# Amazing technology



## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

Is this for real? I thought it was an April Fool to begin with;


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

I think if Nat Geographic ran it it is feasible.

Economic applications? not sure.

Geoff


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## davesport (Nov 12, 2006)

It's old hat. It's been around for years in use for rapid prototyping. The cad model is sent straight to prototype instead of a CNC mill. So you can have a full size model on you desk in less than an hour. Faster & less expensive than making parts that don't fit.

D.


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## scept1c (May 10, 2005)

Have a look at this item on Snopes.com, they think it's true.

Snopes 3D Printer


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

David Kaplan tries to respond on the Snopes page, and admits that the moving parts can't be reproduced. Which means that complicated geared model near the start of the video can't have been produced. And if you think about it, a hand-held scanner can't 'see' what's inside the tool, as it was shown, so it can't reproduce the moving parts.

A straightforward 3D object would be feasible.

Gerald


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Yes, there have a been a couple of reported examples in the press of late. Airbus at Bristol (my son works there as a aeronautical structural engineer) showed a 3D printed bike, though they made a bit of a PR cock-up with it if you ask me, and only yesterday I forwarded this to him:

http://www.newscientist.com/mobile/article/dn20737-3d-printing-the-worlds-first-printed-plane.html

Dave


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

geraldandannie said:


> David Kaplan tries to respond on the Snopes page, and admits that the moving parts can't be reproduced.


You are nearly right or is that you are nearly wrong :lol: Watch it again. He says that the information from the scanner would not allow the wrench's moving parts to be made but if the correct CAD image of a wrench was submitted to the printer a wrench could be reproduced with moving parts.

Mike


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

spykal said:


> He says that the information from the scanner would not allow the wrench's moving parts to be made but if the correct CAD image of a wrench was submitted to the printer a wrench could be reproduced with moving parts.


Therefore the film is a hoax. It shows a man with a sci-fi scanner thing, and the implication is that this is all that is needed to be done.

I'm still not convinced about the thing with all the gears - "printed all as one piece" (about 1 minute in).

Gerald


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

geraldandannie said:


> I'm still not convinced about the thing with all the gears - "printed all as one piece" (about 1 minute in).
> 
> Gerald


Hi Gerald

Yes the film is misleading which is a shame as the process is quite amazing.

It does seem incredible but the gear thing is for real ...printed in one pass just as shown, all the gears move but it is only intended to be a prototype, a model made to demonstrate the possibilities by 3D printing it, it is not a functional component for inclusion in a manufactured item....work is being done and I have read that they can "print" stainless steel but using the process to mass produce actual components is some way off in the future I guess. ( I have not kept up on it so it may have happened)

The technology has been around for a while ...you can buy a small 3D printer for home use but don't ask how much :lol:

Mike


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## jackeen (Dec 14, 2007)

*Amazing Technology*

Check out this week's BBC "Click" on iPlayer.
Jackeen


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