3D printing Parts

[Mmcbryar]

Anyone on here print their own parts? I am a automotive design engineer by trade, have been designing real car parts for almost 20 years now it seems. I have been 3D printing for around 10 years (FDM). Basically just really large versions of the home printers.

Depending on how you print and what material you may be able to make some of your own parts. Right now I am thinking about my front bumper making it more of a spring. Anyone have any experience printing their own parts that see actual forces on them?

Curious about printer, and if it has even been done.

 

[Mongoose]

I am very interested in what is said here.

Who do you design for? I’ve always wanted to work within the automotive design field but ended up in machine tools.

 

[Mmcbryar]

Currently I do design for the largest automotive glass supplier in the world. Not a ton of design in glass but encapsulated parts like the little quarter windows on your car have to have some thought put into them. Before glass I worked on sunroofs. Lots of moving parts lots of materials it was interesting. Most notable one I worked on was the WOPR (like whopper) the Lincoln MKZ with the large panoramic roof.

Be fairly easy to reverse engineer anything, but I would like to make my bumper better. Not sure if 3D printing is up to the task. Typically in the past we just did it to test fit and prototype stuff or bring a physical part to a meeting, nothing really functional.

 

[curtisrands]

I just started doing some 3D printing. I have a Creality CR-10S 3D printer as of November. I'm printing all in PLA, so it's not very structural. But I'm working on getting/building an enclosure and better control so I can print with ABS and Nylon. I also have access to a pretty nice 3D printer at work that prints higher strength nylon/chopped carbon fiber mix. I just used it to print a replacement diff outdrive for my son's Granite Voltage Mega 2WD. Testing is going on as we speak. The original part failed and they are on backorder, so I modeled from scratch and printed a new one plus some spares. I'm interested in doing some part improvements and new part design as a hobby. I also work in engineering

 

[Mmcbryar]

OpenRc has fully printed cars. Not sure on durability.

If you can print some 30% good filled nylon I am sure that would be strong. Not sure what new printers are capable of. The pictures I see are amazing.

I think next month I am going to get an anycubic 4max. It comes mostly enclosed. Cr-10 would be pushing what I want to spend I think, though I read they are great.

I think the are alternatives to abs like PTEG. Easier to print I read. I also wonder about the flexible prints for tires. Be fun to me around with