Where are we with 3D printers now?

[David perry 1]

My children, young men really, and I all avidly build model planes. We have rather reached the stage where a 3D printer enters the conversation more and more and I feel I ought to probably spring the cash this christmas and buy us a joint prezzy of an additive printer. They use and have used them at school, my youngest young man (16) can work all the software and CAD stuff, the others can design what they want. Between them they can do it all...we just need the printer at home now and then I can join in too.

I know some people here use them but there are no threads later than a year ago, and thats a long time. So,...users and aficionados of 3D printers...where are we and what should I go for? Sensible working mans budget please!

David

[Phil 9]

Posted by David perry 1 on 07/09/2016 12:22:51:

Sensible working mans budget please!

David

I think that maybe a problem. it is still very young technology so anything of a good standard is going to be expensive

[Andy Meade]

David,

Excellent quality is not as expensive as it was 3 or so years ago.

Here is a great Prusa that is very much worth the money, and would see you through many projects. I use an Up Plus 2, which is a great printer, and is very easy to use. Filament is very cheap these days - I'm paying £22 for a kilo of ABS currently.

Being able to steer at least a semi decent 3d modeller (I've used Solidworks for the past 13 years professionally) is to me a must, as not everything you find for free on the net will suffice.

Here is a great resource for free items to print.

Any questions, please fire away. My printer is pretty much in use every day printing items for other modellers, or myself.

[Colin Leighfield]

I've been looking at this for a while now and as soon as I'm confident enough will buy one. I want to be sure about the software side of it working with Mac, not Windows. I have been offered some support from acquaintances at one of the technical colleges shortly and will draw conclusions after that. I've already drawn up my first project.

Edited By Colin Leighfield on 07/09/2016 13:54:03

[Andy Meade]

For sure, the "Smart UP" software is compatible with Macs. I know the more generic "slicer" software (Cura and slic3r) are fully compatible with Macs too, so you shouldn't come unstuck

[Colin Leighfield]

Thanks for the info Andy, appreciated.

[Allan Bennett]

My only experience with 3D printed components is a little housing I bought for the flight controller on my quad. It does the job, but it isn't very strong -- it was easy to break between layers. So, within the constraint of a "sensible working mans budget", what choice do we have of materials to use in these devices?

[Andy Meade]

The most common materials are PLA and ABS, both of which should be more than strong enough for your application Allan My guess would be that the part has been printed quite hollow with little interior structure. This is one of the great things about 3D printing - if you need to, parts can be printed solid (heavy but strong) or in various degrees of "infill" for differing strengths and load handling.

There are some specialist ones, like ninjaflex, which can be used to create rubbery grommets or housings.

The route I take next with printing will be a lower melting point filament, so that can then print complex shapes to be used like a lost wax or foam part in a sand casting with aluminium.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Allan Bennett]

Posted by Andy Meade on 09/09/2016 11:56:38:

The most common materials are PLA and ABS, both of which should be more than strong enough for your application Allan My guess would be that the part has been printed quite hollow with little interior structure. This is one of the great things about 3D printing - if you need to, parts can be printed solid (heavy but strong) or in various degrees of "infill" for differing strengths and load handling.

There are some specialist ones, like ninjaflex, which can be used to create rubbery grommets or housings.

The route I take next with printing will be a lower melting point filament, so that can then print complex shapes to be used like a lost wax or foam part in a sand casting with aluminium.

My printed box is adequate for its purpose, but I'm seeing people talking about printing a whole model plane, which would certainly fall apart if made to the same standard as my box. I got the impression with my item that the issue was more to do with the adhesion of the filament that's being laid down, to the previous layer. How does lower melting point affect this?

3D printing, of course, makes perfect sense for production of moulds, so the actual object can then be moulded or cast in some more-durable material.

[Allan Bowker]

Purchased mine from here: Technology Outlet

Ready built, UK company, tech support provided and a 1 year warranty.
Printer also features a heated bed as standard, I'm a very happy customer, arrived next day too!

Download 3D models from Thigiverse or Easily design your own using free software like TinkerCAD

I'm finding best results are produced from Cura at the moment when slicing your model into layer GCode.

[David perry 1]

Great tips
Thanks
D

[David perry 1]

Wow. I've just looked at the Prusa and that seems very impressive.

Out of the two , prusa and up, which would be the better. How does one determine the good from the bad? Only by reviews I guess

D

[David perry 1]

I'm a bit confused now aboutvthe Up+2

The reviews on 3d hub say it only prints abs but the website says it also will use pla. Is the pla an optional head or are the reviews old?

The reviews also state material supply is an issue...do up+2. Users have to buy plastic from the maker?

Must say i like the idea of building the prusa but the quality of the up seems undeniable

D

[Ian Jones]

I have the Malyan 180 (from Hobby King and others). There's a lot to learn and the biggest obstacle I'm up against is getting ABS to stick to the heated bed.

I've tried coating PVA on the bed tape that comes with the printer, kapton tape, kapton tape with PVA coating, bed temps from 80c to 120c, floats and extended borders (forget the correct term at the moment).

I'm using ABS because it has a higher melting point, don't want anything distorting in the sun (see October RCM&E for an example of this happening).

The image below shows a double glazing window lifting wedge at the top. I can't get more of these for love nor money so it's a prectical test peice and the first test using PLA is shown below. I don't have an image using ABS but the problem I'm have is that the left and right sides (as you look at the image below) lift of the bed and curl up.

If I could put a stop to that then I think I would be able to make huge amounts of progress and suggest that 3D printing will soon be a very significant part of modelling. Suggestions welcome (in another thread? Don't want to go off topic on this one.).

Ian

(sorry about the image quality )

Edited By Ian Jones on 10/09/2016 11:39:36

[Frank Skilbeck]

There's also this from Sarik, which they had running on the Traplet stand at several shows this year. I've seen some model parts, dummy engines, machine guns etc made on it and they are very nice.

I also got a 3D printed pilots head from Real Model Pilots and that was very good too, but I don't know what 3D printer they use.

[Allan Bowker]

Ian, when printing with ABS, try some of this on your bed, works well for me.

David, generally speaking, most printers will print with any filament, however the manufacturers will only recommend you use their own branded material (this is where they make the profit!).

The UP+2 is an enclosed printer and will do a good job with higher temperature filaments. Keeping the enclosure warm helps stop ABS shrinking, with PLA it doesn’t matter as it’s such a relatively low temperature material.

Choosing a printer depends on what you’re going to print and at what resolution/quality of a print you expect.
For example the Wanhao Duplicator i3 is an amazing starter printer for £289 delivered. The included heated bed and print quality you can get is amazing for such a cheap printer, where as something like the upbox is expensive but you get a nice enclosure and its quiet, which is great for ABS and Ninjaflex type filaments.

While the Wanhao is a bit noisy and not enclosed it doesn’t mean it won’t print ABS or Ninjaflex, as I said at the start, generally any printer, any filament.

[Ian Jones]

Posted by Allan Bowker on 12/09/2016 10:48:56:

Ian, when printing with ABS, try some of this on your bed, works well for me.

......etc.

Thanks Allan, that looks like just the answer I was looking for, ordered some.

Think I'll try another question... one of the head cooling fans has shed a blade, I expect the rest will follow, anyone know where I can get another one?.......... Allan?

[Allan Bowker]

A quick Google didn't return any spares for the Malyan 180 (I checked HobbyKing & BangGood too).

They look like standard DC brushless case fans, so should be easy to replace.
I'm guessing 30mm?

Looking on eBay you can get '30mm case fans' from £1 (or £3 for UK stock).

[Bob Burton]

Posted by Ian Jones on 12/09/2016 11:37:37:

Posted by Allan Bowker on 12/09/2016 10:48:56:

Ian, when printing with ABS, try some of this on your bed, works well for me.

......etc.

Thanks Allan, that looks like just the answer I was looking for, ordered some.

Think I'll try another question... one of the head cooling fans has shed a blade, I expect the rest will follow, anyone know where I can get another one?.......... Allan?

Another fan ?

The obvious answer surely, is to print one

[Allan Bowker]

3D printing has some development to go before replacing injection moulding.

[Ian Jones]

Posted by Allan Bowker on 12/09/2016 12:18:29:

A quick Google didn't return any spares for the Malyan 180 (I checked HobbyKing & BangGood too).

They look like standard DC brushless case fans, so should be easy to replace.
I'm guessing 30mm?

Looking on eBay you can get '30mm case fans' from £1 (or £3 for UK stock).

Thanks Allan, good idea, I'll look into that.

Posted by Bob Burton on 12/09/2016 12:45:19:

Posted by Ian Jones on 12/09/2016 11:37:37:

Posted by Allan Bowker on 12/09/2016 10:48:56:

Ian, when printing with ABS, try some of this on your bed, works well for me.

......etc.

Thanks Allan, that looks like just the answer I was looking for, ordered some.

Think I'll try another question... one of the head cooling fans has shed a blade, I expect the rest will follow, anyone know where I can get another one?.......... Allan?

Another fan ?

The obvious answer surely, is to print one

Ah back to the original question, where are we with 3D printers now? Well for me, I'm far too inexperienced even if the printer could do it. , one day though perhaps .

[Ian Jones]

Posted by Allan Bowker on 12/09/2016 13:33:25:

3D printing has some development to go before replacing injection moulding.

Good point. Tanks for all you help.

Should we have a 3D printer knowledge base section  in this forum do you think, covering this thread and other threads for techniques, materials and machines?

Edited By Ian Jones on 12/09/2016 14:25:26

Edited By Ian Jones on 12/09/2016 14:25:58

[Allan Bennett]

Coincidentally, one of our club members showed me some XT60 plug caps (green and red "full" and "empty" ones) that he'd made with his new 3D printer, and I was very impressed. Compared to the items I mentioned in my earlier thread, they were much smoother and, most importantly, could withstand the stresses of fitting them onto and removing them from the XT60 plugs, onto which they were quite a snug fit. I can't remember what machine he said it was, but he did say he was using PLA at low temperature.

[Ian Jones]

Thanks to Allen I now have a replacement fan and 3DLAC anti warping spray, time to get going again!

Incidently there is another recent thread running: http://www.modelflying.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=67498&p=4