Cams for the Mk VII

terrydowning · Post by **terrydowning** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 11:08 am

I can assure you that this is definitely not faked. The video may be time lapsed (I've never seen the ZCorp machine in action personally) but definitely NOT faked. I make my living at a company that does rapid prototyping using various technologies including 3D printing technologies, CNC, and Urethane Castings to name a few. One of our managers has a printed adjustable wrench sitting on his desk as well as other fascinating geometries that can only be accomplished using 3D printing technologies. (Think M.C. Escher type stuff here. Seriously intricate stuff). If it is a "Solid" geometry we can build it.

http://www.solidconcepts.com Advanced Rapid Prototyping and limited light/rapid manufacturing with multiple options. Parts can ship in a few days in most cases.

http://www.zoomrp.com The fastest parts on the planet!
If you have a CAD File representing a solid object, we can build and ship the parts in the same day in certain product offerings (Unless you order late or the queue is full). Other technologies ship tomorrow.

My software colleagues and I built and maintain these sites. I'm responsible for the estimation engine which determines how much we will charge for a part to be manufactured and back end integration with other systems.

We do not do 3D Scanning tough. Only 3D CAD files in several formats. Most of our customers already have their idea and requirements in digital format. BTW, Google Sketchup with the right plugins or Sketchup Pro can export to an STL file which is our preferred format.

FYI 3D Printing technology is not the cheapest and sand casting into aluminum or brass may be a better choice for the Mk VII cams.

Another Option is http://www.shapeways.com/. You create an account, upload files for other people to purchase and they will have the parts built and drop shipped. You get a percentage of the fee from any purchases.

3D printing is very real and here to stay.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 3:02 pm

terrydowning wrote: . . .
If you have a CAD File representing a solid object,

. . .

We do not do 3D Scanning tough. Only 3D CAD files in several formats. . . .

It is those 'details' that make the video at least misleading.

And no the printed output did not match the wrench 'scanned' in the video.

Yes the process is real, but not as depicted in the video.

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 1:35 am

terrydowning wrote: 3D printing is very real and here to stay.

If this was about 3D printing I would agree, everything I have read and seen tells me you can print real 3D objects out of plastic or even stainless steel. The video was about making a lost part (in space) from an existing part without CAD software.

3D Printers don't work in space today and a lot of CAD is necessary to get them to work for moving parts. Even the geometry of the adjusting nut had to be change for the wrench to work.

If they had an engineer on Earth design the tool and send the bits into space it might have been more "real". I was never questioning the 3D printing part.

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 11:38 am

Well this technology just became a little bit more believable to me. I just saw it used on "This Old House".

damagi · Post by **damagi** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 1:19 pm

RepRapis a really great open project in 3d printing. People have also adapted it to a variety of materials. Its unclear if any would be sturdy enough for the Mark VII cam, but its real and quite awesome.