159 replies to this topic

[Danno]

The single biggest problem is the one we were told to ignore and that is accuracy.  As I alluded too, another issue is that most the game models I have seen are modeled to surfaces and not solids.  This does not sound like much, but, can be painful.  For instance, the Atom model that I have going on in another thread, the tires are surfaces as I had no intention of printing them.  I am using some off the shelf Pegasus tires and made some surface representations of them as place holders.  If I forget to turn them off the printing software just ignores them, anyway. 

 

Basically if the model is a 3D solid, it is just a simple software handshake and make sure it is within your printing minimums and water tight.

 

Some of you undoubtedly know, but, you can save 3D data in pdf's.  I have attached one of the 1/24th scale jack I did as a sample.  Just click in the picture and rotate, pan and zoom with your mouse.  There is also the ability to comment and measure and turn items off and on if it has been set up for it.

 

 

OMG!  That's awesome.

[Fender]

It is very interesting to watch one work--  there was one at the company I worked at. It had a little window where you could see the part come into being.  That was a few years ago. I have a part from the machine. It's a sectioned off box about 3 x3 with  about 3/8" walls, closed in except for the top of the "box". White plastic. Very clean very distinct smoothe  edges and corners. The first thing I thought when I saw this printer was how it could make model parts.  Like any new technology the printer was not cheap. It needed it's own air-conditioning unit and venting. That was big bucks.

[sjordan2]

Just saw this on another forum: The James Bond DB5 that was destroyed in "Skyfall" was a 1/3 scale model that was 3D printed...

 

http://www.dailymail...ous-scenes.html

[GerN]

http://www.kk.org/cooltools/

 

This excellent website recommends an issue of Make magazine devoted to 3D printing.  It sounds like a good summary of where the technique is currently.

[Modelbuilder Mark]

I have read thru this post, and am excited about the technology, but to be honest, and not sure that I have the "architectural" or Design/drafting" skills needed to implement it. Say I need a replacement carb, I would assume I need a fully detailed digital redering for the "printer" to work from, would I not? If I have NO clue how to do this drafting, or insufficient time in my life to learn the skill, then the tool would not be helpful would it? 

 

I certainly can see several aftermarket firms getting great use out of the tool.

[Michigan Madman]

You know, they laughed long and hard at Gene Roddenberry with his communicators and replicators in Star Trek. Now here we are only a half decade later with cell phones (some of which still flip open) and 3D printing. Makes me wonder what's next. SNARK!  

Captain Picard had an iPad... back when Next Generation first aired in 1987.

Checkmate.

[CadillacPat]

You know, they laughed long and hard at Gene Roddenberry with his communicators and replicators in Star Trek. Now here we are only a half decade later with cell phones (some of which still flip open) and 3D printing. Makes me wonder what's next. SNARK!  

 

Who laughed at  him???????

 

I don't remember anyone laughing at or ridculing Roddenberry.

We all knew, as did he, that he was writing about the distant future, that's why they called it Star Trek.

He was not writing about tomorow morning.

 

I don't see anyone carrying 3D Printers in their pocket that will instantly replicate every single part of a model kit with the simple press of a single button?

At this point in time, that is laughable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

To correct you, it has been 47 years, not half a decade, more like half a century, since the first Star Trek.

 

CadillacPat

Edited by CadillacPat, 04 March 2013 - 02:35 PM.

[Greg Myers]

To answer some legal questions.

 

http://www.wimp.com/printingchange/

[Greg Myers]

 

Who laughed at  him???????

 

I don't remember anyone laughing at or ridculing Roddenberry.

We all knew, as did he, that he was writing about the distant future, that's why they called it Star Trek.

He was not writing about tomorow morning.

 

I don't see anyone carrying 3D Printers in their pocket that will instantly replicate every single part of a model kit with the simple press of a single button?

At this point in time, that is laughable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

To correct you, it has been 47 years, not half a decade, more like half a century, since the first Star Trek.

 

CadillacPat

You're right Pat ,they'll never get it off the ground . "If God wanted men to fly . . .

 

[MAGNUM4342]

Captain Picard had an iPad... back when Next Generation first aired in 1987.

Checkmate.

No Checkmate...I do not recognise Picard's authority! I sail with Captain Janeway.

 

Correction! Aparently I typed "decade" in my earlier post when I meant century.  DOH!

Edited by MAGNUM4342, 05 March 2013 - 07:47 AM.

[sjordan2]

To answer some legal questions.

 

http://www.wimp.com/printingchange/

 

Best update on the subject that I've seen yet.

[CadillacPat]

You're right Pat ,they'll never get it off the ground . "If God wanted men to fly . . .

 

 

Greg your attempt at comparing this early airplane with 3D printing only supports my opinion.

The number of people flying in 1903 is directly comparative with the number of modelers in 2013 who are printing out models with 3D printers.

Give it another 25 years.

 

 

CadillacPat

[Lownslow]

were there i plan on reasearching which other classes i need to take in order to draw bodies and convert mesh into printable objects

[Henchmen4Hire]

I look forward to the day we'll all have affordable good 3D printers at home, but I think it's going to happen when I'm dead already, so it's hard to get excited haha. All the home-3D-printers I've seen so far print things that look like a pile of spaghetti, the midrange ones leave some kind of ugly texture, only the really expensive ones print exactly what you want it seems.

[DirtModeler]

3D printing is going to pretty much kill off any low volume injection molded kit companies. Period.

 

Injection molded kits will still exist, but only the high sales models... the niche markets are going to exclusively be 3D printed.

 

The quality now is pretty good, and it's getting better every year.

 

Shapeways is what most people are using these days.  The quality of their Frosted Ultra Detail is decent.. but definitely not great.  There are better printers out there that print higher quality parts.. but the cost jumps quite a lot to the point they are only suitable for resin masters.

 

I expect to see injection molded quality 3D prints with no visible layer lines on the prints by 2020 on machines that will be around $2000.

 

There will be cheaper machines out there, but they won't print as nicely. (just like you can get a cheap inkjet printer today that prints pretty good)

[DirtModeler]

.... And here's that technology.

 

THIS will be the technology of the High End Printers of the 2020 future.  I think $2,000 is a little on the low side.  I think these will be more like $35,000 to $50,000 and owned by many cottage industry manufacturers.

 

http://www.nbcnews.c...tures-1C8734562

 

Nano Scale 3D Printing, and it's already here.

 

My guess?

 

"low end" printing will be mainstream by 2020 (what we consider high end today)... This Nano Scale printing will print truly seamless prints on par with injection molded parts.  But it won't be truly mainstream in the sub $5000 range until 2030.

Edited by DirtModeler, 09 March 2013 - 09:52 PM.

[Greg Myers]

TRD is already a start in this direction, although kind of pricey. I think companys like Galaxie and Accurate Miniatures will pop up giving us the unusual kits we all talk about.

[CadillacPat]

 

 

I think $2,000 is a little on the low side.  I think these will be more like $35,000 to $50,000 

 

But it won't be truly mainstream in the sub $5000 range until 2030.

 

This is much  more in line with the reality of how I see this happening

 

CadillacPat

[Rob Hall]

I'll probably dabble in 3d printing a bit here soon, my company has ordered a Makerbot Replicator 2 for our new office fun room.  Not sure what we will do with it (my company does enterprise software/web site consulting).

[sjordan2]

Seems to me that home 3D printing has to go hand-in-hand with home 3d scanning as far as modelers are concerned, and they seem to be progressing at a similar rate. Outside 3D files will be necessary for choosing a large enough variety of subject matter, unless you're a brilliant engineer.  But I sure would like to have one of those hand-held scanners, which so far require the ability to strategically place readable dots on large subjects like a 1:1 car, sort of like motion capture in movies. (Quite a bit different from increasingly available laser scanners for somewhat smaller subjects.)

Edited by sjordan2, 10 March 2013 - 11:06 AM.