The International Cessna^® 170 Association

We have several 3D printers at work and use them heavily for prototyping. So I though I'd experiment and add a little flair to the window knobs. This is my first attempt and it is still in the raw, unfinished state. However, they turned out better than expected!

This knob was not printed at my work, but by an online company I've used before for random projects.

Very cool.. and scary at the same time.

Cool that you can make a part that is priced beyond reason.

Scary that such a part is able to be made today and it is not super high tech unobtainium technology. Hobbiest are building 3-d printers in their basement.

Scary because of what else can be made and how many people with that put out of work in the really big picture.

Bruce Fenstermacher wrote: Scary because of what else can be made and how many people with that put out of work in the really big picture.

The gas lamp industry said similar about the light bulb.

Is there still a gas lamp industry?

Sorry for the pessimistic view. I nearly didn't type it. The part, the technology and the possibilities are really neat. But there is the other side. I may be sensitive as my first vocation, that of a printer, has virtually been destroyed in 20 years after hundreds of years, by something called a computer and it's peripherals the laser and ink jet printer and of course who needs printed material at all with the internet.

But the same can be said for practically every industry.

I tend to look at how many jobs and opportunities computers have CREATED. My entire industry didn't exist 20 years ago.

It all depends on ones perspective. I'm pretty sure of one thing, there were a heck of a lot more printers employed printing than computers and 3d printing will employ. I hope I'm around to hear your perspective when you turn 60 as I am.

Christine, those are very cool, don't listen to that old curmudgeon Bruce.

sixty? I flew with a sixty year old at the controls?

Bruce Fenstermacher wrote:It all depends on ones perspective. I'm pretty sure of one thing, there were a heck of a lot more printers employed printing than computers and 3d printing will employ. I hope I'm around to hear your perspective when you turn 60 as I am.

And how many scribes were there before the printing press???

You do realize that computers and 3d printers are as revolutionary as the printing press. right?

Maybe 3D print an oil pan for the Connie O300 among other things.

N2625U wrote:Maybe 3D print an oil pan for the Connie O300 among other things.

They are 3D printing turbine blades that are stronger than forgings.
The only thing stopping a printed oil pan is the FAA

As metal printers become more affordable, we'll see more and more applications for printed parts.

I think this 3D printing technology is quite interesting. There was a two or three part series on the subject in either Sport Aviation or AOPA Pilot recently. I got to see just small amount of it prior to my leaving Sky-Tec back in 2013. I am old enough to remember when everyone was concerned about how many jobs were going to be eliminated/people displaced by the computer industry. Well, sure enough there were a lot of jobs eliminated, but it seems an equal or greater number of jobs were created because of that "new" technology. Also there was a big deal about eliminating paper in vrs industries. They tried, but it really never happened. Should see the volume of paper we get daily and from the government And add me to the list of folks that think what Christine had "printed" is way cool. Now we need some of those knobs that fit the glove boxes and fresh air vent items.

And instrument bezels for the older panels.

As my free time permits, I'd be happy to model up some parts for an .STL library. (STL files are the most common file format used by almost all 3D printers.)

Members can then take the STL file and upload to your favorite 3D printing service and have the ability to choose your own material and color options. Though I'd be most comfortable sticking to simple, non structural parts like knobs and bezels. Would that meet the requirements for an owner produced part?

One of the young engineers at work said that back in school they used one 3d printer to print the parts for a second 3d printer! The only thing missing is Skynet and we'll all be redundant...

I would classify a part downloaded from the internet, in which the owner arranged the have it printed, picked colors/materials/etc..., to be "owner produced". I don't see the modeling as much different than having someone do a machining or welding operation for you. That being said, this is one of those things the FAA is notoriously vague on, so I wouldn't fault someone else for holding a different opinion.

DEM