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09-05-2008, 12:51 PM | #1 |
endlesssummerofthedamned
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Midway, PA
Posts: 3,773
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A thought occured to me - there are hundreds (if not thousands) of military model kits out there. Unfortunately, the majority of these are not in Joe scale (aprox. 1:18). With 3D printing growing more and more affordable, it's only a matter of time before we can do this in our own homes. But for the time being, would it be possible to take an existing model kit (say 1:24 scale), and have it sized up to 1:18? Would this even be possible with current home-casting methods?
Now, considering copyright infringement (everyone remember's Lanard's Corps Humvee debacle with AM General?), I obviously wouldn't want to produce anything that could be deemed as "bootlegging" or such. I'm not in any position to start a job like this, regardless of practicality or feasability, but I'd really like to find a way to make some of the modern military vehicles I would love to have (like a HEMTT Wrecker). I figure a few minor modifications of my own would exempt it from any lawsuits, but in this day and age, it probably wouldn't. I know of a couple of sites that can take 3D drafting files and produce them in aluminum, plastic, steel, etc. And as I work in the drafting field, I'd be able to draw my own designs in Pro-E or AutoCAD. But this isn't what I'm really after right now. That can tend to be extrememly time consuming, and I don't have a lot of time at the moment. What I'd rather do is take a model, put it together into castable parts, make my own modifications to it, and have it scaled up. I know on the New Yankee Workshop, Norm had a machine that scanned an old piece of ornate wood with a pencil-like guide, and a router-like bit at the other end carved away the wood, as well as up-sizing the design. Anyone that can help me with information about this, or could possibly even do the up-sizing for me (you'd be compensated), let me know. |
09-05-2008, 03:56 PM | #2 |
Lexi Belle fan
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 4,210
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if your going with plastic... go with rpm.
if something metallic.... like aluminum... go with cnc if wood... lathe copier? i guess it all boils down to how precise you want it. unless you cast your own moulds, depends on how you will devote your time with those pet projects of yours. just sayin.
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09-05-2008, 09:22 PM | #3 |
Cobra Viper
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Berlin Center, Ohio
Posts: 130
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The wood/finger guided object is a pantograph. Most foreign produced tools for toys are made this way. That's why most prototype figures and such are done in 2/3 up format to maintain detail when they are cut at a smaller scale into the tool steels. I'm a Tool & Die Maker and we use all CAD/CAM software to make our tooling for molds and dies with parts ranging from simple delrin plastics to hardened tool steels.
As far as Additive Manufacturing goes, I'm all for it. Though many say it takes away from the hand made sculptures and will push away these modern technologies, I see no reason why they can't work together to get products to market faster. By using a 3D scanner which there are many different types (some much more expensive than others), sets of point cloud data can be translated into surfaces which can be easily exported into an .stl format which will shoot straight to an sla(stereolithography), sls(selective laser sintering), DMD(Direct Deposition Modeling), LOM, DLP or FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling). This allows for instantaneous scaling/sizing of designed or scanned components. There are a number of different additive manufacturing processes available and a cheap home printer can be purchased around the $10,000 mark like the ZCorp 310 although the 450 is a lot more fun since you can print in color but the costs of post procedures can add up if you want a durable model. The Dimension printers will start around the high $20's/low$30's but print directly as layered abs plastic which is very durable. If you can't afford this equipment, there rae plenty of service providers that will run stuff for you and usually charge by the cubic inch of printing area. 3D scanning is an entirely different story with much higher dollar amounts for both equipment and time but can be done. The cheapest 3D scanner I'm aware of is around $5000 for the unit and software. From there the prices shoot up to $100,000+. I've never priced scanning services so I'm not sure what the charge would be for that. I don't know if this helps any but it should give you an idea. |
09-05-2008, 10:48 PM | #4 |
endlesssummerofthedamned
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Midway, PA
Posts: 3,773
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Well, it helps as far as information on the process goes. Have you (or anyone else) used a service like this? Does anyone have some websites suggestions for this? I know of emachineshop.com, but that's it.
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09-06-2008, 08:16 AM | #5 |
Cobra Viper
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Berlin Center, Ohio
Posts: 130
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It all depends on exactly what you want to have done. There are a number of places that will build a small aluminum plastic injection tool and run a hundred pieces or so around the $3000 mark. If you just want one part built, there are plenty of machineshops that have decent cnc equipment and can cut it out of plastic or steel.
I'd recommend using Thomasnet.com to look for service providers in your area whether it's for simple machining or for the use of rapid prototyping equipment. It all comes down to exactly what your desired final product is along with materials and quantity as well as quality level. There are tons of places in the Pittsburgh area that have such equipment including learning institutions like Ai and the university(the name escapes me at the moment) over in Moon. Most independent companies don't want to deal with low volume or one offs because their main concerns are all about profit so if they are willing to do them they are usually expensive. Many universities lease their machines to students and what not at a flat rate so it is more affordable whether one is an architecture, art or engineering student. Here's an example of one direct difgital manufacturing service bureau over near me: BSLA Paradigm - Rapid Plastic Parts I know there are more in the larger city areas. When it comes to home casting and whatnot, I know very little and am only familiar with certain prototyping shops that use these processes for sample customer parts before they go into production. I used to run our prototype toolroom and have attended a number of rapid prototyping seminars/conferences over the years and have become familiar which most forms of additive manufacturing. We used to have our own sla lab upstairs in engineering and an inspection machine for obtaining exact point cloud data but all services were kept in house and no outside work was accepted. Because of the "ease" of reverse engineering aka stealing, paranoia runs amok and most of these systems are kept over very closely to maintain a company's secrecy and integrity. Once again, I know this is broad but feel free to pm me with more details and I can try to direct you in a more specific manner. |
03-13-2009, 08:00 AM | #6 |
endlesssummerofthedamned
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Midway, PA
Posts: 3,773
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All this info has been really informative, but unfortunately, is beyond the means of my meager income. Maybe one day...
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