12-02-2013: Adrian Bowyer introduced a new open-source 3D printer model through his company RepRapPro: the Ormerod
This model became the foundation for printers such as the Prusa Mini and Bambu Lab A1 Mini, among others
On December 2, 2013, RepRapPro—a company founded and led by Dr. Adrian Bowyer, the legendary creator of the RepRap project—unveiled the Ormerod, a new DIY 3D printer kit. The Ormerod was designed for quick and easy assembly (about 1 to 2 hours) and featured a heated build platform, a build volume of 210x190x140 mm, a pre-assembled wiring loom, and a 1.75 mm extruder. A few years later, this model inspired 3D printers like the Tronxy X1, Prusa Mini and more recently, the Bambu Lab A1 Mini.
The printer was named after the entomologist Eleanor Ormerod (just as previous RepRap models were named "Darwin" after naturalist Charles Darwin, "Mendel" after the 'father of genetics' Gregor Mendel, and "Huxley" after biologist Thomas Henry Huxley). It was the last original RepRap 3D printer model created by Bowyer (followed only by reworked Ormerod 2).
Although sold through RepRapPro and its distribution network, it was fully open-source, allowing users to manufacture the printer independently without purchasing parts or designs from the company.
Ormerod introduced two key innovations: a unique structure with the extruder mounted on a single arm and a new 32-bit controller, the Duet. Developed by the RepRapPro team in collaboration with Chris Palmer, Andy Hingston, Tony and Roland Lock, and Think3DPrint3D, the Duet was similar to the Arduino Due and programmable via the Arduino IDE.
It could be controlled with RepRap Firmware created by RepRapPro. Featuring USB and Ethernet ports, the Duet could be managed through a direct connection or a web browser, which was a significant innovation in the realm of amateur DIY 3D printing at the time.
Despite Adrian Bowyer's legendary status, undeniable skills, and innovations, his commercial enterprise did not last long. Three years later, RepRapPro officially closed, and its projects faded into history.
The RepRap Mendel was adapted and effectively taken over by Josef Prusa, who created a simplified version known as the Prusa Mendel, today recognized as the Prusa i2-i3-i4. Prusa revisited Bowyer’s legacy in 2019 with the launch of the Prusa Mini, based on the Ormerod design. However, the design had already been utilized earlier by companies like the Chinese manufacturer Tronxy (2016).
Source: www.reprapltd.com
the first 3D printer I owned was an Ormerod 2 printer - which I received as a kit. It was certainly in interesting introduction to printing at home, but became more of a 3d printer project than a reliable tool. I now have a Bambu Lab A1 mini, which is amazingly reliable.