Has anybody else noticed that the part quality has declined a lot? The first parts I ordered in white strong flexible were pretty good. Since then the quality has gone to shit. I guess I could go for the detail plastic, but I also need strength.
Do you have any examples of what you are seeing? The detail materials are strong, they just don't have the flexibility of WSF.
Yes. I have eyeglass frames that have a hinge with a hole. The first models the hole was a little tight. The last models I ordered some of the holes were completely filled in with material.
Another project, I have a part that screws onto a glass jar. The first parts ordered were a little tight, so I increased the diameter. The new part is even tighter than the first one. I think Shapeways has increased the 3D printer speed to process more parts with the result that the quality has declined. That's OK for toys, not OK for parts that have to fit together.
Please show us some images, Shapeways quality standards have not lowered. Your images will help us assess what happened to make your print not come out as desired, and help us figure out how to fix it.
This drawing shows two parts, glasses frames and temple. The hinge has a hole 2.4mm in diameter. The picture shows that the hole in the frame on the left is open, but the holes in the temple and right frame are completely blocked.
Is it just trapped powder? Some times with WSF, holes can get clogged with powder, and only need a little push with a paper clip or any other object that can fit in there. If it is indeed fused powder, I'd email service@shapeways.com as your hole is large enough to not get closed.