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It takes a while to view the whole video, but it is amazing.

http://widgets.nbc.com/o/47f1317f105123ad/498ebd00a62edaa0/47fe70d4555df05a/9e46bd46/-cpid/ba4377d3bfd6c81

That pretty cool stuff. If you search on the web there are guys that have built there own 3-D printers for less than a $1,000. They dont produce items with the same quality or smoothness as the commercial units, but the principle is the same. Think of it as a printer that lays down a line of hair thin molten plastic on every pass instead of ink. Then when it gets done with the first layer on the page, it moves the nozzle up a small amount and starts again building the item up one thin layer at a time.

The 3-D scanner is very cool. Have not see a home grown version of that just yet. Then neat thing about the 3D scanner is that the data it collects can be run through a program which produces a file that is CNC machine ready.

I can see in the near future where you can take a part to a machine shop and they tell you to come back in a couple of hours to pick it. Most of the work done automated. Almost like a 1 Hour Photo for parts!

Wow! That is AWESOME! That would really come in handy at my work.

I forwarded it to the boss. I won't hold my breath, but that sure would be nice to have.

Thanks for posting this Randy.

I have been stunned several times since I got into computing in 1965, but this is a real stunner. It just boggles the mind to try to wrap your brain around the quantum leap of that technology.
The VM operating system and the Iceberg storage technology were other stunning achievments. This one still has me trying to understand.

It is mind blowing isn't it Randy? Technology used to double every decade, now it is tripling or more in that amount of time. The fact that it can replicate working/moving parts that are assembled as a unit and come out functioning is just spectacular.

I am a fan of the Star Trek series, and the thought of putting down a part, and having it replicated just reminds me of....well....Replicators!

Ahhh....ok I finally found it. The company is called MakerBot.com

You can order a kit to build your own table top 3-D printer. It makes small scale models out of plastic using digital 3D files. The cool thing is that it's mostly all open source technology. Check it out:

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A 3D scanner with no size limitation. Amazing that you can get that technology for $3k.

OK let's get crazy. Have you ever heard of the LOST FOAM casting method?

Pontiac used it to cast aluminum heads a few years back.

What they do is make a cylinder head out of Styrofoam, pack it with sand, and bake it in an oven. The Styrofoam burns away and disappears. Now you have a baked sand mold.

Pour the mold full of molten aluminum in the time honored way to cast a cylinder head.

Would it be possible to make up a full scale head in styrofoam or some other plastic and use it to mold an aluminum head?

Basically the same process as lost wax casting but with styrofoam or plastic wax.

There are lots of foundries around the country that can make small runs of castings IF you furnish the mold.

Is this the process that was called photo-lithography?

A few years ago a model engine club had an exhibit and demonstration at the Blackhawk Museum of their small running gasoline engines. There were straight-4s, V-8s L-head and OHV, and even an OHC V-12. Among the exhibitions were the methods the model makers used to build their engines. Most were using conventionally fabricated molds to cast the blocks. One guy was using this 3-D printing or photo lithography process to make his molds. His engine blocks, heads, and other parts were much more detailed than those done in the conventional way. His process used a cut paper process.

(o {I} o)

Randy


Last week Owen, two other Packardholics and I went to a friend's place of business. His company makes the machines that fill soap bottles and such, puts on the label, and screws on the cap the right way. He has cad cam machines and more machine tools than you can shake a fender at, including a lathe with 20 ft. centers.

He's restoring a 1907 4 cyl Pierce Great Arrow. There are two others, one of which is also under restoration. He started with a frame, axles. rear end, part of a gear box and the springs about 5 years ago. He now has a standing chassis with complete running gear, transmission, steering gear, radiator, and part of a body. There is no engine. He has engineering drawings blown up from the owners manual that he is going to have an engine made from. This is not a simple car- it was $4000 new in 1907.

This is a major research involving measuring the other cars, scaling down parts from a 6cyl Great Arrow, and copying and guess work. We've been scratching our heads for 2 weeks.

The idea that you could drive one of the other cars into Jay's garage and have a pattern made of a complete engine is a true mind blower.

Many thanks


John Harley

Randy, Happy New Year