3D printed inconel header

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Nut124
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3D printed inconel header

Post by Nut124 »

To me this looks pretty amazing. Anyone here done it?

3D printed inconel exhaust header.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jbn0ah3u9E
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Re: 3D printed inconel header

Post by tjs44 »

I have actually learning way more than intended.Im doing a alu tunnel port intake manifold.We scanned the doner intake and then had a board member do a Solidwork for me to have patterns made.To be sure it will fit we are 3D printing one in plastic.Because of its size it takes a large 3D cabnet which are not EZ to find.I was amazed at the quoted cost to do it in plastic.Close to $3000 and was told it would take maybe 6 days to make.I could not Imagin what the cost would be out of metal.Great technology available to us.Would love to know what the 3D exhaust cost to make.Tom
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Re: 3D printed inconel header

Post by rebelyell »

really like that flange with wedge-clamping. Inconel printing; who knew? =D>
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Re: 3D printed inconel header

Post by digger »

Imo the fabricated one looked better. Why would you print something that can basically already be fabricated for cheaper ?

They printed an alloy intake on an earlier video and also ended up going with a billet Cnc machined not sure why
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Re: 3D printed inconel header

Post by Momus »

Submerged bed print welded.

For all the effort you would think it would have been monolithic

It was a fail- they didn't use it because it took to long and wasn't trusted. =D>


Over hyped and over rated tech.
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Re: 3D printed inconel header

Post by hoffman900 »

digger wrote: Fri Feb 26, 2021 5:49 am Imo the fabricated one looked better. Why would you print something that can basically already be fabricated for cheaper ?

They printed an alloy intake on an earlier video and also ended up going with a billet Cnc machined not sure why
There is a lot of opportunity there for collectors and their geometry. In the past F1 has used light weight cast collectors.
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Re: 3D printed inconel header

Post by dannobee »

Although they ended up going with a more conventional header, I wouldn't just casually dismiss the technology. For years we've hypothesized that things like tapered tubing of incrementally increasing cross sectional area could benefit hp/tq. This could help make those a reality.

Just because they "failed" initially doesn't mean there aren't good reasons to keep trying to perfect the technology.
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Re: 3D printed inconel header

Post by hoffman900 »

dannobee wrote: Fri Feb 26, 2021 10:48 am Although they ended up going with a more conventional header, I wouldn't just casually dismiss the technology. For years we've hypothesized that things like tapered tubing of incrementally increasing cross sectional area could benefit hp/tq. This could help make those a reality.

Just because they "failed" initially doesn't mean there aren't good reasons to keep trying to perfect the technology.
Have you been here long? :lol:
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Re: 3D printed inconel header

Post by thatbikeguy »

hoffman900 wrote: Fri Feb 26, 2021 11:17 am
Have you been here long? :lol:
Really. I visit frequently, but rarely post as the neo-Luddism here puts me off my feed.

Somebody should tell the guys below that their rocket didn't fly.

https://fathommfg.com/rocket-with-3d-pr ... e-launched
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Re: 3D printed inconel header

Post by Momus »

hoffman900 wrote: Fri Feb 26, 2021 11:17 am
dannobee wrote: Fri Feb 26, 2021 10:48 am Although they ended up going with a more conventional header, I wouldn't just casually dismiss the technology. For years we've hypothesized that things like tapered tubing of incrementally increasing cross sectional area could benefit hp/tq. This could help make those a reality.

Just because they "failed" initially doesn't mean there aren't good reasons to keep trying to perfect the technology.
Have you been here long? :lol:
I'm not 'casually dismissing the technology'.

It's been with us for a long time now and I'm yet to see it produce anything cost effectively from metal that couldn't be made more economically some other way.

Sure there are some things in the medical and aerospace field- and Formula 1 made by laser sintering that are nice but compared to diamond like coatings say, it doesn't impress.
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Re: 3D printed inconel header

Post by digger »

dannobee wrote: Fri Feb 26, 2021 10:48 am Although they ended up going with a more conventional header, I wouldn't just casually dismiss the technology. For years we've hypothesized that things like tapered tubing of incrementally increasing cross sectional area could benefit hp/tq. This could help make those a reality.

Just because they "failed" initially doesn't mean there aren't good reasons to keep trying to perfect the technology.
I guess my point was not to Diss the tech but to actually use the tech for things that cannot be already done using conventional methods
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Re: 3D printed inconel header

Post by digger »

hoffman900 wrote: Fri Feb 26, 2021 9:38 am
digger wrote: Fri Feb 26, 2021 5:49 am Imo the fabricated one looked better. Why would you print something that can basically already be fabricated for cheaper ?

They printed an alloy intake on an earlier video and also ended up going with a billet Cnc machined not sure why
There is a lot of opportunity there for collectors and their geometry. In the past F1 has used light weight cast collectors.
Have also seen the cnc collectors from Elmer. I’m not sure what the benefit is other than slightly improved flow coefficient perhaps in a more compact package . They still either utilise transverse welds or a slip so not sure the durability is improved much.

I’m sure there is a tuning aspect of highly controllable area change at end of primary and rate of change of area to alter the wave amplitudes duration but the problem is knowing what you need.
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Re: 3D printed inconel header

Post by Nut124 »

The 3D modeling with the laser on a robot arm was pretty awesome. I assume that is in practical use even if the inconel printing may not yet be feasible?
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Re: 3D printed inconel header

Post by pcnsd »

I toured SpaceX in LA 5+ years back as a guest. This is the same process they used to build their directional thrust nozzles. I was impressed with the print technology at the time but questioned the time/cost factor. They said that the provided flexibility for their limited production needs was a good fit. I think these things will only improve as time progresses.
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Re: 3D printed inconel header

Post by SchmidtMotorWorks »

Nut124 wrote: Fri Feb 26, 2021 8:03 pm The 3D modeling with the laser on a robot arm was pretty awesome. I assume that is in practical use even if the inconel printing may not yet be feasible?
Scanning an engine bay if you can't get OEM CAD is essential to working efficiently.

Especially on something like headers.
Far more efficient to model in CAD to fit a scan then put the pieces together.
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