Want want want
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/video_player.shtml?vid=944641
I’m starting a collection.
Dear Santa
All I would like for Christmas this year is…
I can see were that would be useful.
Bob i think they are only $3000 just a drop in jays bucket!!! probably un-attainable for guy’s like us. The Regal
$3000 is just for the scanner there was no mention of the cost of the software programme or the 3D printer, I would guess that it would be out of the price range of the average worker/retiree. 
Dave
That is pretty neat though…
We were talking about rapid prototyping on chat around Christmas. Very cool technology that has been around for quite a while. It is just now getting close to being available to the hobby market. One idea we spoke about in Chat was using a 3D Scanner to scan heads of patrons, then use the rapid prototype machine to make plastic scale models for use on figures.
Here’s one that is self replicating http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080605211522.htm
Soooooooooooooooooooooo If we all took up a collection on here we could probably get one right??? And then just have it as a traveling/borrowing as needed little addition to our railroads as we need it? Right? Hee hee The Regal
Dave Whellum said:Dave:
$3000 is just for the scanner there was no mention of the cost of the software programme or the 3D printer, I would guess that it would be out of the price range of the average worker/retiree. :( Dave
There are several methods of doing the ‘3D printing’ which is generally called “rapid prototyping.” There are also numerous shops that are set up to do the RP work on a quick turnaround basis.
In actuality the rapid prototyping output would be a set of masters that would then be used to make molds that would be used to manufacture the actual parts.
My chief engineer recently had a series of small mechanical parts (actually masters of the small parts) done. He emailed the CAD file one afternoon and the parts were shipped back complete with some hand finishing the next afternoon. That’s about 24 a hour turnaround. Point being that you don’t need to purchase a rapid prototyping tool.
Along with the $3,000 NextEngine scanner, one needs the $2,500 RapidWorks software and a compatible high level 3D CAD / solid modeling program. We are currently licensees and use SolidWorks, which is available for ~$2,500 plus some options that are nice to have.
Our estimate is ~$10,000 to 12,000 invested to get to the first part (master) and we are seriously looking at doing this. We are already 3D CAD & solid modeling experts, so the main learning curve is application of the NextEngine scanner.
Stay tuned!
Happy RRing,
Jerry
Jerry,
You forgot to add the $800 to $1,000 per gallon polymer the UV laser uses to create the solid part.
Bob
It is generally not economical to use the rapid prototyping output for finished parts. As Bob points out, the cost of the rapid prototyping materials and machine time can be pretty high.
The rapid prototyping output is a ‘master’ that will be used to produce soft rubber molds. The single part rapid prototyping cost is then spread out over lots of molds and parts. If we pursue this, we will contract out the rapid prototyping. The several shops we have contacted provide a complete part for a fixed price, and that pricing is pretty reasonable considering that it is used as a master, rather than being sold as a finished part.
The $10 to 12K that we would need to invest is just for the scanner and additional software to get the computer output that is sent to the rapid prototyping shop.
Happy RRing,
Jerry
One thing to remember is shrinkage when using the pattern you’ve created. (If you are going to cast your part.)
All molten metal shrinks as it cools. Not so noticeable on a tiny part.
Our pattern makers had to “Over size” their patterns a little, depending on the type of metal the final product would be made out of.
It is a science.
We used to cast parts 1/4" up to 4’. The pattern for the 4’er would be 3/16" larger.
For us train modelers, I doubt shrinkage would matter.
Unless it’s live steam, which needs close tolerances.
John:
Good point. The products we envision making will be resin kits or semi-kits that will require the addition of (provided) parts along with painting to complete. There is very little shrinkage with urethane resins, and it is easy to ‘build in’ that factor to the CAD file that goes to the rapid prototype shop.
The holdup to doing this is the fact that we can’t see making enough on sales of the LS railroad oriented products we want to make to recover our startup costs. We are looking at other industrial part requirements to see if it makes it worthwhile financially. Still in the ‘what if’ stage.
Happy RRing,
Jerry
Interesting thread. My son is getting into this stuff so he can make parts to sell. Right now I think his main interest is in vehicles for N scale and maybe some simple structures. To create parts from scratch you can use pretty much any CAD software application out there. He started out using Google’s SketchUp but has now moved to SketchUp Pro on his windows PC’s. If you use Linux things are much easier, cost far less and generally work much better and a lot faster. For printing parts he’s making one of the RepRap printers. They are pretty cheap if you make them yourself. I think they are under $1,000 now. And they are getting better with every new version. Pretty soon I think they will produce almost perfect parts. I’m told they also work much nicer when used on a Linux based PC too. If you want to check out the RepRap printers you can read all about them on their website: http://reprap.org/bin/view/Main/WebHome
I don’t know of any scanners that are cheaper than $3,000 though. Actually, I didn’t know they were even available for $3,000! Kinda cheap if you think about it…
It really is cool stuff!
Thanks for the link Bob.
Edit: These printers would be great for larger parts like we have in G scale but one of the things I’m planning to make is a Eagle from the old Space 1999 TV series. The RepRap printer will be the only economical way for me to make the parts I need to complete the model.
Jon.