It has come to my attention that 3D printing might be the savior of American industry, bringing a lot of manufacturing to US shores. Long explanation made sort, these machines build monoblock solids out of CAD designs using resin, ABS plastic, and even metal (aluminum, titanium). The possibilities are endless, from medical to car parts.



I dream of the day a fully functioning, perfectly reliable car will be printed from extremely accurate designs. However, for now, I am happy to know that a handful of companies are focusing on hard-to-obtain car parts.

Here is a video I found supremely interesting on the technique(s) used to recreate a small model racecar entirely from scratch.

Thoughts, people?

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[GONE] - 1995 Mercedes E300 Diesel - 130k miles - Smoke Silver (702) over Mushroom leather (265) - Bladder blasting, coast-to-coast work machine.

Man..... that s light years away from the printing that I do for a living.

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Why wouldn't the rest of the world be able to do this?

Hopefully gun enthousiasts won't kill 3D printing for the DIY'er, something that is very likely to happen.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

I have successfully 3d printed a w123 door lock item that commonly fails. It's the cone like shape part that often breaks in the door lock assembly. Passenger side fails seem to be most common and will not enable you to open the passenger door with the key. My new part is 3d printed metal alloy. I posted a thread a few months ago.

Do you have your own 3D printer?

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

Someone get cranking on those pesky W123 wagon reverse light lenses!

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[GONE] - 1995 Mercedes E300 Diesel - 130k miles - Smoke Silver (702) over Mushroom leather (265) - Bladder blasting, coast-to-coast work machine.

I have friends in the business.

Jay Leno used this method of rapid prototyping to reconstruct a water pump for a 1914 Premier. He did have to 'glue' in a bronze bushing for the shaft bearing.

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Current:
1985 300D aka Miss Margaret
1991 300SE aka Alarice
1995 SL320 aka Samantha
1997 K1500 Silverado
Past:
1999 E300 ex-wife got it and let her son ruin it
1984 190 2.3 ex-wife got it and let her son destroy a great car
1985 300D (CA version) aka Maybelline lost to deer at high speed.
1981 300D aka Madeline (went to salvage at near 400k) rusty, yet best car I ever drove
Wishlist:
McFarlan TV6 (only a few privately owned)
ReVere with Rochester engine
1917 Premier (only one left)

The prototype lab I worked for actually bought Leno's printer and scanner from his charity auction. He autographed both machines , I thought that was pretty neat.

What's the make and model?

You realize that these are sometimes available at more reasonable prices at govt auctions, right?

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1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

They would, but it seems a less labor-intensive technique than most other production practices. If so, then the cost of labor becomes a smaller percentage of production cost, making transportation costs a more significant component of the parts cost. If that is the case, why have something shipped all the way from China when you can get the same part from a company in Michigan?

At a macro level, that is probably correct, but at the micro level, the costs of shipping is artificially low to the US, as opposed to sending from the US to overseas customer.

When I say micro level, my example is pretty much any electronic accessory, whether it's a case, cable, adapter, or wot not, on eBay or Amazon . . . is pretty much a $0.99 item, with free shipping, from HK or China, with tracking, due to the USPS' deal with Amazon and eBay on their ePacket mailing rates.

I don't see "gun enthusiasts" ruining it for anyone. Maybe nutcases who want to print out single use shooters with a nail for a firing pin. If anything, they'll ruin it for gun enthusiasts, who might be able to use it to prototype obsolete gun parts for restoration in the same way Leno does it for his cars.

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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

The issue is people making firearms in their basement without any pressing need for registering them.

There's nothing currently on the books requiring someone to go through a background check to buy a gun barrel, or even a receiver.

Johnny Do-no-good, can sit there in his house, turning out guns left and right and the Gub'ment wouldn't know a thing until something caused them to investigate.
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It's been tackled a few times in the past and I don't think 3D printing is anywhere in the ballpark for the average old car owner/restoration nut. The technology hasn't become cheap enough, the materials haven't become tough enough and currently the skill set to do it well isn't free to everyone.

There are a few plastic, non load bearing parts that I could see this working on, but on the whole, no it's not a viable option.

I'd say if you got a drawing or an electronic model of the part you wanted, a machine shop would be a better idea. Even for the backup wagon lens.

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I recondition w123/w126/w124/w140/r107/r129/ steering boxes!


1984 300D "Elsa" odo reset 6/2011 147k
1983 300TD "Mitzi" ~268k OM603 powered
1995 E300 "Adelheid" 262k [Sold]