RMweb Premium Ian J. Posted January 7, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 7, 2016 I just saw this article from CES 2016 on the BBC News website regarding the Mcor Arke 3D paper printer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-35247318 ...and wondered if it might be of use to us as modellers? Maybe not for making locomotives, or fine details, but perhaps for buildings ready coloured? Edit: more info here http://mcortechnologies.com/3d-printers/arke-3d-photorealistic-colour-printer/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Y Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 I had a look at its big brother at the 3D print show back in 2014. The results are interesting, not as good as a model created from plasticard and paint* but maybe it'll become more accessible as the price reduces. 18 months ago it was a large £30k machine, this year it will be a £5k desktop machine. It uses standard paper and inks which bleed into the paper a bit more. The print time for something like the bottom image which stood about 6" high is probably the best part of a day. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarryscapes Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 Looks interesting, wonder what the lifespan of models is likely to be? The titanium printer one looks to be the bees knees - shall we have an RMWeb whip round to raise the £700k asking price? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nile_Griffith Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 Must admit I'm still waiting upon that one manufacturer/device that will really move the whole home 3D printing onto the next level. It's all rather enticing at the moment but we don't seem to see that one "Killer" machine just yet. Lots of different approaches to solving the conundrum, but not that one piece of kit that makes me want to make the investment just yet. I sometimes wonder if in our age of major improvements in other areas of tech whether I/We aren't being patient enough. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clearwater Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 I thought it was a fascinating article. Whilst home use is the holy grail, I suspect there are some intermediate steps. Logically, If you were an enterprising model shop and you had a machine costing say 100k with which you could produce bespoke buildings / ready to assemble kits, you could see a ready market to take advantage of. Equally if I were a manufacturer, the scope to be able to look at machine assembly would be very tempting. To me, how 3D printing develops could be revolutionary for this hobby but I suspect it will be driven by model shops, or perhaps a card building or laser cut kit maker, working out how to exploit machines when they reach an affordable level for a small business but still above home budget. They'll have the throughput to justify the expenditure and materials required David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian J. Posted January 7, 2016 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 7, 2016 I had a look at its big brother at the 3D print show back in 2014. The results are interesting, not as good as a model created from plasticard and paint* but maybe it'll become more accessible as the price reduces. 18 months ago it was a large £30k machine, this year it will be a £5k desktop machine. It uses standard paper and inks which bleed into the paper a bit more. ... The print time for something like the bottom image which stood about 6" high is probably the best part of a day. Are the models created solid or hollow? If solid, could the CAD be changed so they are hollow, allowing say building interiors to be created? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Y Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 They were solid, I'd say hollowed work would take a lot longer in the cutting stages - it's all possible I guess if the design software can create the interior faces as well as the exterior. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanbuttler Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 I've been keeping an eye on it as a possible solution for affordable colour printing of G scale upwards figures, for basic poses at least! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold pirouets Posted January 7, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 7, 2016 Andy - Not sure it quite got your likeness in the 3rd picture? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theakerr Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 Not a very green technology in that there is an awful lot of waste depending on the shape (Say a thin tower) and size although I suppose if one is good enough a number of shapes can be combined to reduce waste. Two Christmases ago I did look at the state of the art for the 3D printing for home an hobby use as a potential christmas present to myself. My reference was the state of the art for a standard 2D printer 10/15 years ago and I concluded that it is getting there but probably 5 years away for the amateur or plug and play user. One of the major drawbacks is still the soft ware which is defiantly not for the average computer user. One chap, a railway modeller, talked about some well known CAD/CAM package (Cant remember which one but would if i see it) and it had taken him over 30 hours to bring himself up to speed on the software alone and then he had to start learning how to make his drawings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian J. Posted January 7, 2016 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 7, 2016 Re the waste, the waste paper can at least be recycled in any conventional recycling, unlike plastic and metal remnants, though of course there would be less physical waste with those. It also has to be remembered that this technology seems to be aimed at providing 3D printing for a regular home or office environment where fumes from the other materials would not be either legal or advisable. While we as modellers know about fumes, in most cases I think Joe Public does not. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nile_Griffith Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 What will be interesting is how the large model manufacturers (Hornby, Bachmann, Heljan, Dapol et al) position themselves once these 3D printers really find a home in the ........ Well the home. At present certain parts of the U.S. military are embracing the benefits of having their own on site 3D printing set ups in deployment situations (admittedly with the sort of kit you wouldn't expect to see in Maplins). A big part of this implementation is a growing requirement on existing and potential defence contractors to recognise the advantages of the deployment of 3D manufacturing technology in conflict zones, to the extent that where possible currently deployed equipment and in particularly future designs can have spare parts and support tools manufactured at forward bases. Could we possibly see the likes of Hornby and Bachmann essentially offsetting the manufacture of certain more specialised models away from their Chinese factories and on to the home 3D printers of collectors and modellers? The forum is full of threads where people have made comments about certain popular of the shelf models only bing relevant for a short period of the prototypes actual working life. The Class 37 immediately springs to mind with its myriad of nose profiles, vent grilles and exhaust outlets. As mentioned above, one of the real difficulties in the whole 3D print process is learning the CAD/CAM software, for a novice creating a competent drawing of a plate layers shed would require many hours of study and practice, so the thought of devising a set of drawings that would take into account the subtle curves and radiuses of the the average 37 front end could be quite daunting for most. So how about if for example Bachmann with their respected Class 37 sold a number of, of the shelf RTR models. But for some of the more esoteric variations of the loco, a person could buy the motorised Chassis, some standard bits, but importantly the appropriate file to allow them to 3D print their particular body shell at home on their own printer. After all its the design and draughting of that all important CAD dawning that is where Bachmann's expertise lies (yes... there are few other areas that manufacturers have skills in also). But I think you might see my point. And who says it has to be the manufacturer? A third party with a particular skill base in providing the correct CAD file could sell a licensed file to a customer. The trick will be in how these potential authors secure their work, allowing customers a limited number of print runs from each file purchased. I know these comments are a little way of the original posting, but i thought they might had another point of view on the potential of home 3D printing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rue_d_etropal Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 One thing the sales people for the CAD software mentioned and he also deals in 3D printers, was that he expected(more likely hoped for) to see 3D print shops on every high street . That has not happened yet, but I think that is the next practical step for 3D printing. Home 2D printing has not killed off shop photo printing, and I prefer to use such a facility. In the same way, if a business was offering 3D printing on the high street then I would be more likely to use that than use m own machine. It is a relatively small number of people who go for machines in the home. Some of those who have done so, have found the magic fade quickly when they find out exactly what can be printed and the work involved. Some have been very successful, but then they might also be the ones who are doing it as much for the joy of 3D printing as for the items actually produced. Where I could see companies like Hornby and Bachmann getting involved, is having authorised outlets(ie model shops, or 3D printing companies linked to them) having models being 3D printed . This is not much different to the ideas put forward for bookshops to print books to order. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymw Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 The concept of glueing sheets of cut out, coloured paper/card together for 3d modelling has been around for a number of years. The vertical resolution will be about as thick as the sheet of paper/card. OK for more or less vertical surfaces, or flat surfaces, not so good for slopes near to horizontal, or something like a slate or Roman tiled roof. Assuming a model can be fitted within a few reams of A4, then not only is there the cost of the paper, but also the probably more expensive ink, and the glue, never mind the time taken to print, and picking out the unused material. There are better ways of making model buildings. Printing books to order is an entirely different problem, but then, we've now got e-books and readers - quicker, cheaper and in many respects far better than paper based books - even model railway mags publish electronic versions (at inflated prices). Consumer 3d printing has now passed the maximum 'hype ' phase and is 'heading towards the trough of disillusionment'. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/89567-gartners-2014-hype-cycle/ last post for Aug 2015 assessment Best wishes, Ray Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarryscapes Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 The concept of glueing sheets of cut out, coloured paper/card together for 3d modelling has been around for a number of years. The vertical resolution will be about as thick as the sheet of paper/card. OK for more or less vertical surfaces, or flat surfaces, not so good for slopes near to horizontal, or something like a slate or Roman tiled roof. Assuming a model can be fitted within a few reams of A4, then not only is there the cost of the paper, but also the probably more expensive ink, and the glue, never mind the time taken to print, and picking out the unused material. There are better ways of making model buildings. Printing books to order is an entirely different problem, but then, we've now got e-books and readers - quicker, cheaper and in many respects far better than paper based books - even model railway mags publish electronic versions (at inflated prices). Consumer 3d printing has now passed the maximum 'hype ' phase and is 'heading towards the trough of disillusionment'. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/89567-gartners-2014-hype-cycle/ last post for Aug 2015 assessment Best wishes, Ray Definitely. Some things lend themselves well to 3D printing, but it is a very long way away from being able to print anything and everything at decent quality. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornishmad Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Definitely in my eyes! I would love to get my hands on one of these for sure. Pre production models etc... Technology these days our amazing! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyH Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Work has one of these, and am not overly impressed. Slow. Awkward (adjusting knife). Separating the model can be fun, or not. In principle a great idea, yes, has been around for a while, in reality it still needs work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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