More 3D printing

May 29, 2018
457
Canel 25 foot Shiogama, japan
Coincidentally, just after I posted here about the 3D printed propeller a new Sam Holmes Sailing on youtube vid popped up.
And what do you know? it's 3d printing.
I get the feeling that this technology is maturing really fast.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
I read somewhere that a whole house was 3D printed
I attended a technology presentation by the Montgomery AL chamber of Comm where an architech firm was doing 3D parking garages. His printer 3D prints carbon fiber matrix that provides the internal strength, then the voids are filled with espanding foam and next a different "printer" shapes out the hardened foam (this last part is more like 3D routing). A skin that looks like concrete is placed over the blocks and then the blocks are transported to the site for assembly. The really cool part of all of this is that design changes are all done on CAD and then fed directly into the controlling software. The entire process of design to build is now really short.
 
Nov 6, 2006
9,884
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
That would be great technology to reproduce obsolete parts for older boats.. For instance, the pvc fixed port frames that Hunter used in the mid/late 80's on the 31, 34, 40 etc.. The extrusion is no longer available but a 3d printed frame would be fairly easy to make because of the simple cross section.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I remember reading about a project in Afghanistan. The military engineers we’re using 3D printing to build structures out of concrete. It engaged the local materials to reduce the logistical costs of producing housing on site.

 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
.... His printer 3D prints carbon fiber matrix that provides the internal strength, ...
I think this is key to durability of printed objects. A printer that just pukes out plastic, concrete etc does not have the structural integrity of object done the "old" way. My opinion anyway
 
Aug 16, 2016
38
Pacific Dolphin 24 Phoenix, Arizona
3D printing has come a lot farther than most people realize. It can print in different types of plastics, some with fibers embedded for extra strength, metals or combinations of the two. Part geometries designed for strength rather than conventional manufacturing practices has opened up amazing design possibilities. And yes, the cost effective manufacture of obsolete parts is a great feature.
 
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Bob S

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Sep 27, 2007
1,771
Beneteau 393 New Bedford, MA
GE has been aggressive in incorporating it into aviation, remember the next time you fly there is probably some 3d printed parts in there somewhere!

 

dLj

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Mar 23, 2017
3,370
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
It has been my contention for some time that the real money is in owning the designs of obsolete parts. Owning the designs means you can drive the market utilizing the most modern equipment available subcontracted out to those that are running these new machines...

dj
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
GE has been aggressive in incorporating it into aviation, remember the next time you fly there is probably some 3d printed parts in there somewhere!

I was at a talk years ago by a man who was the director of the center of adhesive science at VaTech.... in his talk he described a major aviation manufacturer that adhesively "welds" their planes together.... then the man laughed and said... we call it welding because the passengers don't want to hear that their plane is glued together....:yikes::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
 
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DArcy

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Feb 11, 2017
1,690
Islander Freeport 36 Ottawa
I think this is key to durability of printed objects. A printer that just pukes out plastic, concrete etc does not have the structural integrity of object done the "old" way. My opinion anyway
Material properties are always important but you might be surprised by how strong 3D printed parts can be. I was playing around and designed this shackle. Trying to verify my load calculations I printed it in basic PLA. I set up a load tester using a 200 lb load (me) and an 8:1 block and tackle. I could not break the shackle, even bouncing on the rope trying to increase the force. With the dynamic loading I'm fairly certain I applied around 1600 lb even with the friction in the blocks. Doing the math on printed PLA I believe this shackle should be able to take around 2100 lb load before failing.
PLA does not stand up very well to UV so not an ideal material for outdoor applications but something to think about.
BTW, PLA is one of the most common materials for home based 3D printing.

20210208_174047.jpg
 

dLj

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Mar 23, 2017
3,370
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
I think this is key to durability of printed objects. A printer that just pukes out plastic, concrete etc does not have the structural integrity of object done the "old" way. My opinion anyway
Modern 3d printers do not necessarily "puke" out material. The structural integrity that is now attainable in many of the 3d printed parts meets the "old" way of manufacturing in terms of structural integrity. Not only that, this technology can produce structures you cannot produce any other way. Think about a structure that has the same material strength, is built with an internal structural lattice structure and has a solid covering. You could hold two parts, one made from traditional methods, and one made from 3d printing, not be able to see any difference on the outside, but the 3d printed part may weigh half of the traditional parts weight as the interior is not solid but rather a structural lattice. In aerospace, and other fields, that can provide significant design advantages while at the same time cost less both in time to produce and in cost of raw material.

dj
 
May 29, 2018
457
Canel 25 foot Shiogama, japan
Hi Justin
Re: I think this is key to durability of printed objects. A printer that just pukes out plastic, concrete etc does not have the structural integrity of object done the "old" way. My opinion anyway

This was also my opinion. Then I read of the 3D printed ship's propeller (in my first 3D post).
You are aware of the stresses that apply to a large (5 bladed 2.5 Meter diameter military specified ) propeller.
The article states that this is the "largest "3D prop to date, so it would seem that the latest printed prop has followed a path of engineering evolution. As it has been inspected and and approved by the classification society Bureau Veritas (BV), we can assume that it does have the structural integrity of object done the "old" way. We have gone way past just puking out plastics.
Gary
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,039
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
Saw on the news this morning that the 3D-printed house was sold.
There was an article in a Long Island rag about a small company on LI that is going to build a 3-D printed house in Riverhead NY. They're saying its selling price will be around $ 299,000 which is cheap in those environs.
I bought stock in a pre-manufactured home company that day. If they're making 3-D printed home components, the large players will be on it pretty fast.
 

higgs

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Aug 24, 2005
3,627
Nassau 34 Olcott, NY
3D printing saved my Lewmar self tailers. The stripping ring, which is nylon (I thtink). The self tailing feature won't work without the ring. The winches are more than 30 years old and Lewmar no longer makes parts for it and no had those parts.
 
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Apr 11, 2010
946
Hunter 38 Whitehall MI
They now routinely design and 3D print replacement body parts. The level of customization to fit each body is revolutionary.

For manufacturers it offers the ability to improve customer service in providing replacement parts. They won’t need to keep high warehouses full of spare parts all collecting dust and costing money waiting for a customer to need them. Instead an order can be placed and a part printed when needed.