Video Tech Tips for 3D Printing Page 1

Vat photopolymerization, which was first conceived in the early 1980s, laid the foundation for additive as we know it today. Since the early machines and processes, software, hardware and even firmware have been bolstered to withstand harsh manufacturing environments and constant round-the-clock operation. With these advancements in technology, it only makes sense to develop materials in the additive world that exhibit quintessential manufacturing material properties, such as high rigidity, low surface friction or even increased thermal or chemical resistance for applications that require it. Therefore, Stratasys has partnered with some of the leading materials manufacturers across the globe such as Henkel Loctite, DSM and BASF to bring the toughest and highest performing thermoset resins to industry-leading additive platform known as Origin One. Let’s take a look at this impressive 3D printing resin.

In my last video, I added a wind splitter to the front bumper of my Toyota MR2 using 3D printed mounting brackets that I created in SOLIDWORKS using traditional solid-body techniques. It worked but it didn’t achieve the look that I was looking for. For this video, I want to bring it to the next level and build a new wind splitter, complete with mounting holes, using 3D scanning, SOLIDWORKS surfacing and 3D printing.

Now, I’m a machine design person at the core, so creating a model with SOLIDWORKS surfacing would be a new challenge for me, but I knew I could make a better wind splitter using surfacing techniques. So, I got my hands on the SOLIDWORKS surfacing manual and picked up some techniques that I found useful when I was building this model. Let’s look at the steps I took to build a new version of my wind splitter.

In 2021, Stratasys introduced a new flexible material to the PolyJet platform in two different colors. Elastico is the new elastomeric PolyJet material that has a base shore hardness of A 45 and boasts an impressive elongation at a break of up to 400%. Elastico possesses superior tear resistance of more than 7 kg/cm making it an ideal addition to the PolyJet family. Let's take a closer look at this fantastic digital material.

SOLIDWORKS Simulation is a widely used tool to verify designs and minimize the prototyping phase. What if it could be used in conjunction with 3D printing? Well, it can! Engineers can 3D print simulation results with PolyJet 3D printing technology. This is a fantastic way to display information to other engineers and designers about simulation results due to the inherently robust communication with a 3-dimensional, physical copy of a 3D printed part. Teams can better identify hot spots, critical points and deformations by looking at the 3D printed part in their hand. Let's look at how this is done.

As more advanced and reliable solutions come to market to offset the percentage of a market owned by traditional manufacturing methods, additive manufacturing is consistently looked at with admiration. This new technology is currently positioned as a complement to subtractive manufacturing and will continue to do so until certain variables can be tamed with near-flawless accuracy and precision. One step closer to perfection is the addition of anchor columns in GrabCAD Print. Let's take a look at how this works. 

The goal for this project was to create a set of 3D printed mounting brackets that I wanted to bolt to the factory mounting locations at the front valance of my Toyota MR2. The original lower front spoiler on the car was cracked and in very poor shape. To replace this part would be costly and time-consuming, and because of that, I figured why not try and create my own? Let's take a look at the steps I took to create a prototype wind spitter using 3D scanning, SOLIDWORKS and 3D printing.

When you first put an STL file next to an SLDPRT file in GrabCAD Print, you might have noticed it can be difficult to tell them apart. However, looks can be deceiving, and the native SOLIDWORKS SLDPRT file format packs a surprising amount of functionality into a 3D model. In this blog post, we are going to dive into the three primary reasons you should be using SLDPRT files instead of STL for 3D printing.

GrabCAD Print version 1.54 now gives all FDM users access to the Wall Stabilizer tool so they can apply this tool to a 3D print that is tall and thin for better builds. Let’s dive in and take a quick test drive through the interface and check out the options that are available.

Here is another installment in the Know your Materials video series. In this video, we have some samples of the new Vero UltraBlack and Vero UltraWhite PolyJet material. You may be asking “What’s so 'ultra' about these materials?”