3-D Printer at CES practical applications For RV's

I was reviewing some of the items being introduced at CES this evening on line and saw something interesting, a 3d printer.

http://ces.cnet.com/2300-33368_1-10010984.html?tag=mncol;cnetRiver

It uses several different types of plastic. It might be interesting what items could be designed out of ABS plastic that could be used in the experimental aircraft. And imagine if a airworthy material could be used in the printer to just print out an airplane in the future.

G.W. Moore
RV8 tail kit completed

Love it

I already have a quote from a group in Sydney that is going to be doing some 3D printing for the interior. Its not that expensive and the resulting material is really lite.

The real cost is in design.

I'm not an RV builder yet, but I have some experience with this machinery, including evaluating and purchasing one for a startup that I worked for. FDM (this technology) is the way to go for functional parts IMO.

In summary - WOW. 1700$ for that sort of capability is just tremendous. The smaller machine has some limitations, but at 1100 for an unassembled kit, just great...

The only material I see with real potential is the ABS, which is flammable, so I'd caution using it in an RV in any real quantity, but for prototyping, well, it's perfect. These are also good for creating prototype parts, test jigs, and fixturing for manufacturing.

I'm interested to see if there's a market out there for this. The prices of these things would make it pretty easy to put one in my home office....

An article in Barron's last year said 3-D printing might be a global game changer. No longer will you have to make 10,000 in China, just print one when you need it. They estimated that 20% of the 3-D printing done today is for end use, not just prototyping. Boeing makes many parts using 3-D printing. Almost no waste vs. up to 90% when machining which adds up when using titanium or other expensive media plus it can be designed more efficiently. You can't cast or machine some internal configurations that you can print. Just wish I knew which company was the next microsoft of the 3-D printing world.

I talked a friend of mine at work into building a Makerbot about 2 months ago. It's very cool. I've been very surprised with how durable the ABS plastic is. He brings in something to work he made the night before just about every day to show off.

c177tx said:

...And imagine if a airworthy material could be used in the printer to just print out an airplane in the future...

Click to expand...

Well, aerospace companies are in fact building flightworthy parts from this technology. It simply goes from the engineer's CATIA terminal to the "printer" to the ship... Pretty cool.

I could easily see some areas where someone could use this to make their own custom parts.

Custom Stick Grips
Colored Switch covers (even for the stick grip)
Gust Locks
flap switch
Stand offs
Door Handles
Fuel Selector Handle
Throttle Quadrant Custom hand pieces

c177tx said:

And imagine if a airworthy material could be used in the printer to just print out an airplane in the future.

Click to expand...

Airbus plans to print an entire wing:

http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-02/using-3-d-printing-tech-eads-wants-print-out-entire-aircraft-wing

I own an FDM machine. Build envelope is 10x10x12. The machine is amazing and some parts can be functional. Most, if not all FDM's require two build materials. The ABS plastic and support material. Cost runs about 7$ per cubic inche for build materials. Some parts may require very little ABS material, but a lot of support material. We primarily use it for models to take molds off of. This little machine cost 40k, but worth every penny in my opinion.

larrynew said:

An article in Barron's last year said 3-D printing might be a global game changer. No longer will you have to make 10,000 in China, just print one when you need it. They estimated that 20% of the 3-D printing done today is for end use, not just prototyping. Boeing makes many parts using 3-D printing. Almost no waste vs. up to 90% when machining which adds up when using titanium or other expensive media plus it can be designed more efficiently. You can't cast or machine some internal configurations that you can print. Just wish I knew which company was the next microsoft of the 3-D printing world.

Click to expand...

My use (~5 years med device development) was probably 90% end use.

I'd say that there's no Microsoft in 3-d printing (intercompatibility isn't a big driver in selection) but IMO Stratasys has the best FDM product.

3D printed elements for the Panel

This is what I am constructing.

These are concept images that I am using to communicate my parameters with the industrial design engineers. I am an Enterprise Software sales guy, I have ideas not design skills. I am also lucky enough to have a friend of mine who is a Auto clay modeller and was working for AUDI and he is DYING to get clay onto the aluminium and do his thing. (For free can you believe it)

The 3D printing guys usually get some hand drawn stuff and lots of conversation. They were surprised that a private individual would put that much effort into concept drawings.




The grayed areas are the ones that will be produced with the 3D prototyping plastics. The section ontop of the Panel is also 3D printed. The greyed areas will be covered with thin foam and then leather. There is a centre consol that is also in concept stage which I have in drawings that is being printed as well. It is being done in sections and then glued and cliped together. The clips are being made as part of the printed parts

This will be very lite. This is NOT the final design, the designers haven't done their CAD Magic yet. The images above don't have all of their design nfluences and they don't show all the detail in the 3D curves. It looks 300% better in the mock ups they did.

I was about to ask them to start and then Marc Ausman changed his VP200 display size.

Lucky because if not it would have been $80 per hour on deisgn that has to be re-done.

This is the side elevation with the panel with a little more detail.





The throttle quadrant will have the Starflight throttle quadrant that is used by the Lancair people.