Review: 10361 - Part 1 - 3D printed blue train
Posted by FlagsNZ,
Overnight, LEGO fans started to see images of the new 3D printed blue train that is included with 10361 Holiday Express Train.
This review has a look at this special 3D printed element and also looks back at other 3D printed elements offered by The LEGO Group over the past few years.
Part 2 of my reveiw for the 10361 Holiday Express Train cand be seen using this link.
The Box
There are a couple of images on the box that showcase this unique 3D printed miniature blue train.
- There is a female minifigure walking towards the miniature blue train on the front
- On the side of the box is a 1:1 scale image showing people the true size of this 3D printed part.
- On the back of the box there is an image which indicates a play feature of this train – as you roll the train along, the steam plume coming out of the chimney moves up and down.
LEGO and 3D Printing
The instruction book contains the following note:
Highlights to spot
The miniature blue train is the first 3D-printed piece in a LEGO retail set, whilst still maintaining the high standards of quality and safety of the LEGO System of Play.
It is correct to say that the miniature blue train is the first 3D-printed piece in a LEGO retail set, but it is not the first 3D-printed element to be released by the LEGO Group.
2019 – Tool Drafting Table Arm
The gift given away as part of the 2019 Inside Tour was 4000034 The LEGO System House. That exclusive set contained a unique 3D-printed element – LEGO part 66237 Tool Drafting Table Arm.
2022 – 3D-Printed Pull-Along Duck
A 3D-printed pull-along red duck was given out as a gift with purchase on September 22, 2022, to LEGO House visitors who purchased one of three special factory minifigures that were already printed and available for AFOL Day 2022.
The LEGO Duck has a moving beak when you push it.
2022 – 3D-Printed Minifigure Pogo Stick
These 3D Printed Minifigure Pogo Sticks were available as a supporter bonus in the crowdfunding campaign for the book "The Secret Life of LEGO Bricks". The stick/spring compresses.
So the LEGO Group has been manufacturing 3D elements using selective laser sintering.
Unboxing
In Part 2 of this review there will be a complete review of the unboxing of 10361 Holiday Express Train. This review looks exclusively at the 3D-printed miniature blue train.
Inside the box is a small cardboard gift box that has been printed as if it is wrapped in decorative paper and held together with a blue ribbon.
Inside this little gift box is the 3D-printed miniature blue train.
The miniature blue train has a somewhat oversized chimney and an undersized regulator hump in front of the cab.
The 3D element has a slight matt finish to it and not the shiny smooth look of regular LEGO injection moulded elements.
The 3D-printed miniature blue train consists of six separate parts:
- The engine body itself,
- Two axles with two sets of train wheels each side,
- Two coupling rods linking the wheels together, and
- The piston up the chimney
There are no studs or anti-studs on this 3D-printed part, but there are three 3.18 bar connection locations:
- Inside the engine cab
- As a rear carriage coupling, and
- A place to clip a smokebox door at the front of the engine body
3D-printed markings
There are three separate and different markings found on the inside of the body.
I wonder whether any of these markings are unique serial numbers for individual elements.
Finer details
The piston inside the chimney has a 1.5mm (59 thousands of an inch) connection point where you can attach the pins found on several accessory elements.
The front axle is the crankshaft for the piston inside the chimney.
The coupling rods are 0.92mm thick (36 thou) and the wheels are slightly thicker at 1.10mm (43 thou).
The build
To complete the build of this miniature blue train requires adding four LEGO System elements.
- Two 3.2 Holder with Knob in Warm Gold elements
- One red Ridged Tile 2X2/25°
- One white Feather
The 3.2 Holders provide studs to connect additional parts. The holder clipped to the cab allows for the connection of the red cab roof.
The white feather becomes the steam from the chimney.
The new LEGO narrow gauge train format
I have assembled a display stand for this new and unique train.
By utilising two 1x8 Plates with Rails and filling the gap between these two rails with a 1x8 tile, I have found the gauge for this miniature blue train!
Will this be a new gauge for a miniature train theme to be slowly unveiled by the LEGO designers?
You can see from the image above that the coupling rods are correctly out of phase with each other: the right-hand coupling rod is 90° in front of the left-hand coupling rod.
Initial thoughts
The 3D-printed miniature blue train feels to me to be extremely delicate; I wouldn't want any of the thin coupling rods, wheels or internal mechanism to break at any stage.
I don't mind that the surface finish isn't the regular shiny smooth finish found on new LEGO elements.
There is definitely a future in 3D printing. Will we see a Print on Demand service for special elements that would otherwise be impossible to manufacture with the conventional injection process?
The team at Brickset would be interested in your comments on the future of 3D printed elements offered by the LEGO Group.
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115 comments on this article
Reminds of me of when you buy bulk Lego bins and you get a few pieces that aren’t Lego.
So the question everyone wants to know is how much will be part be on Bricklink for those that don't want the set? $10? $20? or more?
I hope 3D printed Lego ends here. It takes away the creativity of building Lego. It also takes away what separates Lego from other build block companies - using creative building techniques rather than producing a specific piece to solve the problem.
Just because one can, doesn't mean one should. It doesn't look like LEGO. It looks foreign or fanmade, and the connotations of open-source making behind 3D printing don't help, even though this is more sophisticated printing than home creators have on hand. People are talking about the potential for mechanical pieces that are tiny, but why do we need those? Mechanisms and play features should come from the LEGO system and Technic, not pieces you can't apply to other purposes. This doesn't inspire creative thinking and an engineering mindset. The engineering's pre-done and can't be fussed with here and all it is is an idle novelty. At least Kinder toys usually let you put them together and analyze their mechanics. This can't even offer that much. It's cute and it's a fine toy, but I feel nothing of LEGO from it.
There is potential, I just hope pieces aren't expensive to produce, therefore increasing set prices or PAB costs. Also, if these break, I'm curious if there is a replacement available or not.
It would be interesting to get a 3D printed 3D printer piece.
Possibly some potential for 3D printed Star Wars elements, Speed Champion elements.
Whether or not someone at Lego is looking at what pieces are difficult to produce the normal way and looking at how 3D printing can solve that issue, I do not know.
They already have a diverse range of system bricks now, and it's ever-growing still, so I imagine these 3D printed pieces will be quite niche until they figure out what the balance is between system bricks and 3D printed pieces.
I can imagine them inserting a 3D printed element into multiple sets from a theme as some kind of collect them all series.
I'm looking forward to seeing what gets produced and whether it's adaptable.
It’s like a Kinder surprise without the chocolate.
So, no.
I agree with everyone hear, and they should just get back to their roots and exclusively make wooden letter blocks. Who needs play features when you can just make stacks, or occasionally make taller stacks, or wider stacks?
@8BrickMario:
I figured out my pogo stick without even opening the bag. The duck was reviewed here later on, and the mechanics were visible from the underside. This seems to be designed the same way, so you can absolutely flip it over and peer at how the internals work together to make the smoke plume dance.
Speaking of which, the subject of clip strength came up on my LUG's Discord earlier today. Sounds like they weren't able to get the level of precision needed to incorporate either studs or anti-studs, but a clip doesn't have to be a friction fit to retain a bar, as long as it can't slide off the ends. The walls of the cab will keep the roof tile from wobbling around, and the internal diameter of the boiler will do the same for the ring-pop that's added there (dunno why they didn't then slap a numbered 1x1 round tile on the end). The rear coupling isn't really an issue (but it does allow you to build rolling stock to go with this). The big question then was the smoke plume. If tolerance was an issue, too tight a hole would risk snapping off the hat-pin. Too loose, and the smoke plume would just fall off really easily. I see now that they added three bumps that minimize contact while also being able to exert pressure in a triangular configuration. Now I kinda wonder if you can see grooves pressed into the hat-pin after you remove the smoke plume.
The LEGO Inside Tour 2024 set, 4000042 The Vault Memory Lane, also contains a dark green version of the duck. It sits in an enclosed trans-clear cabinet, barely visible on the box image. Exactly one year ago today, LIT 5/24 was given our tour exclusive. Stu Harris also had the green duck on the display table, loose for us to play with... I mean investigate and study!
To quote Oddy from the BrickSculpt discord:
"Y'know what, I hate the fact that this doesn't look like it's made out of tiny LEGO bricks. Small 3D printed LEGO elements should look like they're comprised of in-universe smaller LEGO bricks, like the minifigs are playing with micro LEGO reminiscent of the LEGO Modulex line. I obviously don't oppose 3D printing LEGO compatible elements, especially as I dabble with it myself (although it's a bit of a brave choice going with grainy-looking SLS printing instead of DLP/SLA printing for a smoother finish - this was clearly done for the ability to "print in place" moving elements, but yeah), but in my opinion it needs to look like LEGO and not just a purpose-built multi-shape mold/design. The whole point of LEGO is that it's made out of discreet blocky elements, and the more specialised a piece is, the less LEGO it looks as it loses that LEGO spirit. Galidor is the perfect example of what not to do where its pieces were so specialised that it completely lost any LEGO charm."
So *that's* the pogo stick people were talking about! I knew about the drafting table arm and the duck, but I never saw anything about that. Maybe if I went to New Elementary more often... *checks* ...or maybe not, as the only thing that comes up there when I search for "pogo" is an article about the train piece. Anyway, if, by any chance, this thing shows up on PaB, I'll be tempted to grab one and the pieces to complete the train, just out of curiosity.
While some seem to think that 3-D printing in Lego is the end of the world as we know it, to me it's a bit of a non event, and I feel fine.
I don’t see how 3-D printing fits in with anything LEGO is doing right now. I mean have you guys ever used one? Have you ever watched one working?
After you get over the gee-whiz factor of it, you start wondering about how it integrates into mass production. There’s a lot to consider, and the parts are always ugly.
Additive manufacturing has its places. I’m not convinced this is one of them. Not yet, anyway.
I want the multi billion dollar company to make something the average consumer can't, and make it well. This is the kind of cheap stuff you see at craft fairs. Between this and the constant failed digital apps the Lego group is continuing to innovate in the wrong directions and this kind of novel thing is going to push people towards the brands that are improving at product development rather than gimmicks for social media influencers to be wowed by. I'm not paid in Lego sets to be wowed by this, so I'm not.
112073 is very likely the Design ID I'd say.
I'm rather curious to see how the actual mass production of those 3D printed elements works (with an emphasis on "mass", one is simple, but thousands?).
Wonder why there are only bar connections. I would have assumed a stud on top to hold that roof tile.
Also nice to see it's wheels are in system. Tiny wheels were something really missing.
Talked about this wayyyyy too much already in the Winter Village set announcement. Not a fan.
Blech!
Here's hoping this marks both the beginning and end of 3D-printed parts in Lego sets. This reminds me of the early 2000s when Lego strayed from its core competencies and values, and nearly went bankrupt. Financially, the company is on much better footing right now, but I can't help but feel this just strays too far from what makes Lego unique.
Looks foreign. I didn't like it.
How long will this last in a average Lego parts bin?
Fragile.
It can't be good.
@sjr60 said:
"While some seem to think that 3-D printing in Lego is the end of the world as we know it, to me it's a bit of a non event, and I feel fine."
What’s the frequency, Kenneth?
As many have noted, its texture and dullness don’t speak the same design language as other LEGO parts and therefore it seems out of place. Its possible fragility is also of concern.
All that said, it is potentially a solution to engineering problems not solvable with existing or even future injection moulded parts. If a 3D printed part were confirmed to be as durable as other LEGO pieces and out of sight in a build, I wouldn’t have a problem with it if it allowed a play feature that was otherwise impossible.
Incidentally, the pogo stick was also produced in green.
If lego wants to expand his possibilities, I suggest they learn from lumibricks and go for all prints and a lighting system. That is where the competition is winning!!!
What’s next…print your own Lego set?
I’m trying not to sound like a snob or Luddite…but man that train just looks wrong. Its odd spongy-looking finish just makes it look so different and out of place next to regular Lego, like a weird prune amongst a clutch of plums. I feel like if it had the same smoothness as other Lego I’d have zero problems with it, I have no issues with the principle of the thing just the results
@Maxbricks14 said:
"It also takes away what separates Lego from other build block companies - using creative building techniques rather than producing a specific piece to solve the problem."
It depends on the item. Minifigure accessories are usually one piece even if a brickbuilt solution is possible. This has always been a gray area for the LEGO aesthetic as putting brickbuilt items over a unique design is entirely up to personal preference and within that even up to the object and its role. Like backpacks for example, you could build them out of bricks thanks to the neck bracket with stud but basically nobody does this. The only examples that come to my mind are Star Wars Sandtrooper and ARC Trooper backpacks, but I am talking about backpacks made out of textile in the real world, not ones that look like lunchboxes and thermobottles glued together.
If one were to make a Pogo stick for minifigures it would be awkward and oversized made out of regular parts, and you would not have the actual spring function, though I think the spring by itself could be made as a Lego part and be quite useful in the system even.
@8BrickMario said:
"Just because one can, doesn't mean one should. It doesn't look like LEGO. It looks foreign or fanmade, and the connotations of open-source making behind 3D printing don't help, even though this is more sophisticated printing than home creators have on hand. People are talking about the potential for mechanical pieces that are tiny, but why do we need those? Mechanisms and play features should come from the LEGO system and Technic, not pieces you can't apply to other purposes. This doesn't inspire creative thinking and an engineering mindset. The engineering's pre-done and can't be fussed with here and all it is is an idle novelty. At least Kinder toys usually let you put them together and analyze their mechanics. This can't even offer that much. It's cute and it's a fine toy, but I feel nothing of LEGO from it."
The train part only looks foreign and fan-made because of its texture. Some people here may be thinking the standard of 3D printing is still FDM printers with very noticeable and rugged print layers that require sanding to be made smooth and look like sculptures. Things have improved dramatically and you can get machines with very hardly visible print layers at a 200-400$ price point, and even years ago it mostly depended on having to put in different print settings for different materials, but this has been more or less automated now.
Resin 3D printers, also called SLA printers, nowadays have the same smooth texture as LEGO and I have created resin parts that can be very easily mistaken for real LEGO pieces, also with no issues in the dimensions for the connection points. Having begun to make 3D printed LEGO pieces does much for my creativity as I have been thinking about minifigure accessories that are missing and how these should best be scaled or which and how many connection points they should have. I would say, when LEGO has previously been a gateway for children to get into technical design or engineering, then 3D printed LEGO parts make this connection far more clear, and if it inspires someone to get into 3D design and modeling and not just printing pre-made files from Cults3D then this inspires creative thinking much better than working exclusively with a system of a finite number of possible parts controlled entirely by one company that is the only way to get these parts.
In the sense that one has to use LEGO parts to create LEGO items, the engineering of LEGO parts makes it just as much of a pre-made system that can not be changed or fussed with. Limitations may inspire creative thinking in some ways but they also enslave a mind to not seeing otherwise obvious solutions to create improvements. This is my issue with the LEGO purists mindset. It gives a monopoly to LEGO on declaring what is or is not in-system. In the past I have viewed the absence of 1x5 or 2x7 plates in the parts portfolio as an intended limitation on the brick-building system which chinese bootlegers and other brands like MEGA Bloks have broken by introducing 1x5 plates or large excessively detailed chunks of models as one piece, to make it "easier", either for them to design models or for people to build in the system in general. But now LEGO does offer 1x5 plates and other parts that were previously unthinkable and make building in-system far easier compared to earlier decades. When they keep introducing new parts to make designs more lifelike and creating such designs easier and easier, then it makes little sense to feel beholden to waiting for them to present their solutions when you may as well use your creative thinking, just in a manner that the LEGO company does not intend to or necessarily want as it makes you independent from the ecosystem they would otherwise control entirely.
A normalization of 3D printing within the entire LEGO space would open up more creativity than to keep it limited to only the designs that LEGO produces. LEGO basically admitted new part designs are chosen by the randomness of the newest hot product ideas requirements to be able to be produced as cheap as possible. But the system should rather focus on universal needs. We already see this with custom minifigure makers in the Star Wars circles. They create things that are inherently and unarguably better for the purposes of the consumer and consistency with older products, than the large number of mostly economically motivated decisions of LEGO in the last few years.
@legomaster65 said:
"To quote Oddy from the BrickSculpt discord:
"Y'know what, I hate the fact that this doesn't look like it's made out of tiny LEGO bricks. Small 3D printed LEGO elements should look like they're comprised of in-universe smaller LEGO bricks, like the minifigs are playing with micro LEGO reminiscent of the LEGO Modulex line. I obviously don't oppose 3D printing LEGO compatible elements, especially as I dabble with it myself (although it's a bit of a brave choice going with grainy-looking SLS printing instead of DLP/SLA printing for a smoother finish - this was clearly done for the ability to "print in place" moving elements, but yeah), but in my opinion it needs to look like LEGO and not just a purpose-built multi-shape mold/design. The whole point of LEGO is that it's made out of discreet blocky elements, and the more specialised a piece is, the less LEGO it looks as it loses that LEGO spirit. Galidor is the perfect example of what not to do where its pieces were so specialised that it completely lost any LEGO charm.""
A brick-like texture is a fun idea, but that design-language would have to apply equally to other minifigure utensils and accessories to be truly consistent. One can argue it is consistent with things like phones and Star Wars blasters due to their simplicity but there are enough accessories where the design becomes far more detailed because there is not really another way to present the object without it becoming too generic, as for example a machete may as well be represented by a generic sword part if the sword part is generic enough. This does not apply to the old LEGO swords which is why a dedicated Machete has ultimately been designed, but had the sword been designed with the machete in mind it would have definitely led to people questioning why a machete has to exist in the system.
Lego have done lovely little tiny train builds in Winter Village sets and Advent Calendars for years. We know that scale doesn't allow much in terms of action features like moving wheels or smokestacks. Setting the restriction of only using Lego parts to make something at that scale that's recognisable is what Lego is all about. I just don't get why the need for this really. The 3D printed duck, draft arm and pogo stick probably would have looked a bit weird made out of parts at the scale they wanted so those make sense. They've just done so many trains at this scale really well in the past so this is just odd.
I really don't think it's a good idea to go down this route. Why not 3D print an engine for the cars in the Speed Champions range, then since people complain about some of the curves and lines not matching the real thing, sure go ahead and 3D print the chassis too. Yeah, I'm being extreme but it just baffles me why they are doing this.
The shaping already doesn't look like Lego, but my real problem is the matte finish. It just looks so shoddy!
@8BrickMario said:
"Mechanisms and play features should come from the LEGO system and Technic, not pieces you can't apply to other purposes. This doesn't inspire creative thinking and an engineering mindset. The engineering's pre-done and can't be fussed with here and all it is is an idle novelty."
Exactly. This is far from what LEGO should be. It's a trend we can see in many aspects of LEGO behaviour. They are going far from what it should be. It's not nostalgia. It's about what the toy is supposed to be. I'm not against 3D printed parts, if they are parts, and not complex mechanisms, but then perhaps 3D printing has less sense.
My only interest on this 3D printed train is about the oddity, but not enough reason to buy the expensive and not appealing WV Holiday train.
@Captain_Eugene said:
"What’s next…print your own Lego set?"
Mine would be made from folded bits of card and glue.
Having already released two train sets to the WV collection with this third set there’s quite the possibility many people would pass it up but as is the norm with LEGO marketing these days, they sneak in a unique 3D part so you now have to buy this set too. Genius…
I'm not inherently against innovation. Some of the coolest things have come from pushing the envelope. We wouldn't have had minifigs like captain redbeard, the Technic system, motors or the like if there was none. And of course some of the great things that came out of the early 2000s, such as Bionicle and -to some people- licensed themes of pop culture IPs. Not all was bad even then.
As such, I'm a bit ambivalent about this. To me this feels like yet another new piece I never felt was needed amongst the many created each and every year. Sure, it's not yet another curved slope variant and it's produced in an experimental way. But at the end of the day it feels like yet another case of parts designers getting overzealous and making something not particularly necessary. But hey, apparently there's budget for it and it is an improvement! Right!?
I do agree the finish looks a bit off. But I suppose this type of manufacturing is most reliable at a large scale. And let's face it, it's also a publicity stunt. Hence its visibility.
My message to TLG: stick to what you are good at, or rather: to what you are supposed to be good at. Many Lego elements have color issues, stickers that are not the right color and injection moulds narks on weird and ugly places (like the plate with clip with a mould mark on the side rather than the stud). The 3D-printed elements undermine what Lego is all about. It is more of a gimmick than something to take seriously.
Thanks for the review, I still hate it.
I understand why alot of people don't like this 3D printing, and agree with their points. Yet at the same time we have to acknowledge that 3D printing items is already becoming part of the norm and that this could actually be an opportunity for there to be all the LEGO sets and parts we could never have before.
Parts finish aside, there are plenty of ways of getting a smooth finish, 3D printing doesn't need expensive moulds made to create parts which means a much wider variety of shapes and parts can be made using it. Plus, parts need never go out of production as it just be a simple matter of loading up the file and setting the medium to make it. And with this, parts should get cheaper to produce, meaning costs of set would go down, while at the same time, we're getting far more accurate and complicated builds.
As mention by @ikke though... Lego needs to stop coping out with stickers and make more printed parts. If smaller companies without the production facilities can make sets fully printed and to great quality, why can't Lego? Same with lighting... lost count of the number of lighting kits that swamp online retailers for Lego sets... so when Lego already makes lighting bricks and battery packs etc... why don't they light their models themselves?
Meh. I think Lego has gone of the rails a bit with the pursuit of more and more detail. More and more smaller pieces and more and specialised ones as well. 'Proper' bricks are getting fairly rare it seems like.
This the next level, they couldn't go small enough anymore to get detail AND movement, so they're starting to print stuff. And overemphasising the 3D printing aspect of it, so it seems novel...
I think Lego should stick to Lego.
I like 3D printing! I do not like 3D printing in my Lego, as I can do that myself. What I cannot do myself is make high precision steel molds for plastic injection molding without somehow getting my hands on a couple of million... 3D printed parts is not why I buy Lego.
It smacks of innovation for its own sake, from a business apparently still not happy to make money merely hand over fist doing all the usual things.
@Maxbricks14 said:
"rather than producing a specific piece to solve the problem"
I think that Lego ship sailed decades ago:
Up until the first half of the eighties, when I stopped getting more pieces (I never completely stopped using Lego), I had maybe 100-200 different pieces (including Technic). All of which I could fit in my head, which made it possible to design with a clear path.
Around 2010 I got Mindstorms and found I needed some studless parts, so went and bought a couple of sets, the first one 8043 RC Excavator. It felt like this alone had more different parts (179 from BaseBrick) than I had already.
This makes designing, at least for a casual builder, difficult.
I am not sure what my point is, but I think, having watched family kids using Lego, it is bad for learning; they sort of give up on the creative part, and just see a set as a model to build, and and not parts for your own design.
@gunther_schnitzel said:
" @sjr60 said:
"While some seem to think that 3-D printing in Lego is the end of the world as we know it, to me it's a bit of a non event, and I feel fine."
What’s the frequency, Kenneth?"
Everybody hurts...
@TrailWing said:
"
I am not sure what my point is, but I think, having watched family kids using Lego, it is bad for learning; they sort of give up on the creative part, and just see a set as a model to build, and and not parts for your own design."
This exactly, well said.
Why not just build a tiny train out of existing bricks that don’t feel fragile?
@StyleCounselor said:
" @gunther_schnitzel said:
" @sjr60 said:
"While some seem to think that 3-D printing in Lego is the end of the world as we know it, to me it's a bit of a non event, and I feel fine."
What’s the frequency, Kenneth?"
Everybody hurts..."
Shiny happy people!
I'm also on two minds on this. I do kinda like the innovation and tech that went into this. But on the other hand, it just doesn't feel like Lego. In part because of the finish, but also because of the design. It also seems rather fragile, so not exactly a toy. I've seen people describe it as a Kinder Surprise toy, and that seems exactly on point.
And if one thing, it just feels unneccesary here. Cool that it moven, but better don't play with it since it might break. I think the backlash would have been a lot less if it had been some inegral part of the build that couldn't have been done otherwise. I mean, the big christmas tree has that train going round at the bottom, how cool would it have been if this had been used for that?
Also I am curious about the cost aspect of this. I mean, we are talking about a company that has to skimp on prints or dual molded pieces in a €1000 set, and I can't imagine this being cheap. Sure, you don't need a mold for this, but the cost of that quickly dwindles in the big numbers game.
I don't want LEGO to pursue 3D printing for more standard parts production at all if it isn't going to look like the rest of LEGO's parts. Sure, 3D printing could theoreretically be used for single-use designs and spare LEGO a mold for one-offs. 3D printing could keep a design alive or revive retired designs. But none of that means a single thing to me if the plastic looks discordant and cheap next to LEGO's standard ABS. 3D printed parts could occupy their own texture aesthetic niche like foliage parts or...capes, and maybe become their own facet of LEGO, but if LEGO ever considers 3D printing parts that could also be injection-molded, the results should not be blatantly distinguishable. This train is obviously different in texture, so I can only hope 3D printing stays a novelty avenue. (There's also the limitation re: studs and clutch, which LEGO seems unable to achieve with 3D prints, and the color limitation to solid tones, though maybe they'll lean into the kind of gimmicky marbling and iridiescence uniquely offered by 3D prints.)
Meh.... This part does not spark joy. (it sparks something more like outright hatred!)
To the people saying Lego could use 3d printing to bring back old molds: They keep the files for parts after they scrap the molds, so reintroducing a part is simpler than you think.
@peterlmorris said:
"I don’t see how 3-D printing fits in with anything LEGO is doing right now. I mean have you guys ever used one? Have you ever watched one working?"
No, but I'd love to see one in action.
@Atuin said:"Wonder why there are only bar connections. I would have assumed a stud on top to hold that roof tile."
Yeah, that surprised me, too.
@vizzitor said:"The 3D printed duck, draft arm and pogo stick probably would have looked a bit weird made out of parts at the scale they wanted so those make sense."
They actually provided a brick-built solution for the drafting arm, for people who didn't go on the Inside Tour but still wanted to build the model. You can see it here: https://www.newelementary.com/2019/06/lego-inside-tour-set-4000034-3d-part.html
There does seem to be a fair bit of resistance against this piece.
Looks like they are testing the waters before using 3D-printed parts as features.
I don't think they will use them extensively, but 3D-printed parts seem useful for adding specific functions to sets that would otherwise require the development of an expensive new mold and would likely be discarded.
They can also create character-specific elements, such as lightsaber shafts, instead of having to create multiple expensive molds.
About the finish, some pieces like slopes have a similar finish.
From Tiago Catarino's YT review:
"UPDATE I just came to realise that the 3D printed part was done use extremely expensive machinery that actual costs hundreds of thousands of dollars and wasn't done using standard FDM style printers. So maybe THAT's the reason the price has increased as much as it has, and if that's the case, that would have changed the tone of this review completely. I get the novelty and that it's cool, but to me the compromise is far too great. Knowing this now, I would have liked LEGO NOT to include the 3D printed train."
I don't particularly like it. It's a neat concept and that it moves is a real treat. But it doesn't look like LEGO, and that isn't just about the finish. It is a specialized piece that stands out in a bad way IMO. I don't love the finish and I haven't even felt it. I just don't like looking at it. I'm thankful I don't need or want this set it comes in.
But for the future, we will see how it develops over time. I can picture them utilizing 3D printing more as technology improves and costs go down, plus designs requiring something unique. But I can't say I want it. I'm not opposed to new technology, so I will keep an open mind. But I don't have to like what they give us.
@kyrodes said:
"Looks like they are testing the waters before using 3D-printed parts as features.
I don't think they will use them extensively, but 3D-printed parts seem useful for adding specific functions to sets that would otherwise require the development of an expensive new mold and would likely be discarded.
They can also create character-specific elements, such as lightsaber shafts, instead of having to create multiple expensive molds.
About the finish, some pieces like slopes have a similar finish."
The slope bricks have texture, but it's clearly stylistic and only present on one face of the brick.
Nope. Don't like this at all. Dosen't look like LEGO. Doesen't feel like LEGO. So a hard pass from me.
The clutch is the issue with 3D printed elements.
Got a few with Brickmania kits.
They look good but the clutch is good to loose.
Not that nice tight LEGO fit and snap.
And got a 3D printed dog (Patton’s dog Willie), and the front paws snapped off when trying to attach onto a stud.
@Troncity1 said:
"There is potential, I just hope pieces aren't expensive to produce, therefore increasing set prices or PAB costs. Also, if these break, I'm curious if there is a replacement available or not.
It would be interesting to get a 3D printed 3D printer piece.
Possibly some potential for 3D printed Star Wars elements, Speed Champion elements.
Whether or not someone at Lego is looking at what pieces are difficult to produce the normal way and looking at how 3D printing can solve that issue, I do not know.
They already have a diverse range of system bricks now, and it's ever-growing still, so I imagine these 3D printed pieces will be quite niche until they figure out what the balance is between system bricks and 3D printed pieces.
I can imagine them inserting a 3D printed element into multiple sets from a theme as some kind of collect them all series.
I'm looking forward to seeing what gets produced and whether it's adaptable. "
3D prints are surprisingly very cheap to produce, Aside from the cost of a printer, one role of ABS cost at max maybe sixty dollars and with one role you could produce probably close to eighty of these.
My appreciation of this little train is growing, primarily from a design and engineering perspective. I'm still not convinced that it belongs in a Lego set, but on its own it's very fun. Maybe if I get hands-on time with it I’ll like it more.
@WizardOfOss said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @gunther_schnitzel said:
" @sjr60 said:
"While some seem to think that 3-D printing in Lego is the end of the world as we know it, to me it's a bit of a non event, and I feel fine."
What’s the frequency, Kenneth?"
Everybody hurts..."
Shiny happy people!"
If LEGO goes down this route, I’ll be gone…til November.
@yellowcastle said:
" @WizardOfOss said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @gunther_schnitzel said:
" @sjr60 said:
"While some seem to think that 3-D printing in Lego is the end of the world as we know it, to me it's a bit of a non event, and I feel fine."
What’s the frequency, Kenneth?"
Everybody hurts..."
Shiny happy people!"
If LEGO goes down this route, I’ll be gone…til November."
You like November Rain?
@yellowcastle said:
" @WizardOfOss said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @gunther_schnitzel said:
" @sjr60 said:
"While some seem to think that 3-D printing in Lego is the end of the world as we know it, to me it's a bit of a non event, and I feel fine."
What’s the frequency, Kenneth?"
Everybody hurts..."
Shiny happy people!"
If LEGO goes down this route, I’ll be gone…til November."
Ah... saving up for the Star Trek release!
Thanks for the review. The little train looks cool but not very LEGO like at all. For years LEGO has been making small minifigure scale "toy" trains and they are easily brick built and do the job just fine. Sure this one has the added details of the movable parts but they look extremely fragile. I appreciate them trying something different but I'm not a fan.
Having worked in close proximity to an SLS machine this past summer, the technology is very cool. Like others have said, the train is neat from an engineering standpoint even if it doesn't really fit well with the rest of the set. I am curious to see how it'll hold up over the next few years, though.
@Lego_a_gogo said:"There does seem to be a fair bit of resistance against this piece."
This isn't the Piece of Resistance!
@MandoEli37 said:
" @Troncity1 said:
"There is potential, I just hope pieces aren't expensive to produce, therefore increasing set prices or PAB costs. Also, if these break, I'm curious if there is a replacement available or not.
It would be interesting to get a 3D printed 3D printer piece.
Possibly some potential for 3D printed Star Wars elements, Speed Champion elements.
Whether or not someone at Lego is looking at what pieces are difficult to produce the normal way and looking at how 3D printing can solve that issue, I do not know.
They already have a diverse range of system bricks now, and it's ever-growing still, so I imagine these 3D printed pieces will be quite niche until they figure out what the balance is between system bricks and 3D printed pieces.
I can imagine them inserting a 3D printed element into multiple sets from a theme as some kind of collect them all series.
I'm looking forward to seeing what gets produced and whether it's adaptable. "
3D prints are surprisingly very cheap to produce, Aside from the cost of a printer, one role of ABS cost at max maybe sixty dollars and with one role you could produce probably close to eighty of these."
@Somnium said:"From Tiago Catarino's YT review:
"UPDATE I just came to realise that the 3D printed part was done use extremely expensive machinery that actual costs hundreds of thousands of dollars and wasn't done using standard FDM style printers. So maybe THAT's the reason the price has increased as much as it has, and if that's the case, that would have changed the tone of this review completely. I get the novelty and that it's cool, but to me the compromise is far too great. Knowing this now, I would have liked LEGO NOT to include the 3D printed train.""
So maybe not as cheap as you thought, @MandoEli37. I hadn't realized it, but there are apparently multiple types of 3D printers.
@WizardOfOss said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @gunther_schnitzel said:
" @sjr60 said:
"While some seem to think that 3-D printing in Lego is the end of the world as we know it, to me it's a bit of a non event, and I feel fine."
What’s the frequency, Kenneth?"
Everybody hurts..."
Shiny happy people!"
I am Superman and I know what’s happening.
But seriously, people are losing their minds over this like they did about Bionicle and the world didn’t stop moving. Lego really needs to invest more in change management for their fans than they need to hire Tom Holland for excellent commercials.
‘But we can’t afford to 2D print’
Lego 3D printing is like Lego VIP coins - Not proper Lego, but nothing to get worried about.
This place gets worse and worse - not the website itself - that's still great - but the responses to articles/reviews. It's becoming like many of the toxic subreddits that pollute the internet.
Now the world appears to be ending because of one tiny 3D printed item in one set.
We really need an Unlike option for posts.*
*Yes, I know most of my posts would be massively downvoted.
Lego 3d printing brings nothing to the lego building experience. If you can't build it with lego blocks, don't do it. Lego doesn't have to be able to make everything, already endless possibilities with lego blocks if you have enough imagination.
@ShinyBidoof said:
"This place gets worse and worse - not the website itself - that's still great - but the responses to articles/reviews. It's becoming like many of the toxic subreddits that pollute the internet.
Now the world appears to be ending because of one tiny 3D printed item in one set.
We really need an Unlike option for posts.*
*Yes, I know most of my posts would be massively downvoted."
Wouldn’t a downvote feature make things *more* like reddit, not less?
@Berrus_Brickus said:
" @ShinyBidoof said:
"This place gets worse and worse - not the website itself - that's still great - but the responses to articles/reviews. It's becoming like many of the toxic subreddits that pollute the internet.
Now the world appears to be ending because of one tiny 3D printed item in one set.
We really need an Unlike option for posts.*
*Yes, I know most of my posts would be massively downvoted."
Wouldn’t a downvote feature make things *more* like reddit, not less?"
I love Brickset and learn a lot from the diverse voices we have here. I don’t always agree, but I do learn.
@graymattr said:"Lego really needs to invest more in change management for their fans than they need to hire Tom Holland for excellent commercials."
As long as they don't hire Tom Holland to keep secrets...
@ShinyBidoof said:
"This place gets worse and worse - not the website itself - that's still great - but the responses to articles/reviews. It's becoming like many of the toxic subreddits that pollute the internet.
Now the world appears to be ending because of one tiny 3D printed item in one set.
We really need an Unlike option for posts.*
*Yes, I know most of my posts would be massively downvoted."
Some comment threads have had me wondering, "What would this look like if Brickset had a downvote button?"
So is the small cardboard gift box that the part comes in considered part of the larger set?
Is that reasonalbly rare by itself being decorated and clearly able to be displayed.
Warranting a piece inventory assignment?
Zero interest in 3D printed LEGO pieces.
Looks like crappy aftermarket stuff.
And no, I don't see this as the end of the world for LEGO, I just don't see the value this thing adds.
@yellowcastle said:
" @Berrus_Brickus said:
" @ShinyBidoof said:
"This place gets worse and worse - not the website itself - that's still great - but the responses to articles/reviews. It's becoming like many of the toxic subreddits that pollute the internet.
Now the world appears to be ending because of one tiny 3D printed item in one set.
We really need an Unlike option for posts.*
*Yes, I know most of my posts would be massively downvoted."
Wouldn’t a downvote feature make things *more* like reddit, not less?"
I love Brickset and learn a lot from the diverse voices we have here. I don’t always agree, but I do learn."
When I get annoyed with Internet/BS comments, I find complaining to be worse than screaming into the wind. In fact, it just makes things worse.
Instead, I ask myself what kind of things I'd like to read, and I try to write something like that.
@Rimefang said:
"How long will this last in a average Lego parts bin?
Fragile.
It can't be good."
@PixelTheDragon said:
"Why not just build a tiny train out of existing bricks that don’t feel fragile? "
@WizardOfOss said:
"… It also seems rather fragile, so not exactly a toy. "
@AhsokaTrooper08 said:
"… Sure this one has the added details of the movable parts but they look extremely fragile. I appreciate them trying something different but I'm not a fan. "
Quite the opposite, LEGO 3D pieces are extremely difficult for humans to break. We put the train to the 32kg test!
https://www.instagram.com/p/DOd2hqkiCOS/
@TheOtherMike said:
" @graymattr said:"Lego really needs to invest more in change management for their fans than they need to hire Tom Holland for excellent commercials."
As long as they don't hire Tom Holland to keep secrets...
@ShinyBidoof said:
"This place gets worse and worse - not the website itself - that's still great - but the responses to articles/reviews. It's becoming like many of the toxic subreddits that pollute the internet.
Now the world appears to be ending because of one tiny 3D printed item in one set.
We really need an Unlike option for posts.*
*Yes, I know most of my posts would be massively downvoted."
Some comment threads have had me wondering, "What would this look like if Brickset had a downvote button?""
If my sources from the year 3000 are to be believed, it would look a lot like LA.
@tm76:
There was one HP set that had a “secret” minifig or two that came packed in a small box that was packed in the larger set box, and the contents weren’t even visible anywhere on the outside of the main set box. In this case, the contents at least aren’t secret, just packed very carefully to prevent any of the tiny subcomponents from being damaged.
With the matte finish the train looks more like a piece from a Playmobil set rather than LEGO.
This is a piece that will be sold for 100$ in 10 years
@lordofdragonss said:
"This is a piece that will be sold for 100$ in 10 years"
Because
A) No one bought the set during its run
2) All the pieces bought and played with were broken/lost
3) It was the last new LEGO “piece” developed before they made the brand online only in 2026
This will be great moving forward.
@yellowcastle said:
" @lordofdragonss said:
"This is a piece that will be sold for 100$ in 10 years"
Because
A) No one bought the set during its run
2) All the pieces bought and played with were broken/lost
3) It was the last new LEGO “piece” developed before they made the brand online only in 2026"
I imagine this set will sell very well. It has the first 3D printed part in a retail set. And people will buy it so they have the set that contains the first retail 3D printed part.
@ShinyBidoof said:
"This place gets worse and worse - not the website itself - that's still great - but the responses to articles/reviews. It's becoming like many of the toxic subreddits that pollute the internet.
Now the world appears to be ending because of one tiny 3D printed item in one set.
We really need an Unlike option for posts.*
*Yes, I know most of my posts would be massively downvoted."
When people don’t like Lego releases or activity, I think the humour here is very cathartic.
IMO there’s been several years with less enjoyable Lego news with increasing negative reactions. This could be because of established expectations from existing hobbyists/collectors/customers, normally due to increasing prices, diminishing quality, strange design and colour choices and wildly conflicting value and availability.
Could I be less negative, more positive or simply stay my stupid thumb? Yes.
But I also think the self deprecating humour is valid because disgust and outrage at plastic bricks is funny in itself.
Toxic is: exclusivity and marketing kids toys beyond their reach.
@CCC said:
" @yellowcastle said:
" @lordofdragonss said:
"This is a piece that will be sold for 100$ in 10 years"
Because
A) No one bought the set during its run
2) All the pieces bought and played with were broken/lost
3) It was the last new LEGO “piece” developed before they made the brand online only in 2026"
I imagine this set will sell very well. It has the first 3D printed part in a retail set. And people will buy it so they have the set that contains the first retail 3D printed part."
Maybe LEGO had a hunch that the set itself wasn't their greatest effort at a holiday train, and decided to add this piece to make more people interested in the set.
@ShinyBidoof said:
"This place gets worse and worse - not the website itself - that's still great - but the responses to articles/reviews. It's becoming like many of the toxic subreddits that pollute the internet.
Now the world appears to be ending because of one tiny 3D printed item in one set.
We really need an Unlike option for posts.*
*Yes, I know most of my posts would be massively downvoted."
I disagree, and disagreeing with something or someone is fine. Disagreeing is not inherently toxic. It's fine to like or dislike for instance, stickers, or bad printing, or inflated price-points, or bad 3D-printing, or disreputable sponsorship-deals, or the use of AI, or a dogged reliance on bad or unpopular apps, or the use of 3D-printing in general. It's fine. We all have a stance on these things. It's fine to voice this.
"Toxic" on the other hand, would be for someone to leap out of the tall grass with ludicrous claims that having these standpoints and voicing these standpoints, is toxic.
"Toxic" might also be for someone else to point out that if one person visits several forums and they slowly turn toxic over time, then that particular person might just discover themselves to be the common denominator. A Patient Zero, if you will. Or maybe that might not be toxic at all! We're not here to find out though, since we're just here to talk about LEGO.
I get that Bidoofs are weak against Fighting, but that's not what we're doing here. Nobody is trying to catch you, it's alright. Relax. Unclench. And should the worst come to pass: you're not even weak to Poison, my dude. You'll be fine.
I think when we get to the point of responding to a positive review of a set people don't like by accusing the reviewer of having been bribed to lie to the readers, saying there's toxicity in the community is pretty damn fair.
@CCC said:
" @yellowcastle said:
" @lordofdragonss said:
"This is a piece that will be sold for 100$ in 10 years"
Because
A) No one bought the set during its run
2) All the pieces bought and played with were broken/lost
3) It was the last new LEGO “piece” developed before they made the brand online only in 2026"
I imagine this set will sell very well. It has the first 3D printed part in a retail set. And people will buy it so they have the set that contains the first retail 3D printed part."
Yeah, as loath as some people are to admit it, most of the people who buy Lego have never even heard of Brickset, so won't be affected by the response here.
@Berrus_Brickus said:
"Wouldn’t a downvote feature make things *more* like reddit, not less?"
The negative aspects of reddit come from the function of downvoting changing a posts visibility by changing the comments position or even hiding it with enough downvotes.
If comments remain the same but you just have the ability to see how many people went out of their way to like it or dislike a post you would have fairer representation than if the first post happens to be negative and that then getting likes more easily because it was the first one posted and thus the first one people can even read, while the opposite opinion will take more time to get to in the thread and takes more time to read due to length.
Just adding the dislike button here would make it clearer if people actually dislike a comments stance. With posts with 0 likes this is too unclear.
@Andrusi said:
"I think when we get to the point of responding to a positive review of a set people don't like by accusing the reviewer of having been bribed to lie to the readers, saying there's toxicity in the community is pretty damn fair. "
One voice does not make a chorus.
@yellowcastle said:
" @Andrusi said:
"I think when we get to the point of responding to a positive review of a set people don't like by accusing the reviewer of having been bribed to lie to the readers, saying there's toxicity in the community is pretty damn fair. "
One voice does not make a chorus."
Not on its own, but this one's been getting a lot of harmonizing.
@Anonym said:
" @Berrus_Brickus said:
"Wouldn’t a downvote feature make things *more* like reddit, not less?"
The negative aspects of reddit come from the function of downvoting changing a posts visibility by changing the comments position or even hiding it with enough downvotes.
If comments remain the same but you just have the ability to see how many people went out of their way to like it or dislike a post you would have fairer representation than if the first post happens to be negative and that then getting likes more easily because it was the first one posted and thus the first one people can even read, while the opposite opinion will take more time to get to in the thread and takes more time to read due to length.
Just adding the dislike button here would make it clearer if people actually dislike a comments stance. With posts with 0 likes this is too unclear."
I'm fine with it the way it is. Add a dislike button, and people will absolutely weaponize it, regardless of how it affects the post's visibility or position. People will see a name, and automatically hit the dislike button without even reading it. It's enough to see that a comment got zero likes, without allowing anonymous bullying to be piled on top. If you don't like a post, the current model at least makes you demonstrate that you've actually taken the time to read it by commenting to explain what problem you have with the post, rather than just slapping a quick dislike on the comment...or the commenter.
With Likes, it's less of an issue. It's harder to weaponize popularity (obviously, people can still mass-Like a comment that's toxic or bullying, so not impossible). In most cases, the Like button simply allows people to support a position, or applaud a humorous comment, without flooding the comments with "yes" posts that contribute nothing to the discussion. The fact that they are anonymous...I could go either way on. Yes, anonymity allows people to voice support for a controversial opinion without fear of retaliation, but whether that's a good thing or not really depends on the opinion in question. If someone says they really liked the Attack on Hoth set, and you see a few hundred Likes on that comment, then you can tell that the widely voiced opinion that _nobody_ likes that set is clearly in error. However, if another post that's overtly racist gets a few hundred likes, then there's clearly a problem brewing under the surface.
Awful. It might come in a Lego set, but it isn’t Lego. It looks cheap and nasty, not of Lego quality. Hopefully, this will be a one-off mistake by Lego.
Thanks everyone for your comments. There are some very clear views regarding 3D-printed parts included in sets released by the LEGO Group.
" @Tim_Johnson said:
Quite the opposite, LEGO 3D pieces are extremely difficult for humans to break. We put the train to the 32kg test!
https://www.instagram.com/p/DOd2hqkiCOS/
"
Thanks for this demonstration. It is the fragile thin coupling rods and the functionality these enable that I was commenting on in my review.
No, it does not feel like Lego at all. It would be simple and more appealing if it's micro scale build
I don't mind the matte finish. It makes it stand out from the other pieces in the set. It's kind of like the minifig-universe version of the old Lego wooden toys. Which happens to be what two of the four 3D-printed items they've made are based on, so maybe that is intentional.
I'm not sure what the process is like for producing this kind of 3D-printed piece, but I have to imagine it takes quite a bit longer than injection-molding, so it's not like they're going to switch to all 3D printing anytime soon.
Forget 3D prints, we want 2D prints (not stickers)
@WilsonPark said:
"I don't mind the matte finish. It makes it stand out from the other pieces in the set. It's kind of like the minifig-universe version of the old Lego wooden toys. Which happens to be what two of the four 3D-printed items they've made are based on, so maybe that is intentional.
I'm not sure what the process is like for producing this kind of 3D-printed piece, but I have to imagine it takes quite a bit longer than injection-molding, so it's not like they're going to switch to all 3D printing anytime soon. "
I was just talking about this with a member of my LUG who has professional experience with 3D printing. He said SLS uses a cube-shaped enclosure to print. A layer of powder is laid down on the bed, and a laser is used to briefly heat it up, causing any affected material to fuse together. Then another layer is added, and the process repeats until the program is complete. Because the print space is a cube, you could probably get a couple hundred of these per layer, and several layers deep, so potentially thousands could be produced with a single print run (how long that would take, I don’t know). Then they go through what, to me, sounded like a chemical annealing process, where they’d put all the parts in a chamber and pump in some acetone vapor to soften and smooth the exposed surfaces of the parts. After that, they’d have to be given time to vent any remaining solvent fumes, before being sent to packaging where they’d be placed in those protective boxes.
The print process could indeed be very long, but the massive output capacity would help offset that. They also aren’t investing seven figures in an injection-molding tool, so that would help offset any cost increase caused by production time.
Whether or not it’s intentional that these items look like wooden objects, there is one problem with that theory, which is that they’ll pretty quickly run out of subject matter that has any sort of significance to the company’s history. Besides the duck and the train, I can’t recall ever hearing about any other wooden toys they made (unless the extra coat of paint story did not refer to a train).
Of course there's no reason why this should look like real Lego. It's not for us... It's a present for the minifigures.
@PurpleDave said:
" @WilsonPark said:
"I don't mind the matte finish. It makes it stand out from the other pieces in the set. It's kind of like the minifig-universe version of the old Lego wooden toys. Which happens to be what two of the four 3D-printed items they've made are based on, so maybe that is intentional.
I'm not sure what the process is like for producing this kind of 3D-printed piece, but I have to imagine it takes quite a bit longer than injection-molding, so it's not like they're going to switch to all 3D printing anytime soon. "
I was just talking about this with a member of my LUG who has professional experience with 3D printing. He said SLS uses a cube-shaped enclosure to print. A layer of powder is laid down on the bed, and a laser is used to briefly heat it up, causing any affected material to fuse together. Then another layer is added, and the process repeats until the program is complete. Because the print space is a cube, you could probably get a couple hundred of these per layer, and several layers deep, so potentially thousands could be produced with a single print run (how long that would take, I don’t know). Then they go through what, to me, sounded like a chemical annealing process, where they’d put all the parts in a chamber and pump in some acetone vapor to soften and smooth the exposed surfaces of the parts. After that, they’d have to be given time to vent any remaining solvent fumes, before being sent to packaging where they’d be placed in those protective boxes.
The print process could indeed be very long, but the massive output capacity would help offset that. They also aren’t investing seven figures in an injection-molding tool, so that would help offset any cost increase caused by production time.
Whether or not it’s intentional that these items look like wooden objects, there is one problem with that theory, which is that they’ll pretty quickly run out of subject matter that has any sort of significance to the company’s history. Besides the duck and the train, I can’t recall ever hearing about any other wooden toys they made (unless the extra coat of paint story did not refer to a train)."
wasn't the extra coat of paint story about the duck?
If I planned on buying 10361 I would replace it with a brick-built train, and relegate this to the deep dark bottom of a drawer.
Standalone it's an impressive piece of 3D-printing, but it's not LEGO to me.
@TheOtherMike:
If it wasn’t a train, I think it was a wagon. But I think it was a train. I dont recall ever hearing a story about a duck, other than that a wooden duck was probably their first toy (hence all the references).
Does it roll properly on the rail plates? It looks like the connecting rods would conflict with the studs.
@Norikins said:
"Does it roll properly on the rail plates? It looks like the connecting rods would conflict with the studs."
You are correct. The connecting rods conflict with the studs. I thought about having the "rails" upside down as a solution.
@FlagsNZ said:
" @Norikins said:
"Does it roll properly on the rail plates? It looks like the connecting rods would conflict with the studs."
You are correct. The connecting rods conflict with the studs. I thought about having the "rails" upside down as a solution."
I mean, you've got the wheels down in troughs, so the whole design makes no sense when you really think about it. Problem is, I'm not sure what solution would actually result in raised rails below the wheels. Best I can think of is 1x panels sandwiching the tile in the center, with another pair of 1x panels nested on top of them. But that would make the rails one plate tall, and you'd still need to figure out a way to fill in the space on either side. This is far easier to model, helps sell the idea, and doesn't really matter too much if you're not planning to actually scoot the train around on them.
The 3D-printed pieces are a nice touch, especially as they can be working things one could not put together from separate parts at the same scale.
However, I won't be buying any sets just to collect them. 3D-printed pieces are the equivalent of a GWP, not "LEGO System", even if they do include rod-based attachments.
I would say to TLG "By all means include small gifts like this as long as they are low-cost but do stick to what you do well, bricks and Technic movement features in sets, and for goodness' sake sort out your electrical system offering as you're losing to 3rd-parties and competitors; keep it simple, affordable and versatile like 9V or PF and definitely expandable so we can extend it to what we want to build and exhibit to your future customers". I'd be happy to help as a professional control systems engineer.
Interesting to know how long it takes the printer to produce one of these (guessing 10 minutes), suggesting they would need 1000's of printers to have a million boxes ready for launch date.
At the moment probably making a lose on including this compared to a brick built mini-train, so maybe the publicity and additional sales will make it worthwhile even if it upsets the purists.
Excellently detailed review!
@Troncity1 said:
"There is potential, I just hope pieces aren't expensive to produce, therefore increasing set prices or PAB costs. Also, if these break, I'm curious if there is a replacement available or not.
It would be interesting to get a 3D printed 3D printer piece.
Possibly some potential for 3D printed Star Wars elements, Speed Champion elements.
Whether or not someone at Lego is looking at what pieces are difficult to produce the normal way and looking at how 3D printing can solve that issue, I do not know.
They already have a diverse range of system bricks now, and it's ever-growing still, so I imagine these 3D printed pieces will be quite niche until they figure out what the balance is between system bricks and 3D printed pieces.
I can imagine them inserting a 3D printed element into multiple sets from a theme as some kind of collect them all series.
I'm looking forward to seeing what gets produced and whether it's adaptable. "
I can't imagine how much more prone to cracking 3D printed pieces are. Also - 3D printed helmet holes!!!!!
@ambr said:
"Interesting to know how long it takes the printer to produce one of these (guessing 10 minutes), suggesting they would need 1000's of printers to have a million boxes ready for launch date."
They are produced on an SLS machine and I suspect one can print thousands of them at once, but even so they'll take much longer, and cost much more, to produce that injection moulded pieces.
@Maxbricks14 said:
"I hope 3D printed Lego ends here. It takes away the creativity of building Lego. It also takes away what separates Lego from other build block companies - using creative building techniques rather than producing a specific piece to solve the problem."
I'm fine with 3D printed parts as long as it's just little bonuses like this. But if they for example 3D printed a giant piece to use as the entire front half of a star wars ship, that would be bad.
It's interesting to note that all the connections are a single stud or bar/pin holes, and there are no anti studs underneath. I would venture to guess that the tolerances on 3D printing are such that having two adjacent studs may prove problematic.
@PurpleDave said:
" @TheOtherMike:
If it wasn’t a train, I think it was a wagon. But I think it was a train. I dont recall ever hearing a story about a duck, other than that a wooden duck was probably their first toy (hence all the references)."
Now that I think about, yeah, I think you're right. The story was a train.
The quality of 3D printed items in lego are of a poor quality. This train looks like a old Kinder Surprise toy that has been played with for ages, and then lost at sea and washed back to shore after 10 years of being exposed to the elements. I hope this will stop with this set.
@AustinPowers said:
" @CCC said:
" @yellowcastle said:
" @lordofdragonss said:
"This is a piece that will be sold for 100$ in 10 years"
Because
A) No one bought the set during its run
2) All the pieces bought and played with were broken/lost
3) It was the last new LEGO “piece” developed before they made the brand online only in 2026"
I imagine this set will sell very well. It has the first 3D printed part in a retail set. And people will buy it so they have the set that contains the first retail 3D printed part."
Maybe LEGO had a hunch that the set itself wasn't their greatest effort at a holiday train, and decided to add this piece to make more people interested in the set. "
My guess is that is how they are trying to justify a 99.99 USD set being 129.99 USD set
Thanks. I hate it.