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Shapeways Eliminating Frosted Detail, Introducing Frosted Extreme Detail


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Someone mentioned in another thread that Shapeways is introducing Frosted Extreme Detail. They are eliminating the Frosted Detail, keeping Frosted Ultra Detail and introducing the new Extreme Detail. Pricing will most likely be significantly higher, but it is reported that the Ultra Detail is 29 microns high, and the Extreme is only 16 microns high, as far as print lines go. This is a huge improvement.

I took this picture from the Shapeways forums. This is 1:48 scale and shows the difference between the frosted ultra and frosted extreme detail

You can see the biggest difference in the legs

NOXiRnF.png

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I don't know about cost but unless there's some breakthrough for speed I think it would take more than a day just to make one body.I base this on a 1/43 scale 3D printed Infiniti coupe I saw being made last January at the Detroit Auto Show.I asked the woman at the booth how long it took to make the model and she told me it took about 9 hours.I thought this stuff was supposed to be faster.

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The "cost" of printing it wouldn't be effected by time, as they are a "Set it and Forget It" operation. Once the item is set to print, no further babysitting of the thing is needed unless the printing media would need refilled.

You might want more than a 1 per 24 operational basis, but the print on demand aspect along with never having the mold wear out would mean guys who specialize in this medium (over resin) would never have to shelf a subject when sales slowed or the magic "50 bodies per mold" number was hit.

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With the advent of Model haus finishing in a few years . What are the possible costs of 3D printed body's ?

Speaking with someone who has had several 1/25 scale bodies done, it's in the $200-300 range. And from this thread you can see how gritty it still is. We are a long way off from printing free kits off our personal printer!

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The "cost" of printing it wouldn't be effected by time, as they are a "Set it and Forget It" operation. Once the item is set to print, no further babysitting of the thing is needed unless the printing media would need refilled.

I'd disagree with that. I started laser cutting back about 2002. It was cutting edge then. The charge by commercial shops is by the minute....not how much cutting is done or how big. TIME is the cost. How many jobs you can run in a 24 hour period sets your cost. And with 3D printing it is a combo of time and materials. (same with laser cutting if customer does not supply materials) that sets your cost. A 3D printed body that ties up a printer for 18 hours......time will be a cost factor.

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I'd disagree with that. I started laser cutting back about 2002. It was cutting edge then. The charge by commercial shops is by the minute..how much cutting is done or how big. TIME is the cost. How many jobs you can run in a 24 hour period sets your cost. And with 3D printing it is a combo of time and materials. (same with laser cutting if customer does not supply materials) that sets your cost. A 3D printed body that ties up a printer for 18 hours......time will be a cost factor.

I meant for the enterprising cottage guy who maybe goes in with a few people to buy a commercial grade machine. If you own the equipment then you're pro-rating a cost based on printer media and over all machine cost to recoup your initial investment per piece of finished material, be it body, hood, wheels, etc. But as the owner of the machine you wouldn't be considering it on a per hour basis the way Shapeways would bill you for "renting" 18 hours of printer time.

I think for a venture in 3D printing to be successful ala a "big name" resin caster (caveat once the tech gets there) is going to require a team of people, one or more is going to have to have a background in 3D design.

Edited by niteowl7710
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My laser cutter is a commercial machine.....and true I do not charge what a company may......but it still boils down to the time it takes to set up and the run time for what I charge others for work. I looked at 3D printers as the next step for me........but do not want to spend the time to learn the artwork needed for good fabrication. But if I had....material and time would go into the cost of every item produced. Printing time is wear and tear on the machine....costing you money. My laser tube just went out.....max hours reached......$$$ to replace.

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I meant for the enterprising cottage guy who maybe goes in with a few people to buy a commercial grade machine. If you own the equipment then you're pro-rating a cost based on printer media and over all machine cost to recoup your initial investment per piece of finished material, be it body, hood, wheels, etc. But as the owner of the machine you wouldn't be considering it on a per hour basis the way Shapeways would bill you for "renting" 18 hours of printer time.

I think for a venture in 3D printing to be successful ala a "big name" resin caster (caveat once the tech gets there) is going to require a team of people, one or more is going to have to have a background in 3D design.

Ding, Ding, Ding! In order to print 3D you HAVE to have 3D models. No one can print anything of relevance until they have a 3D model of the subject. I have been doing 3D CAD design for 30 years. Modeling a body is tuff for me let alone anyone with no experience. This is one I have been working on for a while as a pet project. Using my 1:1 Model A body and a couple of 1/16th scale kits the 3D CAD is very close. I have quite a few hours into this and it is far from complete.

post-601-0-19292400-1428423252_thumb.jpg

This is the chassis design which is much easier to model.

post-601-0-44424900-1428423071_thumb.jpg

Just letting you guys know this stuff doesn't just fall off trees. It has to be made, to be made. :)

Mark

Edited by astroracer
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