Show off your automotive 3d printed creations

[SLOWnEASY]

This thread is inspired by the 3d printed postings in the Project 76 posts. https://classicbroncos.com/forums/t...nge-special-decor.239642/page-29#post-3619968
I figured we should have a place to show off and maybe share our automotive 3d printed creations and a short blurb for what they are all about. Since most of us have more than just a Bronco I say we post anything automotive related.

My items:

From the previous owner the Bronco had a hacked up stereo hole that a standard 1 DIN stereo face plate would not cover. So I designed a trim piece that perfectly filled the gap rather than trying to cut and fit an aftermarket kit.

There are two mods in this next picture. First I replaced the cover on the dash for my steering shaft with a Bronco scripted cover. No real reason why except that I could. My son designed it and added the raised Bronco scripting.
The second mod is the custom clamped phone holder on the steering shaft. Since my speedometer is so far off I use my phone with a GPS speedometer app on it. The USB port keeps the phone battery charged.

The last one is from my 3/4 ton Suburban which serves as a tow vehicle and general family road trip vehicle. I replaced the factory stereo with an aftermarket and lost the use of the rear audio controls. So I decided to wire in an inverter and give the kids access to easy power.

So those are mine, what have you done on yours?

Files attached in case I lose my hosting in the future.

 

[ared77]

Nice work!

 

[ba123]

I can dig up some pics but pretty sure they are all in my build thread.

Cam sync prototype
Raptor Start Button retainer
Fuel line clamps (to hold lines in place)
Hose clamps (lines along frame)
Shift indicator
Wiper Delete plugs
Trailer Hitch Camera mount with Bronco logo
Front hitch cam mount
IAC spacer (for testing)

Prob a few other things I'm not remembering.

 

[ba123]

This thread is inspired by the 3d printed postings in the Project 76 posts. https://classicbroncos.com/forums/t...nge-special-decor.239642/page-29#post-3619968
I figured we should have a place to show off and maybe share our automotive 3d printed creations and a short blurb for what they are all about. Since most of us have more than just a Bronco I say we post anything automotive related.

My items:

From the previous owner the Bronco had a hacked up stereo hole that a standard 1 DIN stereo face plate would not cover. So I designed a trim piece that perfectly filled the gap rather than trying to cut and fit an aftermarket kit.

There are two mods in this next picture. First I replaced the cover on the dash for my steering shaft with a Bronco scripted cover. No real reason why except that I could. My son designed it and added the raised Bronco scripting.
The second mod is the custom clamped phone holder on the steering shaft. Since my speedometer is so far off I use my phone with a GPS speedometer app on it. The USB port keeps the phone battery charged.

The last one is from my 3/4 ton Suburban which serves as a tow vehicle and general family road trip vehicle. I replaced the factory stereo with an aftermarket and lost the use of the rear audio controls. So I decided to wire in an inverter and give the kids access to easy power.

So those are mine, what have you done on yours?

Files attached in case I lose my hosting in the future.

And nice work. You can make that radio trim piece look a lot better with your print settings and then you can sand and paint it for it to look perfect.

A little more work but well worth the effort.

Here’s my camera hitch mount. It was perfect when I put it in but I’ve clearly bumped it a few times and it’s dirty (might be time to redo it). This was printed, then sanded and painted. And I have a hole through it with a hitch lock so it can't be snagged.

 

[SLOWnEASY]

@ba123 I like it. Is the Bronco script embedded rather than raised?
As far as my radio trim I did consider making a smoother one or even going the route of soaking it in an acetone mist. But I kind of like it looking obvious printed. Kind of gives it a steampunk look to me.

 

[ba123]

Yes, the script part is material subtracted.

On my next version, I'm going to point the camera down like I have on the front.

 

[duffymahoney]

Here is a remote oil pressure log I designed, it's 3D printed in aluminum, then tumbled, to appear cast. Pretty darn cool tech!

 

[SLOWnEASY]

I've heard about 3d printing in metals bet never actually seen one. Do you own such a printer or is that something you would farm out?

 

[duffymahoney]

I've heard about 3d printing in metals bet never actually seen one. Do you own such a printer or is that something you would farm out?

I get tons of stuff printed in metal. I just have it done in china or india. So far that is the only real option.

 

[tasker]

Kids at my wife's school made this for me

 

[ntsqd]

Stratasys can do 3D metal printing. I'm sure they're not as inexpensive as having it done overseas. Nearly 10 years ago a friend told me about holding a 1911A1 grip frame that they printed in Inconel and that it had a slide printed in Hasteloy or Waspaloy (I forget which). Both parts were made as a test of their processes. His company was looking at having steam turbine generator blades printed from I know not what alloy. I'll assume something even more exotic.

 

[duffymahoney]

3D metal will get cheaper and cheaper. Hopefully places in the US come down in cost. Overseas, you pay by the gram, so say your print is 200 grams, then it's this price. I believe it will eventually replace most casting needs and wants.

If anyone is interested, this company is at the forefront of 3D metal printing, they let computers do the designs without human interference, the parts that would be impossible to make prior.

https://www.instagram.com/leap.71/

 

[ntsqd]

At this point 3D metal parts are basically sintered parts. I'm not aware of any process that isn't using a binding alloy. Are there any that don't? Sintered parts aren't inherently bad, just that the binding agent has some impact of the resulting metallurgical properties of the part. I've read that some of the binders are very, very close to the basic alloy of the part, but we're not (yet) to the point where we can 3D print a metal part without a binder.
Being sintered I wonder just how close to being like a casting the parts are? The raw alloy powder could have much finer grain structure than a casting. The sintering process probably alters that, but I don't know by how much. I'd expect the resulting part to have a grain structure much like a fine-grained casting or a casting that has had significant heat-treating done to it to refine the grain structure.

 

[duffymahoney]

At this point 3D metal parts are basically sintered parts. I'm not aware of any process that isn't using a binding alloy. Are there any that don't? Sintered parts aren't inherently bad, just that the binding agent has some impact of the resulting metallurgical properties of the part. I've read that some of the binders are very, very close to the basic alloy of the part, but we're not (yet) to the point where we can 3D print a metal part without a binder.
Being sintered I wonder just how close to being like a casting the parts are? The raw alloy powder could have much finer grain structure than a casting. The sintering process probably alters that, but I don't know by how much. I'd expect the resulting part to have a grain structure much like a fine-grained casting or a casting that has had significant heat-treating done to it to refine the grain structure.

This isn't sintered at all, it's metal dust, dropped down, then lasered together. Nothing is done post process other then removing the supports. There are tons of alloys and options for the metal dust. From stainless, titanium, steel, brass etc..

Here is a velocity stack, I designed and had 3D metal printed in aluminum, SLM (Selective Laser Melting). This has been vapor honed, so it looks clean and almost cast.

You can easily weld this stuff as well, it's pretty darn amazing technology.

 

[ntsqd]

I've had literally hundreds of parts made by the SLS process, mostly Nylon 12 GF, and am very familiar with the mechanics of how those parts are made. The SLM process likely only differs in the power of the laser and the material being fused. Unlike a casting, the resulting part won't have a grain to it. In that way it is very much like a sintered part.

 

[duffymahoney]

I've had literally hundreds of parts made by the SLS process, mostly Nylon 12 GF, and am very familiar with the mechanics of how those parts are made. The SLM process likely only differs in the power of the laser and the material being fused. Unlike a casting, the resulting part won't have a grain to it. In that way it is very much like a sintered part.

SLS is a neat process, I will probably do that on part of my 302 intake.

Also hundreds!?

 

[ntsqd]

Production tooling for a former employer. Mostly 'cups' for automated helium leak checking, but also some production machine structural parts, some mechanical locational parts for various QA/QC line processes, and various safety guards.

 

[JSBX]

My stepson printed a bracket to mount my US Shift trans controller and a spacer for my radio.

 

[SLOWnEASY]

Nice. That gives me an idea about my EFI computer that's just stuffed up under the dash on a chunk of foam. Is the panel at the base of the steering column to the dash also 3d printed? It looks surprisingly like mine though the Bronco script is a bit larger.

 

[Glass Pony]

Not my creation but being a classic Bronco enthusiast, I had to have this 3D printed 1/160th scale "luber" for my "N" scale railroad layout.
The paint is the best I could do as my eyes and hands aren't what they used to be.