25 replies to this topic

[rabidh]

I got a cheap 3D printer (www.sumpod.com) a while back, and it got me thinking - does anybody have any idea what kind of things could be made for the VX220 with it? Build area of mine is about 14x14x10cm, and the plastic probably gets soft around 150 degrees C, so it won't be great for stuff near the engine. My thoughts so far: * Holder for Lambda/oil pressure guage * Wider+shorter trumpet for those still using the std airbox * New badges in different colours (for instance 'VX220SC') * Small body mods (could print air vents, cut a hole, then fibreglass them in)

[Darkangelv2]

I love 3D printers. There's a website/store where you can submit your designs and they'll host it and produce it if they get orders and send you your cut. Some of the forms you can achieve are awesome.

[Rosssco]

Whats the printing material like when finished? Is it quite brittle?

[rabidh]

The material is surprisingly strong actually. It depends a lot on whether you choose to fill areas with solid plastic, or use an 'infill' pattern to reduce the amount of plastic you use. The material I've been using is PLA (some plant-based thing IIRC), but you can also use ABS which I think is a bit less brittle and is generally better. It melts at a higher temp too.

[elwill]

I had no idea these were at a consumer level yet, thought they were still semi-science fiction and university labs etc. Would love to see some pics of what you've achieved with it!

[TazN]

I remember watching a program regarding 'additive' manufacturing. Was being used for aircraft parts and all sorts. Fascinating stuff

[rabidh]

It seems 3D printing has really taken off in the last few years... Suddenly the price has just rocketed down.

They're still a bit fiddly to get started with and require a bit of thought in the design, but there are starting to be some far more user friendly ones that are getting down towards 'sensible' money like: http://technocratica...-challenge.html

The printing material is getting quite cheap too now (~£30/kg). Because the parts are plastic they're only a few grams each, so you actually get quite a lot for your money.

If you're interested in the kind of things you can make, see here: http://www.thingiverse.com/ It's a website where people just post up free designs for 3D objects,

[Rosssco]

Would love to muck around with one of these things.. Theoretically, you could almost print you own printer..!

[slindborg]

We have prototype plastics SLA/3D printed mostly in ABS and its twatting brittle unless you make the item bulky as hell. It its pretty cool what you can make that can never be moulded

[techieboy]

I really wanted to build a Makerbot but have held off as there's no way I'll ever get my head around the CAD side of things.

[rabidh]

Theoretically, you could almost print you own printer..!

That's what http://www.reprap.org/wiki/RepRap does. To be honest the SumPod, milled out of thick bits of MDF, feels a lot more solid though!

The CAD side doesn't seem too bad if you don't want anything serious - try www.tinkercad.com
I imagine complex curves would be difficult, but I've been using OpenSCAD for brackets and stuff and have found it quite easy.

slindborg, yeah, it's not super-strong, but then if you print at the same thickness it doesn't seem a whole lot worse than moulded plastic stuff. I wouldn't print my wheels out of it, but I think for a lot of things it would be more than good enough. It feels significantly stronger than the clam shells are for the same thickness!

edit: actually SLA uses a resin doesn't it? I guess that would be more brittle. Nicer prints though.

Edited by rabidh, 05 July 2012 - 10:31 AM.

[Rally]

Judging by another thread, you could do a roaring trade fabricating dinky rear view mirrors

[TheRealVXed]

Reckon you could print centre caps for the wheels with "VX220" embossed or engraved on them?

[rabidh]

Nice thought! If I could source the actual mirror I guess it would be pretty easy. No dimming mode though! Centre caps should be quite easy out of plastic, but might not look nice enough unless they're painted? Did you mean for the std wheels, or for the team dynamics?

[TheRealVXed]

Either. Don't like the big vaux badges on mine and want something different. They would definitely be painted to match the wheels (mine are red anyway...)

[Bumblebee]

A new badge for the front would look good, a new style one but one that actually fits our cars Like this http://www.ebay.co.u...1&#ht_500wt_922

Edited by Aimy, 05 July 2012 - 11:11 AM.

[slindborg]

Theoretically, you could almost print you own printer..!

That's what http://www.reprap.org/wiki/RepRap does. To be honest the SumPod, milled out of thick bits of MDF, feels a lot more solid though!

The CAD side doesn't seem too bad if you don't want anything serious - try www.tinkercad.com
I imagine complex curves would be difficult, but I've been using OpenSCAD for brackets and stuff and have found it quite easy.

slindborg, yeah, it's not super-strong, but then if you print at the same thickness it doesn't seem a whole lot worse than moulded plastic stuff. I wouldn't print my wheels out of it, but I think for a lot of things it would be more than good enough. It feels significantly stronger than the clam shells are for the same thickness!

edit: actually SLA uses a resin doesn't it? I guess that would be more brittle. Nicer prints though.

SLA is usually resin, so it is a shade more brittle.
We've had some plastic prints and they aren't that much 'better' but they don't shatter if you look at them funny

Made lots of interior panels with the printing for various little projects.

[Way-aye-pete]

I use a lot of 3D prototyping at work and is very specialist art, choice of resin build time, build orientation and machine choice all contribute to the strength and durability of the parts.

Unless using state of the art machines and materials there is not much that you could make that would be 'bolt on' as most plastic and metal parts at lower price points are very brittle as people have already mentioned, also they degrade in heat and UV very quickly.

This would be really good for making the forms or bucks for molded parts maybe you could make things like the mirror and get somebody like jonnyboy or Scottybob (ultimate Carbon) to mold them.

Good luck, look forward to seeing the results!

[rabidh]

I didn't think that PLA or ABS degraded in UV/heat (as long as they don't melt!) Do you have any links as I've never heard of that as a problem. A huge amount of everyday stuff (including car parts) are made out of ABS plastic, and I didn't think there was a difference chemically between the ABS parts that are moulded and those that are printed?

[Way-aye-pete]

*** First of all a disclaimer I am not familiar with your machine, know what resins u plan to use or your experience but here’s my two penny’s worth *** I am not a prototyping guru and we always use external companies and normally use their advice and knowledge to create parts using the best methods for the application of the part. As in mass manufacturing (injection/blow moulded parts etc) there are millions of resins and additives that are tailored especially for properties like heat to tensile strength. The resin itself is only part of the equation how you mold and design/engineer the part is the other and it is the combination that gives the part the required properties. For example when you see engraved on a part in a car ABS, that ABS will be chemically tailored for its application and a certain production method chosen to make sure the part has the tensile strength, durability or whatever is required and if you were to compare chemically all the parts labeled in the car as ABS there will probably be 100’s of variations. This becomes a disadvantage in prototyping as there are only a certain amount of resins that are available and are generally only good at one thing for example like withstanding heat and not a combination heat and vibration. The other factor is the way the part is created in 3d printing the part is created by lots of layers of melted plastic layered on top of each other and this method relies on the strength between these layers to give u the overall part strength/properties, this is not the case in mass production. Depending on the machine resin and part design the properties can vary massively from your Gran being able to snap it too being able to drive over it with a truck. As for the UV and heat stuff it’s just my experience with some parts I have had more related to SLA parts than 3d but have seen it with both. I would just look at using it for more aesthetic parts that don’t have to put up with a large degree of heat, vibration, load etc until you understand what the machine is capable of. I would not get bogged down too much in the science and engineering and just try it that’s the beauty of rapid prototyping! P