3D Printer On sale in Currys for under £1,200

Just an idle thought:

I wonder if there is some future for 3D printers in the ceramics industry, i.e. CAD a master, 3D print it, use that for producing the plaster moulds.

Sorry not at all ME related, just a bit of late night musing.

Edited By V8Eng on 11/01/2014 22:47:06

On Saturday I was talking to someone who until last year had been working at a non-ferrous foundry near London and he said printed patterns were already quite common because of the phenominal cost of hand made woodern patterns.
I imagine also it means that design modifications are also much easier and cheaper. This in turn probably means that in due course you will find spare parts while still form fit function are less likely to look like the original as they cost reduce the part on each batch.

3D Systems launched the 'Cerajet' printer for ceramics at the CES last week - it's covered in the same publicity video as the food printers and a host of other stuff...

This one is actually direct 3D printing of the clay, not the moulds - certainly suggests your idea is perfectly feasible.

Looks like I was at least one stage behind, such is the pace of progress!

I will have to look this one up, having worked with clay on an amateur basis I am amazed at the idea.

The downside of course is likely to be an even greater loss of jobs.

It may mean a greater loss of jobs.

But where?

I suspect that companies in the UK that take on the process will at least keep their staff while production ramps up. It's in areas that don't adopt that are likely to loose staff in the future. Maybe, due to the cost of investment, that China won't be picking up the production jobs.

This technology will, at some point, lead to a total disruption of manufacturing industry as currently set up, and I really can't read how it's going to go. Wish I could. It would be nice to be on the crest as it happens! (for once).

Regards,

Richard

I wouldn't be too sure. China can afford the investment better than the UK. It depends more on the end manufacturing cost. I once visited an electronics factory in Shenzen province that had a room containing about 50 Japanese pick and place machines all standing idle. The next room was full with hundreds of girls of about 16 years doing the job by hand because it was cheaper that way!

Russell.

I personally think high res 3D printing will remain illusive a bit like CNC milling was, and yes this has become available but only to enthusiasts and technical hobbyists, or geeks, if you prefer, I know the model engineering fraternity etc. etc. etc. will embrace this stuff but I still cant see it becoming mass produced, in anywhere near the numbers needed to bring the price down much lower than now, I do think the ones available will get better, I know my grand kids would look at the current ones with disdain, not because of resolution but because of speed or lack of it, if it cant print in a couple of minuets it will burn, unless of course it can print a Big Mac to feed there fat little faces with............... ;-)


I do hope I'm wrong about some of the above, and I do hope they end up on everyone's desk, I just don't see it, I currently use IPF for all my 3D printing this is the higher end of this technology and very good but expensive, a look around there website http://ipfl.co.uk/ gives a little insight into the current capabilities of this very interesting technology, I have no affiliation to this company other than as a customer.

Shaun

Russell,

You could be right. And there are all the other costs that exist in the UK.

Planning costs, building costs, bank reluctance to approve investment etc. all increase the hidden costs behind such things to a surprising degree. It feels as if the entire system it trying to stifle enterprise because things will be much easier for the bureaucrats if no-one does anything.

Hmm. Reminds me of a very silly & salutary story. Last year the company I work for had two main accounts with the bank. One an 'income account' and another the 'outgoings account'. The company is quite profitable at the moment (>£20k/year.employee, which isn't too bad for an engineering company in the current climate) and had a 7 figure surplus in the 'income account' when the bank closed the 4 figure overdraft on the 'outgoings account' on the basis there was no prospect of it ever being paid off. The bank also started insolvency proceedings against the company to try to recover the 'unpayable' four figure debt - both the insolvency action and account closure occurred on the same day. 6 hours later the bank had lost its customer and the company had changed bank to a more amenable organisation - which has its headquarters in a country outside both Scotland in particular and the UK in general because UK based banks seem to have a catastrophically shortsighted view on investment and loans.

Regards,

Richard

Edited By richardandtracy on 14/01/2014 10:39:26

BTW, if you have an hour or two spare, here's an interesting free book(?) in PDF that has a whole load of stuff about 3D printers and where things are going. Mostly for the amateur but some interesting information also about CNC micromills, laser cutters etc. **LINK**

Dunno what the guy does but he seems to have spent a few hours typing stuff out! Pretty comprehensive state of the nation information though, nicely researched.

As these printers are essentially lightweight 3-axis CNC machines running g-code and come with the necessary controllers and compilers, there is a lot of interesting development going on here. This can only speed up the development of CNC technology and its availability to the likes of us - and the broader masses in general. Bring it on.

Muzzer

PS - Since this morning, the PDF has been removed for moderation. Hope it returns soon, otherwise I can post a link to a copy on my Google Drive or Skydrive.

Edited By Muzzer on 14/01/2014 20:14:25

It's here by the look of it but you need to create a login to get it.

Edited By OMG on 15/01/2014 01:07:49

I've put it on my Google Drive here **LINK**

Once you've clicked on the link, you will see a download button at the top left next to the printer icon. It'll be easier to browse a local copy after downloading it from Google Drive (unless you are too paranoid to do so).

It's 13MB, whether it's zipped or not. Quite a bit of interesting stuff in Part II (page 145 onwards). This guy knows how to Google!

Edited By Muzzer on 15/01/2014 04:14:09

Muzzer,

Thanks for posting the link

I've only skimmed through it, but it looks well worth studying.

... His previous publication is downloadable here.

MichaelG.

Very interesting doc - thanks for finding it. Plenty of bedtime reading there...

Key factor is timescales.

In '45 one computer existed in the UK and it didn't know how to play teletype startreck. By '77 I bought a 6800 micro for £300 (inlation adjusted) that could do more faster. I can now buy that processing for £1 or get a ten thousand times more powerful one for my £300.

But it took 60 years.

I won't be here to see super printers but good luck you ten year olds.

Never mind printing metal -

**LINK**

So for making lost wax casting moulds printing in wax for burnout should not be a problem at all...

Steve

Moved to correct topic by JasonB

 

Edited By JasonB on 16/01/2014 07:24:35

Post removed as it related to above

Edited By JasonB on 16/01/2014 07:25:16

Another few examples of the process **LINK** and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3xxDxlsIdA

Martin.

Edited By blowlamp on 29/01/2014 11:53:45

Can't remember now, it was nothing to do with 3D printing, the other Jason had just posted his reply in the wrong thread and Michael questioned if it should be in this one. I moved it on Jason's request.

J