TriMech Blog

Choosing the right  3D printer for your prototypes or parts requires an understanding of the pros and cons of the different technologies available. Some 3D printers use technologies such as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), a layer by layer technology using multiple filaments to create a structure, while others use Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), a laser powered technology that uses a single filament material to create sturdy structures. Both FDM and SLS could create a strong structure, but it is important to understand how each technology can impact your 3D printing process.

TriMech has had the complete Desktop Metal Studio System for over five months now, and we’ve had the opportunity to create some incredible parts with it during that time. One of our favorite parts so far is a heatsink, which utilizes the Studio System’s Bound Metal Deposition (BMD) printing technology to its advantage, in order to print a captured hollow cavity that requires absolutely no support or post-processing, which can’t be machined and is impossible for other metal printing technologies on the market to create.

This month Stratasys announced that their PolyJet J735/J750 successfully passed the rigorous requirements required to make it the world’s first and only PANTONE validated 3D printer. Designers and manufacturers around the world are rejoicing! This changes the game for 3D printing as design and prototype colors can now be matched with 100% specificity, making the process from concept to final product even more accurate.

Today marks the release of the fifth movie from LAIKA studios “Missing Link.” This movie studio is known for their use of stop-motion animation in major feature films, but most don't know that they use PolyJet 3D printing technology in their production process.

“It’s really kind of an insane process that we’re doing, where we’re taking 3D printing and we’re fusing it with this really old technique of stop-motion and replacement animation and forcing these two technologies and techniques together to come up with some amazing performances and amazing results,” said Brian McLean, Director of Rapid Prototype at LAIKA.

The ultimate goal of 3D printing prototype models is to create a part as close to the final product or part as possible. Ideally, you would be able to test the part for functionality and/or appearance to determine if your design is the correct one. That said, most of the time designers create their prototypes with overall part dimensions in mind and ignore the final physical surface textures and aesthetics because they are either too difficult to design or dismissed as just a “nice-to-have” but non-essential feature for this early phase of the project cycle. But what if you could include that level of detail?

Now, with the new software tools in SOLIDWORKS 2019 update and Adobe Photoshop CC, along with the new Agilus30 White material on the Stratasys J750, it’s easy to create these textures in full color that mimic what your final production material will be.

3D printing is currently leading the pack on the prototyping side of things. It’s fast, affordable and extremely easy to design parts. 3D printers use two main technologies, PolyJet and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), each with its own set of considerations. There are several methods for creating plastic parts – at both the prototyping and production level as well as some best design practices for better parts result.

Stratasys announces the newest member to their growing F123 family: the Stratasys F120 bench-top FDM 3D printer. This latest addition makes the industrial 3D printing technologies of the most reliable printer series in the industry even more accessible to designing and engineering teams. The printer will be available at a significantly lower entry cost, all while keeping the build size the same and increasing material volume.

3D printing a functional prototype is one of the most critical steps in the development of any product or solution. It allows for testing, hands-on fit and finish testing and the ability to make design iterations on the fly before the final product is made. It allows for problems and defects to be found quickly, saving you both time and money. Plus, prototyping can be done in 5 easy steps.

Polylactic Acid (PLA) is one of the most widely used thermoplastics in 3D printing, specifically in Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) printers. PLA is widely used on hobbyist level printers for its speed and overall part quality, but it's not very popular on higher-end machines because it lacks strength and resistance to heat and chemicals. That makes it unsuitable for any kind of applications that rely on those qualities, like jigs and fixtures. However, there are characteristics of PLA that could make it very useful for engineers or hobbyists on certain types of projects.

Have you ever 3D printed a part and it wasn't as strong as you'd hoped? Maybe before printing, you decide your part needs additional strength in one area and not another. Maybe you're going to drill a hole or put a threaded insert inside of a part and you just wanted to add strength just to those key areas. Well, now there's a tool that can do that without having to send the design back into your 3D CAD software. In this video blog, TriMech Application Engineer Ricky Shannon will walk through the new GrabCAD Print Advanced FDM toolset.

PLA and ABS material filaments are very popular choices for 3D printing. They are both thermoplastics, are used in a wide range of printer models and have an ideal price range, which makes them great options for printing 3D projects. To get the best results you need not only to take care of your printer, but also remember to store your materials properly.

Here at TriMech’s Connecticut office, we had been printing in 17-4 stainless steel using the Desktop Metal Studio Printer beta unit, but in December of 2018, we installed the complete Desktop Metal Studio System! Having the debinder and furnace in-house has really helped us speed up design time on our prototype sample parts.

Now, it’s time to unveil our first official TriMech branded sample part in 17-4 stainless steel from the Studio System, a metal bottle opener.