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3D-Printed Aircraft Tool Sets Guinness World Record (networkworld.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the world-record dept.

coondoggie quotes a report from Network World: A 17.5 foot long, 5.5 foot wide and 1.5 foot tall the 3D printed aircraft design tool has earned the title of largest solid 3D printed item by Guinness World Records. The 1,650 lb. apparatus known as a trim-and-drill tool is comparable in length to a large sport utility vehicle and will ultimately be tested for use in building the Boeing 777X passenger jet. Basically the tool will be used to secure the jet's composite wing skin for drilling and machining before assembly, according to researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ONRL) who developed the tool. "The existing, more expensive metallic tooling option we currently use comes from a supplier and typically takes three months to manufacture using conventional techniques," said Leo Christodoulou, Boeing's director of structures and materials in a statement. "Additively manufactured tools, such as the 777X wing trim tool, will save energy, time, labor and production cost and are part of our overall strategy to apply 3D printing technology in key production areas."

50 comments

  1. I look forward to the day... by fredgiblet · · Score: 2

    ...when I can 3D print an entire plane for myself.

    1. Re:I look forward to the day... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Keep looking. It'll never happen. And I wonder why you think it will.

    2. Re:I look forward to the day... by ArylAkamov · · Score: 3, Funny

      But...you wouldn't download a CAR, would you?

    3. Re:I look forward to the day... by saloomy · · Score: 2

      This story is false, you can print yourself a house. Concrete is most definitely solid, and weighs more than 1,650 lbs. Airplanes will be next once the solution to print using metal powder comes to meaningful cost/quality. Well, the body of the airplane at least.

    4. Re:I look forward to the day... by iggymanz · · Score: 2

      I see your house, and raise you one 3D printed office building

      http://www.cnet.com/news/dubai...

    5. Re:I look forward to the day... by iggymanz · · Score: 1

      laser sintering of powdered metals for aircraft parts (and other engine and tool & die parts) has been done for quite a while..what do they define as "printing"?

    6. Re:I look forward to the day... by fredgiblet · · Score: 1

      You're implying that I haven't already downloaded a car. I've downloaded hundreds of cars.

    7. Re:I look forward to the day... by saloomy · · Score: 1

      Well played iggymanz, well played.

    8. Re:I look forward to the day... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I hope you've invested in longevity treatments as well.

    9. Re:I look forward to the day... by RabidReindeer · · Score: 1

      Considering that they've already 3-D printed functional rocket engines, I think that 3-D printing an airplane would a lesser challenge.

    10. Re:I look forward to the day... by dbIII · · Score: 1

      what do they define as "printing"?

      Something without the current secondary steps such as hot isostatic pressing (as with engine parts for a current Boeing jet) - which is really an update of old fashioned forging.
      Sintered powder parts are full of holes which really sucks for a lot of applications, so for those applications you do something later to remove the holes.

      The dream of 3D printing is to put powder in and get a part out without any other steps. Sometimes that's fine and sometimes that's either no good enough or the contortions required to avoid secondary steps just for the sake of it are not worth it.

    11. Re:I look forward to the day... by dbIII · · Score: 1

      I would be interested in a link to that. It seems a bit unlikely to 3D print that to completion - just as the 3D printed ABS "guns" do not include barrels.

    12. Re:I look forward to the day... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What's wrong with fabrication and automatic assembly?

    13. Re:I look forward to the day... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nobody has 3D printed functional rocket engines. An injector, maybe. Could you please stop your unsubstantiated hype? People have a completely unrealistic understanding of what "3D printing" actually is, and people like you spreading emotional propaganda aren't helping.

      " I think that 3-D printing an airplane would a lesser challenge."

      You're a programmer.

    14. Re:I look forward to the day... by BenFenner · · Score: 1

      I was thinking the same thing, but this is the largest 3D printed tool. Only in the loosest sense would we call a house a tool.

    15. Re:I look forward to the day... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I prefer cdrs myself.

    16. Re:I look forward to the day... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Calling this a tool is the same as saying your work bench is a tool. This piece looks to be barely a jig, a support for holding the wing for drilling.

    17. Re:I look forward to the day... by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      http://www.3ders.org/articles/...

      Not sure what you mean by 3d print to completion, unless you mean no other steps than printing and then using.

      As far as the ABS guns, my understanding was that the only metal parts were the ammo and firing pin.

      https://3dprint.com/139537/3d-...

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
    18. Re:I look forward to the day... by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      http://www.acronymfinder.com/C...

      Not sure what you mean by CAR, but I would download a Car in a heartbeat if the technology was there to print it.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
    19. Re:I look forward to the day... by ArylAkamov · · Score: 1

      Central African Republic of course!

      Who doesn't want their very own African Republic?

    20. Re:I look forward to the day... by dbIII · · Score: 1

      Thank you for the link.
      What I mean is having to do subsequent forging on the powdered metal parts after fabrication. If that can be avoided (and I doubt it can as yet - even laser sintering leaves a bit of porosity) than that could be a huge cost saving on current methods.
      It's a huge deal because these materials are very difficult to work.

      The "liberator" (what an attention seeking manipulative prick choosing a name like that) stunt of a "gun" is more or less a small grenade shaped like a gun since ABS plastic is not as strong as many types of wood. It's impractical and an exercise in gaining attention and making regulators nervous in the quest for fame at the cost of fucking things up for everyone else. You could make a better gun with hand tools after a trip to your local hardware and a week or so learning how to use hand tools.

  2. so Guinness now has a section by rossdee · · Score: 1, Funny

    For the worlds largest tool

    and its much bigger than Anthony's Wiener

    1. Re:so Guinness now has a section by TimSSG · · Score: 1
      The category is world's largest tool; not world's smallest! So, Anthony might still be in the running. Tim S.

      For the worlds largest tool

      and its much bigger than Anthony's Wiener

    2. Re:so Guinness now has a section by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow, that really contributed to the joke. Moron.

  3. 3 months? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If it takes 3 months to deliver a tool only 17.5 feet long then your supplier is ripping you off.

    1. Re: 3 months? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They'll do it quicker for more money...just dealing with cheapasses who can't even plan ahead 3 months.

  4. Title demonstrates Racism and white privelege by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    The idea of a Guinness book or records indicates that the records belong to some guy with an Irish name. Irish are well known for being white. The fact that white people are in charge of records just shows how endemic racism and white privilege has become in American society. Why isn't it Hernadez' book or records or Jamal's book of records. The reason is white people are racist. They are racist whether they know it or not. If they support the NAACP it is because they are unnecessarily patronizing to proud African Americans. If they don't they are racist because the don't support the NAACP. The only solution to this problems is to elect Hillary Clinton as president of the USA. She will end white privilege. It has long been a practice of all white people to keep stacks of dead African Americans in their luxurious white basements. No longer will this be allowed. She is the saviour of all correct thinking liberal minded caring thoughtful citizens of the world. No longer will cops shoot African and Latino Americans on sight. No longer will the bones of African American and Latino Americans be used to pave the streets for privileged white people so they can drive along in all their Mercedes Benzes and BMW's.

    Hillary Rodman Clinton
    -I'm with her.

    1. Re:Title demonstrates Racism and white privelege by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      From everyone with a brain, fuck off.

    2. Re:Title demonstrates Racism and white privelege by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sounds to me like you are a racist. You must support Donald Trump and his campaign to enslave African Americans. Let me guess you are white, that is a racist! End the hate. Vote Democrat.

      When Hillary is elected people like you will be rounded up and given to the appropriate government run facilities to teach you to think correctly.

      Let's end the racism. Vote Hillary.

    3. Re:Title demonstrates Racism and white privelege by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You must be from one of those Southern States that have institutionalized racism and bigotry. As a member of the privileged white class, you can not possibly know the struggles that African Americans must go trough every second of every day just to survive. Just because there are a few well to do African Americans, does not mean every African American gets to share in the American Dream. The average African American is raped 6 times by the age of 14 by evil white people. The average African American only lives to the age of 43. You need to think outside your own bigoted mindset, but you can't because you live in a sea of white privilege. Whereas you as a white person, can ask directions from a law enforcement officer, and have the law enforcement officer drive you to your destination with a police escort, if you were an African American, you would be immediately shot just for looking at the officer. These are the facts of life that Hillary Clinton is trying to fix. When we no longer have African Americans being shot summarily by law enforcement, we would be going a long way to enacting the American Creed. Let it happen. Give up your bigotry.

      Hillary for President

  5. world's largest tool by turkeydance · · Score: 1

    is a better click bait title

    1. Re:world's largest tool by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      world's largest tool is a better click bait title

      The editors were worried that people would think it was a story about Donald Trump.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    2. Re:world's largest tool by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or APK.

    3. Re:world's largest tool by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ... and it's not what you think!

      Click here to see the biggest tool in action.

  6. Talk about misleading by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sure the 3D-printed part of the tool is 17.5 foot long and 1.5 foot wide, but it's only about 3 inches deep. The rest of the 1.5 foot claim is welded metal support structure.

  7. So... it's a jig? by piojo · · Score: 1

    It's a jig. It holds things in place, like a glorified clamp. It may be big, but it's not very interesting.

    --
    A cat can't teach a dog to bark.
    1. Re:So... it's a jig? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This one is very interesting. It is a Vacuum jig.
      The black lines are rubber seals, and the grid lines are for vacuum.
      Vacuum jigs like are awesome when for holding warpable things in place and also for machining material to thin dimensions.
      It is a glorious clamp indeed.

    2. Re:So... it's a jig? by serviscope_minor · · Score: 2

      Well, apart from being really really big which is in and of itself interesting.

      Also, jigs are an *incredibly* important part of manufacturing. And this shows that new tech can cut a serious amount of time and cost off the tooling.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    3. Re:So... it's a jig? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Yeah, check out the process for making a propeller from a wooden mold sometime. It's slow and expensive, and still done today. 3d printing could cut both the time and the cost of making the mold substantially.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    4. Re:So... it's a jig? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, apart from being really really big which is in and of itself interesting.

      Also, jigs are an *incredibly* important part of manufacturing. And this shows that new tech can cut a serious amount of time and cost off the tooling.

      The real story is it takes longer to get a plane manufacturer to approve using a custom jig than it takes to make one...

      You're going to have a bunch of guys in a machine shop somewhere waiting on a bigass printer for a certified jig, while they had all the tools, materials and know-how to build it themselves.

  8. 17.5x5.5x1.5cm ? by MayeulC · · Score: 1

    Honestly, I have no clue what those values mean.

    For the curious among you:
    According to google, it is 5.33m long * 1.68m wide* 45.7cm tall. It weights approximately 748.4 kg.

    1. Re:17.5x5.5x1.5cm ? by scdeimos · · Score: 1

      Do they not have feet in your part of the world?

    2. Re:17.5x5.5x1.5cm ? by dbIII · · Score: 1

      Do they not have feet in your part of the world?

      Pseudopods are a better metric.

    3. Re:17.5x5.5x1.5cm ? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Do they not have feet in your part of the world?

      Most of the feet in the world are much smaller than a foot, which is size 15 or 16 in the USA which is way way way up in the upper percentile — most shoe stores only carry up to about a size 13. My feet hit size 15 while I was still 15 myself, but they luckily stopped at 16 while I was 17.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  9. Largest solid 3D printed object by freeze128 · · Score: 1

    Why is the category for the largest *SOLID* 3D printed object? You really can't 3D print anything with a liquid or a gas... Is there some 40 foot 3D printed chocolate bar or pancake somewhere?

    1. Re:Largest solid 3D printed object by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Antartica is certainly the largest. God just puts a little snow on there at a time and builds up huge layers.

      A more accurate term would be additive manufacturing process.

  10. Set the record straight by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The record is for additive manufacturing. I personally work with a tool that is 465 feet long and hold 9 airplane fuselages.

    Also, Guiness is a beer, and they created the book to settle bar bets. And apparently stir up crackpots.

  11. "Largest?" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What about the 3D Printed concrete huts?!

  12. I love the fact there's a Guinness record for this by cant_get_a_good_nick · · Score: 1

    I picture a couple Irish dudes coming over... drunk as hell on Guinness Stout and some Smythwicks... "yep, sure is big all right (burrrrp) now where's the nearest pub"

  13. Hurting your own damn self by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Because hijacking a completely unrelated topic is not going to make people want to listen to you, at best they ignore you, at worst you have now pushed them away and finding support will be much harder. Not to smart for a group that makes up only 13% of the population (and that percentage is not growing).