Advice on 3D printing please - my Mini Media Centre design
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I'd like your advice on getting something 3D printed. I'd like to reproduce the computer case I designed for my Final Major Project:
http://workshop.thomthom.net/minimediacentre/final.html
The dimensions are 123x250x227 ( http://workshop.thomthom.net/minimediacentre/images/sketches/dimensions.png )
I still have the model I made, it even worked. But it was just vacuum formed styrene with a simple spray paint. Not something that is durable for real use. So it's been boxed up all these years.
But with the exciting progress of 3D printers and new materials I'd like to recreate the case with more solid material (as well as make proper mounts for the hardware as well as mechanism to lock the case together.)
So, is there any services that offer 3D prints of this size in sturdy materials, like ABS or similar for a price that isn't going to cost a kidney?
I'm thinking I'll reuse the chromed parts, at least the grille, because it was so much work to do - and that part is working ok.
Any ideas or suggestions are most welcome!
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Try i materialise. Great staff, friendly and good prices.
Here is their (vast) collection of materials (click display material examples for previews)
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Ah, I should have mentioned I've done some quick quotes there. With just the main body shape sans the feet and air-vents:
Polyamide: € 331.1
Prime Grey: € 434.16
ABS: € 755.3
Paintable Resing (Natrual white): € 266.7
Paintable Resing (Painted): € 396.9 -
Thom, those resins and Prime Grey are UV cured stereolithography, which means as time passes they tend to deteriorate. The materials that last are Polyamide and ABS. Between those two, polyamide is tough and flexible, while ABS is more brittle.
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more expensive than i thought it'd be
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How much is a sheet of bendy-mdf and some glue ?
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@d12dozr said:
Thom, those resins and Prime Grey are UV cured stereolithography, which means as time passes they tend to deteriorate. The materials that last are Polyamide and ABS. Between those two, polyamide is tough and flexible, while ABS is more brittle.
Yea, that's been my concern about the various 3D printing materials, that they're not fit to last. There will be heat from the hardware and there is also the issue of direct sunlight. That's why I've not used the prototype in styrene I made.
Polyamide is new to me. I've not used that. I'm more familiar with ABS, but not in context of 3D printing. I'm also wondering how the finish is here, as it appear to differ quite a bit.
And I suspect I need to paint it myself in order to get ther colour I want, and then it's also a matter of how these materials react to paint.
@olishea said:
more expensive than i thought it'd be
Ditto. I'd hoped the prices would have been somewhat cheaper by now.
@tig said:
How much is a sheet of bendy-mdf and some glue ?
Cost of production time?
I do have a model produced, but it took a very long time. I was hoping to be able to create with more stable materials in a reasonable quick time.
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That's expensive.
A block of wood CNC'd would be cheaper.
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@rich o brien said:
A block of wood CNC'd would be cheaper.
That and milling machines was how I made the first (and only) prototype.
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According to the number of pieces you want to produce I would choose more classic workflow like molding.
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@thomthom said:
Polyamide is new to me. I've not used that. I'm more familiar with ABS, but not in context of 3D printing. I'm also wondering how the finish is here, as it appear to differ quite a bit.
And I suspect I need to paint it myself in order to get ther colour I want, and then it's also a matter of how these materials react to paint.
Polymide is what I used for my 3D printed lamp.
Some people have made polyamide 3D printed guitars(pictures and video). Freedon of Creation sells lamps, shoes, and jewelery and furniture made with polyamide.
I think the best way to check out the material is to order something small like the samples available from Shapeways or i.materialise. Because the material is so porous, it is often dyed rather than painted, so that the color soaks all the way through.
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@d12dozr said:
Because the material is so porous, it is often dyed rather than painted, so that the color soaks all the way through.
hmm.. then it'll be somewhat matt then?
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Yes, somewhat matte. The red and white models here are polyamide - the red one is dyed(from Shapeways). The two translucent models are acrylic, similar to Shapeways FUD material.
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I remember Thomthom when you first posted this, the design still inspires me!
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