3d printers for making stuff for the RV
I have fallen down the worm hole of 3d printing since Christmas, and was wondering if anyone else on here is playing with them. If so, how you use them when it comes to RV's. I can see them being ...
Forum Discussion
wa8yxm wrote:
I recently did some "research" on 3-d Printers
There are two types
The filiment type use a coil of plastic "Rod" that they melt and deposit. the problems are 1: the finish is kind of rough (though they are improving that) and the plastic has a fairly low melting point.. set a 3-d Printed part on a dash it might look like an S. Dali painting when you get back to it (melted)
Resin printers are better with high temp enviorments but the resin is hazmat. and you need to print (Very fine finish) then wash, dispose of the wash materials and waste as haz-mat. work under a vent hood (lab hood) and so on... Not something for the average home. (If I built a house I'd consider a resin printer station because they are the better printer but alas... not happening.)
FDM (rod) or SLA (resin) printers both have strength and weakness. It completely depends on what you need. There is no "better" overall printer, only specific tasks.
SLA is generally used for hi definition/quality prints, think figurines. They require more work to process as mentioned. The home size printers are also very small printers, they do not produce large prints unless you buy expensive versions. They are also less strong then FDM printers. They generally "print" faster then FDM, and it costs more in materials to print with them. As stated the rooms need to be vented with using this stuff, and gloves and masks are required as the stuff is toxic.
FDM printers are much larger by default, generally don't require any post processing, and can make a variety of different prints, using different filament such as PLA TPU ABS PETG ASA and NYLON to name a few. ASA parts can withstand dashboard temperatures or even under the hood temperatures ( again you have to use the correct filament for the job you need). FDM does leave "layers" but can produce some very nice parts, tolerances can be tight as well I am consistently under .02mm in accuracy. Print times are generally slow, and can take hours to days to print a single item.
Hope that helps anyone considering one
