3-D Printers

The local library has two 3-D printers, and at advertised times there are people who operate them.  They also are quite willing to answer questions.  While at the library doing work on my genealogy, I accidentally found the printers being operated.  There were two volunteers.  One seemed to be professionally involved with the technology elsewhere, the other appeared to be a volunteer who could operate the device and answer questions.  The units were not the top of the line, but the one person did know quite a bit about capabilities of more complex 3 D printing.

The one I saw in use was making objects that had a flat side, and it was copying from an image on the computer.  This is simplistic, and the idea was to acquaint the interested audience with the idea of 3-D printing.

The computer is tied to the unit, and the program instructs the printer where to go next.  A spool of plastic, not the only possible material, supplies a thin plastic wire to the object being built, and a laser flash melts the plastic.  The plastic immediately cools as part of the object.  The object is built up layer by layer until the finished product is ready.  The process does take some time.

Some units have greater capabilities than others, and I did ask quite a few questions to see how far the technology has advanced.  Below are the questions you should have answered either in person or by the specifications before making a purchase.  The more capabilities you need, the more you can expect to pay for a good printer.

The printer must be leveled, and the leveling has two places that must match, the place the object is being made, or base, and the laser holder.  More expensive units are self-leveling, which can be done with greater precision. 

There is a box in which the copy will appear.  The size of the box is a limiting factor.  You cannot copy an automobile in a box eleven inches by eleven inches by ten inches. 

The image object is, however, not restricted to the size of the object being copied.  One can magnify, or even reduce, the size of the copy from the size of the copied object.

The spool of plastic is a given color, although you can pick which color it is.  Since the layers are built one upon the other, stopping and changing the spool is not an option.  Also, even if one tried to do so, shades of a color would be impossible.  Colors must blend from shade to shade gradually for realistic representation.

Well, some better units use a white power to melt and build the layers.  They are struck by ink, much like a laser printer would do.  The three primary colors are blended to match the color of the object being copied.  This not only allows for gradual changes in shades, but the object is colored throughout.  So, a minor scratch will not remove the colored layer.

There are metal spools that can be used, but I am not certain every printer can handle this.  The laser determines a melting temperature, and the thread does have to melt. 

It appears no glass thread is currently available, although one can possibly get a glass look using something that is available.

The melted material is apparently applied through a nozzle.  Some units allow for changing the size of the nozzle, which determines the width of the path laid down with each pass of the laser.  If a larger nozzle is used it might go faster. 

This is done by having the program work with a cavity included in the to be copied object.  But, laying down layer by layer, if there is something in the cavity a new challenge is posed.  I was told the easiest way is to program a cavity with something that might not be connected in the next layer is to add thin filaments to the design for support, then remove them later.  That assumes access to the cavity large enough to snip the filaments.  If that is impractical, use wax in the cavity, then melt it away later.  This goes well beyond the basics.

When a spool runs out you can change it, but it probably requires using the pause command, manually changing the spool, then restarting.  It is critical the copy be resumed at the same place it was stopped.  Let the computer handle this.  Letting the spool actually run out and trying to get back to the same place is not practical.

There is some cleaning of the surface that might be needed.  Remember you are using melted and re-hardened plastic or metal.  The final product might take a final tidying up.

When starting an unfamiliar technology having a book or two as a “go to” resource can be invaluable.  There is an abundance of books available.  Here are a few. 

Well, this may not be intuitive.  Making novelty items is nice, but is it really a valid application?  So, I looked into what designs are available.  Yes, there are books that can help. 

One can make an interesting science project.  A 3-D display of a complex design is much more informative than a picture, or series of pictures. 

Making science models goes well beyond school projects.  One small model can cost hundreds of dollars in a science laboratory. 

Making models as a professor can save quite a bit, considering the number of different models one might want to show to a class.  Imagine the value in medical schools. 

Drafting is another application.  If a design for pipes at a plant is needed it now has to be done in layers.  This approach and loses much in the viewing.  Imagine showing in three-dimensions the pipes and vessels of an entire plant.  Imagine a scale model of the plant from a printer.  Yes, the printers are size limited, but for a three-dimensional scale model of an entire plant one can make several sections and position them together. 

These are just some ideas.  Others exist.  And undoubtedly more will be found.

A 3-D printer can be a wonderful tool giving capabilities otherwise not there.  It can also be a fun toy.  Remember before buying that your ultimate need will drive your purchase.  To but a complex unit for fun use might lead to discouragement, since the more complex the unit might take more time and effort than you are willing to put forth.  For professional use the time and effort are a necessities of obtaining the professional product. 

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