3d printers 5

[cranky108]

How will 3D printers change how we do our designs. And now with conductive plastics, there are fewer parts to assemble.

 

[JohnRBaker]

For some comments on 3D Printing, from a financial and investing point of view:

http://articles.marketwatch.com/2013-01-26/commentary/36556945_1_3-d-printer-device-object

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[berkshire]

John,
Interesting article, I notice that the writer mentioned several Cad programs, but did not mention the one 3D systems bought a couple of years ago, Alibre inc.
B.E.

 

[cranky108]

I still believe it could have the potential to reduce the after market car parts industry to only having to stock parts that can't be printed.

Go to the parts store needing a new air dam, and they print you one in an hour. Then they can change the plastic, and print you a new brake light cover.

Although I have been racking my brain to think of other industries, out side of cars, boats, etc, that use so much plastic parts.

 

[ivymike]

toys/games (look up "Seej")
adult "entertainment" (use your imagination)
telecom (think phone covers etc)
cooking (moulds, cookie cutters, etc)
anything using castings

 

[behindpropellers]

Have you guys ever used a 3D printer?

Its just another process that is available. Price is determined by durability as well as accuracy.


Tim

 

[ivymike]

Have you guys ever used a 3D printer?
Interesting question

 

[cranky108]

No, I have enough hobbies without a 3D printer. The $3K price tag for something I don't yet have a use for just dosen't make since.
I would think differently if I had a use. I could set it on the beer fridge my wife won't let me purchase.

I'm rather interested in where this technology might be going, however. Or if it will die like so many other ideas.

 

[debodine]

Remember that science fiction usually predates workable models by about 4-5 decades. Star Trek posited "replicators" during the 1960's. As long as someone can design materials that can be plotted/printed, eventually someone will make it.

Also can you imagine someday small "home use" cartridges of steel, that at the correct temperature (controlled in the 3D printer itself) will flow through your home use 3D printer to make a new cooking pan for your stove? Or a custom wrench for your tool kit?

Back to the Star Trek replicators of the future, extrudable food already exists too. )

 

[bithkits]

For interest:

http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/29/3d-printer-guide/

Mechatronics Engineer from South Africa.

 

[kwb74]

I had some parts done in late '97 early '98 timeframe they were stupid expensive at the time ~$4500 for 6 parts about the size of baseball (three of each) we then used those to make parts for testing via investment casting the pieces. The technology was still pretty new and it killed me to burn them away instead of a cool bit of desk art.

Since then my employer has brought this technology in house and every tom dick and harry engineer has some part from one of the various processes (machines) we have scattered around the office. Bad thing is that these machines let them do things that we cannot then tool up for actual production runs without all sorts of complexity to tooling that was never budgeted for. The other bad part is a lot of the S&M management types see "plastic prototypes" and think we are on the verge of a launch and not 20+wks out because we have to cut steel.

And the point about durability and accuracy is very true -- the little I have seen from the "maker" printers leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[beej67]

So there's this..

http://www.infowars.com/ar-30-round-magazines-now-available-for-download-seriously/

Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East -

http://www.campbellcivil.com

 

[cranky108]

So much for regulating them.

Without going into the gun issue, is it also possible that other illegal things can be printed?

What about plastic knifes?

 

[berkshire]

What about plastic knifes?

How about a metal one using 3D lazer sintering.
B.E.

 

[SnTMan]

Well, the files themselves will have to become illegal. Good luck with that.

Regards,

Mike

 

[SnTMan]

On second thought, I suppose not, just illegal to make the artifact. Good luck with that too.

 

[JohnRBaker]

3D Printing is popping-up everywhere:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/3d-printed-food_n_2687028.html

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[beej67]

So there's this.

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2013/03/07/dita-von-teese-reveals-first-3d-printed-gown/

Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East -

http://www.campbellcivil.com

 

[cranky108]

I did not see any information on the type of printer (size, or capabilities, or cost). But Nylon is a plastic, and this was not something I had thought about being printable (clothing).

One modification they can make to the printer for this application is to have it print on to a 3D figure of the person it is being printed for (sort of like those dress things my mother had).
This would reduce the number of seems needed, and the manual assimbly.

I also did not see any comparson between printing the gown and having it made in a sweat shop.

Thought: this could make sweat shop workers unemployed. Replaced by technology, just like trafic camaras are replacing police.

 

[FeX32]

Fe (IronX32)

 

[MDGroup]

In case you missed it, here is a link to the latest 3D Printing technology:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/f487/