3D Printer

[richiep350]

Amazing! imagine what you could print

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHnMj6dxj4

[EH 370z]

In theory it would make a parts department redundant.

Imagine selecting your part on the internet and having it made, and ready, by the time you have turned up at a shop!

[AK350Z]

Becoming really widespread in R&D now, companies can make prototypes in an afternoon. This was in the news recently to: http://news.discovery.com/tech/printed-jawbone-120207.html

[EH 370z]

Becoming really widespread in R&D now, companies can make prototypes in an afternoon. This was in the news recently to: http://news.discovery.com/tech/printed-jawbone-120207.html

 

Just clicked that link - gross

[HaydnH]

£15k at present, you'd have to sell a few parts to make your money back, When are you getting 1 Alex?

 

http://www.jetmedia.co.uk/popprods.htm?product=CQ656A

[spursmaddave]

£15k at present, you'd have to sell a few parts to make your money back, When are you getting 1 Alex?

 

http://www.jetmedia.co.uk/popprods.htm?product=CQ656A

 

Going on HP prices the cartridges are probably £10k each

[Cragus]

That cannot be for real!!! That is awesome

[Ebized]

Just think of the possibilities

[ATTAK Z]

we've put these into a few schools recently

[Zugara]

[Leeroy]

We use these at work a lot, in fact we're thinking about getting one for the studio.

Each model is

pretty expensive - something 400x400x400mm is about a grand depending on complexity. It's very cool when you get a model delivered that you only just sent for printing that day

These are nice versions for the home http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/08/makerbot/

[rtbiscuit]

these have been around for a while, been using different versions of those for the last 5 years. i currnetly have a 3D ABS printer that extrudes layers of ABS and builds up the model in the same method. we use it for prototyping. the powder ones are kind of the latest versions.

 

the one at my current school we actually bought as a kit and built the machine ourself from scratch.

[Chesterfield]

As above, seen these some time ago. My first thought was that I could finally replace that missing level gear from my technic lego differential.

 

Prices have come down in the last few years and it won't be long until they are feasible for home use.

[sparky370z]

Right, am I just being a total dumb ass here. Do these machines actually exist? If they do, is there anyone down south that would let me see one working?

 

It is awesome!

[rtbiscuit]

yes they actually exist

 

we have something smiliar to this just on a smaller scale

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OiN8wNyLdTI#!

 

it uses an ABS wire fed into basically a heat gun that melts the ABS and distributes it in layers and builds it up. its like reverse of CNC milling

[HaydnH]

An impressive example I found on the net: http://i.materialise.com/blog/entry/3d- ... a-supercar

[rtbiscuit]

i think it should be now that we point out how expensive it is to manufacture in ABS, the machine i had at my old place took ABS cartridges, they were very expensive, we had a student mock up a kids toy train at 1 foot long and 7" high it cost about £60 in materials.

 

these new powder based resin printers are cheaper to maintain but costs are still high.

[Leeroy]

i think it should be now that we point out how expensive it is to manufacture in ABS, the machine i had at my old place took ABS cartridges, they were very expensive, we had a student mock up a kids toy train at 1 foot long and 7" high it cost about £60 in materials.

 

these new powder based resin printers are cheaper to maintain but costs are still high.

 

£60 is cheap Materials don't cost much if you have the luxury of playing with a machine at work/school but it is expensive to out-source the models due to high equipment/maintenance costs, as I said.....

We use these at work a lot. Each model is pretty expensive - something 400x400x400mm is about a grand depending on complexity.

This is for the powder based models......