Re: [Phys-l] 3-d printer

["Rauber, Joel" <Joel.Rauber@SDSTATE.EDU>]

The biggest question I have, perhaps related to the you-tube video of the wrench, but perhaps not.  If you are trying to print off a complicated machine with interior parts that are physically contiguous with other moving parts.  How would the scanner be able to scan these interior pieces in general.  I suspect not.  Would the movable jaw adjustment screw of the wrench be a subset of this scenario??

I suspect that these are more useful for single parts and/or situations where the shape of the parts of the machine are defined digitally rather than by optical scanning.

Comments?

Joel

_________________________

Joel Rauber, Ph.D 
Professor and Head of Physics
Department of Physics
South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD 57007
Joel.Rauber@sdstate.edu 
605.688.5428 (w)
605.688.5878 (fax) 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [mailto:phys-l-
> bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of Dan L. MacIsaac
> Sent: Friday, July 15, 2011 9:11 AM
> To: Forum for Physics Educators
> Subject: Re: [Phys-l] 3-d printer
>
> Very real.  These things are becoming widely available akin to the way
> laser printers became common 20y ago.
>
> Economic commentary discussed in "Print me a Stradivarius" etc from The
> Economist:
> http://www.economist.com/node/18114327
>
> and a more practical discussion of actual 3D printing tech in final
> parts (for aircraft):
> http://www.economist.com/node/18114221
>
>
> Dan M
>
>
> Dan MacIsaac, Associate Professor of Physics, SUNY-Buffalo State
> College
> 222SciBldg BSC, 1300 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo NY 14222 USA 1-716-878-3802
> <macisadl@buffalostate.edu>  <http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.edu>
> Physics Graduate Coordinator
>
> On Jul 15, 2011, at 9:37 AM, Marty Weiss wrote:
>
> > Chuck,
> > 	Thanks for the quick reply.  My high school students, their
> parents, and a few teacher friends on our little high
> student/teacher/parents e-mail group were very interested in this whole
> topic also and I am passing along the info I received from you and the
> others.  The cost problem is one of our unanswered questions that you
> just cleared up.  Honestly, no one in this group of about twenty
> intelligent people ever heard of this before seeing this video so even
> though it has been out there for years it has not been publicized very
> much.
> > Marty
> >
> >
> > On Jul 15, 2011, at 9:30 AM, chuck britton wrote:
> >
> > > The one at TechShopRDU etc. has a pretty serious 'Materials' charge.
> > > The cost of the machine is pretty steep too.
> > >
> > > Ours gets used for 'one-off' prototyping of parts that will earn
> > > their keep in other processing machines.
> > >
> > > Some nice baubles and bangles have been made - but not cheaply.
> > >
> > > It's nice to have such a machine available - but it is FAR from
> being
> > > heavily used.
> > >
> > > The LASER cutter on the other hand - is booked solid.
> > > .
> > > At 9:15 AM -0400 7/15/11, Marty Weiss wrote:
> > > > Ok, thanks for the info.   More Questions :  if this printer can
> > > > make a wrench that works and is as strong as the demonstration
> > > > shows, why don't we see whole industries built around the
> > > > technology...  door knobs, locks, tools of all sorts, etc.  ... or
> > > > is it just cheaper to make them on the traditional assembly line?
> > > > Is this so expensive that the cost outweighs the convenience?
> Which
> > > > brings up the thought of a store keeping inventory... say a
> hardware
> > > > store invests in a 3-d printer for a one-time investment.  The
> > > > proprietor can then buy one of everything and make more on the
> > > > printer instead of buying boxes of, say, wrenches at a cost
> > > > involving the price of the tool itself, plus shipping, not to
> > > > mention storage and shelf space.
> > > >
> > > > Marty
> > > _______________________________________________
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