3d printed keys? yea, its possible!

[clearmoon247]

Hey guys,
I know i haven't been on in quite a while and my picks are starting to collect a little bit of dust, but thats just life getting in the way of things, but, as a small taste of my return soon~ish, i came across this and thought i would share. A person decided to create some blank keys and copies of their keys with a simple 3d printer. I know this has already been done with cnc machines, but still, now with something commonly found in alot of hackerspaces. Next stop, restricted keyways!

http://flux-labs.com/2013/03/duplicatin ... d-printer/

[fgarci03]

Now I want to make a biaxial 3d printed key! Thanks a lot

[macgng]

pretty sweet!!!

[escher7]

If someone writes a program that takes a photocopy and some way of reproducing the keyway in 3D there is no limit to what this could do. Maybe even a data bank containing all the major keys, including high security. This could, as the author notes, endanger all locks predicated on proprietary keys.

[ARF-GEF]

Very interesting clearmoon!

I think it would only work well with keys with not too much stress. Like broad profiles...
I believe Medecso would with their strong pressure and turning chip off the tip of the cuts.
A DOM diamant where the key has to withstand significant force would be very impractical to print. At lest I think the printed key may not even survive 1 opening.
Also I think it wouldn't live long on the very curvy keyways like GERA GEGE and EVVA A (=FPS nowadays) they simple have very thin parts, acute angles in the very thin keyway.
So I wouldn't bury restricted keyways...
Dimples on the other hand wouldn't be to challanging to print and would b much more durable.
But then there is the interactive element in the KESO keys which probably cannot be printed...

(Plus I believe it is not possible to print interactive element, though I heard rumour of both printing them with special soluble plastic layers and both moulding them with special techniques...
Apart from the Keso's Omaga pin. I can't see how could one print or mould that one as of now...)

[jeffmoss26]

Genius!!

[rai]

these keys would not have the strength for daily use, but could serve as one time use things, Mark W Tobias has copied a key from an iphone photo at one of the cons some years ago, but I think he razored the key from credit card plastic, still the key was simply photographed on a phone and sent by phone to where it was copied. think what that could do to the espionage honey trap, she just photographs the key ring and sends the photo then keeps the distraction going until the blackbagers are done.

[escher7]

As 3D printers advance, the materials used become more sophisticated and harder. Here are a few:

"Titanium – Is very light and the strongest 3D printing material available. Objects made from titanium are printed using titanium powder that is sintered together by a laser.
Stainless steel – Object produced in stainless steel are 3D printed using a stainless steel powder that is infused with bronze material. Stainless steel is the cheapest form of metal printing, very strong and suitable for very large objects.
Bronze – Objects produced in bronze are 3D printed in using a bronze powder that is infused with bronze. Bronze is an affordable and strong material for printing models in metal.
Brass, Silver, Gold – Can also be used in 3D printing, although involves printing a wax mould which is then filled with the molten material."

http://www.3dprinterhelp.co.uk/what-mat ... nters-use/.

[ARF-GEF]

Interesting, but we should consider that even simple plastic 3d printers are pricey as of now and are likely to stay price by this time next year too.
Not to mention fancy laser sintering titanium powder based ones.

Plus you do need a certain knowledge for 3-d planning and using the printers.
I definitely think this is the way of the future, but it is a long way until this becomes an everyday threat.
And then we will probably have cool little boxes for the keys. Or they wil be kept in a special little pocket in you purse.
That is if you are not unfortunate to have 8 keys or so...

[escher7]

Interesting, but we should consider that even simple plastic 3d printers are pricey as of now and are likely to stay price by this time next year too.
Not to mention fancy laser sintering titanium powder based ones.

Plus you do need a certain knowledge for 3-d planning and using the printers.
I definitely think this is the way of the future, but it is a long way until this becomes an everyday threat.
And then we will probably have cool little boxes for the keys. Or they wil be kept in a special little pocket in you purse.
That is if you are not unfortunate to have 8 keys or so...

The laser sintering machines are expensive, starting around $15k, but then I paid $1200 for my first Commodore 64. If the demand is there prices will come down. Meanwhile, current printer materials are still pretty tough. Polycarbonates, for example are used in making bullet proof windows and can be used in normal printers. Clearly, mechanical keys will soon be threatened by these technologies with electronics taking over as with everything else.

http://richrap.blogspot.ca/2011/09/inde ... te-3d.html

[rai]

escher7's mention of gold and silver references "lost wax casting" in which a ceramic mold is cast around the model and then burned out in a kiln to harden the ceramic mold and the wax simply turns into gas and goes out the chimney
actually almost any plastic will also volatilize in a kiln and gas off just like wax
I have used the screw threaded parts of plastic pens when casting things that are metal and need to screw together, such as hidden cavity finger rings. you just cut off the needed part and melt the wax for the rest of it around this, then the whole thing volitilizes in the kiln.