Roadnames

[bigdave-oh]

Please investigate new manufacturing techniques for replacement shells.  If you could use something such as shapeways use.  3D Printing then people could order virtually any road name and engine or rolling stock number without the expense of creating specialized equipment to manufacture each.  One peace of equipment with the flexibility of making any road name any number.

[WoundedBear]

There are so many, many reasons why that just won't work at the present time. You should do some more research on 3D printers and their capabilities......and limitations.

Sid

[Piyer]

3D printing means the ability to "print" a three dimensional object. It does not "print" a paint scheme or a road number on said object. So, while it is theoretically possible for Bachmann (or anyone else) to print out any model of locomotive or rolling stock, they would still need to paint and letter it - which would be more difficult given the increased possibilities of road names under such a system.

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

3D printing means the ability to "print" a three dimensional object. It does not "print" a paint scheme or a road number on said object. So, while it is theoretically possible for Bachmann (or anyone else) to print out any model of locomotive or rolling stock, they would still need to paint and letter it - which would be more difficult given the increased possibilities of road names under such a system.

There are multicolor commercial 3d printers but I don't know about the quality of the "paintjob", or what the surface texture is like. Most "prints" look very rough, kind of "pebbley". I think making an inkjet paint sprayer out of the same x,y,z framework could be fun and profitable for someone though.

[Doneldon]

I have to agree that, based on what I've encountered so far, 3D painting leaves a lot to be desired if the product is something like a model railroad loco. But 3D printing of the loco shell isn't such an outlandish idea. It should be easy, however, to move air horns and bells or apply fans and grills in prototypical locations or even change the direction of louvers or the number of portholes on the side of a wagon top. Three-D printing isn't yet a panacea for the problems of representing all or most prototypes, but I wouldn't be surprised to wake up some morning in the not-too-distant future to find that someone has figured out how to make it one.
                                                                                                     -- D