3D Printing

[shift1313]

Ill do what I can robert, but off hand a company that is charging you to 3d print but doesn't have a way to open a dwg file is a little concerning There are many free and very cheap programs that will handle it. Fusion 360 is only $30 a month and has a full STL mesh editor in it.

[SLW210]

In AutoCAD STLOUT is the command to create a STL.

[ReMark]

You can also use the EXPORT command.

[Robert Newton]

Shift it is not that he can't open a .dwg file; it is the fact that he admittedly doesn't have the expertise, knowledge nor experience to maneuver if he COULD open it.

[steven-g]

Maybe it would be worth your while taking a look at 3DHubs it's made up of people who own and use a 3D printer, worldwide, and although it isn't the idea that they do design and print many will offer help and advice, and there will probably be lots to choose from locally, or there maybe a Fablab close to you and you can go there directly.

[shift1313]

Robert i just wrote a long post but my login timed out!! I will try to recap it.

 

There are many online print companies. Fathom, Protolabs, CarbonM1 has several job shops, Stratasys(used to be zoomrp.com) and so on. Shapeways has pretty good pricing. I typically use Protolabs cause the support is excellent.

 

The other point of my post was to tell you about your own desktop printers. I have a Micro3d. I got it as a refurb with a discount and paid $200. new they are $300 and it has been excellent. Much better than some of the other $1000 desktop units i've tried. Micro also makes a "pro" version that is $750. It has a heated bed on it which helps parts stick when getting started. The issue is the heated nozzle. its 0.4mm which is wider than your wall thickness.... To print something like you want you will need to do a MicroRes Sterolithography print. Protolabs is great for this. A desktop unit from Formlabs exists that will do it as well, but the tolerance isn't the same as Protolabs. Formlabs will print samples for you for $50 each part. Might be worth reaching out to them and getting a sample of your parts. I think by far CarbonM1 is the best bet if you want to test your parts visually and structurally. They also have job shops that use their printers. These aren't desktop units and will cost you several thousand a month just to lease the machine.

 

Another point to my last post that was lost is that the desktop units all have their own software you can download. You can use them, or download Autodesk PrintStudio and put your STL files in to check them out.