3-D printing is not a new phenomenon but it has never been easy. The complex printing designs have been a thing that most people don’t understand and without proper guidance by an experienced 3-D printing professional, you could get the wrong thing. Producing prototypes is not a simple, straightforward task, nope, there are common mistakes and these can happen any time. It’s not only about technical skills required here, but several other dynamics can bring about a problem that leads to unwanted results.
Following are some mistakes to avoid in 3-D printing
Wrong technology application
In 3-D printing, different technologies come into play. The type of technology used is predominantly determined by the materials used. There are materials like Polyamide, Alumide, and others that can be printed together but others require a mix of technologies. Some materials would require fused deposition modeling technology to get the intended results. When choosing a 3d printing business for your work, you have to ensure that they use the right technology with the right materials. Any mistake on the type of technology or materials to be used could mess your final product.
The poor setting of the machine
This may sound like a non-issue especially when you have to get someone to do the work for you but you need to know how your work is being done. If the machine is not properly set, you will realize errors in your product and this is disheartening especially when you get to think of the much money you invested in it. You should be able to detect the mistakes that arise from a bad set up. For instance, a clogged print head is one of the blunders that would lead to a bad print. Others could be nozzles that are not working and filaments that are faulty.
Picking the wrong resolution
Failure to take into account file resolution is a mistake that is common when printing prototypes. A too low or too high file resolution will get you print outs that are uneven. For you to be sure of perfect results, ensure that the right resolutions are picked. The common file format when printing 3-D designs is id the Standard triangle language and in this case, the appropriate file resolution will give you the best product. Again, an error in the STL format can bring about problems like the non-manifold edges, intersecting faces and sometimes over-refined mesh.
Ignoring wall thickness
Another reason why many 3-D printing experts find themselves in the mess is overlooking the thickness of the surface. With walls that are too thick, the model is adversely affected and this results in the inner pressure. On the other hand, thin walls will make the product to crack and leave unprinted parts. Therefore one has to take into account the wall thickness beforehand.
Ignoring materials guidelines
Printing materials are different; some are brittle others strong, some rough and smooth. That means every design will require a specific material that is best suited. The most important thing here is to know where you want your 3-D model to be printed and choose the appropriate material.
Do not allow a printing company to do the work without your involvement. Some will behave like they know much about what you need but if you’re not hands-on, you’ll get frustrated. That’s why you need to know some of these mistakes and follow through for a perfect product.
