Feedback Needed - 3D Printers - Any Interest?

[The Hat]

Wouldn’t it be grand to be able to reproduce our own replacement print heads ?
As far as the rocket thing is concerted I’m staying right on the ground for now, let’s master making print heads first..

 

[turbguy]

There is no way I would trust the material properties of a 3D printed crankshaft to perform reliably in automotive service.

How do you "print" a forging? Not with ANY current technology I know of...except in a forge shop.

Making a "sintered" rocket chamber may work fine for its design purpose. I don't know the stresses imposed on the part, but typically, such parts only last for a total life of 1 hour (or much less) even when produced by conventional manufacturing processes.

If you desire a crankshaft that might last for a mile or three, go right ahead and print one...

 

[websnail]

I'm interested but I lack what so many folks in my stage of life lack... TIME!

With a business to run (or try to!) and a family it would be wonderful to be able to spend time tinkering away in a workshop figuring this stuff out but I'm having to ration time on forums (yup, even this place - the horror!) much less research for coming business development so stuff like this is going to hit the back burner for some time yet.

Were I the "old school" breadwinner type who worked during day, had a couple at the pub of an evening and had time to work on the car/gardens at weekends it'd be a breeze but this Dad is all hands to the pump on nursery (kindergarten) runs, playing football (soccer) and cooking tea of an evening most days so Ha! to that...

... and yes that's a sob story and a half... with me doing the sobbing... well, if I didn't enjoy the Dad stuff so much

In truth I suspect I'll be learning about quite a few new things with my son as he has that mechanical gene and will doubtless be showing me plenty of new stuff in the years.. Then I'll be struggling to keep up!

 

[Roy Sletcher]

They can do that and much MUCH more... you just gotta have lots of $$$

How about a rocket propulsion system?
http://www.cnet.com/news/spacex-to-build-spacecraft-parts-with-motion-tech-and-3d-printers/

Saw the recent 60 minutes interview with Spacex. These guys are smart and ingeneous.

What NASA used to be before it became a bureaucracy.

RS

 

[Adrian_Watson]

I think the dilemma is that 3d printing has almost nothing in common with the printing i think this site covers, which is ink and toner mainly. I for one love 3d printing and find it fascinating but it isn't exactly the most relatable.

 

[Nifty]

I've had similar questions, but I also realized that some of the first 3d printers were "regular" printers that were simply given a 3rd axis.

While there isn't a perfect connection, I think that as more and more people get into 3D printing, there is going to be a bit more crossover.

Overall, we'll follow the similar process that we do with any other new section... we'll watch the discussions / threads develop and if there seems to be a lot of interest, we'll consider making a new section.

 

[The Hat]

To be perfectly honest with you Rob, by the time this catches on and is affordable to one and all, you'll have to add a bereavement column to the site also…

 

[cls]

3rd printing itself is too much "DIY" but in a professional approach

someone has to grasp the full 3d mechanics and potential of a 3d designing application such has turbo cad

You cant just simply create a sphere add some bulges and a screw threading m5 and print it wirelessy

there are to many variations and too many settings
TOO many different printers

since MOST of them out there are somehow modified or even built from scratch with some mutal design taken from other machines (reprap designs such as mendel)

 

[gailkeys]

I've been fascinated by 3D Printers since they first came on the scene. There are even a few threads mixed in the forum about them.

A friend of mine just got a 3D printer kit and is super excited about putting it together. He knew I was passionate about printers and thought there would be a lot of discussion about them on my "printer site".

This got me to thinking, so I thought it would be good to include y'all in the process with a few questions:

1. Are you interested in learning more about 3D printers?
   
2. Do any of you have experience with 3D printers?
3. What do you think about eventually adding a 3D printer section for discussions about them here on PrinterKnowledge?

In general I don't like to start new sections without there already being some threads active on the topic, so I thought I'd see if y'all had any feelings about where the tech is and where it is going?

1. Yes very much.
2. No.
3. Yes please add.

 

[Sherden]

My two cents: There are anyway some similarities between our printers and 3D ones, they transfer to real world what we see on the screen of our computers.

It requires also a lot of DIY, and this seems familiar to most forumers .

There are already plenty of free "objects" to print:

http://www.thingiverse.com/

So also my answers are as follows:

1. Yes very much.
2. No.
3. Yes please add.

I will be happy to learn and contribute