If you're into 3D printable stuff, or into remote-control cars, then the OpenRC Project is for you. A gentleman in Sweden named Daniel Norée (https://plus.google.com/104892210945151500865/posts) is sharing his progress on a 3D-printed Truggy, as well as sharing the recipe with the OpenRC Project group (https://plus.google.com/communities/112745535856143176146/stream/654677a1-47ca-4f15-b6ec-c1f633b337d2) that he created. A truggy is an off-road vehicle, in case you weren't sure.
The cost of 3D printers is dropping both for at-home use and enterprise, so it's a very real possibility that consumers all over the world could soon have these devices in their living rooms. Crazier things have happened. We've seen 3D-printed iPhone docks (http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/15/sculpteo-shows-us-what-3d-printing-is-really-good-for-creating-adapters-for-old-ipod-docks/), violins (http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/06/this-diy-3d-printed-violin-is-nearly-ready-to-play-beautiful-music/), pottery (http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/06/lets-create-pottery-because-virtual-pottery-and-3d-printing-were-made-for-each-other/) and even a robotic hand for a child (http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/04/two-global-makers-come-together-to-make-a-robotic-han-for-a-boy-in-south-africa/).
If you can print out your very own customized remote-control car with one, count me in. While not all of the parts are printable, such as the wheels, for really die-hard remote control car fans, those are parts that they probably have sitting around in the garage already.
Here's a video that Norée uploaded today that shows some of the schematics behind the parts, and the actual 3D-printing process using one of those fancy MakerBot Replicators (http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/09/makerbot-announces-their-latest-3d-printer-the-replicator/):
The project has come a long way in the past few months; here's a video of an earlier model breaking down:
I want one.
While this isn't the only 3D-printed remote-control (http://www.rapid3d.com.au/blogs/news/6485376-print-your-very-own-rc-car-using-a-3dtouch) car out there, the advantage here is that you can follow the progress of the project on Google+ (https://plus.google.com/communities/112745535856143176146/stream/654677a1-47ca-4f15-b6ec-c1f633b337d2) and join the discussion. If you're ready to print one out, go here (http://grabcad.com/library/openrc-1-10-3d-printable-rc-truggy).
Via: TechCrunch