Answer to parts NLA??

[Jonny B]

Check this out, printing parts!! Waaaaaaaaaaay beyond cool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZboxMsSz5Aw

[Jordan]

  Yes, Jonny, very cool.

[thelews]

Jay Leno demonstrated something like this.  It may still be linked on his website.

[CraigD]

Jay Leno at his garage discussing 3-d printing:  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggvzcGdZsTc


I teach Autodesk "Inventor" and the use of a 3-d printer in my high-school pre-engineering classroom.  If someone wants a part printed, let me know!  

[Iconic]

Stereolithography in polymer type materials has been around for many years.
There was also a model that made models out of, literally, paper. It would layer, glue, and cut with a laser. The result was something like your part made out of a block of wood.
Like most technologies, they improve over time, get less expensive, and get smaller.
This is very cool.
I'd like to have a friend who has one.

[CraigD]

The parts on the printer I use are made of ABS plastic, like Leno's example.  You can vary the densisty to control material use... from solid to a lighter honeycomb. They're atually quite strong.  I'm soon to receive a version of the printer that uses a "water soluble" support material, meaning that when your part is complete, you drop it in water and it dissolves the support material (necessary for most part configurations) away.  This allows for more intriciate, delicate, or interlocking parts.  The parts are accurate to +/- .010".  My current machine has a maximum size of 10"x10"x12", the new water soluble machine is 8"x8"x10" maxiumum. 

If someone wants to make a part, let me know.  There is some cost for the material, but it works well for part development.  Once you've developed all the final features and dimensions of the part, you can either use the ABS plastic part that has printed, or send the electronic part file to a CNC shop for production of a metal part.

[tel76]

Hello Craig,
Would it be possible to make a grille star and have it CNC manufactured,this may be the answer to having an expensive MB part.

[stickandrudderman]

Would it be possible to make a grille star and have it CNC manufactured,this may be the answer to having an expensive MB part.

MB's lawyers will be on you like a ton of bricks if you do!

[JamesL]

MB's lawyers will be on you like a ton of bricks if you do!

That'd be a genuine, expensive ton of bricks or the cheaper aftermarket ton of bricks?

[CraigD]

I'm intrigued by the challenge of modeling particularly interesting parts.    Parts that are "curvy" have modeling challenges that aren't present in more rectangularly shaped parts.  The other interesting technology that helps in modeling curvy parts is the new 3-d scanner that is also shown in Leno's video.  I will soon have one of those 3-d scanners, too, which will be another tool to be used in modeling more challenging, curvy parts.