Who uses 3D printing to manufacture model trains ?

[brian777999]

Do Bachmann, Hornby, Dapol etc. use 3D printing in their manufacturing process at all ?

[St. Simon]

Do Bachmann, Hornby, Dapol etc. use 3D printing in their manufacturing process at all ?

 

As far as I know, they only use it for early prototypes to check shape, scales and basic assembly rather than anything in the actual product sold to consumers.

 

3D Printing is still too expensive, slow and rough to be used to manufacture large quantities of highly detailed scaled model trains at a responsible price.

 

Simon

[Arun Sharma]

The 3D printing part comes in the design of casting masters [for resin] [as per JLTRT] and, by creating a negative envelope [if that makes sense], a method for producing short run injection moulding tools by casting. In the model aircraft and model armoured vehicle world, many add-on detailing parts are produced in this way - again to be used as masters for casting processes. Hi-res 3D prints themselves, IMO are too fragile and light sensitive to have any long-term use other than as casting masters.

[rue_d_etropal]

Some specialist model railway manufacturers use 3D printing to produce working models. A good example is Fourdees producing OO9 models http://fourdees.co.uk/

[Quarryscapes]

Fourdees, Mousa Models and several forum members with a Shapeways Shop use 3D printing to create model trains, plus hundreds of individual modellers not selling their wares. The mainstay of RTR does not involve 3D printing in the final manufacture though.

[rue_d_etropal]

As far as I know Fourdees did not use Shapeways, certainly not in the way others do.

They have parts 3D printed such as loco body, then assemble the complete loco using a mixture of new bit and modified r2r. They do it in batches, and even do sets including Peco wagons and coaches.

When most people think model railway  manufacturing, they think OO and possibly N gauge. It is surprising someone is not doing wat Fourdees do , but for N gauge. OO would be more difficult, as what price is not so favouable, but there are still some specialist model builders, with loco prices way higher than average OO r2r loco. I think industrial locos in OO could be done, as it does seem to be growing in interst, thanks to Hornby with their Pckett an imminent arrival of the locos from Hattons.

O gauge is getting a lot of iterest, and I was told yesterday by someone who had been to see Dapol, that their O gauge range is to expand, and built in UK. That might tempt others to start producing r2r models. Interest is being driven by r2r, not kits, and that is what more will want over the next few years. 3D printed Small industrial locos in O gauge(and Gauge One) are still quite reasonably priced . It just needs some simple reasonably priced r2r chassis to help it along.

[Edge]

3d printing hits its stride where an alterable engineering prototype is required, so is generally used in the engineering protoype stage of things where clearances and dimensions are being checked.

 

However, injection moulding still has a better finish to it, so that is uused for the final manufacture of RTR models from the main manufacturers.

 

I myself use shapeways because it means that I don't have to buy a close to £10K printer to make my models