Advances in Desktop 3D

PrintingRobert Zollo

Avante Technology, LLC

Workshop Goals

• Help commercial enterprises assess the viability of desktop 3D printing for their business

• Where to go for additional relevant information

Workshop Topics“State of the Industry” 3D printing

Compare industrial vs desktop 3D printing

Applications and economics

Things to consider when using 3D printing

Where to go for additional relevant information

What We Do

• Custom Materials for 3D Printing

• STL Repair/Validation Software

• Architected 3D printers

• Custom Development

• Consulting

Commercial 3D Printing

State of the Industry

$2 Billion+35%per year growth!

• Conceptual Prototypes

• Functional Prototypes

• Production Parts (new)

Why 3D PrintingFor the past 30 years

Rapid Prototyping• Saves time• Efficient revisions• Reduces tooling

errors

Why 3D Printing

For the past 5 years:

Rapid Prototyping

Specialized, Short Run Production

Why 3D Printing Now

2013-2014 & beyond: Rapid Prototyping,specialized, Short Run Production andhigh value productionand fixtures, jigs & molds

Pros & ConsIndustrial 3D Printers

More Material Options

Larger Scale Parts

Faster Printing (maybe?)

More Precise Parts (maybe?)

More Expensive (it depends..)

Service Bureau Option

EconomicsIndustrial 3D Printers• $25,000 - $1Million• Metal: $100k-

$1mil.• Metal mat.: $1k+

/lb• Plastic: $25k -

$125k• Plastic: $100 -

$500/lb

PlasticsIndustrial 3D Printers

• SLA (stereo-lithography $$$

• DLP (digital laser processing) $$

• FDM (fused deposition modeling) $ - $$$

Industrial 3D Printer EconomicsWhy So Expensive?• Too few vendors• Patent protection• Customer’s lack of

knowledge

Pros & ConsDesktop 3D Printers

Personal Control

Security

Valuable Feedback

Fast Results (maybe)

Lower Costs (probably)

Faster Revisions (usually)

Issues withDesktop 3D Printers

Lack of precision

Un-reliable

Limited capabilities

Limited materials

Few reliable vendors

Lack of customer support

2014:Desktop 3D Printers

New Printers

More accurate

More reliable

New materials

Few reliable vendors

Lack of customer support

EconomicsNew FDMDesktop Printers:

• Printers: $1,500 - $3,500

• Plastic Filaments: $20 - $100/lb

Why Not Desktop 3D Printing Now2013-2014 & beyond:

Rapid prototyping,specialized, short run production andhigh value productionand fixtures, jigs and molds

Correct Materials Make the DifferenceUsing the right plastic materials enables desktop 3D printers to become highly useful machines for

1. Conceptual prototyping

2. Functional prototyping

3. Production of some parts

4. Production of jigs, fixtures and mold components

State of the Art 2014Industrial vs. Desktop

Materials• ABS (various grades)

• Nylon(various grades)

• Polycarbonate & alloys

• Polysulphone

• Ultem

• etc. etc.

• PLA

• ABS

• Nylon

• PET/G

• Synthetic Rubber

• New Composites

Physical AttributesPlastic Stiffnes

s Impact Tensile Melt Temp

PLA high low low low

ABS moderate

moderate

moderate moderate

Nylon moderate high high high

PET/G moderate high high moderate

Synthetic Rubber low moderat

e high moderate

Aesthetic Attributes

Plastic Surface Colors Reflectancy “Feel”

PLA smooth bright moderate hard

ABS moderate

moderate moderate cheap

Nylon smooth bright high slick

PET/G smooth clear high glass-like

Synthetic Rubber

moderate bright moderate cushy

Material Cost Guidelines

Plastic Price/lb Density

Cost percubic inch

Cost @50% fill

rate

PLA $10- $15 1.24 $0.56 $0.28

ABS $15-$35 1.04 $0.94 $0.47

Nylon $30-$50 1.07 $1.35 $0.68

PET/G $30-$40 1.3-1.4 $1.70 $0.85

Synthetic Rubber $30-$50 .93-1.05 $1.42 $0.71

3D Printing Applications

FDM Materials by Application:1. Conceptual prototyping: PLA, ABS, Nylon 2. Functional prototyping: ABS, Nylon, Rubber, PETG3. Production of some parts: Nylon, Rubber, New

Composites*4. Production of jigs, fixtures and mold components: ABS, Nylon, New Composites*

* proprietary engineering grade materials

Desktop FDM Materials“80/20” Rule:

Appropriate use of the right materials enables new generation desktop printers to handle many of the same “state of the art” applications promoted by the industrial printer suppliers (at 10% of the cost!)

Workshop Topics“State of the Industry” 3D printing

Compare Industrial vs desktop 3D printing

Applications & Economics

Things to consider when using 3D printing

Where to Go for more Relevant Information

Time for a BreakQ&A

Question:

1. How does your company design & make new parts?

2. How long does it take?

3. What does it typically cost?

Making Printable Parts

“Garbage In….

Garbage Out….”

Making a Printable Design File

STL FormatFile Sources:

• CAD• Scanner• Other

e

3DTransform.com

Matt Nutsch

Founder

Making 3D CAD Files Printable

Files Must be:

1. “Water-tight” STL2. Must consider overhangs3. Must fit on print bed

3D Scanning“Reverse Engineering” a part without the blueprints

The “Seven Deadly Sins” of Desktop 3D Printing

1. Flawed CAD Design

2. Defective STL File

3. Poor Calibration

4. Flawed/Wrong Filament

5. Improper Printer Settings

6. Variable Ambient Conditions

7. Ineffective print bed adhesion

Guidelines for SuccessfulDesktop 3D Printing

1. Buy a sturdy printer2. Calibrate, Calibrate, Calibrate3. Select the right filament4. Print height, print speed 5. Print temperature(s)6. Use of cooling fans7. In-fill strategy8. Optimal print adhesion method9. Use of support material10. Control the environment11. Safe pemoval Techniquest

Making Functional Protoypes

Adapt the CAD File to meet the Material Specs.

Be Careful Scaling Up Part Size:

• Warping

• Shrinkage

• Moisture absorption

Physical criteria first

Aesthetics second

Making Production PartsBalance Physical and Aesthetic Characterisitcs:

• Design Multiple Parts

• Use Multiple Materials

• Use Support Material

• Integrate via 3D Printing

The Economicsof 3D PrintingTotal Cost of Parts

• Design• Prototypes• Pooling• Production cost• Revision cost• Tooling maintenance

Economics of Desktop 3D Printing

“Rule of Thumb” Number OnePart Simple Medium Complex Combinatio

none unit Yes Yes Likely Likely

2 - 10 Yes Yes Likely Likely

11 - 100 Maybe Maybe Maybe Maybe

101- 1,000 Unlikely Unlikely Maybe Maybe

1,000+ No No Maybe Maybe

Economics of Desktop 3D Printing

“Rule of Thumb” Number TwoSize Low

Load Medium High Load

Hybrid Load

< 3”x3”x3

”Yes Maybe Maybe Maybe

< 6”x6”x6

”Yes Maybe Unlikely Maybe

< 1’x1’x1’ Maybe Unlikely No Maybe

> 1’x1’x1’ Unlikely No No Unlikely

Economics of Desktop 3D Printing

“Rule of Thumb” Number ThreeFinish Low

Load Medium High Load

Hybrid Load

High Gloss Yes Unlikely No Unlikely

Smooth Yes Maybe Unlikely Maybe

Matte Yes Likley Maybe Maybe

Not Importa

ntYes Yes Yes Yes

Many New MaterialsAvailable This Year

Stratasys “simulated PP”*

Natureworks: “PLA co-polymers”

Avante Technology: New “Engineering Grade" materials beyond nylon

Parts for Wearable Technology12 Important Issues:

• Toxicity (prolonged skin contact)• Staining (color dye leaching)• Skin irritation (chafing)• Uncomfortable (bad “feel”; causes sweating)• Uncomfortable (poor conformity to body)• Uncomfortable (in-sufficient flexibility)• Recovery from repeated flexing• Swelling due to moisture absorption• Shatter-proof• Sweat-proof• Electromagnetic properties• “Drop Test Compliant”

Key Points:1. There are Sufficient Materials Available Today for modern

Desktop 3D Printers to create:

• conceptual prototypes (PLA, ABS)• functional prototypes (Nylon, PET, Rubber, ABS)• simple, small production parts (Nylon, PET, Rubber, other

new)• fixtures, jigs and molds for compression molding, sand

casting

2. There is a productivity and cost reduction role for industrial and desktop 3D printing in many businesses right now

3. New materials available this year will enable far greater capability

Try Desktop 3D Printing Today…(your competitors already are)

For More Information:

bob.zollo@gmail.com

Avante Technology, LLC.

Resources for More Information

• Avante Technology bob.zollo@gmail.com• Software Architects, Inc. raldrich@mac.com• 3DTransform.com Matt nutsch@3Dtransform.com• Proforma3DPrinting.com• RepRap.org• namii.org• 3DPrinting.com• wohlerassociates.com• 3D Print Show Bellevue August 2014