3Dealise launches engine casting service

3Dealise launches engine casting service

Engines of antique and classic cars, veteran aircraft and other vintage vehicles are wonders of engineering and can run for a very long time and be mended and restored for even longer. At some point, though, it is inevitable that the cylinder is replaced if the engine is to ever roar or snort again. If it is a relatively common type of engine, then original (sometimes cannibalised) or newly made parts are often available.

For rare engines, though, the owner used to have a stark choice between (1) permanently turning off the engine, (2) installing a different (non-original) engine, or (3) a very expensive recreation of the old part. Options (1) and (2) would make many genuine enthusiasts shudder, but the cost for option (3) of creating the required tooling (casting pattern) was prohibitive for many owners. The tooling alone could cost anywhere between £50,000 and £500,000. According to some enthusiasts, another downside of this option was that the resulting part would look smooth and new, and therefore not authentic.

These are now problems of the past.

3Dealise uses a combination of classic and new technologies to 'copy' vintage engine block castings:

• 3Dealise can recreate practically any engine block casting for £4,000 to £15,000 (depending on size and complexity)
• The engine block will look authentic, with original details (if desired) such as surface finish, serial numbers, dents, inconsistencies, etc.
• The engine block will be brand new internally, with high grade material and the internal structure reverse engineered and adapted to client specifications
• We work closely with the owners to select features to keep and features to enhance

We developed a unique process that enables us to do this:

• 3Dealise makes a very precise 3D scan of the original engine block casting
• We reverse engineer the engine block, using the 3D scan data for the visible (non-critical) surface areas
• We recreate the internal design as it was originally, using 3D scan data and any original blueprints or other instructions that the owner can provide
• The owner checks and approves the 3D CAD design and gives us instructions on adaptations
• We 3D print the casting mould with digital accuracy of 0.1 mm, using the largest and fastest 3D sand printer in Northern Europe
• We have the casting made according to an authentic process and using high grade material that we select with the owner

Our process produces a very accurate cast, and avoids completely the traditional manual pattern making process step with the associated inaccuracies.

Our totally unique approach enables us to recreate beautiful high quality engine block castings with an authentic look at unprecedented prices.

Car clubs and owner groups pooling their resources can benefit from efficiency savings:

3D Scanning and reverse engineering are one-off cost items, so the cost can be shared for larger series.

UNSERE VISION: DIE NÄCHSTE REVOLUTION IM PRODUKTIONSBEREICH