3D Printing Parts

[pbar]

Watching Car SOS last night, they had an Astra GTE on, very rare model by all accounts, and they needed three wheel centre caps. As they are as rare as rocking horse pooper, they had them copied and 3D printed, then painted up, exact copies therefore of the one cap which they did have. Obviously, unlimited copies can now be made. 3D printing is still in it's infancy and I assume therefore expensive. Although this could be the way forward for these hard to get parts.

I remember years ago, photo printing at home was expensive and making your own CD's/DVD's unheard of. So I think that's quite a positive thing for us all

[andyd]

Watching Car SOS last night, they had an Astra GTE on, very rare model by all accounts, and they needed three wheel centre caps. As they are as rare as rocking horse pooper, they had them copied and 3D printed, then painted up, exact copies therefore of the one cap which they did have. Obviously, unlimited copies can now be made. 3D printing is still in it's infancy and I assume therefore expensive. Although this could be the way forward for these hard to get parts.

I remember years ago, photo printing at home was expensive and making your own CD's/DVD's unheard of. So I think that's quite a positive thing for us all

I have seen that episode before, and that was a clever way of getting a rare part......But lucky they had one as a sample.

Many cars from that era now have that problem of lack of spares, so hopefully a way forward? Don't know if there is a limit to 3D printing though

[D366Y]

You can print almost anything, which is pretty amazing!

I know that a few years back people in the US were kicking up a fuss as someone figured out a way to 3D print all the parts needed to make a fully working gun I also saw at a university on a site visit once that someone 3D printed a plain cube that was about 30cmx30cm and from the outside was completely natural, but inside there was a staircase printed and you could only tell once you cut it open to show it.

If you can write the code to print it, the printer can do it basically! Though you can only print in plastic, would be pretty handy to do it with metal when I need a new front wing

[pbar]

Though you can only print in plastic, would be pretty handy to do it with metal when I need a new front wing

You can 3D print in steel also.

[D366Y]

Though you can only print in plastic, would be pretty handy to do it with metal when I need a new front wing

You can 3D print in steel also.

Sweet, I know what I'm buying myself for Christmas!!

Genuinely though, I think it wouldn't be such a bad idea for a group of people to band together and start reproducing the parts we all need frequently before they all break, and not offer them at massively inflated/unaffordable prices. Like those ruddy indicator stalks!

[ESSEXV6ESSEX]

This is definitely the way we will be buying car parts in the future. 3D printing is far cheaper now then it was. When cars are all electric which they will be, we will only need plastic bits and bobs anyway.

[tejb1]

I suppose the benefits will come in being able to produce one offs without the high setup costs of traditional methods. Sure, there will be the initial task of computerising the part, but after that it's easy. In theory. I'm not familiar enough to know whether the parts will be robust enough long term, mind - that's the telling thing.

[Caprifan Rob]

I'm not familiar enough to know whether the parts will be robust enough long term, mind - that's the telling thing.

No need to worry about that. There are currently some internal aircraft engine parts made with 3D printing. It's clever technology & can only get better. It's the future I tell you

[Andrew 2.8i]

It will be good when somebody starts printing 2.8 fuel tanks.....

Andrew.

[Caprifan Rob]

It will be good when somebody starts printing 2.8 fuel tanks.....

Andrew.

Put me down for one of those.

[Fordoholic Nick]

So what Ink Cartridges do you need for this 3D Printing ?

[Jasonmarie]

Sounds good but will it only do plastic ?

[Fordoholic Nick]

Sounds good but will it only do plastic ?

Though you can only print in plastic, would be pretty handy to do it with metal when I need a new front wing

You can 3D print in steel also.

[Lord Flasheart]

We have a small 3D printer at work, so far I have had some pegs made that hold the retaining cable in place on the centre arm rest, like the ones that hold the rear parcel shelf strings onto the boot. The Ford fixings are a one time only use, as to remove the fixings you have to push the centre thru & it drops into to bodywork, or into the arm rest cover.

I had some of the centre pegs made with a ball on the end of the centre peg so if removal is needed, you have something to get some pliers or grips on

Also made up some switches for my dads Austin 7, the original Bakerlite ones are not available so we copied the shape & printed some more out in plastic

[pbar]

You are actually doing it then, making your own car parts! Excellent.