Possible 3D Scanning/Printing Solution to sending blades.

[Tcat]

Dear Sirs, forgive me if this is a repeat. I have used the search function and despite adding a + can not get the system to search the term "3D scanner".

 

My idea is as follows, there are now readily available for hire or purchase, hand held 3D scanners capable of producing scans accurate to within 0.1mm, as well as 3D printers capable of reproducing these scans in a tough plastic resin. (There is also a plethora of 3d image editing software for edits to the models etc... )

Does this mean we can now print copies of our swords (or simply the 3d scans themselves) and send them off to have koshirae made without the worry/cost/hassle/lack of control entailed in mailing valuable blades all over the world? If not today then very soon? Just a happy thought

Has anyone experimented with this yet?

[Gabriel L]

Having habaki fit requires much greater precision than any scanner + 3D printer can manage. Probably a good saya could be made (edit: except you'd still need the real habaki…). Maybe an acceptable tsuka, though I am skeptical. EDIT: actually I’m sure you could do a good tsuka, I misread 0.1mm as 1mm…

 

I think the idea could make sense for previewing the sugata of blades before ordering online… but this presupposes a future in which 3D scanning a and printing is so cheap and common that even the traditionally non-tech-savvy nihontō community participates.

 

Another cool idea would be maintaining sugata copies and maybe painting oshigata on them as teaching / study tools. Oshigata are very good as are photos, but a 3D object is much better for relating size, thickness, taper, etc.

 

Finally I can imagine with accurate scans one could apply statistical analysis to categories of blades to refine a sort of diagnostic kantei machine, à la IBM's Watson computer. Coupled with hataraki input, the results could be interesting.

[Geraint]

Hi Alex.

 

There is a thread somewhere in the Izakaya about 3D printing. I guess the answer is, "Not yet!".

 

All the best.

[Peter Bleed]

I think we did discuss the idea of printing habaki here on the Board. I have also chatted with a tech-savey pal who felt it should be possible. We discussed having a manipulable CAD habaki form that could be adjusted as needed. But we never pushed it ahead. A challenge I saw was the consistent problem for habakis - getting it over the thick irregularity of the nakago and then fitting snuggly at the machi.

This WILL happen.

Peter

[Ken-Hawaii]

Actually, Alex, your idea has some merit. I've worked with both 3D scanners & printers for decades, & other than the fact that very few 3D printers can create an object the size of a katana, it's definitely possible to create a very accurate blade from a scan. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), for example, can easily hold a tolerance of 0.1 mm, which should be fine for building any koshirae, probably including the habaki (but please correct me if I'm wrong about that).

 

However, price is still a major factor at any size greater than a few inches, & accuracy greater than about 1 mm, so unless your blade is fairly precious, it's probably still most economical to send it off to be fitted. A very interesting idea, though, & I'll be looking at how this process can be implemented without breaking the bank. My Kiyomaro still needs koshirae....

 

Aloha,

Ken

[cabowen]

  Ken-Hawaii said:

My Kiyomaro still needs koshirae....

 

Aloha,

Ken

 

Why Ken, plan on using it??? :lol:

 

Personally, I don't think 0.1 mm tolerance is enough for a perfectly fitting habaki.

[Min Lee]

would this mean in the future it would be possible to order a 3D copy of some of our favorite blades for study?

[Ken-Hawaii]

Min, although it's possible to duplicate the shape of an object with good accuracy, I doubt that surface details like hamon, jigane, boshi, etc. are going to be available any time soon. Most 3D-printed objects are simply done in either a single color, or a very few colors, at most. There are some companies that are starting to print in "full color," but they are very limited in which materials can be used. Check out http://www.shapeways.com/materials/sandstone to see what I mean. Would you want a replica of your blade made from their sandstone...?

 

Chris, why not? I think that would be a most interesting project, & would be a cool paper to write for my sword club & JSS/US. I don't keep a 3D scanner in-house, but do sell them to my clients, who would likely help with the scan. Unfortunately, the only 3D printers I've sold so far have been to the military, & they're not likely to help with my project. There's zero primary-level manufacturing here in Hawaii. Thanks for your comment on required shape accuracy for habaki; what accuracy would you think is sufficient?

 

Ken

[cabowen]

  Ken-Hawaii said:

what accuracy would you think is sufficient?

 

Ken

 

Actually, realizing now that the tolerance is 0.1 mm, not 0.1", which is about 0.003 inches, it is probably in fact sufficient...Would be best to get a definitive answer from a habaki-shi though.

[Min Lee]

Ken, thank you for the reply.

 

I know nothing about this technology but recently saw a 3D print dress made for Dita Von Teese.

Very detailed, free flowing, ect. color(granted black) and surface texture and things looked so life like...

 

I thought perhaps the technology had advanced more then it has...

 

anyway, thanks again for the reply.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Min, that's a very strange way to use 3D printing. Dita is quite "life-like," I'll agree, but to me she looks like she's caught in a cage, curvaceous though it might be...!

 

Ken

[Darcy]

I was using 3D printing back about 12 years ago or something to make jewelery designs. Back then we called it "rapid prototyping" ... took overnight to print a model the size of a ring.

 

I think that what will happen eventually as this technology becomes prevalent (changing the name kind of went along with the technology penetrating into common knowledge... Kind of went like this: What's that? "A rapid prototyper." What's it do? "It's kind of like a printer but it works in three dimensions." Oh, so like a 3D printer? "Yeah I guess so." ... and so it becomes 3D printing) is that everyone will have access to printing these models locally if not in house.

 

You used to have to go to the print shop for printing things, the photo place to printing photos, the post office to send messages, and all of this is now at home.

 

It will actually be cheaper to just send your model over the internet for printing elsewhere rather than printing it and then sending out the copy.

 

It will happen just not this year I think.

[Tcat]

Dear All,

 

Thanks for the replies. I thought I would leave it a bit before I elaborated on what I personally think this would be best for...

Habaki have been mentioned...I can't comment on tolerances here. I was initially thinking more along the lines of say, a blade that required a new tsuka, one could scan the nakago with the habaki in place and voila - one has a "blank" for shipping around with minimal weight, cost/insurance and worry. I then got to thinking that perhaps a nakago would not be enough blade for a sayashi to work with, in which case a whole mock blade could be sent, but obviously the best situation would be where we could simply email a 3D model of our blade directly to craftsmen who have their own printers. Chris get your guys on the case!