3D-printed AR-15 lower

[Failure2Stop]

I did cut a lower so I can access the TG for detailed modifications.

That's clever.

[justin_247]

I printed the upper and lower on one of my 3D Printers. No testing yet!


I did cut a lower so I can access the TG for detailed modifications.

What kind of 3D printer is it? I'm familiar with stereolithography, but I've done very little research on 3D printing. This could be very useful in one of my shops.

[northern1]

From Wikipedia:

"Three-dimensional printing makes it as cheap to create single items as it is to produce thousands and thus undermines economies of scale. It may have as profound an impact on the world as the coming of the factory did....Just as nobody could have predicted the impact of the steam engine in 1750, or the printing press in 1450, or the transistor in 1950. It is impossible to foresee the long-term impact of 3D printing. But the technology is coming, and is likely to disrupt every field it touches"

The possabilities here, especially as this technology progresses is making my head spin. And the future legalities regarding regulated products and counterfiet products is mind boggling to me. The future of this is almost to big to wrap your head around.

[Schadenfreude]

The one I use at work is capable of printing casting molds that you can cast aluminum in!

[Schadenfreude]

There are all kinds of uses for these things they r printing medical scans so doctors can practice the actual operation before hand, they take sat scans of sandbox villages & print them for troops to study. & they are allready working with mim type materials.

[goteron]

We get prototype parts from a 3rd party printer. Dimensions are spot on, and generally the material is strong enough for functional testing.

They also make DMLS machines that print in Ti, inconel, casting grade aluminum and some other exotic alloys.

[Zhurdan]

Speaking of rapid prototyping, is this 3D printing stuff how the folks on Orange County Choppers (or whatever it's called now) make these custom body parts? Usually they are one-offs, it couldn't be practical to do it any other way that I can think of.

[armatac]

well you can, print a part, then you can use it to make a mold using somethign like silicone RTV (room temperature vulcanizing) rubber. This done properly (vented/parting line) then allows you to pour whatever substance you want to make it out of.

[Mongo]

well you can, print a part, then you can use it to make a mold using somethign like silicone RTV (room temperature vulcanizing) rubber. This done properly (vented/parting line) then allows you to pour whatever substance you want to make it out of.

Typically for steel or aluminum parts you want prototyped they print them in wax and then using the lost wax method of casting generate the part. A company I did design work for hand many samples made up like this to test them. Much cheaper than running a CNC to make them and faster.

[pmarc]

Speaking of rapid prototyping, is this 3D printing stuff how the folks on Orange County Choppers (or whatever it's called now) make these custom body parts? Usually they are one-offs, it couldn't be practical to do it any other way that I can think of.

I remember seeing they using a lot of CNC stuff. Even a 3D laser cutter, for those complicated fenders.

I recall seeing a 6 axis milling machine. Awesome stuff.