Looking for a 3D printer for my company

[Water_for_Cats]

Hello,

I'm trying to start a 3D printing based specialty advertising company. I'm interested in 3D printing but not very knowledgeable about it and was hoping someone could point me in the right direction. For this I would ideally need a 3D printer that could print in a variety of materials and in multiply color. Also I don't know much about what software to use but I do have experience with photoshop. I would most likely be hiring someone to make the designs, teaching my self over time. My total budget is around 5k to 10k, but could be expanded. I'm looking to spend between 2k and 5k on the printer itself. Also any other tips or resources would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[awerby]

When you say you want to use "a variety of materials", what do you mean? Most of the hobby-level machines can print in a few different kinds of plastic, typically PLA and ABS. There are some fitted with paste extruders that can also handle clay-like materials, pastes, and soft foods like Nutella. But you won't find a printer in your price range that can do much more than that. However a computer-controlled CNC milling machine can deal with a lot more different materials, like wood, plastics, metals, etc. if you're willing to work subtractively rather than additively.

By "multiply color" do you mean multiple colors in the same piece, gradated as one fades into another? You can do that with most FFF printers by switching filament colors in the middle of a print. More advanced FFF machines with two or more extruders can alternate colors within a part by switching from one extruder to another. There are more expensive printers that can print in lots of colors and reproduce photos, etc. but they're out of your price range. You might consider using a service bureau if that's what you need to offer.

Photoshop is supposed to be verging into the 3D printing realm now, but I'm not sure how capable a 3D modeler it is at this point. You might want to look on my site for other software suitable for generating 3D models, like Z-brush, Geomagic Design, or Claytools.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

[Water_for_Cats]

Thank you for your in depth response. I'll clarify:

As far as materials, I'd like to be able to print (please excuse my lack proper terminology) hard plastics and flexible plastics (rubber?) in colors that range from completely transparent to completely opaque. Also it is very important that it can print with materials that are safe to consume food or liquids out of (not every item will need this property though). It would be a huge plus, but not necessary, if it could print materials that are metallic or metal, glass or glass-like, or biodegradable. The ability of paste and food printing would not be of much or any use. A CNC milling machine would be useful, I want to stick to 3D printing for now.

For colors (meant to type multiple not multiply, oops), I need something, like you said, with multiple extruders. I'm looking at a model from ORD Solutions that has five extruders. I was informed that it could print 15 different kinds of materials and has a very high printing resolution, which is also something I need from the printer. Do you think something like this would be ideal for my needs?

I will look into the software as well. I would assume if this is a possibility, it would be done in the software but, can you print at a crude and quick resolution for the parts of the item that aren't visible, while printing the outermost layer in the slower but highest resolution setting? I know with the model I'm looking at each extruder can have a unique nozzle size, if that would help with this. Essentially I want to print something that looks great but can be printed quickly.

[richardphat]

2 choice, either spend 30k+ industrial grade 3D printers.
Yet, you got to pay for crapload of money for proprietary filaments 100$ the kg

Or cheap home desktop printers such as Lulzbot/Ultimaker. The catch, low price, frequent maintenance and you need to learn by yourself.
With desktop printer (opened source) you can print flexible, metallish like, ABS, PLA, polycarbonate, wood type filament, nylon.
Note, I didn't use the words closed source, because of policy that void warranty in some case.

[awerby]

Thank you for your in depth response. I'll clarify:

As far as materials, I'd like to be able to print (please excuse my lack proper terminology) hard plastics and flexible plastics (rubber?) in colors that range from completely transparent to completely opaque.

[In the same part? The Form1+ is a relatively inexpensive SLA printer that can print with clear and opaque resins. But you need to choose one or the other for each part. The Objet printers from Stratasys are probably your best bet if you need a gradation from transparent to opaque in a single part. But these are not cheap at all, as Richard points out. ]

Also it is very important that it can print with materials that are safe to consume food or liquids out of (not every item will need this property though).

[That lets out most 3D printing materials, with the possible exception of PLA, which isn't particularly stable.]

It would be a huge plus, but not necessary, if it could print materials that are metallic or metal, glass or glass-like, or biodegradable.

[There are printers that can print in metals, but so far they cost hundred$ of thou$and$. The atomized metal powders they require aren't cheap either. Glass printers so far are only experimental; I don't know of any on the market. But PLA is supposed to be biodegradable, to some extent, anyway. ]

The ability of paste and food printing would not be of much or any use. A CNC milling machine would be useful, I want to stick to 3D printing for now.

For colors (meant to type multiple not multiply, oops), I need something, like you said, with multiple extruders. I'm looking at a model from ORD Solutions that has five extruders. I was informed that it could print 15 different kinds of materials and has a very high printing resolution, which is also something I need from the printer. Do you think something like this would be ideal for my needs?

[It's hard to say. That looks like an interesting machine, but how well it really works is questionable - with its 3-month "parts only" warranty it doesn't seem like the manufacturers have much faith in their workmanship or its longevity. They only have one fairly crude example of multi-color printing in the same piece, and while it looks like it can print colors discretely, it's certainly not doing photographic reproductions. Its products don't look like things I'd want to eat or drink from, and washing them effectively would be a problem, since it not only has all that surface for things to get caught in, but if it's PLA, it might start to biodegrade.]

I will look into the software as well. I would assume if this is a possibility, it would be done in the software but, can you print at a crude and quick resolution for the parts of the item that aren't visible, while printing the outermost layer in the slower but highest resolution setting?

[Some printers might support that, but I don't know of any off-hand. It wouldn't be done in the modeling software; the slicing software would have to accommodate that. ]

I know with the model I'm looking at each extruder can have a unique nozzle size, if that would help with this. Essentially I want to print something that looks great but can be printed quickly.

[Good luck with that. Normally, the quicker you print, the worse it's going to look.]

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com