3D printing

[ec_co]

I've been keeping my eye on 3D Printing technology and it looks like we are about to move to a new level for 3D metal printing, which is another huge step for us restoring cars. with plastic 3D printing we can print out some repro parts that aren't being made (yet) (like the '70 only emergency pull knob). now it looks like the cost of 3d metal printing is about to start getting much cheaper and make for some very real and cool possibilities in not only making exact metal reproduction parts by 3D scanning originals, but being able to more easily design new or off the wall concepts and make things in small quantities that currently isn't being done because of the cost and rate of return for a limited 'want' item (eg: the slant 6 world has been begging for a redesigned head, but R&D and production costs have killed a few of those 'projects')

100x faster, 10x cheaper: 3D metal printing is about to go mainstream

http://newatlas.com/desktop-metal-3d-printing/50654/


teaser:
This Massachussetts company is preparing to turn manufacturing on its head, with a 3D metal printing system that's so much faster, safer and cheaper than existing systems that it's going to compete with traditional mass manufacturing processes.

[Cuda Cody]

Pretty amazing stuff. 

[6bblgt]

This could be huge, folks. Hold on tight!

for prototyping, sure - but I'd imagine a cost effective 3D printed metal part for engine/suspension/high stress use is still a bit off in the future

[ec_co]

start thinking other non high-stress/high-load parts, there are a lot of parts that fit that niche now and as the tech gets better we move onto things the high stress/load parts.

the sad part though, is that as we are moving into being able to better restore our beloved gas guzzlers, the electrics and autonomous driving are starting to take a foothold and I think we may only have @ 20-30 years left to enjoy em as we do today and our loves relegated to lifelong garages and museums

[rebelyell]

This looks like what they're doing is a DMLS type process with MIM powder then following the rest of the MIM process with debind and sinter. Those last two steps are where the part gets it's density. I heard of SPJ process early this year, but haven't read much about it until this article. They seem to want to be the kids to knock 3D Systems and Stratasys down a notch. With a production capable machine under a half mil, it won't be long before R&D companies get a few and we'll get to see where they land in the pack.

Aside from cost and time, the one thing hindering 3D printing from being used on show cars is surface finish. Some of the nylon parts have a good surface finish, but they slow down the build tremendously and they're not very durable.

[HP_Cuda]

Schweeet! It's only 360k!!!

[GoodysGotaCuda]

It's pretty cool stuff. I designed and printed a tach mount to go into a standard gauge bezel. Very nice to be able to get a complex cross section like that and hit it on the first try.

[1 Wild R/T]

Yes they do some pretty cool stuff, as long as you understand it's limitations... For a gauge mount it's great, we print all sorts of mounts, we print bulkhead adapters to fit a dozen small multi pin connectors into one big cutout..... Typically we mold in a groove for an O ring at each opening.... We print all kinds of spacers... They all work great.....  However we have printed rollers & wheels that actually are expected to rotate every day for hours on end.... They fail... It was never a good place for a printed part, in the future maybe but not with the current equipment we have.....