Just FYI If you want to have a punt at DLS, or direct metal sintering, there are several service bureaus around the world using EOS and other machines to sinter metal powder into solid parts direct from a 3D CAD file. For a small part, costs are in the hundreds of dollars. A 60 mm dia x 20 mm mould insert I recently had quoted was $1500, for example. It required high acccuracy and had some intricate internal cooling passages. Accuracies to a thou or two are possible, normal commercial quality tols are +/-.005" or so. Arcam in Sweden is one European service bureau and GLP near Chicago is one in USA. There may be a few in UK too, but I don't know them. Renishaw (the measuring probe firm) make a commercial DLS machine I am told. Google is your friend.

Bear in mind these commercial machines cost well over a million dollars each to buy at present and I am told it takes several years to train staff and do enough jobs to learn how to get accurate parts out of them. It is likely going to get cheaper and more accurate as time goes by. Because of the very high cost of machines and the time commitment to train staff, most companies today use a service bureau if they need DLS parts.

I have also been warned that all commercial DLS machines are NOT created equal and some have major inherent faults despite the huge cost. However, the EOS brand machines are widely regarded as the industry standard best machines at the moment.

JD

Renishaw really do represent British Engineering at its best . They are not alone though – there are many other world class British Engineering companies .

It is just a bit of pity that most of the good companies are unknown to the general public whereas some of the worst companies are all bells and whistles .

The best of British engineering needs to show itself off more . In a dignified way certainly but very positively .

MikeW

Edited By MICHAEL WILLIAMS on 07/12/2013 08:47:53

Edited By MICHAEL WILLIAMS on 07/12/2013 08:48:45

billy
it is takeing a very long time to load gave up in the end
bob

Making a gun with a three D printer is hard work, it requires expertise in several disciplines, including engineering, electronics, materials science, metrology and many other skills. Also many hours that ultimately produce an inferior product. I doubt if the average pug ugly is going to bother they will have connections and be able to get a real one.

The recent video of one produced by sintering has stirred up the chattering crowd, hmmm so the feds got out their sledgehammer against the machines. It is a pity they did not aim the blows at the bad guys who use commercially built weapons and up the possession sentence.

Model aircraft in particular quad copters are also being scrutinised; Its only a matter of time. particularly if one is used in anger by some miscreant. Lets hope that never happens.

Regards
John

I query the making gun parts ?

A few years ago the RoF in Nottingham were responsible for making the Heckler and Kosh MP5 machine pistol as supplied to HM Forces.

In a knee jerk reaction about us Brits making guns they ' appeared' to close the operation.

What actually happened was the production went sub contract and RoF Nottingham closed and is now a business / retail park.

I picked up the contract for making the triggers as one of my customers already supplied the blanks to RoF. In a meeting with them to sort out supply etc I brought up the issue of making gun parts and did I need a license / authorisation etc.

I was told that anyone could make gun part up to a certain percentage of the weapon without any paperwork at all, what that percentage is was never discussed.

So from then on I made about 2,000 triggers every 4 months or so for about three years until the whole project got shipped back to Germany. Let me tell you if you have to make this lot on an on going job you don't want to see another gun in your life.

However this is all hype sprung up by the media because for the price of a decent 3D printer which will only produce a limited affective weapon you can buy a mill and lathe that will make a fully functioning weapon.

One only has to look at the history of the sten gun, designed to be made in vast numbers with the most basic of equipment.

Total hype by the unwashed fourth estate.

I'm not going to put this in print but in this county you can buy a 'weapon' which fired at a person or even into a car will kill all the occupants. You can buy it mail order or over the counter with no ID.

It's 'ammunition' is also unregulated.

John S..just make it to drawing….yeah. Hear that

Clive..how were the percussion caps “put” in..caps seem very “delicate” just wonder how they were pressed home

Thanks…