Hi Andy
If you have a look at the current edition of Oscar News from AMSAT-UK, you'll see that our team working on the payload for the ESEO satellite have used 3D printing to produce a model of the payload enclosure. I believe the original computer modelling used STEP files to generate all of the drawings and that these were then adapted for use with the 3D printer. The final enclosure for the L band to VHF FM transponder has to be milled from a solid block. As we didn't want to do that job twice (250 x 100 x 50mm and expensive) it made perfect sense to produce one with 3D printing to ensure that all the mountings and cut-outs were in the correct position.
Thanks
David G0MRF
-----Original Message----- From: andy thomas andythomasmail@yahoo.co.uk To: amsat amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Thu, 29 Jan 2015 13:41 Subject: [amsat-bb] Hamsat uses for a 3d printer?
Hi I am thinking of investing in a 3D printer or using one at our local makespace. Here in the UK a magazine is offering a weekly build-by-component series to make a 3d printer that will run on a pc or mac and uses DOT stl files for the design. A lsow build but an interesting idea nonetheless. I have seen at ESTEC 3d printed model plastic cubesats and am aware of the experiment on the ISS but do not know the software used or data file format. I was wondering if anyone on the -bb has experience of using a 3D printer for outreach or (like SATNOGS) for building rotator gears, and if so whether the file extension DOTstl is an industry standard for this work? I wonder if the estec and nasa files would be reachable by, say, the freedom of information legislation, or would be handed over. many thanks 73 de andy g0sfj _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb