Monday, May 17, 2010

Trying the 3D print thing again....



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12 comments:

Kevin said...

I see that you are adapting your design to the manufacturing process to resolve the previous problem. Working out the correct methods to design for 3d printing might result in some expensive 'lessons learned' but it could be worth it in the end if you are able to get major parts of an engine printed on demand.

Anonymous said...

How much does it cost vs. traditional or CNC machining?

Dave W. said...

Those pieces almost look like they could be done as investment casting... are there any "stereo-lith" plastics that will bake out properly like the wax usually used for models?

-dave w

Paul Breed said...

Yes you can get the ceramic shells 3D printed directly for investment casting.

Wolfkeeper said...

My gut feel is that there's not a lot of point in trying to make the liner itself with 3D printing- it's the most highly stressed part, both thermally and structurally (you can't make it too thick because it tends to melt, so the SF is constrained), but it's also geometrically fairly simple, so you're better off using conventional techniques.

The big win with 3D printing may be for the hydraulics where you can use a large SF. For example, with 3D printing you might be able, in theory to avoid sharp changes in curvature- these tend to induce vortexing, which can give you huge reductions in pressure; ideally you should enter a bend using gradually varying helical inlets and outlets as this reduces the change in curvature. It's impossible to do that with normal fabrication.

On the downside, the internal surface of 3D fabbed parts are going to be fairly rough which will give you increased turbulence losses; you might want to check that if you haven't already.

Wolfkeeper said...

Incidentally, it might be possible/desirable to design the liner as a hyperboloid; that way you can cut your cooling channels as perfectly straight lines.

I think it gives slightly better mechanical/thermal behaviour and possibly easier/cheaper as well.

Monroe King said...

I saw the part, I liked it. There are definitely good uses for the process. Worth every penny in experience. $400 is cheap compared to what I'd charge to make something like that. Of course the material was different but it looked VERY interesting. I wonder what it's welding characteristics are? I wonder if a SS jacket could be welded on? leaving the passages. For some reason I think an ablative might really stick to that surface. Maybe not.

Paul Breed said...

I have welded samples, and it welds really well.

Paul

ariescnc@rocketmail.com said...

Did I see this on mfg.com last year?

heardle 80s said...

I think it's quite impressive

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