Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:25:06 -0400
Reply-To: frankgrun@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Frank Grunthaner <frankgrun@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Print your parts
In-Reply-To: <212390B5201B4E2B969530312E96198F@ZoltanPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I'm moved to offer a few comments on this and several derivative technologies that we have used in our work for more than 15 years. As indicated by Leno and his guests, there are several components to this technology.
The recent development in high precision optical scanning has been in making the capability available at low cost. The optical surface model can be taken to the litho machine directly, but can also be used as an input to some impressive engineering programs that can examine materials issues, stress failure modes, critical tolerancing - to mention a few modes. The program can offer the engineer a critique of the design and aid in designing out observed failures. The vanagon 3-4 hub comes to mind and a good case study. Following a redesign which can be subjected to a number of software-based failure tests, an incremented design can be sent for 3D formation.
The Leno demo necessarily focused on one implementation in which the solid lithotype is formed out of a thermally condensed polymer. There are many other manifestations possible from ceramic to metal. In the supporting fluid variants, complex structures are generated with multiple internal components already assembled. In other cases individual components are assembled after they have been individually formed.
In the case of metal rapid prototypes, we have assembled full systems and run them through end-to-end functional tests, found errors and executed more than five redesigns in less than a week. In this case I actually referring to sample acquisition tools that were used to dig up samples from a soil system, separate the material by size and move it to the awaiting analytical instruments. We could see patterns of accelerated wear, imperfect tolerances, binding motion, vibronic instability, etc. In another example, we were able to examine the finish requirement and airfoil shape for turbine blades using the metal-based rapid prototypes to a degree that we probably shortened a 10 year development to 2. In terms of polymers, we often generate 3D transparent lab-on-a-chip prototypes to let is examine the complex fluidics before we implement in borosilicate glass.
After the interplay of scan, design analysis, prototype, testing and final fab, the systems are far more mature for far less cost in dollars and man-hours than would have been thinkable just 20 years ago.
So, to summarize, soon these will be available to the hobbyist and the generation of parts whose parent drawings and specifications have long been lost is now possible. Add software and hands-on testing of the prototype before committing to the CAD Mill - all you need is money!
Frank Grunthaner
-----Original Message-----
From: Zolly <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Sent: Fri, Aug 20, 2010 3:18 pm
Subject: Re: Print your parts
Not only that. That machine only makes that white plastic model. It's the
same as the one they copied. So what's the gain? Really nothing. Perhaps
they got a drawing out of the process to follow when one makes the real part
out of the correct material.
The real gain is for the CNC machine programmer who does not need that
plastic part, only what the copy machine made that appears on the computer,
so he can put it in as a program into the machines computer. He still has
to determine where to start the machining and what tools to use, etc.
But as Jay Leno is, it's all just a joke.
Zoltan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike" <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, August 20, 2010 1:57 PM
Subject: Re: Print your parts
> You are seriously misled if you think that the printer spits out an
> operational assembly with moving parts. Those would all have to be
> separately made, one at a time and then assembled later for demonstration.
>
> Mike B.
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "neil n" <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
> Sent: Friday, August 20, 2010 1:23 PM
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Subject: Re: Print your parts
>
>> That's ri-donk-u-lous!
>>
>> I'd be curious how that "translates" to the mold and casting
>> processes. i.e. a part is scanned, printed, then used to make a mold.
>> Would the software have to be written so that the part printed to make
>> mold is somehow a hair oversize so it cast piece can then be finished
>> to proper size?
>>
>> Still, that's dang amazing. A trumpet playing sail boat restoring
>> friend spoke of similar technology some years ago ("on paper"
>> technology) One could be in the middle of the ocean, have a
>> specialized fastener break, get on the 'net via sattelite or cell
>> network, and via uploads/downloads, have a machine "print" out a part.
>> Or something like that.
>>
>> The fact that the printer spits out a "functioning" set of moving
>> parts is amazing. I bet taking one of those apart would be
>> interesting. ;)
>>
>> Wow.
>>
>> Neil.
>>
>> On Thu, Aug 19, 2010 at 9:11 PM, John Rodgers <inua@charter.net> wrote:
>>> OK - by my reckoning, it's 6 minutes into Frydaye on the east coast -
>>> and I've go to get to bed - so here it is!!
>>>
>>> Ever have need of a part and the VW dealership - or other vendor - says
>>> NLA? Well, why not print your own parts.
>>>
>>> None other than car officionado Jay Leno himself tells how it's done.
>>> Check it out!!
>>>
>>> http://widgets.nbc.com/o/47f1317f105123ad/498ebd00a62edaa0/47fe70d4555df05a/9e46bd46/-cpid/ba4377d3bfd6c81
>>>
>>> John Rodgers
>>> 88 GL Driver
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"
>>
>> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
>>
>> http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 9.0.851 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3083 - Release Date: 08/19/10
23:35:00
| 
