3D Printing (need)
 

Hello, is someone know a place to order online 3D printing (plastic) for small SketchUp (STL) models (always under 6 by 6 inches, mostly under 3x3) with a reasonable price for just a few prints (1 to 4 units)?

(This is for small and not critical part, mostly for aesthetic components or for plug (molding) elements.)

Thanks.

Thanks, but I'm not sure I would call it reasonable price... 600$ for a 8 by 4 cube (see image)... ? Is it the price everywhere ?

That's about the going rate. I've had many prototypes 3D printed and they have always cost me between $1500 and $2500. It's all size dependent.

wow... Never thought it cost this much... lol...

The cheapest way is to get your own machine and learn how to use it (trial and error). Good luck!

Ok, Is it that hard to learn ?

For $1500 to $2500 you can buy your own 3D printer, a decent one at that.
I have used https://www.3dhubs.com/ a number of times. It is a world wide network of 3D printers and they will hook you up with someone close to you.
The last parts I had printed were about 1x1x3 inches and cost $7 each for 6 parts.

You can not just enter the overall max size as a brick. You are paying for the amount of material actually used. You must calculate the actual volume of plastic in your part. Their online quoting will do this math for you.

My biggest problem was my parts were too large for the $2500 3D printers so I had to go with a company that had printers costing upwards of $100K. The cheapo 3D printers can do small parts easily. No idea how difficult it is to learn, I've never done it myself.

The cost is highly dependent on the technology you use. The term "3D printing" is not descriptive enough.

95% of home machines, and cheaper service bureaus use Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), they squeeze heated plastic through a nozzle and build everything up like with cake icing. There are limits to the material you can use, the orientation of the part and the final level of detail. But the machines are relatively cheap and it you look around you can get things made very cheap.

Other more expensive machines and service bureaus utilize other technologies like Stereo Lithographby (SLA), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), etc. These technologies have other limitations, but generally offer more detail and are used more often by professional customers. Much much more $$

Try sculpteo or materialise

Hi Robin,

I am using my machine right now for making model parts. If you email me at [email protected] we can talk. I use my machine mostly for making plug parts for fiberglass molds, and some detail parts. I've made parts for others on RCU. All machines have their limitations though.. :cool:

Hi Ron, thanks for the offer, I may contact you latter when ready.

That's for as many parts as you can fit in that cube. With a good technique you can fit lot of small parts.

I have started designing and printing parts in Nylon or ABS. Made my own servo brackets and reciver holders. Today I’m printing my own design wheel covers for a 140in ME109 I’m building. Can’t buy 8in tires, but useing Scooter wheels and printing covers for scale look.

Like they said it’s what you want. If you ant decoration(I just printed a nice Houston Astros 2017 clock) used about 1/2 if a $19 roll of PLA. But if you need strong then you would use Nylon or Carbonfiber inforced Nylon, if you want smooth you use ABS so you can put it in a vapor box to smooth it out.

Can an you post picture or email STL to [email protected].

What app do you guys use to create your designs?

I use Solidworks to generate my designs.

Fushion 360. It’s free for hobbiest

The thing is you don't print a cube. You cut it with a saw.

3D printing is a powerful tool but the output is never better then the input. Even the cheap $200 printers can do amazing stuff if you know how to handle them and how to design part for them. Saying yes to STL files from a beginner need a really brave guy.

With cool printers you can do cool stuff with cool input :)

Creality CR-10 is what I use.. Less than $500 shipped and has a big enough printing area (300mm x 300mm x 400mm) to handle most small modeling jobs..

No, but its takes time! Att printers are individuals an need quite some fiddling to get going. I would buy the parts from shapeways, not that expensive if you really design them as 3D prints and for the technic you desire.

For example your box is a $600 piece if done solid. If using a home printer tell the printer to make the box sparse, 5% infill.... now it's a $20 print. Or if going SLS (powder) make the box hollow in CAD and a small hole in the bottom to drain the powder.(or make any form of honey comb 3D structure inside the box) Again back from $600 to maybe $40. Or just cut a chunk of styrofoam $1

Use something that make solid parts, not surface models. A printer can only prints solid parts, not surface models. the printer can with very simple shapes assume how the surface model would look as solid, but that's only guessing and is a big cause of failure. Better do it right the first time and draw solids.

Sketchup with STL conversion plug-in.

You can learn Sketchup in 20 minutes, as long as you have a basic understanding of modeling.

Sketchup is easy, very easy learning curve, but has limitations. You can play with it for free, but then you have to buy the plugins or version that gives you useful output. Lots and lots of libraries of pre-built parts, including RC parts out there.

Fusion 360 on the other hand and Inventor have a much steeper learning curve, but are more powerful and include CAM software built in (at least Inventor does). These software bundles take a real commitment. I found Sketchup very intuitive, kind of like Apple products in a way. Inventor/Fusion seem to be more geared towards people that have some familiarity with CAD.

Good luck

Incredible but I have been purchasing gears for my vintage RC cars from a guy who makes them from the SKU library!

Wow, amazing info here, thanks all !
I'm using SkectchUp.
Henke : Ididn't know the mat was that costly, so I just did a test with this cube, but thanks I will redo a test with a "proper" design.
Doug, thanks for the info about the Creality CR-10, really nice printer!