Design for cheaper 3D printing:
scale, hollow and carve
3D printers don't know what product you're printing, it does not matter how complex or simple a design is, the cost is only calculated by the amount of material used. This make some products seem surprisingly inexpensive, like spectacles and jewelry. For some products, the price might seem a little steep, depending on their size. Here are three tricks to optimize your design for 3D printing.
Material use determines the price.
The price of the product is calculated by which 3D printing material chosen and how much this material used.
- We know how much material goes into the product by measuring its volume (cm3).
- The only exception is ceramics, which are calculated by the amount of surface (cm2)
Rule of thumb: less material = cheaper
For ceramics: less surface = cheaper
1. Scale
Scaling down the design reduces its volume through out the product. This makes scaling highly effective way to affect the printing cost.
When you're scaling down, watch out that your details stay above the minimum tolerances required by the selected material(s). Another thing to keep in mind is to leave fitted parts to their original size. You wouldn't want your egg cup be good for only sparrow eggs.
Find out how much you need to scale to hit your target price with this nifty little calculator
2. Hollow
3D printing is great for making objects hollow. This is where the technology really shines. Not only will you be saving on printing costs, but also on the environment as less raw material is needed to make your product.
If your 3D model has thick areas, seek ways to make them hollow. For example, character's torso could be hollow inside and run the escape holes through legs.
Three things to remember when making hollow objects:
- you need to make >2mm holes to hollow sections where the excess material can escape.
- keep the walls above minimum thickness that material(s) require
- hollow objects are less strong than solid ones.
Read more: Creating hollow objects
3. Carve
For materials other than ceramic, carving is efficient way to bring down the price (as less material is required but surface area increases). This method however greatly impacts the overall look of the product. Try if you can turn this into an advantage by using it as a style.
Remove everything but the very essential. This golden design rule is the idea behind carving. Punch holes, turn solid surfaces into mesh, use pillars instead of walls and so on.
Carving however can sometimes make the product more fragile, so remember the forces your product has to withstand and keep main structures strong enough.
Material portfolio has the details
Each material has its own minimum and maximum requirements. You'll find all the details from Material Portfolio.
If you have unanswered questions, please contact us. We'll be glad to help.
Happy creating!
