Posted on 11/07/2013 1:35:54 PM PST by pabianice
Golly, who was telling people here at FR that DMLS printed guns were in our future?
The only error I made was in thinking that it would be a couple more years off in the future.
Now, we’re going to see the political class really lose bowel control.
I am not sure the viability yet of this only because it is so new, but I see the vast potential as nothing short of amazing, stunningly revolutionary. The opportunities are endless. Good luck! I mean it. I hope you come up with some great ideas how to capitalize on it.
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Exactly right. The possibilities of this technology from a self-defence perspective are staggering.
“And what were computers originally like?”
Excellent point. Let me make another. What was said about color printers in 1985 was that they would require knowledge of publishing and that few would avail themselves of the capabilities those printers had. Well, today the average cubicle-poodle can whip out a document every bit as amazing and professional as those 1985 publisher professionals created. I have all kinds of manuals from that period and most are laughable as to be called ‘professional’ compared to many document people create every day now.
-— “But that it can handle pressure, it can handle stress and it can handle heat. That’s the whole concept behind the gun.” -—
That’s very impressive. Steel-making is a very complex art/science. The strength of a steel depends on how it is formed, its chemical components, how it’s heated and how rapidly it’s cooled.
I’m very surprised that aluminum is used in gun manufacture. It’s the only plastic metal, so would be unsuitable for any component subjected to stress. Maybe they’re talking about aluminum alloys, or components like the grip.
Want.
For killing fire-ant mounds.
“Kinetic triggered micro-nukes in a .50 cal bullet might be a lot more effective. “
OK, THAT got my attention! Just imagine....Hmmmmmm.....
Having lived in Texas and experienced the fun of fire ants... I concur...
I’ve long dreamed of little 12-inch mushroom clouds for those pesky buggers.
ok - so the fixed cost is high with a $200k machine needed. The key question though is how much time/money does it take to produce the parts.
If these parts can be created by 3D printing less expensively than conventional methods...this will be a big deal really soon.
Or, as an alternative, print in plastic and us lost wax casting to create the firearm.
Look for gun manufactures to come out against this, it may be expensive now, but so was a VCR or a laptop computer when it first came out.
It is a short jump from your friends becoming your enemy, witness our government.
I’m having a hard time believing this.
What is the motive of a printable gun anyway?
To prove the finished product can handle the pressure.
GE recently produced jet engine nozzles with 3D printers. The nozzles were printed as one piece, rather than in the 21 cast parts that previously required assembly. The nozzles are 33% lighter and twice as strong. Design time was reduced from 6 months to 6 weeks.
To prove the finished product can handle the pressure.
GE recently produced jet engine nozzles with 3D printers. The nozzles were printed as one piece, rather than in the 21 cast parts that previously required assembly. The nozzles are 33% lighter and twice as strong. Design time was reduced from 6 months to 6 weeks.
Why a “printable gun?”
Because being first in a new technology is a great achievement.
Because once you can, you can do new things never done.
I don't think laser sintering suffers from that defect all that much, if at all. Compression/heating sintering does.
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