Jay Leno’s 3D Printer Replaces Rusty Old Parts
11-30-2009, 02:46 PM
#1
Jay Leno’s 3D Printer Replaces Rusty Old Parts Jay Leno has a lot of old cars with a lot of obsolete parts. When he needs to replace these parts, he skips the error-prone machinist and goes to his rapid prototyping 3D printer. Simply scan, print and repeat.
One of the hardships of owning an old car is rebuilding rare parts when there are simply no replacements available. My 1907 White Steamer has a feedwater heater, a part that bolts onto the cylinders. It’s made of aluminum, and over the 100-plus years it’s been in use, the metal has become so porous you can see steam and oil seeping through. I thought we could just weld it up. But it’s badly impregnated with oil and can’t be repaired. If we tried, the metal would just come apart...
http://www.popularmechanics.com/auto...e/4320759.html
I find this very cool. I design product packaging, sometimes even go as far as prototyping in a 3D program "Lightwave"
One of the hardships of owning an old car is rebuilding rare parts when there are simply no replacements available. My 1907 White Steamer has a feedwater heater, a part that bolts onto the cylinders. It’s made of aluminum, and over the 100-plus years it’s been in use, the metal has become so porous you can see steam and oil seeping through. I thought we could just weld it up. But it’s badly impregnated with oil and can’t be repaired. If we tried, the metal would just come apart...
http://www.popularmechanics.com/auto...e/4320759.html
I find this very cool. I design product packaging, sometimes even go as far as prototyping in a 3D program "Lightwave"
12-01-2009, 01:41 AM
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That's awesome! I guess with technology trickle down the next step is an iphone app that scans 3d dimensions and sends them to your 3d printer at home so you have a replica waiting for you.
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12-01-2009, 02:27 AM
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From there website the maximum size is 10" x 10" x 12".
http://www.dimensionprinting.com/3d-...son_chart.aspx
http://www.dimensionprinting.com/3d-...son_chart.aspx
12-01-2009, 06:31 AM
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wow, i dunno about yall but my mind took a hard nose dive into the gutter on this one, scan a certain something, print in plastic 200% bigger...... Can you say Xmas present for the wife!?
12-01-2009, 11:42 AM
#12
6600 rpm clutch dump of death Administrator
The rapid prototype srtuff is cool. I know of some folks who have cabinets that you can scan an object in 3D, and transfer it directly to a 5 Axis machine to cut. So, you can your hand, and you can cut a copy of your hand in whatever material you stick in the cabinet.
This is how a lot of the "reverse engineering" stuff is done. For instance, you take a "good" port to one of several places ( the one I'm thinking of is right down the street form some of the big NASCAR shops). They scan the port for you, and reverse engineer it so you can go run your port on a 5 Axis machine, and crank out heads all day long...
I looked at one of the handheld scanner guns a few years ago, and I think it was about $30K.
This is how a lot of the "reverse engineering" stuff is done. For instance, you take a "good" port to one of several places ( the one I'm thinking of is right down the street form some of the big NASCAR shops). They scan the port for you, and reverse engineer it so you can go run your port on a 5 Axis machine, and crank out heads all day long...
I looked at one of the handheld scanner guns a few years ago, and I think it was about $30K.
12-01-2009, 01:21 PM
#16
Obviously, you picked a screen name representative of your only two thoughts that float around in that piece of gray matter called a brain.
I like it though.
Think of the FREE samples you could hand out at bars! Make sure to engrave your contact info on there so the ladies know who to contact.
