www.3ders.org

Mar. 13, 2015 | By Alec

While we see plenty of very impressive 3D printed objects complete with plenty of moving designs, few building projects were more inspiring than Eric Harrell’s PLA working replica of the Toyota 4 Cylinder Engine 22RE. To refresh your memory, Eric’s recreation is a reverse-engineered engine that has been scaled down to 35% of the original size, as this was simply the largest possible option for his own RepRap Prusa 3D printer. Assembled with magnets, the 80 different components probably took up about a whole 1KG roll of PLA filament and took more than 34 hours to completely print. ‘It's definitely is a challenge for you and your printer,’ he wrote at the time and he’s right.

But that was last January, and now Eric’s already back for more. Going for a larger and more complex model, he has now 3D printed the four-wheel-drive gear box for his previous model: the 5 speed transmission Toyota 22RE. It’s a fully working miniature replica of that matches his previous project, complete with a reverse gear. Like the engine, it’s not for the beginners. ‘This model is more complex than the engine,’ he writes, though it is in fact far more complex to assemble.

Eric has even declined to produce a tutorial as there are simply too many steps and parts to easily convey in assembly diagrams. If you want to try it, download all the files from Thingiverse and follow this basic guide: ‘You will have to figure out which holes to drill, ream, and tap. There's not too many of them. Any questions, just ask. See excel spread sheet for parts list, descriptions, and notes about parts. Most parts will require a Brim to prevent curling.’ You will also have to add a few bearings, screws and a rod which you can order from amazon.

The transmission linked up to Eric's earlier engine.

It is, in short, a very complex and challenging project, but the first step towards a 3D printed car. For this transmission box can actually be lined up to mate with the engine, though you might have to modify the engine stand to get it to come together. As Eric explained to 3ders.org, he designed this replica as a follow-up on an earlier iteration. ‘I made the transmission due to the the success of my first upload, the 4 cylinder Toyota engine. The overall number of people that were interested was overwhelming.  I never thought that many people would be interested in it yet actually print and build it, due to the sheer complexity and print time involved,’ he revealed. ‘But so far 8 people have made the engine and many more are in the process.’

Just like for that earlier project, Eric (who has a degree in Mechanical Engineering) decided to 3D print replicas of engine parts because he has been working with the real thing for quite a while. ‘I thought that there wasn't anything like a scale model of an engine that showed how all the components worked. The scaled engine and the transmission show how these components work and allow someone to hold it and actually rotate the parts,’ he explains, and it’s clear how these have educational value. What trade school wouldn’t want their students to work with a plastic version before starting on the real thing?

Eric believes that building a 3D printed version will give beginning mechanics everywhere a good idea of how these parts work. ‘If one was to build either my transmission or engine, they would have a pretty good idea of how to put an actual engine together since these are modeled after real parts. Which is great, because most people that are interested in 3D printing would never get the opportunity to actually rebuild an engine or transmission,’ he says. Of course, as its plastic it can never be a truly working transmission, but its moving on the exact same concepts. ‘If it was somehow scaled back up to full size, and made out of a more durable material than PLA it should be a fully working transmission,’ he argues.

And as was the case for the engine, Eric designed this entire thing in SolidWorks software. ‘All dimensions were roughly taken with calipers and all the parts were redesigned with FDM printing in mind,’ he says. These files were subsequently 3D printed with his own RepRap Prusa 3D printer, as well as with a Kossel mini. All of it was made in PLA, taking about 48 hours to 3D print. Really the only added parts are the fasteners, bearings, and a 3mm rod.

After two of these impressive projects, the logical question of ‘What’s next?’ arises. After all, Eric is almost halfway towards 3D printing a whole car. But rest assured, as it could be coming: ‘The next part to make would be the transfer case and possibly the differential after that,’ he reveals. We can’t wait.

Check out the transmission in action here.

 

Posted in 3D Printing Applications

 

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