3 ms·

> In my opinion they should focus on making larger YES! Please someone make it larger. I would've bought the thing by now (any printer, under $3k) that lets me

by selmnoo 12y ago

> In my opinion they should focus on making larger YES! Please someone make it larger. I would've bought the thing by now (any printer, under $3k) that lets me print something up to 12x12 inches. I don't see why someone doesn't just do it already. You've got all the mechanism down, now why not just make it bigger? I am pretty sure I'm not the only, I keep hearing this over and over again. I don't get what's keeping these companies from making them bigger

daniel_reetz 12y ago
Here's why: almost all materials used in 3D printing exhibit some structural problems in the curing phase. For example, ABS and PLA have well known shrinkage when they cool. ABS can be a few % per layer. Each layer, then, is pulling against the previous. Imagine printing something like a flat disc. It will "want" to peel up at the edges. The larger the object, the more significant this shrinkage is. At 12" you are truly going to have problems. For SLA printers like the Form1 and other printers that use optically cured material, the problem is the same. These parts exhibit "creep" and "warp" and in fact, many of them will warp badly in sunlight long after they've been printed. Also, depending on the mechanism of feature formation, the device doesn't scale. Look at the B9Creator with its projector - the larger you go, the less resolution you have. While I have seen and produced prints much larger than you are talking about (on both professional and hobbyist printers), they have problems and limitations that could not be solved by simply extending the mechanism.
fudged71 12y ago
This already exists. Specifically the TypeA Machines Series 1 http://www.typeamachines.com/products/next-generation-series1-3dprinter http://www.typeamachines.com/products/next-generation-series...

3 ms·

> In my opinion they should focus on making larger YES! Please someone make it larger. I would've bought the thing by now (any printer, under $3k) that lets me

by selmnoo 12y ago

daniel_reetz 12y ago
Here's why: almost all materials used in 3D printing exhibit some structural problems in the curing phase. For example, ABS and PLA have well known shrinkage when they cool. ABS can be a few % per layer. Each layer, then, is pulling against the previous. Imagine printing something like a flat disc. It will "want" to peel up at the edges. The larger the object, the more significant this shrinkage is. At 12" you are truly going to have problems. For SLA printers like the Form1 and other printers that use optically cured material, the problem is the same. These parts exhibit "creep" and "warp" and in fact, many of them will warp badly in sunlight long after they've been printed. Also, depending on the mechanism of feature formation, the device doesn't scale. Look at the B9Creator with its projector - the larger you go, the less resolution you have. While I have seen and produced prints much larger than you are talking about (on both professional and hobbyist printers), they have problems and limitations that could not be solved by simply extending the mechanism.
fudged71 12y ago
This already exists. Specifically the TypeA Machines Series 1 http://www.typeamachines.com/products/next-generation-series1-3dprinter http://www.typeamachines.com/products/next-generation-series...