Downloadable parts will be availible sooner than you may think
.
sorry if it seems i am promoting a business here but this is bang on topic.
I run a small CNC programmming company called Northmeade CNC
www.northmeade.co.uk .
My new venture, however , is a company called Partbake. Partbake does exactly what we are talking about here. It is an online store selling downloadable digital parts and 3d models ready for Rapid Prototyping or CNC machining. It will not just be parts for RC, but all kinds of stuff. Each download will contain, along with documentation, either a DXF file for 2d CNC profiling, an STL and/or a Greyscale for 3d CNC machining, or an STL file for Rapid Prototyping, depending on the specific design.
As it has been previously said the problem with rapid prototyping today is the resolution and the material used. There are 2 main players for affordable desktop Rapid Prototyping machines at the moment. Makerbot and RepRap. I think that it will take a few more years development before the resolution issues and application specific materials problems are overcome, but it is my opinion that this is definately the future of manufacturing.
The other option is CNC milling. It is possible to buy a decent desktop CNC milling machine for under £1000. (Type Sable CNC into ebay). And go to
http://www.linuxcnc.org/ for emc2 (machine controller software) it's free & linux based but can be run from a live cd)
This means that it is possible to download and manufacture your own parts
www.partbake.com will be fully up and running by the middle of march 2011. It's just an empty shop at the moment but i will be uploading products over the coming weeks.
These will include: bodyshell forms, tools, shock towers, a slot car track, a vac former, and tons of cool stuff for you to make
