Large scale 3d Printing possibilities

A thread to consider what is possibly about to happen.

The Tail part of a Virgina class nuclear sub is very impressive. Could the rest of the hull be done in 1/3 the time, cheaper and stronger type discussions.


How much and how long to build a railway bogie in Australia came up in a chat yesterday.
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Building a railway bogie in Australia is a complex process that depends on the type (freight vs. passenger), design specifications, and production scale. But here’s a grounded estimate based on recent manufacturing data:

️ Cost

• For freight wagons, a modern bogie like the 2CM design was estimated to cost around AUD 5,000 per unit back in the 1970s. Adjusted for inflation and modern materials, today’s cost likely ranges from AUD 20,000 to 50,000 per bogie, depending on features like suspension, braking systems, and load capacity.

• For passenger bogies, especially those used in high-capacity metro trains, costs can be significantly higher due to added complexity—potentially AUD 80,000 to 150,000 per bogie.

⏱️ Time

• Hofmann Engineering, a major Australian manufacturer, reports that it takes about three months to produce a batch of 12 bogies (enough for one trainset). That breaks down to roughly one bogie per week, factoring in design, fabrication, welding, machining, and quality control

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Products | Hofmann Engineering

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Hofmann Engineering is one of the biggest gear-making operations in the Southern Hemisphere. It operates from five cities and employs over 500 Australian workers. The current manager, Erich Hofmann, says he's never seen a bad year — and he's been in the business since he was four-years-old.

He puts Hofmann's success down to the simple principle he learned from his father and uncle: you can always get better at what you do. That's not just a challenge for Hofmann's engineers and managers. Every worker has good ideas and every idea deserves to be heard. From the people who answer the phones to the people who deliver the orders, every Hofmann employee is in the business of innovation.

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Anyone else wondering who else is running a ruler over our "With four baseline editions, ARCEMY^® systems are fully customisable to suit clients' various specifics providing a manufacturing experience never seen before."

That would be an Innovation for Hofmann