Arthur Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Just finished watching Points West on TV on which there was a report covering some engineers at British Aerospace in Filton, Bristol, who were using 3D printing to make the components for a bicycle. I'm familiar with the basic technology and I know that some modelers are already using it but what amazed me was that the wheel hub was 'printed' in one piece, complete with ball race and ball bearings and so was removed from the printer as a freely rotating unit. Quite incredible and what potential for future model making (and a million other things!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollywoodfoundry Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 They may well have been able to produce the wheel hub complete with ball bearings, but unless the balls and the races were printed in induction hardened steel, then it is not going to work at all. These items are usually demonstrations of the process, and not intended to be working items. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 It worked alright, one of the guys rode the bike. Clearly it is not going to last long, nor was it particularly smooth running, but it worked. I was just impressed that the process allowed such a complex, multi-part, item to be printed in one go. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted March 7, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 7, 2011 Heard about this on the radio, I'm sure that it was better on the telly! -it will be sometime before the process can be used to make 'real' things with moving parts, possibly new materials and ways of doing things, but we would have said CAD/CAM would never happen at one point, the guys on the radio were saying this would be the next big thing and if they can make an albeit 'briefly' rideable bike now who knows what in 10/20/50 yrs time? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted March 7, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 7, 2011 They may well have been able to produce the wheel hub complete with ball bearings, but unless the balls and the races were printed in induction hardened steel, then it is not going to work at all. These items are usually demonstrations of the process, and not intended to be working items. Judging by the noise it made when someone rode it on BBC 'Breakfast' this morning I wouldn't be at all surprised to hear that the bearings etc are were moulded in plastic Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted March 7, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 7, 2011 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12664422 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 Yeah it was a bit noisy and the bearings were plastic!! They were 'printed' in position along with the rest of the hub, that, to me, was the interesting bit. Yes, it was a design exercise, just to see if it could be done, but no doubt we'll see some practical uses (not plastic ball bearings) in the coming years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyo Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Hello All, how long before we have. Laser scanner, copier, printer, 3D printer, all in one M/C? At home to connect to our puters. Just think missing part from your kit put a help request on RMweb someone has the part scans it for you and you print it out. OK we maybe looking at 10 years but think what puter technology has done in the last 10 years. My first puter had a big hard drive when I bought it all of 1.5 GB (or is that 1.5MB, I can never remember). I have more than that now as RAM. Home colour laser printers, DVD writers etc.. All of this and its not 1/4/11. OzzyO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Ozzy, really only the technoology's price needs to drop before we have something similar to Scalescenes kits but for more '3D' components I think. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugsley Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Hello All, how long before we have. Laser scanner, copier, printer, 3D printer, all in one M/C? Not quite what you said, but this device: http://www.rolanddga.com/products/milling/mdx40/ has an optional contact scanner which will digitise the shape of something and make copies. It's closer than you think! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Not quite what you said, but this device: http://www.rolanddga.com/products/milling/mdx40/ has an optional contact scanner which will digitise the shape of something and make copies. It's closer than you think! Scary stuff and at a reasonable leasing cost. Didn't someone have something like this at the Watford show - I've definitely seen something very similar. But it takes all the fun out of kit building. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigwelsh Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 The usual party trick for 3D printers that schools etc buy is to print a whistle with a separate ball in it in one go. Thet last longer than the bike will too . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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