Material Requests / Suggestions

Discussion in 'Suggestions & Feedback' started by 239468_deleted, Jul 16, 2013.

  1. Material request: A strong and stainable wood composite.

    Material improvement request: Detail plastic would be perfect if it could withstand higher temps (thinking about a product sitting in the current heat wave we're having), and if it came in polished finishes.
     
  2. bartv
    bartv Member
    I think the only printers that currently support some kind of wood-like material are home printers; there are no industrial machines available that can do this, as far as I know.

    If anyone knows of equipment for this kind of material, please share!

    Bart
     
  3. Freakazoitt
    Freakazoitt Well-Known Member
    How about extremely fine detailed NON TRANSPARENT plastic?
     
  4. Daphne
    Daphne Well-Known Member
    I don't know what kind of printers they used:
    http://www.emergingobjects.com/2012/01/13/wood/
    The material looks quite interesting.
     
  5. AmLachDesigns
    AmLachDesigns Well-Known Member
    I would like a plastic that acts more like an injection-moulded plastic. I.e. non-porous, does not need sealing, will not become excessively dirty, possibly food safe.

    Thx
     
  6. oahu_railway
    oahu_railway Member
    I'm very excited by the new gold-plated brass. Not really for the gold plating, but for the brass support material. I'd love to be able to order products in brass, especially white brass (sometimes called German Silver or Nickel Silver).
     
  7. 37595_deleted
    37595_deleted Member
    I would like to voice support for a brass only material and forgo the gold plating or possibly stop at the nickel only just not interested in gold
     
  8. chromahands
    chromahands Member
    im kinda new to shapeways, but i have had this odd issue with WSF materials:

    why does shapeways offer black strong flexible, but not black strong flexible polished? especially when there are other dyed strong flexible polished available
     
  9. MrNib
    MrNib Well-Known Member
    Apparently the polishing makes it difficult to get a quality black finish with the dye.
     
  10. psantucci3
    psantucci3 Member
    Suggestion:

    "Green" strong flexible Material.

    Does The Color Pose Problems?

    You Offer Other Colors.
     
  11. chromahands
    chromahands Member
    its unfortunate that black cant go polished, how about gray then?
     
  12. AmLachDesigns
    AmLachDesigns Well-Known Member
    I would like to be able to print hollow models in ceramic and only the outside surface get glazed and therefore be charged only for the outside surface area.
     
  13. FreeRangeBrain
    FreeRangeBrain Active Member
    Hollow models for ceramics are not a good idea. The heat of firing the ceramic will cause the part to blow open as the trapped air heats up and builds pressure - perhaps a more catastrophic bang than a pop.
     
  14. AmLachDesigns
    AmLachDesigns Well-Known Member
    There is no such thing as a hollow model at SW in the terms you are speaking of. If a model has no escape hole SW treats it as solid. If you wish to make a ceramic model with thickness *gt 15mm it MUST be hollow.
     
  15. mkroeker
    mkroeker Well-Known Member
    No problem if you limit yourself to Klein bottles :D
    Seriously, I suspect they apply the glaze by dipping the entire piece (probably the quickest and easiest method to achieve an even and complete cover)
     
  16. AmLachDesigns
    AmLachDesigns Well-Known Member
    I suspect you are right.

    Well, let's put it another way - we are charged by surface area and the cause is supposed to be because of the glaze (although a cynical person might just put it down to another pricing model plucked from the air). If I create a hollow ceramic model with the required size escape hole and I want it glazed on the inside can it be guaranteed that the glaze will properly cover the inside surface? I think not.

    So, if I want to create a ceramic version of my Heron (non-frog eating) I do not want it glazed on the inside (although if it is to whatever standard I don't care) and I certainly don't want to pay for that glaze. And I can't make it solid because it is too thick.

    And, btw, I have asked this question before on the forums and in mails to service, but never received an official reply.
     
  17. mkroeker
    mkroeker Well-Known Member
    Suspect you would save on the glaze but pay more for the work required to paint or spray on the glaze.
    If they just dunk it in the glaze pot and drain it as they pull it out, it should be glazed on the inside (and you can have a relatively unskilled worker do this quickly - saw this once at Zeller Keramik pottery, makers of the German classic "cock and hen" earthenware ).
    Of course you would have two new failure paths for your model - (1) "escape hole too small, cannot glaze the inside" and (2) "would break during glazing" (with its belly full of non-froggy pond scum).
    Lastly I guess you never got an official response from shapeways because the ceramics is done by a production partner.

     
  18. AmLachDesigns
    AmLachDesigns Well-Known Member
    Maybe, but their partner not mine, therefore still their responsibility.

    They are very selective about what they reply to, imo. Viz the whole 'preventing rejections' thread which rumbled on for 6 months before anyone stuck their oar in.
     
  19. seriaforma
    seriaforma Well-Known Member
    How about paper? (mcor)
    or cast aluminum?
    or food safe silicone?
    or more colors of the strong and flexible?
    and I'd kind of like to see glass again.
     
  20. Youknowwho4eva
    Youknowwho4eva Well-Known Member