The future of manufacturing is in 3D printing, and these videos showcasing the talents of a California engineer named Eric Harrell are signs of the pending revolution.
It won’t be long before you go into your NAPA parts store looking for a crank gear or oil pump pickup. Instead of grabbing the necessary items from a shelf, the clerk will simply type in a few commands to a 3D printer and few minutes later the part will pop out. And if you need the gear a little thinner or a stronger version with different materials; or perhaps you want the pickup a little longer to fit a deep-sump pan, pay a couple dollars more for a custom setting. If all the right information is input, then there should be no machining or welding on your part when you get back to the shop.
3D printing with metals is still in its infant stages but home-based plastic printing is producing some incredible results. Reports say it took Harrell 60 hours to design this Toyota 22RE engine and another 72 hours to print out the 80 parts. Everything is scaled down 35 percent but it’s a fully working model. The W56 transmission that bolts right up to the motor required 48 hours of print time.
Some of the parts like the rubber-band fan belt were sourced elsewhere. He couldn’t find springs suitable to control the valves, so he made his own .023 MIG wire.
If you’ve got access to a 3D printer and want to try your luck at this engine, Harrell has made the files for each part available on thiniverse.com. Otherwise, enjoy these videos.