Anyone know about the performance of home 3D printers?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the performance, cost, and usability of home 3D printers, including considerations for design software and types of objects that can be printed. Participants explore various models and their features, as well as the practical aspects of running a home 3D printing setup.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses interest in home 3D printers but lacks experience with computer-aided design, mentioning software that can convert 2D images into 3D objects.
  • Another participant inquires about the specific types of items the original poster intends to print.
  • A participant mentions a program called Omnomnom creations that allows for the creation of 3D objects from 2D images and customizable designs.
  • The Printrbot is suggested as an inexpensive option for home rapid prototyping with good resolution, though it is currently out of stock.
  • Discussion includes the RepRap design, which is open-source and can be built for around 400 euros/dollars, with a suggestion to use local hackerspaces for printing parts.
  • Participants note that the setup and tuning of 3D printers can be complex, often requiring users to print additional parts to improve quality.
  • Speed is described as slow, with print times varying based on the chosen resolution.
  • Running costs are reported to be low, with a few dollars for 5 kilos of ABS material.
  • Reliability is questioned, as participants highlight that open-source kits require self-assembly and troubleshooting.
  • Participants mention the need for technical knowledge to use the software effectively, including considerations for design limitations in 3D printing.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views regarding the performance and usability of different 3D printer models, with no consensus on the best option or approach. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the overall reliability and ease of use of home 3D printers.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various models and software without providing definitive assessments of their performance. There are indications of differing experiences with setup complexity and design requirements, which may affect usability.

Rorkster2
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I've been interested in 3D printers for a while but am not good enough with computers to do my own home designs. I read an article about new software that, along with being easy to make designs into code, can also turn a 2D picture into a 3D object. (http://www.wired.com/design/2012/07/3d-printing-application/).

I might be looking into getting a home 3D printer soon but haven't heard much about home units and their performance. Anyone think they know how much it will cost to run it, it's speed, reliability, etc. Thanks.
 
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What exactly are you hoping to print on said 3-D printer?
 
Little trinkets or unique shapes. Nothing really over a few square inches. I've read about a program called Omnomnom creations which allows you to import a 2d image and it creates a 3d object out of it (on top of making customizable objects etc). It grabbed my attention.
 
The Printrbot is relatively inexpensive for a home rapid prototyping machine and has pretty good resolution. (Key word is relatively. They are also currently out of stock.)

Generally speaking, you can use almost any parametric modeling software you want to generate an .stl file for a 3D printer. I like SolidWorks.
 
Rorkster2 said:
I might be looking into getting a home 3D printer soon but haven't heard much about home units and their performance. Anyone think they know how much it will cost to run it, it's speed, reliability, etc. Thanks.

The "master" design is called RepRap (www.reprap.org), it's open source so you pay parts only, and depending on who you get the parts from, the cost is about 400 euros/dollars. (Go to local hackerspace, rent their 3d printer and print your own parts is cheapest). They are fiddly to setup and tune. The first things you will probably fab are additional parts to improve the printer quality! You can buy a pre-made, pre-tuned one e.g. MakerBot (www.makerbot.com) for about 150 more. MakerBots have a small print area however (20cm?)

Speed is slow. Go out for dinner, come back to it. Much depends on the resolution you choose.

Running cost is very cheap. 5 kilos of ABS is a few dollars.

Reliability? They're open source kits. You build it yourself. If it breaks, you deal with it. If have issues with that then pay MakerBot.

Look at www.thingiverse.com for examples of stuff people are making. You can do car repair parts, home ornaments, dice, legos, jewelry, statues, kitchenware etc.

The software is technically involved to use and doesn't really have a commercial standard GUI. You also have to design the object in such a way to allow 3d printing. For example overhangs can't be printed, so you have to do that in separate pieces.

EDIT: Disclaimer. I should add that I have a Reprap which I bought in kit form. I have since modded it to use the Makerbot print head.
 

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