I'm making custom car parts with a 3d printer

[oil pan 4]

Ok so nothing expiring that will effect the price of what most of us are using.
The liquid one looks kind of neat but how strong is it?
But 3D printing stuff with metal would be kind of cool.

[Daox]

If you follow the link to my write up it shows the process I took to finish the printed parts. I used some glazing on it, then primed and painted it to protect it from UV since ABS doesn't hold up to UV light well.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tro-32290.html

[freebeard]

Most of us? I for one am not printing anything. Maybe when there're 3D printers at Goodwill.

...The patent on FDM expired in 2009. As a result, prices for FDM printers dropped from over $10,000 to less than $1,000, which caused consumer-friendly 3D printer manufacturers– like MakerBot and Ultimaker– to pop up....

[RustyLugNut]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

Ok so nothing expiring that will effect the price of what most of us are using.
The liquid one looks kind of neat but how strong is it?
But 3D printing stuff with metal would be kind of cool.

The epoxy used in the printers is strong enough to be handled but it is brittle in comparison to working polymers. Also, it needs to be coated/painted as it continues to yellow and weaken in direct or indirect sunlight.

The Powder Printing Patents ( yes the alliteration is real ) that expire this year are the keys to useful parts printers. Hopefully they do become common place and as low cost as a good welder. 150 Watt Diode lasers and micro powders are common place and should be coming down in price. The key patent mechanisms that will allow powder printing are the only real barriers to driving down the price to where small shops and entrepreneurial individuals could afford them.

[RustyLugNut]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Most of us? I for one am not printing anything. Maybe when there're 3D printers at Goodwill.

There was a small, extrusion printer of some unknown origin being sold at the swap meet the other week. 50 dollars and you could take it home. Wasn't working that I could see and it only printed a business card area at one time.

Home Depot carries the Dremel Brand of printer. Sams Club carries the Makerbot. Like thumbdrives, they will become ubiquitous and somewhat more frivolous flotsam in the tech world.

[freebeard]

When I visited the local maker group they were building their own. I'm not that impatient.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXntl3ff5tc

[oil pan 4]

I didn't know Sam's Club had Makerbot, as of now that one is at the top of my list.

Originally Posted by freebeard

When I visited the local maker group they were building their own. I'm not that impatient.

Agreed.

[UltArc]

TL;DR- I've come to an impasse in my additive manufacturing of parts. Currently, I have my front grille 3D scanned (not perfect, but good enough) yet can not for the life of me figure out how to make a perfect fit piece. To be more so clear, I want to print a 3D grille block of perfect fit to my scan, but do not know how to make it without modeling it by hand perfectly to every point.

Have you encountered this challenge, or do you have an idea what may work?

Random info: MonoPrice Maker Select V2.0, Kinect V1, KScan3D, Meshmixer. Others downloaded and used, but this is where I'm feeling most comfortable right now. Print size is only 7.9^3 inches, so I will have to make these in pieces. My game plan (when I get there) is to make them like puzzle pieces, with those edges. . .



at an angle so they will only come out in one direction. Grille block will be easy (eventually), next step is extending the front end width to guide air around the tires, as well as filling the gap around the wheel wells. . . which will be much more challenging. The biggest, and final planned challenge at this time, is the rear wheel skirts. That's gonna be a lot of PLA (I'm not ready for ABS yet), and will need reinforcing, but hopefully will work well to fit right on, perfectly.

I am now contemplating making these pieces out of another material, scanning, and then printing them. At this point (two weeks of aggressive internet searching, one week just on this portion) I am taking a step back and looking at a different project while I try to cool down on my literal headaches of this current point.

[freebeard]

Not having seen the intermediate steps between the extruded puzzle-piece and a fender skirt, I'm wondering about a tab-and slot arrangement, with each tab having a notch on one side so the piece slides sideways to lock in place and is blocked by the next piece in turn.

Less finish work?

There's a lot to be said for CNC laser or water-jet cut sheet materials.

[UltArc]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Not having seen the intermediate steps between the extruded puzzle-piece and a fender skirt, I'm wondering about a tab-and slot arrangement, with each tab having a notch on one side so the piece slides sideways to lock in place and is blocked by the next piece in turn.

Less finish work?

There's a lot to be said for CNC laser or water-jet cut sheet materials.

My mental game plan is to make a flat surface (or block, or whatever) that matches the form of my grille, and extend it into the exterior shape I want. Cut out what isn't needed, then shape it how I like.

This is my same thought for the rear wheel skirts. Scan it (car), make the perfect fit, and then extend it out and make it one nicely sized shape. My biggest issue is getting the perfect fit to the vehicle. I noticed clips that Darin ordered, and I'm not against that, but my biggest focus is learning how to make the pieces themselves, first.