New 3D Printing Technology for N scale trains, need opinions

[C855B]

I'm guessing that, at this rate, in 10 years or less we will be able to print (quality) 3D shells and parts at home, 15 years in full (N scale quality) color and within 20 years we will be able to print the whole drive mechanism with LED's integrated right into the printing itself. Maybe less.

Yeah, but it'll be $10K for the Gyralight option. 

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I would worry about the detail long before the color. I have not seen a 3d printer capable of modeling n scale fluting for example. And that is a hell of s lot easier than n scale reporting marks.

Color could be a benefit in the same way that it is in casting resin: black is great for steam engine parts. Boxcars in brown or red. Grays for everything else. This allows one to forgo primer and reduce the thickness of the paint. It also keeps paint chips from showing up as vividly.

But as a final coat or lettering? Pass. It won't have the desired effect. Think of all those building kits "Molded in color" that "Require no painting".

[orionfield]

I'm all for pushing the envelope, so I will see what I can make happen, and I hope to be surprised by the result.

[peteski]

I'm all for pushing the envelope, so I will see what I can make happen, and I hope to be surprised by the result.

And we will be awaiting report of your result with Bestine breath! 

[nkalanaga]

I'm with many of the others on color.  I neither need nor want the lettering done in the manufacturing process.  Having a Reefer Yellow body for my reefer would be nice, but I would still want a coat of yellow paint, and separately applied lettering over that paint.

My main reason is that almost every car I have has to be reweighed (AAR interchange rules), and lettering as part of the car would be very difficult to remove.  I could design the reweighed data as part of the car, but then someone modeling a different year would still have the same problem I do.

daniel_leavitt2000 probably has it about right, in basic color choices, with specialty colors for cars that will have hard-to-apply colors, such as yellows and oranges.
 

[orionfield]

I'm with many of the others on color.  I neither need nor want the lettering done in the manufacturing process.  Having a Reefer Yellow body for my reefer would be nice, but I would still want a coat of yellow paint, and separately applied lettering over that paint.

My main reason is that almost every car I have has to be reweighed (AAR interchange rules), and lettering as part of the car would be very difficult to remove.  I could design the reweighed data as part of the car, but then someone modeling a different year would still have the same problem I do.

daniel_leavitt2000 probably has it about right, in basic color choices, with specialty colors for cars that will have hard-to-apply colors, such as yellows and oranges.
 

And thats fine too. Assuming the lettering works, it would be offered for those who want it, and without it for those who don't. Everything is custom and made to order as per each customer's needs!

[thomasjmdavis]

I am sure I never actually answer the OP's questions, but some random thoughts on the issues-

Truth be told, I would be happy with 3-D prints where I don't have to bathe the parts in solvents and cleaners for days, and then sand around louvers, hinges and rivets trying to get rid of wax, lines and various printer "artifacts".

Pricing is a good question.  From my point of view, the average shapeways shells I have seen are LOWER quality overall than the upper end of resin castings- but higher priced.  While as a rule, the 3-D prints have better detail on things like louvers, the striations and various "artifacts" really bother me- and on something like a locomotive side, dealing with the imperfections is quite difficult (at least for me) without filling in or sanding off some of the detail.  Adding a line of rivets to a smooth resin shell is much easier than filling and sanding around them on a 3-D shell (IMHO).

So, my comparison is NOT other 3-D models, but other models in any medium- resin, brass, whatever.  If I can get better quality for the same price, that's where I will go. Yes, if I really want it, I will spend some money on it, but to date, I don't think I have spent over $100 for any one model that that doesn't have a motor in it.

On paint, I think the best suggestion would be (as previously suggested) to offer several colors, but as bases for what we would put on top.  In my junkbox, I have some Minitrix F7 shells, one cast in yellow and the other in light gray.  And I would bet they were originally UP and ATSF or CBQ.

On buildings, I can see the 3-D color print having some applications if handled well.  Properly oriented, it would seem simple enough to print brick with lighter or darker mortar.  And utilizing a random algorithm and a half dozen colors- you could probably get some amazingly realistic brick.

How much for a Dearborn station (the Chicago one, not the Michigan one)? I am kidding- in 3-D print, it would cost as much as a car. 

Really interesting business plan- I hope it pans out.  I can see some upside for clubs and historical societies to "partner" in this - you can have that signature caboose or coach at a price that most members might be able to handle, with potential for some income down the line in the broader market.

[jmlaboda]

Painting yellow is a challenge.

Shoot... tell that to the auto makers whose "yeller" cars are "yeller" because of all the Bondo that they had to use.  Truck manufacturers also pick it for trucks, for the same reason... the truth is that they don't have to have a primer coat on such a vehicle making it a bit easier to work with (yes, I formerly worked in the truck manufacturing business).

[craigolio1]

I'm guessing that, at this rate, in 10 years or less we will be able to print (quality) 3D shells and parts at home, 15 years in full (N scale quality) color and within 20 years we will be able to print the whole drive mechanism with LED's integrated right into the printing itself. Maybe less.

Man I better get to work. I have models that have been partially finished for 15 years.

Honestly, maybe it's old school thinking but I love building models. Arriving at a finished product (on the rare occasion that it happens) feels really good. We create these things. Being able to print a finished whatever-popped-into-my-head would decrease the value of it. When that's possible this forum will have no reason to exist, and I'll miss that too. Printing parts and shells is awesome, but I think I'll keep painting.

Ask me again in 15 years though.  Haha.

Craig

[nkalanaga]

One area that seems to have been overlooked, or possibly isn't practical yet, is truss bridges.  It seems that a 3D printed truss bridge would be ideal for N scale.  A 160 ft bridge is the same length as an HO passenger car, the amount of open space would mean that it wouldn't take as much material as it looks like, and with the right design tools, a custom design could be assembled from basic bridge parts.  After all, other than size, there are only a few shapes used on a steel truss bridge, box beams, I beams, lattice beams, with the sizes adjusted to the particular bridge.  And, basic black would be fine, as most such bridges are black, and almost all are painted (and rusty).

Or is there some reason this ISN'T practical yet?

[JMaurer1]

While it would be SO COOL to be able to order 3d printed cars in whatever road you wanted, almost custom decorated however you would like, current printing technology (thinking MT's printed cars, but not criticizing them) isn't as good as I would currently like. I can only imaging that 3d printing is going to be worse. In the future this will be great but I think we are still several years away from it...

[orionfield]

One area that seems to have been overlooked, or possibly isn't practical yet, is truss bridges.  It seems that a 3D printed truss bridge would be ideal for N scale.  A 160 ft bridge is the same length as an HO passenger car, the amount of open space would mean that it wouldn't take as much material as it looks like, and with the right design tools, a custom design could be assembled from basic bridge parts.  After all, other than size, there are only a few shapes used on a steel truss bridge, box beams, I beams, lattice beams, with the sizes adjusted to the particular bridge.  And, basic black would be fine, as most such bridges are black, and almost all are painted (and rusty).

Or is there some reason this ISN'T practical yet?

I think that's something we would be willing to try and make as a proof of concept. Do you have a prototype in mind? Preferably one with known measurements?

[SandyEggoJake]

There's a ton of tech and materials beyond that used by SW.  At its core, SW is but a online marketplace for casual users, and a gateway drug to more advanced 3DP. 

But molecular level 3DP is coming....just not soon.

https://www.engineering.com/DesignerEdge/DesignerEdgeArticles/ArticleID/9798/Can-a-Molecular-3D-Printer-Change-the-Way-We-Make-Everything.aspx

[C855B]

There's a ton of tech and materials beyond that used by SW.  At its core, SW is but a online marketplace for casual users, and a gateway drug to more advanced 3DP. 

But molecular level 3DP is coming....just not soon.

https://www.engineering.com/DesignerEdge/DesignerEdgeArticles/ArticleID/9798/Can-a-Molecular-3D-Printer-Change-the-Way-We-Make-Everything.aspx

Replicators in our own time!

[orionfield]

Replicators in our own time!

That's why we left SW, to set ourselves apart from what everyone else is doing. Our new vendor does all the post processing of the parts as well, so all our customs have to do is some light sanding and panting. No bestine required anymore!