Society of Robots - Robot Forum

Mechanics and Construction => Mechanics and Construction => Topic started by: Admin on June 15, 2007, 08:20:42 AM

Title: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: Admin on June 15, 2007, 08:20:42 AM
Anyone recommend a place to get some parts printed in 3D?

Jon recommended (http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=958.0) Xardas (http://www.xardas.com) already, but I want to shop around a bit more . . . I need something made soon.

In other news, Im seriously considering buying a 3D printer for work sometime this summer . . .
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: bobbylox on June 15, 2007, 12:07:39 PM
http://www.ems-usa.com/Services.html

there are also more 3d printing services listed in the fab@home wiki: www.fabathome.org
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: Steve Joblin on June 15, 2007, 03:39:59 PM
www.bigbluesaw.com
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: Admin on July 05, 2007, 10:55:18 AM
Since I really prefer ABS, and couldn't find any other companies, I decided to just go with Xardas.

btw, bigbluesaw is not a 3D printing company :P
(they do water jet cutting)
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: paulstreats on July 08, 2007, 06:49:59 AM
http://www.desktopfactory.com (http://www.desktopfactory.com) offer a cheap 3d desktop printer at around $4900 unfortunately it looks like it can only make small 5" size models, but i am wanting one myself so this is probably the one i will go for when ive saved up enough.
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: robotvisionary on July 08, 2007, 07:28:50 AM
Well here in Puerto Rico there is a company that can cheap you parts over the internet and i know the boss.
www.egiworks.com (http://www.egiworks.com)

The have 2 metal forming machines, 1 plastic printer. But you have to design things in solidworks. I think you have one edition. What they do is that you sent a copy of your product, you have to sent only the measurements and the do it again in solidworks over there and ship your order. I know a lot about this because i went to a camp on product designing and manufacturing and they told me all that. There location is In a city called Caguas. If any help.

If any more info you might need send me a PM.
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: Admin on August 23, 2007, 01:21:26 PM
For those interested in buying a 3D printer for cheap, this is a mailing list I found that is good for buying second hand printers:
http://rapid.lpt.fi/rp-ml/

I would like to report that Im happy with the services from Xardas. They were really quick, the parts came out great, and the guy was really helpful.

In other news, my boss asked me to buy this because she had some extra pocket change:
http://www.dimensionprinting.com/printers/printing-productspecs1200series.shtml

Finally, my own 3D printer!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: Rebelgium on September 12, 2007, 06:46:47 AM
omg Just imagine what you can do with your own 3D printer...

A self designed robot arm, that perfectly suits your need. Made out of 3 limbs and a custom clamp on top of it to finish it off
And this arm sits on top of a octapod, all custom designed legs made out of multiple parts...

  ::) drooolll
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: Admin on September 12, 2007, 07:02:32 AM
I forgot to post this . . .

So I got a quotation from DimensionPrinting . . . its amazing how they can turn a $21,900 list price on their website to $44,230 . . . worse than a car dealership . . . would you like wheels to go with your car? an extra $2k please . . . :P

So I emailed them back and asked why they dont list all these required extras on their site . . . and the guy wrote "you need to keep in mind that we have competitors too - and we don't want to put everything right out there for them."

Well in the spirit of supporting the robotics community, I would like to encourage fair market competition by posting the real cost of their product. ;D

Given this price surprise . . . Im putting off getting it for now :'(
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: Rebelgium on September 12, 2007, 03:20:44 PM
oohh bummer  :(

Sorry for rubbing it in with my previous post ;) :D
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: HDL_CinC_Dragon on September 12, 2007, 05:09:17 PM
wow what a load of bull... Sorry to hear that Jason :-\
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: Admin on September 13, 2007, 04:39:54 AM
Quote
Jason
who? my name is John :P

I think that all 3D printer companies are like this . . . I had two reps come down from http://www.3dsystems.com/
They printed out some of my parts as a demo, and told me how beautiful they came out. I look at the parts, and they were seriously warped and one broke in my boss's hand . . . 'special price just for you!' they told me . . . I bet the salesman had snake oil in his pocket :P
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: Rebelgium on September 13, 2007, 05:50:54 AM
Quote
who? my name is John  :P

I think that all 3D printer companies are like this . . . I had two reps come down from http://www.3dsystems.com/
They printed out some of my parts as a demo, and told me how beautiful they came out. I look at the parts, and they were seriously warped and one broke in my boss's hand . . . 'special price just for you!' they told me . . . I bet the salesman had snake oil in his pocket  :P
Atleast he's got the first letter right  ;)

And I read somewhere that your boss is a women, so those parts must have been pretty crappy if they broke in her hand :/
Maybe they honestly meant the parts were really good, and they just have a cheaper printer and cheaper plastic. So they aren't used to the quality you are used to.... ?
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: JonHylands on September 13, 2007, 08:08:22 AM
No, the problem is the 3dsystems printers fuse powder to make parts, as opposed to the Dimension printers, which basically lay down a bead of liquid ABS which hardens. The ABS printers produce parts that are much stronger - its basically similar to the difference between cast aluminum and extruded aluminum.

- Jon
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: Admin on September 13, 2007, 08:35:58 AM
Yea, that brittleness is why the 3Dsystems parts broke. This is why I like ABS much more . . .

But they were all significantly warped in shape too. My parts were thin (.4 cm), and apparently they use an oven to melt the wax support material off, causing the warp.

I was just disappointed they didnt know this, or even check if the parts were actually correct . . .
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: HDL_CinC_Dragon on September 13, 2007, 05:05:56 PM
Quote
Jason
who? my name is John :P


... ****! Sorry John! lol, Jason is the guy I do web meetings with every now and then >_<
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: amakusa on September 30, 2007, 11:40:27 AM
try fabathome.org free plans for a 3d printer you can build yourself!
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: JonHylands on September 30, 2007, 12:22:31 PM
Check out my current printed project, where I did the full chest of BrainBot using a 3D printer (in ABS):

(http://www.bioloid.info/BrainBot2-01-small.jpg)

(http://www.bioloid.info/PrintedChest-01-smaller.jpg)

(http://www.bioloid.info/PrintedChest-03-small.jpg)

- Jon
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: annoyin_kid on October 01, 2007, 01:43:09 PM
Check out my current printed project, where I did the full chest of BrainBot using a 3D printer (in ABS):

- Jon


hey jon ya know those AX12 servos that you used. do you really need the 12kg.cm of torque? if no then whats the minimum torque that you would suggest? also how many servos did you use just to make the legs and just the hands?
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: JonHylands on October 01, 2007, 05:58:37 PM
Each arm has three servos - one inside the chest as a shoulder rotator, a shoulder pitch servo, and an elbow.

Each leg has six - hip pitch, roll, and yaw, a knee, and ankle pitch and roll.

It also has a 2 DOF head (pitch and yaw), for a grand total of 20 servos.

You need all that torque, especially if you're adding more weight to the chest/head.

- Jon
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: garriwilson on October 03, 2007, 10:26:46 PM
What is a 3D printer?
Title: Re: 3D Printer, parts by mail?
Post by: JonHylands on October 04, 2007, 04:56:31 AM
Type in 3D printer to google, the first hit is wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing

The one I'm using specifically is one of these:

http://www.dimensionprinting.com/

- Jon