3d printed cameras HAVE ARRIVED

[one90guy]

Steve thats a nice looking camera, and good looking photos from it.

David

 

[Steve Smith]

Steve, as I said in the part of the sentence you didn't quote, unless it's a prototype or short run.

So you did! Sorry.

I agree. For short runs it's a great way. Even for larger quantities, if you have pieces cast or moulded you will often have to machine the tighter tolerances into it.


Steve.

 

[lxdude]

I agree. For short runs it's a great way. Even for larger quantities, if you have pieces cast or moulded you will often have to machine the tighter tolerances into it.
Steve.

Yes, it's very good for that, and for precisely locating features like slots, drilled/tapped holes, etc., without needing any more fixtures than the basic fixture for the part itself. I worked for a company that contracted out castings for a product, and the vendor built the dies and produced the pieces, on a multiyear contract. The parts came in and our CNC's squared them up and did minor second ops like drilling/tapping, and milling specific to various final configurations.
I've also worked in shops where lots and lots of parts were made out of raw stock-- billet, bar, plate, etc., mostly by CNC. As the parts were to customer prints, there was no way they were going to invest in making a mold and having them cast-- better to just make them from raw stock. If there were a guaranteed product run of large quantity, that might have changed.

 

[johnielvis]

It's all about proper application, as stated by those that know. If a part is more cheaply or easily made by machining a readily available shape, then, of course, you'd machine it. The naysayers only look to find what the new technology has for a weakness and then point out that weakness where another method is stronger and attempt to use it as a fallicious proof that the new technology is completely deficient. Every method has it's strengths and weaknesses. New methods will be used where their strengths excell. As the technology improves or changes or becomes hybridized, it will phase out the the older methods where they are more difficult. However, it will not eliminate any methods. Some methods, although more cheap in manufacturing, are too expensive for on-off projects.

It may be cheaper for someone to drill and file out a hole in a lensboard by himself than to drive to a machine shop and hire a machinist with a lathe to do a quick bore. You make due with what you have. If it works, then it works--you can't argue with something that works. The dude printed a camera and it works--say whatever you want, it's a success and you can't argue that.

The 3d printing will allow the people without the equipment and skills to produce items that they would otherwise not produce. Items can be perfected in this way iteratively--the way REAL engineers design things.