So I"m after a decent size 3d printer to print an item that is 38.10 x 38.09 x 32.59 cm. The item is basically a cone shape with 3mm walls and quotes have been hundreds if not thousands of dollars.
Any recommendations out there for a 3d print service, maker space (Melbourne) or 3d printer to make this item?
That's not medium size in the current world of 3D printing, it's XL. Most printers are around 25cm3 or smaller, that's why your quotes are so high. There are certainly printers capable of doing it but they're nowhere near as common as the others, even the Prusa XL charlierg mentioned isn't large enough for what you're after.
Can you break it into parts and join them into the larger finished object?
Is there absolutely no way you could post process the stl to be multiple part?
If you've never used a 3d printer before, it can be a serious learning curve - not at all just like pressing print. DM me more details of the part and I can provide some recommendations
thanks so much.
I totally could break it down and I think thats my best bet. I suppose it'll just make things a little ugly.
There’s a heap of guides on YouTube on how to get really nice seamless joining of parts, I guess it depends on what you are actually printing (eg is it a display piece), or is it functional?
on 3d printing services. PCB Way seem to be quite good value. Thoughts?
The largest I can do in one shot is 300w x 300d x 400h. Your quotes will drop significantly if you can get it within 300mm on a side. The cheapest printer that can do 400mm prints that I could only barely recommend is the TRONXY X5SA 400 Pro.
What actually are you tryin to print?
I'm making a focusable spotlight that uses a 35mm diameter, 2mm lens. I'm aiming to make the lens holder from a single piece for added rigidity, and a laser-cut or CNC-fabricated holder could be a great option.
I'm making a focusable spotlight that uses a 35mm diameter, 2mm lens. I
If this thing gets hot (a spotlight) you are limiting yourself to high temperature filaments, not to bog-standard boring and easy AF PLA filaments that most people use. PETG might work, it's easy to print with, kinda decent with warmer temperatures.
High temp resistant filaments are harder to print without warping, and vastly harder to print without warping when at the XXL size that you are wanting.
Very few non-industrial printers can do this… RatRig does some that go beyond 40cm cube, but they are enthusiast and rare as hens teeth- printers that are chunky enough to have trouble fitting through some doorways.
This sounds like something that might be better made by a metal fabricator, bending a sheet of thin steel or aluminium into a cone.
3d printing folk, why aren’t there printers that extend to a much larger size vertically? It seems all that would be needed is a taller set of rails.
Or am I missing something fundamental?
The vertical axis is the slowest axis.
Tall prints are most likely to fail due to the high centre of gravity.
On bed slingers, the higher the print, the less stable it is.
There are, it's just that price increases faster than size and 3D prints aren't fast, a print can take over a day as it is, so there's not a lot of interest in that market segment currently. It's one thing to have a desktop printer, it's another to have a printer that occupies half of a car garage.
I think the cheapest option currently that could do what OP is after is the Elegoo OrangeStorm Giga at about $3800 and available in roughly 3 weeks. I haven't followed it much but I think early reviews haven't exactly been glowing.
The cheapest, shittiest printers used to do this because it was… well… cheap and easy to advertise a high Z height just by lengthening to beams and a lead screw. Problem is, that objects are weakest and easiest to snap along layer lines so really you want a bigger bed rather than Z height. And a bigger bed = bigger cost.
Also, the bedslinger design flings the bed back and forth, so really tall objects get wobbly and either start to misprint or fall over.
Your model is 381 × 380.9 × 325.9 mm (call it 381 × 381 × 326 mm). Here are FDM printers that will fit that—or bigger: Are as follows…
Creality CR-M4 — 450 × 450 × 470 mm. Big bed, direct-drive Sprite extruder; widely reviewed as a large-format workhorse.
Elegoo Neptune 4 Max — 420 × 420 × 480 mm. Klipper-based (fast), 300 °C nozzle; sold in AU (Jaycar/Elegoo AU).
Anycubic Kobra 2 Max — 420 × 420 × 500 mm. Newer large-bed option; often on Amazon AU
Anycubic Kobra Max — 400 × 400 × 450 mm. Older but still roomy; plenty of user history.
Creality CR-10 Max — 450 × 450 × 470 mm. Big-bed classic; older model but still available via some sellers.
Tronxy X5SA-400 (incl. Pro/2E) — 400 × 400 × 400 mm. Budget large format kits; (more tinkering-oriented)
Anycubic Chiron — 400 × 400 × 450 mm. Discontinued but pops up used/new-old-stock; check condition/support.
Modix BIG-60 (pro kit) — 600 × 600 × 660 mm. If you want way more headroom (and budget).
Best value new: Elegoo Neptune 4 Max — frequently discounted, sold @Jaycar AU
Max size without going industrial: Creality CR-M4 — bigger XY and lots of reviews/support. (Creality AU store listing comes and goes.)
Anycubic Kobra 2 Max (watch for price drops/coupons). @Amazon Australia
Plus materials (single color, or more than one, complicates things and adds wasteage) , design and print time (about a day or possibly two and that depends on both if its an ALL or PART/Assembley) In which case a smaller printer might do in which case anyrthing BAMBOO is thought of for now as the gold standard for beginner friendly! & as mentioned, Also, the bedslinger design flings the bed back and forth, so really tall objects get wobbly and either start to misprint or fall over!!!
IF you can find someone that will do this for anything like $1000, id say its a bargin as missprints, wastage either way and complication if you want any sort of colours would easily double that. I cant say more with out the object, its use and if this is in fact the best way to go forward but Id say a $3000 bill would be about the margin anyone with a brain would have to charge! DIY and I estimate a $800+$300 bill + $45hr time, 3 day print, cost would be assuming it all went well closer to $2000 than one but of course you will have your own 3D printer and can do a second or third print as the design progresses
I hope this HELPS. For my own 2c, anything can be printed in parts and assembled, then hand finished and painted, reinforced or magnets or glue used. That means you can go a smaller printer and go for one that does better prints, reliably (especialy iof this is a newbbie) so Bamboo P1S is my pick (not a bed slinger and lots of newbie perfection). Write the printer off the tax return too… Inc the power and materials BUT if this is a ONE OFF, take any quote in the HUNDREDS and bring the man or women a beverage as thanks! IMO
PCBWAY you can UPLOAD the item and get it printed in the color and material of your choice too… & delivered to your door
Good luck. Try designing multiple parts and using fasteners? Prusa XL would be an option but prohibitively expensive