Printer To Make Patterns From Drawings

Hi everyone. I am coming into this blind so please excuse any stupid questions I may ask but this certainly seems like the right place to be.

I know a bit about computers, built a few in the past, do a lot with photoshop, sony vegas and have built a few websites with dreamweaver (yes I know there is many other softwares out there). I know that does not make me an expert but hopefully it helps me a little in my travels towards printing in 3D.

I am looking for my first 3D printer and there seems to be millions of different types out there.
I am looking to buy one to enable me to make accurate things from 2d drawings which have measurements in inches. The drawings have a few angles of each component. The things I make will be used as patterns which I will use to then make cast iron moulds with which I will then machine down to perfect accuracy so although it does not need to be precise to the mm/inch it does need to be straight and level so to speak.

Is there a good system which combines fairly easy but detailed software and a good accurate printer which can make fairly large items. Say the items are 11" circular.

I do not expect there to be a printer which can make it by scanning the drawings in but going to ask anyway.... is there?

I do not have a budget but I was hoping for something around £1000 if possible. I have seen some up at £5k + and even £13K plus which is out of my reach.

Can I please have some guidance on this please. If my budget is too small then please say and I shall have to look at saving a bit more. It is not for commercial use, only my personal hobby and the patterns will only be used once.

Would it even be possible to do what I am asking?

Thanks

Okay so you want a build vlume of at least 12 inches x&y and you're in the uk - which makes life easier :-)

Extruding a 2d drawing into a 3d printable template is pretty straightforward. So yes it's doable.
£1000 should be plenty.

Next question - do you mind building it yourself ? That usually knocks acouple hundred quid off. But can give issues with the software (and hardware - but mostly on aself builds it's the software that seems to cause most issues).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/A601S-printe...0mm+3d+printer
Never heard of it - but big build volume.

Hmm struggling to find 12inch build - but here's aery nice 10x10x10 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Printrbot-...item1e9a1974c8
printr bot metal plus.

You can get reprap iprusa kits with 12 inch build - but I'm buggered if I can find one tonight.

Thank you Curious aardvark

I would prefer not to build if it would ensure a much smoother transition into 3D printing. If I were to have tons of problems such as software issues before even starting to design I may go bald altogether. If it were pretty straight forward I would certainly not have a problem with building.

I do not mind paying that little extra for the hassle free kit and do not mind paying a little extra for a well known or reliable machine.

I think it is a case of the bigger (build volume) the better but not cheaper the better. Colour I am not concerned with either as it will be put into a sand mould then removed and sat on a shelf or in a box.

I have looked at a ultimaker but there build volumes seem too small.

I may not need the full 11" straight away BUT I would prefer not to have to upgrade at a later stage if I can avoid it.
Thanks

If you are a beginner in 3D printing, I recommend you select a brand that offers good tech support : this is an important parameter.

I have the Metal + and it's a great machine. Printrbot support is really good too. Their products evolve and they provide (or sell, depending) upgrade kits.

Take into account that whatever printer you take, if it is a dual head this reduces the print volume.

As for the software, you can find open source solutions to :
- create STL files from Black& White pictures (the greyscale is turned into height) these are called lithopanes
- extrude DXF outlines to create STLs
- "slice" the STLs to create toolpaths for the printer and give the toolpaths to the printer.

For the last step though, I use and recommend simplify3D.

Also, regarding lithopanes and extruded DXF, you will find through trial and error that not all STL are (easily) printable.

I don't see tech support as an issue. 99 time out of a hundred you'll end up asking questions on a forum anyway.
And yeah I'd go with simplify 3d as well. it's about £80 - but does everything you'd ever want a slicer to do and a few other things besides. Plus it will take a 2d picture and turn it into an extruded 3d .stl file pretty easily.
Okay - what's your upper budget.

There are a couple of uk manufacturers, but can't recall any of them doing a 12inch build volume.
The standard is around 10.

I'll have another look.

don't know much about them, but the leapfrog hs is around 11inch
http://www.desktop3dprinter.com/3d-p...creatr-hs.html

Other than that you're realistically looking at an reprap iprusa kit - but I can't find any of them that size either. :-)

Depending on the shapes you want to mould in your patterns, you might be forced to make a multi-drawer mould. In that case, the 11inch dimension might not be relevant.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LambdaFF

Depending on the shapes you want to mould in your patterns, you might be forced to make a multi-drawer mould. In that case, the 11inch dimension might not be relevant.

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Exactly the point I was going to make. We are using this technique for carbon fiber casts.

Here is a good comparison chart listing printers by price and build volume. http://www.productchart.com/3d_printers/

It's more geared for the States but should help give you an idea on what models to look at.

Thanks all.

The comparison site is suggesting the Printrbot 1412 or the slightly smaller in depth FusionTech ideaPrinter F100L.


I completely agree with the multi part patterns. I am thinking along the lines of that anyway and the biggest part is double 11" at just over a foot. The actual height will only be 4" but diameter is the larger size part.
I was planning on splitting it in 2 with small notches or imprints so it can slot together.
I have not thought about splitting it any further into smaller parts. I may have to though but I was hoping to keep it as simple as possible.

Is the software available able to split a drawing in half pretty easily?

To split a model :
- If you draw using an engineering CAD soft : piece of cake.
- There has been a tuto on that topic for zbrush made for the form1 users.
- Other than that, it is no rocket science : cut at plane, paste or remove a cone. You could do it in meshmixer.

I have a 1412 : it's great, I posted a few things on the dedicated thread of this forum.

Thank you LambdaFF great post. I will have a good read over the weekend. I guess it would not hurt to start using the software to get an idea? Or do I need a printer to even design/use it?

Hi, you can download cura and meshmixer for free.
There is a lithopane code in Instructables site that uses Processing (free as well) : you can turn a greyscale picture into a stl model.
Then try and cut it in meshmixer.
Then "slice" it in Cura.
I think this last step will create a lot of questions : there's a lot of parameters to get familiar with.
You can play around a bit with this process but let's be honest you'll have to actually try and print to learn by trial and error the stuff that won't work and the go arounds.
Expect a little frustration at first. But we can help.

awesome thank you very much LambdaFF I have installed and I am having a play to get familiar with everything but yes you are right I need to be printing to have a real play around. I will update when its payday and going to order a printer.

Thanks everyone. Been a while now and the pattern idea dissapeared when the hobby went. I have however just ordered a Prusa i3 MK2 original so would love to know what the best software for that would be? Would Cura still be the best and easiest to use for a beginner?

yep, cura's a nice bit of work.
lots of features, easy to use and free :-)

I don't understand why you need a 3D printer to do this. If you need to make foundry forms for sandcasting, and you've already got a mill, why not just mill the patterns instead of printing them? Or machine the depressions in the cast iron directly? It does seem that you need some CAD software in any case, but it sounds like a CNC mill would work better for this project than a 3D printer.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

it will be available on amazon , ebay and aliexpress , You can check it , Thanks