# 3D Printing?



## rodbuilder (Feb 13, 2009)

Has anyone used one of these services, I have heard something around 1 cubic inch costs about $30. Anyone been involved with this?


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## rickharris (Feb 13, 2009)

AFAIK the parts will be plastic- this limits the applications. The demo I saw used plaster so only good for models.

In ABS the material costs are high and the machines costly resulting in high use costs. They are also very slow in operation.

Easier to make a model in wood or similar. if you need that or go direct to manufacturing.


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## Kermit (Feb 13, 2009)

There is a newer laser generated modeler. It produces the model a fraction of an inch at a time with a laser and can make pretty detailed structures. It uses some kind of polymer fluid that solidifies when hit by the lasers.

Maybe theres a google search phrase in there somewhere  :-\


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## Bernd (Feb 13, 2009)

Kermit  said:
			
		

> There is a newer laser generated modeler. It produces the model a fraction of an inch at a time with a laser and can make pretty detailed structures. It uses some kind of polymer fluid that solidifies when hit by the lasers.
> 
> Maybe theres a google search phrase in there somewhere :-\



Ya, do a search under Santa Claus machine. Rof} Rof}   (got that name from Don Lancaster)

Ok, serious for a moment here. I think "3D printing" would do it.

Bernd


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## Peter Neill (Feb 13, 2009)

Yup, been using it for more than 10 years - what do you need to know?

For info, here are some examples of parts from just 2 of the RP (Rapid Prototype) I have had made. Please note I am a user, not a maker.
The first pictures shows an SLA (Stereolithography) model, with the subsequent injection moulded part next to it.
SLA models use a laser to cure a liquid epoxy, in build layers of 0.1mm.

The second picture shows 2 SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) parts. 
SLS uses a laser too, but melts and fuses Nylon powder together, in build layers of around 0.3mm.

SLA produces fine, sharp, detail, but the parts are fragile.
SLS has much coarser detail and finish, but is as tough as old boots, and often used for low volume 'production' parts.















Peter


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## GailInNM (Feb 13, 2009)

There are several rapid prototyping methods. The additive process using UV lasers and resin is normally call "stereolithography".
If you do a Google search on stereolithography you will find lots of contract houses that do it. I have not used it personally, but my son has had several prototypes done that were in the 1X2X3 inch range for look and feel evaluation before carving metal and making extrusion dies. I don't remember the pricing for sure, but it seems he said they were in the 500 to 600 dollar range, but he was using a 48 hour turnaround service.

Normally you will need to provide a 3D CAD model with a SLA file output.

Gail in NM,USA


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## Kludge (Feb 13, 2009)

There is a home-built (actually started as a college project, IIRC) 3D printer made up using ink-jet technology that was fairly inexpensive and wound up open source - or the hardware equivelent thereof. Search under 'reprap' to find all the grisly details.

I found it when I was doing base research for the re-written science fiction novel and tucked it away most carefully so I could never find it again. It was by good fortune that I remembered the name so I can rebookmark it and lose track of this one as well.

Have fun.

BEst regards,

Kludge


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## shred (Feb 13, 2009)

There are powdered-metal sintering 3D printers now too. Mondo expensive and what you get sort of looks like it was made from metal sandstone in the ones I've seen.


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## te_gui (Feb 13, 2009)

Its a little crude, but I keep considering building a "Candyfab". Not great resolution but they can make some interesting shapes with their prototype
http://candyfab.org/

Its basically an XY plotter with a heat gun instead of a pen and a moving Z stage that makes things out of fused sugar. Its worth a look for a little different approach. Fun stuff!

Brian


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## GailInNM (Feb 14, 2009)

Something that has been in the news for about 2 years has been the desktop 3d printer in the link below. Price is about US$ 5000 but they still have not delivered any to end users that I know of. But, who knows, something like this might be in our future. 

http://www.desktopfactory.com/

Gail in NM,USA


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## b.lindsey (Feb 14, 2009)

Here in the engineering technology department we have two Stratysis 3-D printers that are used extensively in prototyping for senior design projects, as well as for some light duty fixturing. These are of the ABS extrusion type and one was recently upgraded to a higher strength material yielding results in the range of 85% of the strength of injection molded parts. Literally anything you can draw in solidworks or similar CAD programs and convert to an .stl file can be made including things that would be impossible to fabricate by other means. This technology has come down in price and continues to do so. Ours are now about 2 years old and originally cost $20K for the breakaway support version and $30K for the soluble support version. They are now offering an even smaller version for around $14K. Still well beyond the range of hobbyists for sure but these extrusion types of printers are far cleaner than most of the fused powder technologies and produce parts that are actually almost as usable as their injection molded counterparts. I do not know what the going rate is for having such work done outside but to clarify other comments...the direct material cost is more in the range of $5.00 per cubic inch. The model bases also run about $5.00 each but multiple parts can be built on one base at the same time to maximize base utilization. Depending on part size, run times vary widely from 30-45 minutes for small items to 10-20 hours for more sizable parts. Basically each part is sliced into .010" slices so a 1" thick part would require 100 separate layers to be laid down one on top of the other. In general however, run times are far less than it would take to fabricate by traditional machining techniques, especially when more complex shapes, curves, etc. are part of the design

Bill


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## Loose nut (Feb 14, 2009)

Gee, just think in 10 or 20 years when they get this technology perfected and a complete ready to go part is made, equal to a piece that was cast, forged or machined from bar stock, CNC will be obsolete and people who want to turn and mill things on those quaint old manual machines will be just a bunch of strange guys who spend a lot of time locked up in there shops. Oh, wait, it's to late we already are a bunch of strange guys who spend to much time in there shops.

The point is that this will be the end of many metal trades, parts will be drawn up in some type of automated futuristic virtual 3D cad computer and then fed directly into the printer and out comes the parts ready to go. More lost jobs and lost skills that will only be known to guys like us.

History is filled with lost skills and we are no beter for it.


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## Dhow Nunda wallah (Feb 20, 2009)

I knew I had it bookmarked somewhere, only took me an hour to find 

http://www.openrp.com/


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## Noitoen (Apr 19, 2009)

New type of machinist? :big: http://hackaday.com/2009/04/19/3d-printing-at-home/#more-10431


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## RapidZer (Feb 25, 2010)

I am not using my 3D printer these past 3 months because I am not at home these past months. I am going home this week I hope is not yet retarded and still can use. seo services


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## Dan Rowe (Feb 25, 2010)

I use Shapeways for RP work. The price for 1 cubic centimeter is $1.50 for nylon and the price for stainless steel is $10. This includes shipping to anywhere in the world. http://www.shapeways.com/

To get in instant quote simply upload a .stl file of a 3D part.
Dan


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## Noitoen (May 9, 2010)

Just received this link [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4Yq3glEyec]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4Yq3glEyec[/ame]


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## TarheelTom (May 10, 2010)

The current edition of "Digital Machinist" magazine features the Reprap machine on its cover. This particular machine was built by a high school student (who hangs out at MIT on Saturdays) from a kit. Kit cost was roughly $1000, his build time was about a year.

Machine uses a spool of plastic "wire" which feeds into the "print head", which is basically a heater, and melts and deposits the plastic. 150 dpi resolution, IIRC.

Tom


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