3D Printer Role Call

[zenit]

Curious to see who else has gotten into 3d printing.

Finally pulled the trigger on a cheap printer over Christmas, XYZ Da Vinci.

So far I've hacked the cartridge and using Slic3r to print ABS, and I've been reasonably impressed with the printing capabilities. Mostly I use it to prototype parts that would take time to turn or mill.





These are a couple of versions of an alignment tool I'm working on, printed in white and natural ABS.

[TiGraySpeed6]

There's a guy on M6C that's turning out ignition switch covers for the Speed6 GT

[zenit]

@Turbo_Steve;

[Mattyhawk1]

Nice, Always wanted to get into 3D, still haven't done it.

Now I know who to call for printing projects, thanks zenit!

BTW: Did you buy it for a specific project?

[Turbo_Steve]

I'm currently printing an entire intake manifold prototype. I have to do it in sections and glue it together, but it will let me confirm fitment before having expensive aluminum parts made.

[zenit]

Originally Posted by Turbo_Steve I'm currently printing an entire intake manifold prototype. I have to do it in sections and glue it together, but it will let me confirm fitment before having expensive aluminum parts made.

That's what I was planning on doing, except with my dirtbike!

Good thread on miataturbo about that.

Here it is:
http://www.miataturbo.net/engine-per...-miatas-76193/

[zenit]

Originally Posted by Mattyhawk1 Nice, Always wanted to get into 3D, still haven't done it. Now I know who to call for printing projects, thanks zenit! BTW: Did you buy it for a specific project?

Nope, just general small projects.

It's convinced me that I need a CNC mill eventually. It's being able to be close while the machine works but focus my attention on something else while it works.


Usually I use sketchup to make STL's, but I hope to graduate to solidworks for FEA analysis soon. That and the STL i've seen generated by solidworks are much nicer renderings. Need to fork over the money and learn a new program.

[Mattyhawk1]

Is it really worth getting your own CNC machine? it seems you would have to do A LOT of projects to make it worth it over just having a shop do it.

I only ask because I would love to also get one.

And as someone who has not used solidworks, wouldnt freeCAD serve your needs in the interim?

[zenit]

Originally Posted by Mattyhawk1 Is it really worth getting your own CNC machine? it seems you would have to do A LOT of projects to make it worth it over just having a shop do it. I only ask because I would love to also get one. And as someone who has not used solidworks, wouldnt freeCAD serve your needs in the interim?

Thanks on the lead for freeCAD, I'll look into it. I haven't seen a free and good FEA analysis program yet.


That's kind of how I felt about CNC before the printer. Now with the printer, I can model something on the bus ride home, plug into the printer when I get home (7:30-8) and have at least a small print done by the time I'm ready to pass out in the evening. In the mean time, I can clean up the house, drink beer, and do whatever- just keeping an eye on the printer.

[Turbo_Steve]

I am in the process of getting a cnc mill setup. I am going with a grizzly g0704 mill. You can 3d print a basic cnc conversion for it with the stock lead screws. It is then accurate enough to mill a ball screw cnc conversion kit out of aluminum to replace the printed stuff with. Just need to order some ballscrews and nuts, etc, etc.

The g0704 is big enough to do intake manifold flanges and such on it. Total cost should be about 2,200.

[kylejenson]

How similar is 3D printing to CNC milling? I'm an aerospace mill machinist/programmet and would LOVE to make anything and everything at home but obviously a good mill is VERY expensive. Especially with a 4th axis.

[zenit]

Originally Posted by kylejenson How similar is 3D printing to CNC milling? I'm an aerospace mill machinist/programmet and would LOVE to make anything and everything at home but obviously a good mill is VERY expensive. Especially with a 4th axis.

I don't know about the cnc side of things, but I don't think it would be hard with your background.

People seem to struggle with measurement and squaring the print bed, which is really easy if you've ever had to square something on a mill bed before.

Other than that, learning the basic settings has a bit of a learning curve, but there's a huge wealth of community based info out there.

3d printing is getting cheap. Next year there will be a $300 small printer by xyz printing and printrbot, and I can get 1 kg of abs filament for $12.

[Turbo_Steve]

Just some intake manifold parts.











Basically building an entire manifold. Will test fit it this spring in my car - If all fits well i can start having parts machined, or re-design as needed.

[Mazdazilla6]

I just found out a couple of weeks ago that my school has its own 3D printers and they even make their own polymers to put in them, only school in the country with an elastomer center that can do it.

There's been talk of creating a section in one of the engineering buildings for students to use 3D printers and CNCs whenever they'd like. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it actually happens.

[zenit]

linking for 3d printed intake:
Attention & Science Deficit Thread

[CWP_MS3]

This thread is win. Wish I had the shit to print my own parts.

For the guys that have finished work ( @zenit) what kind of money do you have into your parts? Like the cost to print those runners or turbo inlet pipe.

[zenit]

Originally Posted by CWP_MS3 This thread is win. Wish I had the shit to print my own parts. For the guys that have finished work ( @zenit) what kind of money do you have into your parts? Like the cost to print those runners or turbo inlet pipe.

Almost nothing for the plastic.
Microcenter (local store in midwest, like Fry's) sell 1 kg rolls of ABS for ~$15, which is about 3-4 intakes worth, or a shit ton of small parts.

Also another metric: My printer has run close to a month of print time, and I've gone through 7-8 rolls.

I have broken things on my printer though, heated glass bed, screwed up some wires on the heating element, broken a bearing mount. All were replaced cheaply (<10$), although it took some effort to figure out how to fix.

[theurgy]

Subbing this thread, I have recently been fascinated with 3d printing, particularly with the MarkForged printers which can print carbon fiber, fibreglass and even kevlar.
This whole world seems like a completely uncharted new territory and could quite possibly change the face of car tuning.

[Balthazar]

For the manifold wondering if you could get some thermoset plastic that would tolerate the heat. Not great looking but plenty of cars have them. Plus would let you dyno the intake and make adjustments before having a final part made.

We have a large one at work i'll ask. We were also one of the first non millitary to have one of those Arcam A2X - Arcam AB.

It prints in TiAl4V!!! I wish the powders weren't so incredibly expensive, my Datsun project needs ITB's... I'm pretty sure my boss would notice :-(

[gmoney542]

I just ordered a Flashforge Creator Pro on Amazon as a Christmas present for myself.

[JBR]

We've been using 3D printing technology in house over the last year for rapid prototyping. It's a very handy, time saving tool.










Let's see some prints!

-Mike

[Djohns]

This is pretty sweet! Any of you guys know how to print a catback exhaust flange? If so, I can post up a WTB thread and we can work something out. Jackass shop I brought it to during last winter to get the exhaust lined up warped my flange.

[zenit]

Originally Posted by Djohns This is pretty sweet! Any of you guys know how to print a catback exhaust flange? If so, I can post up a WTB thread and we can work something out. Jackass shop I brought it to during last winter to get the exhaust lined up warped my flange.

If you give me more specs and/or a CAD design, I can probably help out. I've got a couple things lined up first. No money involved. Let me know.

[Djohns]

Originally Posted by zenit If you give me more specs and/or a CAD design, I can probably help out. I've got a couple things lined up first. No money involved. Let me know.

Sounds good man! Thank you so much! I'll PM you the specs of my cat-back and downpipe later this evening.

[leo766]

as a fellow 3d printer owner as of last august(markerfarm Prusa i3v 12x12x12") and i am glad someone else sees the sweet potential in this tech, i can't wait to build a box to containt the ABS fumes for mine so i can print 24/7 and not give my room mates lung cancer....

as I am about to begin experimenting with trying to 3d print that bumper insert for our car that has the mazda emblem, but not pay more than 1$ for the materials to construct it, instead of 300$ for one(if they are even available for sale anymore)

on the exhaust flange.... not sure what you are refferring to, so forgive me if this is a dumb comment, but you do realize 3d printing basically is a digitally controlled glue gun right?

by that I mean its basically melting plastic to build parts.... which is pretty sweet... until you need temp resistant parts, exhaust temps sounds naively wishful to me in terms of any material i know of to print with

the thing i am concerned about even more tho, is how these parts will stand up to warping in the summer, the engine bay gets got, and the TIP pipe that was 3d printed and the inlet adapted to smooth the flow, look to me like they will deform SIGNIFICANTLY the first day of summer, in fact I am surprised it didn't already show signs of slow warping.... this is the reason i have not tried this on my speed6, and yea buying a 3d printer teaches you 1 thing.... that you also need a CNC mill if you intend to build more than mock up prototypes for fitment and maybe airflow testing purposes(not on a hot running motor tho)....

but hey i am the first to admit i don't know a lot about 3d printing yet.... besides having to build the printer i am still in the phase where i am learning what it takes to design parts.... which is thinking ahead, about conditions that can degrade 3d prints and make them fail in spectacular ways.... which is why i quickly realized that without a cnc, you are totally limited to making objects that experinace no thermal strain.... which in engineering terms is a fancy way of saying "only good for prototype design" because real world applications either get hot, or require durability levels that simply can't be produced yet with glue guns on steroids

i hate being a party pooping wet blanket, so I do have a suggestion.... for parts that need to withstand heat, 3d printing is actually the perfect tool to use to make fiberglass/carbon fiber lay up pieces to use as molds and then use the fiberglass/carbon shells from the molds as the parts that you need that are going to be near hot things.... just a thought as a way to still use 3d printing to make life a breeze but overcome the hurdle that basically what keeps 3d print pieces solid is the fact that they are at room temp mostly

btw i lied, 3d printing teaches you 1.1 things.... and the .1 is that u can so easily build your own auger screw attached to a heating coil and PID controlled motor to basically make your own 3d printing filament out of any combination of meltable plastic powders, its the next evolution in printing, being able to create and control the exact composition of the filament you then use to make parts with properties you choose, instead of being forced into buying reels from microcenter(i admit i bought a few, but mostly when i need a color)