3D Printing - The next big thing?
Turbo Mini Forums

What do people think about the rise of 3D printing? I think the idea is great but can't think of many things I'd use it for. Perhaps if I had one though I'd come up with more ideas for it.
Looks like in a couple of years they'll be widely available and reasonably cheap to buy.

http://www.makerbot.com/

About £1300 for this

Edited by dan187 on 25th Oct, 2012.

1275 N/A Sprite, 998 T2 Turbo Mayfair
1275 EFi Turbo

the ideas behind this stuff is mental. there are mega technologies out there these days. do you know they actually grow aircraft engine turbine blades from crystals.

balls to the blower!!!



1330,stage3 head, gt1549, canems ecu, S/C box and drops

a 3d metal printer would be infinitely useful! one thing i haven't heard of is using the machine to create different grain structures, or at least different densities, within the component. i wonder if this is possible? probably already being done for all i know!

for the mountain bikers here, Charge bikes use titanium printing to form the dropouts for some of their Ti frames. very cool.

They are great and there are loads of things I could think of making. I wonder how much the ink cartridges are????

http://www.twin-turbo.co.uk
http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/default.asp

A man without a project is like a like a woman without a shopping list.

http://innovationnow.raeng.org.uk/innovati...nt.aspx?item=15

If something is worth doing, it's worth doing half of.

Sounds something like?

If something is worth doing, it's worth doing half of.

guys used this to crate a iphone holder for a mini to replace the ash tray on the top rail. clever bit of kit

I looked into this last year.

Theres a vid on youtube somehwere where they "print" an adjustable spanner from a real one. The printed one was just as good as the original and worked perfectly fine - could adjust it the lot.

Be handy to replicate some mini parts

printed cylinder heads anyone?

I was talking to a guy at EXPO 2011 In london about this he said the machine they are working on will mix and metal the materials and can make pretty much anything with like 1% wasteage across the whole run these machines are nuts he also reconed it wouldn't be long till auto motive are using them but its still in productions for metals and that but plastics it works brill with my mate makes loads of stuff at his work with it just need 3d cad or cam and works a treat.

I believe when SC designed their 7-port that had a 3d printed prototype. was plastic though.

If something is worth doing, it's worth doing half of.

My work are always splashing out on 3d printed models, normally for show but there is talk of some titanium printed bits on the horizon. Better get modelling my 3d mini head. lol

F1 teams take 3d printers to each race with them, allows them to print and race small aero updates at the track!

This is FORD country, on a quiet day you can hear Vauxhalls rusting.

A school in Barnsley had a similiar sort of thing but it didnt print it was almost like a cnc miller. You stuck a block of foam type stuff in and it cut it out.

Kid used to make models n shit with it.

1/4 Mile 14.3secs 96Mph Terminal 10psi of boost.


Fibreglass Parts? - http://www.tdkracing.co.uk/
Split Rims? - http://www.force-racing.co.uk/

I considered making a plenum and various other bits with one.

There are several ways in which this can be done, we use a few of the different types at work (Williams F1), the machines are amazing and they can do a variety of components with them, although not many of the components make it onto the car, they are generally used on the mock-up car to ensure everything fits. Proper metal stuff can be made by selective laser sintering or whatever they call it, the problem is it costs a rediculous amount to create components and it often cheaper to just machine them normally. Just google 'rapid prototyping' for more info.

I have seen an engine block from one of the well known UK automotive consultants that had been printed with this technology. Great way of visualizing potential issues ahead of cutting expensive metal.

I use one at work a lot, it's 2ft x 2ft x 3ft so a little larger (and spendier) than this one. Has paid for itself many times over.
You still have to design the thing that you are making though... It doesn't just spit out a john deere on its own, and just like anything where a human interacts with a computer: Shit in = shit out.
i.e. your deere may look different from that advertised.

http://www.shapeways.com/

just send in your file online and you get it shipped back.

I think it is pretty amazing

That sir, is not rust, it is the progressive mass reduction system

http://aseriesmodifications.wordpress.com/

doesn't the pirate bay have a section for 3d printer files? so you can pirate real stuff rather than just digital things

true, i was looking at 3d printers the other day and they are smart but like everything it will open a can of worms to even more counterfeit products :(

anyway it will probably cost you more to make your own than to buy them