1 Topic by IronMan

  • IronMan
  • IronMan
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  • Registered: 2012-09-14
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Topic: Design Style Changed Due To 3D Printing?

Now that I’ve been designing parts for 3D printing for a while, I’m beginning to notice that my design style has changed to where I am leaning more on the side of designing for what will be printable vs. what may be moldable; don’t get me wrong, moldability is still a must for what I do, so my designs must contain that element, but specific features and thicknesses within a model for me are now pretty much defined by what I can print successfully.

It's probably not even worth a Topic, but I really had not done it this way in the past…

Any Thoughts / Pros / Cons on the subject?

SD2 - Stock - Enclosure - Heated Bed - Glass Plate - Auto Fire Extinguisher
Ord Bot Hadron - RAMPS 1.4 - Bulldog XL - E3D v6 - 10" x 10" PCB Heated Build w/SSR - Glass Plate
Thanks for All of Your Help!

2 Reply by pirvan (edited by pirvan 2014-05-19 19:17:11)

  • pirvan
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Re: Design Style Changed Due To 3D Printing?

Yeah, you pick up bad habits this way. 

If you have to make models that are designed for injection molding, you should continue designing them that way, because there are many things you can get away with in 3D printing that are no-no's for injection molding, like undercuts, drafts (lack thereof), holes in horizontal walls, lack of reinforcing ribs, etc.

Design your model for injection molding, then print it as is, or if you must, bring it into something like Netfabb and segment it so you can make it printable.  Don't design a model that prints on an FDM, only to find its impossible to make a mold for it, or worse yet, the mold will require many interlockable pieces, which adds 10th of thousands of dollars to the cost.

Design with the original intent in mind.

To print or, 3D print, that is the question...
SD3 printer w/too many mods,  Printrbot Simple Maker Ed.,  FormLabs Form 1+
AnyCubic Photon, Shining 3D EinScan-S & Atlas 3D scanners...
...and too much time on my hands.