Talk:Virtual designs into physical objects
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Rename page 'Fabricators and matter-compilers'?
Combined section on Computer-controlled flexible manufacturing techniques
Great picture of engine block being milled: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Vertikalbearbeitungszentrum_Hermle_C_30_U.jpg
Fortune magazine article on Gershenfeld: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/11/13/8393124/index.htm
Build your own pcb mill http://web.mit.edu/kumpf/www/pcbmill.html
Build your own cnc machine http://www.engadget.com/2006/06/29/how-to-build-your-own-cnc-machine-part-1/
Solid metal parts: http://www.gizmag.co.uk/go/5312. ARCAM electron-Beam Melting (EBM). Layer thickness 0.05mm
Nanotech as ultimate fabrication system (although not possible yet)
- Mouldings
- Rapid injection mouldings (CNCed low volume, high speed, aluminium injection moulds) - eg. http://www.protomold.co.uk
- Casting from rapid prototyped parts
- Vac forming etc
Loughborough uni automated house building (and decorating I think too) - http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/mm/research/rapid-manufacturing/
3D scanning
Even 3D printing of replacement human organs using cells
- http://www.techok.com/quickcast.html
- http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/multimedia/2007/10/body_builders
Keywords: Solid freeform fabrication
Metadata associated with designs
Likely that additive fabrication, CNC machining and inkjet printing (for colour, conductive inks, battery chemicals etc) might be combined into a single desktop machine...Mini fab lab.
What are the limits with size?
Large
- Jigsaw shaped metal pieces that fit together, then welded under computer control - could make extremely strong structures of almost any size.
- Other modular building blocks
Small
- http://www.itg.uiuc.edu/exhibits/iotw/2007-03-13
- MEMS / Biotechnology
- How is this for high resolution? http://www.physorg.com/news4295.html
- Molecular nanotechnology
3d scanning
Other
Not nano-tech as such, but milli / micro -scale reconfigurable matter. Will be perfect for what rapid prototyping is currently used for, but instead of having to make a new model every time something changes, the model simply morphs to the new shape. Have thought about this concept before but never come to any firm conclusions about how it might be made to work practically. However recently came across this video clip (second half) where Babu Pillai describes his research in this area [1]. Video of concept.
