Space age 3D Printer

[askmrjesus]

Anyone else catch the Desmo head @ 0.46?

Originally Posted by Flexin

I watched a show a year or two ago about one that uses a liquid resin and I think a laser. The part will rise out of the resin as it is being made. Cool shit. Not sure if that one could do moving parts.

James

I saw as similar machine doing prototype parts for F1. Very cool shit indeed.

JC

[Gas Man]

I heard that NASA was using this in their shuttles and space station. Think about this... they broke a widget... we need a new "blank". Some guy in houston, sends up the spec and they just printer the new part out.

What's next? A Star Trek replicator?

[Trip]

engineering ftmfw

[derf]

Originally Posted by Gas Man

I heard that NASA was using this in their shuttles and space station. Think about this... they broke a widget... we need a new "blank". Some guy in houston, sends up the spec and they just printer the new part out.

What's next? A Star Trek replicator?

can they use these in space? I would think that it requires gravity to keep the dust on the part as its printing, I cant see any of the dust floating around teh space station being a good thing

[Flexin]

Originally Posted by derf

can they use these in space? I would think that it requires gravity to keep the dust on the part as its printing, I cant see any of the dust floating around teh space station being a good thing

Thats a very good point. The dust needs to stay in the tray and not get in the electronics.

The one that Jay Leno was showing, using the plastic wire might work.

James

[Rangerscott]

The one in the jeno vid is just so you can make a copy of a part then machine the exact same part out of metal.

[derf]

DIY Wiki

http://reprap.org/wiki/Main_Page


For sale forum

http://dev.forums.reprap.org/index.php?93


a complete kit for $600

http://www.reprapstores.com/catalog/complete-kits/hk


I'm sure you can easily make the $600 selling small parts online

[Flexin]

Originally Posted by Rangerscott

The one in the jeno vid is just so you can make a copy of a part then machine the exact same part out of metal.

They both take scans of a ready made part. But I believe you can do a CAD design and make it with that to get a better look at it and make changes before doing any out of the real material they plan to use.

James

[pauldun170]

Gee I need a replacement fairing after a minor spill...I'll just print a new one

[derf]

Originally Posted by Flexin

The one that Jay Leno was showing, using the plastic wire might work.

James

After looking at the RepRap project that uses the plastic wire which is heated then cooled as a solid shape, I do see some severe limitations with a zero G environment. Mainly because the plastic pretty much falls into place solidifying on contact or shortly after. I'm pretty sure that if you can squeeze out the molten plastic fast enough and cool it quick enough, and get the extruder head close enough to the part it can be done, but thats just a limitation and me pointing out the problems.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05aeYBaZzas