About parts on 3d printer

Alcides

Member
Well, well , I know isn't paper but the point is: Exist the possibility and just the possibility I can use a 3d printer in a couple of months.

I'm very exited about the possibility and of course I'm thinking to print some details for a card model but I don't know nothing about the characteristics of the plastic for 3d printers.

Can the parts be painted, sanded? Anyone has an idea about this? The printer is going to use PLA to print.
 
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Zathros

This will more than likely be possible. Sme of the new Krylong Paints will etch into plastic and can be used to paint plastic patio furniture, which is pretty impervious. These printeres do come with many colors available to them though. Is there any particular brand you have been looking at? I have been looking at this one in particular. They have a D.I.Y one and a "Ready to go" one coming soon:

http://www.makerbot.com/
This one starts at $1800 dollars U.S.

The Second Picture is already assembled it starts at $2199

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goodduck

Well-Known Member
Most 3d material can be paint and sand, all based on your end product need. Usually you run into 2 version. ZCorp and Dimension. Dimension use plastic injection. You can pick a solid color. It build model by drawing a very thin line. ZCorp build model by laying down a very thin layer of power resin one layer at a time and spray hardener on the each layers, and it can print in fun colors. And then you got Object printer that build with liquid translucent resin. And other I forgot the brand name but it can build soft rubber like model like tire that I build for my 1/6 HMMWV model. I use ZCorp a lot, sometime obj builder. Dimension print good stuff. For you fine detail need, I think Dimension printer is best, you can't print small stuff with ZCorp printer, the model will break. ZCorp good for big, solid model. Oh, ZCorp came out with a new printer and they said the finished model surface look and feel like plastic injection model. I have not try that printer yet, so I don't know.
 
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Zathros

There is also a printer that prints into a pplastic powder dust and binds it with heat from a laser. There are so many variations of the thing that to be honest, I would not invest the money until a better solution comes aloong. The times that ones of these machines takes to print out a 3" tall wine glass can be done in 4 minutes of a small metal lathe. For complex objects, then you have to ask yourself, are you going into the prototyping business? If you have disposable income, these can be fun to play with. If you are handy, for less money, you can build a better machine than you can buy, as far as being able to make a larger object, and it's precision relies on the parts you choose to use to put it together. Zero backlash screws will allow parts with accuracy in the microns. These machines, at anything under $5000 dollars are not quite ready for prime time.

If you do an extensive YouTube search, you will see machines creating sintered metal doors knobs, handles, and watch gears for really expensive watches. The best versions of these machines are the ones you build yourself, at this moment, if you have the equipment at your disposal to do such a thing and the electronics knowledge.

Any machines that relies on epoxy to put the plastic together will make parts that are extremely sensitive to heat. The ones that work by melting plastic lines will have a melting point of the plastic fed into it. The sintered metal machines are thrown into a blast oven and produce solid metal parts.
A Homemade unit;

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This is not new technology, but rapidly changing and evolving technology that could make people, individuals, take control of what they invent, and fundamentally change the way objects are made in this country. You can build these machines at home and use open source software and end up with a machine that is less expensive, and far more capable than the ready made one. That is, if you can build it, and this is nothing that is particularly difficult.

I have the equipment and know how to make these machines. I don't have the physical strength because of my Spinal Cord injury,nor the money, because of my disenfranchisement from the employment of the society I live in. I am unemployable due to my injuries. I do have all the equipment though. If I am lucky, I will either train my son to do this, or others, and maybe be able to make some machines for individuals on a cooperative level. It is possible. Production could be based on individuals in whatever country they are in, not on political nationalism, but rugged individualism. Just dreaming out loud. :)




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vbsargent

Member
I am going on the assumption that you mean that the printer will be using PLA (Poly Lactic Acid) as the printing medium as opposed to Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), or Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), both common in home 3d printers such as the Reprap and Makerbot series.

per this website: http://www.bitsfrombytes.com:8080/content/3d-printing-materials

"Finishing:After 3D printing you can finish your model by sanding and spraying with automotive spray filler. You can also paint directly onto PLA with acrylic paints."


Have a friend who has been into this for years who now works for Makerbot in NYC.



Good luck, let us know how your project worked out and what it is!
 
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Zathros

I think the sintered metal printers offer the best production capabilities for actual production use vs. prototyping. This unit cost $15,000 dollars, uses ABS, and is a really well thought out product. This is not a sintered metal printers, those go for around $60 to $120,000 dollars.

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