8 replies to this topic

[Emax]

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=ZboxMsSz5Aw

It was bound to come to this - still, I find it amazing.
I'm placing an order for two feet and one lung - and if that works out, I'll design and order an enhanced penis.

[Andoman]

Emax, on 16 July 2011 - 12:36 PM, said:

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=ZboxMsSz5Aw

It was bound to come to this - still, I find it amazing.
I'm placing an order for two feet and one lung - and if that works out, I'll design and order an enhanced penis.

These things have interested me since I started seeing them evolve over the last 2 years.

[Emax]

Andoman, on 16 July 2011 - 01:14 PM, said:

These things have interested me since I started seeing them evolve over the last 2 years.

Janek told me today that his son, Alex, has been involved with this technology for three years. I'd like to get in on that.

[MNSkier]

Awesome technology, but by no means new... I worked with several different types of these machines back in the mid 1990's and at that time the technology was 5 years old.

The original technology was called Stereolithography and is still a strong contender, it hardened epoxy using a laser. There is also Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) which extruded plastic in lyers like a hot glue gun and we also did Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM) using layers of bonded paper, but I think that technology has died.... Some of the different companies were 3D Systems, Stratasys, Z-Corp & Helisys, I sure if you google them you can learn a ton more!

[Andoman]

MNSkier, on 16 July 2011 - 05:37 PM, said:

Awesome technology, but by no means new... I worked with several different types of these machines back in the mid 1990's and at that time the technology was 5 years old.

The original technology was called Stereolithography and is still a strong contender, it hardened epoxy using a laser. There is also Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) which extruded plastic in lyers like a hot glue gun and we also did Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM) using layers of bonded paper, but I think that technology has died.... Some of the different companies were 3D Systems, Stratasys, Z-Corp & Helisys, I sure if you google them you can learn a ton more!

I agree, but the cool thing is people building their own low cost ones out of inkjet printers, and lego mindstorms. Re-purposing cheap devices to do complicated tasks is awesome.

[Andoman]

Emax, on 16 July 2011 - 01:21 PM, said:

Janek told me today that his son, Alex, has been involved with this technology for three years. I'd like to get in on that.

I definitely agree.

[skier2]

Andoman, on 16 July 2011 - 06:31 PM, said:

I definitely agree.

My high school had a robotics program and has had a 3D printer since the late 90s/early 2000s. It basically just layers plastic. It's much less complex than it may seem, but very cool nonetheless

[Emax]

The Discovery Channel (or one of its clones) recently ran a "how they do it" spot on manufacturing complex fuel line shapes for commercial jets. As an incidental inclusion, there was a spot on 3D printing the welding jig used to hold it. Very neat: the perfect example is scanned and input to the "printer" - and out comes a complete jigging fixture with movable joints, clamps, the works. VERY good application.

Many of you have mentioned the older versions of this "new" technology - but I'm pretty sure that the moving parts aspect (like working gear trains, etc.) is a recent wrinkle. These aren't just layered films of plastic or paper - they are durable, usable composites.

[MNSkier]

Emax, on 19 July 2011 - 08:01 PM, said:

Many of you have mentioned the older versions of this "new" technology - but I'm pretty sure that the moving parts aspect (like working gear trains, etc.) is a recent wrinkle. These aren't just layered films of plastic or paper - they are durable, usable composites.

Yes & No. Back when I was involved with this we were dealing with composites, movable parts and usable parts. The difference is that the technology has evolved greatly so that these things are mainstream versus back in the 1990's it was basically research and development. It was pretty much bleeding edge at that time....