3D Printers - Are they practical yet?
technology·@tbaumer2·
0.000 HBD3D Printers - Are they practical yet?
<html> <h2>Some Background</h2> <p>3D printers allow us to prototype and/or manufacture our 3D designs. This post will primarily be targeting FDM (Fused deposition modeling) printing machines. These printers have some positive traits and some negative traits.</p> <h3>Positives:</h3> <ul> <li>Can print in many different types of plastic</li> <li>Cost effective (notice I did not say cheap)</li> <li>Great for “form and fit” prototyping</li> <li>Ex: design and print a phone case - if you use the correct dimensions, it will most likely fit on the phone.</li> </ul> <h3>Negatives:</h3> <ul> <li>No high-definition prints</li> <li>Printing tolerance of +/- 1mm</li> <li>Due to this - print layers are visible</li> <li>Overhangs on printing need support material to print without warping</li> <li>Weak in the Z-axis</li> <li>Potentially expensive</li> </ul> <p><img src="https://3dprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/311.png" width="977" height="481"/></p> <h2>Now that we have some background knowledge, let’s get back to the question: Are 3D printers practical yet?</h2> <h3>For Businesses - Yes</h3> <p>A 3D printer (at this time) is primarily used to print prototype 3D models. In a business, using 3D printers for design prototyping would be an incredible idea. For a good, reliable printer, we have to remember that you get what you pay for. If you go into an investment not wanting to spend more than $1000, you will most likely get a printer that is not the best quality. A good printer can run you from 1000 - 7000 dollars.</p> <p><img src="http://www.edisonmuckers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/MakerBot-Replicator-2.jpg"/></p> <h3>For Personal Use - Potentially</h3> <p>For personal use, a 3D printer may not be the best option for you if you don’t have the money to spend and/or a practical use. One great alternative to buying a 3D printer is <a href="https://www.3dhubs.com">3D Hubs</a>. With this service, you can send in your 3D model that you want printed. You can pick a “hub” to print your model and the model will be printed and sent to your doorstep! For me, this is this best option. The only reason I would consider purchasing a printer would be if I wanted to open my own hub.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Sources</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://3dprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/311.png">Source 1</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.edisonmuckers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/MakerBot-Replicator-2.jpg">Source 2</a></li> </ul> </html>
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