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Subject: 
Re: Might this be very very cool?
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.parts.custom
Date: 
Thu, 26 Aug 2004 23:38:47 GMT
Viewed: 
3941 times
  
In lugnet.parts, Jason Spears wrote:
   In lugnet.parts, Dave Schuler wrote:
   I haven’t run the prices yet, but could this portend a source of original MOC parts? Here’s the website.

It might work, depending on what you are willing to pay for parts.

Yeah, that’s the rub. Service bureaus have been around for a long time, and this isn’t the first one that’s been Internet based. There are places that will actually make injection molds for you over the net. It all comes down to how badly you want the parts.

I still contend for AFOL purposes the price is too steep to use this for finished parts (i.e. need 10, make 10). It would be more cost-effective to make short-run silicone molds off of “perfect” prototypes - either through CNC, RP, or more “traditional” means (make 10, make 1 mold, make 100). Heck, the model car industry is full of custom resin parts, with much more detail than LEGO parts, and AFAIK they aren’t using this technology. I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong..

   Also it’s worth noting that someone with access to a cad program would have to
   help, converting .dat files to .stl can make ugly .stl files.

One of the sponsors of the RP Conference was Materialise. They make a product called Magics RP that was wonderful at cleaning up ugly STL files. VERRY NICE.

Another thing to think about is whether you need DAT at all, for lots of reasons already stated in other threads. It’s easier, IMO, to work on the custom part in a CAD program (since you’re going there for STL translation anyway) and then go to whatever manufacturing technology you’re using. If the part needs to be seen in MLCAD or whatever, you can always go backwards to DAT from STL. Since we’re talking custom parts, they’d never be included in the library anyway.


  
   It’s a cool idea in any case.

Absolutely. Very cool.


Yah, way cool. :) There’s really nothing to stop this from happening right NOW; just the will to do it. If I get some particularly enthusiastic manufacturing-type students, I’m going to try making some molds off my RP parts. Doesn’t everyone need a bitchin’ rear spoiler for their LEGO ride?


Darrell



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Might this be very very cool?
 
(...) It might work, depending on what you are willing to pay for parts. Also it's worth noting that someone with access to a cad program would have to help, converting .dat files to .stl can make ugly .stl files. I've had experience with (URL) this (...) (20 years ago, 26-Aug-04, to lugnet.parts, lugnet.off-topic.geek, FTX)

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