3D Printing Genius: October 2015

3D Printing Genius Teams up again with WOESOUNDS to create a cool playlist

3D Printing Genius Teams up again with WOESOUNDS to create a cool 3D printing playlist, we know we missed you last week so we added a co...

You bought a 3D printer, you want to make a 3D printed shoe, but you ask yourself what type of materials I should use to ensure my shoes are durable.

No problem, I will break it down for you.

There are mainly four type of plastics used for home 3D printers ABS, PLA, and PVA.

ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) plastic is the same plastic that Legos are created from which means ABS are a bit strong, resistance to chemicals, heat and impact. ABS is also used to create luggage, camera bodies and battery cases; most importantly, ABS is affordable.

The Cons of ABS:

It is a petroleum-based non-biodegradable plastic, but it can be recycled.

Creates mild fumes which may irritate sensitive people

Can deteriorate by prolonged exposure to sunlight

Note: since ABS attracts moisture, ensure that it’s stored in an airtight container.

PLA (Polylactic acid or polylactide) is a biodegradable thermoplastic which is created from renewable resources, such as cornstarch, sugar cane, tapioca roots or potato starch. These ingredients gives PLA a candy smell when it melts and makes it the most environmentally friendly solution for 3D printing.

PLA is used in surgical implants, food packaging, bags, disposable tableware, upholstery, disposable garments, hygiene products and even diapers. PLA is therefore considered as pretty safe and these characteristics has made it popular in the printing community.

Cons for PLA:

PLA is tough, but becomes brittle once it cools down.

PLA is slow to cool

It cannot stand too much heat and becomes soft around 50°C.

As with ABS, PLA does also attract water molecules from the air and it will become (more) brittle and sometimes difficult to print with, ensure that it is stored properly in an airtight container.

PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol) is a special plastic that is water-soluble. It’s mainly used as paper adhesive, in packaging film, in feminine hygiene and adult incontinence products, or in children’s play putty or slime.

Cons for PVA:

The finished object can be put into water until the PVA has completely dissolved…not what you want

Ambient air moisture will deteriorate the filament very quickly.

High priced

Once you have chosen the appropriate material, you should check whether the filament diameter is compatible with your printer before ordering. The two standard diameter sizes for filament are 1.75mm or 3mm.

Hopefully this post was helpful in educating you on the different plastics used in a 3D printer. Depending on your project ABS, PLA, and PVA are the main plastic materials you will encounter during your 3D printing creation process.

What type of material should I use to create my new project??

You bought a 3D printer, you want to make a 3D printed shoe, but you ask yourself what type of materials I should use to ensure my shoes a...

Want to buy a 3D printer…Yes?

Ok, which one?

There are thousands of 3D printers available for sale, but which ones are rated with top customer reviews? 3D hubs thankfully created a 2015 Best 3D print buying guide which was based on 2279 reviews of 300,000+ 3D printers.

I will just break down the top three. Here is a list of the top 3 best rated 3D-printers

The rating of each 3D printer included an overview of rint quality, ease-of-use, build quality, reliability, failure rate, noise level, customer service support, community, running expenses, openness, software and value.

Makergear M2

The Makergear M2 is a well-designed, reliable 3D printer and a top pick for fanatics.

This machine comes equipped with a heated platform which uses ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene plastic filament) or PLA (Polylactic Acid plastic filament, smells like candy when you print) to build objects with a maximum dimension of 203 x 254 x 203 mm. The 3D printer comes in either kit form or assembled. Users can also customize the machine with on board controls and interchangeable nozzles. Makergear recommends the use of Simplify3D software, but is flexible to allow users to choose their own software. With plentiful online tutorials and an active online community rates Makergear as one of the top 3 manufacturers in customer support.

The downsides? Makergear uses 3D printed parts which have been known to cause minor issues….oops, even so this high rated 3D printer basic kit starts at $1475.

Zortrax M200

Zortrax’s M200 is among the top choices for easy to use “plug n play” and reliability. The M200’s owners reported the fewest failed prints, with more than 96% of M200 owners recommending their printer. Even so when problems do arise, their online community usually has a quick fix.

The M200 only prints with ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene plastic filament), and has a 200 x 200 x 185 build platform which is perforated to ease the material’s tendency to warp. The printer comes assembled with a full range of accessories for just under $2000.

Printrbot Simple Metal

Printbot Simple Metal is 3D printing without breaking the bank!

The new Simple Metal is the upgraded version of the entry level Printrbot Simple and comes with a powder-coated steel frame and an aluminum extruder (where the cooking process takes place). It features an auto-leveling probe that largely simplifies Z-axis calibration. The maximum build volume is 150mm x 150mm x 150mm. The standard version prints only with PLA (Polylactic Acid plastic filament, smells like candy when you print), but is upgradeable with a Mic 6 Aluminum, which works well for ABS too.

The Simple Metal is also open source and the most upgradeable 3D printer on the market. Users can choose from wide array of add-ons and open source software.

The downside? The Metal Simple is not the easiest printer to use and not the most reliable. Initial setup and calibration takes a few hours and several users experienced minor issues, including nozzle jams and feeder issues.

For newcomers and students it's a great platform to start learning the different aspects of 3D printing. For a mere $599, the Simple Metal offers a great pack of features.

This is my small take on the top 3 best rated 3D-printers that you can buy, do more search, read more reviews, check them out, go to info sessions to ensure you purchase the correct printer for your needs!

3D Hubs best printers