A 3D Printer for the CPF community?

[ahorton]

Those are some fun ideas Starhalo.

Realistically though, I suspect the accuracy won't quite be good enough for pretty trinkets. Layers of 0.1-0.2mm are very small and no problem for functional parts, but they are surprisingly visible. Of course I'll certainly try such things.


The repraps are pretty good and they can be had for about $500 + a lot of work. Then there are a few kits of various qualities up to $2500 and then you enter the bottom of the commercial market and go from $3000 upwards.

I don't think there's enough interest (or application) here for me to justify the $3K machines but I'm also not going to go bottom of the range.


Exciting idea:

For about $1500-$2000 I have in mind a machine that can also handle extremely light milling. Of course we're talking extremely light duty. Less than 1mm^3/s for aluminium, so it takes at least 8 hours (probably even double that) to mill out a cavity for an 18650 cell. Not fast, but if it's CNC then I'm hoping to just walk away and let it be. Also, the accuracy on the milling is much better than the printing. So you could make trinkets that way. I'm more thinking of making PCBs since I hate making them by hand and every other option costs a fortune (either in time or money).

Yes that's right. I'm willing to spend $1500 on a printer to save $50 on professionally made PCBs.

[Th232]

So more of a CNC router then?

[ahorton]

Yeah pretty much. A very slow one.

Much faster as a printer (40-50 mm^3/s).

[Blindasabat]

I voted probably, though I would likely order at least one or two parts at that price. I will need at least one bike helmet light bracket and possibly a bike part.
Another idea: it is possible to make plastic light bodies with a copper or brass strip up the side like a multitude of plastic flashlights in stores.

[ahorton]

It is certainly possible to make a plastic body and then bend the copper strip and fit it in.

[StarHalo]

I lost a couple of hours of my life last night on Shapeways; much like Cafepress where you can send in a design and they'll print it on demand for sale on a wide range of products, Shapeways allows 3D creators to upload their designs which are then 3D printed on demand for sale, usually available shaped from a wide range of materials. Artwork, jewelry, toy/game pieces, mechanical parts, etc. are all featured.*Beware: just browsing the site is a serious time-waster..

[ahorton]

Yeah Shapeways is excellent. I've ordered from them several times.

I still want to buy my own because it'll cut down the cost (in the long run) as well as the time delay.

Also their cheaper materials are a semi-porous nylon which is not much good for waterproof applications like battery cases.

[CarpentryHero]

I think it's a great idea, it'd be great for anti roll devises and difuser caps.

+1 for the cr2 battery holder

[Mattaus]

Also be good to use it for the creation of highly customized battery adapters. Could use the cavity to store all sorts of goodies.

[CKOD]

What sort of machine are we talking? FDM? SLA? SLS? Heat from use may be an issue for the cheap FDM machines that everyone is all worked up over online lately, despite them not being too terribly useful (low strength, low heat tolerance, low z resolution, porus etc...). but given your mention of 0.3-0.1mm z resolution, I suspect its not FDM

[subwoofer]

This is a very cool idea and a good way of justifying investing in a nice machine (but do you really need us to justify it for you?).

Personally, I don't have any immediate requirements, but who knows.

My main issues would be:

Having to learn the required CAD package and 3D modelling
The mechanical properties of the material - what are they and how does the printing affect their performance?
The statement about you having free use of our designs. (this may be ok for private use by agreement, but not as a basic rule)

However, as my Master's degree in engineering involved making a 'rapid prototyping' machine using 'fusion deposition', I want to do more 3D printing!!! The green monster is lurking.

[ahorton]

I decided a while ago that there wasn't really any call for a community 3D printer. The demand is low enough that you might as well use shapeways for one-offs. I still want to get one myself, but the tech just keeps getting better. Everytime I consider it, another jump seems to happen.

The machine I really want is the titanium printer in the lab down the hall from me. It prints new bones for people.

[carl20]

I've been toying with the idea of building my own 3D printer, a reprap (google it, they are pretty neat). They can print using ABS, or PLA. Tolerances are not as good as commercial machines, but they can be built for ~$500 or so, vs $15-20k for a proper commercial machine.

http://www.inkjetsuperstore.com/canon-pg210xl-remanufactured-inkjet-cartridge
was able to read the reprap blog, now i am just so excited to build my own.. just waiting for that budget..

[StarHalo]

Hoooo boy, now we're getting somewhere: 3D Printed Optics - lights and lenses:

[EZO]

Today at SXSW, Makerbot introduced the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner. The company says, ""With the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner, now everyone will be able to scan a physical item, digitize it, and print it in 3D – with little or no design experience."

This has already been done in industrial settings and in the making of medical implants but it could really change things in the world of Desktop 3D printing.

It is still in prototype but the Digitizer should be available soon.

[StarHalo]

It's a rat!



A rat skeleton, not remarkable in that sense, except it's 3D printed - from a rat that is still alive and unharmed. CT scan data was used to create the model of the rat's skeleton and then print it out; this means any internal anatomy can be copied and printed at will - parts for anatomy classes, practice models for difficult tumor removal, etc.