36 replies to this topic

[bbowser]

If I am stepping on toes or using improper ettiquette, please delete. ajwheels posted this link in Big Boyz and I thought it was too good not to share. The parts look incredible even if they are 1/16. It seems 3D printing is a lot further along than I had imagined. I don't think you'll see one on every desktop anytime soon, but I can see enterprising individuals starting a business, ala resin casters?

http://public.fotki....cale-ford-flat/

[Ace-Garageguy]

I'm very glad you posted this. It illustrates exactly what I said in another thread about the current state-of-the-art....only one wet coat of primer should be sufficient to deal with this amount of surface graininess.

[Chuck Doan]

http://www.flickr.co...s/21159426@N05/

Some more interesting models made this way. (I have no affiliation with this party)

Edited by Chuck Doan, 05 November 2012 - 02:12 PM.

[Fat Brian]

When we can get parts this good in 1/25 scale it will be profitable for someone skilled in CAD to buy one of these machines and print aftermarket parts. When you look at a resin casting business look at how much money and time is tied up in making masters and then making molds. Making a quality mold is an art and you can waste a lot of mold material and resin getting one right an then it wears out and every casting becomes of poorer and poorer quality until it's unusable. I believe that I read here that a good body mold will make about fifty bodies before it has to be retired, no wonder resin parts cost so much. You have a very finite amount of copies to make back your huge time and materieal outlay. A person with this machine could make a model one time and print an infinite amount of copies without diminishing quality over time. The cost of parts made this way could be substantially cheaper than resin, there is almost no investment in the part other than design time and parts only have to be printed when they are bought and paid for.

[bbowser]

I assume there is considerable investment in the design files but you're right, there could be an infinite number of copies off one file. That would certainly bring the cost down and the ROI up. The latest issue of Time Magazine has listed the Makerbot Replicator 2 as one of the 25 best inventions of the year.

[my80malibu]

Is there any visual. That shows this process on action.

[CadillacPat]

I see all of Model Manufacturing collapsing and these machines taking over, tomorrow morning.
Every 5 year old kid will be spitting out perfect Model Kits in just minutes with these.
These will change Model Building forever, tomorrow about 6:30 a.m.
Don't hold your breath.

CadillacPat

[Ace-Garageguy]

Is there any visual. That shows this process on action.

Here ya go......

https://www.google.com/search?q=makerbot+video+youtube&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

[ajwheels]

Is there any visual. That shows this process on action.

Here are further visuals.........the flathead parts were printed at Shapeways in the Frosted Ultra Detail material........................

http://www.youtube.com/user/Shapeways

Tony

[jas1957]

Some months ago there was a link to a video with Jay Leno showing a 3D scanner reading a part & then printing out a nearly perfect plastic copy. A very interesting technology. Is it possible to take your super rare original AMT '59 Pontiac kit & copy the whole thing ? If so the possiblities boggle the mind. While the hardware is not inexpensive, I looked on line & found the whole system under $50,000. WAY out of my reach, but maybe not others.

Edited by jas1957, 06 November 2012 - 01:59 AM.

[raildogg]

I must add my thoughts here. I have been dabbling with this technology since the late 90's and can say with some certainty, it is not close to being a real home hobbyist friendly reality. Yes the commercial machines are very expensive, media for them is not cheap either. But as a hobbyist tool, not even close. The commercial machines are limited in the work envelope size in all axis, but that is not an issue for scale modelers as even the largest parts, can be multiple part assemblies. Currently available machines from those aforementioned manufacturers rely on ABS filament, the type used in lawn trimmers, very hard to glue together. They are very slow and must be very rigid to operate successfully. A recent meeting of my CNC S.I.G. one was demonstrated and took approximately thirty min. to make a guitar pick. The part resolution was not what a modeler would want. Filling with putty would be extensive. What the 3d services use is powdered deposition technology, or, stereo lithography in a liquid medium fused by laser at .003 per pass. I have handled parts made in a printable metal called, Zmac,that were used in prototypical applications right after being printed. That machine was over $195K. I have priced out some simple Mack wheel rims and one copy cost $30.00, ten cast duellies from a resin caster are $54.00. So in closing stick to what levels you are currently enjoying and keep dreaming of a future where kids bang out scale models at the diner table over snacks Mr Jetson!

[Chuck Doan]

I agree with Richard, from what I have seen so far the printing is too slow to do mass part generation. Currently I think it is best suited in the hobby to make masters that can be cleaned up and used to make molds, or small numbers of parts to be used directly.

But the technology is moving forward rapidly. I think the impact on the hobby will be positive for builders and kit makers alike.

[Jantrix]

I think the impact on the hobby will be positive for builders and kit makers alike.

I agree completely.

[shucky]

Thank you Richard and Chuck for your comments. Well said.

[Chief Joseph]

"The proof of the pudding is in the eating."

Current state of the art for 3D printing:


This is the 1/24 vector wheel I posted about in the Aftermarket section. It's sitting on a toothpick in the top lug hole. I see a couple of places where I could have done things a little differently when I designed the model, but overall I'm happy. Let me stress: this type of output is not cheap. An entire car model assembled completely from 3D-printed parts of this kind would easily be $2K just in printing cost alone, but using 3D-printed parts as masters for resin casting makes perfect sense right now.

[LDO]

Someone is already making resin copies from 3-D printed masters. I have a
1/8 scale '29 Ford Tudor Sedan body made this way. It was made in a "slush" mold, so the inside of the body needs some cleanup...but that is OK with me. It was US $130, including shipping, from Canada. Compare that to $700+ for TDR's printed bodies, and quality time with a grinder doesn't look so bad. Detail on the outside of the body is great, and within reach of the average Joe (or at least closer to being within reach).

[Lownslow]

"The proof of the pudding is in the eating."

Current state of the art for 3D printing:


This is the 1/24 vector wheel I posted about in the Aftermarket section. It's sitting on a toothpick in the top lug hole. I see a couple of places where I could have done things a little differently when I designed the model, but overall I'm happy. Let me stress: this type of output is not cheap. An entire car model assembled completely from 3D-printed parts of this kind would easily be $2K just in printing cost alone, but using 3D-printed parts as masters for resin casting makes perfect sense right now.

who did you go with that work is beautiful and the fact that they included the lip makes it better

[Belair2k]

Here ya go......

https://www.google.c...lient=firefox-a

The Makerbot printer is great but nowhere near capable of producing a product similar to what Shapeway does.
I've never heard what printer they use but you can be sure it's not a "home 3D printer".

[shucky]

Chief I second that. Can you share what printing service printed that wheel? I'll say that may be the finest surface finish I've seen in a 1/24 or 1/25 scale 3D printed part.

[Ace-Garageguy]

The Makerbot printer is great but nowhere near capable of producing a product similar to what Shapeway does.
I've never heard what printer they use but you can be sure it's not a "home 3D printer".

Yes, agreed. Just for clarification, the question was " Is there any visual. That shows this process on action." (from my80malibu) The links I posted simply show the process, which is similar to larger machines producing finer resolution.

Edited by Ace-Garageguy, 08 November 2012 - 04:39 AM.