Complete 3D Printed Handgun

Greg R. just sent this to me:

http://www.outdoorhub.com/news/texas-company-produces-worlds-first-3d-printed-metal-handgun/

Can we convert our ZCorp 450 to DMLS?

Vintage Machinery Website

Chris V. found this site. They have nearly 5000 machine tool builders listed:

http://vintagemachinery.org/home.aspx

Take a look here the next time you need a book. He found a complete Monarch 10"EE book there and we downloaded it for a customer.

3D Painting by GE

This process by GE could be VERY helpful to us in the rebuilding/repair business:

http://ge.geglobalresearch.com/blog/its-serendipity-cold-spray-leo/

Can anyone tell me what is different with this and Ace's metal spraying?

DMG/Mori in California

I'd heard about this facility, but not seen any pictures. Wish some of us could have gone to MDays:

http://www.mmsonline.com/blog/post/mdays-showcases-dmg-mori-seikis-davis-campus

I'm REALLY glad to see some investment in California.

DC grid in San Francisco

I had NO idea this was still going on anywhere in the world, let alone San Francisco!

http://m.spectrum.ieee.org/energy/the-smarter-grid/san-franciscos-secret-dc-grid

Culmination of 4 additive technologies.

OK, this blog is not supposed to be about 3D printing or even additive technology. It's just so interesting. This post from Andy Baluchi sums up several techniques. I'll try to lay off the subject for awhile:

http://bangshift.com/blog/watch-a-large-scale-model-of-a-1927-miller-91-race-car-get-entirely-built-of-3d-printed-parts-truly-amazing.html

Hybrid Additive/Machining center prototype from DMG/Sauer

What got my attention here is the ability to add 3.5 kilograms of material per hour (20 times faster than laser sintering).

http://www.mmsonline.com/blog/post/hybrid-machine-combines-milling-and-additive-manufacturing

Have you seen this alternative to compressed air?

I saw one of these a few years ago on a large Mazak gantry, but this one is for smaller, enclosed machining centers:

http://www.mmsonline.com/blog/post/behind-closed-doors

Yet more 3D Printing

Greg Rockwood sent this over:


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24528306


This is getting serious. When you see the Airbus hinge, you can see that machining that would be very hard. Saving weight in an airplane is EVERYTHING.

Thanks Greg.

Differential Gears Simplified

http://www.flixxy.com/how-your-cars-differential-gear-works-best-tutorial.htm

Electromagnetic Radiation Chart, circa 1944

Recently re-discovered at Lawrence Livermore Labs. How cool is this:

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-08/let-chart-1944-teach-you-about-electromagnetic-radiation

More Titanium Printing

Check this out. Elon does it again.

http://youtu.be/xNqs_S-zEBY

Lego CNC?

Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pX1cO2XhMrg#action=share

CNC for carpenters

As some of you know, my father had a couple of careers. Depending on the current economic cycle, he was either a carpenter or a gifted fabricator of aircraft skins. The transition came several times in my life, usually on a Friday afternoon when he would get laid off. During his carpenter life he was a framer and swung a 16 oz. hammer for a living. I wish he could have lived to see this. How small can CNC get::

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1320575205/handibottm-a-smart-digital-power-tool?ref=category

Printing metal at room temperature

Here's another 3D innovation, sent by Greg Rockwood:

   http://news.ncsu.edu/releases/wms-dickey-liquid-structures/

video of liquid metal printing  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql3pXn8-sHA

Windows 8.1 and 3D Printing

Greg Rockwood sent this to me yesterday. Looks like Microsoft wants to be involved in 3D printing too:

http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/why-3d-printing-matters-microsofts-windows-81-strategy

So, here's something else to ponder if you're in the machining business (or its support like we all are). This was brought to Jeff's attention by Fanuc this week. The machine seems to be made up with two hexapods (dodecapod?) I would like to think that we can still find work in the decades to come, even if the traditional 1" end mill or ceramic lathe insert isn't involved. After all, a lathe has two axes, a machining center 3, and this machine has 12:

http://www.theverge.com/2013/7/9/4506510/fords-f3t-prototype-technology-print-car

VW Phaeton Factory in Dresden

Anyone who has spent a career in manufacturing facilities has to LOVE this one:

http://www.flixxy.com/high-tech-car-factory.htm

The Phaeton was not well received in the U.S.A., but is coming back in 2015. Nevertheless, what a facility.

I've had several discussions with people regarding the 3D printed titanium fighter jet part in my last post. We all agree that there are tooling marks on the part and that this seems too good to be true. Anyway, I was looking around for other users of 3D printed titanium parts. Here's a bike company in England that makes frame parts:

http://www.webpronews.com/this-company-3d-prints-bicycles-in-titanium-2013-05

It's all about strength and size. What do you all think?

Chinese 3D Printing for Aerospace

So, as you all know, we embraced 3D printing several years ago and invested heavily (for us) to get into the business of selling and supporting the machines. At that time, NO ONE was even thinking about printing on this scale. We found a real HO-HUM attitude by local machine shops and were eventually unsuccessful in selling enough machines to maintain our dealer territory. With this news however, I think 3D printing hits home. I think this is HUGE news, not only because of what is being printed, but because of WHO is leading the way:

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20130529-china-shows-off-world-largest-3d-printed-titanium-fighter-component.html