3D Printed Boxster Parts

[geraintthomas]

It's incredible isn't it, how far things have come.

"Damn it, that bracket just snapped on me. Ah well I'll just go print another one".

That'll be what will be said in a lot of house holds in the not too distant future, and it's bloody fantastic.

[jb92563]

Originally Posted by geraintthomas

It's incredible isn't it, how far things have come.

"Damn it, that bracket just snapped on me. Ah well I'll just go print another one".

That'll be what will be said in a lot of house holds in the not too distant future, and it's bloody fantastic.

Right now I'm saying "Damn it, there is no model for that part yet so I'll have to make one myself."

And also, "Damn, that model I got free online does not 3D print properly so now I'll have to do the model validation and repair myself"

I guess I'll have to get back into 3D modeling. My first introduction to it was in college in 1983 at the early dawn of CAD and the beginning of the PC computer revolution.

Its kindof fun once you begin to master it but its like learning a foreign language, slow progress at first but then things start to come together and progress rapidly.

Its my impression that math and geometry is not something kids retain these days after school, so there will be the smart folks who can make anything they want and use their creativity and the others that will have to accept what is given to them.

I don't think the 3D printers will catch on in home use yet except for hobbyists.
Give it another 30 years to see if modeling can be done via the "Easy Button" and then pair that with 3D printing.

[Nine8Six]

A bit faked from GE but nonetheless here goes a glimpse of the upcoming new 3D Printing technology and what it can do -the later being very real. Those are the adaptive machines (similar) that HQ have put on order last October, we expect receiving those in July 2016. If all goes well, we'll have Aftermarket Jet Engines as a replacement for depo taillights.

Well, maybe it is not all that faked, who knows. Wonder how they printed the air-bearing (33k RPM lol) and fuel injector, etc etc. Regardless, still a good start/demo and worth showing in its current form.

Welcome to the future! and p.s. no it is not going to be plastic printers as many believed :/ give those another 5 years and they are all dead - you'll have laser and metal dust instead

[jaykay]

Wonder how they are getting the metal grain properties for strength they need with laser printing. I guess it's a demo and the mass are a lower than a normal sized engine.

[Nine8Six]

Originally Posted by jaykay

Wonder how they are getting the metal grain properties for strength they need with laser printing. I guess it's a demo and the mass are a lower than a normal sized engine.

Well spotted Jaykay. Atm there is only a handful of material that you can use. If part needs postprocessing either by hand or traditional CNC equipment, the only materials that can be used is those that does not “work-harden” during processing. And there is not a whole lot of those. That is why (I suspect) this engine is 100% made out of aluminum (non-functional, demo purposes). Bringing along material properties of specific metal/alloy in the adaptive technology is something that remains a great mystery for many of us here.

Melted steel becomes brittle “as glass” (some grades anyway). Try to process this stuff in a conventional CNC milling machine afterward for fun

Like I said all a little faked but still worth showing. That’s why you see patterns being ‘etched’ instead of being 3D printed for real. Regardless the concept (top secret) is pretty obvious along with Siemens NX showing the laser add-on module performing. In fact I don’t blame them for hiding the true manufacturing methods, I’d possibly do the same thing.

RE this engine; I bet nobody was allowed in-or-near that room when they fired-up. You wouldn’t want to introduce any sort of vibrations when this aluminum thing spins above 30K. At those revolutions there is a whole new centrifugal force, vibration and harmonics taking place (not your average Porsche IMS). Can you imagine the explosion lollll

50% Hollywood and 50% real. Again, just a glimpse. The reality behind this is; what’s coming your way – sooner than you can imagine!