Wanted: Help with 3d printing some NLA RS2 underside trim parts

[Cymru1]

Try local engineering collage and possibly schools.
I know a few years ago our local one had a scheme going to help local businesses to 3d scan items and produce 3d models and drawings, etc for free.

these probably all have 3d printers by now.

[ColonialNomad]

http://lifehacker.com/5822730/make-a-3d-scanner-out-of-a-webcam-laser-pointer-and-some-software

[ColonialNomad]

BTW I looked into a college and they directed me to their commercial scanning bureau who wanted to charge something like £200 an hour. But that was in NZ, not the UK.

[Wizard-of-OD]

Was sent this thread so thought id chime in....

The biggest 3d printers can handle that size.

At the tune of $3000+...

who wanted to charge something like £200 an hour. But that was in NZ, not the UK.

yup....8-9 hours x 200GBP/hr.

I have a 3D printer with a 12 x 12 x 10" table and in order to make that part you are talking 8-9 days @ 12 hours/day printing 8 small parts and then glueing them together like a big puzzle.I would sooner make that from stamped aluminum or carbon fibre than from ABS plastic.

Anything you want made from plastic , you should explore CF first and THEN 3D Printing it. 3D printing is great if you want a boost guage vent made or a handbrake handle holder but a component that large? Forget it....recreate it from another material.

[Mcstiff]

The tray is still available from Audi Trad but costs 322 euros. Second hand under trays from other audi 80 models are about 80 quid. It's the brake air ducts I'm mainly interested in.

Fwiw, the RS2 tray is unique.

I'd love to get the ducts but there may be better options for me.

[ColonialNomad]

Was sent this thread so thought id chime in....

At the tune of $3000+...

yup....8-9 hours x 200GBP/hr.

I have a 3D printer with a 12 x 12 x 10" table and in order to make that part you are talking 8-9 days @ 12 hours/day printing 8 small parts and then glueing them together like a big puzzle.I would sooner make that from stamped aluminum or carbon fibre than from ABS plastic.

Anything you want made from plastic , you should explore CF first and THEN 3D Printing it. 3D printing is great if you want a boost guage vent made or a handbrake handle holder but a component that large? Forget it....recreate it from another material.

I've already contacted a printing bureau so will see what they say. There are printers out there which will do anything up to 4x2x1m

Re: cf already explored that with a European fabricator but making the moulds was going to be 1000€ alone. There was a guy on here in southeast UK with the skills to fabricate and reasonable cost but discussions are ongoing.

[Billman]

I have an RS2 undertray, I maybe have someone over here make a mould and copy it.

[ColonialNomad]

Wow that almost seems too good to be true. Can you pm me any more information?

[Billman]

What info do you need?

[ColonialNomad]

What experience they have making parts mainly and where they are located.

[Billman]

They make mostly polyester parts for trucks (like these wind diverting hood over the cabin).

Located in Greece.....both the undertray and the company.

The Audi part is fairly hard so I think it would be OK to have it made from simple multiaxial glassfiber or something like this to minimize the cost. Carbon/Aramid would also be an option for increased rigidity.

For further details I maybe have to bring it over there so they can give an estimate.

[ColonialNomad]

OK sounds very interesting. A few more questions:

What kind of timeframes might we looking at for making the mould?
What kind of 'assurance' would he need before he starts work?
Who owns the moulds after the work is complete?

[ColonialNomad]

While we're at it, I could look into getting the old NLA Votex rear spoiler with rear brake light looked into as well...if anyone has one available for scanning/moulding...?

[Wizard-of-OD]

I've already contacted a printing bureau so will see what they say. There are printers out there which will do anything up to 4x2x1m

The issue is not the table size , it is the time. Think of 3D printing as you sitting down with a 1mm candle and watching a drop of wax fall every 10 minutes.

Re: cf already explored that with a European fabricator but making the moulds was going to be 1000€ alone. There was a guy on here in southeast UK with the skills to fabricate and reasonable cost but discussions are ongoing.

If you can get 10-20 people involved , I could facilitate the making of a replica in CF for a fraction of that.

[ColonialNomad]

The issue is not the table size , it is the time. Think of 3D printing as you sitting down with a 1mm candle and watching a drop of wax fall every 10 minutes.

Maybe I misunderstood the emphasis in your previous post as being about size rather than time.

If you can get 10-20 people involved , I could facilitate the making of a replica in CF for a fraction of that.

Thanks for the offer, its definitely good to have options.

I thought injection moulding could be an option too so made enquiries and have been advised the tooling costs could be between £3,000-20,000... I suspect there would need to be a few deposits taken before that route is followed...!