3D Printing

This is a temporary website with all the necessary information, I will hopefully have a proper, nicer looking website soon.

FDM 3D printing

FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) or FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) 3D printing is the most widely spread and affordable 3D printing method.

FDM 3D printers work by melting plastic and layering it down with a heated nozzle as the build plate moves down by the desired layer height which usually is 0.2mm but most printers can go even finer than that often having layer heights down to 0.02mm.

This technology is good for fast prototypes which prefer strength and cost efficiency over the overall look of the part for example stand alone gear mechanisms.

SLA 3D printing

SLA (Stereo-Lithography Apparatus) 3D printing is the first and oldest method of 3D printing,

Although it may be the oldest it is the most precise affordable (relatively) 3D printing technology so far. It uses a powerful UV laser to cure special UV curable resin in the form of a desired object. The laser dot is only 0.07mm thick which allows for very fine and intricate details. After a layer is printed the build plate moves up by usually 0.1mm and the next layer is printed, the layer height can be as small 0.005mm on some printers.

This printing technology is mostly suitable for models where high quality is desired, such as D&D miniatures, I had a lot of orders for those and everyone was more than happy with the quality.

My Printers

CreatBot (FDM)

Printing volume: ~20x20x25cm

PROS:

  • Significantly cheaper than the SLA printing
  • Better for prototyping of mechanical parts
  • More materials are available
  • No post processing (if no supports are needed) which means some orders can be completed within few hours

CONS:

  • Large prints can take days to print (one of the prints took 3 days)
  • The layer lines are visible
  • The dimensions are not 100% accurate due to material shrinkage and the size of the printing extruder

Moai (SLA)

Printing volume: ~ 15x15x20cm

PROS:

  • Significantly higher quality of prints
  • Smooth surface finish
  • Faster printing speeds than FDM printers meaning faster turnover time on larger prints
  • Can print in heat resistant materials as it doesn't first need to melt the material

CONS:

  • Significantly more expensive than FDM
  • A lot of post processing which means parts may take longer to produce
  • dimensions are not 100% accurate due to resins shrinkage after curing

Pricing

The final price is determined after you have emailed the file

FDM 3D rough estimate: $0.5 per cm^3 at 0.2mm layer height.

SLA 3D rough estimate: $1.5 per cm^3 at 0.1mm layer height.

The prices above are rough estimates, and the actual prices will vary due to support structures and post processing required