"Wishbone" and "Twisted Form"

[GaryR52]

Just thought you should see the two pieces I mentioned in my thread "Rapid Direct Metal Printing."

Gary

[fritchie]

Nice images, Gary, but they remind me of a question JAZ raised, and one several of us more classical direct metal workers have encountered from time to time. Just how DO you plan to support these figures in a gravity field?

I have a couple clays that have been awaiting answers to that question for some time now, and at least a few others have said about the same. Of course, each piece will have its own answer. but what is your thinking?

I also think you are wise to portray these in shades of gray, as aluminum or bronze seems to be your current view on the solids.

[Julianna]

Wow. I really like these ones, Gary. And I agree with fritchie---aluminum seems like a good material for it in the physical realm.

[GaryR52]

Thanks, Julianna.

Fritchie, gravity isn't going to be a problem. The beauty of rapid prototyping is that it can produce forms that are "impossible" by other processes and in other media. Besides, Wishbone will be aluminum and will be only 3.8"x8"x3.6" and won't weigh more than a few pounds. It looks more precarious in the images than it actually is, too. It's basically a continous knot twisted into a spiral form, therefore, all the energy is transmitted throughout the form. I was discussing it, on the phone, with Pat Maley of Prometal yesterday and there are no structural issues. His only concern was a little bit of faceting that shows up in my model, due to the change in resolution going from 3DS MAX to Rhino and back again, in the scaling process. His concern is that it will show up on the surface and that they'll have to smooth it a bit. Other than that, no problem. Prometal says, "if you can design it, we can print it." But, I'd have to concede this piece is probably never destined for enlargement to monumental scale.

P.S.: With a little stretch of imagination and a smaller scale, Wishbone could be made as a drawer pull, if you think about it. In that use, it would not only have to support its own weight (and sideways, no less!), it would also have to stand up to the stress of being used to pull open a drawer full of...stuff. I have seen drawer pulls just as "delicate" looking that were fully functional. At only 8" in length and upright, secured to a base, it will be quite sound. Trust me, I make my living in the design of structures. ;)

Gary

[GaryR52]

By the way, not all my sculptures are so...precarious looking. Here's another, called "Bicameral."

Gary

[GaryR52]

I had been debating with myself about including some kind of base with each of my pieces and finally decided, after looking for an economical base of some sort, that the best approach is a built-in one, constructed as part of the sculpture, itself. To that end, I've added bases to all of my pieces. Here's what Wishbone will look like.

Aside from the obvious chore of providing stability, it also allows me some control over how my work is displayed by the owner, at least inasfar as which end is up. ;)

Gary

[jsimms]

Gary.

Did Prometal's Maley give you a cost estimate?
john

[GaryR52]

Not yet, John, but I'm confident it's going to be higher than what APP (American Precision Prototyping) has quoted, which is $443. That was without the base added, though, and I'm waiting for them to produce an estimate on that, plus several other pieces, right now. I'll probably have it tomorrow. That figure was for a laser sintered wax master pattern and a casting. Of the several services I've gotten quotes from, APP has consistently had the best price - and service. They act like they really want my business (so many companies, of all kinds, act as if they could care less) and they're working with me to acheive my goals. Aside from that, they're located just 100 miles away, so I can visit sometime and watch them create one of my pieces out of thin air (well, okay, out of thermojet wax, anyway). One outfit tried to con me into 4-axis CNC milling, telling me all sorts of "horror stories" about SLA, SLS and FDM processes (all of it pure nonsense). His price? "Well over $100,000." Of course, he's full of B.S. If it cost that much to generate a metal object this small, no one would be doing it at all.

Gary

[Arnis]

Very well done and by very new way for me.Could you gave to me more dittails for this American Procision Prototyping company.Like link ,site,e-mail,location if you don't maint.The sapes are pritty lodical and intrigeiting in dousn't mater how they are pise.best regards Arnis

[GaryR52]

Thank you, Arnis. You can find APP at www.approto.com. The company is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but you can do business with them entirely by email.

Gary

[fritchie]

Thanks, Julianna.

Fritchie, gravity isn't going to be a problem. The beauty of rapid prototyping is that it can produce forms that are "impossible" by other processes and in other media. Besides, Wishbone will be aluminum and will be only 3.8"x8"x3.6" and won't weigh more than a few pounds. It looks more precarious in the images than it actually is, too. ...

Gary

It wasn’t structural soundness that I questioned, but simple ability to position the pieces. In fact, I wouldn’t mind seeing them simply lie on a surface, at any convenient angle. You might consider this approach as an alternative to an in-place foundation. They might become pieces to “handle”. At least, by the owner!

[ironman]

Hi, Yeah, I agree with Fritchie, just let the pieces lie in whatever way gravity takes them. That's what I'd do.
HEY Fritchie, We agree again!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a great day,
Jeff