06-25-2012, 04:49 PM
Actually Steve and Ed you can print up a 3d printer on a 3d printer, it's called the RepRep project, "Self REPlicating, RAPid prototype" an open source project being overseen by the University of Bristol,
http://www.reprap.org/wiki/RepRap and http://www.reprapcentral.com/vmchk.html
And yes there are metal based printing systems, where finely ground metals are sintered (welded) together using lasers to create 3d items right there on your desk, immediately putting machinists in danger of becoming obselete
but in truth we have been obselete since CNC came along
this technology makes fabricators and foundries obselete.
The saving grace is that the processes are still way too expensive and the resulting materials are often not as strong as when traditionally manufactured, but, it won't be long. It will probably always be slower than mass production casting and moulding so the revolution is real but hopefully not an "extinction event"
The RepRap folks even envisage a day when electronic circuits will be printed out in one piece from a single machine right there at home, so enabling the manufacture of an Ipod or mobile phone after purchasing just the raw materials and design file, all of a sudden though huge questions such as waranty issues, maintenance, problem solving, etc pop up.
The first step in home 3d printing is "build your own" devices and most commonly this means an ABS plastic cord fed machine that can make most things you need out of plastic, ABS is the plastic used to make lego bricks, so pretty versatile stuff, I used to use a contractor to do rapid prototyping for me about 7 years ago and he had a commercial ABS cord machine, so it's not really new technology, but the resolution isn't terrific and there are definate drawbacks, one of the biggies is the price of commercial machines and the lack of 3d computing power for amateurs, and I suppose that the products don't have the "Gloss" that we expect from even the most basic consumer goods,
so anytime you hear about rapid prototyping, stereo lithography, additive machining, sintered powder machine assembly, and other similar terms, you are hearing about actual, machines available today, at a price!
Best regards
Rick
http://www.reprap.org/wiki/RepRap and http://www.reprapcentral.com/vmchk.html
And yes there are metal based printing systems, where finely ground metals are sintered (welded) together using lasers to create 3d items right there on your desk, immediately putting machinists in danger of becoming obselete
but in truth we have been obselete since CNC came along this technology makes fabricators and foundries obselete.The saving grace is that the processes are still way too expensive and the resulting materials are often not as strong as when traditionally manufactured, but, it won't be long. It will probably always be slower than mass production casting and moulding so the revolution is real but hopefully not an "extinction event"
The RepRap folks even envisage a day when electronic circuits will be printed out in one piece from a single machine right there at home, so enabling the manufacture of an Ipod or mobile phone after purchasing just the raw materials and design file, all of a sudden though huge questions such as waranty issues, maintenance, problem solving, etc pop up.
The first step in home 3d printing is "build your own" devices and most commonly this means an ABS plastic cord fed machine that can make most things you need out of plastic, ABS is the plastic used to make lego bricks, so pretty versatile stuff, I used to use a contractor to do rapid prototyping for me about 7 years ago and he had a commercial ABS cord machine, so it's not really new technology, but the resolution isn't terrific and there are definate drawbacks, one of the biggies is the price of commercial machines and the lack of 3d computing power for amateurs, and I suppose that the products don't have the "Gloss" that we expect from even the most basic consumer goods,
so anytime you hear about rapid prototyping, stereo lithography, additive machining, sintered powder machine assembly, and other similar terms, you are hearing about actual, machines available today, at a price!
Best regards
Rick
Whatever it is, do it today, Tomorrow may not be an option and regret outlasts fatigue.