3D printing science

Ivan Sentch from New Zealand recently adopted 3D printing technology reproduces the classic DB4. 3D printing concept cars once again been the practice proved that he is how to achieve? Middle have not encountered a bottleneck?

Prior to this, Ivan Sentch had to assemble their own over a two Ferrari 250 GTO, it is based on existing metal powder components assembled. After six years of deliberation, Ivan final decision recycling a larger space four Aston Martin DB4, different this time and last time, the body and chassis are made through 3D printing, is more difficult than assembling GTO.

Ivan is a programmer, in his own words, his body design and 3D printing professional field is completely rookie level, the only body that he can be called a professional accomplishments in the field of CAD. As one has 15 years experience in CAD design elite enthusiasts, in dealing with these curves clouds, space interlaced 3D model is naturally placed to exploit.

Prior to this, Ivan also asked the traditional method of self-repairer, for such a monster like the DB4, is to get through CNC machining foam model. Processing costs are expected to reach 12K to 15K New Zealand dollars (equivalent to RMB 6W to 8W), which is already far beyond Ivan budget. So he had to find another way to select 3D printing, and the printer plus a part of the Aluminium Magnesium Alloy powder material (plastic material used for the production of the dashboard) costs just NZ $ 2K (equivalent to RMB 1W). It seems that foreigners when it comes to the issue of money was quite conscious of the time.

Referred to 3D printing, people will generally read engineering to understand the whole process, that is in the CAD or other 3D software to sprayed welding alloy powder model size and shape loaded with a specific format file data into 3D printer, the printer analyzes the data came After injection molding using the gun, the gun moves horizontally along the rails, rails vertical movement, the nozzle can be rotated 360 degrees. Ivan use of 3D printers is the second generation Solidoodle, since last December started with it, is still groping them.

As DB4 larger size, want to rely on the difficulty of forming a 3D printer is very large. This requires the full body of the decomposition treatment, after printing one by one and then stitching the member as a whole. Data processing in the source file, Ivan use Autodesk 3DS MAX software to do the original car break down processed through AllyCad (open source CAD program) to generate 3D printing source files, according to his own words, the latter operation is much simpler than the former.

Prior to this, Ivan the DB4 has been customized for a rack frames, printed on the frame member is a frame for the assembly. To fill this rack frames, Ivan printers need to work about 500 times, each can generate five 100mm x 100mm units. As of now, Ivan has completed 72% of the body as well as dashboard print job, converted into area, Ivan still has 18.5 square meters of the area to be printed (including the trunk of the car: 1 m2; automobile hood: 1.5 m2 ; Door: 1.5 m2 (x 2); dashboard: 2 square meters; and the body: 11 square meters)

Seemingly endless print job is not at all time consuming. Ivan usual practice is to sleep or before going to work in the press a few buttons, the printer can be very reliably complete the task. Ivan distracting really make all of these parts is the follow-up after printing.

Before assembling Ferromanganese powder components, Ivan first print out parts for grinding, sanding need to use a 400,600 or even 1000 sanding paper, sanding required repeated, just grinding it takes several months.

In printing process, Ivan also summed up its own set out. He found the work surface before printing a layer of heat-treated glass, and above Tuyun polyimide tape and hair spray mixture effect is the best, because polyimide tape adsorption capacity than the Ferrochrome powder adsorption capacity strong, the mixture can be firmly fixed in the semi-finished countertop, table optimum temperature is 95 degrees Celsius.

Engines, Ivan intention to remain in his personally assembled equipped Ferrari 250 GTO at the BMW V-12 engine.

If successfully assembled, beating heart of the DB4 BMW also available. Foreigners in the assembly from the car to assemble than college buddies from computers to teachers but also relaxed. According to foreigner people say, is because the family had added a new two members, two GTO enough, before deciding to build a four-seater. Happen to 3D printing is much lower than the cost of CNC cutting, happened to himself painstakingly built over a period of time for CAD, print repairer will come out ahead.