Posted by Robert Kiser on Wed, Apr 01, 2009 @ 09:43 AM
Some rapid prototyping services offer "instant" quoting where you upload your 3D Stereolithography files and you receive an instant price quote. However, most Rapid Prototype, or 3D Printing service providers have an "online quoting" page on the website and "online quoting" should not to be confused with "instant" quoting. The "Online quoting" process takes your uploaded file and puts it directly in the hands of a person who accurately quotes your job per their standards then sends you a printed quote. "Instant" quoting takes your uploaded file, scans the volume that exists within a box that surrounds the entire part, then issues an instant quoted based on the volume inside the box. There may be empty space within the box that the 3D model doesn't occupy that you are paying for. If you used the instant quoting services before, you have probably noticed that when you upload larger, or complex parts, you don't get an instant quote right back. This is because the larger, or more complex parts require personal attention to perform an accurate quote. I am not a recommender of "instant" quoting because I don't see it as an accurate method to qualify a job and I have seen large differences in quoted prices from "instant" quoting services and they are always higher than a quote from the more accurate "online" quoting method. Instant quoting is more a marketing tool. Real hands on analysis of every job is needed to accurately quote a 3D Model. See example here:
"Online quoting" services for rapid prototyping and 3D Printing offer the accuracy needed because of the human factor involved. We take your rapid prototype project and place it into our rapid prototype OEM application software where the entire 3D model is scanned, the surrounding box empty space is ignored, and an accurate material usage and build time is displayed to the analyst performing your quote. Online quoting doesn't take much time, so just because a rapid prototype service doesn't have an "instant" quoting service, don't be alarmed, but rather be assured you will receive an accurate quote.
Posted by Robert Kiser on Fri, Mar 27, 2009 @ 12:14 PM
Kaiser3D recently produced a functional actuator gear assembly made from PolyJet Vero Blue at an extreme cost and time saving to a customer who needed 30 of the parts within 2 days. The rapid prototype part was cylindrical in shape and stood 2" tall and was 1.5" in diameter. The customer requested this 3D model as a totally functional replacement for a more expensive aluminum part. The aluminum part had to be polished after production in order to meet the same surface resolution of the PolyJet rapid prototype that came straight out of the 3D printer. This was needed in order to prevent jamming during movement of the actuator gear performing a mission critical function. Not only did the high resolution PolyJet Vero Blue part perform just as well as the more expensive aluminum part, Kaiser3D shaved 10 days off the customer's waiting period and saved the customer over $1,700.00. Because the PolyJet 3D functional model had the capability to withstand absorbtion of water, it performed excellently when exposed to weather conditions of high humidity, then a short time later, operating at high altitudes in extremely low humidities and severe cold.
This success story is only one of many where Rapid Prototyping, or 3D printing, is used as an alternative to Rapid Manufacturing.
Posted by Robert Kiser on Sat, Mar 14, 2009 @ 04:57 PM
Lets be clear; 3D Printing is Rapid Prototyping, but not all Rapid Prototyping systems are 3D Printers. A printer type rapid prototype system "jets" liquid material out of spray nozzles located in a block, laying down a 2-Dimensional bitmap, one on top of another at specified mechanical heights, or jets liquid out of the block into a material like a powder that absorbs the liquid and solidfies the powder into a hard bitmap image. I have been involved with Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing since 1993 and the term applied to the industry was "Rapid Prototyping". Objet Geometries was the first company to coin a rapid prototype system a "3D Printer" and called their rapid prototype system technology "3D Printing Technology". It was the first high resolution rapid prototype system to enter the arena with surface quality of parts containing RMS values in the Die casting range with the capability in Full Glossy mode of RMS values in the lower Die casting range. See here:
How can a 3D Printer create such smooth surface resolutions? Simple, a 3D Printer grows layer after layer in very small slices of 6 ten thousands of an inch .0006" and has the ability to deposit material with excellent precision.
Posted by Robert Kiser on Tue, Feb 10, 2009 @ 03:32 PM
Rapid prototype technologies use the same basic principle of taking a 3-Dimensional computer generated image, slicing it into hundreds and thosands of digital 2-Dimensional bitmap images then fusing these layers together using different methods. There are many rapid prototype system manufacturers, but all these systems are grouped into smaller classifications of technologies. These are:
3D Printing - Objet PolyJet and Z-Corp systems are 3D printers that jet liquid out of nozzles to create the 2-Dimensional bitmap.
Selective Laser Sintering - Plastic powders are laid flat across a build platform and the 2-Dimensional bitmap image is drawn into the powder using extremely hot laser energy to melt the powder.
Stereolithography (SLA) - Lower power ultraviolet light from a laser draws the 2-Dimensional bitmap image into liquid ultraviolet curable resin to create a hardened image.
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) - Hard plastic wound onto a spool is fed under pressure into a heated head that contains nozzles. These nozzles are opened and head moves across build platform to deposit the bitmap image.
Posted by Robert Kiser on Wed, Dec 31, 2008 @ 09:56 AM
Hi Folks and welcome to my first Kaiser3D rapid prototype blog entry. I am Rob Kiser, the owner of Kaiser3D, a rapid prototype manufacturer based in Cedar Park, TX, just northwest of Austin. I decided to begin a blog page in order to enhance information flow to users of the Objet PolyJet technology using knowledge gained as a former PolyJet 3D Printer Field/Applications Engineer. We currently employ the Objet Polyjet rapid prototype 3D printer systems to produce rapid prototype models. I started my business in January 2007 with one PolyJet Eden333 3D printer. I quickly graduated to owning a second Eden333, then found myself needing the larger capacity and speed of the PolyJet Eden500V in order to meet my customer's increasing demand for high resolution rapid prototype models.
I chose the Polyjet 3D printing system because of the system's high reliability factor, repeatability, ease of use, and high surface resolution. As a former PolyJet and Selective Laser Sintering Field and Applications Engineer who serviced some very high caliber companies, I found these 4 items critical to a company's success in efficient product development goals. Engineers and designers in the companies I serviced require a one-off rapid prototype that doesn't require reproduction due to a system malfunction, system calibration problem, or operator error. These are reasons why it was critical to properly educate my users. How does this help you? We have the knowledge and experience at Kaiser3D to turn out a product that is most likely going to be the best PolyJet model you can expect.
My experience with PolyJet 3D printer and Selective Laser Sintering systems, coupled with years of overall experience in many aspects of the Rapid Prototype industry, have led me to trust that these two technologies are the best the industry has to offer.
I am very glad you have chosen to view my blog and expect to regularly see some very informative rapid prototyping information that I hope benefits you as users of PolyJet 3D printer technology. Always feel free to add comments to my blog entries, let me know your experiences, and also know that no question is a dumb question.