3D printers for mechanical engineering

[zoltrix]

hello

I see that 3d printers are becoming more a more popular for mechanical engineering also for education
I think that PLA scaled models of mechanisms can be of use for kinematic analysis but I wonder whether they are of use also for dynamics or even for stress analysis
I try to explain my self, sorry but English is not my native language

The specific weight of PLA plastic is about 1.6 gr/cm3 vs about 8 gr/cm3 of steel
Of course also the DC motors for 3d models deliver a lower torque
consider the ratio :
Torque of the motors / inertia of the mechanism
A 3d model should have , I suppose , a much higher ratio than a real mechanisms
Moreover the inpact of the friction is quite different
if so a dynamic analysis may be of little interest

I am even more interested in the "motion control" of 3d printed models
I wonder whether control theory (Bode etc) is actually applicable

 

[sbrothy]

I'm no expert. Not even intermediate. But fooling around with these printers I learned that some of the more heat resistant plastics emit toxic gasses during the printing process. Just a heads up.