Sunday 10 March 2013

3D Printing & Nostalgia

Back in October 2012 I posted about 3D printing, looking at potential applications within video gaming.

After doing a test 3D printing project myself, I got to see the impressive Rapid Prototyping facilities in UCLan's Art & Design department workshops, including examples of CNC foam-cutting, traditional stereolithography and cutting-edge granular colour printing.  Very impressive.

Since then I've kept a casual interest in the subject.  Today, while doing research for my game project, I came across a novel use of this technology...


Led Zeppelin on the Fisher Price record player

Back in the 1970s, Fisher Price produced a toy record player which used plastic discs to play nursery rhymes.  The discs had small notches which triggered note chimes as they passed across a collection of levers housed in the needle arm.  Essentially, it was a music box with interchangeable tunes.


British engineer Murphy had been experimenting with re-creating these discs using a CNC milling machine (computer-driven cutting tool).


A video of Fred's disc for Stairway to Heaven.
(If you're wondering why it sounds funny, it's because the record player does G# scale only)

He has updated the process to create software for making discs quickly and easily using a method based on 3D extrusion printing.

This is certainly a very creative application of 3D printing, and demonstrates a way to breathe new life into nostalgic items.  Fred Murphy, I salute you!