If I had $10,000 to spend?

[dunginhawk]

So guys and gals... there hasnt been a really good discussion in a while on the higher end of the consumer market. I realize there is HIGh end, and then consumer, but this 10-15k price range is an interesting spot.

I try to re-invest about 30% of any profit I get from printing, and landed a large gig recently, so it may allow me to upgrade equipment again.

Is there any point in spending 10-15k vs the 3500 i have already in to my gmax (which is amazing)

What technologies are available at that price point?

Thank you in advance

[curious aardvark]

home sls machine - no question in my mind that's what i would get (until I remembered the arke lol).
http://sintratec.com/

It might also be worth looking at the papermache machines.

From a buisness point of view you can get a full on proper full colour 3d printer.

I think the mcor arke is around that price point.
http://mcortechnologies.com/3d-print...olour-printer/

Combine one of those with some 3d photo software and you've got a very nice sideline, full colour anything in fact.
The mcor models are surprisingly durable and feel more like a cast resin than paper mache.

Can't find an actual price online - but pretty sure it's in the 5-10,000 ballpark.

At the moment that kind of money can buy you some serious industrial grade gear at, not-quite industrial prices.
But yeah having seen the mcor develop over the last three tct shows. I'd have no problem at all in recommending one and buying one if I could afford it.
I don't know holw long it'll be before a full colour jet based machine hits the desktop. But until then the mcor is the only true full colour 3d printer under the $100,000 mark.

And you don't have any real design limitations either as you get the same benefits as sls, both in design and the ability to stack models in a printblock.
Yep the more I think about it, the more I come down on the side of the arke :-)

Ah ah - this article claims $5995 : http://3dprintingindustry.com/news/64028-64028/

[dunginhawk]

thanks aardvark. you always provide very good info.... I love the idea of the arke, but i dont know how practical it is for business use as far as what I do (at least today).
So I print a lot of petg, and industrial grade parts for manufacturing. INstead of custom injection molds, companies use my parts (which isnt shocking to anyone that they can use parts, just clarifying).
im not sure id have a huge market for parts made out of paper (even tho they are super sturdy).
it may however usher in a whole new side of printing, new business opportunities as well.

Edit the sintratec looks very interesting... thats more what I had in mind. the strength of the parts being nylong is crazy, however the resolution and the overall grainy look is a little dissapointing.. But man thats cool

[jfkansas]

If I had about 10000 to spend I would get one Fusion3D F400, and if not a second one of those would possibly look at a Mark Forged Mark 2. It just depends on what your market is and if you can sell the products coming off the Mark Forged.

I would hold off the SLA like Form Labs until the CLIP tech from Carbon3d ramps up. The materials science of the CLIP tech is worlds ahead of resin SLA.

[dunginhawk]

Yeah and I already have 2 resin based printers. Problem with those is not resolution. I am producing AMAZINGLY high quality parts, its just they arent production ready. No strength to them etc.
Ill take a look at those you mentioned.a

EDIT: scratch that.. I am not looking for another FDM printer.. I already have a gmax that I love and produce customer parts on. Im looking for SLS, or something at the next level. thank you tho

[jfkansas]

And if part size isn't a big concern don't discount having 4-5 FlashForge Rep 1 clones at your disposal. In 3d print production, multiple printers are valuable.

[dunginhawk]

If i wanted more FDM printers id just buy more Gmax 1.5xt+ Its the best printer ive ever owned. But im looking for a NON fdm printer. something that makes functional parts in a different way, like SLS, the sintratec is perfect, but needs finder powder for higher rez

[curious aardvark]

Well the thing with sls is that basically, they all look like that until they've had a little postprocessing. I presume its particles loosely attaching to the directly lasered bits via a bit of transmitted heat.

If you look around, they're oftem put through a ball mill or similiar vibration type polisher.

Far as i know the sintratec is currently the only destop sls machine in the price range.
There was a kickstarter a year or 2 back who were going to make a 10'000 metal sls machine. But heard nothing for quite some time.

With most of the commercial sls type machines the pist processing kit is larger and almost as expensive as the printers themselves.

[dunginhawk]

thats interesting aardvark... I do agree that post could help this a lot... perhaps a VERY fine sandblaster would get the job done.

I did find a couple higher priced printers that use a MUCH finer material, which causes less gritty look and feel. Look much better... not sure why you couldnt just use that material on the sintratec.

[curious aardvark]

probably no reason.

Although you'd need to find out if the same laser type and strength was used in the different machines.

Ask the sintratec guys :-)

Although a quick search does reveal:

Post processing a SLS prototyped parts usually consists of air blasting to remove excess particles.

Presumably finer particles would give a rougher initial finish as more particles would adhere. There's most likely a sweet spot between particle size and smoothness of finish. As well as cost of material and particle size.