Towards the *fully* 3D-printed electric cars.

Not really, 3D printing is capable of exponential growth once it reaches a certain capability, composites aren't, and the parts we won't be fabricating for a while, processors and storage, are subject to Moore's law.

You're a bit of a bellend aren't you.

*PLONK*

Do you have any references for how the Tesla car electric motor looks/works?

Bob Clark

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, nanotechnology can now fulfill its potential to revolutionize

21st-century technology, from the space elevator, to private, orbital launchers, to 'flying cars'. This crowdfunding campaign is to prove it:

Nanotech: from air to space.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

An article from 2015:

Here's a description of the commercial, metal 3D-printers now in use:

Learn how 3d printing metal works ? Top 3 ways! 02, 10 , 2016.

The first method described as "metal binder jetting" might be the easiest one for amateurs to adapt to make a home metal 3D-printer. This method is also the fastest as described here:

Desktop Metal reveals how its 3D printers rapidly churn out metal objects. Posted Apr 25, 2017 by Lora Kolodny (@lorakolodny)

The metal "binder jetting method" for 3D metal printing is analogous to how amateurs make plastic 3D parts so it should be something amateurs could copy:

Desktop Metal Production System.

The only complication is that it is a 3 step process: the part is 3D printed, then put in a solvent bath to dissolve the binder, then finally put in a high temperature oven to sinter the metal together.

However, the method itself probably is not patented since another company Metal X is using the same process:

Solid Metal 3D Printing Under $100k - Markforged Metal X | CES 2017.

Many amateurs working independently could come up with improvements to the process. For instance, is it possible to combine the metal deposition, dissolving the binder, and sintering all into a single step?

Bob Clark

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, nanotechnology can now fulfill its potential to revolutionize

21st-century technology, from the space elevator, to private, orbital launchers, to 'flying cars'. This crowdfunding campaign is to prove it:

Nanotech: from air to space.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

An article from 2015:

The Desktop Metal Studio system is not meant for home use. But they do mean for it to be used by engineers in an office setting to do rapid prototyping.

Their Desktop Metal Production system due out next year is intended for high volume production. They claim a production rate of 8,200 cm3 per hour, which they say rivals standard manufacturing techniques.

As described in their videos, this is for production of multiple copies of a part by a machine with about a cubic foot operating volume:

Desktop Metal Production System.

However, it would seem the machine could be adapted to make a single part of this size. That is, instead of making a hundred copies of a part a couple of inches wide by using multiple jets performing identical deposition passes, have these jets be separately, and independently directed to make different portions of one part that is a foot wide.

Say, you wanted to make a steel engine within a machine operating volume 3 feet wide on a side. This would require 33 = 27 of the current machines (or a single one scaled up this size.) Say, the engine weighed 270 kilos, that's

270,000 grams. Say the weight is equally distributed among the 27 machines, so 270,000/27 = 10,000 grams for each machine. The density of steel is about 8 gms/cm3. So that's 10,000/8 = 1,250 cm3. This would then take 1,250/8,200 =.15 hours, or 9 minutes to make the complete engine.

It's notable in this video the company's chief engineer says their system could be scaled up to make an automobile chassis:

VIDEO: How Additive Manufacturing Can Produce Metal Parts en Masse. James Anderton posted on June 06, 2017 |

One imagines also, it could be scaled up to make the complete automobile.

Bob Clark

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, nanotechnology can now fulfill its potential to revolutionize

21st-century technology, from the space elevator, to private, orbital launchers, to 'flying cars'. This crowdfunding campaign is to prove it:

Nanotech: from air to space.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With those price numbers I was referring to the price of the machine itself. Likely, you could also accomplish the same thing by combining several of the machines to 3D-print objects of a larger size, in which case the price of the machines would be linear.

At least one other company is using this technique for doing 3D metal printing:

Solid Metal 3D Printing Under $100k - Markforged Metal X | CES 2017.

So this "binder jetting" method for metal 3D-printing probably is not patented, though each company may patent their own individual design.

With applications of the process increasing, more companies will come into the field, increasing the production of the machines and reducing the price. Also, since this is a process that can be copied by amateurs more creativity will come into the field possibly resulting in further reductions in cost of the machines.

Bob Clark

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, nanotechnology can now fulfill its potential to revolutionize

21st-century technology, from the space elevator, to private, orbital launchers, to 'flying cars'. This crowdfunding campaign is to prove it:

Nanotech: from air to space.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some people do like to buy exotic things. Some people even buy expensive things thinking that if they cost more they *must* be better, right? Hell, I know a few "foodies" who would likely buy "lightweight" silverware just to have as a conversation piece at their next dinner party.

My local Kroger carries a few knives with ceramic blades. One could ask why of that as well, but they're there on the shelf. Someone must be buying them since they've been around for several years.

Jeff

--
All opinions posted by me on Usenet News are mine, and mine alone.   
These posts do not reflect the opinions of my family, friends,  
employer, or any organization that I am a member of.

The second sentence here should say:

"This would require 3^3 = 27 of the current machines (or a single one scaled up this size.)"

Bob Clark

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, nanotechnology can now fulfill its potential to revolutionize

21st-century technology, from the space elevator, to private, orbital launchers, to 'flying cars'. This crowdfunding campaign is to prove it:

Nanotech: from air to space.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--

Gears are used so the engine and wheels can turn at different speeds and achieve optimum torque and performance for a given weight. The Tesla motor spins at a max rate over 10,000 RPM (don't recall the exact number) while the wheels turn at around 400 RPM at 60 MPH. At 400 RPM the motor wouldn't have much power. Also, mounting the motors in the hubs affects the sprung/unsprung weight ratio greatly impacting the ride quality. Hub motors are *not* the right way to build an electric vehicle unless it's a forklift maybe.

I don't get your reference to a Maxwell 2020. Is that an imaginary car or do you mean a 1920 car? I couldn't find any mention of an electric Maxwell. The present Maxwell company only makes ultracapacitors.

--

Rick C

The manufacturing cost which increases the retail sales price at the store.

Or you could injection mold it, as most knife handles are, for a fraction of the manufacturing cost of the honyecomb nonsense.

Or you could stamp the whole thing out of metal for a fraction of the cost of the honyecomb nonsense.

The only metric which makes sense for fabricating objects is the loaded manufacturing cost.

If an injection molded handle costs a fraction of a cent while the honeycomb handle costs several cents, which is cheaper?

--
Jim Pennino

You're more than a bit of a foreskin, aren't you?

Good idea. It'll save you the frustration of not being able to explain to me what I mean by what I said.

--
"Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the 
 truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong." 
                               -- Thomas Jefferson

you already said that. twice now.

So's your old man. (what a loser!)

It's good that you show everyone what you're really worth.

Manufacturing cost and sales price are only loosely correlated.

Yes but not because of sales price, rather profit.

Not the one with the better ad agency. ;-)

So, because camper shells and ski boats are made out of composites, he's trailer trash. Got it.

Oh, good grief. I suppose you're going to tell me that a concrete pump is a 3-D printer, too.

You should look in a mirror, kid.

Wow, you're just remarkably stupid. Because those are the only things he can find that are made out of composites he's trailer trash.

So are you disagreeing that concrete is a composite? Why do you think there is a connection between 'composite' and '3-D printer'? If you don't, were you just compelled to say something stupid?

You should pull your head out of your ass, old and moldering one.

--
"Some people get lost in thought because it's such unfamiliar 
 territory." 
                                      --G. Behn

For government projects mainly but not for consumer products.

profit = sales price - loaded manufacturing cost

--
Jim Pennino