All in 3D Printing
I bought my first 3D printer on impulse in 2016 when the price hit $500 and I did the same thing again in 2018. During the time I owned both printers I compared the features based on my experience documenting how far things have come. My conclusion: There’s never been a better time to jump in.
Traditionally 3D printing has been used as a tool for prototyping. Increasing quality and decreasing costs are opening up many more possibilities for 3D printed products. This is a huge asset in the product development process that cuts down on lead times and improves the overall finished product. Printed products can even serve as a marketing tool, providing a more certain route to market for new products.
When I recently broke a friends lawn mower throttle, I again seized on the opportunity to replace it with a 3D printed part. However, this time I decided to do things differently and designed for iteration from the begining. By designing for iteration I was able to play to the strengths of the manufacturing process to get a fast and accurate outcome. In this post I discuss in more detail about changing the design mindset to suit 3D printing.
As familiarity with additive manufacturing increases, it's possible to produce functional parts after a single iteration. This is great for quickly making simple parts, especially for single use applications.
This a great example of how an entry level 3D printer can be used to make functional items in a home DIY environment and one of the first of many where I've been able to improve or replace things.
