what i intended to do with my 3D printer, I can’t remember. I vaguely remember wanting to print big things, but wasn’t sure what they might be. More abstractly, he hoped the printer could combine several hobbies and interests into one: computer programming, additive and subtractive manufacturing, computer-aided design, tinkering, and an unflinching desire to create something, anything.
Expecting too much from my printer was my first mistake. I stumbled into dozens of other pitfalls after the printer arrived, until the day I placed it on a shelf in my garage and solemnly declared at my family’s breakfast table that I was done (for now) with 3D printing. The room practically erupted in applause.
That’s because my hobby became an obsession, something I could have avoided had I understood the limitations of both my skill set and the capabilities of the printer. Meanwhile, since March 2020, additive manufacturing has been one of the few industries that has grown despite the pandemic. The machines have proven their commercial worth during disrupted supply chains and have offered rapid prototyping capabilities to renaissance-at-home workers looking to help the health care industry.
And with 3D printers (some available to consumers, others aimed at industrial operations) now creating everything from concrete houses to organic biotech material, their popularity isn’t slowing down.
Here are some tips before starting your own foray into 3D printing.
Know why you are buying
3D printers vary in size, price, accuracy, and because of those variables, cost. Do you plan to print toys for your children or is it a way to introduce them to STEM? Do you have small DIY projects around the home for which 3D printed parts could save you money? Or are you just looking for a desktop hobby that allows you to print decorations and trinkets like a toothpaste tube squeezer or shelf bracket?
Low-cost desktop printers range from $100 to $400, with larger, more accurate printers costing upwards of $1,000. Professional and enthusiast printers, some of which can print ceramics, metals, sand, and other materials beyond plastics, can cost up to $10,000. Anything beyond that would be considered industrial and could easily cost up to $250,000.
For the purposes of this guide, I’m assuming you’re looking at consumer desktop printers. With the recent explosion in printer availability, less than $500 is enough for home jobs. This range will meet similar standards for accuracy and speed, while maintaining options to upgrade.
Choose a printer type
3D printers have been around since 1983. The only method of 3D printing back then has turned into nine different types of printers today. For the first time buyer, however, Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and Stereolithography (SLA) are the easiest to learn and require the least knowledge to get started.
FDM works like this: thermoplastics (they are forced through a nozzle heated to over 200 degrees). Plastics, known as filaments, come in a variety of types: polylactic acid (PLA), polyamide (PA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), or some with wood and carbon incorporated into the plastic. The most common nozzles are 0.4mm in diameter (smaller, higher resolution) and hover over a heated build plate or platform. about the thickness of a Post-it note. The build plate, also sometimes heated, helps the plastic adhere and cool as the layers build up and harden. The nozzle moves on rails or gantries (some have two axes, others more), sometimes assisted by actuators, servo motors, rack and pinion structures, or slideways. wire brush, but this is not always necessary.
Source: www.wired.com