On a 3-D printer.
This will be a very disruptive technology, with a lot of implications for space development.
25 thoughts on “Creating A Concert Flute”
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On a 3-D printer.
This will be a very disruptive technology, with a lot of implications for space development.
Comments are closed.
Jay Leno uses something like this to make car parts for his classics.
It took fifteen hours to print… Not cheap. In practice machining centers are far more capable.
Developing a system for 3D printing carbon fiber would be a major breakthrough.
A number of people are trying to 3D print 3D printing machines.
There is I think a nice little six legged robot with a milling head that sits on a block of foam and carves it to whatever shape.
I think there is also an effort on to 3D print houses using concrete, reinforcing, and what not.
A fair number of the “missing bits” are in the chemical field as opposed to the machining. A nice compact alumina-to-aluminum plant, and continuous separation processes for example.
I wasn’t impressed at all by the musical quality of that flute.
Whether the material a flute is made from makes that big a difference is perhaps somewhat scientifically controversial. The shape, however, has the main effect on sound, and I am not convinced that the solid printer produces a flute that is all that dimensionally accurate.
Also, the late Art Benade at Case Western had a scientific interest in flutes, clarinets (which he played) and other woodwind and brasswind instruments. He had published work that the surface finish on the tone holes was important — too sharp an edge and you introduced disturbance in the airflow.
As to the man playing the flute saying how good it was, when you are playing a flute, it is loud (can exceed 100 dB at one or other ear), and maybe you have to be some distance from the flute to get a better appreciation for the sound. That flute also leaked at closed tone holes, which also wrecks the sound.
I think there is a long way to go making anything other than a low-end “band” instrument.
I think there is a long way to go making anything other than a low-end “band” instrument.
Of course! But is progress… What could have been done with this kind of technology 5 years ago? or 10?
Just think of where this could be in 5 or 10 years, and beyond – When it could have actual use in HSF.
I think it has more implications for Chinese development even than Space development.
I’ve built and tried to fire a 3D printed rocket motor.
Waiting for new clean peroxide, that has been delayed by rained out road to the test facility, soon to test fire the first 3D printed regen motor!
Lars,
Yes, we are definitely on the path to building replicators, at least for inorganic components and equipment. 3d Printers will be a key technology for space settlement.
Paul B.
Great going!
The world of 3d printers is indeed magical. My company (a UAV manufacturer) uses them for more than just rapid prototyping parts. They can be made robust enough to be used as tool molds for composite parts and go under a 1 atm vacuum and do a room temp. or low temp. cure.
There are vendors out there who can 3d print (laser sinter) aluminum and titanium parts that are flight-worthy and have pretty good mechanical properties. Right now the “resolution” is low so it can’t give you a finished part with any reasonable surface finish, but the technology is improving. But the capability of the concept is far beyond what any machine shop can even conceivably produce – you can create hollow parts and only put material where the load path(s) are. As a bonus, you simultaneously lower your parts count and eliminate fasteners, welds, and joints between parts.
Also, there are folks making food with 3d printers: http://www.gizmag.com/cornucopia-digital-gastronomy-3d-food-printer/13873/
How much of an improvement is this over platelet technology?
How much of an improvement is this over platelet technology?
Platelet technologies whether it be for sealing pipes or cuts in the human body are temporary repair technologies. You eventually need to repair the damage. While I see as a long term possibility of say, a self-propelled miniature 3-D printer for repairing either sort of damage completely from start to finish, it’s much more likely IMHO that multiple technologies will be employed, first to stop the leak then to repair the leak, just like current approaches.
I was thinking of the Aerojet platelet technology for making complicated three dimensional structures, like structured catalyst packs or propellant injectors. It uses diffusion bonded platelets with etched microstructures, combining additive and subtractive processes. I suspect its optimal production runs are larger than those for a 3-d printer, making it less useful as a universal off-world component producer. I’m curious how the quality of the finished product would compare between the two technologies.
It’ll be interesting what happens to the gun rights debate once the technology advances to the point that one can print, say, a fully-automatic weapon.
It’ll be interesting what happens to the gun rights debate once the technology advances to the point that one can print, say, a fully-automatic weapon.
No immediate worry for that. These 3D printers can’t create matter from thin air. They’ll always need specific raw materials (the right chemicals for bullets, etc…), and complex pieces of machinery (like a firearm) will need to be assembled manually.
I imagine that printing in zero-g or a low gravity environment would be more challenging but perhaps there could also be some advantages depending on what you want to make?
Perhaps this is another good reason to get some of those artificial gravity demonstrations going.
They’ll always need specific raw materials (the right chemicals for bullets, etc…)
Yes, if there’s a complicated and dangerous chemical process involved, then one day bullets could be as rare as meth.
(that link also answers Neil’s question, by the way: the public debate on various prohibitions is based much more on historical accidents and personal sympathies than on any theory or data regarding effectiveness and consequences)
“It’ll be interesting what happens to the gun rights debate once the technology advances to the point that one can print, say, a fully-automatic weapon.”
Yeah, but judging by the flute, I don’t think that weapon will be particularly accurate . . .
Neil H. said:
One can already do that with foot pedaled lathes. Like in Waziristan for example (AKs and Makarov pistols). But you’re right, it would render anti-gun arguments obsolete. Unless the gun banner finally tells the truth that his position is really not based on “public safety”.
Hint: often the same gun banner will support leniency towards gang bangers. It gives you a clue on what his real intentions are.
I hope nobody ever uses that process to make an accordion or a vuvuzela.
Or worse, some unholy combination of the two.
there is some folks going forward with low-g 3-d printing, they gave a talk at the SMM meeting a couple months ago.
I really want to see one of these on Luna. It is quite possible we can use the regolith with just some screening, and start building components in-situ for a lunar base before the folks get there. Would be great to have a stockpile just waiting for them.
I also think that this is the future of NEA mining. you send out a rocket with a couple bags of lunar regolith, and have it build the rest of the miner and return transport on the way out to the target. Will have lot’s of time since they will be using low Dv hohman transfers.
Could even build the next miner to go on to the next site. Just have to carry a couple extra computers and engines. Maybe a wiring harness would be worthwile too.
Bootstrapping at its finest.
Uh oh, someone found a way to make that unholy combination even unholier – steampunk bagpipes!
The Union Jack shoes are a nich touch too.
Morganism
It looks like Paul Breed is tacking care of the engines so you only need extra computers.