5 ms·

Show HN: Similar 3D-Printer Finder

16 points by no_gravity 10y ago

no_gravity 10y ago
We have been researching 3D-Printer specs for about 2 years now for Product Chart. Today I enabled this tool for the 3D-Printer section. When given a 3D-Printer, it finds similar ones based on specs. I originally developed the similarity tool for the phone section. Not sure how well it works for 3D-Printers. Feedback is very welcome.
- mmcwilliams 10y ago
  This is a really neat tool, thanks for sharing it. I've been into 3D printing as a hobby for a while now and have gone through a handful of printers. Searching the models I'm familiar with, I'm pretty floored by how much the prices have dipped (even in the last year) and how feature-loaded new printers are. I haven't really been in the market for a new printer for a while, but this app is changing my mind. :) The only suggestion I have, and I don't know how readily available this data is or how hard it would be to generate, but a visual representation of the print quality for each printer would be great. I've always found the advertised resolution of a printer to be a really sub-standard way of determining print quality before I buy. For me, printing something uniform [0] and comparing it to the same thing from another printer (using the same slicer) is the best demonstration. [0] Been using this one for a bit: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5683 http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5683
  - no_gravity 10y ago
    It's an interesting idea. To have a picture of the same "thing" printed on all printers. But it would be hard to come by these images. Would have to be crowdsourced somehow.
    - mmcwilliams 10y ago
      It definitely would require a lot of effort. One method could be to collect data from 3D printer reviewers who do that sort of thing (mostly printing Yoda or something). Another would be to add a user-submitted form for collecting the data, but even as I'm typing that out it seems like a crappy idea. Obviously all of this is coming from the peanut gallery, and would be a lot of effort to add little value, but I was imagining some kind of enlargement like this: http://tobuya3dprinter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/3d-printing-layer-height.jpg http://tobuya3dprinter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/3d-pri...
    - cweagans 10y ago
      People post their 3d Benchy on reddit (/r/3dprinting) all the time. Might be a good place to start.
      - mmcwilliams 10y ago
        Oh yeah that's a great idea. I forgot about benchy. Love that boat.
aj7 10y ago
The construction, components, mechanics, etc. are much more important than Euclidean distance of specs off a data sheet. I thank you for educating me about Euclidean distance as a measure of similarity, but it is not of much use here.
- Philomath 10y ago
  Even better, it would be cool to decide what parameters to take in account so that the comparison is as accurate to your needs as you want.
AtheistOfFail 10y ago
No listing for the peachy printer? It's the first ever printer to 3D print a house... Source: https://www.productchart.com/3d_printers/similar_find?f=peachy+printer https://www.productchart.com/3d_printers/similar_find?f=peac...
CapTVK 10y ago
It's a neat product comparison site but it seems to be missing various models. At my first try I already missed the Renkforce 3D printer series from Conrad Electronic (EU/German) (rf100, rf500, rf1000, rf2000). Maybe it's too US/UK-centric? Extra option could be to check if the system uses proprietary cartridges. (example: da Vinci)
mod 10y ago
I don't know the names of any 3d printers. A starter suggestion would be nice. For anyone else in this boat, you can start with "printer"
- no_gravity 10y ago
  For a general overview of printers, try the main 3d-printer chart: https://www.productchart.com/3d_printers/ https://www.productchart.com/3d_printers/
Philomath 10y ago
It would be nice if you guys had an API that let people get the specs of a certain product. I once worked on a 3D printer quotation app and it would have been awesome to have all this 3D printer specs together to make it easier to configure the pricings.
EJTH 10y ago
Lots of missing products, but I like the general idea.

16 points by no_gravity 10y ago

We have been researching 3D-Printer specs for about 2 years now for Product Chart. Today I enabled this tool for the 3D-Printer section. When given a 3D-Printer, it finds similar ones based on specs. I originally developed the similarity tool for the phone section. Not sure how well it works for 3D-Printers. Feedback is very welcome.

mmcwilliams 10y ago
This is a really neat tool, thanks for sharing it. I've been into 3D printing as a hobby for a while now and have gone through a handful of printers. Searching the models I'm familiar with, I'm pretty floored by how much the prices have dipped (even in the last year) and how feature-loaded new printers are. I haven't really been in the market for a new printer for a while, but this app is changing my mind. :) The only suggestion I have, and I don't know how readily available this data is or how hard it would be to generate, but a visual representation of the print quality for each printer would be great. I've always found the advertised resolution of a printer to be a really sub-standard way of determining print quality before I buy. For me, printing something uniform [0] and comparing it to the same thing from another printer (using the same slicer) is the best demonstration. [0] Been using this one for a bit: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5683 http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5683
- no_gravity 10y ago
  It's an interesting idea. To have a picture of the same "thing" printed on all printers. But it would be hard to come by these images. Would have to be crowdsourced somehow.
  - mmcwilliams 10y ago
    It definitely would require a lot of effort. One method could be to collect data from 3D printer reviewers who do that sort of thing (mostly printing Yoda or something). Another would be to add a user-submitted form for collecting the data, but even as I'm typing that out it seems like a crappy idea. Obviously all of this is coming from the peanut gallery, and would be a lot of effort to add little value, but I was imagining some kind of enlargement like this: http://tobuya3dprinter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/3d-printing-layer-height.jpg http://tobuya3dprinter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/3d-pri...
  - cweagans 10y ago
    People post their 3d Benchy on reddit (/r/3dprinting) all the time. Might be a good place to start.
    - mmcwilliams 10y ago
      Oh yeah that's a great idea. I forgot about benchy. Love that boat.

aj7 10y ago

The construction, components, mechanics, etc. are much more important than Euclidean distance of specs off a data sheet. I thank you for educating me about Euclidean distance as a measure of similarity, but it is not of much use here.

Philomath 10y ago
Even better, it would be cool to decide what parameters to take in account so that the comparison is as accurate to your needs as you want.

AtheistOfFail 10y ago

No listing for the peachy printer? It's the first ever printer to 3D print a house... Source: https://www.productchart.com/3d_printers/similar_find?f=peachy+printer https://www.productchart.com/3d_printers/similar_find?f=peac...

CapTVK 10y ago

It's a neat product comparison site but it seems to be missing various models. At my first try I already missed the Renkforce 3D printer series from Conrad Electronic (EU/German) (rf100, rf500, rf1000, rf2000). Maybe it's too US/UK-centric? Extra option could be to check if the system uses proprietary cartridges. (example: da Vinci)

mod 10y ago

I don't know the names of any 3d printers. A starter suggestion would be nice. For anyone else in this boat, you can start with "printer"

no_gravity 10y ago
For a general overview of printers, try the main 3d-printer chart: https://www.productchart.com/3d_printers/ https://www.productchart.com/3d_printers/

Philomath 10y ago

It would be nice if you guys had an API that let people get the specs of a certain product. I once worked on a 3D printer quotation app and it would have been awesome to have all this 3D printer specs together to make it easier to configure the pricings.

EJTH 10y ago

Lots of missing products, but I like the general idea.