3D Printing Thread

[asheet]

In my brief experience, when I needed a special size part of a device, I did some research and found a most cost effective 3D printing service https://www.3ding.in
It is Chennai based while I am at Mumbai. Still I ordered and I received the iPad attachment part just like original.

 

[rsaeon]

It blows my mind how affordable prototyping becomes with 3d printing. I've depended on laser cutting for years, thinking it was the more cost-effective option. But it's not even close.

Robu's non-metal laser cutting has textured ABS as my preferred material, but the design I wanted costs Rs 800! For that kind of money, I can get a 1kg roll of ABS AND make 5 copies!

3ding.in wants over 7500 for the same thing!

Now I want to start a 3d print farm, haha.

 

[rsaeon]

I put together a simple chamber heater for around Rs 1000 so that I can print ABS without warping:



I disabled the built-in thermostat of the plug-in heater by disconnecting the controller board and tying the fan and heater control signals directly to VCC with a blob of solder on 2mm pitch header pins.

This way, I can use that temperature controller to control the heater:





That external controller is a little glitchy; the relay sometimes becomes stuck, leaving the heater on. I might need to replace it.

I have the thermostat set to 60C, the bed at 100C, and I start the print whenever the nozzle temperature reads 45C.