---+!! Information about 3D printing services, costs, and capabilities
Why Bother
Most CNC shops that build for us have considerable (~20-30 days) lead time. They are typically meant to be utilized by groups who have already done their prototyping, and need to mass-produce a 'finalized' design. Our design cycle often requires a few iterations, and we have no real in-house fast prototyping facilities.
Most 3D printing houses offer local pickup or can be used with local couriers, and have turnaround times of anywhere from same-day to about a week.
While cost isn't typically a significant factor for the types of machining orders we may choose to prototype via 3D printing, it appears to be about 2-4x cheaper to do so.
A good example of a part that may benefit from this sort of fast prototyping are the DfMux faceplates -- the ability to try several different designs, and verify the model itself, all on a timescale of a week or two, is pretty attractive. Another area would be small parts or pieces that we have, in the past, made at the Machine shop downstairs or mockups we've put together out of cardboard (often based on SW models anyway). These are parts that don't necessarily have to be made from metal materials, or made by hand, and thus the 3D printed parts could be the final, used components.
Examples of parts in the second category are custom tools like the one that Amy built from material around the lab to make it easier to plug and unplug the comb-combiner board from within the cryostat, and our cardboard mock-ups of the wire-harness, the 3G pixel and LC board.
What are the Options?
From what i can tell, most of the 3D fabrication/printing houses can be divided into three categories:
- Local hubs: Aggregating sites where individuals, small companies, and local 3D printing associations list their 3D printing capabilities and take orders.
- These range from 'homebuilt' printing machines to cutting edge multi-machine houses (often they are R&D departments at other engineering firms outsourcing their equipment). Individual houses list their build resolution (typically 50 microns up to >200 microns), turnaround (typical: 4 days), and cost (typical: 10 CAD / job). To get a quote you upload a design file (.sti) to the aggregate site, and the shops with the printers capable of making it respond.
- Example: http://www.3dhubs.com/3dprint
- Small 3D printing companies, still local:
- Large fabrication houses that also have 3D Printing services.
- I don't have much information about these right now. Probably the most capable, consistent, expensive, and higher lead time. I'm in the process of getting quotes from places like this and the smaller local printing companies.
- Example: http://proto3000.com/
In all cases quotes are given by uploading the design files. Most places that aren't the local hubs will take direct part CAD and SW design files, instead of requiring the actual STI file.
Limitations
Size. Overwhelmingly, these 3D printers have small volumes, typically ~250x ~280x ~220mm, ~16L.
Postings in the hubs are organized by the 3D printer available. The largest i've come across there is the Z18 (
https://store.makerbot.com/replicator-z18), which can build 2,592 cubic inches ("30.5 L x 30.5 W x 45.7 H CM, 12.0 L x 12.0 W x 18.0 H inches").
The length of the faceplate design limits us to something like the Z18.
Updates
McGill Research Commons Printers
The McGill Redpath library has three 3D printers available for free use by students and faculty. For instructions on how to use this service, see
this page.
http://www.mcgillmakershub.ca/3dp.html
Maker space in the basement of Wong
There are great free to use machines for students. Will need to sign up for access.
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Topic revision: r3 - 2019-05-07 - WinterlandUser