OK, Convince me!

Dave Bilyk

Dave Bilyk
Supporter
Hey Keith, it is so magic! We order components made this way for testing scaled prototype pumps.
Can get them in a fraction of the time it takes to cast and machine a real metallic component.
All we need to do is send them a 3D model by email and the part gets delivered a few days later for small items.
They are robust enough to be used for prototype test, but wouldn't last in a production pump. Since they are accurate, they give definitive performance results that can be scaled with confidence to full size.
If results show that the design needs to be changed, it can be done again quickly, someone has a bright design idea, you can test it - in this way products are brought to market in months instead of years.

Dave
 
COOL, I can chuck my wooden T44 patterns in that, tell the machine I want it in ~1967 aged magnesium colour & I will be able to satisfy the needs of 90% the T44 wannabee's since most of them are destined to be driveway specials...:):)
 

Keith

Moderator
COOL, I can chuck my wooden T44 patterns in that, tell the machine I want it in ~1967 aged magnesium colour & I will be able to satisfy the needs of 90% the T44 wannabee's since most of them are destined to be driveway specials...:):)

Yes, just impregnate with resin and you're good to go. Now, somewhere along the line, if this thing is for real, it will be able to work out all the cogs, dogs and bearings internally Jac, all you'll have to do is model them one time.

What's not to like?

All good explanations guys (especially Dave's) but the thread title is: "Convince me" well, I keep checking my calendar to see if it's April 1st, so I need some more convincing, like, well you know the weak spot for me is just reaching into a pile of powder and bringing out a perfect copy.

It's all a bit too glib for me.

Hmmmm, er, nah - still don't get it. :shifty:
 

Terry Oxandale

Skinny Man
So it builds a film 3.5 mils thick in sectionals, pushing it down into the medium with each build up pass, and when done, you've got a model of the needed part. What I couldn't buy was the laser scanning. How can the scan possibly pick up points in the Cressent wrench's worm gear that light couldn't reach?

Quite fascinating indeed!
 

Keith

Moderator
Exactly my point, hence my reply to Jac.

There must be something more. There's a definite gap and it may be down to IP rights, but I don't buy it all as explained. I am at 50/50 right now.
 

JimmyMac

Lifetime Supporter
Keith,
DMLS - "Direct Metal Laser Sintering" is the latest using this 3D manufacturing technology.
Check it out.
 

Keith

Moderator
Well now, Frank and Jimmy are in too. Unless it is a conspiracy of epic proportions, I will have to perhaps shelve my scepticism... (have no spell check so apologies if that ain't right guys).

How clever is that machine?

And I still can't get more than 1 Mbps broadband... :furious:
 

JimmyMac

Lifetime Supporter
Keith,
We use 3D printers all the time to make scale models of massive excavations.
It is very effective in illustrating differing terrane, geology, schedule sequencing and construction methods.
 
No Conspiaracy, these machine are quite common in UK now, we use them for prototype and proving bits, easy and cheap way to prove fitments before making expensive parts only to fine they are wrong, Frank
 

Keith

Moderator
OK I am convinced..Thanks for the responses.

I just wonder sometimes how on earth our Victorian descendants managed to produce such precision engineering using only a pencil, a piece of string and a slide rule.

Does this type of machine make us dumber? Surely if I could use it with no engineering training, (and everyone nos how dumb I are), doesn't that make it a pretty dumb piece of kit? Isn't true engineering all about engaging with the material and the design in a hands on way or am I just being a Luddite?
 
Kieth, another great thing is that we can make the original size part for proving, if OK just reprint it again at , say, plus 3 or 4% for a casting pattern, job done, so easy . Frank
 

JimmyMac

Lifetime Supporter
OK I am convinced..Thanks for the responses.

I just wonder sometimes how on earth our Victorian descendants managed to produce such precision engineering using only a pencil, a piece of string and a slide rule.

Does this type of machine make us dumber? Surely if I could use it with no engineering training, (and everyone nos how dumb I are), doesn't that make it a pretty dumb piece of kit? Isn't true engineering all about engaging with the material and the design in a hands on way or am I just being a Luddite?

Dumber ? - probably.
Luddite ? your not alone.
This picture shows what I am doing at home this morning.
You would be surprised how many times a CAD designer has asked me what this piece of equipment was used for.
I also get regular comments on my neat block writing and it still amazes me how many people cannot write properly in an engineering office.
This protractor was my grandfather's and is dated 1890. It has a vernier calibrated to 5 minutes.
Incidentally, I used this to draught all of my casting pattern drawings.
 

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Dave Bilyk

Dave Bilyk
Supporter
What I couldn't buy was the laser scanning. How can the scan possibly pick up points in the Cressent wrench's worm gear that light couldn't reach?

I noticed that too, and it can't know where the invisible holes and slots are, but they just left out a load of information there. That part of it is not magic, it requires manual intervention and some educated guessing to put invisible data such as the holes for the adjusting screw shaft into the model - it can't be done without that, the laser scanning is just a starting point, and they left the difficult bit out!

It's the same as if you were in F1, saw a new device on another teams car, made a sketch, then went back to the office, and made some educated guesses as to the bits you cant see, the result wouldn't be identical, just a practical working copy.

Dave
 
There is an episode of Jay Lenos garage that shows how this all woriks. He reproduced some parts for one of his antique cars that way.Look it up. It should be there. I bellieve it was the steam driven car.

Bill
 

Keith

Moderator
There is an episode of Jay Lenos garage that shows how this all woriks. He reproduced some parts for one of his antique cars that way.Look it up. It should be there. I bellieve it was the steam driven car.

Bill


Hey, Bill, I saw that but didn't connect that they were the same piece of kit, because what we clearly saw was the Leno part actually being made. My recollection is that this was done out of a solid block of material rather than a powder.

Is the machine I posted a second generation version of that or a different (but similar) process?
 
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