What parts are just over priced that could be printed?

Three years ago I bought my 3D printer and while ive had small projects over time I feel its time to ask for ideas.
This is to set out to enhance my modeling skills as well as produce parts, custom or replacement, for our cars.

I have a close to stock VIII GSR so i can pull parts from that.
However, i have kept mine in very clean condition and not much has broke and do not know what breaks often.

Ive done the fuel door clip and am looking into making a phone mount that replaces the ash tray.
Also working on the bezel housing for the headlight level and fog light button. Because thats broke.

Anyways, all ideas are welcome. And again this is for me to extend by modeling skills not for a practacality production.
However, if intrested I can sell the TEST parts.

 

FDM printers have pretty limited uses for cars as usually they have less than desirable surface finishes and depending on the material you're printing with they don't usually withstand heat very well.

On my personal car (which is far from a street car and I don't car much for looks) I've used FDM printers to make housings to hold my Defi gauge controller, an enclosure for my arduino that controls my ethanol content sensor, and a panel that holds the readout of my ethanol content sensor and replace the driver's side HVAC vent. The reason I bring up the heat issue is even with interior cabin heat in the summer all the of PLA parts have distorted significantly.

But FDM printers do excel in use for rapid prototyping to check fitment of parts that need to be prototyped.

 

Headlight air duct / Is this or a portion of this doable?

 

Yea i could do that......
With an extra headlight assembly.....
That would defently be a sweet mod but the housing is what i lack unless you would like to donate one to science

Also, im not talking about i when out and bought a $200 printer.
Im about to unpack a Markforged X7. Its capable of carbonfiber and fiberglass reenforcement filler.
Even the Onyx material i have leaves a beautiful finish

 

Are you using an arduino microcontroller to convert the output frequency of the ethanol sensor to an analog voltage that the ecu can interpret?


You have a Markforged X7?! That's an extremely powerful 3d printer. I know you're not a vendor at the moment, but you can probably make a killing just 3D printing interior parts from carbon fiber for a bunch of different cars. Once you have built the CAD files, it's click, print, ship.

 

can you create headlight lens?

 

Yea that's legit. What CAD program are you learning to make models on?

 

Oh i know, Im currently running a Taz 6 and a Markforged ONYX One.
I just got in my dual print head for the Taz and am in the process of getting the ONYX material to print with the Taz.

I cannot print clear material, however i can print translucent color and when sanded smooth can transmit light decently.

I use Catia V5 for modeling.
Learned on Autodesk 14 years ago. Have used Solid Works and Creo but finally setteled on Catia.

It has so much more stuff to do such as airflow annalysis and stuff like that. (Dunno how to use that yet. Its on the list)

 

i bet you would make a killing, if you could make those black clips on the steering wheel. those are always missing and have no part number.

 

Im missing them too.
Looks like thats todays project

 

Can you make ashtray gauge pod?

 

Ive always wanted to make an insert for the ashtray that had a keyed switch (for map switching) and gauge (digital probably for space) for eth %. It seems like a perfect place for it. Hidden, cant accidentally change the maps, dont need to see it all the time so install could be super clean.

Maybe I'll scan the interior volume of it and host it somewhere for someone to do something with.

 

There are certainly some things that can worth within the environment the FDM parts would live in, you just need to make sure its UV stable if in direct sunlight or high heat stable if around the engine. The markforge is pretty bad *** an the Onyx material can definitely be used in engine bays.

Zack and Josh's FP evo has their turbo restrictor printed on a markforge and has lasted 1 year on two different designs (1 year each, none have broken). @wanabgts

For something common others could use and you'd build a market on, it seems replacement clips or brackets are possible but there likely very little in profit to be made there. I use my Taz primarily for prototyping parts for fit checks before machining. This winter I am going to try making my fender flares from 3d printing. Since its just a race car and doesnt spend much time out side it should be a good method for 1off parts when time to make is sorta irrelevant. If each takes a week to make, NBD.

 

I love my Taz, and i know that the clips and what not wont produce much money. But at this point im not looking to be a major supplyer. Im looking for the side projects to fill my time.

If a do get a library of parts then sure ill sell them, provided they are perfect.
As of now its something to do to learn these new printers as well as get more complicated modeling projects.

Ive got the 4 covers printing for the steering wheel. The SRS cover was intresting it make due to the multiface extrusion. Its been a while since ive used the feature.
Then again, this is why im asking for inputs

Also, for the ashtray, ill see what i can do. Ive had a few ideas myself about filling the hole with something

 

If you end up doing something with the ashtray, I would be interested in a gauge holder for it. Something that sticks out of the hole and able to fit a 52mm gauge.