Practical 3D Printing: Manufacturing & Troubleshooting
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Manufacturing & Troubleshooting
06.21
| 00:00 | At this point we've mentioned multiple times that manufacturers offer 3D printing services. |
| 00:05 | Essentially, we send them our design, usually in the form of a 3D model, and they print it for us as many times as we'd like from the material of our choice. |
| 00:15 | We'll get into the details of what factors into the cost of this shortly, but let's first cover why we might want to do this in the first place. |
| 00:23 | At this point we're all well aware of the advantages of additive manufacturing and why we'd want to go down this route rather than injection moulding, casting or CNC machining. |
| 00:33 | For most of us who can't justify the price of an SLS machine, this could be the best option of getting the results we need when they can't be achieved with FDM. |
| 00:43 | This could be the case for any form of 3D printing as they're all offered as services. |
| 00:48 | This applies more than ever to the more expensive SLM metal 3D printing that we'll be discussing next. |
| 00:53 | So, although this module is positioned in the SLS section, most of what we'll discuss here applies to all processors including FDM, SLA and SLM as well. |
| 01:04 | Maybe you have an FDM printer but not an SLA printer and your project requires a specific property that's best achieved with resin. Or you have an FDM and SLA printer but this specific project really needs metallic properties and justifies the use of SLM. |
| 01:21 | It's just as likely that many of us are yet to purchase any form of printer or you might just prefer using these services over the practicalities of owning your own printer. |
| 01:31 | In the last module we mentioned a few service providers and there's an ever growing list so we won't be discussing them all. |
| 01:37 | Some of the big players are Xometry, Craft Cloud Shapeways, Prototech and ProtoLabs. |
| 01:43 | While some of these companies have their own facilities, they've essentially created global supply chains to lower the cost of manufacturing and shipping. |
| 01:52 | They generally refer to this as on demand manufacturing, where each provider has its own network of verified manufacturers around the world. |
| 02:00 | Some providers have over 10,000 manufacturers so it's safe to assume that some of these will be shared between multiple providers. |
| 02:08 | In addition to additive manufacturing, they also offer other services like CNC machining, laser or waterjet cutting, injection moulding and so on, even including design services where they can design the parts for you. |
| 02:21 | It should also be noted that some of these, like Prototech for example, also have their own in-house manufacturing facilities. |
| 02:29 | Alternatively, some companies offer a more specific manufacturing process. |
| 02:33 | RAM3D here in New Zealand is an example of a service provider focused on metal 3D printing which is all done in-house. |
| 02:41 | Many companies that manufacture their own machines also offer these services. |
| 02:46 | 3D Systems for example, make some of the most advanced industrial units for large scale metal 3D printing and also FDM. |
| 02:54 | Let's just say that you'd be very lucky to find yourself with access to one of these machines. |
| 02:59 | But 3D Systems and other companies who own their own machines offer manufacturing services so we can still make use of them. |
| 03:07 | Likewise, Formlabs, one of the main players in SLA printing, also offer manufacturing services using its machines. |
| 03:14 | The main point that I'm trying to make here is we have a lot of options when it comes to getting our designs produced. |
| 03:20 | While there are some slight differences in approaches, a typical process works like this. |
| 03:25 | We start by uploading our files onto the provider's webpage, usually in a mesh format like an STL, OBJ or maybe a step file. |
| 03:33 | At the same time we must specify the units that the part is designed in, like millimetres or inches, so everything is scaled correctly. |
| 03:40 | The website program will analyse the model and may automatically select an appropriate manufacturing method, but otherwise we'll be able to choose the production technology that we want to use. |
| 03:51 | We'll also be able to choose our desired material from a range of options they'll have available. |
| 03:56 | Naturally these options will be linked to the production technology that we choose. |
| 04:00 | Each manufacturing method only allows for certain materials, like SLA and thermoset resins for example. |
| 04:07 | Another way of looking at this is that some materials can be printed through multiple methods, like nylon via SLS or FDM for example. |
| 04:15 | There could also be other options here as well, like the colour or level of finish, like a raw matte finish for SLS or SLM, or a polished finish for example. |
| 04:24 | From here we'll either be quoted directly for the part, or be able to choose from a range of different manufacturers based on their price, lead time or even their customer reviews and ratings. |
| 04:36 | In some cases we'll be able to communicate with the manufacturer to discuss DFM considerations and ensure that our part will be made to our expectations. |
| 04:45 | For more local 3D printing services we're more likely to directly communicate with the manufacturer, maybe even sending them our model via email and outlining our desired material to open communication, which could also be done with the aid of a technical drawing. |
| 05:00 | We'll go through this process step by step for a real part in the coming practical skills section of the course. |
| 05:05 | The cost will vary between manufacturers but for additive manufacturing it's based on a few primary factors. |
| 05:12 | One is the material we choose and how much of it is used. |
| 05:15 | As you'd expect, some materials are more expensive than others and clearly the more of it we use, the higher the cost. |
| 05:22 | The other factor to consider is the process time and the equipment used. |
| 05:26 | The process time will be multiplied by a fixed rate for the specific printer. |
| 05:31 | This rate will usually be higher for more expensive printers and those with larger build volumes. |
| 05:36 | To summarise this module, various companies offer 3D printing services, from those that manufacture printers, to specialist 3D printing job shops, to on demand providers with a network of manufacturers worldwide. |
| 05:49 | Most of these suppliers will have an online system for providing quotes where we can upload our model and choose our desired material and type of 3D printing. |
| 05:57 | Keep in mind that some back and forward might be required for DFM considerations to ensure that we get the best results. |
| 06:04 | The cost is generally a function of the specific material and how much is used, as well as the process time and the printer used. |
| 06:12 | If we can remove weight from our part, we'll use less material which will lead to a lower cost. |
