Ztrains now has a new "Z Scale Guest" article online. In this article we talk with Paul Gear of the MakeMyModel company. Paul discusses some of MakeMyModel's history, their 3D printing technique as well as their newest product line, the Fiber Optic Lighted Truck series. You can read this new article here: http://www.ztrains.com/pages/guest/gear/gear.html John Cubbin http://www.ztrains.com
I installed fiber optic in my truck`s a long time ago! Great to see that i won`t need to do it myselfe anymore! Welcome after!
I wonder if the 3D printing is high enough resolution to print some casting molds for USRA boiler shells to fit over Marklin chassis. Kind of like the process described here. http://www.zcorp.com/products/zcast.asp
i'm glad Z trains did the article. it's interesting to know how the pieces area made and how the business began. it's also good to know that Z is a principle point of interest and not a secondary one. i just bought 3 units two weeks ago. ugh! i could've had a "lite"! dave f.
Unfortunately, the 3D printers (like Z-Corp and others) can't print enough detail for production resolution, as you would expect from injection mold. They're great though for test fits, concepts and such. But they have a lot of pits, voids and surface roughness is still evident even after micro sanding. And while it can print true 3D (like parts "underneath" and also free standing parts (like a working ball bearing or ball in a square cage), boiler piping and such are much better detailed seperately. Stereolithography (SLA) is better but again not smooth enough. Lots of rework. Plus both are not very strong, easily broken pieces. Then there is the heat from the loco (on soft acrylic or polymer plastic)
