dedicated to training of himself, and then by him of research personnel in the initial phase of machine use.In this submission the term 'rapid prototyping' is used in the modern sense; making immediately useable parts. In this context, we refer to the creation of assemblies which will be used directly for the construction of robot parts and not 'simply' to create assemblies for inspection prior to production.