A new "golden age" of modeling, from technology?

[old-hermit]

The biggest problem I see in the future is the scan & print option. You could buy one kit, scan it into your computer and print out as many copies as you wanted. It could literely put the model companies out of business.

On the plus side of scan & print, you could scan a real car and print it in scale.

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[crazyjim]

People can do things to files so they can't be copied and used only one time.

[Ace-Garageguy]

The biggest problem I see in the future is the scan & print option. You could buy one kit, scan it into your computer and print out as many copies as you wanted. It could literely put the model companies out of business.

Same problem the music and film publishers are having with free downloads and file-sharing, unauthorized CD and DVD copying, etc.

[old-hermit]

I wasn't talking about files Jim.

I mean taking the model trees out of the box, scanning them and printing copies.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I wasn't talking about files Jim.

I mean taking the model trees out of the box, scanning them and printing copies.

Well, possible if you have a 3D scanner and the appropriate software. More expense. You also WILL lose resolution doing that, much as a Xerox of a Xerox eventually becomes unreadable. Even multiple copies from the first scan won't be as crisp as the original.

[Deathgoblin]

That's one of the things that has really interested me about 3D printing is the capability of making my own kits. Hopefully one of these days I can scrape up the cash to put one of these 3D printers together. I can do the 3D modelling without a problem. It would be nice to be able to do some of the stuff that hasn't been done since Jo-Han went out. Old Dodges, AMC's, even earlier stuff... The possibilities are endless.

[Shardik]

As for using 3D printing to create masters, then casting in resin, Industria Mechanikia http://industriamech...round-vehicles/ has been using this process for a while.

I just recieved a figure from them last month (Sasha the welding girl) and the detail and resolution are far beyond anything I've seen produced by "traditional" methods.

With regard to putting model companys out of business; probably. But only the stupid ones (Darwin be praised). In fact, this is creating whole new industries: The afore mentioned, Industria Mechanika, has a unique business model wherein they handle only the CAD model generation, packageing design and distribution of the finished product in house. The 3D printing is outsourced, the master thus created is then sent to the resin caster and the final product packaged up with some PE (also produced elsewhere from CG files) and rushed off to happy modelers worldwide.

HOORAY ENTREPRENEURISM !!!!

Edited July 8, 2012 by Shardik

[Chuck Doan]

I did a 3D printed gas pump in 1/24th scale a while back. I combined the printed parts with brass tubing and wire and some test tube glass to finish my “kit”. I spent about 75 bucks on all of the printed parts which was a deal for me since it would have taken me months to scratch the parts and they would not have turned out as well.

3D printing is no longer in the future, and it is only going to get better. The Sasha figure is a good example of how a concept can be turned into a part very quickly. The Mfg even came out with a different scale figure in just a few weeks.

[Rob Hall]

That gas pump looks very realistic.

[Shardik]

Chuck, your work is ammazing! It's no surprise, to me, that you would embrace the best methods to attain such exacting standards.

May I ask who did the printing for you and what software you used to generate the model?

[sjordan2]

That gas pump is perfect in every way that can be described.

Insofar as 3D modeling is concerned, I think one of the first things is for kit manufacturers to do is go back and scan 1:1 cars that they can produce in a much-improved form. When they do that, they can issue them in multiple scales. As a large-scale builder, I would find that of value if someone could replace the horrendous kits of automotive icons like the 1:12 Mercedes Gullwing (of which there is no particularly good kit at any scale) and Ferrari 275 GTB. Same goes for the old 60s Mustangs.

[Chuck Doan]

Thanks Rob!

Thank you Johann, the pump was created in Solidworks and printed by a now defunct division of Finelines Prototyping (Print A Part). I think a company called Shapeways is still doing Invision machine printing with thier "Frosted Ultra Detail" material.

I have an album with more info here:

http://public.fotki....pump/?show_vi=1

Thanks Skip, the whole 3D scanning thing is just as amazing as the printing. It reduces or eliminates the need to create models on the computer, and the scanner sizes are getting larger all the time.

Edited July 9, 2012 by Chuck Doan

[sjordan2]

Thanks Rob!

Thank you Johann, the pump was created in Solidworks and printed by a now defunct division of Finelines Prototyping (Print A Part). I think a company called Shapeways is still doing Invision machine printing with thier "Frosted Ultra Detail" material.

I have an album with more info here:

http://public.fotki....pump/?show_vi=1

Thanks Skip, the whole 3D scanning thing is just as amazing as the printing. It reduces or eliminates the need to create models on the computer, and the scanner sizes are getting larger all the time.

To me, the big thing is that so far, most 3D scanner output has pretty rough surfaces and requires quite a bit of sanding of the slices. I think it's going to be a long time before 3D printers are particularly accessible to the average home builder at a certain level of quality, regardless of equipment price. It's going to take a lot of aftermarket suppliers like TDR to help. I think step 1 is for them and kit manufacturers to take the lead with better product options.