This is a 7 minute film w/Jay Leno explaining/showing a new type of 3D scanner for making old car parts......very interesting

Jay's Clip

This thing is just too cool. Making the wrench without having to assemble it seems like FM to me.

This should get Jake going.

linky no worky!

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/video_player.shtml?vid=944641

Yeah, those are very cool. That scanner is smaller than any I've seen...we contract out some 3D printing work for prototyping conveyor pieces and such...

The one-shot printing a complete moving and interlocking assembly is something I've never seen before - That's insane!

very cool stuff

Mike we've been doing that stuff at Flo Valley for about 10 years. You should stop by and I'll give you the nickle tour.
http://www.stlcc.edu/Campuses/Cente...eering_and_Manufacturing/Facilities.html

Scroll down to the bottom

We have a 3-D molder for making prototype parts from CAD drawings or an image could be scanned in. The parts are a little notched and just plastic. But it works fast for a quick workup from drawings.

I work for a company that manufactures digital scanners for fingerprints, facial recognition, and Iris recognition, and the related software.

These machines have allready transformed my industry. I design engines, the first couple of prototypes are often made using this technology. Some of these machines can print directly in sand, so they can make the cores for sand casting.

When you are making low numbers for racing etc, they can be very economical. The other huge advantage is that you don't have to worry about draft angles, split lines or undercuts, this means you are able to design things that were impossible in the past.

That scanning machine is great for the price, the cutting edge of scanners is 3D xray machines (MRI scanners) that can scan inside some parts, so you don't have to cut up hollow components.

Gareth