I'd like to start this discussion - on behalf of Shapeways - on the topic of Part Counts.
I look at some of the models out in the shops, and I cringe when I see multiple, tiny, floating parts that have no cage or sprue around them. I can just imagine how hard it is to contain all of that during cleaning and packaging, and I can fully see why sometimes a customer wouldn't get ALL of a model that they order.
One of my first questions is.. I have "heard" that sometimes Shapeways adds a "Sinter Cage" around some of our models. If Shapeways sometimes has to build a Sinter Cage around a model to round up a bunch of small parts - why can't we work out some mechanism where that cage is just shipped with the model?
I have zero clue how to go about accomplishing this. If I as a designer add my own cage, then the customer is charged for the extra material. But, on the other hand, if I layout 20+ pieces and some portion of that has to be re-printed because of "Lost During Cleaning".. can't we come to a midpoint where the cage costs less than the main body of the model?
My latest attempt at this is this model: It's got 50 separate pieces inside - each 2mm by 3mm!
FYI.. the previous version of this model had a 1mm thick sprue thru the center and it [finally] was rejected because the barrels were breaking off. I asked the question, but didn't get a clear answer.. Is this acceptable for a Sinter Cage? The walls this time are 0.3mm thick - is that considered enough?