3D Printing:And its use in RC Modeling

Dan Frey17 NOV 2015

3D Printing• Makes part from CAD files

(STL format)• Builds layer by layer

~ 0.010” thick (or thinner)• Thermoplastic materials

(ABS, PLA, Nylon) mostly• Machines now as low as

$175, many ~$500, can be >$30K

• Or outsource your parts

3D Printing Technologies

• Stereolithography

• ZPrinting (liquid binding of powder)

• Selective laser sintering

• Mask image projection

• Fused deposition modeling (extrusion deposition)

Dimension uPrint• Fused deposition• ABS thermoplastic• Support material dissolves in

solution of NaOH and detergent

• Good for large overhangs and possibly for assemblies with relative motion among parts

• Build volume 8 x 6 x 6 in• ~$30K

MakerBot

• Fused deposition

• ABS or PLA

• Some have thermally controlled environment

• Heated bed

• Build volume 10x10x12cm

• $1400 (mini) up to $6500

Fabrikator Mini• Fused deposition• ABS or PLA• No thermally controlled

environment• No heated bed (masking

tape used as bed surface)• Build volume 8 x 8 x 8 cm• ~$180 (plus shipping)

PLA Plastic

~$30/kg

Form 2

• SLA technology (liquid selectively polymerized by laser)

• 0.0055” layers• Object pulled from above• 14.5 × 14.5 × 17.5 cm build vol.• Waxy support material removed

using high pressure water spray• ~$3500

Objet Connex

• Mask image projection (sprays 8*10^6 dropslets/sec)

• 0.0006” layers

• 19x15x8” build vol.

• Waxy support material removed using high pressure water spray

• “Digital Materials let you incorporate a range of hardnesses, opacities, shades or thermal properties into a single model…”

eos Formiga

• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)• 0.06mm layers• No support material needed

(unbound powder inherently supports the part)

• Machine ~$1M

Outsourcing (rather than owning a 3D printer)

• e.g. shapeways.com• Has SLS nylon parts (“strong and flexible plastic”)

Materials

• Wood

• Alum

• 3D print

Mark One Composite 3D Printer

• Fused deposition• Carbon fiber, fiberglass, nylon• Machine ~$5.5K