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Meet the Makers of an Exotic (Partially) 3-D Printed Car (2 Videos)
Last month, in a story headlined 3D Printed Supercar Chassis Unveiled, we promised video interviews with builders Kevin and Brad "in the near future." Here they are. First, we have Kevin Czinger, Founder & CEO of Divergent Microfactories. He says the way we build cars is more important from an environmental standpoint than how we fuel them, and that the way we make cars now is a lot less efficient and a lot more expensive than it needs to be. Divergent's first demo vehicle, the Blade, is a tandem-seating 700 HP supercar its makers say does 0 - 60 in 2.5 seconds. Price? No word yet, but it's safe to assume "plenty" might be an accurate guess.
In the second video, Blade project lead Brad Balzer goes into detail about how, why, and where they use 3-D printing, and explains the modular nature of their car chassis design. He says they don't need to change many parts to go from ultra-sports car to pickup truck. He also says that while Divergent Microfactories is working on cars right now, their manufacturing system can be applied to many different industries. Indeed, their long-range goal is to help people build microfactories making many different kinds of products faster, more flexibly, and for less money than it takes to make similar manufactured items today.
Note: The transcript covers both videos and has a little 'bonus' material in it, too.
In the second video, Blade project lead Brad Balzer goes into detail about how, why, and where they use 3-D printing, and explains the modular nature of their car chassis design. He says they don't need to change many parts to go from ultra-sports car to pickup truck. He also says that while Divergent Microfactories is working on cars right now, their manufacturing system can be applied to many different industries. Indeed, their long-range goal is to help people build microfactories making many different kinds of products faster, more flexibly, and for less money than it takes to make similar manufactured items today.
Note: The transcript covers both videos and has a little 'bonus' material in it, too.
Yeh yeh a 700 HP "supercar", just what the world needs. A bunch of idiots is what they are!
I can't wait to drive a super car that can also frame a truck. Hilarious.
"You wouldn't steal a car, would you?"
Oh, okay. So let's fix the way we build cars but at the same time let's go backwards on how we fuel them.
Why can't it be both? Because his company probably can't make electric cars.
Get free satoshi (Bitcoin) and Dogecoins
You wouldn't download a car
Just you fucking wait
This is at least the third separate post on this in the last eight days, all solely because they used the buzzwords "3D printing". The fact it is 3D-printed adds absolutely nothing to the project, which is no lighter or better than a regular sports car of space frame construction.
Which begs the question, what's the deal? How much is Slashdot being paid for these ads, because they're clearly not newsworthy...
Since we're recycling stories now, I'm going to recycle my last comment on the same story:
Frankly, this isn't terribly impressive. The Ariel Atom 500 will manage a 0-60 of 2.3 seconds or less from 200 *fewer* horsepower than the Blade, thanks to an even lighter weight of 1,213 pounds. And like the Blade, it has space frame construction, they just haven't wrapped some flimsy composite panels and a plexiglass windshield over it all. (But what did that add to the weight, really? I doubt it was 187 pounds, so the Atom is still lighter...)
All the Atom really lacks is the "look-at-us" headline-grabbing use of 3D printing, which doesn't seem to be bringing terribly much of an advantage to the table here. And I guess, the styling that's right out of a kid's calendar. But really, what's revolutionary here? It's certainly not the construction or performance...
Up next on Slashdot: A revolutionary new 3D-printed paperweight that holds down paper better than ever. It's going to revolutionize the paperweight industry!
Electric cars are still a niche market and will probably remain that way until batteries improve. http://www.science20.com/scien... I'd love to have an all electric car but they are too expensive and have limited range. Most of them are also too damn small (because the batteries still suck.)
I'd be curious what the base price for the materials used in the 3D printing process cost versus the cost of the materials used in a somewhat comparable super car are.
"Indeed, their long-range goal is to help people build microfactories making many different kinds of products faster, more flexibly, and for less money than it takes to make similar manufactured items today"
Pick 2 and I am guessing less money isn't really one of them.
Might work for some items I guess. Certainly not cars or anything significant. That microfactory will make engines and brakes and tires and seats ?!? If not you have to buy them in small quantities and get them delivered. Unless you can do this all by China Post that gets very expensive and not at all efficient. Not very fast either for that matter.
I suppose i'll to read it and see why they think they have something.
Still don't see much use for it. The only thing I have seen that would have been useful to 3-D print was a 1" cam lever on the legrests at work to make them work better. Would only cost $20 at Staples (or whoever I checked) to slightly improve the $18 piece :(
The word "exotic" is racist.
Is the transcript available on mobile? I don't want to watch a video on my phone.