As technology changes and improves, so does model railroading. Example: DCC. So what is in the future of model railroading? 3D printing! And here is how it is going to make the hobby better:
1. More customized products, and lower cost on limited runs. Currently, companies use injection molding to make plastic products. This requires expensive tooling, which makes companies want to reuse that tooling, and reluctant to sell anything that is only wanted by a small market. Now, with 3D printing, manufacturers will be able to make prototype specific locomotives and unique locomotives with no initial production cost. Several 3D printers can make their entire selection of shells. Already, companies like shape ways are doing this.
2. You are able to make your own locomotives shells, even if you are horrible at scratch building. Using programs like tinker cad, you can make your own models using simple shapes, and then either send the design to a company, or print it yourself if you have a 3D printer.
3. Model Railroaders can share designs, which will make modeling specific prototypes even easier.
The future is already here, but the technology will continue to improve, and get faster, better, and cheaper.
I highly advise that you check out shape ways, and tinkercad, and see the designs that are already out there.
For the record I haven't read the article on 3D printing in the November issue yet, because I haven't gotten it yet.
I attended an NMRA regional convention years ago where Neil Besougloff gave a clinic on the future of the hobby, and one of the first things he talked about was 3D printing, which was then in its infancy (so much so that I had never heard of it until that evening). So MR's editor has been on top of this issue for some time.
I think I recall Neil saying that his son had told him about it and he actually showed us a small item or part that he or his son had acquired that was made using the technology. Back then of course it did not look all that promising and to me it seemed unlike that an "ordinary" modeler could possibly afford their own 3D printer, although the thought did occur to me that a hobby shop might have it, and "print" stuff to order while you waited. Now of course things that looked unlikely then are all around us.
The only other thing I remember about Neil's clinic is that he had a big bag of candy and was handing out candy to us for the entire hour. Lesson learned: the same things work when trying to hold the attention of a room full of 8 year olds and a room full of model railroaders
Dave Nelson
The quality of 3D prints has vastly improved in the last year. The technology seems to be advancing with the speed of lightning. 3D printers are dropping in price and it is already foreseeable, when each household will have one.
There is one major drawback to the technology - don´t underestimate the effort and the knowledge it takes to prepare the drawings of what you would like to print. Even for a CAD expert, it will take weeks of fulltime work to prepare a drawing (or a set of drawings) for a body shell of a locomotive.
This guy lives not far from me and while I don't know him, I hope he comes out with an HO version of this bridge. Poke around his website to see the direction 3D is going.
http://www.kevinknox.com/stoney%20creek.html
Home page.
http://www.kevinknox.com/index.html
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
KyleThe future is already here, but the technology will continue to improve, and get faster, better, and cheaper. I highly advise that you check out shape ways, and tinkercad, and see the designs that are already out there.
We've probably had a dozen or more threads discussing 3D printing and how it will affect the hobby. Shapeways is just one of many companies offering printing services. The main drawback with Shapeways is that they don't allow you to specify the orientation of the object during printing. This can be a problem with something like a diesel engine shell where you want the sides of the hood to be as smooth as possible to accept decals. Ideally it should be printed with the engine shell turned on its side.
Check out i.Materialise. They allow you to specify orientation.
http://i.materialise.com/materials/prime-gray
Steve S
Sir Madog The quality of 3D prints has vastly improved in the last year. The technology seems to be advancing with the speed of lightning. 3D printers are dropping in price and it is already foreseeable, when each household will have one. There is one major drawback to the technology - don´t underestimate the effort and the knowledge it takes to prepare the drawings of what you would like to print. Even for a CAD expert, it will take weeks of fulltime work to prepare a drawing (or a set of drawings) for a body shell of a locomotive.
Deprnds on the object you are printing. If you are making a locomotive shell with all of the details, it might take you a few weeks. However a simple cab or piece (like a vending machine) or a simple building will go quickly. On Shape ways I saw a model of Conrail 0, it probably took an hour at most to create. On shape ways, there is a way to request for something to be designed (see the FAQ).
I agree whith you, 3D printing open new horizons for Model Railroading.
However there is a big drawback, if you want to produce a model you need good programming skills in some CAD design program, if you don't have these skills you need to ask a design company which can do the job for you, which can be quiet expensive.
Marc_Magnusif you want to produce a model you need good programming skills in some CAD design program,
You don't need programming for most programs. Some apps are quite easy to learn, like MoI.
http://moi3d.com/
It's not free, but at $300 it's cheaper than most others.
Marc_Magnus I agree whith you, 3D printing open new horizons for Model Railroading. However there is a big drawback, if you want to produce a model you need good programming skills in some CAD design program, if you don't have these skills you need to ask a design company which can do the job for you, which can be quiet expensive.
Check out www.tinkercad.com which is really easy to learn, and no programming skills needed. They also have lessons, with in an hour, you can design complex models. It is also free to sign up and use.