3d printer advice for printing one side at least 360mm

[mlaustin]

Hi All,

I have something I would like to get printed, and I've sent it to some commercial 3d printers for quotes. The range came back between $300 and $800. So I thought maybe I can get my own 3d printer. That way if I have to make another part I have the means to do so. As the title says, it has to be 360mm on one side with the other side being at least 200mm. The z side could be 150mm give or take. I'd like it to have a fairly high resolution (maybe 100 microns). I have a Mac but have Windows and Linux VM's for running the software. I figure a price point of around $800 give or take. I don't mind building and sourcing it myself if that is the best option. There is so much info out there that I found it overwhelming on my own. So I'm hoping I can get some advice here. What printer would serve me best?

Mark

[richardphat]

Hi Mark, that 360mm is around 14.5inch which is really wide. The closest is the delta with 280-305mm in diameter. Does it have to be printed in one parts?
Can it be assembled instead?

We have a guy from last week that was designing his own 3D printer which is meant for really large build. Let me find it for you so you might contact him.

EDIT
Here's the link to the thread. Also, check the the video aard has linked.
http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...odel-images%29

[Dargonfly]

Can you print it 'long-side-up' or diagonally? This would allow some other printer to perhaps do the trick.
And like Richard mentioned: assembling afterwards will allow almost any printer to do the trick.

By the way, do you have a material in mind? ABS, PLA, something else?
Any other information you can give about the part will be useful too (shape, usage, surface-finish)

[mlaustin]

I've tried a service with the last part I had made. It was inexpensive. It was cut into 3 pieces and fused together. It didn't look so great at the fused points. Perhaps there is a better way to do the fusing. I wouldn't say I am against it if it could look like it's not fused. The part is 360x180x10 mm or a low profile rectangle with grooves in it. I don't think I can print up or diagonally. I would like ABS, and it would be nice if I could also print in PLA. The part would need to be a smooth finish, and its use is in the kitchen.

I'll check out that link posted.

[awerby]

That's a large part for 3D printing, which is why only the commercial service bureaus can handle it. Some parts work okay if pieced together, others not so much. But a printer able to produce a 14" part is going to be expensive. Are you sure 3D printing is the only way to produce it? What about CNC carving? It's not a particularly large part for that process, and your surfaces and materials choice will be better. You can get CNC routers that size for a lot less than 3D printers that size.


Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

[mlaustin]

awerby, thanks for that tip. I never new that was another option. It might even be pretty cheap as a service and more detailed for a part of that size. Let me look into that.

[mlaustin]

CNC routing is probably not an option. Most of the services companies have a high minimum order, at least the ones I've seen. I can't justify buying my own because I doubt I would use it for anything more than this project. What suggestions would you have for a 3d printer that can split this into two parts?

[jimc]

even if you did find a printer to print that big, printing anything large like that is going to give you trouble with warping. even in pla it might be an issue. normally you would always design the parts in sections to be assembled. you should be able to solvent bond the plastic making it really clean.

[richardphat]

It's your lucky day.

http://3dprint.com/19205/gcreate-gmax-1-5/
Nice thing with those, you can swap nozzle for optimizing print time.