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Plastic engine model
- Thread starter JRay77
- Start date
Would probably be easiest just to gut one. You could shed some serious weight removing the crank & trans. Pull the liners from the cylinders along with the cam and rocker assemblies. Would be interesting to know what a gutted motor would weigh though. I don't know enough about 3d printing, but maybe you could have it done to individual parts to save cost.
I was planning to strip a "spare" motor for just that purpose, and part out everything but the shell. It'll be a while, but I'll let you know how much what's left weighs. 3-D printing something the size of an Xs motor would be prohibitively expensive, unless you have your own 3-D printer. And if you could afford a printer big enough to do a motor, I guess you wouldn't care how much it cost! 
Done 2 extremely stripped down engines for mock ups used a cracked at rear sprocket case, total weight about 40 lbs? Cost a couple hours of labor, no virgin plastic used............
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Maybe drop a whole motor down in a tub of hot gel of some sort? Let it cure, cut and peel it off? Then we have a cast... Shit I dunno. Sure would be nice to have a light weight model....haha. Got the bait set and hook is in the water. I know for sure you guys can come up with an idea.
Do you have access to a 3D printer? Maybe just 3D print the side covers, and top end with a gutted out stock case? Then again, would you even be able to mock up exhaust on a 3D printed head?
3d printing them would be just fine, but it would take awhile and require some assembly as you'd have to split the model up into parts. a printer with that size build volume (to do the whole motor) would be VERY expensive. Also, fins would be tough to print unless done solid and require a lot of cleanup otherwise. SLS would be the best for this, as a model could be printed all at once w/ minimal post processing, but you'd need a file for it.
Can speak to this as I've 5+ years of additive manufacturing engineering experience and have run industrial printers for plastic, metals and resins (also 3d printed some finned valve covers from a design I worked on here, did them in aluminum). If anyone has access to a 3d scanner, that'd be a great first place to start.
Can speak to this as I've 5+ years of additive manufacturing engineering experience and have run industrial printers for plastic, metals and resins (also 3d printed some finned valve covers from a design I worked on here, did them in aluminum). If anyone has access to a 3d scanner, that'd be a great first place to start.
I work as an equipment service tech in a manufacturing facility. We have 3D printers but my access is limited. I've only serviced the rinse/wash pump, haha. They have OEM service people come in. It's amazing what those printers can do. Thought I'd toss the idea out there. Ya never know who you'll run into on here.
Maybe taking fiberglass moulds of crankcase halves and side covers can be done fairly easily? Then dummies can be made from the moulds.
The cylinders and heads may be too intricate for fiberglass, though
The cylinders and heads may be too intricate for fiberglass, though
I suppose it would be possible to make molds using the "lost wax" process, whereby a positive of the object is made of wax, then dipped in a clay slurry. When heated, the wax melts (and is "lost") leaving a mold. Many industries use this process to manufacture intricate parts... 
