3-D Printing

[Telegram Sam]

Dunno which is the correct forum board for this:

The local garage owner was speaking to me this morning about what he'd been told about 3-D printing.
As he said, you can hardly "print" a cylinder block - with the current state of technology - but there would appear to be vast possibilities for producing "non critical" spare parts that would otherwise never see the light of day on account of production economics - the kind of problem that will hit most of us in this forum sooner or later.

I'd be very keen to have tabs on any 3-D info, leads, sources or whatever that anyone can provide so that when the no-no answer finally comes from the motor factors I've got somewhere else to go. Can anyone help?

[humbucker]

Buy a 3d printer, print a 3d printer, return the original and get your money back. Nice.

[Cavalier342]

There have been metal objects printed, but plastic is the way to go for now, so yes with the correct specifications I don't see why you couldn't print your own interior parts, plastic clips, etc. Trouble is because the technology is new, basic printers are a few grand. If you're after top-end quality, it'll be above ten grand.

[btcctroy]

Very interesting. I bet there would be a good market for this kind if thing

[planetc]

Total recall is all coming true slowly

[humbucker]

It's like any new technology; early adopters will pay a disproportionately high price to offset development costs until sale prices fall to make it within reach of everyone. Good idea though re plastic clips, trim etc.

[iancav6]

We have been using rapid prototype parts at work for some time, it is amazing what they can achieve.we use it to make development parts where there isnt time to get the real one made, normally at the start of a program when you need to have a mock up car or engine.it has also been used to make inlet trumpets of different lengths to see what effect this will have on the tuning of an engine, much cheaper and quicker than getting carbon fibre tooling made.you can pretty much create your idea on the cad, program the rp machine and get the part made.the run time depends on the size of part or parts, the one we have can make several bits at once on the same table, can be 30hrs or so, but you can just send it on its way and go home.
we have a full size mock up inline 6 engine at work where the cyl block , pumps, flywheel , clutch are made in rp.

[humbucker]

Wow, would love to see 'in progress' pics and some of the finished items if possible. Sounds fascinating.

[Telegram Sam]

Grounds for hope. I'd like to think that someone will wake up to the market potential for such things in environments like ours, and if demand can be channelled then invest in the printer and whathaveyou. Where the only other option is to abandon ship due to lack of the vital spare part ..

I read an article in the latest Computing Which on this last night - they featured the Makerbot Mini 3D printer @ £900 but this is for home DIY use.

The problem will be of course to get hold of the relevant technical drawing of the part that one wants to print. One thing at a time ..

[btcctroy]

Does sound fascinating

[humbucker]

The problem will be of course to get hold of the relevant technical drawing of the part that one wants to print. One thing at a time ..

Yup, brushing up on your CAD skills will be essential, but as the technology becomes more widespread then more and more software providers will develop programs to take the hassle out of it for you.

[Telegram Sam]

They use "Solid Works" at work but using that is way beyond my pay grade. I'm hoping that in time links can be made with people in the (spares) trade who would cater for such requirements without the user having to invest in all the set-up costs for what might turn out to be a very small number of (individual) requirements but which in total would be viable.

[humbucker]

Aye, but those set up costs will drop dramatically as the tech becomes widely adopted.

[Telegram Sam]

Aye, but those set up costs will drop dramatically as the tech becomes widely adopted.

.. by the likes of you and me and other forum members in the same boat!
In the early high set-up days it would be all the more useful to know who is into this tech.

[planetc]

The ideal would be a 3D scanner, domestic software and the printer..... One day eh?

[Telegram Sam]

The ideal would be a 3D scanner, domestic software and the printer..... One day eh?

.. all accessible via the 3-D spares forum page on the CM3OC web site!

[TurboDan]

Watch this video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aghzpO_UZE

So Clever

Amazing that they can actually make moving parts straight out of the printer too.

[Telegram Sam]

Wow. All my dreams come true! Wonder if your clever machine is up to doing a Cavalier arm rest cover, or if that would defeat it!

[btcctroy]

Wow I want one

[iancav6]

Pics of the RP engine we have at work.

It was called R17,was/is a 2 litre inline 6 turbo.It was designed to run in the AMR-One which was a Le Mans prototype for racing in 2011.It was not a great success mostly down to time constraints and lack of development and the whole program was canned after the poor showing at Le Mans that year.

This is the RH side of the engine,shows the whole block,cam cover,pumps and intake system in RP.This is full size approx. 600mm long and 500mm or so high.
You can see it has a real sump and cyl head.



LH side,inlet plenum.



Close up of the single throttle body



Flywheel and clutch.



And just to show the scale,me holding the clutch.

[Telegram Sam]

I'll bear all that highly interesting stuff in mind when I enter the SRi + 3-D mods into Le Mans. The fascinating question is whether the concept can or will be translated into providing more mundane spare parts that would otherwise not be available and mean that many worthwhile oldies end up prematurely in the scrap yard?

I'm inclined to attach slightly more credibility to what you have published than what was shown on the US promotional video though doubtless both are telling the same interesting story.

[iancav6]

I'll bear all that highly interesting stuff in mind when I enter the SRi + 3-D mods into Le Mans. The fascinating question is whether the concept can or will be translated into providing more mundane spare parts that would otherwise not be available and mean that many worthwhile oldies end up prematurely in the scrap yard?

I'm inclined to attach slightly more credibility to what you have published than what was shown on the US promotional video though doubtless both are telling the same interesting story.

We have used these people before,probably a bit on the expensive side for home use.

http://www.oglemodels.com/

What parts do you anticipate a 3d machine could make to save a car from the breakers? Most Vauxhalls die of terminal rot rather than not being able to get hold of some interior trim.

[Telegram Sam]

Touchy point: I'm spending a fortune on mine to rescue it from terminal rot but in the background is always the nagging thought that all could come to grief if later some vital (mechanical or other) component needed replacing but was just not available. In time we might get stem cells to plug the gap ... but till then hopes will lie with your 3-D technology

[humbucker]

Ah, the firm formerly known as Ogle Engineering! They're based in the town that I grew up in, used to see all manner of weird and wonderful creations rolling in and out of their old offices.