Future of NSX Parts?
- Thread starter B-E-A-S-T
- Start date
I have no doubt that 3D printing will be the future of replacement parts in the years to come. Jay Leno already uses it in his garage. I suspect there will be a price premium for "genuine" original parts, but I suspect the quality will be at 90-99% in the 3D parts.
Sure, it looks promising .. but it's got a long way to go. Yes, Jay Leno uses it but mostly for prototyping parts that aren't really going to be used for anything important .. and in most cases, only as a samples for something that is ultimately going to be machined or built using the 'lost wax' casting process. Look at the list of things MB is using it for .. nothing that is subject to any long lasting forces that would replace a metal piece. And you can't print circuits yet so anything electrical is out. So, that leaves trim pieces and other non-essential things.
Honda still has us by the short and curlys for quite some time. But I do love 3D printing. Like the guy on Prime who sold me a 3D printed adapter to still utilize the cabin sensor/fan in conjunction with my SOS ashtray gauge mount.
One thing I do know, is that plastic parts for the Nsx are ridiculous in cost. We need some kind of solution and fast!
Vendors should jump on this train.
One thing I do know, is that plastic parts for the Nsx are ridiculous in cost. We need some kind of solution and fast!
Vendors should jump on this train.
3D printing still has some way to go for the parts people are looking into really. At the cost of the material spools, plus time to actually color match and also the failure rate of the paint sticking to plastic it's a risky move. I'm thinking things like consoles and door switch bezels anyways. Eventually 3D printing will evolve but who knows. As of right now the printers that are consumer friendly range from 1-3k that I've seen and thought about investing into bit are limited on size. Coupling fact that a well made composite part will be more durable and also have a lasting finish due to the properties.
If 3D printers could color match where zero refinishing was involved then that would be great and it's only a matter of time until that happens. I know they are evolving a few printing techniques though and there probably are things on the market that don't just print "plastic".
By the time 3D printing is good enough to replicate a high percentage of the parts the NSX will be so rare that it will be like asking the question....
"I wonder if Honda will start using 3D printing to provide parts for the 1964 S600?"
"I wonder if Honda will start using 3D printing to provide parts for the 1964 S600?"
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I am not very familiar with 3D printing, but it seems the 3D printed parts I have bought always seem like a hard polymer type of material and usually is white in color. Which may make them too hard to flex like molded plastics. Correct me if I am wrong here?
Well it really depends. Thickness translates into stiffness but not all items that are thick are strong. Hence why fibgerglass parts are heavy and need to be built heavier and thicker than full carbon parts.
If you were to 3D print items of oem tolerances they would flex like oem most likely. Even my Caron fiber window switch bezels that are 5 layers of carbon flex and bend at the long runs on the side vents.
Unlike the GS-R the NSX was made until 2005. So the NSX has been discontinued for only 11 years. In my experience Honda keeps parts well stocked for about 20 years. Thus the NSX likely has 10 more years before parts availability becomes really poor.
Another factor in the NSX's favor is how NSX owners are more willing to spend big $$$ for parts than owners of other older Hondas are. So Honda has more of an incentive to keep producing NSX parts than they would other models.
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