Example #1:

3D Printed Dress and Jacket

The dress, named Rose, was certainly the centerpiece of the collection presented at the Met Gala.The garment was worn by model Jourdan Dunn, consists of 21 3D-printed rose petals – each petal measures 53 cm and weighs 0.4 kilos.They were produced on a SLA 3D printer – the process was managed by Protolabs’ 3D printing department.Each petal includes a coat of primer and a coat of chameleon-effect automotive paint.Besides, the dress is modular: petals (up to 37 in all) can be added to increase the length of the dress.

In 2016, Ministry of Supply released a 3D-printed jacket for $250 that quickly sold out.Because the jacket is 3D-printed, it has no seams, which makes it very comfortable to wear.Although it has no seams, the garment still has joints to fit the outline of the body.

The jacket was made on a 3D robotic knitting machine, a process that uses less material than traditional knitting.It’s thought that using traditional methods wastes 15-30% of the material.

Example #2:

3D printed accessories

Every day, more and more jewelers are using 3D printing to produce rings, bracelets, necklaces and similar products.

What you see above is a sterling silver bracelet that mimics patterns found in nature.The maker, Nervous System, first 3D printed the model in wax and then cast it in pure silver.

Metal 3D printing is a perfect technology for watchmakers, both for prototyping and production of end-use pieces.

The Lo Scienziato timepiece from Panerai uses a fully 3D-printed titanium housing made by direct metal laser sintering (DMLS).If you want to see the Panerai on your wrist, you’ll have to pay up to $170,000. 

The actress Katie Holmes wore a 3D-printed collar produced with resin machine on her dress. It represents pearly purple palm leaves and required 56 hours of 3D printing and finishing.

VIP TIE is an Italian company known for its 3D-printed ties.VIP TIE combines luxury and innovative high-tech design.The whole process of making one tie can involve a complex mix of complementary procedures and materials: craftsmanship, embroidery, 3D printing, exotic leather, mother-of-pearl, carbon fiber, silver, gold and silver plated solid.

XYZ Bag is an Italian brand behind the Dada collection of customizable 3D printed handbags. Each bag is connected by a leather strap and a 3D-printed outer shell with a fabric lining.For each bag, the customer has to choose between several design options based on 3 different products.Once the model is selected, it is designed in CAD software.

The company uses SLS technology to make components, although they have recently integrated the one developed by HP, Multi Jet Fusion. These bags cost between 290 and 330 euros, which is quite expensive, but also reasonable for 3D printing products.

Example #3:

3D printed footwear

The big companies in the shoe industry have been developing solutions for mass customization for years.Not only does 3D printing allow these companies to prototype faster, it’s also a great solution for mass customization.

Companies in this field, including Adidas and New Balance, have started producing 3D-printed midsoles .Nike, meanwhile, is experimenting with 3D-printed “uppers”.

Annie Foo is a high-end footwear designer who uses 3D printing technologies in her manufacturing process.She explained that she has always been so obsessed with the combination of existing footwear manufacturing methods with modern technologies and materials to create something new.She uses 3D modeling software to design complex shapes to make her shoes look more aesthetically pleasing.Her final works for the runway were made with HP’s Jet Fusion 4200 machine, using PA12 (nylon).

Flexible filaments

As the name indicates these more flexible than any other filaments. Due to flexibility these are soft and can be molded into any shape and size with ease.

Pro Series Flex

The filament is the one among TPE which is popular for its elasticity and flexibility and behaves like a real rubber which can bend and mold in any shape and size easily. Therefore, these are made of tightest tolerance with high precision for3D printing. The filament can be best experienced with slower print speeds to avoid filament binding in the extruder.
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 Advantages/properties

• The filament is like a soft rubber making it more flexible and elastic than the popular PLA and ABS filaments
• The filament is good for high-quality objects with large objects because it bonds well between layers
• The heated bed is not needed and it is a durable material with little shrinkage while cooling.

Disadvantages/Issues 

• The printer should be modified otherwise can extrude from the nozzle inconsistency due to its flexible property.
• Hence, needs experienced hands for printing the filament is not for beginners
• For optimal performance the printer nozzle needs fine-tuning.

Applications

• Stoppers, belts, caps, phone cases, bumpers and more can be made from this filament due to its 2 important properties.
• The filament can be used in various fields due to its flexible nature i.e., home appliances, automotive, medical, electrical insulation, weather seals for windows and doors, Kid’s toys and wearable’s and soles of the footwear.

Price Starting from : $30 to $ 50 for 1.75mm/1kg spool

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 220 to 230 °C.

TPE

This filament is well-know for its flexibility and elasticity. Also helpful in the making of extremely flexible 3D printer material that will have the properties of soft rubber. As the name the Thermoplastic elastomers the filament is superbly flexible and elastic. The less infill you use, the more flexible your finished print will be.
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 Advantages/properties

• Great to use with most of the FDM filaments.
• The filament is like a soft rubber making it more flexible and elastic than the popular PLA and ABS filaments,
• Good for high-quality objects(bonds well between layers).
• The heated bed is not needed.
• Hence, it is a durable material with little shrinkage while cooling.

Disadvantages/Issues

• The printer should be modified otherwise can extrude from the nozzle inconsistency due to its flexible property.
• Hence, needs experienced hands for printing the filament is not for beginners
• For optimal performance the printer nozzle needs fine-tuning.

Applications

• Stoppers, belts, caps, phone cases, bumpers and more can be made from this filament due to its 2 important properties.
• The filament can be used in various fields due to its flexible nature i.e., home appliances, automotive, medical, electrical insulation, weather seals for windows and doors, Kid’s toys and wearable’s and soles of the footwear.

Price Starting from : $30 to $ 50 for 1.75mm/1kg spool

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 225 to 235 °C.

PCTPE

Plasticized Copolyamide TPE is the combination of synthetic polymer Nylon and flexible filament TPE. Due to the mixture of these 2 filaments the properties and settings are almost the same. Synthetic fabrics are used to dye your prints of any color.

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 Advantages/properties

• Nylon makes it easy to print.
• Flexible like TPE and can be dyed into any color due to Nylon.
• Can work better in critical setup
• Low shrinkage

Disadvantages/Issues

• The filament needs to be dyed in various colors that require an extra step, consumes more time and highly expensive.
• Difficult to print needs experienced hands.
• While printing may lead to blobs and stringing
• Not good with Bowden extruders
• Poor bridging characteristics

Applications

• The main applications are, helps in printing cosplay armor, phone enclosures, and industrial parts.

Price Starting from : $30 for 1.75mm/1kg spool

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 235 to 245 °C.

Soft PLA

The Soft PLA has similar characteristics as that of normal PLA with one unique property that is flexible like rubber. Due to this it is also, called “Flexible PLA“. Hence, it is compatible with all the 3D printers.
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Advantages/properties

• Soft PLA is flexible, rubbery, elastic and has impact resistance.
• Hence, it acts like a biodegradable PLA due to its low carbon footprints.
• Therefore, it has good vibration dampening characteristics.

Disadvantages/Issues

• It creates clogging, bubbling, and bunching in the nozzle while printing.
• Can’t shape in the desired form due to extremely adhesive nature.
• Hence, need to slow down the printing speed for best results
• A direct extruder is required for the smooth journey of the filament to the bed.
• Not good for objects with more gaps and overhangs.

Applications

• Best for stoppers, belts, caps, phone cases, bumpers and more.
• Unique ergonomic nature helps in printing pen grips, shoe sole inserts.
• The materials which need to be strong such has tires, cell phone covers, and other things with flexible in nature.

Price Starting from : $30 for 1.75mm/1kg spool

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 220 to 230°C.

TPU

Thermoplastic Polyurethane is the filament that belongs to the class of polyurethane that has unique properties namely elasticity, transparency, and resistance to grease, oil, and abrasion with a shore hardness of 95A. There are various types of TPU namely polyester TPU used to resist oil and hydrocarbons, polyether TPU used in wet environments, and polycaprolactone TPU performs with low-temperature and comparatively more resistant to hydrolysis.
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Advantages/properties

• Resistant to oil, grease, and abrasion.
• Printed parts have low-temperature resistants
• Ease to work
• With the right settings, there will be no curling or delamination.
• Excellent layer to layer adhesion.
• No warping issues.

Disadvantages/Issues

• It creates clogging, bubbling, and bunching in the nozzle while printing.
• A well-polished and smooth look can’t be obtained.
• We need to slow down the printing speed for the results.
• Hence, it doesn’t dissolve in simple chemicals.

Applications

• Best for stoppers, belts, caps, phone cases, bumpers and more.
• Used in automotive instrument panels, caster wheels, power tools, sporting goods, medical devices, drive belts, footwear, inflatable rafts, and a variety of extruded film, sheet, and profile applications.
• The materials which need to be strong such has cell phone covers and other things with flexible in nature.
• Therefore, it helps in the outer casing of antennas for efficient performance even after many wash cycles.

Price Starting from : $30 for 1.75mm/1kg spool

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 220 to 250°C.

Composite filaments

These are the filaments made up of 2 or more individual components whose combined physical strength exceeds their individual properties as per the name.

Laybrick

Lay-Brick is the 3D material that almost as similar features as LAYWOOD-D3,  Kai Parthy is the inventor of these 2 filaments which are quite amazing, the filament is rough apart from that gives a look and feel of grey stone retaining the flexibility and elasticity of the plastic. The filament should be used with maxi-sized 3D printers. Therefore, it gives the ” Non-plastic look“. The temperature above 210°C the filament produces rough and sandstone result otherwise it will produce a smoother finish.
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Advantages/properties

• The filament is stiff and brittle in nature
• Gives sandstone look rather than plastic
• No warping
• No heated bed required
• Get a different variety of textures depending on the extruder temperature.

Disadvantages/Issues

• Temperature above 210 makes the print rough.

Applications

• Best for landscape and architectural designs.
• Fux-stone, model train scenery can be printed with this filament.

Price Starting from : $40 for 1.75mm/1kg spool

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 165 to 190°C.

Wooden PLA

The wood filament is a fusion of standard PLA and finely powered wood materials that provide the print with the natural texture of wood. The mixture may contain bamboo, cork, wood dust, and other wooden by-products,  come in the ratio of 70:30 of PLA and wood. Therefore, best used with desktop 3D printers that provide the wooden-like finish. They are various types of wood filaments namely LAYWOO-D3, ColorFabb’s Woodfill series, and Timberfill.
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Advantages/properties

• The natural look of wood and a biodegradable filament
• Similar PLA properties
• Different extruder temperature provide different colors, hotter the darker
• No warp and shrink
• Less abrasive compared to other composite filaments.
• Therefore, as pleasant wood-like smell.

Disadvantages/Issues

• Less strength than natural wood.
• Hence, it is inflexible and brittle makes PLA better filament
• Easily breakable material
• There should not be any sharp turns while working with the filament.

Applications

• Best for landscape and architectural designs.
• Fux-stone, model train scenery can be printed with this filament.
• Wood burns when exposed to high temperature
• Filaments are more expensive than PLA
• Use large-sized nozzles to reduce wear and tear.

Price Starting from : $25 for 1.75mm/1kg spool

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 220 to 250°C.

Conductive filament

The filament is modified PLA with a conductive carbon particulate with low voltage and low current circuitry not being that technical. The filament helps in making smaller circuit boards on the printer bed. These filaments may consist of sensors and some LEDs( Light-emitting diode). The filament is present for both PLA and ABS users. As the name, it has a conductive nature. Hence, works well with all the 3D printers.

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Advantages/properties

• More flexible than the PLA
• Conductive in nature with small power circuitry.
• No heated bed is required but gives better results with it.

Disadvantages/Issues

• As less layer adhesion
• The filament is more expensive
• Less flexible and durable compared to PLA
• Repeated binding may break the material and shrinks during cooling.

Applications

• Most of its applications may come in the field of electronics i.e., small circuit boards.
• Best for functional prototypes, integrated circuits and electronic components like sensors, LED, and low voltage projects
• Best for Arduino projects.

Price Starting from : $17.99 for 1.75mm/1kg spool

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 215 to 230°C.

Lay ceramic

As the name gives ceramic or clay finish to the print. The filament has similar properties that of the natural clay when burned and glazed provides strength and gives the elegant look to the object. While using this filament requires extra settings or additional upgrades to the printer for a better print.

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Advantages/properties

• The filament is durable and brittle in its nature
• Can be fired in the kiln to get that ceramic look and can apply glaze
• The Kiln can take the filament to make more amazing objects

Disadvantages/Issues

• Takes more time to heat and cool
• The printed objects are hard in nature
• More expensive

Applications

• Therefore, best used for making mugs, flower pots, model roofing tiles, ashtrays, sculptures, or pottery.

Price Starting from : $200 for 3.mm/1kg

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 265 to 275°C.

Carbon Fiber Reinforced PLA

As the name, the filament is a mixture of PLA and small carbon fiber strands, designed to fit through the nozzle easily. The carbon contained in the filament provides more rigidity and enhances the structural support to the object to be printed. The 3D printer user who requires stiff and rocky like nature of the objects can use this filament. Drone builders and RC Hobbyists may fall in love with this filament.

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Advantages/properties

• No warp and excellent layer adhesion property
• Provides better print quality and no heated bed is required
• High strength, durable, ductile and stiff
• Little string during the cooling process

Disadvantages/Issues

• Not flexible in nature
• Contains abrasive strands
• Wear and tear of printer nozzles more with brass
• Requires investment in a printer nozzle

Applications

• Drone bodies, propellers, and RC car frames can be made with great ease.
• Frames, supports, and tools can also be made,
• Various materials like protective casing, mechanical parts, and highly durable objects can be formed.

Price Starting from : $60 for 1.75mm/1kg

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 190 to 230°C.

ColorFabb BrassFill, CopperFill, and BronzeFill

The filament is metal combined with PLA gives absolutely the metal finish look. Therefore, these are tougher to print than MH build PLA filaments, due to metal integrated with plastic prints are heavier but are more authentic in nature. The objects printed can be polished, painted, and sanded that gives a beautiful, unique and elegant look even unpolished objects are classy, matte, with a dull appearance and dusky look amaze people. Therefore, what’s in your mind that can be a desired outcome when polished. The temperature can reach to 14oo °C or above.

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Advantages/properties

• An aesthetically appealing metal finish.
• Therefore, no heated bed is required.
• Heavier than other filaments due to its metallic nature.
• High durable and strength
• Hence, no, shrink while cooling

Disadvantages/Issues

• Expensive filament
• Therefore, require a wear-resistant nozzle
• Printed parts are very brittle in nature.
• Very poor overhangs and bridging property.
• Over-time partial clogging can be seen.
• Heavy objects when printed with it.
• To obtain a smooth finish need to rock tumbling, polishing, or wet sanding needs to be done.

Applications

• Used for cosmetic prints of busts, jewelry, or sculptures.
• Perfect for printing props, costumes, figurines, and robots.
• The filament can also be used by designers as well other than hobbyists looking to make faux metal prints.
• Replicas for Museums
• Best for hardware products.

Price Starting from : $25 to 50 for 1.75mm/1kg

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 190 to 220°C.

Proto-Pasta Stainless Steel and ColorFabb SteelFill

The filament is a mixture of the steel strands and PLA, thus these are tougher than the MH build filament. Even these can be sanded and painted to get a better look like the above filaments even with an unpolished look the prints get the cast metal from the mold. Therefore, it has high abrasion to brass nozzle you will need to install a hardened steel nozzle before printing. They print like PLA but slower than PLA.

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Advantages/properties

• An aesthetically appealing steel finish.
• Therefore, no heated bed is required.
• Heavier than other filaments due to its metallic nature.
• High durable and strength
• Hence, no, shrink while cooling

Disadvantages/Issues

• Expensive filament
• Printed parts are very brittle in nature.
• Very poor overhangs and bridging property.
• Over-time partial clogging can be seen.
• Heavy objects when printed with it.
• To obtain a smooth finish need to rock tumbling, polishing, or wet sanding needs to be done.
• Not easy to print with for the inexperienced

Applications

• Used for cosmetic prints of busts, jewelry, or sculptures.
• Perfect for printing props, costumes, figurines, and robots.
• The filament can also be used by designers as well other than hobbyists looking to make faux metal prints.
• Replicas for Museums

Price Starting from : $25 to 50 for 1.75mm/1kg

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 200 to 220°C.

Magnetic Iron PLA

As the name, it has all the magnetic properties as that of the magnet. The filament is a mixture of standard filaments and iron powered due to which magnetics stick to the filament and provide a dusty and gunmetal look to the printed objects. The temperature needs to be 10-20 degrees lesser than what is required for the MH build PLA filament. To get a rusty look you need to spray several times the mixture of hydrogen peroxide of 16oz, the vinegar of 20oz and 1Tbs of salt let it dry and you will get the desired look.

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Advantages/properties

• It provides a rusty and worn look to any print.
• Therefore, no, shrink while cooling
• Extremely durable and has great strength
• The filament is not soluble in nature.
• Hard and heavy prints can be achieved.

Disadvantages/Issues

• Expensive filament
• Due to high abrasion needs to install hardened steel nozzle.
• Heavy objects when printed with it.
• To obtain a smooth finish need to rock tumbling, polishing, or wet sanding needs to be done.
• Hence, not easy to print with it for inexperienced

Applications

• Used for cosmetic prints of busts, accessories, or aged-metal props.
• Therefore, best used for various DIY projects, sensors, and educational tools, etc.
• Home uses it is just like a novelty material.

Price Starting from : $70 for 1.75mm/1kg

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 195 to 220°C.

PORO-LAY Series

The filament is made from a rubber-elastomeric polymer and a PVA-component. Therefore, there are various types of filaments namely Lay-Felt, Gel-Lay, and Lay-Fomm 40 and 60. These filaments can be characterized as highly porous and flexible filaments.

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Advantages/properties

• These filaments are highly flexible and porous in nature
• Also, have a sponge, jelly, foamy and soft in nature.
• When soaked in water dissolves PVA material and left with the rubber-elastomer.
• Unique and experimental uses.
• Lightweight objects even they are large in size.

Disadvantages/Issues

• Printed objects will be soft and sponge in nature.
• Not used for hard and stiff prints
• Hardware components can not be printed
• Expensive filament.

Applications

• Therefore, best used in filters, permeable membranes, jellyfish models, stamps, or intricate sponges depending on the material.
• Can be used in making of artificial paper and future cloths
• Used for the rubber-like, sponge in nature applications such as ink-reservoirs, bio-cells, micro-foam, and elastics.
• Also used for tissue and orientated objects making.

Price Starting from : $160 for 1.75mm/1kg

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 220 to 230°C.

Specialty filaments

Like the name, these are special kinds of filaments. Now let’s look at the various types of specialty filaments and their special features.

Polycarbonate(PC)

The filament is more strong, impact and highly resistant in nature. Polycarbonate is a tough and highly durable thermoplastic.

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Advantages/properties

• Hence, very resistant to any temperature
• It is flexible and can bend without crack
• Transparent in nature
• No soluble

Disadvantages/Issues

• Should store in a dry place
• Above all not for food components
• Expensive than standard filaments.

Applications

• Most commonly used in RC parts or drone parts.
• Therefore, it can be used in applications related to electrical, mechanical, or automotive components.
• Due to its optical clarity can be used in lighting projects or for screens.

Price Starting from : $120  for 1.75mm/1kg

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 210 to 290°C.

Bendlay

The filament as exciting new features and that is extremely translucent and flexible in nature. Hence, 91% of light passes through the filament. Therefore, it is also flexible and elastic. The other modified version of it is Butadiene.

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Advantages/properties

• Flexible, transparent and provides strength to the material.
• Absorbs less water compared to ABS
• Food safe
• High interlayer adhesion
• Less warping
• Unbreakable and easy to print

Disadvantages/Issues

• Acetone will make it crushy.
• Suffer from whitening when bend.
• Harder than ABS

Applications

• Best used in food packing and food industry.
• Best used ornate cups, containers, or translucent objects.
• Therefore, it can also be used in medical devices.
• Hence, it can be used in the making of containers and utensils.

Price Starting from : $100  for 1.75mm/1kg

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 225 to 245°C.

Moldlay

As the name, it is mainly used for molding which as wax-like properties. The filament is stiff and rigid at the room temperature when heated with 170 10 180 degrees starts to extrude. The prints can be made not only for permanent mold but also for lost wax molding purposes. Therefore print takes the long process usually in the traditional form but thanks to Moldlay it consumes time.

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Advantages/properties

• No warping
• No heated bed required
• Easy to print
• Inexpensive to print the objects

Disadvantages/Issues

• Softer than any other filament
• Feed gear may not work
• Melted wax is runny in nature so won’t deposit correctly

Applications

• Therefore, it can be used for molding purpose
• Designed for silicone molding or completely vaporizing for investment casting.

Price Starting from : $80  for 1.75mm/1kg

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 175 to 195°C.

Continuous Fiber 

Continuous fiber filaments are designed for the ready to use products other than most 3D printing materials are meant for rapid prototyping and testing models.

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Advantages/properties

• Strong, durable and ready to take abuse.
• When comes in contact with a strong base filament like Nylon with Continuous fiber provide a professional and beautiful finish

Applications

• Best used for production parts, drone bodies, or even manufacturing molds.

Price Starting from : $50 to $100  for 1.75mm/1kg

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 245 to 265°C.

Support filaments

These filaments are water-soluble and also act as support filaments with other filaments while using dual extruders. Support filaments are necessary to obtain the best prints or prefect without any overhangs.

PVA filament

The filament is a well-known support material when printing with ABS or PLA filament. The full name of PVA filament is Polyvinyl Alcohol. The filament is transparent with slightly yellow in color and most often used with dual extrusion printers one with the primary material and on the other hand, this dissolve filament provides support to avoid overhangs.

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Advantages/properties

• Acts as a support material
• Biodegradable, durable and non-toxic
• Water-soluble
• Best with PLA due to similar heating temperatures
• Difficult printing makes easy

Disadvantages/Issues

• Dissolves in water easily
• Should be kept in a dry place
• Expensive material than other filaments.

Applications

• Best used for models with internal supports or supports for incredibly detailed models with many overhangs.
• It can be used in thickener in paper adhesives, in personal hygiene products, as a mold-release agent, kid’s putty, and freshwater fishing products.

Price Starting from : $80  for 1.75mm/1kg

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 190 to 220°C.

HIPS

High Impact Polystyrene is similar to ABS and best support material. It is bright, white and biodegradable in nature. It also acts as secondary as that of PVA and liquid hydrocarbon dissolves the filament as soon as possible. The filament is well dissolved in limonene.

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Advantages/properties

• Acts as a support material
• Biodegradable, durable and non-toxic
• Best with ABS

Disadvantages/Issues

• A heated bed is required without it difficult to print.
• Common issue while printing is curling and adhesion.

Applications

• Used for models with internal supports or supports for models with many overhangs.
• The food industry uses for packing, medicinal trays, signs, all kinds of kid’s toys, and much more.
• The filament can be manipulated in many ways as required.

Price Starting from : $25  for 1.75mm/1kg

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 220 to 250°C.

LAYaPVA

The filament is a support material that quickly dissolves in water. And as best viscosity when heated at a temperature of 230-degrees. Of the LAY-AWAY Support Series, LAYaPVA dissolves the fastest.

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Advantages/properties

• Therefore, it is stiff and water-soluble
• Act as support material
• Dissolves quicker than normal PVA

Disadvantages/Issues

• Dissolves in water easily
• Should be kept in a dry place
• Expensive material than other filaments

Applications

• Therefore, best used for models with internal supports or supports for incredibly detailed models with many overhangs.

Price Starting from : $160 for 1.75mm/1kg

Extrusion Temperature: Vary between 220 to 250°C.

LAY-CLOUD

Hence, the best support material for flexible filaments and when overexposed to water it becomes gelly and soft. Therefore, when heated with a 240-degree temperature to achieve the best viscosity.

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Advantages/properties

• The filament is stiff and water-soluble
• Therefore, act as the best support material for flexible filaments.

Disadvantages/Issues

• Hence, dissolves in water easily
• Should be kept in a dry place
• Therefore, expensive material than other filaments

Applications

• Therefore, best used for models with internal supports or supports for incredibly detailed models with many overhangs.

This guide to 3D Printing is about the remaining filaments which were left in the previous guide. Hence, it is all about the guide to 3D printer filaments. There is one more upcoming part of this that will help you choose better.

• In November 2018 the First 3D printed Human Corneal Tissue at Newcastle University, printed inclusive of human corneal stromal cells with a 3D bio-ink human cornea that could last more than a week.
• The research took place over the past few decades, Dr. Che Connon tissue engineering professor from Newcastle University, Tyne, U.K. has been working with human corneal cells.
• The 3D printed bio-ink human cornea that has encapsulated corneal keratocytes advertised high growth at day 1 (>90%) post-printing and at 7 (83%) and it was a combined mixture of sodium alginate and methacrylate collagen.
• This year the U.S Researchers, Florida A & M University a team of researchers led by Mandip Sachdeva Pharmaceutics professor developed a 3D printed cornea similar to a real cornea following the research work of Dr. Che Connon.
• The team developed a highly efficient printer that could print six corneas within 10 minutes in 2018. The researchers could produce 1 cornea.

What is the importance of the cornea?

Human cornea is the most important part of the eye which is very transparent in nature and forms the outer most layer front part that encloses iris, pupil and anterior chamber. Cornea serves as the protective layer of the eye, pony up the focusing power of the human eye. Cornea is responsible for the transmission and refraction of the light. That is, in turn, focused on the retina with the help of the anterior chamber and lens. So cornea is most important for humans to see accurately because approximately 80% of the refraction of the human eye is done by it.  Therefore, 3D bio-ink human cornea might help us.

When do we require cornea transplantation?

Multiple reasons why you many require corneal transplantation. It’s most probably due to infections and inflammations people don’t care about it. And, later that may cause a great blunder called corneal scarring. Due which people are unable to see properly and accurately. Some of the infections and corneal disorders due to which people need to undergo corneal transplants.

• Corneal abrasion: It is a condition in which there is a scratch on the surface layer of the cornea involving loss of the epithelial layer of the eye which led to trauma of the surface of the eye. Pain, redness, light sensitivity, and feels as if there is a foreign creature within the eye. These are the most common symptoms.
• Corneal dystrophy: a medical condition that is hereditary in nature, which affects one or more parts of the cornea lose their normal vision or clarity due to a layered buildup of cloudy material.
• Corneal ulcer: refers to infectious cause, an inflammatory or infective condition that involves disruption of its epithelial layer with an involvement of the corneal stroma. Mainly caused to people with vitamin A deficiency. Due to nerve exposure corneal ulcers are painful and cause tearing, scrunch up eyes when viewing, and loss of the eye vision. Many other signs that cause ulcers such as miosis, aqueous flare, uveitis, axon reflex, prostaglandins, histamine, acetylcholine, and photophobia.
• Corneal neovascularization(CNV): occurs due to excessive growth of blood vessels from the precorneal plexus into the avascular cornea, caused by deprivation of oxygen from the air. Sight-threatening conditions caused due to infection, chemical injury, autoimmune, chemical burns and wearing contact lenses for a long period.

• Fuchs dystrophy( FCED or FED): Ernst Fuchs the Austrian ophthalmologist first invented this condition that is also called cloudy morning vision. Later, which affects both eyes and most commonly found in women than in men. It is a slowly progressing corneal dystrophy.
• Keratitis: Inflammation of the cornea, in which the front surface of the eye is inflamed that causes pain, impaired eyesight, photophobia, red-eye, and a dusty sensation.
• Keratoconus: Affects both the eyes, it is a degenerative disease that results in progressive thinning of the cornea. Results in blurry vision, double vision, nearsightedness, astigmatism, and light sensitivity.

Impact of 3D printed Bio-ink Human Cornea

In 2012-13 the survey done by the World Health Organization resulted in 12.7 million people need to be corneal transplantation. Therefore, 1 in 70 of the needs are covered worldwide. The transplantation helped to prevent corneal blindness. 4.9 million suffering from total blindness due to corneal scarring. The rate of cornea donation is less compared to the people required to transplant the cornea which led to the invention of 3D printing bio-ink human cornea which gave life to billions of people through transplantation. Artificial cornea may help millions of people to see this mesmerizing nature created by god. Through corneal transplantation, people can fulfill their dreams and can make history. Human eyes play a very vital role in each and every human being, 3D printing technology is helping to develop similar human cornea that can give new life to the people who are suffering from this.

Make the best of Geeetech A10 3D printer only @ Geeetech official site

IF YOU CURRENTLY own a pair of running shoes, the odds are that the midsole. The shock-absorbing layer between the inner and outer sole. Therefore, it is made from molded ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), which is squishy, resilient foam. Check out what’s better about 3D printed shoes.

As a cushioning material, EVA foam isn’t bad. It’s elastic, affordable, and can be dyed a variety of colors. But an EVA midsole offers the same degree of support throughout the shoe, and what you really want is different levels of support across different parts of the foot. Also, EVA breaks down and compresses with repeated use. So this degradation is the reason many runners replace their shoes every few hundred miles. For these reasons, shoe companies have been actively experimenting with materials to replace EVA.

Two years ago, running shoe giant New Balance teamed up with Somerville, Massachusetts–based 3D-printing company Formlabs to develop a new type of sole. Now the duo are debuting TripleCell, a footbed technology whose components are made of a proprietary photopolymer called Rebound Resin.

For its first shoe in this lineup, New Balance is re-releasing its classic 990 Sport with a TripleCell heel. The $185 runner is lighter, more supportive, and more durable than the EVA version. Two more performance-oriented models with TripleCell components will be arriving within the next year.

Rough and Tough 3D Printed Shoes

3D-printed shoes aren’t precisely a new idea. For example, Adidas has also begun developing similar automated 3D-printing facilities. That might allow customers to order digitally printed, personalized products.

But rather than focusing on the shoe’s appearance, New Balance decided to find ways to improve its performance. The company gave Formlabs a formidable list of properties the new material would be required to have.

“What you don’t think a lot about with footwear is the demand that we put on this midsole material,” says Katherine Petrecca. The general manager of New Balance’s Innovation Design Studio, in a phone interview.

“It has to last for several hundred miles of repeated impacts,” she says. “It has to work for a 110-pound female runner like Jenny Simpson and a 230-pound basketball player like Kawhi Leonard.

These things are going to be outside, it has to be stable for UV and hydrolysis … It has to be able to withstand heat tunnels in the manufacturing process and bond to all these other materials.”

Formlabs chief product officer Dávid Lakatos and his team went through hundreds of iterations with the formula to achieve the final product. Besides printability, two of the most important properties of the material were energy return and elasticity.

“[The design] has to be able to give back energy, to have a good feeling when you’re using them to run and walk,” Lakatos said in a phone interview. “[It] also has a 330 percent elongation before it breaks … We’ve learned more about how the dynamics of human anatomy work when walking on the surfaces than in almost any other industry.”

3D Printed footwear: Made in America

For New Balance, 3D printing has a number of other advantages besides providing highly detailed foot support. In general, footwear is a very inventory-heavy industry—for every style, you might need to make men’s and women’s versions in fifteen different sizes. Therefore, in several different colors, and each with many different tooled components.

Petrecca imagines that the ability to quickly print multiple designs on a single printer. Therefore, that will have a huge impact on New Balance’s ability to continue manufacturing parts of its shoes in the United States and the United Kingdom. The company is currently working with Formlabs to outfit a new manufacturing facility in Methuen, Massachusetts.

Scaling up won’t be easy; currently, the TripleCell 990 Sport is only available in a limited-edition run of 500 pairs. Right now, 3D printing is still a process that’s used mostly by product designers to create prototypes. Formlabs is working on developing a whole new market of reliable 3D printers. That can manufacture products reliably and consistently in greater numbers.

“One of the dirty secrets of 3D printing is that previous 3D-printing platforms have been extremely prone to failure,” says Lakatos. “Imagine if Apple bought a hundred CNC machines for machining the MacBook Pros, and how each one looked depended on which CNC machine was used. That would be completely unacceptable, obviously.”

While TripleCell pieces are currently being manufactured with Formlabs’ older machines. Both companies are currently developing a more powerful and higher-volume printer called the Form 3L. This new machine will leverage existing LFS technology but use a new light processing unit, which promises to offer greater speed and reliability.

 Shoe designs

Formlabs has pioneered the use of pliable, resilient photopolymers in 3D printing, via a process called low force stereolithography (LFS). Once a design is uploaded, the company’s Form printers draw highly intricate patterns in liquid Rebound Resin. Hence, which cures when the light hits it, resulting in a hardened 3D shape.

This process allows Formlabs to create a detailed lattice pattern in the sole. That lattice provides different levels of support to different parts of the foot, rather than using separate tooled components that are then glued together.

In the original 990 Sport’s heel, New Balance combined a polyurethane outer rim with an EVA midsole and thermoplastic polyurethane heel cradle. In the new version, the company has fused these three separate parts into one seamless, springy piece. “One of the things that’s really exciting for us is that it provides a very different experience for the runner,” says Petrecca. “It feels more like a resilient trampoline than foam.”

But that’s all in the future. For New Balance, the hope is that within the next few years, it will be able to sell a high-performance, customizable running shoe made almost entirely by digital manufacturing. “The sheer performance landscape that we’re going to be able to open up with 3D printing is exciting,” Petrecca says.

Source: WIRED

Human Heart: Using Patients Cells

A team of Tel Aviv University researchers revealed the 3D printed heart. That completely matches the immunological, cellular, biochemical and anatomical properties of a human patient. Until now, scientists have been successful in printing only simple tissues without blood vessels.

“This is the first time anyone anywhere has successfully engineered and printed an entire heart. A heart replete with cells, blood vessels, ventricles, and chambers,” said Prof. Tal Dvir of TAU’s School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology. Therefore, who led the research for the study. He was assisted by Nadav Noor, Dr. Assaf Shapira, Reuven Edri, Idan Gal and Lior Wertheim.

The process involved taking a biopsy of fatty tissue from patients. After which the cellular and a-cellular materials were then separated. While the cells were reprogrammed to become pluripotent stem cells. And therefore efficiently differentiated to cardiac or endothelial cells, the extracellular matrix (ECM). A three-dimensional network of extracellular macromolecules, such as collagen and glycoproteins, were processed into a personalized hydrogel that served as the printing “ink.”

The differentiated cells were then mixed with the bio-inks. As a result, they were used to 3D-print patient-specific, immune-compatible cardiac patches with blood vessels and, subsequently, an entire heart. The 3D printing process takes around 3-4 hours.

First-Ever 3D Heart

“This is the first time anyone anywhere has successfully engineered and printed an entire heart replete with cells, blood vessels, ventricles, and chambers,” said Prof. Tal Dvir of TAU’s School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, who led the research for the study. He was assisted by Nadav Noor, Dr. Assaf Shapira, Reuven Edri, Idan Gal and Lior Wertheim.

The process involved taking a biopsy of fatty tissue from patients, after which the cellular and a-cellular materials were then separated. While the cells were reprogrammed to become pluripotent stem cells and efficiently differentiated to cardiac or endothelial cells, the extracellular matrix (ECM), a three-dimensional network of extracellular macromolecules, such as collagen and glycoproteins, were processed into a personalized hydrogel that served as the printing “ink.”

The differentiated cells were then mixed with the bio-inks and were used to 3D-print patient-specific, immune-compatible cardiac patches with blood vessels and, subsequently, an entire heart. The 3D printing process takes around 3-4 hours.

“This heart is made from human cells and patient-specific biological materials. In our process, these materials serve as the bio-inks, substances made of sugars and proteins that can be used for 3D printing of complex tissue models,” Dvir said. “People have managed to 3D-print the structure of a heart in the past, but not with cells or with blood vessels. Our results demonstrate the potential of our approach for engineering personalized tissue and organ replacement in the future.”

3d printing involves different stages and processes of designing and printing. 3d designers use different software, different print in materials and printers, and sometimes most of them using a different printing technology suited to the product or item they’re printing. So it’s perfectly normal to feel lost until such a time where we feel like it seems difficult to design a perfect 3D model for 3D printing. Common mistakes 3D printing while designing and modeling to be avoided.

But not to worry! I’ve arranged a list to spot out the most common mistakes in designing and printing a 3d model and how to avoid these mistakes. Common mistakes 3D printing to be avoided are mentioned below.

Material Guidelines Ignorance:

The most important thing to keep in mind is that all the materials have different qualities like some are brittle, stiff, flexible, solid, dark or lightweight so on and so forth. At the time of designing, these qualities should be considered while using any particular material. So before starting anything, first you have to carefully examine or identify the design and the materials you need to use for the specific 3d model. For e.g., if you want to print your 3D model in Ceramics, there will be specific material-related design recommendations that you need to take into account such as supporting overhanging parts, strengthening elements that are sticking out, rounding off corners, etc.

For developing a successful 3d printing model, it’s essential to follow material guidelines.

Solution:

Before you start to work on your model, it’s essential to read the design guides. You can set a filter for specific materials on our site to get a better understanding of what designs other artists have created in what materials.

Software Guidelines of Ignorance:

The 3d Printing group of people uses different 3d modeling software packages. Some software is specially integrated to make 3d prints, while others are mostly used for 3d artists and designers so they can offer a great 3d printed model. In some cases, software programs offer automatic wall thickness application while the others you need to manually set it.

Each and every software has its own different functions and processes. Depending on which software you are using, shells must be joined together, models must be made watertight, and wall thicknesses need to be applied. For this, use software like Blender, Sketch Up, or ZBrush, however additional file preparation will need to be done.

Solution:

Before using any software, stick to software guidelines for creating a model into a 3D print. You can also use the free software, Meshmixer or Tinkercad for creating a hollow model if you’re a beginner in 3d Designing.

Printing Technology Ignorance:

After checking the materials needed for your 3d model, it’s time to check the 3d printing technology you need to use to print your model. For example, if you are using materials like ABS, Polyamide, Alumide, and Rubberlike, you can print the interlocking parts while the others are impossible. The reason behind this is not the material itself, but the technology that is used for printing each of these materials.

ABS we used Fused Deposition Modeling. Polyamide, Alumide and Rubberlike we use Selective Laser Sintering. The printing precious metals we use lost wax casting. While for Resin we use Stereolithography (liquid polymer-based).

Solution:

You need to remember that the designing stage is the key. Check the materials you’re going to use and see its equivalent printing technology. Also, keep in mind that the maximum printing sizes differ when you use different printers and technologies.

Wall Thickness Ignorance:

Wall thickness Problems are the basic common reasons why some 3D models are not printed. If the walls of 3D model are thick, then it causes internal stress, and there is a bad effect on the item also. On the other side, if the wall thickness is too thin, then it’s not able to print small parts on the model.

Wall thickness ignorance can cause trouble while printing products for your client. It is essential to check always on the wall think of the model that you want to get printed.

Solution:

https://youtu.be/NRb6cRTCXkU

Read some blogs and watch tutorials about getting the perfect wall thickness for your 3D model. It will help you to get rid out of this problem.

File Resolution Ignorance:

Read the design guides? Know your material? Clear what software you will need? Is Wall thickness ok? Great, but now there is another important thing to discuss: File resolution.

As we all are aware, we save our 3D printing design in STL format. While exporting your designs to STL format, you have the check on the resolutions. Too high or too low resolutions can cause troubles. The best solution to file resolution – at the time of exporting a file defines the tolerance for the export.

Solution:

It is wise to choose 0.01 mm for good file export. Because exporting with a tolerance smaller than 0.01 mm does not make sense because the 3D printers cannot print at this level of detail. When exporting with a tolerance larger than 0.01 mm, triangles might become visible in the 3D print. I hope the article related to common mistakes 3D printing to avoid while designing and modeling is helpful.

Credits: youtube.com, Pinterest.com, Linkedln. 

1. Film cartridge
2. Path of film across the frame
3. Film take-up spools on the other side of the frame
4. A set of gears to rotate the spools at the right speed
5. A shutter
6. An aperture plane
7. A lens
8. A door to access the film
9. A lightproof box to hold it all

If you’ve got the camera … however, you wish a case or mount to place it! If you have got access to a 3D printer, things suddenly get a lot of fascinating. Hence, you’ll use them with the ever standard print software system and monitor your prints. Therefore, use it for your fancy DIY monitor.

Here, it is the best 3D printed Raspberry Pi camera case.

Raspberry Pi Camera Mount with Ball Joint for Reprap

This is specially designed to mount on a Prusa i2, RepRap pro or similar. The mount on a Raspberry Pi camera with a ball joint is for extra flexibility.

Who made it? 3dKarma

Download: Thingiverse

Enclosure for Raspberry Pi Camera V2 with a hole on the bottom to accept a tripod thread

This is the raspberry pi camera module fitted inside a 3d printed enclosure. Therefore, mounted to a 3d printed tripod. This simple design is easy to 3d print and takes a few minutes to put together.

You can use a Swivel-Head Adapter to adjust the position of the camera with a free range of motion. Hence, it locks in place with a side screw. You’ll need a few machine screws and other camera bits to assemble this project along with the 3D printed parts and raspberry pi camera module.

Who made it? Adafruit

Download: Thingiverse

Tom’s Raspberry Pi Zero Camera Mount for Zebra Case V1

This is a remix version of Tom’s Raspberry Pi Camera Mount V4 + (optional) LED Mount V. Therefore, as we know, things are getting smaller and smaller. So for this, we need Pi Camera mount for Rasberry Pi Zero (W) in Zebra Case.

Who made it? Tomulinek

Download: Thingiverse

The Mountster: a Raspberry Pi Camera Mount

The Mountster is a monster mount for the Raspberry Pi Camera. Hence, you can screw the cam to print using the two holes on the side of the lens. Also, there is an opening for the focus light.

Who made it? Jeromemaurey

Download: Thingiverse

Raspberry Pi Camera to Microscope Adapter

These two pieces fit together in order to adopt a Raspberry Pi Camera to a Celestron microscope. The first piece (rectangular one) fits the Raspberry Pi camera, while the second piece (cylindric tube) fits the microscope. Hence, two pieces snap together.

Who made it? Luisibanez

Download: Thingiverse

Need a 3d printer so that you can start printing all your favorite designs? I hope the article of Raspberry Pi camera cases 3D print is helpful for you all. Why not take a look at our Store for some sweet deals?

Credits: thingiverse.com

Essentially, a 3D printing service or company will print your design for you and deliver it right to your doorstep.

All you need to do is upload your model design, STL files, scans or even physical items that you wish to be 3D printed. Apart from this, there are a variety of models available that you can choose from. Alternatively, if you’re looking to sell your designs then you can consider listing your services as well.

We’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite 3D printing services that you absolutely must check out-

1. Shapeways

Technologies: SLS, SLA, Binder Jet Steel, Wax casting, Material Jetting

Materials: Plastic, Metal, Ceramics, Sandstone, Wax

One of the most popular 3d printing services, Shapeways is perfect for both 3d printing enthusiasts as well as newbies. You can either upload your STL files and custom designs or opt for their professionally designed items and customize them to your liking.

2. i.materialise

Technologies: FDM, SLS, SLA, Casting, CeramicJet, Colorjet, DMLS, Indirect Metal Printing, Polyjet

Materials:  Plastic, Metal, Ceramic, Wood, Resin, Sandstone

Similar to Shapeways, i.materialise lets you upload your designs and have them printed out for you. For designers, they can either sell their 3d print designs via the gallery on the i.materalise online store or embed them into their website.

3. 3D Hubs

Technologies: FDM, SLA, SLS, Jetting, Metal Sintering, Paper, PolyJetting, CFF, Wax Casting

Materials: Plastic, Metal, Paper, Resin, Stone, Wax

Rather than 3d printing your object for you, 3D Hubs lets you connect with professionals who own a 3d printer and will print your design. It’s even more convenient as you can find someone living in your area itself who offers 3d printing services, upload your STL files and instantly connect with them to get an estimate.

The company makes sure all transactions between the “hubs” and customers are performed properly. You can find these 3D Hubs all over the world mainly in Europe and the US but also in Australia, Asia, Africa, Russia, and South-America.

4. Sculpteo

Technologies: FDM, SLS, SLA, DMLS, Casting, CLIP, ColorJet

Materials:  Plastic, Metal, Ceramic, Resin, Full-color, Wax

Sculpteo offers a large variety of materials and 3D printing technologies to choose from. From art pieces to jewelry and interior decorations, you can find something that you love and even take it one step further and customize it. Like the other online sites, Sculpteo too offers hobbyists and professionals to open up an online storefront and sell where they can sell their designs.

When asked about his views on 3D printing, the founder of Sculpteo, Eric Carreel says “Soon, instead of buying things that are made in large quantities at factories, we will buy objects made in quantities of just one, specifically for us”. And if you take a look at Sculpteo, you’ll feel the same!

5. MakeXYZ

Technologies: FDM, SLS, SLA, Material Jetting

Materials: Plastic, Resin, Nylon

What sets MakeXYZ apart from other online services is that it offers you a handy little perk. You can either upload your files and have them printed or you can choose to allow an experienced Makexyz print manager handle the process for you. For newbies especially, this tool gives you a very smooth experience.

Apart from this, you can upload your files in a variety of formats like stl, obj, zip, step, stp, iges, igs, 3ds and wrl. The site also includes a “Find 3D Printers” list that includes the printer’s name, location, and his/her 3D print capabilities.

3D printing services are also a great way to test out 3d printed objects before buying your own 3d printer. And if you love the experience and can’t wait to buy your own then take a look at our Store.

Credits: imaterialise.com, makexyz.com, sculpteo.com, 3dhubs.com, shapeways.com

Know these 3D printers just below $ 500, we have listed them accordingly to the best reviews from Amazon.

Acrylic Geeetech Prusa I3 pro

Newbies get ready coz this printer gonna teach you a lot. After being ordered the printer comes with a great packaging without damaging the stuff and the wooden fragmented pieces are easy to assemble.Approximately it takes 5-7 hours to assemble and if you read the instructions clearly you won’t land up into messing it up.

It’s not like a put it together and it works kind of kit, you really need to fiddle with it and show patience if you want great results. The Best way to get the most out of Geeetech Prusa is to watch the youtube videos and read the manual given along with it. If you are starting with printing out the objects then do keep in mind and study well about the slicer settings also the bed gets heated and so fans for cooling the bed is a must have in your kit.

Only things you will need to buy extra after purchasing this item to get like prints is PTFE grease (for z-axis threaded rods), Filament, part cooling fan(s), and tweezers. Now all of these are optional but will aid in getting those high-quality prints much faster.

Buy this on Amazon.com at just $313.99

Geeetech E180 Mini Printer

Viewing from the education perspective, this printer focusses on clearing the class book concepts with practical solutions. An elegant and simple design with a lot to offer. Wifi connectivity makes the printing more simple and easier.

Printing via EasyPrint 3D App is quite easier where you don’t have to manipulate the settings much and also a free access to Cloud gallery. You can print large objects by printing them in chunks and then joining them.The touchscreen user interface allows you to change the relevant parameters in real time also the break resuming capability is great helping you to continue the product from where it had stopped. The tiny machine can create giant objects with best finish and smoothness.

Buy Geeetech E180 Mini 3D Printer only at $298.00.

Delta Rostock mini G2S pro

This printer is an improved version with more accuracy and speed enabling you to print a single object of two different colors or two objects with a different color on the same print bed.Follow the step by step procedure for assembling the printer just as given in the Geeetech Rostock mini G2 & G2s pro Quick Starter Manual.zip then continue to read the Delta Rostock mini G2& G2s building instruction.zip thus you are now all set to print on the Delta Rostock mini and get the best out of it. The only thing to remember while 3D Printing is patience and reaching out to people those who can help you solve all your difficulties.

Get this printer on Geeetech official website at just $269.

Geeetech High-Quality MeCreator

Precise in printing due to the upgraded hardware and optimized firmware, this printer allows you to efficiently print your designs.The half-open box type design gives protection to the printer and giving you easy access to observe whats getting printed out there.Its compact and comes with an upgraded extruder whose feeding part is V shaped ensuring constant and stable feeding.The best part about MeCreator is it supports various software tools and slicer tools giving you a better experience.

Get this printer on Geeetch Official Site at $385.00

So you need not wait to buy a 3D Printer now as you know it does not cost much and is amazingly helpful. The Geeetech team is always there to help out. You can share the problems you face with the printed on our Fb Group and we will make sure you get them solved.

Credits: youtube.com, i.ytimg.com, amazon.com.

To simplify things for you here’s an easy introduction to help you understand the different slicer settings and which ones to use. Slicer settings will vary depending upon the material and the design that you decide to print so remember that there is no “perfect” setting. Let’s take EasyPrint 3D Printing Slicer as an example and discover those “3D Prints’ Lies” towards slicer settings.

Why do you need a 3D Slicer?

You have an idea for a really cool model that you want to print. But how do you convert that into something your printer can carry out? That’s the job of a slicer! A slicer software converts your digital 3D models into printing instructions that your printer can then follow. It “slices” your CAD model into horizontal layers based on your settings and calculates how much filament the printer requires as well as the duration of the print. It then sends all this information to your printer in the form of a GCode file. Explore more features of the best 3d printer slicers.

Here are the basic slicer settings that you can’t skip out on

1. First layer thickness

Located in an advanced setting this determines the thickness of your initial layer. The first layer is basically the very foundation of your print design and a good first layer will ensure a good 3d print! By making the first layer thicker or thin, you can design a sturdy base for your 3D print.

2. Layer Height

Layer height determines the detailing or resolution of your 3D print. Prints that require fine detailing should be printed with a thinner layer height. This gives a smoother surface where it’s difficult to see the individual filament layers. The cons of this will be that your print will take much longer to print as there will be more layers. Here are some settings recommended for high-resolution printing:

.4mm nozzle fine = .1mm average=.2mm rough=.34mm

.35mm nozzle fine= ,1mm avg = .2mm rough = .3mm

If your print doesn’t require much detail, opt for a thicker layer which will be faster to print however the individual layers will be more visible. This kind of low-resolution printing is good for objects that don’t require detailing.

For medium-resolution designs, opt for .1mm, and for low-resolution try printing at .2mm.

3. Retraction

The basic function of retraction is to pull the filament back from the nozzle and stop extruding the filament when there are empty surfaces in your print. This prevents stringing and oozing.

This setting is usually enabled by default but if you’re unsure you can always check the settings. Retraction may sometimes cause the print bed to get clogged with excess filament in which case you should probably disable it. However, if you find your 3d prints starting to string then turn the retraction on. For further information on stringing check out our Troubleshooting Guide.

4. Print Speed

Print speed is the speed at which the extruder travels while it prints the filament. The settings for every design vary on the object you’re printing especially whether it requires detailing or not, as well as the filament and layer height. 3D Printing takes a long time so remember to sit tight and wait because increasing the print speed just so you can finish your print early may result in messy and failed prints!

For complicated prints, a slower speed will give you a higher quality print and vice versa.

5. Infill

The density of the object depends on the infill which is measured in % rather than mm. Solid and heavy objects will have a 100% infill whereas lighter objects will have a lower infill rate. The higher the percentage of infill, the stronger and heavier the object will be, and the more time and filament it will take to print. So keep in mind what you will be using your model for as it gets more time-consuming and expensive if you print with 100% infill.

For example, toys and display items can be printed with  10-20% infill but if you need something to be more functional and sturdy, 75-100% infill is more appropriate.

6. Supports

As the name suggests, supports literally “supports” your 3D print and holds the objects up if there isn’t enough base material present. Without sufficient support, the overhangs can droop down and even fall off.

So how do you decide if your print needs support?

The 45-degree rule states that in general, overhangs with a slope greater than 45 degrees will require support. So any object with a “T” shaped overhang will need support to avoid drooping. Similarly, objects that form an “H” structure also require support to hold the middle overhang up. However “Y” shaped objects are safe to print without support because of the gradual slope which has enough material beneath it to keep it from drooping.

Types of Supports

You can choose from 2 different support structures:

• Partial: This is for designs where the section of the design that needs the support can  attach to the build plate like this

• Complete: For designs that have more complex overhangs in a place that won’t attach to support coming from the build plate, you can use supports all over.

7. Print Bed Adhesion

If your print won’t stick to the print bed correctly it can result in warping and usually a failed print. However, the 2 settings that will help you improve the adhesion are as follows-

Raft

Rafts provide a platform that sticks to the print bed easily. They can also be useful when printing models with small parts at the bottom of your print, like animal feet.  Rafts may be easier to snap off but they will leave you with a rough surface that you may have to sand.

Brim

Brim will add a single layer of material around the bottom of the object which keeps the corners of your model down. It is considered as the least wasteful of the two and a better option if you don’t mind taking a knife to your print to trim the brim away.

Slicer settings heavily impact the quality of your print so it’s important to have the right software and settings to get you the best quality print possible. For a smooth and successful 3D Printing experience check out EasyPrint 3D.