This is some really cool technology. I'm amazed at how this works. You can make a fully functional plastic engine with moving parts from a simple 3D scan and you don't even have to assemble anything. When I am rich, I will buy this setup for my garage and offer parts at a discount. I will need something to do to keep myself occupied.

From those plastic models, you can use a CNC to make a metal part from them. I will also have one of those in my shop for rent...

Jay Leno - 3D Printer Replaces Rusty Old Parts

It's really actually quite affordable too. Printer is around $30,000 and the scanner is $3,000. So for the price or a decent new car, you can be making plastic car parts in no time!

 

Yah that 3D plastic "printing" technology has been around for a little while now, its pretty simple to do when you think about it, Im sure youll start seeing them in high end shops pretty soon, a lot of universitys have them already

 

I had seen it somewhere before, but I was surprised that they were affordable enough that people are making car parts and things like that with them. Last I saw the technology it was still probably super expensive and brand new. I also didn't know about that soluble support thing. That is what amazes me the most. I would be doing so much stupid **** with that thing.

 

a little while? theyve been around for 10-15 years.

invaluable resource for any product designer.

 

Ya I went to school with a guy who had one of those, it was pretty cool to watch it work. I think I even have some of the little things he made laying around some were.

 

OMG, did he try to measure the ID of the tube in the beginning with the OD tongs of the calipers? We have a Fadal machine at work, cute little worthless thing...And we could have made his Dosenberg (sp) gear no problem. I might actually email him, crazy that he thinks all gears are made in China...

 

reprap.org

The DIY version!
(Or look into Makerbot Cupcake)

 

Yeah, the process it usually called rapid prototypeing. We made the FSAE car's intake this way last year.

We also used a laser arm scanner to scan the whole 600rr engine into solidworks, it was sick.

 

My fathers school has one of those 3D printer and its brilliant but its £80 for an iPod holder sized thing because the printing filament is ridiculous here. Might suggest that 3D scanner though as it could help me