i use 3d printing all the time, or additive manufacturing. i have also used the latest sintering processes. great stuff for certain ideas.it is great but i can not think of a much more expensive solution for the insert issue. unless you are thinking about mold making to blow form these and even then there are better ways of getting there. do not get me wrong i love the tech but not for tool inserts
Custom Systainer inserts using 3D printing
- Thread starter fritter63
- Start date
When I finished doing my 3D solid modeling CAD course in 2000, our lecturer showed us a vidio of a 3D printer that sprayed material forming a 3 dimentional object. that had been designed using cad software. we all thought what great idea 11years ago.
I think it may take more than a couple of years before it's going to be in our local PC World.
Great idea though, I hope I am wrong.
I think it may take more than a couple of years before it's going to be in our local PC World.
Great idea though, I hope I am wrong.
Mauri Motti
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PaulMarcel said:Mauri Motti said:
That was awesome... it even had a tag on it "Earl Grey, hot"
Paul, that's for a bit later when quantum physics will be combined [big grin]
Someone on the ShapeWays forums had a different idea on how to remove material and "meshize" the print:
[attachthumb=#]
He says this one would print for about $30. I was pretty excited until I read that the size of this is 100 x 60, less and 1/4 the size of a systainer footprint (~390 x ~290).
Still, a promising approach I think.
Continuing the thought experiment....
[attachthumb=#]
He says this one would print for about $30. I was pretty excited until I read that the size of this is 100 x 60, less and 1/4 the size of a systainer footprint (~390 x ~290).
Still, a promising approach I think.
Continuing the thought experiment....
Just a quick follow up to this regarding my idea of using 3D scanning to model the tools you want to make inserts for so they can be custom "subtracted" from the insert model. It is now possible to do 3D scanning with a $1 iPhone app (with additional $5 in app purchase!):
iPhone 3D scanning app
This is getting pretty cool.
iPhone 3D scanning app
This is getting pretty cool.
TJ Cornish
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Another choice that may be cheaper is www.casecad.com. They do custom CNC foam routing.
You download the software, draw out your foam insert, and upload it. You can print out a life-size preview to test the fit. They CNC route it and mail it back to you. I had a Pelican case done by them and it turned out very well. Depending on the complexity, it can get a bit expensive too - such is the reality of custom work.
You download the software, draw out your foam insert, and upload it. You can print out a life-size preview to test the fit. They CNC route it and mail it back to you. I had a Pelican case done by them and it turned out very well. Depending on the complexity, it can get a bit expensive too - such is the reality of custom work.
Just a bump/update on this topic.
I've been keeping an eye on the 3D printing industry. Makerbot has been making big waves in the news lately with their new "Replicator" and prices are coming down.
With the Replicator print area, it would now be possible to make Systainer inserts in 4 "snap together" parts for a reasonable cost (if you're willing to spring for the printer itself.
And now it looks like the Germans are getting involved and bringing some great innovations to the accuracy of the prints:
Fabster launch
I've been keeping an eye on the 3D printing industry. Makerbot has been making big waves in the news lately with their new "Replicator" and prices are coming down.
With the Replicator print area, it would now be possible to make Systainer inserts in 4 "snap together" parts for a reasonable cost (if you're willing to spring for the printer itself.
And now it looks like the Germans are getting involved and bringing some great innovations to the accuracy of the prints:
Fabster launch
Kev
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fritter63 said:
Thanks for bumping this thread, I hadn't read it till now.
3D printing and other "personal manufacturing" technologies are going to create an interesting future for us all. There'll be a point where it'll sweep through both the small inventor and modeller space ... then expand, as technology permits, to places we can't today imagine.
The world of copyright is also going to get smashed.
Take a little example ... imagine the tiny plastic figures used on some of the strategy board games ... then imagine cheap bulk 3D print material from China with appropriate 3D print data to make them [eek]
I can't wait for the technology to be cost viable - but I don't think any of us truly understand the changes it could bring about.
Consider a continuous length 3D printer, capable of producing decorative cornice or skirting ... all of a sudden your profiles can have complex multidimensional surfaces ... the can be customised for corners, etc. We're standing on the very tip of the iceberg!
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Hi -
This is something we've actually done.... printing custom inserts for Tanos cases. It's not cost effective really, but sure helps prototype quickly.
We also use our 3D printer (soon plural!) to print production go/no-go gauges for lower tolerance work (wood, mostly), and have actually printed limited run tooling/fixturing....
It's a very handy capability!
Cheers -
Rob
This is something we've actually done.... printing custom inserts for Tanos cases. It's not cost effective really, but sure helps prototype quickly.
We also use our 3D printer (soon plural!) to print production go/no-go gauges for lower tolerance work (wood, mostly), and have actually printed limited run tooling/fixturing....
It's a very handy capability!
Cheers -
Rob
rmwarren
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Rob Lee said:
Rob,
I have been looking at various DIY 3D printers recently but have not found much info about the quality/tolerance/resolution or whatever it is called. Can you share anything from your experience?
Specifically I have been playing with milling various components that mount to the t-slot on a guide rail. Is 3D printing up to this? I am aiming for a tolerance of +/- 0.12mm/0.005".
Also curious about surface finish or roughness due to printing in layers.
Thanks,
RMW
RMW said:
Faballo on printing resolution
From the MakerBot Replicator page:
• Layer thickness: Choose .2-.3mm with stock nozzle.
• Stock nozzle diameter: 0.4 mm
There are different approaches to smooth the surfaces of a 3D printed object. Some involve chemical solvents that are evaporated around the printed object and dissolve the surface to make it smooth, but the process can be tricky. This can be somewhat automated.
Other approaches to 3D printing itself will improve accuracy like moving to liquid based stereolitography which promises superior resolution. Like this one.
Other approaches to 3D printing itself will improve accuracy like moving to liquid based stereolitography which promises superior resolution. Like this one.
sumantamandal
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Printing custom inserts maybe expensive, any thoughts on using ABS sheet to fabricate custom inserts like the videos on this page http://www.tapplastics.com/product/plastics/cut_to_size_plastic/abs_sheets/524
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