"DougC" wrote in message
On 7/6/2011 9:15 PM, jim wrote:
Phil Kangas wrote:

I never thought I'd see the day when something
like this could be done! Amazing, to me
anyway...
phil k.

http://www.wimp.com/functionaltools/

I think they are overstating the strength of
material

With the Zcorp process, that wrench would be
about as strong as if it
were made of wood. And that is the strongest
and most expensive
material. The typical Zcorp printed material is
similar to styrofoam.

They do have another process that will print
out sand molds that are
then filled with molten metal to make metal
castings. But then there
would be some machining before you had a
finished wrench

-jim

They do play to the audience a bit.

The videos imply that a simple visual scanner
can identify moving parts, such as the separate
parts of a wrench. I'd have to think there was
some CAD editing done in there, off-camera.

Also they like to overstate the use of
print-on-demand as a method of mass-production
manufacturing. This mthod is fantastic for
prototyping and mold-making but it's a very slow
and wasteful method for actual production of
identical parts. ...And will be (slow and
wasteful) for quite a while.

Eventually it will happen, but my guess is it
will be quite some number of years before you
see 3D-printed items sitting on any store
shelves in your town.

----------

A friend has this clear glass block about 2 x 2 x
3 inches and in the
center of it is this frosted image of a Harley in
the most exquisit
detail! Right down to the wiring and spokes. I
swear you can see
bugs on the windshield! Guy says it was done by
two intersecting
lasers CNC. Pretty neat...... ;)}
phil