We have shown some cool videos featuring the amazing technology that is 3D printing here on BangShift over the nearly six years we have been around, but this one takes the cake by a country mile.Featuring the company CIDEAS and four different 3D printing processes, you’ll see a 40% scale model of a 1927 Miller 91 come together. From the frame rails to the wire wheels, body, steering wheel, grille, etc, it is all made by plastic 3D printing. The tires with the cool lettering in them? yeah that isn’t paint, those little letters were made and then inset into the tires, again, all through the 3D printing process.
One of the things that kind of blew us away in this video was learning about the four different major types of this technology. There is the so-called “3D printer” where an object is essentially made of extruded plastics that are shot out of a precision computer controlled nozzle. We had no idea about the process that uses liquid, one that uses UV lights and a cutter almost like a water jet, and a fourth process that uses powdered media as the starting point to the creation of an object. The project began when the folks who run CIDEAS saw the work of a designer that they collaborate with and when they noticed that there was an entire 1927 Miller 91 drawn in CAD to scale, the wheels started turning. Since they had those drawings, they could use them to program their equipment and actually start the process of building the car. Wanting to go the extra mile, lots of parts were sent out to be chromed and finished in a shiny fashion. That’s pretty neat because frankly, just putting the thing together in raw plastic would have been neat, but the fit and finish work done with this thing is what really puts it into the incredible category.
The ability of 3D printing (in all of its various forms) to bring an idea to an actual object quicker than has ever been possible before cannot be discounted. There is lots of it being used in the automotive OEM and aftermarket industries now. From the design of parts like intake manifolds, air intakes, and rapid prototyping of pieces like oil pans for engine swaps and other stuff, you can see the reasons why. In some of these processes, if your item doesn’t work, you can bust it up, throw the chunks back into the machine, and have it squirt out as a part of some other component.
We’re glad these guys did this and made the video to document it. Sometimes projects like these have lots of side benefits. The educate, wow, and introduce concepts and technology to people that may have otherwise never known…like us!
PRESS PLAY BELOW TO SEE AN AMAZING VIDEO OF A Large Scale 1927 Miller 91 race car Model Get Completely 3D Printed!
Amazing technology.
When I first read about 3D printing, I thought it was a hoax or a put-on. I did not believe that something like that could actually be done. Needless to say, I am a believer now.
Still amazing however.
I first learned of 3D printing in 1996 when I toured the Allied Signal engine plant in Phoenix AZ. They used the liquid bath/UV laser to make complex parts like turbine blades for wind tunnel testing. It had to be huge bucks back then.
As a 3D artist, I hate this technology! I work for a company that does various things in 3D, simple games, mobile app advertising, and occasionally a customer requests a 3D printed model. It is a major pain for me, because the 3D models have to be set up in a very, very specific way, and parts not normally having to be represented in a model(or accurate) have to be fully fleshed out(support braces to support weight etc). You can’t just print out any 3D model. I am impressed with the technology, but when I hear the words 3D printing being thrown around the office, I cringe 😀 I wish I could get some of the rods and concepts I’ve modeled printed out to have on my desk, but my company won’t foot the bill for that, and this stuff ain’t cheap. Just another reason to hate it, I can’t use it for my personal use, hehe.
Oh no, you have to do manual work instead of having a computer do your work for you? You poor thing.
worlds most expensive snap together model
NO! I want a WORKING scale model!
Fascinating technology. It seems a lot more labor intensive than I expected.
Fantastic job to showcase your printing processes and capabilities.
Why not take it a step further, make the spring packs and shackles from individual parts, so the suspension will actually function.
None the less it is still a beautiful project!
I’m speechless. Damn near. Had no idea 3D printing had progressed to this point. It’s the future. Thanks for a really well made video, too. Wondering about the powder bases…and finished pieces…how strong, stress, fracture, heat, & solvent resistant are they presently??
Outstanding!!
Sorry no movie, but I just designed and 3D printed an entire model ship:
Private Robertson VC
Main thing to know: The “inexpensive” 3D desk top printers everyone wants to sell you are WORTHLESS for model making and just about anything else. It’s best to have parts made on someone else’s high-bucks machine.
I wrote CAD/CAM software that generated 2D instructions to cut steel plates in 1973. I have enjoyed watching the technology advance over the last 40 years. I can’t wait to see what the future brings.
When I first heard of 3D printing (several years ago), it was so poorly presented, that I though it was a HOAX! Having a background in machine shop operations (lathes, milling machines, etc.), I gone through a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, to make protorype or “proof of concept” models.
This technology is better than “sliced bread”. I signed up for their newsletter.
In view of the push for “S.T.E.M.” in our schools, this amazing video should be shown in every high school in the United States.
I recommend that you work through your elected representatives in the United States House and Senate to try to get special funding from Department of Education to promote a “mind-grabbing” presentation to encourage our youngsters to think “outside of the box”!
I wonder if this technology is used to help amputees to get an exact fit for their stumps. They can create an exact model and then use a softer material to make the actual part. Would really like to know if this is being done.
Yes, they are already using this for replacement body parts.
3D printing is the future of modeling. It won’t be practical for the average guy until 3D scanners improve. If we don’t wish to learn CAD this is the answer and they are available for a reasonable cost. The scanners however, are not detail accurate at this point. I would advise waiting perhaps a year to check on improvements.
Jack
Regarding 3D scanning, and although I have not seen this product in the flesh, I believed great scanning detail was offered by available scanners now, such as the following;
http://www.nextengine.com/
I’m still looking for a third party scanning/wax printing shop to copy a car hood ornament, shrink it to half size in CAD and print it in wax so that I can get a half sized copy cast in bronze.
Does anybody know of this 3D copy and wax 3D print service being offered by anybody?
Go here, use the method on your hood ornament and have Shapeways 3d print it in metal.
http://instructables.com/id/3D-Printing-your-own-full-color-bobblehead-using-1/
All the elements you need are ready for you.
Mike Bauers
Get yourself a membership in Techshop. They have 3d printers, Next Engines and Autodesk inventor and you can do it yourself.
For more amazing stuff chase down the history of the real Miller 91 front drive race cars and the engines in them.
Ed Weldon
I have known about this process for some time, but never actrually seen the proccess like you have shown us here today..
Beats the Design work I used to do in the Air Craft and Missile industry before computers.
Thanks
Ray Young once a designer in the missile indurtry.
I am a retired manufacturing engineer . I worked with powdered metal on many projects. Would it be possible to incorporate powered metals in this application?