Faster, Cheaper, Better Way

[Les]

Fran, James Glickenhaus, and all component car builders:

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory has shown it is really possible to rapidly, very much more relatively cheaply, and efficiently print out cars. Six weeks from idea to printed car. All RCR, Superlight and SCG003 cars can be produced much more inexpensively, quickly, efficiently and profitably, even though the costs come down drastically.

The video: https://youtu.be/HXvIMRklWiM

 

[Fran Hall RCR]

If only

 

[Jack]

May be better (questionable), but certainly not cheaper or much faster to net a usable "plug". Lots of time to produce a finish that is mold-worthy (new word).

 

[Matt K]

6 weeks? That's cute :evil: Fran, wasn't the monoposto done in way fewer?

In all seriousness, printing is probably the future but has such a looooooong way to go.

 

[John Taylor]

I don't think a lot of folks realize that (long ago) CNC machining has given us the majority of the capabilities the public seems to only associate with 3d printing. CNC machines can produce physical parts from nothing but a 3d CAD model, and this does allow for rapid production of unit quantities. Also, most 3d printed materials are plastics that have low damage tolerance and would be quite far from roadworthy. CNC will typically offer similar time to build a product (making parts on scales of hours or days), but the final product would be a 'real' car body instead of a prototype for wind tunnel tests or demonstrating a design at a car show.

I believe Fran already takes advantage of this tech (CNC) whenever it's cost effective and sensible. Of course, if you want to make a car body and have one like it, you can save time and money by skipping the computer model and splashing a mold directly from the car body.

 

[P Roth]

The FAA has approved the first 3d printed part:
GE gets first 3D printed aircraft part approved by FAA - SlashGear

I doubt that 3d printing will ever be used in a high volume production environment, the manufacturing time is far too long, and that time will most likely never be reduced to an acceptable number for the production environment. However, like what GE is doing, for use some in highly complex low production parts the 3d printer will eventually replace the CNC machine. I think in the short future you will see 3d printing starting to appear in places such as McLaren, Ferrari, AMG, etc and slowly trickle down to backyard garages.

 

[Damian]

This is a HUGE deal for those building cars that they no longer make the parts for BUT you have the schematics for. I know BMW just announced that they will no longer make, parts for BMW's older than 10 years in an attempt to FORCE people to buy the new crap sorry models. Considering that the older models have a FAR GREATER RACE ENTHUSIAST FOLLOWING and BUILDERS this was heart breaking BUT now with this we get to say screw you BMW and keep building the cars and improving on them. Hell ever watch Jay leno's garage where he prints a part for a car that he has that they no longer produce or could source. He prints, installs and drives away. The fact that you can print metals just makes this even more exciting!!!

 

[Luke S]

The coolest thing I've seen in regard to 3D printing was the ability to print a part directly to metal with two separate alloys. I think it was in "Race Car" if I recall a few months ago where they could print an alloy part that transitions to a separate alloy at say a welding point. Therefore they could optimize its thermal qualities where needed and still alloy the other portion to be attached to an unlike material. Pretty incredible if you could have say an aluminum alloy transition to a titanium alloy both portions optimized for needs. The future is BRIGHT, but the tried and true isn't going anywhere for most without F1/NASA budgets immediately.

 

[Ted - LS MAN]

I think 3D printing of the mold would be the most advantageous application of this technology to start with. Still a huge investment.