3D printer and running costs

[woody]

Hi

 

Our tech department want to buy 3d printers and hope to write this into their curriculum plan. They are interested in the Makerbots in particular but are open to other suggestions.

 

The concern is related around running costs, and time to print - the two classic considerations when it comes to buying any machine like this.

 

Makerbot say you can print 392 chess pieces with a 1kg roll (A Matter of Scales: How Much Can You Print with a Single 1kg Spool?)which doesn't sound too bad, but does anybody already run these and how are the DT department finding the costs?

 

Also, it took 14 working days x 8 hours so about 112 hours to print 392 pieces. That is 3.5 pieces per hour, but then they had 6 chess pieces on the plate at a time, so I don't know if the time would be any different if you were only printing 1 on the plate at a time as might happen in a DT lesson. Either way, you are looking at 3 students getting a model printed per hour lesson. That means if a class of 30 has 1 hour lesson per week, it would take 10 lessons to get 1 model printed for each class. Then if there was a mistake and it needed to be re-printed.....

 

DT are looking at buying 5 to increase the throughput but i was just wondering what other people's experience is of using them in relation to running costs and time limitations.

 

Thanks

 

Mark

[peterp]

We have a 3d printer that prints with a cartridge of ABS plastic. Design reckon on about £1 per cm-cubed.

It does take a long time to print, and various printers have different speeds. Not sure of ours as I havent used it yet.

[plexer]

We have 2 mendels that we built but haven't started using them in anger in the DT dept yet they are looking at next year for that as need to teach the kids some 3D modelling skills first.

 

For schools I have to say I would recommend using PLA as the feed stock if you buy a plastic filament fed printer.

 

For actually printing objects I guess the students learning how to setup and use the printers themselves is part of it but on the the good things about a 3D printer is printer is you can basically set it printing and leave it to it without fear of it catching fire or exploding so their object can always be processed after lessons.

 

Ben

[plexer]

Ormerod - RepRapPro

 

£500 and easier to build.

 

Ben

[JJonas]

@plexer What about this one? Flashforge 3D printer full assembly, dual extruder w/2 spools filaments: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

 

I had a friend recommend it to me.

[plexer]

Looks a like a clone of the older style makerbot.

 

For that sort of money I'm sure there are loads of designs to choose from.

 

Ben

[plexer]

I'd still favour the ormerod over it cheaper and you don't really need multiple extruders, the electronics on the ormerod are superior too and reprappro have a better history.

 

Ben