3d printer buying guide? Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

[Baylordawg]

Does Adafruit have a 3d printer buying guide? I am not able to find one. I am specifically wanting to know what a good 3D Printer would be to aide in in the making of wearables and cases for microcontrollers, neopixel rings, things of that nature.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

David

[franklin97355]

https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-desktop-3d-printer-selection-guide/overview-and-comparison-grid

[adafruit_support_bill]

Make Magazine also publishes an annual guide: https://www.3dhubs.com/best-3d-printer-guide

[Baylordawg]

Thanks for the replies. Will check these out!

David

[sam_moshiri]

Do you know any printer that makes smooth objects?

I mean we don't need to polish the objects afterward

[adafruit_support_bill]

. . . we don't need to polish the objects afterward

For that you would need an SLA type printer such as the FormLabs Form 3 or Prusa SL1

https://formlabs.com/3d-printers/form-3/
https://shop.prusa3d.com/en/3d-printers ... a-sl1.html

[sam_moshiri]

. . . we don't need to polish the objects afterward

For that you would need an SLA type printer such as the FormLabs Form 3 or Prusa SL1

https://formlabs.com/3d-printers/form-3/
https://shop.prusa3d.com/en/3d-printers ... a-sl1.html

Thank you.

it seems SLAs are harder to find and much more expensive

[adafruit_support_bill]

Yes. And they are more expensive to operate as well.

How smooth a surface do you require? The current generation of fused filament printers are capable of much nicer output than the printers of 2 or 3 years ago. Not quite the glass-smooth surface of an SLA print, but quite usable for many purposes.

[sam_moshiri]

Yes. And they are more expensive to operate as well.

How smooth a surface do you require? The current generation of fused filament printers are capable of much nicer output than the printers of 2 or 3 years ago. Not quite the glass-smooth surface of an SLA print, but quite usable for many purposes.

Actually not as smooth as glass, but in a way that when you print a box and show it to someone, he should not recognize that this is a prototype. it should look like a product case

[adafruit_support_bill]

A good fused filament printer properly calibrated can make a pretty good looking part. And there are some ways to get even better looking parts without a lot of additional finishing work.

Prusa offers a textured build plate. Using that, the bottom surface of the print will take on that texture. Prusa uses these build plates to print the electronics enclosures for their printers, and they look almost as if they were injection molded.

Of course, on close inspection of the other surfaces, you can still see the tell-tale layering of a 3D print. But with layer heights as thin as 0.05mm, the output of a well tuned printer will be quite smooth.