3D Printing is a relatively new innovation that has gained popularity over recent years as it has become more affordable for the home hobbyist/enthusiast. However, Dalek parts were being produced by this process as early as 2005. The plungers and eyestalks on some of the screen used New Series Daleks built around that time were produced using 3D printing.

The 3D printing process can be used to create Dalek parts to any scale. Pictured below is a scale Renegade Dalek kit, designed by Forum Moderator 'Audrey2'. This can be 3D printed and assembled into a finished scale model.

Audrey2 (Edward) says, "I ended up modifying quite a lot of the pieces so they now all fit together and print really well. It's a great balance between detail and ease of construction. So I have no doubt that any member of Project Dalek would be able to assemble it".

Forum members can download the files here.

These days, this technology is no longer limited to being used solely by industry professionals and most people can get their hands on a reasonable 3D printer for a relatively small outlay. The quality of the prints often reflects the level of investment in the kit, but good results are possible, even on low-end machines.

With the above in mind, Project Dalek members have embraced the 3D printing process and have produced a myriad of useful files that can be downloaded from the Project Dalek Forum. These files can be used to print numerous Dalek parts including plungers, eyeballs, domelights and gun bezels. There are also some useful internal parts available, such as eye pivot brackets, servo mountings and even a 3D printable working iris.

It is now also possible to 3D print some of the larger Dalek sections, such as the dome, the shoulders and the fender. These are printed in small sections which are then assembled to form the final item. It is only a matter of time before it will be possible to print the largest section, the skirt. At this point, it will be theoretically possible to print a whole full sized Dalek.

Along with the Renegade kit featured above, Project Dalek also holds a number of other scale Dalek files, for those who don't have room to print the full sized item. All of these files are available for fee, to members of the Project Dalek Forum.

Click on the image thumbnail to view a timelapse video of a scale Dalek being printed using a MakerBot Replicator 2, 3D printer.