Re: pic: Something is blocking the 548 display case!
 

Team 2028 uses ours ALL the time. Last year we used it to make the drums our forklift would wind the cable up on. The only thing to remember is to be careful, anything with less than about a 1/4 in thickness is most likely to break as we found out the hard way. Also although it may seem stupid, when printing a larger object, start it the night before, and remember to make sure you have ABS! It also comes in handy to build custom motor mounts for the Denso window motor.

Re: pic: Something is blocking the 548 display case!
 

Something to remember. According to the parts rules for some previous years, you must account for the cost of materials by using the price of the smallest commercially available quantity. In this case it would be the cost of the spool of raw material.

We have access to a Selective Laser Sintering machine. The material runs something like $100/lb. Unfortunately it is only available in 20lb buckets. That puts a 1 cuin part that weighs about 16grams at $2000. Just a little over the $400 limit.

The rules do change and this is one of the sillier implictions of the previous rules. Why would we want to discourage teams from using this technology if they have it available? Let us hope for better wording in 2009.

Re: pic: Something is blocking the 548 display case!
 

I shouldn't have been so vague. I meant something a little more durable than the standard 3d print output. I'm assuming they're printing ABS plastic with their dimension.

ABS is already a great plastic, but the applications of it in something like FIRST are numbered. You could use the standard output in low-load, low-impact areas such as potentiometer and encoder couplers and other sensor integration applications. But as soon as they want to start making, stuff that is going to take more of a beating (mecanum rollers, custom wheels, pulleys, etc...) it would be wise to use a more durable material. Cast aluminum is heavy, but if they wanted to try cast polycarbonate, polyethylene, acrylic, etc... I'm sure they would see a benefit as well as an increase in applications for which they could use their printer.

Re: pic: Something is blocking the 548 display case!
 

That is nice, here is another perspective:

Re: pic: Something is blocking the 548 display case!
 

Yeah that sounds about right. We've never actually made anything for the robot with it, but we've considered using it to make give aways (think micro-tube-a-saurus's :D)

Anyone know about how strong printed ABS is to regular ABS sheets?

Would a printed ABS transmission plate be just as strong as a machined one?

Re: pic: Something is blocking the 548 display case!
 

Nope, the printed parts are more likely to shear between the printed layers.

-John

Re: pic: Something is blocking the 548 display case!
 

Printed ABS part strength as compared to molded ABS part strength varies. It all depends on how the parts are printed, how complex they are and how large or small the features are. Also there are several different strengths of ABS for Stratasys/Dimension printers. Some ABS printed parts can have strengths of 80% + of a molded part. You are never really going to match a molded part because the layers of a 3d printed part are it's weakness.

Here are some more pictures:

The miniature Dimension 3d printer pencil holder on my desk used up around $100 of model and support just to 3d print.

Re: pic: Something is blocking the 548 display case!
 

Yeah, but the coolness factor is up there; somewhere in between Toughbox mounting plates and fishboy on the catbell.