3D printing now offered from a mainstream model company...

[Brett Barrow]

Noticed Moebius had a sign up at Wonderfest 2013 (a sci-fi model show) a couple weeks ago that said they were offering parts through Shapeways.com's 3D printing service. So far all they've got for sale are a couple 1/32 items to complement their 1/32 Battlestar Galactica Vipers, but these could probably work on 1/32 real-world aircraft as well, and the tool box could fit into a 1/32 slot car pit lane...

http://www.shapeways.com/shops/moebiusmodels

Interesting to see this offered by a mainstream injection-molded model company. Opens the door for all sorts of possibilities.

Edited May 29, 2013 by Brett Barrow

[Harry P.]

Interesting to see this offered by a mainstream injection-molded model company. Opens the door for all sorts of possibilities.

That's just the tip of the iceberg. Soon "mainstream injection-molded model companies" will be offering entire kits as downloadable software. And one day all model kits will be "manufactured" that way. The traditional injection-molded kit (at least as far as new releases) is living on borrowed time.

[bbowser]

I've got to agree with Harry. I think this is where the hobby is headed, and entire kits are not that far away.

[martinfan5]

That is neat, I am really interested to see what is to come from 3D printing and how its going to change the hobby, this is just the beginning

[Joe Handley]

I'm not surprised that of all the players in this market, that it's Moebius stepped up first.

[Harry P.]

I'm not surprised that of all the players in this market, that it's Moebius stepped up first.

Yep. If anyone would be the first to take the plunge, it would be them! I agree, not a surprise at all. Moebius seems to be "in tune" with the state of the art as far as the hobby is concerned.

[Lownslow]

That is neat, I am really interested to see what is to come from 3D printing and how its going to change the hobby, this is just the beginning

Not just 3D printing but 3D imaging which is why moebius is so fart ahead of the game compared to revell and AMT the reason theyre so behind is because they stick to traditional tool and die methods as opposed to rapid prototyping and you end up with a chop top mustang,

[Deano]

That's just the tip of the iceberg. Soon "mainstream injection-molded model companies" will be offering entire kits as downloadable software. And one day all model kits will be "manufactured" that way. The traditional injection-molded kit (at least as far as new releases) is living on borrowed time.

Yep ... I can't wait for the $500 model cars! I mean, seriously? A 1/32 scale toolbox that you have to buy in two parts and costs almost $25??? I don't hear death knells for traditional kits just yet.

[martinfan5]

Yep ... I can't wait for the $500 model cars! I mean, seriously? A 1/32 scale toolbox that you have to buy in two parts and costs almost $25??? I don't hear death knells for traditional kits just yet.

Its going to take awhile, no one said its going to be hear next week, and I am sure the cost is going to come down as well, its a matter of time

[Eshaver]

I wonder if Moebius has heard about Revell's 1990 Mustang fiasco yet ? Now here's an opportunity to salvage a botched plan !

[Harry P.]

Costs will come down dramatically.

My first VCR cost $850. By the time VCRs were being replaced by DVRs, you could buy a brand new VCR with more features than my first one had, for a hundred bucks.

The day is not far off when every Walmart and Office Max will sell 3-D printers as commonly as they now sell "regular" printers, and model kits will be sold as downloadable software for the price of a "normal" kit... maybe even less.

[martinfan5]

Costs will come down dramatically.

My first VCR cost $850. By the time VCRs were being replaced by DVRs, you could buy a brand new VCR with more features than my first one had, for a hundred bucks.

The day is not far off when every Walmart and Office Max will sell 3-D printers as commonly as they now sell "regular" printers, and model kits will be sold as downloadable software for the price of a "normal" kit... maybe even less.

Well , the only issue with that is the model companys getting on-broad, with it, we can see that Moebius is already getting their feet wet if you will, so I wonder how long tell Revell or Round 2 will get their feet wet, if at all

[Ace-Garageguy]

Well then...looks like the genie is out of the bottle a little quicker than all the naysayers would have had us believe. Prices WILL plummet. Remember folks, computers were once beyond the reach of all but the wealthiest companies, and governments.

I recall that Moebius' early Hornet "test-shots" were 3D printed, long before steel was cut for dies. It's really the only intelligent way to go, as far as verifying product BEFORE massive investment in tooling, so the Moebius management is paying attention to emerging tech and using it wisely.

Good show, Mo.

[Guest G Holding]

Agreed Bill, but the one sticking point still is styrene vs what is used in the 3D prototypes is not cheap, or sturdy....YET.

Time will fly in technology, but will the consumer benefit, or will the business sides come first, followed by Joe Six Pack ?

[martinfan5]

Agreed Bill, but the one sticking point still is styrene vs what is used in the 3D prototypes is not cheap, or sturdy....YET.

Time will fly in technology, but will the consumer benefit, or will the business sides come first, followed by Joe Six Pack ?

I am just guessing here, but I would think that its going to be on business side that is going to benefit first, as thats the side that has the money to invest right now, or is more willing to invest at this point, and then it will trickle down to the consumer side, but that is just a guess, so I could be wrong

[Brett Barrow]

We've seen 3D printing used by resin companies for their master patterns. Now I think we'll see it creep into the accessory/super-detailing side of plastic modeling. I don't think it'll kill plastic modeling at all, but rather could take it to another level as more companies integrate it into the design and development phase. It will totally eliminate the pattern-making stage of model kit development, going right from design to tool-cutting and still have a way to check shape before cutting steel. Will probably end up bringing costs down in the long run. If wooden ships and balsa airplanes are still around, I think plastic models are going to be around for a while...

But this is a cool idea, they could add a bunch of accessories or building options into the initial design, but only tool up the basic part of the design in plastic and leave some of the options to the 3D printing. You could have your 2-door hardtops in plastic, but you want a four-door or a station wagon?... Blam! We've already designed it for you, just have it printed and shipped to you, much like a resin body nowadays. Or the kit could come with a top-of-the-line V8, but you want that mainstreamer 4-cylinder?... Whammo! Just have it printed!

[Casey]

I'm still with Cadillac Pat on this one. It's good to see Moebius getting involved with this technology, but using one RP body to check how the design is coming along is a far cry from printing a set of 148 parts, with smooth surface detail....20,000 times. Yeah, the technology IS here, yes prices WILL go down, but it's still not practical not cost effective to mass produce kits, much less parts right NOW.

I don't think comparing Revell, Inc.'s and Round2's tooling archives to Moebius' is much of a comparison, either. Revell and Round2 have what, 10,000?, 15,000?? kits in their inventory and Moebius has maybe twenty total? It's a lot easier now for a relative upstart (and I don't use that term in a demeaning way) to jump into the new technology, though. I am all for it, and hope the other companies get involved, too. I just hope people don't get too giddy thinking this technology is some miracle elixir which will magically make every new kit perfect and provide each of us every subject/kit we ever wanted. I get the excitement, and I get that my opinion will come off as being a ol' stick-in-the-mud, needs-to-get-with-the-times type, but I'm tempering my excitement and holding down my own expectations until I see a part which equals the definition and texture/smoothness of an injection molded part. I haven't seen it yet, and though the American Racing Vector wheel Chief Joseph showed was very nice, it's not yet on the same quality level as injection molded parts, and where compared on a part(s) per cost basis, is nowhere even close. Using the Moebius 1/32 scale wheel/tires as an example of current cost, we're at $12.85 for a set of 1/32 Frosted Ultra Detail medium printed wheels and tires. I can hear the "I can almost buy an entire kit for that!" cries already, and while $12.00 may not be bad for a custom, one-off set of wheels (that's in my "I'd pay that! range), is Moebius really going to offer 12 different wheel options for each kit? That would be great if they did, but it might end up being a very slippery slope if they do. Then again, this is sort of uncharted territory, so we'll probably all have to wait and see what shakes out.

[Casey]

But this is a cool idea, they could add a bunch of accessories or building options into the initial design, but only tool up the basic part of the design in plastic and leave some of the options to the 3D printing. You could have your 2-door hardtops in plastic, but you want a four-door or a station wagon?... Blam! We've already designed it for you, just have it printed and shipped to you, much like a resin body nowadays. Or the kit could come with a top-of-the-line V8, but you want that mainstreamer 4-cylinder?... Whammo! Just have it printed!

You beat me by a few minutes, but going with this "endless options" idea (which I love BTW), how far will the company go in designing the extra bodies, hubcaps, trim pieces, etc. for each model or sub-model? Are they going to pay a designer to design the specific parts for a '58 Chevy Yeoman 4-door wagon kit option when only eleven people may ever order it?

We're also forgetting about the fact that while this 3D prinitng technology is quickly improving, it may also be obsolete in twenty years, replaced by something faster, more efficient, and cheaper. Injection molding has withstood the test of time for 60 years, and is still hugely popular today, so I'm not convinced it's the dinosaur some people think it might be. And even if it is that dinosaur, they sure had a pretty good run.

[1930fordpickup]

Three cheers for start of something good . It will be years for this to pay off but well worth the gamble.This will press the others at going forward. I am sure they are all looking and have been looking at this as an option.

[Harry P.]

I'm still with Cadillac Pat on this one. It's good to see Moebius getting involved with this technology, but using one RP body to check how the design is coming along is a far cry from printing a set of 148 parts, with smooth surface detail....20,000 times. Yeah, the technology IS here, yes prices WILL go down, but it's still not practical not cost effective to mass produce kits, much less parts right NOW.

You're completely misunderstanding the concept. Kits will not be "mass produced." The kit companies will sell the software to the buyer, who then outputs the kit on his own home 3-D printer. No more producing, packaging, storing and shipping thousands of kits. No more large factories and huge injection-molding machines. Think of the cost savings involved when a traditional kit manufacturer goes digital only.

[1930fordpickup]

Harry you hit the nail on the head. The one thing you left out though was the fact that they will sell less downloads than they do kits. We will no longer need a stash of kits for parts , or the fear they will never release the kit again.

[Harry P.]

Harry you hit the nail on the head. The one thing you left out though was the fact that they will sell less downloads than they do kits. We will no longer need a stash of kits for parts , or the fear they will never release the kit again.

And if you mess up a part, or lose a part, or mess up the paint job... just print another piece!

[1930fordpickup]

Harry this is going to be so cool when the technology hits its stride. The cost is the big holdup. Over 15 years in and it is still pricey.

[Harry P.]

Harry this is going to be so cool when the technology hits its stride. The cost is the big holdup. Over 15 years in and it is still pricey.

The costs will come down. We're probably still several years away from true mass-market 3-D printing at mass-market prices, but it's coming.

[shucky]

Same old thread and same old hype. I completely agree with Casey and Pat as well. I'm intrigued just as much or more than some of you but some of the claims and speculation / direction of the hobby and future production of kits is just unrealistic to say the least. It will be a very long time before a 3D printed part can match the quality of an injection molded part, especially in 1/24-1/25 scale. It will be an even longer time before a home 3D printer can poop out those parts of that same quality of an injection molded part at an affordable cost comparative rate. And no one seems to mention what it's like to even work with the printed media. It soaks up primer and paint, it's brittle, has limitations with acceptable glue, etc. Some day cars will have no wheels, they will float and hover and be propelled by a yet undiscovered propulsion method. That day is not tomorrow, not next week, and not next year. And neither is 3D printing at home with superior high quality at an affordable rate. Some of you will be dust in the wind before this happens.