Hello Crew,
I notice that 3D printing has been improving in popularity and quality. Please take a look and compare the scale model and prototype bus photos below to each other:
As you can see, Busch did a very nice job on the classic GMC fishbowl transit coach. However, somehow they managed to make the condenser fan motor cover (the "spoiler" on the roof) glaringly NARROW! (approximately 1/32" on each side). A running joke is that the Busch buses look like they have a "Mr. T haircut" when viewed from the back!
http://mrnelsonhomework.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/mr-t.jpg
For those of you that are familiar with the technology or know people that perform 3D printing, do you think that if a sample were provided, could this item be duplicated but modified to the correct width?
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
It could be done but it would probably be more trouble than it's worth. You would have to shave down the existing piece. And the roof and rear window are curved which would make it difficult to make the new part match perfectly.
Steve S
It would be a much better path to take to have the "original" altered. This way, every unit afterwards would be correct. The ease would be in the design. 3D printing uses some form of a CAD program (lots of them out there) no matter whos 3D printer is being used. It is way better to alter the CAD drawing than a model. Even though there is now a 3D scanning program which will read a models "scan" into a 3D printer. Edit the CAD drawing still, as this technology is almost as new as 3D printing itself. CAD is old and all 3D printers use it.
Likewise, just as you would change the drawing to make correct size parts, this part alone (now corrected) could be made singularly and used to perfectly replace the ones on models with the "Mr. T." look without replacing the whole model. In this hobby, we constantly change the abundant erroneous details ALOT! So its an easy process.
PM RailfanIt would be a much better path to take to have the "original" altered. This way, every unit afterwards would be correct.
Busch isn't going to alter their original model because of a small discrepency. The molds used to make those models cost tens of thousands of dollars. They're not going to swallow that much money to satisfy a few rivet counters.
Steven S Busch isn't going to alter their original model because of a small discrepency. The molds used to make those models cost tens of thousands of dollars. They're not going to swallow that much money to satisfy a few rivet counters. Steve S
In 3D printing, they dont use molds. They use CAD programs. A CAD program is just a file to edit. Simple, and doesnt cost a thing for a draftsman to do who is already on staff. This is why 3D printing is becomming popular, it does away with all the expensive prep work to making a 3D product. IE: mold making, originals or 'prototypes' and this method is definately geared towards the rivet counters since the drawings can be edited tout suite.
Guys,
Thanks for the responses. For those of you not familiar, the condenser fan motor is a separate piece. I don't think that this reaches the status of "Rivet counting" since the "Mohawk haircut" look has been pointed out by a number of model railroaders and bus fans. But then again, some of you guys throw that term around to describe anyone asking for a reasonable amount of accuracy.
PMRailfan,
Your idea makes sense. However, my question then is: Are there any companies or sources, in our outside of the hobby industry that would be willing to do something like this from A to Z? That is to: Scan--Make Correction---Print?
As I mentioned on another forum I hope that eventually Details West will be able to utilize high quality 3D printing units to be able to produce even more items at a fraction of current costs.
PM RailfanIn 3D printing, they dont use molds. They use CAD programs. A CAD program is just a file to edit. Simple, and doesnt cost a thing for a draftsman to do who is already on staff. This is why 3D printing is becomming popular, it does away with all the expensive prep work to making a 3D product. IE: mold making, originals or 'prototypes' and this method is definately geared towards the rivet counters since the drawings can be edited tout suite.
I already know all this. But the original bus model wasn't 3D printed. It's a mass-produced model using traditional techniques. To alter it would require making new molds.
The bus does not need an alteration. Just the "wing" (condenser fan motor cover) which is a completely separate piece. Here is a shot of the unit without it:
AntonioFP45The bus does not need an alteration. Just the "wing" (condenser fan motor cover) which is a completely separate piece.
But that small part is probably made in the same mold as the rest of the bus. To alter it would require altering the existing mold or making a new one. Either way is expensive.
Back to the original request. As I understand it, from reading the entire thread:
1. The condenser piece will come off the model, so you just need to 3d print the condenser.
2. To design the needed part in 3d, assuming one had the measurements needed, would probably only take an hour or two.
3. Then one would need to do some test prints to tweak it to fit perfectly. Printing would need to be done on a SLS or SLA printer, so for most, shapeways would be the best option.
4. Assuming you were paying a professional to do this, your going to be in several hundred dollars to get that first one. After that, it would just be the cost of the print job.
All that said, if you do the design work yourself and send the items to shapeways for printing, then you can probably get a good part back for substantially less than $50.00.
A couple questions, how much would people be willing to pay for such a small item, and how many could actually be sold?
Kent in KCnvrr49.blogspot.comnvrr49 AT yahoo DOT com
Kent in KC'nvrr49.blogspot.com
Steven, Kent
I appreciate the helpful feeback, thank you for replying and to the other modelers that posted as well.
Overall, I realize that it's likely that most modelers that own these coaches could live with the "Mowhawk haircut" discrepancy but I was exploring to see if this small part was an item that could be reproduced, with the dimensional correction, at a moderate cost.
I'll do my research as far as the design work and then contact shapeways. I don't know what the sales potential is since as this is a model railroad forum, and good number of bus modelers are on the scale auto & truck forums.
I doubt there would be much of a market. Most people would live with the discrepency. But if you design it yourself, you're only going to be out the cost of the test pieces.
The tough part is going to be matching the curvature of the roof and window. Do four or five variations of the model, connect them all together with some sprue so you know which is which, and send it off to Shapeways (or wherever.) See which of the variations fits the best and go with that one.
Because the part is so small, it's only going to cost a few bucks, which means you won't be able to pad much profit onto it without it looking like price-gouging.
Yes, you're correct.
On another forum a modeler suggested that I cut a cover in two pieces and install styrene filler pieces and from that unit perform resin casts. Challenge is that the molded grill on the back section and the fan on the roof would have to be cut out. I could spare a cover from one of my buses since the prototyes came with and without the covers (photos below). The units without the covers had their entire A/C package underneath the buses.
Man, I miss those days!