What does one need to be able to scan existing parts to print? I.e. if you wanted to duplicate a part that broke, do you have to take copious measurements and fiddle around in CAD? Or is there an easier way?
Free method:
For scanning parts to replicate, the way I would do it for now is use my phone to take pictures around an object, and from there I would import those pictures into a free photogrammetry software.
Then, the software will combine all the 2D photos and render it into a 3D model, as well as help you clean it.
Then, you take your imperfect model and import it into your CAD/3D design software of choice and use it as a reference point to eliminate
vast majority of the guessing work.
Try to do this on a nice overcast day, to minimize shadows and UV light/reflections that can make it hard for the camera.
That's a really good question. Another related question: are parts printed on a 3D printer at home as strong and durable as the original part or is that pretty much simply a matter of printing the part with the correct material that may just cost more?
The other thing along the lines of teaching people how to feed themselves for life rather than feeding them for a day is that there's a lot of content posted here that feels like a stream of consciousness leaving me with no idea exactly what I would need to purchase if, for example, I wanted to be able to print my own cup holder (or potentially something larger).
As far as strength goes, you have a
massive amount of control over this.
Not just in terms of which material you pick, but you have control of many things including wall thickness & infill pattern.
Wall thickness I don't need to explain, but for infill patterns; think "corrugated cardboard" but on steroids.
Tubular patterns is an extreme example, but it is a way to make even plastic bulletproof and with relatively less total thickness, compared to things like traditional bulletproof acrylic.
And when talking materials, there are certainly some very impressive things out there, especially when money is not an issue. For us common folks, carbon fiber nylon is one of the strongest materials out there. We have to take into consideration other characteristics/what defines strength, or what kind of strength we need. Examples include rigidity & tensile strength, and there are different ways to improve both even within the same material.
Another good one is Polycarbonate, which is used in combination with acrylic to make aircraft windshields.
And then, there's the fact that 3D printing is not limited to just plastic. There are ceramic/metal/gel/liquid 3D printers out there, to name a few. The ones that can print liquid can make hydraulic suspension parts and entire robots in one print. There's printers already out there that are printing entire $500,000 homes in less than a week. Even things like Rocket shells and intake manifolds have been printed, and at very high quality/standards.
A part of scaling up over time is to eventually get some CNC machines and metal printers, as well as scale up build size.
For now, with this months order, I will have a total of 23 machines that can go up to 300 Celsius & allow me to work with nylon carbon fiber; pretty much cover all plastics.
Here is list from Keene Village Plastics, who also owns Makeshaper.
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