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Ford Builds Metal Prototypes With 3D Printing

Design News -- Ford Motor Company is raising the stakes in rapid prototyping, making testable prototype metal parts ranging from brake rotors to transmission cases with three-dimensional (3D) printers.

Using technologies such as selective laser sintering, stereolithography, and 3D sandcasting, Ford engineers say they're able to build metal parts with the same material characteristics as those that are injection molded, and then employ them as "surrogate" parts in test vehicles prior to production. Doing so enables them to eliminate the time-consuming step of building an injection molding tool, thus cutting weeks from the process.

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Submitted Jan 13, 2013 By: doeslayersr

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sjf238 Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:1,215 Points:647,205 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 1:01:07 PM Ignore sjf238 Report Abuse Interesting.
coughlin Champion Author San Jose Posts:5,175 Points:1,115,915 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 8:13:52 AM Ignore coughlin Report Abuse 3D printing?
gravityhurts Champion Author North Carolina Posts:4,083 Points:935,555 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 6:52:42 AM Ignore gravityhurts Report Abuse Go Ford!
farmboyTN Champion Author Tennessee Posts:2,253 Points:447,380 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 5:38:47 AM Ignore farmboyTN Report Abuse ok
ajrn Champion Author Toledo Posts:14,175 Points:2,966,315 Joined:Nov 2003	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:38:01 AM Ignore ajrn Report Abuse Ford.. Still your NON-Government stockholder auto company.
fuel2use Champion Author Seattle Posts:3,478 Points:731,375 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:37:50 AM Ignore fuel2use Report Abuse Good move.
waffleking Rookie Author Durham Posts:24 Points:558,045 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:23:13 AM Ignore waffleking Report Abuse Cool...
tedjm1 Champion Author New York Posts:5,609 Points:800,300 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:19:54 AM Ignore tedjm1 Report Abuse good use of this 3d print technology.
silverfoxv65 Champion Author Michigan Posts:4,470 Points:1,228,100 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:19:40 AM Ignore silverfoxv65 Report Abuse Go ford!
crreed1 Champion Author West Virginia Posts:1,980 Points:2,525,360 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:18:49 AM Ignore crreed1 Report Abuse good for them
CCLighthouse All-Star Author Hartford Posts:998 Points:212,055 Joined:Aug 2012	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:14:57 AM Ignore CCLighthouse Report Abuse That's the way to go.
Blue_Cruzer Champion Author Lexington Posts:7,515 Points:1,668,610 Joined:Mar 2007	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:12:40 AM Ignore Blue_Cruzer Report Abuse Cutting edge technology.
jkpsr Champion Author New Jersey Posts:4,074 Points:1,100,930 Joined:Jun 2005	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:10:51 AM Ignore jkpsr Report Abuse Technology will save us all.
heartbroken2010 Champion Author Ottawa Posts:4,334 Points:895,585 Joined:Aug 2010	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:10:07 AM Ignore heartbroken2010 Report Abuse just cant get over Ford being such a " forward thinking organization" , good for them.
AnObserver Champion Author New Jersey Posts:8,349 Points:2,256,830 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:10:02 AM Ignore AnObserver Report Abuse neat technology
ItsMorph Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:33,422 Points:3,184,205 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:09:07 AM Ignore ItsMorph Report Abuse I think they're called "replicators" on Star Trek.
Jmac2008 Champion Author Missouri Posts:2,269 Points:880,165 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:08:43 AM Ignore Jmac2008 Report Abuse and how durable are the parts?
naspa Champion Author Cleveland Posts:1,261 Points:350,200 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:08:35 AM Ignore naspa Report Abuse I think they've been doing that for more than 10 years!
HEBster Champion Author Kentucky Posts:8,778 Points:2,372,075 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:08:05 AM Ignore HEBster Report Abuse Good work Ford!
Spankster85 Champion Author Chicago Posts:1,719 Points:355,115 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:07:35 AM Ignore Spankster85 Report Abuse Pretty cool stuff. I hope it works out.
ManOfLeisureII Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:1,869 Points:453,175 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:07:27 AM Ignore ManOfLeisureII Report Abuse Some people gonna hit it big with this 3D printing.
Toppers Champion Author Atlanta Posts:9,002 Points:2,468,745 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:06:26 AM Ignore Toppers Report Abuse Keep up the Good work FORD!
Delight777 Sophomore Author Cleveland Posts:228 Points:356,745 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:05:49 AM Ignore Delight777 Report Abuse Cost up or same?
Ebaz Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:3,236 Points:713,360 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:05:33 AM Ignore Ebaz Report Abuse Innovation
jetskijerry Champion Author North Carolina Posts:3,891 Points:771,295 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:05:13 AM Ignore jetskijerry Report Abuse good job, Ford
jdevlin All-Star Author Ontario Posts:798 Points:1,377,095 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:04:36 AM Ignore jdevlin Report Abuse new technology
joel27nc Champion Author Raleigh Posts:10,527 Points:1,856,420 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:03:48 AM Ignore joel27nc Report Abuse Will it cost more?
BMWer Champion Author Calgary Posts:2,071 Points:1,663,845 Joined:Dec 2003	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:03:23 AM Ignore BMWer Report Abuse Technology is kewl!
rahcat Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:2,463 Points:661,225 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:02:15 AM Ignore rahcat Report Abuse Ford does have a better idea.
cheaper0ON All-Star Author Ontario Posts:973 Points:396,105 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Jan 14, 2013 12:00:52 AM Ignore cheaper0ON Report Abuse Cool.
skybiker Champion Author South Carolina Posts:7,287 Points:1,558,440 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:57:45 PM Ignore skybiker Report Abuse Amazing stuff these 3dprinters!
clermont40miles Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:10,562 Points:1,770,920 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:52:10 PM Ignore clermont40miles Report Abuse Good stuff. Productivity. ROI. Working smart.
retbpd Sophomore Author Washington Posts:135 Points:139,210 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:51:13 PM Ignore retbpd Report Abuse Thats all fine and dandy, but will that equate to less expensive cars or fatter paychecks for the Ford CEO's
BREW9 All-Star Author Tampa Posts:876 Points:2,911,005 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:49:56 PM Ignore BREW9 Report Abuse cool
Mowerman08 Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:4,755 Points:1,216,270 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:47:19 PM Ignore Mowerman08 Report Abuse the age of technology
CharlieC08 Champion Author Colorado Posts:8,077 Points:1,486,075 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:44:43 PM Ignore CharlieC08 Report Abuse We are in a new age.
ldiggy All-Star Author Wilmington Posts:768 Points:287,685 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:42:53 PM Ignore ldiggy Report Abuse Cool article.
Dragnet Champion Author Arizona Posts:15,401 Points:2,907,785 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:42:01 PM Ignore Dragnet Report Abuse This sounds good in a story, but, what is the reality of it all? I know Ford builds good stuff, far better than Government Motors or the other one but how does this affect the cost?
mstearno Champion Author Dayton Posts:8,061 Points:1,730,260 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:37:58 PM Ignore mstearno Report Abuse he's lucky to have a job
drz614 Champion Author Harrisburg Posts:2,294 Points:596,645 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:37:17 PM Ignore drz614 Report Abuse my son graduated in june '12 with a degree in cad and the capability of using this technology. graduated on a saturday, started working on the following monday. very cool technology wayoung56: maybe not obamamoney, but a lot of the students in his classes were given full free rides by the state of pa to attend b/c they were from 'low income' families. most were 'wasted' during class or spent their time surfing the web. only 3 of the whole class got jobs in their field. [Edited by: drz614 at 1/13/2013 11:44:34 PM EST]
mcmonsta Champion Author Honolulu Posts:3,222 Points:816,820 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:36:48 PM Ignore mcmonsta Report Abuse cut the time ,cut the cost...for both business and consumers
gmcgas Champion Author Atlanta Posts:5,943 Points:1,712,220 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:33:06 PM Ignore gmcgas Report Abuse they had cad programs in the 80's for computers. don't see how printed page helps that much.
Buddy2264 Champion Author Tampa Posts:11,649 Points:2,358,995 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:32:32 PM Ignore Buddy2264 Report Abuse Good way to increase there business.
wayoung56 Champion Author Alabama Posts:2,795 Points:817,360 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:32:12 PM Ignore wayoung56 Report Abuse Cool!!! and entirely without NoBama's bailout money paid for a taxpayers expense...
wang91554 Champion Author San Jose Posts:3,160 Points:1,199,855 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:32:09 PM Ignore wang91554 Report Abuse interesting
Rednix Champion Author Miami Posts:6,148 Points:1,273,785 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:30:58 PM Ignore Rednix Report Abuse I'm not sure I understand the process but I'm glad they are making it work.
ntass1 Champion Author Edmonton Posts:3,785 Points:726,075 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:30:35 PM Ignore ntass1 Report Abuse ford leading the way.good job
Alaydown Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:5,106 Points:821,445 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:25:21 PM Ignore Alaydown Report Abuse Ford does it without government help.
rawdog1313 Champion Author Lexington Posts:3,294 Points:1,641,830 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:21:53 PM Ignore rawdog1313 Report Abuse Innovation, you gotta love it!
jackster111 Champion Author North Carolina Posts:3,311 Points:423,610 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Jan 13, 2013 11:20:16 PM Ignore jackster111 Report Abuse hmmm