Selecting a printer in 2024

What is 3D printing in today’s environment?

3D printing, also referred to as additive manufacturing or digital fabrication, is a type of manufacturing process that creates an object by adding material layer by layer. This involves designing the object in a computer file using specialized software before being sent to a 3D printer. The printer then reads the instructions from the file and adds the desired material to build the finished product.

The Benefits of 3D Printing: – 3D printing has several advantages over traditional manufacturing methods. One of the most significant advantages is that it allows for the creation of unique objects with complex geometries that may be difficult or impossible to produce using other manufacturing techniques. Additionally, 3D printing can produce prototypes quickly and accurately at a lower cost than traditional manufacturing methods. Furthermore, it offers the ability to make parts on demand and reduce waste by eliminating the need for inventory storage.

Significance of 3D Printing: – 3D printing technology has revolutionized various industries, including medicine, healthcare, automotive, aerospace, and industrial manufacturing. In the healthcare sector, 3D printing enables the creation of customized implants, surgical guides, and prosthetics, which leads to better patient outcomes. The automotive industry uses 3D printing to create body panels, engine components, and other vehicle components. Aerospace and defense companies use 3D printing to produce lightweight and complex parts for aircraft and spacecraft.

Factors to consider:

1. Type of Material
2. Resolution
3. Build Volume
4. Speed
5. Price
6. Software

Types of Material

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) printers use filament to extrude melted plastic into layers, creating a 3D printed part. The type of filament used

1. PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol): This is a popular choice for FDM printers due to its high melting point, which makes it ideal for printing at higher temperatures. It also has good resistance to distortion and warping.
2. PLA (Polylactic Acid): This filament is made from renewable resources, making it a popular choice for eco-friendly projects. It has a low melting point, which means it can be printed at lower temperatures. However, it may warp or distort over time.
3. ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene): This filament is known for its high strength, impact resistance, and ability to withstand high temperatures. It also has good adhesion properties and is resistant to UV light.
4. HIPS (Hydroxy Methyl Methacrylate Polymer): This filament is designed for use in food packaging and other applications where high temperature resistance is required. It has a high melting point and is resistant to chemical corrosion.
5. Nylon: This filament is known for its high strength, impact resistance, and ability to withstand high temperatures. It also has good adhesion properties and is resistant to UV light.
6. Woodfill: This filament is made from wood pulp and is designed to mimic the appearance of wood. It is often used in jewelry and other decorative items.
7. Metal: This filament is made from plastic infused with metal powder and is similar to other infused materials like ASA-CF with one difference.  After the printing the plastic is melted away leaving only the metal.
8. Carbon fiber: This is typically and additive that goes with one of the other types of materials.  Examples are ASA-CF, ABS-CF, PA6-CF.  The addition of carbon fiber typically and enhance the properties for strength to a given base material.

When selecting a 3D printer, it’s important to consider the type of materials you want to use and choose a printer that can handle those materials effectively. Since price of the printer is a big factor in what types of materials can be used this is an important consideration.  However, most printers can be upgraded to allow for additional material selections.

Price of the filament is also something to consider.  Where a normal roll of PLA costs about $20-$25 dollars per/kg some specialty materials can be hundreds of dollars per/kg.

Resolution of the print

When selecting a 3D printer based on resolution, you’ll want to consider the level of detail you need in your prints. Here are some factors to consider:

1. Low resolution: If you just need a rough estimate or a simple design, a low-resolution printer (usually with a small bed size) will do the job. These printers are inexpensive and easy to use, making them a good choice for beginners or those who don’t need precise dimensions.
2. Medium resolution: For more complex designs or projects that require precise details, a medium-resolution printer (with a larger bed size) will provide better results. This type of printer is still relatively affordable and offers good value for its price.
3. High resolution: If you need high-quality prints with intricate details, a high-resolution printer will provide the best results. These printers are more expensive but offer incredibly detailed prints.
4. Resolution vs. print time: Keep in mind that higher resolution often means longer print times. If you have a lot of material to print or a large object to create, you may want to choose a printer with a faster print speed to save time.
5. Material properties: The type of material used can also affect the resolution of your prints. Some materials, like PLA, have poor adhesion and may not hold up well to high temperatures, while others, like nylon, are stronger and more durable but may be difficult to print accurately.
6. Filament diameter: The filament diameter can also impact resolution. Thicker filaments tend to produce better results due to their ability to fill small gaps and voids. However, thicker filaments may also take longer to extrude and print.
7. Printer software: Make sure the software you’re using is capable of producing accurate models at the desired resolution. Research different programs and choose one that meets your needs and budget.
8. Operating conditions: Finally, make sure the operating conditions are suitable for achieving the desired resolution. This includes factors such as temperature, extrusion speed, layer height, and print quality. By optimizing these parameters, you can achieve high-quality prints with precise details.

Build Volume

In 2024, build volume options for 3D printers vary depending on the manufacturer and model. However, in the consumer market, the most common build volumes range from approximately 200mm to 300mm on each axis. 

1. Hobbyists: Most hobbyist 3D printers have a build volume of around 200mm to 300mm on each axis. These printers are designed for beginners or advanced users and offer good value for their price. Examples include the Creality Ender 3 Pro, the Monoprice Select Mini V2, and the FlashForge Creator Pro.
2. Businesses: Businesses often need larger build volumes than hobbyists. Some popular small business 3D printers have build volumes ranging from 300mm to 1000mm and even higher on each axis. Example the Prusa XL with a build volume of 914mm x 914mm x 914mm
3. Industrial use: When getting into the industrial 3d printing space the volumes, speed, and size are in a class of their own and with the price tag of these printers an entire series of articles would be needed to explain the features.
4. Custom: The way this industry has developed, with open source at the core, there are many options for simply creating your own printer from scratch.  The firmware that run on a large percentage of 3d printers is open source and can be used to build custom printer.  In a future articles, I will go over how to build your own printer or simply extend the height on an off the shelf printer.

Speed:

Speed of 3d printers will be a topic point all of its own in a future article.  However, when selecting a 3d printer you don’t necessarily want to select just based on speed.

1. Consider the complexity of your design: If you’re working with a simple or small design, you may not need a fast 3D printer. On the other hand, if you’re working with a complex design or large objects, you’ll likely need a faster printer to achieve the desired results.  It is also worth noting that with the industrial printers above one of the features with the price is the speed and reliability of long prints.  Nothing is more frustrating to setup your printer for a 48 hour print and have it fail in the 30th hour.
2. Think about the type of material you’re using: This is a big factor in printing specialty filaments. Each manufacture will have temperature recommendations for the nozzle and heatbed but they will also have recommendations for speed.  There are even designations specific to High Speed printers and normal speed printers. Settings for print time, quality, strength, material usage is a balancing act and needs to be considered carefully.  This is less important for printing single parts but in a print farm setting this is very important to maximize the printer’s profit.

Price and Final Thoughts:

The thing to say about price when it comes to 3d printing is that you don’t always get what you pay for.   There are so many printers to choose from now day’s you could spend hours researching printer features, speeds, build volumes against the price of each.  When selecting a printer in 2024 you need to first consider your needs.  If you are just starting out as a hobby and want to dip your toe in the water then there are popular brands like Ender that will work well to “get you started”.  This will help you determine what is important to you when 3d printing.  Considering some printers are 2,3, or even 10x the cost of an entry level printer.  Using an entry level printer could help save you from making a critical mistake on selecting a final printer.   However, if you are looking for a piece of “equipment” to fill a need then you need to consider all of the topics, and more from above.  Each of the type of printers is going to have their pros and cons.

Lastly, don’t forget that 3d printers require a software generated file in order to tell the printer how to do its job.  Its important to look at the software required for your printer before you buy and make sure that it meets your needs.  Almost every printer manufacture has software available for their printer when you purchase it. Some of these are free, a few require a purchase in addition to the printer itself.