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Topic: running a student fablab using solidoodles

so i have been wanting to open up my own student 3d printing bureau for a while but after multiple rejections for job in the 3d printing industry i have decided screw it ill set up on my own.

My aim is to have both FDM and SLA facilities. I currently have one modded SD2 to hand and 2x Press and 1x WB apprentice on order.

Will be breaking this down to using the press' as the workhorses doing bog standard PLA prints for the product designers, the WB for more complex prints where moving parts may be required so that i can service the engineer student population and then use my old SD2 for beta testing of experimental filaments so i can keep up with the pace of filament development.

Hopefully if the appetite is there i will try and procure either a M-One of a form 1 to offer the SLA but i dont wanna sink an extra 3k on a prayer.

any advice you guys should think i should have, pitfalls i will probably encounter.

should i try and get a business loan to scale up number of press' so i can factor in print failures and / or be able to reduce costs per print?

SD2 - mirror bed - e3d v6 - extruder cooling fan - no enclosure.

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Re: running a student fablab using solidoodles

I'm leery of taking out loans for a start-up. If it was me, I would go with what you have already ordered and if it takes off, just use the funding it generates to get more machines and as you know the price will always go down and new models will come along. Just my 2 cents worth.  I wish you the best of luck!

SD2 - Glass Bed, Fans on PCB and Y motor, Custom enclosure
Slicer - Simplify3D

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Re: running a student fablab using solidoodles

yeah im wary to as the whole driving force is just wanting to build it from the ground myself so ill stick with whati have but hoping to acquire one of these

http://www.rolanddga.com/products/milling/imodela/

SD2 - mirror bed - e3d v6 - extruder cooling fan - no enclosure.