[dataway]

Messing with some TPU filament now. This material is commonly used in modern car bushing, bumpers, gaskets, "grippy" things etc.

Drew up this fuel pump gasket (from memory so not accurate) to test it. Basically a wonderful, flexible gasket. If you can draw it up in any CAD program that will export an STL file you can create any gasket you want, in any thickness. Add a sealing lip/ridge, change the bolt hole sizes etc. If you have a flatbed document scanner you can scan a gasket, bring it into a CAD program, change it the way you want and print them out by the dozen if you want.

This material is oil, grease and solvent resistant, Shore 95A hardness. In my opinion the max temp would be about 200 F, some say 210 F. So that would preclude it from being used in most engine applications where it comes into contact with the engine block. But, suitable for valve cover grommets, air cleaner fittings, HVAC gaskets, body gaskets (door handles etc.), various small bumpers, bushings such as sway bar, sway bar struts, shocks, vibration dampening, sealing washers, small weather strip pieces, elastic cable holders etc.

Tired of flimsy, ill fitting door handle, side mirror, key hole gaskets? Make your own. Need a slightly larger pull through bumper (console door, glove box door etc) draw one up and print it. Want robust HVAC gaskets instead of that totally crappy foam that is sold ... print your own. From about .030" to inches thick. Want to embed a washer into a bumper? (hood/cowl bumper) design the part with a cavity for the washer ... stop the print a the right place, insert the washer ... continue the print ... and produce a proper bumper with the encased washer.

Yes I'm kind of excited about this stuff

[242177P]

For a while, some repro pedal pads were like hard plastic. I'm thinking grippy might not last 100,000 miles, but a wear item that you replace regularly?

Speaking of wear...

[Shiny]

That has to be a lot of fun! You are obviously keeping yourself occupied!

The CAD model is impressive. You've done this before.

The gasket ideas are a great use for a 3D printer. Good thinking!

I'm surprised you can print something that will hold up to 200F. That's quite impressive.

Have you ever messed with electroless plating? I know you have electroplated some parts. Are any of the 3D print materials conductive enough to electroplate?

I have also thought about ways to smooth out a rough 3D printed part. Maybe solvent vapors? We used to reflow solder with freon vapor before they learned we were destroying the ozone layer. Maybe tumbling in a fine abrasive slurry? Are there "commercial" solutions for this? I know the printer resolution is getting better but my zero knowledge suggested it was still difficult to print a mirror.

Fun stuff!

[Shiny]

Do you use any 3D scanning software? You mentioned starting from files used to develop model cars. How hard would it be to scan a real part, generate a model, then clean it up in your CAD software? If it was relatively easy, your dream of building a CAD model for each of the 10,000 parts in your car could be closer to reality.

I'm ignorant but know there are many software tools that combine 2D scans/images of a part to generate a 3D model. For example, I have a Microsoft Kinect and PC interface. I know they have software to use it for 3D model generation. Might be fun to play with. I suspect there is way too much geometric distortion in a cell-phone camera but maybe not if you can "adjust" the imported model in your CAD world. To me, part designs back in the sixties and seventies were based a lot more on simple and "true" geometry (lines and arcs) than today where NC tools can follow geometries a lathe and mill never could. This might make it easier to make an accurate model as you did by direct measurement of your knob.

I always stop going down this mental path when I see the cost of CAD software like your Inventor....

Mike