DIY: Why buy a Chevrolet Camaro V8 engine when you can just 3D print one?
A running motor is not unlike a beating heart. Both are perfectly designed to bring life to an otherwise inanimate beast. And now both can be 3D printed. DIYer Eric Harrell, on the heels of his successful Subaru EJ20 flat-four engine build, has constructed a working Chevrolet Camaro V8 engine using 3D printed parts.
According to Chris Perkins for Popular Mechanics: "Builder Eric Harrell modeled every individual component of the LS3 from pictures, repair manuals, and CAD files from the internet. Harrell says it took 200 hours to print all the parts, including 72 hours just for the engine block. If you want, you can download all the files to 3D print an LS3 yourself, and Harrell will sell you all the extra hardware to make it work. If you don't have a 3D printer, he'll even send you a complete engine replica.
What's especially great is watching Harrell's build timelapse. It comes together exactly like a full-sized LS3, and when it's done, an electric "starter" motor makes it spin like one too."
About the Author
Alexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski has over 15 years of experience in the maintenance, reliability, operations, and manufacturing space. She joined Plant Services in 2008 and works to bring readers the news, insight, and information they need to make the right decisions for their plants. Alexis also authors “The Lighter Side of Manufacturing,” a blog that highlights the fun and innovative advances in the industrial sector.