3D scanning and printing in lieu of casting

[landman]

We see both here and on the web. I have a few scratchbuilt engines I'd like to duplicate. I was wondering if 3D would be simpler than casting. Or for just a few items, would it be cheaper and more expedient to farm it out?

[Ace-Garageguy]

You'll find that most 3D printed model products available at the moment are designed in CAD, and converted to STL for printing.

If you can do your own CAD work, you're golden. Shapeways will still print piecework for reasonable money.

But a hobby-priced scanner with sufficient resolution to do what you want doesn't yet exist (to the best of my knowledge today).

Making molds and casting parts is easy if you can follow relatively simple directions, but reproducing complex shapes with undercuts and allowing for draft-angles that will allow parts to come out of the mold takes some thought, and may require disassembly and modification of the original.

Here's some of what's available in low-end scanners.

https://pinshape.com/blog/the-11-best-3d-scanners-on-the-market/

There are also shops in some areas that offer scanneng and printing services, like this...

https://www.paliproto.com/index.php/services

[aurfalien]

Hi,

Not to seem like I know anything as me commenting on Monsignors Aces reply is like a donkey replying to a thoroughbred, but I totally agree with him.

In addition you will 99% have to clean up the scan in software which can be tricky even if you know 3D modeling warez, ie Maya, Cinema4D etc...

My client scanned in a simple sneaker (not so simple after all) and at the end it was determined to be cheaper and faster in terms of man hours to start from scratch and model it in 3D.

I was speaking to these ppl last year as they seemed able to scan something I would simply give to Shapeways for a test print;

http://www.mimic3d.com

I'd call em first and explain your goals as they may have 3D clean up down pat so cost could be minimal.

Then there is 3D printing which is another YOOOOGE area of fromagé.  I've a buddy who prints full size elaborate helmets and costume bits for crazy Halloween parties and that takes practise and knowledge.

So in the end, does technology make things easier?  Well sure until things go wrong or rather, not 100% right.  I mean can you debug your email problems, look at message headers and understand SMTP, routing and RBLs, etc...?

 

Edited November 25, 2017 by aurfalien

[Ace-Garageguy]

EDIT: I certainly do NOT pretend to be an expert (or even well versed) in this field. 

The most impressive scan-to-print model products I've seen to date are the military figures produced by Reedoak.

Real people in period costume were scanned in high-res (but I do NOT know the particulars of the process).

EDIT: Unfortunately, the PizzBucket debacle has resulted in a lot of the images on various scanning / printing forums to disappear forever. 

Edited November 25, 2017 by Ace-Garageguy

[landman]

Thanks, I'll check around but it looks that for half a dozen copies I'd better learn how to cast.

[Art Anderson]

In Purdue University's Young Hall (where I work), there is an entire lab (part of the School of Technology & Leadership), that has several 3D printers.  One night, a couple of weeks ago, I had a lot of fun watching their smallest 3D printer, happily working away.    Whatever it was printing was small (less than the size of a 1/25 scale pickup cab), and an incredibly detailed subject (whatever it was).  A couple of nights after that, it had a finished object still on it's table, this time, looking very much like a steam-fitting coupling.  This one was done in red, so it was easy to see just how fine a "resolution" it could do--I estimate the layers as being no more than .015", which would be great for model car work--very little in the way of surface prep would be needed, if it can print in at least, ABS.

I'm seriously thinking of seeing if I can make a connection with the professor or professors in charge of this--to see if a student might be interested in doing a model part or two, as a project for grades.  This could be interesting, indeed.

Art

 

[landman]

I posted these elsewhere but this is a 1:25 Ford V8 3D printed. the detail is incredible.

[Flat32]

I have a Sense 3D handheld scanner that I bought new for $450.  Just ordered a XYZ handheld for $179.  I don't scrimp on printers.  I have had bad teeth and bad work done on them.  I chose my new dentist wisely and chose one that is very tech savvy.  Helped him to decide what 3D printer to buy, paid him a lot of money for extensive dental work, and schmoozed my way into his onsite dental lab. I use dental tools and have made my own alginate impressions and cast models of my teeth which I mounted in an articulator.  I study everything like a dog on a bone.

[djflyer]

  On 12/2/2017 at 11:28 AM, landman said:

I posted these elsewhere but this is a 1:25 Ford V8 3D printed. the detail is incredible.

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Pat - I haven't found the other post.  Where did you get those from?  They look fantastic and you don't usually see the printing support structures from commercial sources.

[landman]

  On 12/10/2017 at 1:19 AM, djflyer said:

Pat - I haven't found the other post.  Where did you get those from?  They look fantastic and you don't usually see the printing support structures from commercial sources.

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I got them from Flat32 in the post just before mine.

[Flat32]

I don't sell my prints.  Supports are tedious to remove from the 1:25 scale parts especially.  Printer surprised me by successfully printing the water jackets in the heads and block at this scale.  Manifold has the internal runner passages.  I was perfectly happy printing 1:16 as my smallest, before I got on this forum with your TDS scale.  I'm inspired by Pat's F&B engine shop.  I love dioramas, but, like food, some are under cooked and some overdone on the distressing.  F&B is on target in my book.

[1930fordpickup]

  On 12/10/2017 at 5:05 AM, Flat32 said:

I don't sell my prints.  Supports are tedious to remove from the 1:25 scale parts especially.  Printer surprised me by successfully printing the water jackets in the heads and block at this scale.  Manifold has the internal runner passages.  I was perfectly happy printing 1:16 as my smallest, before I got on this forum with your TDS scale.  I'm inspired by Pat's F&B engine shop.  I love dioramas, but, like food, some are under cooked and some overdone on the distressing.  F&B is on target in my book.

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Ray that is some nice work you did that Pat posted for us to see. 

[landman]

  On 12/10/2017 at 5:05 AM, Flat32 said:

I don't sell my prints.  Supports are tedious to remove from the 1:25 scale parts especially.  Printer surprised me by successfully printing the water jackets in the heads and block at this scale.  Manifold has the internal runner passages.  I was perfectly happy printing 1:16 as my smallest, before I got on this forum with your TDS scale.  I'm inspired by Pat's F&B engine shop.  I love dioramas, but, like food, some are under cooked and some overdone on the distressing.  F&B is on target in my book.

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Thank you sir.