Help needed with ....well everything

[Andywerk]

Hi All

I have been doing 3d modeling for a few years in sketchup and tried recently to get a small sample 3d printed. Below is part of the email i got back for the printer,





The detail on it is far too fine, especially for the right side of the barrel (the ones without the screw heads) Also, this wouldn’t be an easy straightforward print, and would require a fair bit of support design around the object so that it won’t come out as a mess. If you need the resolution and shape as provided, the best bet would be to outsource it out to a company that has a selective laser sintering printer. A stereolithographic printer might also do the job.


also said was

"....on what we can realistically achieve with our printer, which is a “Fused Deposition Modelling” printer."The file I send was for a small science fiction wheel for my own hobby needs about 50mm long by 20mm in diameter

All I would like to know is the differences between the 3 different printers he has mentioned


Thanks
Andywerk

[curious aardvark]

got a copy of the model ?

And probably best for someone to move this thread into the general section as I can't see any gifts being given away.

printer types:

laser sintering. Uses layers of either plastic powder (usually nylon) or metal powders that are fused together with a laser. As the model is usually constructed inside a solid block of unfused powder you can print pretty much anything without supports needed for overhangs or parts of the model that are unconnected above the first layer.

Stereolithography: uses a liquid resin that is set by a ultraviolet laser. Similiar to sintering, but without the advantage of supportless prints. sla can, however, do really fine detail.

FFF - fused filament fabrication. Uses melted plastic built up in very thin layers to make the model.

Here's a webpage with pictures and a bit more indepth info on the three methods :-)
http://sd3dprinting.com/fff-vs-sla-vs-sls/


One of the true skills of modelling or cad for 3d printing is the ability to model from the ground up to reduce or eliminate the need for supports.