This is also very interesting to me and will help in any way that I can.
It is very strange to me that 3D Systems left their wax printer (Thermojet)
a while before coming into the market?
Did they have to wait for a patent to end?
There is a lot of Research & Development work that never got commercialised
and yet ground breaking.
I think James is right and the Military organisations R&D work may have
paved the way.
Castle Island did have a database of RP patents, I never found the time
then to search all the way through but if it is still available I would
gladly spend a bit of time doing this now.
Some of my searches have disproved claims of being first by some bureaus
and I'm sure that things that are on my website will need updating, when
documented information comes to light. I may just go through and remove the
word "First" with a more suitable comment?
I'm willing to work with James on this and I'm looking at what I have
collected and be able to share with his Museum project. (watch this space,
folks)
Jan Andrzejewski
Curator
3DPmuseum.com
Facebook <
https://www.facebook.com/3DPmuseum/>
Pinterest <
https://uk.pinterest.com/craftymachines/3d-printing-museum/>
On 1 December 2016 at 19:21, Jim McMahon <jim_at_layergrownmodel.com> wrote:
> Dear Rp-Ml members:
>
> I was thinking this group is a great source for unbiased information about
> the origins of Rapid Prototyping. I am doing research for a future 3D
> inkjet Museum that will someday open in a city in the USA. Currently it
> exists as a collection of inkjet information and early printers that form a
> history of 3D modelling. Inkjet printing is the technology that has the
> most historical information to show the origins of print layer build up and
> is one example of the first successes in printing accurate thermoplastic
> models with an overhang supported by an easily removed wax material.
>
> The 3D Modelling technology has been shown to print 100% supported models
> from both facet and sliced model Cad data originating with imported DXF,
> OBJ, SLC, HPGL and STL files. Actually, I think the earliest examples of
> pre-3D models were slice (SLC) files or 2D single layer files added on top
> of previous layers. (I have this early printer in my collection. Text and
> numerical characters were printed on top of each other quite by accident to
> make relief characters.) A true 3D printer as we know it today does this
> automatically with support for overhangs. 3D Modelling has requirements and
> most people know them today. My research is to get more information on the
> earliest sightings of these basic 3D Modelling components. This will
> include earliest dates, places and people who may have discovered or
> invented these things first. Together the information will point to the
> first "complete" 3D Modelling product that produced accurate and usable
> models for customers. The date of this complete product may surprise all of
> us. I want to see if this group can help point to it.
>
> 4 Key areas of this 3D Modelling search include:
> 1. Early CAD file invention dates. (Virtually all CAD file formats were
> used in the earliest 3D Modeling System) Which format was invented first?
> Was it used first in a 3D Modelling System? Who invented it? Then which
> format was first used in a "complete" 3D printing systems as we know it
> today?
> 2. Use of support material to produce a RP models. Date of first use,
> where and by whom? Is there a Patent?
> 3. A material deposition system with controlled position mechanics and
> numerical control for a 3D Modelling system. (Hint, could it be the AT&T,
> Teletype Division's Inktronic Data wax printer used in the Navy starting
> around 1966?)
> 4. A mechanism to advance the build surface in precise steps using
> numerical control for an Additive Manufacturing System. (You can easily
> look up the subtractive machining tool dates)
> (Note: Names of 3D printing are interchangeable - try to ignore the
> confusion)
> (Note: Materials are evolving all the time and are not shown here but all
> can be considered for making 3D models using a numerical controlled system)
>
> I will respond to all inputs and summarize the date for all as it evolves.
> The collection is available to be seen by appointment. The BPM Personal
> Modeler was just added recently.
>
> Thank you
> James K McMahon
>
>
>
>
>
>
Received on Fri Dec 02 2016 - 12:34:48 EET