Here’s another example of the importance of 3D printing. It’s in how these companies used the latest in the technologies to work on one of the most high end sports car brands in the world, Porsche.
What? Mess around with my Porsche with a 3D System? Are you crazy? Well once you get a look at what these teams have accomplished you’ll be happy to know that no Porsche was harmed during the making of this groundbreaking use of 3D printing.
Since there was no Auto CAD data regarding the Porsche model in question, the team had to scan the car itself and get that data input into the software for manipulation and engineering. Form there the parts could be 3D printed with the right materials and used on the car right away. Not only that, but the engineering modifications can be done in software and no need for weeks or months of waiting.
This is the fast track to modern day auto engineering. With this restoration of a vintage Porsche, it shows the value of 3D scanning and 3D printing regarding the preservation of rare and valuable products. Emory Motorsports from Oregon and California has a long history of Porsche restoration. Over three generations of this family has been working on Porsches and other cars.
This time out they’re looking to restore and modify classic Porsches using the latest in 3D scanning and 3D printing, and their inroads to this innovation is making headlines and history. Using traditional techniques and the new state of the art 3D tech such as Geomagic software from Quickparts, they can now scan and manufacture and modify the parts necessary to restore these precious cars to mint condition.
Utilizing the software allows for the engineers and artisans to examine every detail of the parts they’ve scanned to see what can and shouldn’t be done. Since many of these parts are rare or exclusive to the model of the car itself as some owners modify the themselves, it takes a sharp eye and keen senses to work the software for maximum efficiency.
Ushering in this new wave of technology means that classic vehicles need not go the way of the dinosaur. Where only a few models might still exist, preservationists can now make scans of these vehicles and rebuild them from scratch. Sometimes there’s a part so rare that it can take years to get or modify. With software we can make a prototype and test it almost in real time. This saves tons of money, negotiation, and effort.
Just think of the implications here. Classic vehicles from cars to airplanes to trucks to motorcycles, all being scanned and preserved for posterity. No more worrying about if one can recreate a classic or vintage vehicle, the specs will be stored in software and with a push of a mouse button a 3D printer can recreate the part on the spot.
Thanks to adventures in 3D scanning and 3D printing like you see here, the future looks great regarding the things of the past.
Image credit: 3DSystems.com