- Sun Aug 15, 2021 5:34 pm
#98029
A work colleague and myself got very interested in 3D printing about ten years ago and could see many exciting possibilities. Myself more in the theoretical side and he eventually bought one (he wanted to make small parts for a helicopter simulator he produced and sold).
I had a project where I was changing the engine and gearbox type in my trials car and wanted to fit a supercharger (which no one else had yet done). I needed a special adapter to fit an extra drive pulley on the crankshaft. I drew one up and soon realised that the measurements were critical because of the design of the existing pulley. It was going to be expensive to have one made in an engineering shop so it needed to be exactly right the first time out.
I supplied my colleague with the drawing, he converted to a file and loaded it into his printer. The next morning I had a prototype in nylon. I test fitted it to the project engine and thankfully it went straight on. Having proved the design was correct, I had one made in steel. Perfect!
Then of course I had to change the drive design due to other issues and never used it….
I had a project where I was changing the engine and gearbox type in my trials car and wanted to fit a supercharger (which no one else had yet done). I needed a special adapter to fit an extra drive pulley on the crankshaft. I drew one up and soon realised that the measurements were critical because of the design of the existing pulley. It was going to be expensive to have one made in an engineering shop so it needed to be exactly right the first time out.
I supplied my colleague with the drawing, he converted to a file and loaded it into his printer. The next morning I had a prototype in nylon. I test fitted it to the project engine and thankfully it went straight on. Having proved the design was correct, I had one made in steel. Perfect!
Then of course I had to change the drive design due to other issues and never used it….
