Anyone know anything about 3D printing?
Discussion
I know there's a plethora of knowledge on here so thought it as good a place as any to ask.
I need to create an item for an exhibition and I've had the brainwave of possibly 3D printing it. I work in flat design so I'd have thought it wouldn't be too much of a leap to create a 3D file but have little to no knowledge of the cost and process.
Can anyone tell me if it's cost effective yet? I know it's been around for a while but not sure if it's taken off.
It's basically an oversize version of an existing product, so another question would be - how large can you make items generally and is it a massive cost to go big. It'll be around 1 to 2 feet tall.
Cheers in advance
A.
I need to create an item for an exhibition and I've had the brainwave of possibly 3D printing it. I work in flat design so I'd have thought it wouldn't be too much of a leap to create a 3D file but have little to no knowledge of the cost and process.
Can anyone tell me if it's cost effective yet? I know it's been around for a while but not sure if it's taken off.
It's basically an oversize version of an existing product, so another question would be - how large can you make items generally and is it a massive cost to go big. It'll be around 1 to 2 feet tall.
Cheers in advance
A.
I only have experience with FDM printers (the type that eject plastic through a nozzle).
If you need a good finish I would avoid anybody who has a hobby grade machine and look for somebody/company who has a commercial grade machines. They are accurate and give a consistent surface finish.
Most companies can only quote using an actual CAD file, usually the preferred file type is 'STL' which can be imported directly into most programs.
Usually the cost is determined by cm2 of material used. If the part is big but mostly air then it wouldn't be too expensive, if it is a chunky, detailed part then it could be hundreds. Without seeing the part then it is currently guess work on the cost
Other factors that affect price:
If more than one colour is required.
If the part has many overhangs or roofs, for example the roof of a hole cannot be printed if there is nothing below it, therefore some machines also print a support material which can be removed after by hand or dissolved in a solution. This material is usually more expensive than model material.
I run a Commercial Grade Stratasys machine which has a print volume of 10" cubed, to print bigger than that on a commercial machine is going to be seriously expensive. My machine new was in the region of 30k!
If you need a good finish I would avoid anybody who has a hobby grade machine and look for somebody/company who has a commercial grade machines. They are accurate and give a consistent surface finish.
Most companies can only quote using an actual CAD file, usually the preferred file type is 'STL' which can be imported directly into most programs.
Usually the cost is determined by cm2 of material used. If the part is big but mostly air then it wouldn't be too expensive, if it is a chunky, detailed part then it could be hundreds. Without seeing the part then it is currently guess work on the cost
Other factors that affect price:
If more than one colour is required.
If the part has many overhangs or roofs, for example the roof of a hole cannot be printed if there is nothing below it, therefore some machines also print a support material which can be removed after by hand or dissolved in a solution. This material is usually more expensive than model material.
I run a Commercial Grade Stratasys machine which has a print volume of 10" cubed, to print bigger than that on a commercial machine is going to be seriously expensive. My machine new was in the region of 30k!
Edited by Mudgey on Monday 16th November 19:53
As with most things, it depends...
Generally though, size = cost as it is all down to the volume of what you are building. What you have described doesn't sound cheap to me. You can do stuff that size I think, but it will definitely limit material choice. There is also the option of building it in sections and joining it back together.
Generally though, size = cost as it is all down to the volume of what you are building. What you have described doesn't sound cheap to me. You can do stuff that size I think, but it will definitely limit material choice. There is also the option of building it in sections and joining it back together.
At that size it would generally need to be done in several parts and assembled somehow. There are many different types of printer out there which manufacture parts from materials ranging from plaster to titanium. If your model is a just demonstrating the form of something then having it printed in paster using a Z Corp style machine would be a good idea since the material is cheap and the machines are fast (so a fair bit cheaper than, say, FDM). You could actually build a hybrid assembly of parts made with a variety of techniques using different materials depending on what you're trying to prototype too.
Complicated parts make better value being 3d printed, large parts make better value being machined. Seomthing a couple of feet long will be expensive, either as a single part, or as multiple parts that you bond together. 3d printing is great, but it isn't quite what the papers make it out to be.
What are you looking at getting printed? What material are you looking at?
If you need an stl file I can help if it's not too complicated.
What are you looking at getting printed? What material are you looking at?
If you need an stl file I can help if it's not too complicated.
Cheers for the responses so far, much appreciated. It's beginning to sound a bit complicated to be honest as I admittedly don't even have a clue as to different types of modelling outside of 3D printing.
A pic would probably help.
It's basically an oversize of this suggestive looking item. Needs to be big enough to get a persons hand in the top blue bit (sounds a bit odd I know).
A pic would probably help.
It's basically an oversize of this suggestive looking item. Needs to be big enough to get a persons hand in the top blue bit (sounds a bit odd I know).
Sat here waiting for my castings to turn up, so thought I would model the item so you can get some quotations.
www.3trpd.co.uk/ I have used them on a Harrier simulator in the past, - Grainy / sugary prints but good prices.
Emailed the STL file too.
Hope it helps.
justinbaker said:
Sat here waiting for my castings to turn up, so thought I would model the item so you can get some quotations.
www.3trpd.co.uk/ I have used them on a Harrier simulator in the past, - Grainy / sugary prints but good prices.
Emailed the STL file too.
Hope it helps.
I've just sent it to the guys you mentioned above and it's come back at under a tenner for the part. Does that sound about right? Seems awfully cheap.
Alapeno said:
Cheers Justin, that's absolutely awesome, thanks for doing that for me
I've just sent it to the guys you mentioned above and it's come back at under a tenner for the part. Does that sound about right? Seems awfully cheap.
Doesn't sound right to me, especially with the part size mentioned previously. It'd cost that much to do the paperwork!I've just sent it to the guys you mentioned above and it's come back at under a tenner for the part. Does that sound about right? Seems awfully cheap.
That price will not be correct for a 1-2' print, maybe for 1-2"!
3t are a very good company with an impressive set up for SLS prints however I think for a 2' tall model of your product it would need to be printed in several parts. Bear in mind that SLS parts are hard to finish nicely (they are nylon so hard to sand and stick together).
I would be looking for a model maker such as Ogle http://www.oglemodels.com/ or Sponge Creative http://www.spongecreative.co.uk/ both of which I have used in the past with good results. You will be looking at a few hundred £ starting price...
3t are a very good company with an impressive set up for SLS prints however I think for a 2' tall model of your product it would need to be printed in several parts. Bear in mind that SLS parts are hard to finish nicely (they are nylon so hard to sand and stick together).
I would be looking for a model maker such as Ogle http://www.oglemodels.com/ or Sponge Creative http://www.spongecreative.co.uk/ both of which I have used in the past with good results. You will be looking at a few hundred £ starting price...
Alapeno said:
justinbaker said:
Sat here waiting for my castings to turn up, so thought I would model the item so you can get some quotations.
www.3trpd.co.uk/ I have used them on a Harrier simulator in the past, - Grainy / sugary prints but good prices.
Emailed the STL file too.
Hope it helps.
I've just sent it to the guys you mentioned above and it's come back at under a tenner for the part. Does that sound about right? Seems awfully cheap.
justinbaker said:
Sat here waiting for my castings to turn up, so thought I would model the item so you can get some quotations.
www.3trpd.co.uk/ I have used them on a Harrier simulator in the past, - Grainy / sugary prints but good prices.
Emailed the STL file too.
Hope it helps.
Do you know anyone that can do liquid flow analysis within Solidworks?
Cheers
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