3D printing has been around for a long while now, but the desktop versions are a relatively recent development.
They still aren't a plug and play device, but if you enjoy a bit of tinkering, they are very rewarding tools.
I bought one recently and it's already paid itself off.
You're only limited by your imagination and being a drafter/3D modeller, I love the immediacy of creating from screen to reality.

I got a RepRapPro Tricolour Mendel, cause I wanted the flexibility of multiple extruders.

Bought it as a kit, which means I had to fully assemble it, frame, wiring, everything, including calibrating the machine.

It's a great machine.

I went with a RepRap cause of the open source aspect, basically most 'commercially sold' extruder 3D printers (including Makerbot, Ultimaker etc) are based on the reprap printers.

A lot of the components of the repraps are 3D printed, so you can use your printer to make another one, the rest are off the shelf items.
You have to flexibility to make your own upgrades/modifications if needed.

My machine;



Some things I've made:

A 1:20 scale drive unit with electric motor driven wheel commissioned for a project (30 units total)





A glow in the dark cat for my daughter (test piece)


I can print in three colours or three different materials
Calibration test piece-



Happy to take on any jobs if anyone needs a 3D printing service

MacroScience said...
Perhaps in future with nanotechnology advances everybody can print biological or near biological constructions. If you want hamburger for dinner simply order one up and 3D printer will make dinner for you.

Trouble is this will require vast amounts of information to be transferred and current copper cables are not up to it.

...OK, I said that.

No fibreglass laminate printing yet, but the capabilities and materials for 3D printing are expanding almost daily, so who knows...
You can get a polycarbonate filament.

As for the food thing, NASA have been researching printing food for long space missions.
I haven't looked into it yet, but I believe they have had some success with pizzas.

That's awesome, Oceanfire, thanks for sharing!

Is the material PLA? Are the spools easy to source? Also, where did you buy the RepRap kit?

Process:

- Model up your part (obviously relies on accurate measurement and 3D modelling)

- From your computer 3D model, you output a specific file for the printing software to read - eg STL file

- Load the STL file into the printer 'Slicer' software, this is where you control all the settings for your printer and print finish such as layer heights (it extrudes in layers, so your file is 'sliced' into the layers that the printer will work to, I set mine to 0.25mm, but can go lower)

- the slicer software then gets sent to your printer by usb or microSD card

- hit print and wait. Time depends on your print layer heights, the size of the piece you are makeing and how many you are printing at one time.

As for finishing;

You can model a part so that it prints and comes off the printer finished, no clean up.
I modeled my silver parts above to be like that.

If you have complex parts or parts that have horizontal sections with nothing under them (ie- bridged sections), then you will need to print with supports.
You can print the supports using the same material as your piece, in this case there will be some clean up required, as you snap the supports off but will need to clean up the left over 'tags' with a blade (think back to your car and plane model kits)

Or if you have a multiple extruder machine, you can use a different material for the supports and dissolve it away with water once the print is done.

oceanfire said..

Process:

Thanks oceanfire, that's a very interesting technology, keep us updated.

Oceanfire, if you don't mind, could you please tell how the body (or legs, if printed on the side) of the cat figurine was supported during the printing process? Is there a rule-of-thumb - e.g. no more than 45 degree overhang?

I can now see the advantage of the multi-nozzle printer - thanks for explaining. It would appear though that the water-soluble filament is still very expensive and with very poor shelf life... But perhaps there are other options that can be dissolved using more aggressive solvents...

Thanks for explaining this Oceanfire. You've convinced me - I'll also order the Tricolour Mendel as soon as the current tax return materialises.

One last question if you don't mind - do you find that you need to re-calibrate often? Is calibration tricky?

I'm going to print myself a 3D Printer

sausage said..

I'm going to print myself a 3D Printer

thought you only used your hand snags

I did watch a doco recently where a 3D printer company was teaching a 3D printing course. you learnt how to do everything and each practical test was a component of a 3D printer which you then assembled to print the final exam peice. hence you knew if you passed or failed
and if i recall correctly it was in Melbourne

I did read in the paper that using cultered kidney cells they printed a working human kidney apparently they have been able to grow the cells for ages but could not configure them into the organ but they can when they use them & print it into shape

You should make a gauss gun:

hackaday.com/2013/08/07/a-full-auto-gauss-gun-probably-wont-hurt-much/