In some cases, wall thickness is too thin. Problems linked to wall thickness are by far the most common reasons why some 3D models are not printable. Ignoring Wall ThicknessĮven though you can find information about the wall thickness in the guidelines that were already mentioned, it’s worth stressing this point again. Also, keep in mind that with the use of different printers and printing technologies, the maximum printing sizes differ. Checking our material pages before you start designing is always key. Solution: Once again, our materials website holds all the answers. However, materials that use the same technology such as Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Brass (lost wax casting) are more likely to share similar design requirements. They are printed using different technologies and thus some design features will differ. This might sound confusing but the important thing to keep in mind is the following: we cannot assume that Stainless Steel and Silver will have similar requirements simply because they are both metals. The reason behind this is not the material itself, but the technology that is used for printing each of these materials.įor ABS we use Fused Deposition Modeling (filament-based) with an extra nozzle and material for support, for Polyamide, Alumide, and Polypropylene we use Laser Sintering (powder-based), for precious metals we use lost wax casting (based on a 3D print in wax and a mold), and for the Resins we use Stereolithography (liquid polymer-based).
The best example of this is interlocking parts in materials like ABS, Polyamide, Alumide, or Rubber-like you can print interlocking parts, while in others like Gold, Silver, Bronze, or Resin this is not possible. It’s not only the basic chemical characteristics of our printing materials that are different, but also the technologies that are used for printing each of these materials. We also encourage you to browse through our shop items (you can set a filter for specific materials there) to get a better understanding of what designs other artists have created in what materials. Additionally, you can compare several materials directly on our comparison site. You can find the design guides for all of our materials here. Ideally, you should read the design guides before you start to work on your model. Solution: Sticking to the design rules of your material is essential for a successful print. Make sure to read the design guide for the material of your choice. The choice of your printing material simply pre-determines some of the basic design guidelines that you need to stick to.Įach 3D printing material is different. For example, if you know that you want to print your 3D model in Steel, there will be specific material-related design recommendations that you need to take into account such as supporting overhanging parts, strengthening elements that are sticking out, rounding off corners, etc. This also means that an object should ideally be designed for a specific material. Materials can be brittle or strong, flexible or solid, smooth or rough, heavy or light, and so on. Ignoring Material GuidelinesĮach and every printing material is different. That’s why we’ve put together the ultimate list of mistakes to avoid when turning a 3D model into a 3D print. So it’s perfectly normal to feel lost and it can sometimes seem difficult to design a perfect 3D model for 3D printing. We all use different software, print in different materials, and not only use different printers but also different printing technologies. We know that modeling for 3D printing can be confusing: in 3D modeling, as in 3D printing, there is no one size fits all approach.
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