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by Work2XL » Wed Feb 20, 2008 12:29 am
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Work2XL - Blue Belt
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 7:56 pm
- Location: Denver
Where did you find a place that will let you use their machines after a class? Sounds like an interesting place if they let you hang molds in a blow molder or injection molder. If you don't do it correctly, you can crash their machines causing several thousand dollars. Also, if you don't already have a mold then the machines don't do much good. Then there is processing issues. There is actually a lot that goes into making a good part. Then safety issues that you don't even know you don't know. If you mix Delrin with PVC (both are very common) plastic and heat it you get a VERY toxic fume that will most likely KILL you. How do you know what the last guy was running before you took over the machine with your project? I assume that they have a tech on staff to hang the tools, and do most of the processing for liability reasons. The tooling is the biggest barrier to entry for most people. They can be VERY expensive. I do like the 3D printing offered, the epilog and CNC. Access to those is huge if the price is right.
One resource that is usually overlooked is your local schools. One high school here in Denver teaches 3D modeling with 3d Solidworks. They also have in the school a small CNC and a 3D printer. I spoke to the Engineering teacher and he said he'd love to give the class "real world" projects. He had on display a working wheel bearing, crescent wrench, and boat prop that was designed by students and printed on the 3d printer.
To answer your question about making your own prototype, I would say no. You will need a prototype for testing purposes. (Fit, form, and function) You don't want to spend SEVERAL thousands of dollars to have a tool built to find out one critical dimension is too big. It's hard to add steel back to a tool once it's been cut. It can be done, but you loose integrety and cost more money.
Randy
One resource that is usually overlooked is your local schools. One high school here in Denver teaches 3D modeling with 3d Solidworks. They also have in the school a small CNC and a 3D printer. I spoke to the Engineering teacher and he said he'd love to give the class "real world" projects. He had on display a working wheel bearing, crescent wrench, and boat prop that was designed by students and printed on the 3d printer.
To answer your question about making your own prototype, I would say no. You will need a prototype for testing purposes. (Fit, form, and function) You don't want to spend SEVERAL thousands of dollars to have a tool built to find out one critical dimension is too big. It's hard to add steel back to a tool once it's been cut. It can be done, but you loose integrety and cost more money.
Randy
by BurbankGal » Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:04 am
- BurbankGal
- White Belt
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:45 pm
"Where did you find a place that will let you use their machines after a class?"
http://techshop.ws/take_classes.html
(This website is listed in the "Resources" section, right here on Inventor Spot!)
"One resource that is usually overlooked is your local schools."
Spiffy suggestion! There is a major tech school in the LA area -- all it'll take me to find out is a phone call.
http://techshop.ws/take_classes.html
(This website is listed in the "Resources" section, right here on Inventor Spot!)
"One resource that is usually overlooked is your local schools."
Spiffy suggestion! There is a major tech school in the LA area -- all it'll take me to find out is a phone call.
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