Reproducing Plastic Parts, Part II

["Frank Bakanau" <FBAKANAU@xxxx>]

Thanks for the many responses to my survey question. Some points/questions
were:
1. Chrome Plating?? Maybe. When a part comes off this machine, there are
definite ridges formed from the layering process. These can be polished off
with a little work. I believe that ABS can be plated.
2. Clear parts?? Not at the present. The ABS cartridges come in a few
colors, red, black, blue, yellow, etc. but not clear.
3. Volume?? Depending on the part size, several parts can be made at once,
just like in injection molding where parts are "gated" and broken off of the
runners.
4. Cost?? I figure the machine has to produce about $60/hr. However, that
does not include the modeling time. So I have no idea what it would cost to
make a part other than it can do stuff that would be impossible by any other
means.
5. Market?? Making replacement parts is only a small aspect of what this
machine can do. It is really used to create prototypes for engineers. Say
H-P want to prototype a new printer. We could take their digital models and
give them all the parts. I had a thought where we could take an architect's
model and reproduce a scale model house or building, floor by floor.

It's a little like 'beam me up Scottie" as someone in New Jersey can send me
a file and I can send them back a part. But don't forget we got to the moon
and back without any of this!

Frank in rainy Eugene