I thought this was pretty amazing: Yesterday HP officially rolled out the 'consumer' version of its 3D printer. Basically, it makes a 3 dimensional object from a CAD/CAM file by building up tiny layers of plastic. The first version is priced at $17k, but within a few years I suspect these will be within reach of the average Joe. http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-04/hp-prints-three-dimensions-release-designjet-3d I know we all like tradition, and there's nothing cooler than vintage shop tools... ancient Bridgeports, lathes etc... but this kind of device will be a real boon to the hobby. Imagine "printing" a plastic model of some long-gone, super rare part, and using it to cast your own homemade replica. Possibilities are endless.
We have a larger one at work that we used to do prototypes, samples, etc. You need a "sls" format file to generate the part geometry and the finish can be rough unless you want to wait longer and go with an extra fine surface. I saw an even smaller one maybe a year ago in an article, it was supposed to go for less than $5k. Still a great toy and the ability to do rapid prototyping is super cool. We have a few local colleges that rake in extra bucks making samples for companies. Bob
One that really effin' cool (and really affordable) is the open source 'MakerBot' ABS plastic printer. Sells for less than $1000, but can only do objects up to 4"x4"x6". http://www.makerbot.com/
I have seen commercial versions and it blew me away what was possible. Imagine the fun one could have with unlimited access to one of those.
I've seen rapid prototyping machines that would make finished products...like fully functioning bearings! Powdered metals make it possible. When I was interviewing with Northrup Grumman, they were using a RPM to make titanium nose pieces for planes to house radar equipment. One of the advantage was it was significantly cheaper to use a powdered version of titanium and have the part "printed" to spec than to start with a chunk of billet titanium and machine it to spec - with less chance of a screw up in the process. The process is awesome...I'd love to have one sitting in my shop!
Pretty cool. I see the one that prints color plastic is more expensive. It also looks like as with all printers they kill you on the printing materials. HP website says the plastic media is about $1200 a shot. Yikes! Wonder how much that would print.
HP may be giving you a huge quantity for that amount I don't know. They have no specs for it other than color and price right now. It is too bad the MakerBot doesn't do larger sizes.
I did a research paper on this technology and they have ones that can print using metal it is call selective lazer sintering and can build things using metal powed. Cool but in no way affordable to the average joe
The one we had/have at the school cost us 7K 6 years ago. But it/they are pretty cool. You can make instant (OK nearly instant) casting cores.
Have they or will they get to the point where the machine can replicate internal chambers from a solid model (ala Jurassic Park III)... it would be fun to stick a Frontenac DOHC in there and let the machine go at it!
I have some experience with a few prototype machines and they are amazing (kinda like the first 8 pen rotary plotters were) The more technology they throw at fabrication/assembly the less anyone actually knows. If this IS the future, we will need a fleet of nerds and they will still not know how to run a machine that doesn't have a keyboard and a cup holder.
I'm shure someone is already using it in the adult "toy" industry. Imagine, custom "personal Satisfaction" devices.
I work in this field as well. Prototyping and additive manufacturing is amazing but I think I appreciate it more than most youngins having gone through a Tool & Die apprenticeship and having to build stuff from scratch. Technology is an amazing thing, but it really dumbs down the work pool when it comes to actual hands on fabricating. A couple years ago I was looking into purchasing my own system and often had to show the sales reps how to do things like grease the slides and adjust set screws. I'd still like to get my own, and some of the price points are relatively reasonable, but the manufacturers hold the proprietary rights to all of their machines' materials and that's where they make their money.
we have a large one and it has payed for it's self with the loss of scrap billet. it made our life so much easier
Really cool technology. Those of us that have fabbed parts and then found out that things weren't perfect can get excited about this stuff. I saw the piece on Leno. For an old guy that appreciates technology, I was excited.
Some of the technology that goes into the powdered metals is unbelievable. My first experience with the Direct Metal Laser Sintering processes blew me away in the late 90's, and now, there isn't much that cannot be made. It's still not perfect and definitely not cheap, but if it can be imagined, then it can be produced. I've seen things from freeformed profile hugging internal cooling lines for production tooling to beautiful one off unique sculptures that would be impossible to make by any traditional methods. I just don't tire of the stuff.
Those machines are on the cheep side and will do the job, but for good usable parts you need the big daddy machines. Check out 3DSystems, EOS out of Germany and Stratasys. these are the machines dreams are made of. You can now sinter metals, Glass filled nylon and even Carbon Fiber. I have been playing with these machines since the birth of the first SLS machine and I still get blown away at how far they have come. there is nothing it can't build. If you can imagine it, it can be done. Do a youtube search for rapid prototyping and check them out.
I just started working in this industry this year and have been blown away by what these machines are capable of. The company I started working for electroplates metal on to these technologies. Now the coolest thing is that you can reverse engineer a one of a kind part and make it chrome just like the original!! AWESOME!! (if you can afford it!)
lol.... that's what i was thinking. now the ladies can "3D-out" a perfect duplicate of her favorite porn star's dick in the material and color of her licking, um.... LIKING. one day however, all monitors will be 3D theaters, the images begin reproduced by holographic lasers. before that happens though, the introduction of remotely controlled "sex bots" will be all the rage.
I first saw sls parts in ohh about 1995, the company I was at had some prototypes made, 20 grand for about 6 lbs of plastic and boy were the parts rough! Now we have an in house machine and a full time tech. We make all kinds of protytpe parts and assemblies, fully functional before we go into production. Of course it's only the small assemblies. If we can ever prototype a full 20,000 lbs rated independant suspension, I'll get excited! Still I'd love to have one of these, a cnc mill and my pro/e station at home, oh the things I could make....
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