3D printers

[graham]

As an aside, the name Jib Tunnel commemorates the passage being used for the first winched descents into Main Chamber; the "jib" being a beam placed across the pitch head... somehow. 

Yes, also no. That is where the name comes from, but the jib was not placed across the pitch head, it was rather more the beam of a derrick or crane and was thus anchored at one end only.

 

[ChrisJC]

Not exactly printing, more laser burning.
Here is an alternative way to show a cave in 3D.
GG main chamber, shaft and shakehole in crystal.

Is that not just a polished piece of SLA?

Chris.

 

[kdxn]

To hopefully answer a few questions.

This started as an optically clear crystal glass block.
The technique is referred to as Sub-Surface Laser Engraving.
A 3D computer model is created as a point cloud at a density suitable for the SSLE machine to be used.
The SSLE machine is used to create the dots within the glass.
The high power laser is precisely focused at a known position.
Each laser firing produces a micro-fracture within the glass.
How the beam is moved and how quickly depends on the machine.

To do a one-off like this is very expensive because the cost is dominated by machine setup.
I used a UK company with UK based SSLE machine.
A batch can be cheaper especially if you are willing to offshore production and use smaller glass blocks but you need to be very cautious about model copyright and be willing to wait for surface mail delivery.

More information about SSLE here:
http://www.engravinglaser.net/Sub_Surface_Laser_Engraving.html

 

[Roger W]

Have seen some of those "pictures in glass" in China - souvenir thingies, though, not cave models!  Had wondered how they did it.  Now I know!

 

[bograt]

Could this "High Power Laser" technology be combined with the "Sinter" technology mentioned earlier in this thread, considering the lack of the amount of sunlight available outside of the Sahara?
Is there enough power available from lasers to meld sand into glass from laser?, could be more accurate.
P.S. Is it "laser" or "Lasar"?

 

[Fulk]

Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, huh?

 

[martinm]

P.S. Is it "laser" or "Lasar"?

Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. ie:- Laser. 

 

[bograt]

O.K., Laser, but can it melt sand?

 

[TheBitterEnd]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_laser_sintering

Certainly metals so sand should be possible.

 

[bograt]

C'mon all you potential Phd's, The technology is there, just put it together!!

 

[Ejennings]

CAD and Sketchup are both great 3D designing and modelling software. I also got the chance to try CadQuery, but I?m really into Google SketchUp because it?s very fun, free and easy to use. Mechanically speaking, I just upgraded my Printrbot kit parts and ordered a few spools of filaments from 3d2print.net.