Make your own auto parts.

[pamitchell]

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/vid ... vid=944641

[cliveyboy]

Hi Phil
Fantastic stuff .
This technology is revolutionising manufacturing.
Some of the parts I make has utilised this technology, so we Elan owners are now at the fore front of science.
It has been around for a few years but has now become more accessible and viable.
The machine that produces the part from plastic is a rapid prototyping machine. If you took your laser printer at home and converted it to do 3D that is the basic theory behind the machine.
The guy in the video mentioned the digital scanner was under $3000 but a modest rapid prototype machine is still $50,000+ so there will not be one in my garage for a while yet.
Clive

[rcraven]

The plastic models were fantastic but he rather glossed over how you then convert them to metal. Casting wouldn't be appropriate for many items. Presumably you need some equally expensive copying machine.
Jay Leno's garage (both the cars and his various facilities and pet mechanics) is amazing and yet he's so down to earth and modest about it.

[Alex]

It is good stuff, but still a bit pricey unless you're a millionaire TV star with a taste for Lego cars!

I use the stuff quite a bit at work and you can do the impossible with it, even down to making rubber grommets. The down side is that the good machines use liquid resins which cost about ?800 per Kg! Then theres the cost of having moulds and casting made from the SLA prototype.

I won't start clearing space in my workshop for a few years yet!

[peterako]

Whatever about the cost of the equipment etc. You have to applaud Jay Leno's love of automobilia and his efforts to keep them as 'living' functioning machines.

Also, by highlighting the technologies available he is giving them publicty which may accelerate the (mass) production and thus price drop of such items.

All in all a very good thing indeed.

Now all I need as a TV station that's willing to apply enough make-up to my ugly mug so that I too can become a TV presenter.....

Peter

[pamitchell]

I liked Jay's comments that this technology could keep old cars running forever. And running with new metal parts. I assume the plastic replicas produced from the printer can be used for making casting molds?

[Tintin]

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/video_player.shtml?vid=944641

Actually this technology is not that new:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_prototyping

And you cannot only do plastics, it's quite common to do parts directly in metal - mainly titanium because of feasibility reasons but steel and alu are also on their way. One of the most common applications is surgical implants (hips, knees etc).

There is at least two free projects working on RP technology at home:

Fab@home:

http://128.253.249.235/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

and RepRap:

http://www.reprap.org/bin/view/Main/WebHome

Combine that with a freeware (or relatively low-cost) scanner such as:

http://www.david-laserscanner.com/

and you can actually come up with some pretty decent stuff - not as sophisticated as what "next engine" does but that is far from being unique. Actually we have much better equipment at work than what is shown in the video.....


Tim

[cliveyboy]

Its all "Star Trek" inspired
The blueberry/mobile phone is a "triquarter" The hands free ear piece reminds me of Lieutenant Uhura
The rapid prototyper is a "replicator"
Scientists have already made the first breakthrough towards creating a transporter.

I am working on a warp drive for the Elan but cant find any Di-lithium crystals on ebay.

Clive

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

Its all "Star Trek" inspired
The blueberry/mobile phone is a "triquarter" The hands free ear piece reminds me of Lieutenant Uhura
The rapid prototyper is a "replicator"
Scientists have already made the first breakthrough towards creating a transporter.

I am working on a warp drive for the Elan but cant find any Di-lithium crystals on ebay.

Clive

I've got some in a drawer somewhere.
How many do you need

John

[miked]

She's going to blow captain!




Cabin fever or what!

[Tonyw]

Put up the shields there are Klingons on the starbord bow................

Tony W

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

Starboard lookout speaking!
Left hand down a bit!!
With Welsh accent please!

Yes I'm ancient I know

Cabin Fever to the power of 4

[StressCraxx]

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/video_player.shtml?vid=944641

Actually this technology is not that new:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_prototyping

And you cannot only do plastics, it's quite common to do parts directly in metal - mainly titanium because of feasibility reasons but steel and alu are also on their way. One of the most common applications is surgical implants (hips, knees etc).

There is at least two free projects working on RP technology at home:

Fab@home:

http://128.253.249.235/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

and RepRap:

http://www.reprap.org/bin/view/Main/WebHome

Combine that with a freeware (or relatively low-cost) scanner such as:

http://www.david-laserscanner.com/

and you can actually come up with some pretty decent stuff - not as sophisticated as what "next engine" does but that is far from being unique. Actually we have much better equipment at work than what is shown in the video.....


Tim

There are some great technologies out there. My brother's company does them as well. http://www.repliforminc.com/products.htm
Fellow Elan owner Tahoe is also involved in rapid prototyping.

Regards,
Dan Wise

[stugilmour]

Fellow Elan owner Tahoe is also involved in rapid prototyping.

Regards,
Dan Wise

But we wouldn't want to distract Tahoe (Russ) from his current aluminum oil pan prototype project.

elan-f15/aluminum-oil-pan-poll-t24147-15.html

Remarkable technology.

Cheers!

[StressCraxx]

Fellow Elan owner Tahoe is also involved in rapid prototyping.

Regards,
Dan Wise

But we wouldn't want to distract Tahoe (Russ) from his current aluminum oil pan prototype project.

elan-f15/aluminum-oil-pan-poll-t24147-15.html

Remarkable technology.

Cheers!

I think Russ has set the ally pan on the shelf because of lack of interest. A shame really, because I had some really cool ideas for scrapers, windage trays, etc for added power.

Regards,
Dan