3D Print a Plane that flys...

[Guest davidh10]

Want a new UAV, just print one...

 

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/07/28/sintered_aircraft/

 

I've been following 3D printing for about a year, but this is the first time it has been put to such a use. The other instances have been largely novelty, but in an R&D sense.

 

Pretty amazing.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

that's really complex design too.

 

 

[sain]

Nice. There is also this guy:

 

http://ultralajt.webs.com/apps/blog/

 

He built his own CNC router (and has the plans available for free) and is using it to make RC gliders. Its taking him longer than 5 days though.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

Nice. .He built his own CNC router ...

Wow. How much work went into developing that. Nice piece of kit.

 

 

[winsor68]

Wow. How much work went into developing that. Nice piece of kit.

Very little according to the story... lol

 

5 days from start to flying...

 

 

[coljones]

see also http://reprap.org/wiki/Main_Page for how to build a 3D printer.

 

The RepRap Project is open-source and started 3D printer revolution with the first of the low-cost 3D printers. There is a video.

 

cheers

 

Col

 

 

[sfGnome]

I've been on the receiving end of 'printed' 3D models for a number of years at work. They are really handy to make sure that a complex set of designed parts fits/works together perfectly or to complete early prototypes while you're waiting for the tooling to be finished, but they are also really fragile because the layers tend to separate so those prototypes don't last too long.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

I've been on the receiving end of 'printed' 3D models for a number of years at work. They are really handy to make sure that a complex set of designed parts fits/works together perfectly or to complete early prototypes while you're waiting for the tooling to be finished, but they are also really fragile because the layers tend to separate so those prototypes don't last too long.

Interesting. That fact seems to be absent from all the marketing. Still, as you say they have a real purpose in prototyping.