XPost: sci.space.policy, sci.physics, sci.electronics.design   
   From: jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com   
      
   In article , jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com   
   says...   
   > > Landing gear, and all other structural moving parts, is surely another   
   > > area on aircraft which could use this technology.  Landing gear make up   
   > > a significant percentage of an aircraft's total dry mass, so this would   
   > > be a likely candidate for shape optimization and 3D printing.   
   >   
   > Again, you are talking about niche applications and landing gear are not   
   > that big a part of an aircrafts weight.   
      
   From Wikipedia (because I don't have time to look up a "better" source):   
      
      The undercarriage is typically 4-5% of the takeoff mass and can   
      even reach 7%.   
      
   That's significant in aerospace.   
      
   > >> Have you ever looked at the interior structures of an aircraft?   
   > >   
   > > Yes, many times.  I've got a b.s. in aerospace engineering, so I know   
   > > the basics.  Many of our customers are aerospace, so I have to   
   > > understand the domain.   
   > >   
   > >> 3D printing is, and always will be, a niche manufacturing method.   
   > >>   
   > >> Handy at times, but certainly not a world changer.   
   > >   
   > > This is quite short sighted.  I'm sure the same was said about   
   > > composites when they were in their infancy.  Today it would be quite   
   > > hard (i.e. likely impossible) to point to something commercial that   
   > > flies and carries people commercially that has absolutely zero composite   
   > > content.   
   >   
   > An irrelevant red herring to the subject of 3D printing. There are a HUGE   
   > number of different composite materials out there and it has taken well   
   > over half a century for most aircraft to have even a small fraction of   
   > composite materials in their construction.   
   >   
   > Note the word "most".   
      
   How is an example of the adoption of new materials/manufacturing   
   processes not applicable to 3D printing which is another example of the   
   same thing?  Are you deliberately being intellectually dishonest?   
      
   > > I can say that shape optimization coupled with 3D printing is one of the   
   > > "bleeding edge" topics in my industry.  It's really no secret, you can   
   > > surely Google hundreds of articles on the topic.  I really can't go into   
   > > further details, but my profession is in writing engineering software,   
   > > so I ought to know.   
   >   
   > Whoopee. It is still niche.   
      
   You're posting to sci.space groups.  It's quite significant to the   
   aerospace industry.  If you don't like it, find another group to pester.   
      
   > Does anyone care about a shape optimized 4 slice toaster or filing cabinet?   
      
   This isn't sci.toaster.   
      
   Jeff   
   --   
   All opinions posted by me on Usenet News are mine, and mine alone.   
   These posts do not reflect the opinions of my family, friends,   
   employer, or any organization that I am a member of.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)