3D print possible?

[greenjk]

I'm wanting to make my NB JK RHD and was wondering if it would be possible to 3D print another wiper panel as a mirror image of the standard one, that way I could just cut the old one out and fit the new one. If it's possible how would I go about getting it done. I've got the dash sorted but I haven't seen anyone do the wiper panel. I would like to be able to cut it at the seems on both sides and behind the bonnet.

[Crawling Calvin]

For us non Aussie people a "wiper panel" is the part that holds the wipers I am guessing . I have access to (own) a 3D printer. It can't make the worlds highest resolution prints but if you had a 3D file made I could give it a try. One thing to remember is a 3D printer/printing is ultimately limited by your imagination, patience and willingness to work around potential issues.

That said I don't see why you couldn't... just keep in mind that most body shells are made of ABS and ABS isn't the worlds nicest material to print in for various reasons. One other idea to consider would be to make a plasticine mold but that can be tricky and not always work out as intended

[greenjk]

Originally Posted by Crawling Calvin

For us non Aussie people a "wiper panel" is the part that holds the wipers I am guessing . I have access to (own) a 3D printer. It can't make the worlds highest resolution prints but if you had a 3D file made I could give it a try. One thing to remember is a 3D printer/printing is ultimately limited by your imagination, patience and willingness to work around potential issues.

That said I don't see why you couldn't... just keep in mind that most body shells are made of ABS and ABS isn't the worlds nicest material to print in for various reasons. One other idea to consider would be to make a plasticine mold but that can be tricky and not always work out as intended

Yes mate, you are correct re the panel, the problem is I have no idea how to get a 3D file done, can you tell me more about this side of it. Thanks a lot for the offer and for taking the time to answer my questions.

[JatoTheRipper]

You're going to have to pay somebody to design the new part. That will be expensive. Once you have the 3D model, you can go online and pay to have the part made via Shapeways or another 3D printing service.

[Crawling Calvin]

Originally Posted by greenjk

Yes mate, you are correct re the panel, the problem is I have no idea how to get a 3D file done, can you tell me more about this side of it. Thanks a lot for the offer and for taking the time to answer my questions.

No problem. Being I was in college once I took classes in Autocad and then got a student license of the software to practice on and so on. It has a bit of a learning curve but is extremely powerful. There is also Google Sketchup but unless your designing stuff with primitive shapes and so on it is a massive pain to design anything else in.... there are also a TON of 3D design programs out there you can try that are open source.

Other option is maybe see if a local Uni can maybe have some students design stuff as part of a class project. I know when I was in school for machining sometimes people around the school and elsewhere would ask if we could knock little stuff out for them

That is what I would say to do. The design part is the hard bit for you... the printing is the hard bit for me or someone else

[greenjk]

Thanks for taking the time to help me out guy's, I'll look into it a bit more but may end up making one out of styrene, as that is something I can do, I have ordered a few scale items from shapeways and they are very good, I just wasn't sure what the process was to get something made.

[altd896]

It would appear your 2 main options are either,
1. develop the 3D CAD model from scratch by measuring the existing
2. get the piece 3D laser scanned to make a point cloud model that can be imported in CAD software.
Either way it should be possible to then mirror the model, (I would imagine most CAD software has the function to mirror a 3D model, I know the AutoCAD I work with everyday does but that's primarily in 2D applications) to the RHD version before printing.
The trap to this is what the cost would be.
3D scanning like this I'm thinking of 3D Scanning Australia - 3D Scanners - 3D Scan
(I know nothing about this company, just found it off a google search as an example)

[Crawling Calvin]

While this is a VERY very very dumbed down video for the sake of time this should give an idea of what I do with files (I drew or got off the internet). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9dT...0llDMIWz4Yhp6g

I would go the styrene route and do it that way or you could sculpt a part, mold it but in the end you have to ask yourself how much your time and effort is worth to you

[SMR 510RR]

Could probably easily make it out of styrene and then buy some wipers from somewhere. For sure more cost effective.

[greenjk]

Originally Posted by SMR 510RR

Could probably easily make it out of styrene and then buy some wipers from somewhere. For sure more cost effective.

I think I will do this mate, I just wanted to know about the print side of things.

[SMR 510RR]

I just got a 3d printer to mess with and it is very cool but it isn't a fast process by any means. By the time I got it modeled up and ready to start printing you could have a good start on the styrene version and because I have a <$1000 consumer open source printer there would for sure need to be some clean up/sanding on the parts before use.

If I was doing what you are trying to do I would probably do it on the printer but I have the software, know how to use it, I have the printer, I know how to use that, etc. For me the 3d printer is more about having fun tinkering.