Today a friend of mine sent me an article about three-dimensional object making using a printer...
It was pretty interesting; in the article, they "produced" an adjustable (crescent) wrench-in a printer!!This puppy had all the moving parts, etc-bottom line: It was functional and useable-and an exact replication!!! HOT DOG!!!
Now, lessee............Take an O-scale brass Pacific, set it to down-scale to N, pop it in the ol' printer, press a few buttons, and.....
First, price the `printer.'
Second, note that the working crescent wrench has all parts made of the same material.
Third, this Las Vegas resident will wager $$$$ that the `printed' wrench is nowhere near as strong as a real, drop-forged, hardened steel Crescent adjustable wrench.
There's a lot more to function than simple form.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
The technique does have applications for modeling non-functioning items, though, such as vehicles, figures, and locomotive details. The technique (called "rapid prototyping" or RP) allows one-piece modeling of parts that previously could be molded only separately, such as a tank truck with a stand-off end ladder. There was an article about modeling with RP in the November 2007 issue of Fine Scale Modeler, and we're looking at a similar article for an upcoming issue of Model Railroader.
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
The "copier" (as some engineers call them), which one of our high schools has in it's engineering magnet program, cost about $ 24,000.00 at the time of purchase. They use a (phenolic?) dry powder or pellet plastic material and are usually integrated with a CAD-CAM system. I have often thought of drawing some building components at full-sized HO scale and then seeing if I can get them made to order, so to speak. But don't think you are going to scan a brass locomotive and get an operable one right out of the oven, so to speak.... but the thought is enticing, isn't it????
Cedarwoodron
Hmmmm..... first attempt at a Star Trek replicator?
The Dixie D Short Line "Lux Lucet In Tenebris Nihil Igitur Mors Est Ad Nos 2001"
Given that one of their "real world" applications is architectural prototyping...well I think you know where I'm going with this.
This is a subject that has come up before:
3D Printer for MRR
Low Cost 3D Printer
3D Printer. (much cheaper than the others)
3D Scanners
Dan
We have one of these gizmos at work. They're kind of clever -- they produce a resin model. It's not for the model railroader.
Printer costs upwards of $25K (maybe cheaper options), resin costs about $1500 per refill, and they don't last long.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
There are several companies that will "print" models for you from your design. Some model railroaders are already doing this. A member of the Nn3 Group on Yahoo has had some Nn3 gondolas made by Shapeways http://www.shapeways.com/
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.