A very interesting video on Netflix

[Shane45 807]

A very good video on the rise of 3D printing. I watched just out of the pure speculation that it would contain some blurbs on 2A and printed guns. It had a lot more than that and was a significant part of the documentary. It was also a lesson on Sharks (Big companies) eating guppies (start ups). Overall a very interesting watch. Cody Wilson is my new hero .

[gleninjersey 2,141]

Sounds interesting. Do you.happen to remember what it was called?

 

I know next to nothing about 3-D printers. While waiting for my oldest daughter to get a haircut on Saturday I was reading an automotive magazine. One of the articles was by Jay Leno. It was about doing your own repairs on cars. He briefly mentioned about how 3-D printers have come down drastically in price and how car enthusiasts can use 3-D printers to create and replicate car parts that are no longer manufactured.

 

The documentary sounds interesting. If you can find out or remember the name of it please share and I'll try to watch.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[Malsua 1,422]

I have  been using a Dimension 1200SST(the same machine Cody used, it was about 30k new) for about 7 years  and while it makes ok stuff, the newest machines are totally awesome.   The direct metal laser sintering  machines are just completely awesome and I wish I had one.

[jackandjill 683]

Dont materials exhibit different strength properties based on how they are processed ? How does 3D printing produce such parts ? Or is it for no (or minimal) load components only ?

[Malsua 1,422]

Dont materials exhibit different strength properties based on how they are processed ? How does 3D printing produce such parts ? Or is it for no (or minimal) load components only ?

 

Currently 3d printing is not equal to something forged or milled but the technology is still in its infancy.  The additive plastic machines of 10 years ago produce weak materials that are only good for modeling.   The laser sintered printers of today are vastly superior and while there is still a ways to go, it's good enough in some applications.   I suspect that 20 years from now, you won't be able to tell the difference between a 3d printed material and a conventionally processed item.

[Shane45 807]

Sorry, I should have made it clear that the thread description was the title, "Print the Legend".

[Newtonian 453]

I covered 3D printing during my first gig as a science writer 23 years ago. Actually "technology" writer before the computer people hijacked the term.

 

Not to be a wet blanket, but I don't see the point as far as guns are concerned. Safety issues aside, the equipment is significantly more expensive than perfectly legal ways to make handguns disappear. 

 

Am I missing something?

[Shane45 807]

Yes I think you are. In simplest terms, the technology has the potential to liberate the second amendment. A point made in the program which I agree with, did the average person ever hear of 3D printing before the gun discussion? Most did not. And the desktop units don't seem all that expensive to me. Its just a matter of time before desktop units can do this:

 

https://blog.solidconcepts.com/industry-highlights/worlds-first-3d-printed-metal-gun/

[raz-0 1,259]

I covered 3D printing during my first gig as a science writer 23 years ago. Actually "technology" writer before the computer people hijacked the term.

 

Not to be a wet blanket, but I don't see the point as far as guns are concerned. Safety issues aside, the equipment is significantly more expensive than perfectly legal ways to make handguns disappear. 

 

Am I missing something?

 

 

Well, it's not making handguns disappear, but making guns not appear in the first place. 

 

 

Someone did a laser metal sintered gun, everything but the barrel. However, there are MIM barrels in production guns, so I don't see why this isn't within reach soon, if not now. 

 

That pretty much leaves powder and primers as things remotely controllable in terms of regulating interstate trade without resorting to banning general manufacturing technologies, generic raw materials, or knowledge. 

 

As for cost? I dunno where that is at comparatively. A machine that can spit out finished and rifled handgun barrels through stock removal methods is still around the $100k mark and doesn't have a lot of pressure to move that price point. 3d printing does, and thus potentially lowers the price point to be self supplying outside of the regulated channels with nearly zero skill. 

 

Not that I think this is awesome or not, or this form of political commentary is helpful or destructive, but it underlines what I have been saying for a while, which is that increasingly the capacity of small business sized organizations down to individuals is going to have increasingly more access to self manufacturing ability and materials technology in general that means everyone is capable of being really quite dangerous to a large number of people. We will have to learn to get along or bad things will happen. Bad things include powerful idiots doing horrible and ultimately futile things to try and stop that progression. 

[Shane45 807]

I believe the barrel in the link I posted was indeed printed. In terms of all of us being a potential danger to each other, well I believe that has existed for quite a long time. Seems to me a couple of pressure cookers proved quite dangerous at a marathon recently right? I mean if you really research it, building a full auto out of home depot parts is actually the easiest home manufacturing feat to pull off. Illegal of course but from a technical perspective, one of the easiest.

[raz-0 1,259]

I believe the barrel in the link I posted was indeed printed. In terms of all of us being a potential danger to each other, well I believe that has existed for quite a long time. Seems to me a couple of pressure cookers proved quite dangerous at a marathon recently right? I mean if you really research it, building a full auto out of home depot parts is actually the easiest home manufacturing feat to pull off. Illegal of course but from a technical perspective, one of the easiest.

 

Yes, I'm aware. When I bring this up, I'm talking MUCH more dangerous at the high end of the range, and much more independent of the supply chain with much higher quality at the low end of dangerous. As for the barrel being printed, last I saw that 1911, they hadn't said if it was or not. As far as I can tell they still haven't said what pressures they have tested it at. But I know you ahve items out there like the S&W bodyguard that have a sintered metal barrel. 

[Shane45 807]

"The gun is 45ACP. It’s rifled and the rifling was built directly into the part – or as we like to say, “grown” into the part – using 3D Printing."