Professional Soldiers ® - View Single Post - 3d printing: The reality of the handy dandy home replicator

TOMAHAWK9521 · 10-29-2017, 13:18

I was introduced to 3D printing while pursuing my degree in Industrial Design. Very cool stuff. Most of my classmates were half my age and grew up with computers and such, so while I was spending my spare cash on reloading equipment and new pea shooters, they were investing in software (both legit and bootlegged), other advanced design equipment, and a wide range of desk top 3D printers.

Mind you, as posted above, there are varying types of 3D printers and printing methods. The more readily available printers are the heated filament types but there are more complicated models used in manufacturing that using laser sintering to create solid layers out of baths of "plastic" and even metal particulate.

The software I use(d) are SolidWorks and Rhino. A full SolidWorks software package is extremely expensive, in my opinion. However, if you can afford it, it is something to consider, especially if a knuckle dragger such as myself was able to pick it up and do some impressive designs with it. Rhino, on the other hand, takes a little longer to figure out. Unlike SolidWorks, Rhino allows you to design all manner of surfacing for your design. SolidWorks, by itself, is limited to geometric shapes and patterns. You can make some contoured/curved surfaces but, believe me, it may require a whole lot of ass pain to get it right so your product prints out like the graphic picture you've made.

Since my student copy of SolidWorks has expired and I don't relish forking over a few thousand bucks for their official package, I'm scraping the rust off my Rhino skills and working to improve my skills there.

As for application, I used Rhino in conjunction with the 3D printer we had in our shop overseas to fabricate durable components, which were then added to metal products we designed for the teams we were supporting in country. Since I'm now working on product development in my own shop back home, I'm looking at throwing down some cash to get my own printer to help speed up the prototyping process. The only thing slowing me down right now is deciding on which type of home 3D printer to invest in.

10-29-2017, 13:18	#4
TOMAHAWK9521 Quiet Professional Join Date: May 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 1,209	I was introduced to 3D printing while pursuing my degree in Industrial Design. Very cool stuff. Most of my classmates were half my age and grew up with computers and such, so while I was spending my spare cash on reloading equipment and new pea shooters, they were investing in software (both legit and bootlegged), other advanced design equipment, and a wide range of desk top 3D printers. Mind you, as posted above, there are varying types of 3D printers and printing methods. The more readily available printers are the heated filament types but there are more complicated models used in manufacturing that using laser sintering to create solid layers out of baths of "plastic" and even metal particulate. The software I use(d) are SolidWorks and Rhino. A full SolidWorks software package is extremely expensive, in my opinion. However, if you can afford it, it is something to consider, especially if a knuckle dragger such as myself was able to pick it up and do some impressive designs with it. Rhino, on the other hand, takes a little longer to figure out. Unlike SolidWorks, Rhino allows you to design all manner of surfacing for your design. SolidWorks, by itself, is limited to geometric shapes and patterns. You can make some contoured/curved surfaces but, believe me, it may require a whole lot of ass pain to get it right so your product prints out like the graphic picture you've made. Since my student copy of SolidWorks has expired and I don't relish forking over a few thousand bucks for their official package, I'm scraping the rust off my Rhino skills and working to improve my skills there. As for application, I used Rhino in conjunction with the 3D printer we had in our shop overseas to fabricate durable components, which were then added to metal products we designed for the teams we were supporting in country. Since I'm now working on product development in my own shop back home, I'm looking at throwing down some cash to get my own printer to help speed up the prototyping process. The only thing slowing me down right now is deciding on which type of home 3D printer to invest in. __________________ "It is a brave act of valor to condemn death, but where life is more terrible than death, it is then the truest valor to dare to live." -Sir Thomas Browne (1605-1682) Last edited by TOMAHAWK9521; 10-29-2017 at 13:23.
TOMAHAWK9521 is offline