World's first 3-D printed car takes test drive [Eventual Doom of UAW?]

WYFF-TV ^ | 9/16/14 | Sean Lewis

[SoFloFreeper]

In a matter of two days, history was made at Chicago's McCormick Place, as the world's first 3-D printed electric car -- named Strati, Italian for "layers"-- took its first test drive.

"Less than 50 parts are in this car," said Jay Rogers from Local Motors.

[cuban leaf]

The Elio reminds me of the little Messerschmidt-like three-wheeler in Speiberg’s lefty wetdream movie “AI”...

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Yep. And I thought that would be fun to drive too. ;-)

[TheOldLady]

Oh, indeed! That’s going to be in your budget for what I hope will be a very long time.

That particular model can last 50 years or more.

[cuban leaf]

The Elio reminds me of the little Messerschmidt-like three-wheeler in Speiberg’s lefty wetdream movie “AI”

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I ride a motorcycle. Accident survival has never been a big deal to me.

It’s all about accident AVOIDANCE. And I’ve avoided plenty.

[CommerceComet]

I think the claim to the first 3-D printed car is going to be challenged by several parties. I believe that the Keonigsegg One:1 is carbon fiber 3-D printed just in case you’re trying to one-up your neighbor who has a Bugatti Veyron or a Hennessey Venom.

[factoryrat]

Not going to happen. Where do you think all of the components and electronics for those 3D cam machines (mills, lathes, 3D printers, etc.) come from? If you guessed china, you are correct. The chinese have outpaced the US in cad/cam and adaptive manufacturing of high technology items. Put it to you this way: if the chinese put an embargo on the US tomorrow, we wouldn’t be able to make a single motor vehicle, much less any other manufactured goods, period. That is how much of the supplier chain originates in china. That is how much of our industry we gave away.

But at least we got rid of those pesky UAW types, even if it took turning us into cuba.

[TexasGator]

” Doesn’t look like crap to me”

I was referring to the statement that any carpenter could put one together in his garage in less than 44 hours.

[Beagle8U]

They already know.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

Maybe they should have printed a Three Wheeled Dale car. Make it a little faster and this might be a good urban car.

[JimRed]

Have they performed the required crash tests yet?

[roadcat]

All they did was ‘print’ some body parts, they didn’t print a car. A carpenter could do that in his garage using hand tools, a plywood frame, and hand laid fiberglass. Likely in less time.

I've been a carpenter hobbyist for a long time. Recently I got into 3D printing as a hobby. Many people are naive about the realities of 3D printing. It is not easy, extremely slow, and the technology is in its infancy. It is easier for a carpenter to build, in less time. Anyone who says otherwise, has not tried 3D printing or has deep pockets for expensive 3D tooling equipment.

I have formed metal and wood parts in my workshop. I've also designed and printed 3D components. I found that a lot of time needs to be invested in research and design, and repeated slow prints to achieve the desired outcome. For instance, wall bracket tool holders. PLA degrades. ABS is better in harsher environments. However, it can be structurally weak. I've combined ABS with metal fasteners to achieve more strength. However, I can make them faster and stronger simply with wood and metal without resorting to printing. I am now using nylon to achieve more strength, but still prefer metal.

3D printing is great for making 1-piece complicated designs that would be hard to mill and shape. But it requires a large investment of time for design and printing. Carpentry and metal work is faster and better (at this time).

[Beagle8U]

I worked in tool and die, mold making, prototype, engineering and design, for most of my working career. I have designed and built prototypes that went into the space shuttle. My comments on this thread weren’t without knowledge on the subject.

I can see where 3D printing could be useful in prototype and pattern making, but it is miles away from a practical method for manufacturing much of anything in any kind of volume.

If carbon fiber car bodies were a good idea they would be in widespread use due to the weight/strength factor and federal fuel mileage standards. I wouldn’t want to be in that carbon fiber golf cart when it impacts anything.

“The impact resistance of carbon fiber laminates, however, is less than most other composite materials. Style 284, a 2/2 twill weave, is a light weight bidirectional fabric and an aerospace standard.”

http://www.tapplastics.com/product/fiberglass/carbon_specialty_fabrics/standard_carbon_twill/98