3D printing a whole boat

[zboss]

The days of plastics that are as strong as some metals are just about here. Maybe we should start a thread on printing 3d parts for the boat. Maybe 3d printing the majority of a boat piece by piece. You could probably build the whole hull by mating together pieces of 3d printed hull portions and then welding them together.

You certainly could 3d print your own head, your seacocks, lighting fixtures, portholes, faucets, sinks, table tops, [pretty much the entire inside], the fridge, many fridge condenser parts, windlasses, hinges, storage containers, spreaders, bits and pieces, deck materials, hatches, tracks, blocks, sheaves, mast slides, windexes, et. al.

I don't know if your could 3d print the standing rigging yet but its coming, the sails for sure (they are already 3d printing clothing), maybe not the mast and boom.

At the very least the price of a brand new boat for at least lake sailing and maybe coastal sailing in the 40 foot range could be cut by 2/3rds AND you would never have to buy another new part, just print a new one.

[StuM]

Say an average of $30-40* per Kg for plastic filaments, a 10 ton boat will cost $3-400,000 in material alone.

*range $20-175 per kg here; 3ders.org - price compare 3D printing materials

[wristwister]

3D printing has been around for many years. It's called stereolithography. The issue is that only certain plastics can be used. While the range and strength of those materials continues to get better, I sure wouldn't want a hull, or any critical part, made of the stuff.

But the real beauty of stereolithography is in quick mold making. Print up a mold for a part then mold the actual parts out of an appropriate material. Chances are there are parts currently on your boat that were made exactly this way.

[ontherocks83]

When the printers get smaller people are going to want to keep them on board to make parts that break.

Actually this could end all gun threads. Just print a gun and as you come into port throw it overboard. When you leave print another. See problem solved

[zboss]

Originally Posted by ontherocks83

When the printers get smaller people are going to want to keep them on board to make parts that break.

http://www.tctmagazine.com/additive-...for-boat-show/

Engineering students race first 3-D printed boat in Milk Carton Derby – with slideshow | UW Today

Exactly, there are a lot of components that can be made with super strength plastics now - they have a plastic that is as strong as steel! So you start with the small stuff and work your way up.

The material prices are going through the floor as 3d printing gets common. The ARE small enough to keep onboard and you could certainly print many parts of the boat in plastics.

Perfect-Fit holding tanks, holding tank parts.

So, even if you don't start with the critical components, you can still print a lot of non-critical components.

3d printed dinghy anyone?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...D-printer.html

You could melt your dinghy down and then remake it when you get to where you are going.

3d printing WILL happen for yachting in the next 10 years... it will totally disrupt the current sales and yachting model, starting with small boats (hobie cats, dinghies, paddle boards, etc.) and working your way up. Imagine... no more paints, chemicals, screws, nuts, bolts.... something does not fit... you print a component that does. You don't like the color? Melt down the old part and print a new part using a new color.

Goodbye West Marine (at least in the way we know it)!

[nimblemotors]

Sounds good. Go ahead, start with your dinghy, let us know how it goes.

Originally Posted by zboss

The days of plastics that are as strong as some metals are just about here. Maybe we should start a thread on printing 3d parts for the boat. Maybe 3d printing the majority of a boat piece by piece. You could probably build the whole hull by mating together pieces of 3d printed hull portions and then welding them together.

You certainly could 3d print your own head, your seacocks, lighting fixtures, portholes, faucets, sinks, table tops, [pretty much the entire inside], the fridge, many fridge condenser parts, windlasses, hinges, storage containers, spreaders, bits and pieces, deck materials, hatches, tracks, blocks, sheaves, mast slides, windexes, et. al.

I don't know if your could 3d print the standing rigging yet but its coming, the sails for sure (they are already 3d printing clothing), maybe not the mast and boom.

At the very least the price of a brand new boat for at least lake sailing and maybe coastal sailing in the 40 foot range could be cut by 2/3rds AND you would never have to buy another new part, just print a new one.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by ontherocks83

Actually this could end all gun threads. Just print a gun and as you come into port throw it overboard. When you leave print another. See problem solved

You do know gun parts like Ar-15 receivers have been printed and this is giving people like the ATF folks fits don't you?
Used to be on Youtube.

[ontherocks83]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You do know gun parts like Ar-15 receivers have been printed and this is giving people like the ATF folks fits don't you?
Used to be on Youtube.

Ya but its known they go ape sh*t over anything that doesn't fit good little citizens staying in line. They really have no measurable sense of humor.

Besides causing them grief makes me smile just ever so slightly

[Matt sachs]

Cant wait for printers that can print steel.....That will be an interesting thread..LOL

[Sea Frog]

Guns without ammo are worthless. I don't think ammo can be printed...

[nimblemotors]

Originally Posted by Matt sachs

Cant wait for printers that can print steel.....That will be an interesting thread..LOL

Already done...Physical vapor deposition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Now if you think 3d printing plastic is 1000x too expensive..

[ontherocks83]

Originally Posted by Sea Frog

Guns without ammo are worthless. I don't think ammo can be printed...

Hey I'm dreaming here don't be bringing reality into this conversation. What do you think you're doing?

[maytrix]

Problem is that the size of the printer is relative to the size of what it is printing.

As mentioned, this is great for parts - rather than keep a ton of parts, you have the printer and printer supplies and download the plans for a part and print it as you need it. But other uses are far more limited. You certainly aren't going to print a dinghy.

[Matt sachs]

The Today Show had a printed car last month.

[zboss]

Originally Posted by maytrix

Problem is that the size of the printer is relative to the size of what it is printing.

As mentioned, this is great for parts - rather than keep a ton of parts, you have the printer and printer supplies and download the plans for a part and print it as you need it. But other uses are far more limited. You certainly aren't going to print a dinghy.

This is true. And for right now, the material cost is also high. This is just the start of a conversation.

Conceptually speaking, you could print most of your own 3d printer, whatever the size, starting with a desktop version and assembling it from small parts.

They just sent a 3d printer to the space station to experiment with printing their own tools so, obviously, some lab here on the ground had some luck getting that to work.

People were saying the same thing about welding and steel when they were first introduced. No WAY aluminum could support a structure either. Glass? 3 years ago no one had heard of gorilla glass, now its in everyone's pocket. How about sapphire glass? In another two years it will be everyone's wrist.

The point is... you start with an idea and you refine it. Sometimes you have to wait for a few years for different specialties to catch up but there is a real demand for 3d printing and if you are a dinghy manufacturer or small boat company you should be worried.