Harry Harris wrote:
I know next to nothing about 3D printing in commercial terms. Does anyone know how much it would cost to have one of these printed?
Harry
Harry, if you have the files, you can go to sites such as
https://treatstock.com and get quotes.
Bear in mind bigger files will need to be sliced. Larger file sizes (bigger than 8 inches) make for steeper costs. This is due to the fact that large format printers which are beyond 500mmx500mmx500mm (Creality's CR-10 is this size print area) are commercial/industrial grade and used to prototype expensive parts so larger than that size and you will pay a high premium. The easiest way is to do it with autocad's Meshmixer. I am still learning how to use that software but it seems to have the smallest amount of cpu load and memory usage.
As far as finishing.
https://smoothon.com has a product called XTC-3D which is a low tack thin setting resin specifically made for PLA and other 3d-printed materials to remove lines and smooth things on. Other folks use straight resin, bonds or other products to seal it.
Typically to piece together the pieces you use superglue. satellite city's two part product has worked well for me.
Once sealed and assembled finishing is just like any resin or other prop material.
The PLA printing material is a corn based product and it has to be sealed once finished otherwise it comes apart. ABS is a better material but it is very difficult to get the right controlled environment to get consistant prints and is a more expensive material to use.
Larger pieces can take many hours to print sometimes days if not a week or more.
The other factor is infill or how much material thickness exists inside the item at a given point. More infill equals more material consumption and a longer print, less infill means less time but more weakness. Full infill can make an item as heavy as a resin prop.
Another trick for rigidity is to pause printing and insert steel rods for strengthening.
There are also other materials you can use such as carbon fiber, titanium, and steel but the process, methods used, and costs are substantially increased plus the metallic printers start at 100k plus versus 800 for the creality CR-10 (a higher end 3-d printer with a huge print bed area.
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AKA: Simon
