novel tool making...

[2x4]

read on net today, astronaut needed a special wrench to get to a nut in an awkward place. Nothing like it on the Space Station so Houston engineers drew the wrench & emailed the drawing to the station. Then the 3D printer made the wrench in 3 hours & they got the nut loose! Now if they could only make a system that emailed me a wrench to the dozer in the woods or the tractor in the field....

 

[Dieselrider]

Maybe you could mount a 3-D printer on your tractor.

 

[DENNIS MIN]

2x4,

How'd that work in near zero gravity? I don't know, just asking.

D.

 

[TomH in PA]

They make is sound like a spontaneous decision to design and send the tool. I kind of doubt that.

The printer was sent up last month, and the manufacturer's rep just happened to "overhear" the astronaut request for the tool, and they just happened to have drawings handy. Maybe, but sounds more like a publicity stunt to me.

 

[Tom in TN]

That has to be one heck of a 3-D printer to be able to fabricate a wrench out of steel that they just happened to have on the space station.

Call me a 'Doubting Thomas", but I'm throwing the BS card on that one.

Tom in TN

 

[timcasbolt]

I used to run 3d printers. They need a model file of the item to be made, and then make it. You could create a model file of a simple wrench in a matter of minutes.

 

[timcasbolt]

They probably made the wrench from some sort of plastic, although there are more sophisticated units that can run sintered metal.

 

[dr sportster]

I don't get it how does a printer make a wrench ? Unless there is a CNC machining center attached I'm sayin BS too !

 

[: JerryBowers]

The OP's story has some validity, but is not quite accurate.

There is a 3D printer on the space station. It is a research unit, put in place in the micro-gravity research facility in November. It's primary purpose is to test the viability of digital manufacturing in space. So far the results look very promising.

The first items manufactured ('printed') on the space station were from designs created and printed on the same printer here on earth, before it was sent to the space station. Those space printed items will be returned to earth and compared to the originals.

The latest test sent a digital 3D file to the space station where it was printed. Among the amazing facts: The first item manufactured in that manner was a ratchet wrench!

Not so far off from the (semi-fictional) story of an emergency!

See the link below for the whole story, including pix.
3D Printing in Space

 

[2x4]

it's plastic. See Jerry's story link below.

 

[Tom in TN]

Okay, now I get it. The wrench must be like all of the other plastic wrenches that I use on a regular basis. Oh, wait.

Tom in TN

 

[Don-Wi]

Bring a machinist myself I've been reading about this technology in the trade magazines in the break rooms for years. I knew they were experimenting to see how it works in zero gravity.

Biggest issue is keeping the powder together where they do the printing from what I understand. Once they get that all figured out it's really come in handy in a situation like on the space station.

And for some of the nay sayers, like has already been said,a simple model can be made in minutes. A more complex one can still be made in a matter of a few hours by an experienced designer.

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[: JerryBowers]

Tom, All:

While the 3D printer on the space station does make its parts from polymers (aka plastic), there are numerous printers now available and in development that print metal parts. For example, the automotive industry currently employs 3D printers to make direct use metal prototypes. No-less than Jay Leno is using 3D printing to replicate metal parts (in metal) to replace parts on cars in his collection. I'll put a couple of links below. (On edit: It appears I can only put one link on each message. If anyone is interested, I'll do a couple of posts with more links.)

The printers that produce metal parts currently use either a laser sintering technique directly on the printer, or employ a second operation sintering process that puts the printed metal part into something resembling a microwave oven to bring it to full density and strength.

Recognize that the 3D printer industry is in its infancy. But, it is not too much of a stretch to think that repair trucks or shops might someday be able to print the repair part you need for that '48 Allis Chalmers tractor right on-site!

Here is the link to the Popular Mechanics on Jay Leno:
Jay Leno 3D Printing Article

 

[: JerryBowers]

Like a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining center uses computerized data to select and guide the tools to cut out a shape, the 3D printer uses very similar computerized data to guide a nozzle that lays down material to build up a shape. The machining center uses subtractive technology, meaning material is removed, while the 3D printer uses additive technology, meaning material is added. While the term CNC is not generally used in 3D printing, the enabling computer technology is very similar.

The most commonly available 3D printers use very small diameter plastic 'thread' or powdered plastic that is extruded or sprayed through a nozzle as the printer makes many, many successive passes over the surface. The part is built a micro layer at a time. Substituting metal wire or metallic powder allows the production of metal parts.

This action is very similar to the 2D inkjet printer you probably have on your desk: a computer controls many tiny nozzles in the print head as it is moved over the surface of the paper. Successive passes build up readable letters and sentences from thousands of tiny, highly accurately placed ink dots.

And, 3D printer technology is affordable! I am a lifetime model railroader. A very recent development in the modeling field is the growth in the number of small shops, usually owned by individuals, turning out models and parts that are not in enough demand to warrant a large company cutting dies and manufacturing them.

A fairly capable 3D printer can cost as little as $1000, with highly sophisticated ones now in the $2500 to $5000 range. See the link below to a pretty good, affordable 3D printer.
MakerBot 3D Printer

 

[TomH in PA]

The wrench they made can only exert about 3 inch/pounds of torque. A pair of pliers would have worked.

NASA has always been very good at PR, and they have many space fans screaming for this kind of science fiction solution to the problems of establishing a colony on Mars. I think they should have just announced that their experiment succeeded but I guess they get more publicity this way.

 

[William Fissell]

we print things from 316 stainless all the time.

However, the technology has a long long way to go. Despite what they say in the ads, the product doe snot have 100% density. Its have microvoids and is not remotely the same as a machined billet

the surface roughness is awful as well. its like comparing a Seurat pointillist artwork to a spray booth.