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Offline CreatorLes  
#1 Posted : 02 May 2014 02:36:51(UTC)
CreatorLes

United States   
Joined: 30/04/2014(UTC)
Posts: 10
Location: TEXAS, San Antonio
Hi,

New to the forum, I mentioned that I am a 3D printing enthusiast and someone asked how difficult it would be to reproduce obsolete Marklin parts. Knowing very little (well almost nothing) about Marklin, I could not speak of details but I believe that a good scanner coupled with 3D modeling skills would go a long way to doing just that. What would be the legalities and market potential of such an endeavor?

Les
Offline river6109  
#2 Posted : 02 May 2014 10:35:08(UTC)
river6109

Australia   
Joined: 22/01/2009(UTC)
Posts: 14,631
Location: On 1965 Märklin Boulevard just around from Roco Square
Les,

I can't see a problem with reproducing or copying parts but using the name Märklin may be a problem. especially old parts are very expensive but than again you have to have an old part to be able to reproduce it.

John
https://www.youtube.com/river6109
https://www.youtube.com/6109river
5 years in Destruction mode
50 years in Repairing mode
Offline cookee_nz  
#3 Posted : 02 May 2014 12:26:19(UTC)
cookee_nz

New Zealand   
Joined: 31/12/2010(UTC)
Posts: 3,948
Location: Paremata, Wellington
And of course, many 'old' parts were never plastic to begin with, and you have the problem of being able to 'scan' (model) the original in 3D to very exacting measurements.

I also wonder how hard-wearing a motor drive gear for example would be compared to the injection-molded original?

Steve
Cookee
Wellington
NZ image
Offline stenscience  
#4 Posted : 02 May 2014 18:05:58(UTC)
stenscience


Joined: 18/09/2004(UTC)
Posts: 789
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
I think it is a great concept, but hard to see how you could make a profit. Also, there are some potential legal problems; even if a part has not been made for years, M may still have valid patent and intellectual property claims.
Offline Iamnotthecrazyone  
#5 Posted : 02 May 2014 23:56:10(UTC)
Iamnotthecrazyone

Australia   
Joined: 22/01/2012(UTC)
Posts: 1,044
Hi,

First of all, I understand you can print 3D on metal, whether the characteristics of the material used are suitable to reproduce Marklin parts properly is another thing.

Idea is great and that technology is very useful but you are going to run into several limitations if you wish to run it as a business. I have myself toyed with the idea of making parts, not with 3D printers but after thinking it over I do it generally just for myself and only the parts I can make to certain acceptable standars which probably also cost me more than what they are worth when you take everything into consideration.

Going back to your specifics, the parts that are going to be worth more money are from valuable engines and as such they'll be all metal and buyers will want great quality. There are already a few people making some of them and they have for years. As mentioned above you will need the original parts to start with and the engines to test your products before you can sell the in a commercial manner. That will cost you a little fortune and you'll find not too many people want to actually pay the real cost associated with producing parts. You will need to make thousands of different things.

I suggest as a hobby that might produce you some very minor profit but will save you a lot of headaches. Try making simple small plastic parts that often get broken or lost like: Horns for the F7, Buffer stops like for the 3050 that can be used on many locos, plastic lenses for the steam locos light and so on. That kind of thing won't require much investment and you can send them for printing to third parties that will have much better printers than what you could have at home at least at this stage in the technology.
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by Iamnotthecrazyone
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