Laser Scanning and printing a locomotive

[Terry Harper]

Very interesting article.
Sad to see my trusty calipers, tape measure and beat-up digital camera going the
way of the dinosaur.


http://blog.jaggeree.com/post/36346126193/printing-trains

[Wesleybeks]

Very cool article. Thanks for posting.

[Chuck Doan]

Very interesting. Scanning, along with 3D printing is really coming along. Wonder what all that cost.

[Mobilgas]

The crude detail's on the model and all the work you would have to do to the model - sanding--fileing to make it right... just dont seem worth it [ to me]   

[Andi Little]

And I may be the voice of dissent in all of this awe and adulation - but, I think of this as "Engineering" not "modelling": and somehow just fail to get excited by it.
It's also not something that I can afford to get involved in - physically, financially or emotionally. So I must admit to having it just pass me by. I have admired some of the pieces used here on this site but have not felt any desperate urge to emulate them - I don't even want to be in that gang.
But, there again I've always been an arsey little sh- chap!

Nurse!

[Gordon Ferguson]

Hold your horses chaps , think you will find they just produced the model because they had done the work and thought they would give it a go.

The real reason behind this was preservation of the origonal full size engine ....... The people of Bala Lake narrow gauge were interviewed at lunchtime today , this came about because they were looking at ways of producing bits for their engine which they can no longer purchase.

The example they mentioned was the smoke-box door, they can't get a replacement, making by normal means is very expensive + a replacement via this route will look "new".
By using the technology they believe they can make a new version in stainless steel, which would include in it all the dents and dings that the current door has so would keep this engine running but help keep the feel of the old engine ............... does that make sense ? 

[billmart]

It makes sense to me, Gordon.  I think laser scanning and 3D modeling are great tools for preservationists.

Bill Martinsen

[NE Brownstone]

It's a tool. 

That said, It's a really neat tool and I think it's one more and more of use will accept as a method for our madness.  With businesses like Shapeways offering printing for reasonable prices without having to go and buy a machine, more modelers will opt for this route.  Why even think about buying a printer when those guys will offer the newest machines with the better capabilities each year with the same part price?  Well, unless you are printing a ton of stuff to make it worthwhile.  It'll be another 5, if not 10yrs before the quality gets good enough for the home printer to compete with what is commercially available now. 


I see wax printing as a viable option to hand carving.  Even wax milling is still better than wax printing, and cheaper to set up, too.  That's right now,  5 yrs from now it will be different.  I'm seeing this from a dental lab perspective, but the techniques are still the same for making wax models and casting them whether it be for modelers or tooth makers, or jewelry makers.As for the printed latch for the loco in the article, why?  Wouldn't it be cheaper to have one laser or plasma cut out of steel? 

I think too many people think printing is the absolute means to the end.  When you can print powdered metal (yes, I know it can be done) and sinter it at a dirt cheap price, then will it be a viable alternative to traditional metal working methods.  It's still cheaper to have a laser cut out a wooden pattern, then go have it cast.

I'm all for using new tech, we just can't get too dependent on it.  I firmly believe that there's about ten different ways to do something, with one technique being the best and one being the worst and the rest somewhere in between.  What is the best method to use depends on factors like; how much does it cost and do I have the equipment to do it. 

I'd still like to have a 3D printer, right now.

[finescalerr]

Every time somebody shows an example of modeling by means of computer programs and lasers or 3D output devices, one or two guys wring their hands and ask what the world is coming to. I find that rather sad because the advances in technology are very exciting and ultimately will result in far better models than many of us could create by hand.

Please note: I am not saying to stop working with your hands if you prefer to do that. Many of us derive a tremendous satisfaction from the tactile act of cutting, filing, gluing, soldering, or painting. Since we are hobbyists and do those things for pleasure, we should continue to do them regardless of technological advances.

But what about a guy whose brain is more talented than his fingers? A computer becomes the ideal tool to bring his vision to life. If it were music, the guy with the fingers would be the pianist; the guy with the brain would be the composer. Both create music and the fruits of their teamwork can be stunning.

I will resist the urge to point out the irony of a machinist criticizing a guy with a 3D CAD program and 3D printer. But I will submit to the urge to say that EVERYTHING IS GOING DIGITAL, FROM MUSIC TO PHOTOGRAPHY TO PUBLISHING TO MODELING. And the world is not going to hell because of it; it benefits. As always, though, the goal is to use technology in a responsible and artful manner. You should be the artist, not the machine.

Russ

[Terry Harper]

As the technology emerges I see it as being a boon to manufacturing, foundry work etc. (to name just a few)

I keep thinking how many, many hours this technology could have saved me when I made these:



For this:

[Wesleybeks]

As for the printed latch for the loco in the article, why?  Wouldn't it be cheaper to have one laser or plasma cut out of steel? 

Russ. As far as I understand it was just a test to see how accurate 3d printing was in 1:1 scale. See below.

"The other thing we took to Wales was a part of the model at 1:1 scale which the lovely people at MakieLab had very kindly printed out for us on their MakerBot. We did this in part to see how the latch compared to the real thing to test the dimensionality of the model and we did it in part just because we could."