When it comes to choosing a 3D printer the decision is not an easy one. There are several factors you need to consider before making your purchase. 3D printers have a variety of materials with a large difference in structural properties, feature definition, surface finish, visual appearance, accuracy and precision, useful life, thermal properties and so much more. As you can see it can get a little complicated.
Let’s break it down. When it comes to 3D prototypes there are two model types; concept models and verification models. Concept models are early design models. In the early phases of design it is very beneficial for a company to be able to evaluate several life-like models that do not need to be fully functional. Verification models verify design elements to ensure that a new product will function accordingly. 3D printing machines allow this process to happen quickly and affordably.
After deciding which model is needed, the next to consider is the printer’s performance. A printer’s performance consists of print speed, print cost, material, and color. Depending on your application print speed can be defined in several ways. One way to define print speed is the time required for printing a finite distance in the Z direction on a single job. This print speed is good for concept models because it has a high vertical build speed and there is little or no speed loss due to the number of parts in a print job. Print speed can also be defined as the time to print a specific part or to print a specific part volume. This becomes useful when printing verification models because the print speed will be based on the complexity of the job and the number of parts in the print job.
Not all 3D printers use the same materials to produce parts. Some printers use plastic and others use non-plastic materials. The non-plastic machines contain a powder called gypsum. This powder creates a dense, firm part that can be infiltrated to become strong. A machine using gypsum powder is good for concept models because it only allows for limited function. If producing a verification model a machine using plastic may be the best choice. Plastic materials can range from flexible to firm and are resistant to high temperatures. It is important to know what environmental conditions your model will be in because certain conditions can change the material’s properties.
The cost for 3D printing is calculated cost per volume, but don’t be fooled, that is not the only cost to consider. When calculating the price of a print job, be sure to include; the cost of a specific volume, cost of support material used, waste generated by point technology, and other consumables used in the printing process. As we discussed, there are vast variety of materials used in the 3D printers, each with a different cost. The lowest part cost is found with the powder based printers, specifically the ones using gypsum powder.
The final thing you need to consider when choosing the perfect printer for your application is color. There are 3 basic categories for color; color choice, basic color, and full spectrum. The color choice prints one color at a time where as the basic color prints a few colors together on one part. These options are ideal for the concept models. Full spectrum color is perfect for verification models. Printers with full spectrums can print thousands of colors in a single part. Zprinters are the only printers that print full spectrum. They can also apply photos, graphics, logos, text labels, and textures. This provides you with the life-like prototypes needed for verification models.
To sum everything up, when figuring out which 3D printer is the right printer for your application, remember these two things; one: which model type do you need the printer to produce; concept or verification? Two: which of the printer performances are necessary to produce your application? If you’re still unsure, no worries, Advanced Copy’s trained staff will help you find the best fit.