3-D printing the history of mechanisms

Physical models of machines have played an important role in the history of engineering for teaching, analyzing, and exploring mechanical concepts. Many of these models have been replaced today by computational representations, but new rapid-prototyping (RP) technologies are now allowing reintroduction of physical models as an intuitive way to demonstrate mechanical concepts. This paper reports on the use of RP to document, preserve, reproduce, and share in three dimensions, historic machines, and mechanisms. We have reproduced several pre-assembled, fully functional historic mechanisms from the Cornell Collection of Reuleaux Kinematic Models, and made these available as part of a new online museum of mechanism: Not only can visitors read descriptions, view pictures and videos, and interact with simulations of machines, but they can now also download and 3D-print their own physical functional replicas. We expect that this new form of physical preservation will become prevalent in future archives.