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What 3d printer does hero forge use


About Our Products | Hero Forge®

Physical Minis Starting at $19.99 - Digital at $7.99

Hero Forge® offers a comprehensive range of materials and formats to meet any and all of your custom miniature needs. Our Custom Plastic and Premium Plastic are great options for players who love to paint their miniatures themselves. For table-ready minis right out of the box, try out unique Color-Printed Plastic miniatures. Hero Forge® also offers Digital STL files for 3D-printing enthusiasts who enjoy printing their own miniatures at home and full-color 3D Digital miniatures for use in your favorite virtual tabletop programs. Hero Forge® Pro and Pro Plus subscribers can also take advantage of unlimited tokens for character sheets, virtual tabletops, and more.

PHYSICAL PRODUCTS

3D Color-Printed Plastic

  • ●●○○○Durability
  • ●●●●○Detail

Our custom color miniatures are the apex of tabletop miniatures without you needing to lift a paintbrush. Color-printed miniatures are printed in an “inkjet” style 3D print with water soluble supports, meaning no sprues will mark up your beautiful gradients and fine decals.

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3D PRINTED BASE PLASTIC

  • ●●●●○Durability
  • ●●●●○Detail

Anything you design in Hero Forge®’s character creator can be printed in our durable yet detailed plastic. All plastic miniatures come in a smooth matte gray and pre-primed for easy painting.

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3D Printed Premium Plastic

  • ●●●○○Durability
  • ●●●●●Detail

Premium plastic is the optimal material for all hobbyists looking for maximum detail. Take your tabletop RPG experience to another level with the perfect replica of your player character. All premium plastic miniatures are printed in SLA, coming in a glossy black finish.

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3D Printed Bronze

  • ●●●●●Durability
  • ●●●●●Detail

Our custom bronze miniatures are the epitome of tabletop epicness. Bronze miniatures are printed using the lost wax method and maintain the highest level of detail fidelity. Polished to a luminous shine and incredibly smooth to the touch, every detail of your custom character will gleam.

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Color Standees (Currently Unavailable)

  • ●●●●●Durability
  • ●●●●●Detail

Each color standee is precision cut to the unique outline of your character and rendered front, back, and base in full, high-resolution color. All color standees can be taken apart for flat storage, making them incredibly easy to use and portable enough to take on all of your adventures.

DIGITAL PRODUCTS

STL Download

    STL Digital Downloads are for the 3D printing hobbyist looking to print their very own Hero Forge® design at home. Every Hero Forge® mini can be purchased as a downloadable STL file. Each miniature’s 3D model is distributed as a zipped .stl file with a file size around 5-10mb.

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    3D Digital

      Each custom digital miniature is a fully 3D model with all of your detailed color, effects, and posing. Use your Hero Forge® access key to connect your Hero Forge® account to supported virtual tabletops and all of your 3D digital minis will automatically sync to the tabletop.

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      Pre-Made Digital Packs

        Each month, Hero Forge releases beautifully designed Pre-Made Digital Packs that include STL and 3D Digital files for five themed minis. Each pack is $7.99 and can also be purchased with 1 digital credit.

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        SPECIALTY MATERIALS

        Painted Plastic (Available exclusively to Kickstarter Backers)

        • ●●●○○Durability
        • ●●●●○Detail

        For supporting us on Kickstarter, backers of the appropriate tier have access to hand-painted miniatures. Hand-painted miniatures are printed in our premium plastic and painted using traditional miniature painting techniques.

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        2X Scale Nylon Plastic

        • ●●●●●Durability
        • ●●●○○Detail

        When standard scale just won’t cut it, we offer custom nylon miniatures at two hundred percent the size of our standard 30mm scale miniatures. Our Nylon plastic is white and has a porous, slightly rough texture. These behemoth miniatures still maintain excellent detail even at the increased size.

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        Gift Cards

        Gift Cards

        Give your adventuring party, friends, and loved ones the ability to bring their characters to life with a Hero Forge® gift card! Our user-friendly gift cards are delivered instantly via email and can be used on any Hero Forge® miniature, digital or physical!

        Please note that gift cards cannot be applied to Hero Forge® Pro and Pro Plus Digital Download subscriptions.

        Learn More

        OTHER PRODUCTS

        Polyhedral Dice

        • Opaque: $9.99
        • Translucent: $9.99
        • Metal: $34.99

        Roll our opaque, translucent, and metal dice in your next campaign! Each material comes in a variety of colors and features easy-to-read numbers.

        Hero Forge Minis for 3D Printing – Variance Hammer

        With COVID-19 cases spiking, colder winter months approaching for the Northern Hemisphere, and a lot of people only interacting with their close contacts in families, “pods”, etc. I’ve noticed an uptick in gamers rediscovering roleplaying games, introducing their families to the hobby they’ve always had, etc. And with another generation of relatively affordable resin 3D printers making them more accessible, there’s a ton of ways to print one-off character minis for characters, NPCs etc. These range from Patreons and Kickstarters to the “big” player in this space: Hero Forge.

        Hero Forge is mostly known for letting you order your own custom minis, which they print for you (now in color), but more recently they’ve also let you start downloading the files to print yourself. And given they have a sale right now that makes one of those files $3.99…I thought I’d give it a whirl.

        So how well does it work, what’s the quality like, etc? Read on.

        Design Software

        I suspect the Hero Forge site might be familiar to many of the readers of this blog, but in case it’s not…the software is pretty solid. An intuitive UI lets you walk through the steps of their pre-generated minis, choosing species, head, body, clothing, gear, pose, etc. And importantly, letting you hop between them as you iterate on a design. Making this Inquisitorial-agent character was…extremely straightforward.

        But importantly, because of the intensely modular build system, along with an ever-growing library of items, species, etc. it’s easy to make both that very science fiction-y figure aligned with the sort of 40K aesthetic to…

        A Weird West Catgirl Gunslinger.

        It’s a marvelous age we live in.

        What I eventually settled for for this review in terms of the model I wanted to print was something very…#2020. And with Cyberpunk 2077 coming out someday relatively soon, I decided to go with this:

        A somewhat punk-looking girl with a gas mask, goggles, a cocky pose and a machine pistol.

        If you’re starting to get an idea of the Hero Forge aesthetic, you’re right. The details are fairly chunky, but decent quality. This picture also gives us some details to make sure to look at – her right shoulder, where her shoulder, the fabric of her shirt and the strap of her bra/undershirt meet, the asymmetrical gasp-mask, the lenses of the goggles, the finger on the trigger, and some of the clothing details – the belt clasp, etc.

        Design Caveats

        So the tricky part about Hero Forge is there’s no promise what you make will be 3D printable. Or…well…there is, but only on their 3D printers. And their 3D printers cost as much as a decent new car. More importantly, because it’s likely it can be 3D printed doesn’t mean it will be easily so.

        Let’s look at our figure above – there’s a couple problems. Things that overhang and drop down from where they “start” are a problem for resin printers, because that isolated part will print first, before the parts it connects to do. There are a lot of those on this figure – the arms, the machine pistol, her right pigtail, the mask cartridge. These aren’t inherently a problem, they just need to be supported to help them print (a picture to follow), although annoyingly several of them (the pigtail and the mask) are above her shoulder and chest, which are smooth, organic shapes where the little scar that can be produced by removing support material may be obvious.

        The other problem is the base. Now miniatures on bases are always a problem for resin printers – it makes it hard to angle the figure to put support material on the back of the model, etc. Annoyingly, these ones also aren’t solid – they have a hollow, like Citadel bases, for a logo or the like. The problem with that is it somewhat interferes with the ability to print the model directly onto the build plate – since resin figures are printed upside down, printing the rim for awhile and then the surface of the base will, at best, leave a lake of uncured resin in that recess. This will come up later.

        Hero Forge doesn’t offer a solid base option, but they do offer a simple slot for slotted bases, and if I were 3D printing something, I’d do that, cut the tab off, and put the mini on an existing base, or one printed separately.

        The Purchasing Experience and Pricing

        Once you’re done making your figure, you follow the normal rules for checking out, and instead of an option for having it printed, you select “STL Download”.

        15 minutes or so later, in the “Digital Downloads” tab of your account page, there’s a zipped file waiting for download. It’s as easy as that. And this brings up the primary appeal of the digital option – Hero Forge minis, while cool, are a little…dear…at either $20 or $30 (effectively) for an equivalent miniature that will need painting.

        If we ignore the time value of money (all 3D printing as a hobby sort of necessitates doing this), the appeal is obvious. The print will use 3.1g of resin. In this case, we’re using Elegoo’s ABS-like grey resin, which is available on Amazon when I write this for $38.40 for 1000g, which makes the resin cost of this figure…$0.12. There are certainly more expensive, higher detail resins, but I picked ABS-like because it’s common, fairly easy to use, readily available on Amazon, decent for detail, and has a good bit of flex to it that RPG players, who seem to be rougher on their miniatures than most wargamers (not Ork players…), might appreciate.

        It’s also the bottle I had open.

        The Printing Process

        Setting up this figure took a bit of wrestling, because I’ve done something to my Chitubox support settings, and I wanted things done in a sort of way that’s careful, but not too careful. The printing experience for someone who doesn’t want to spend the time to come up with the perfect support layout for this figure. Which means bringing it into Prusa Slicer, telling it to use its auto-support function, exporting that into Chitubox and slicing it.

        That sounds harder than it is.

        What I ended up with was this.

        That’s not bad as far as supports go. Not thrilled with the ones that terminate on her shoulder, but it was the best option I got after a couple experiments. I saved the file, chucked it on my Epax X1-DJ, and let it go for the next 8 hours (I was printing with a very high 0.02mm resolution because player characters deserve quality).

        The Results

        After washing the figure in isopropyl alcohol to get the uncured resin off it, letting her have a dip in pure IPA as a 2nd rinse, and then into a small thing of warm water to soften the supports to remove them, the results were solid, but not perfect. But the core is there – the feel of the model, the contouring of the cloth vs. skin, the overall aesthetic, etc.

        Light grey resin is hard to photograph. There’s a slight bend in the magazine of the machine pistol, from I suspect where a support flexed while printing, but that’s solvable by trimming. There’s some solid details – the hair is defined, the lenses of the classes clearly visible, as is the belt buckle and the fittings on her pants. As predicted, there’s a small divot on the shoulder where the support came off, which could be fixed or will honestly disappear in all likelihood once primed and painted.

        The glove is obvious on her left hand, and somewhat lost on her right, but in fairness, it’s a very subtle detail, even on the original model.

        The biggest problem was, as predicted, the base. First, there was the predicted sort of little bits of uncured resin left over that had sort of partially cured, but needed to be scraped away. And the base itself has that little line in the middle, which is about where the solid part of the base starts, where the force of the mini pulling off the build plate at each level got quite a bit stronger and sort of created a small separation.

        Fixable by not printing her on a base, or being more careful with how she was supported. And if you paint her base black, again, probably not going to notice it.

        But overall? I’m pleased. She’s currently hanging out on my desk, and I’m thrilled every time I look at it. There’s something just cool about designing a miniature, putting it on a printer, and it’s…there. And the nice part is, I own the model. If I want to take another go at the base? I can reprint her. If I want to resize the model so I have a 54mm scale Escher ganger? Done. It’s not a Golden Demon quality print, and the Perry Brothers don’t have to worry that I’m coming for them. It’s a “basecoat and wash” type of model, but I’d argue that’s most models. It’s as good as some I’ve bought in stores, and for player characters, important NPCs, a couple different sculpts for mooks, etc.? I think it’s perfect.

        Final Thoughts

        I’d give Hero Forge a solid B+ here. This was easy, and fun, and most of the “flaws” in the final model could be solved by me spending more time in my slicer software setting up supports correctly. I’d like to see either an option for no base, or an option for a solid base that’s easier to print directly on the build plate, but the slot option is a workable kludge for the moment.

        My main issue is pricing. At $3.99, it’s obviously awesome. At the regular price of $7.99, you’re getting into a space where, for twice the money, you could not have to deal with this yourself – the gloves, the isopropyl alcohol, running the risk of a failed print, etc. It shifts the value proposition a little from a model you’re going to print once to a model you’re intending to print more than once, etc.

        I don’t think that price is unreasonable, but I think it would be easier to swallow at $4.99 or the like. For me, that’s still below that threshold of doing something because it’s amusing. Much above that, and whimsy gets checked by “Yeah, but do you need this?”

        But overall? This was a solid couple hours of entertainment designing a model and printing it, it worked seamlessly on their end, and quietly printing models at home is about as low risk gaming as you can get in the COVID-19 era.

         

        Enjoy what you read? Enjoyed that it was ad free? Both of those things are courtesy of our generous Patreon supporters. If you’d like more quantitatively driven thoughts on 40K and miniatures wargaming, and a hand in deciding what we cover, please consider joining them.

         

        90,000 manufacturing miniatures 28mm, dioram, game locations using 3D printer

        09.03.2022

        Content

        • How to choose a 3D printer for miniatures
          • Advantage of 3D printing for miniatures 9000 9000 FDM
            • 9000 LCD/ DLP
        • Printing examples
        • Top printer rankings
          • FDM
          • LCD
        • Totals
      3D printing finds its application in various fields, not only as a production machine, but also as a reliable hobby assistant. nine0003

      Miniature figurines with amazing detail attract the eye. A little grotesqueness and slightly wrong proportions (otherwise it would be inconvenient to play or transport such a “little one”) are more than compensated by detailed elaboration and an abundance of small, at first glance, insignificant details. These are no longer just small table soldiers, but heroes with their own unique history.

      Warhammer 40k 9 miniature soldier0044

      Miniatures come in different sizes: from 6mm and more. The most popular today is the 28mm format. The creation of such figurines is really almost jewelry work.

      A 3D printer will help not only in the production of miniatures, but also in related areas, such as the creation of figurines, details of game locations, or, for example, elements of dioramas. To understand the advantages of 3D printing over classical manufacturing methods, it is worth remembering how such models are usually made at home. nine0003

      Advantage of 3D printing for miniatures

      Not everyone was ready to shell out a substantial amount for the purchase of a set of table soldiers, and sometimes the necessary heroes simply were not on sale. Then baked and self-hardening plastics for modeling were used.

      First you need to make a wire frame, so the finished figure will turn out to be more durable, and it will be much easier to keep all the proportions. The wire frame can be attached to the stand, which will make the miniature statue more stable, and it can be easily fixed in any position without fear of smearing small parts with your fingers. nine0003

      Wire frame for miniature

      Gradually, layer by layer, the volume of plastic increases on the frame. Each layer must be baked or dried well, depending on which plastic is used - self-hardening or baked.

      Gradually, we begin to add small details and work out the details. In fact, this is a very painstaking process that requires perseverance and some sculpting abilities. For a convenient study of small details, you may need special stacks for modeling, but they can be successfully replaced with improvised tools. nine0003

      Sculpting tool set

      The result is such a miniature statue.

      Miniature 28mm baked plastic

      By the same principle, large table figures, or some elements of dioramas, can be made.

      Sometimes a sculptor is more accustomed to working with plasticine. Then, after sculpting, the stage of preparation and casting of the figurine into a silicone mold is added. This method is suitable for small-scale production of a small desktop army. nine0003

      But it is necessary to properly prepare the figurine for casting. The finished "warrior", most likely, will have to be divided into several parts, so that it would be more convenient for the caster to remove the molds and make castings. During the cutting process, it is worth adding a few locks so that the finished castings can be easily assembled, like pieces of a puzzle.

      Molded figurine against silicone mold

      Some craftsmen have learned to cast metal copies. Such soldiers are usually made of low-melting metals (for example, lead) and cast in plaster molds. Sometimes a special silicone is used, but it is a little more difficult to achieve good shedding of a small product in a silicone mold. nine0003


      Cast metal soldier

      In addition to making figurines from scratch, some craftsmen remake ready-made miniatures. This is called conversion.

      Conversion in miniatures is a refinement, stylization or alteration of a finished figure. Unfortunately, not every hobbyist has good sculpting skills, and this alteration helps to achieve good results regardless of artistic skills. The main thing is to act very carefully. nine0044

      Conversion helps enthusiasts achieve amazing figurine detail, add some detail, change the pose, or create a new character that is not yet on sale.

      Lord of the Astral Claws turned to Chaos

      In addition to making the figures themselves, modelers create colorful locations to immerse themselves in the world of their favorite game. This is true not only for 28mm miniatures, but for example for DND games. Such voluminous locations allow you to immerse yourself in the world of your favorite game much better and make the game more exciting. nine0003


      Game location for board game Warhammer40k

      The creation of such locations is painstaking work, and both improvised and special equipment are used as material.


      Role play location

      A 3D printer allows you to produce miniature figures and game locations much faster. On the Internet you can find many paid and free models of 28mm figures from different universes or various elements of locations - houses, fences, mechanisms, etc. Adapting or slightly changing the finished 3D model for yourself is much easier than cutting and gluing a finished figure. And creative people with modeling skills are unlikely to have difficulties with the transition to “digital clay”. nine0003


      Warhammer40k universe 3D miniature model

      And of course, dioramas are worth noting. This is a separate art form with a scene or location frozen in time. Dioramas come in different sizes, but each of them impresses with its detail and careful study.


      Diorama based on the game STALKER
      nine0003

      Each diorama is unique, so the craftsmen use improvised materials to make it. Everything is limited only by the imagination and ingenuity of the artist.


      Diorama “Desert Hero”

      The main advantage of 3D printing is high detail and repeatability. If you need to make a small batch of miniatures, it will be much easier to print them than to cast, for example. Casting small items is a painstaking process that requires some skill and equipment. It is very difficult to achieve good pourability of small products the first time. nine0003


      From model to finished figure

      And for the manufacture of piece products, such as a diorama element, a 3D printer can replace many materials and tools for modeling. In addition, by using and combining different materials, it is possible to create models that are difficult or almost impossible to create manually. For example, using a special polymer, you can print optically transparent products that can imitate glass. nine0003

      Which technology to choose


      To begin with, it is important to determine the requirements for the printer - will it be used only for the manufacture of 28mm personal army or should it be a universal printing machine? It is important to understand what size the finished model will be, how detailed it should be, and how much time can be spent on post-processing.

      Depending on this, it is worth deciding on the technology by which the 3D printer will work. You can choose one of two technologies - FDM or photopolymer printing (there are several technologies, but DLP and LCD printers are currently popular). nine0003

      FDM

      FDM 3D printers use a plastic filament as a material. In a heated extruder, the filament is melted and extruded through a thin nozzle, so layer by layer, a three-dimensional model is grown.


      Working principle of FDM 3D printer

      Layer thickness and nozzle diameter can be changed in some printer models. The minimum layer is usually 0.1 mm. In some models of 3D printers, a layer of 0.05 is available, but for printing with such a layer, it is important to choose the right many settings and the print speed will be quite slow. nine0044

      Pros:

      • Large print area

      • Many different materials are available for every “taste and budget”

      • Inexpensive Consumables

      Cons:

      Of course, FDM printers are hardly suitable for making miniature figures, but they can be successfully used to print large souvenir figures, create game locations and some parts of dioramas. nine0003

      LCD/DLP

      The principles of operation of LCD and DLP printers are very similar. The material used is polymers that harden under the action of UV light. The only difference is that an LCD printer uses an LED matrix in conjunction with an LCD screen as a source of UV radiation, while a DLP uses a projector.

      Working principle of photopolymer 3D printer

      Pros:

      • nine0002 The ideal surface of the finished figure

      • Many different materials available

      • High print accuracy even for the smallest items

      Cons:

      Photopolymer 3D printers are able to create miniature products that cannot be made using FDM technology. This technology will be an ideal choice for creating miniatures, small poster models, etc. nine0003

      Print examples


      Robot printed on Asiga Pro 4k


      Figurine made with Phrozen Sonic Mini 4k


      28mm 3D printed miniatures

      3D Printed Halloween Miniature

      3D printed play models


      FDM Cube Thrower


      Figure making process from 3D model to painting

      Best Printer Ranking

      FDM

      Creality3D Ender 3 (Build Kit)

      nine0210 Features:

      Print technology: FDM/FFF

      Working area size: 220x220x250 mm

      Number of extruders: 1

      Max. extruder temperature: max. 255℃

      Closed Camera: No

      Heated table: Yes

      Plastic type: ABS, PLA, PETG, Flex, Decorative plastics, others

      A popular and unpretentious 3D printer that many makers liked. Creality3D Ender 3 is sold as a kit (assembly kit), but thanks to the detailed instructions, there should be no problems with assembly. nine0003

      Wanhao Duplicator 6 Plus

      Features:

      Print technology: FDM/FFF

      Working area size: 200*200*180mm

      Number of extruders: 1

      Max. extruder temperature: max. 260°C

      Closed Camera: Optional

      Heated table: Yes

      Plastic type: ABS, PLA, PETG, Flex, Decorative plastics, others nine0003

      Wanhao Duplicator 6 Plus is an updated version of the Duplicator 6. The new modification adds automatic calibration, printing resume after a power outage, and others. You can immediately purchase a printer with a closed case, this will allow you to easily print with composites. Wanhao Duplicator 6 Plus will become a trouble-free workhorse, and thanks to the “omnivorous” extruder, even a beginner will be able to print exotic materials without any problems, such as soft flexes or rubbers. nine0003

      FlashForge Creator Pro 2

      Features:

      Print technology: FDM/FFF

      Working area size: 200x148x150 mm

      Number of extruders: 2

      Max. extruder temperature: max. 240°C

      Closed Camera: Yes

      Heated table: Yes

      Plastic type: ABS, PLA, PETG, Flex, Decorative plastics, others nine0003

      FlashForge Creator Pro 2 is an almost professional dual extruder 3D printer. Thanks to the closed body, Creator Pro 2 has no problem even with composite materials, and two extruders allow the use of soluble support for complex models. Moreover, FlashForge extruders are independent, this allows you to print 2 mirror or identical models at the same time. This allows you to speed up the production of the same type of models. FlashForge Creator Pro 2 will not only be a good home printer, but also a great helper for a workshop or small production. nine0003

      LCD

      Anycubic Photon Mono 4K

      Features:

      LCD display resolution: 3840x2400 (4K)

      UV wavelength: 405 nm

      Working area size: 132x80x165 mm

      Layer thickness: 0.01-0.15mm

      Inexpensive, but fairly modern 3D printer with a 4K monochrome display. Anycubic Photon Mono 4K will be a good tool for printing miniature models. nine0003

      Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K

      Features:

      LCD resolution: 6.1" 4K Mono LCD

      XY positioning accuracy: 35 microns

      UV wavelength: 405 nm

      Working area size: 134x75x130 mm

      Layer thickness: 0.01-0.30mm

      The Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K is a compact high resolution 3D printer. It allows you to get accurate models even with an abundance of small details. Sonic Mini 4K is a good choice for those who need to print quickly and accurately. nine0003

      Phrozen Sonic Mighty 4K

      Features:

      LCD resolution: 9.3" 4K Mono LCD

      XY positioning accuracy: 52 microns

      UV wavelength: 405 nm

      Working area size: 200x125x220 mm

      Layer thickness: 0.01-0.3mm

      With a larger work area, the Phrozen Sonic Mighty 4K allows you to quickly produce large models or small batches of small items. Such a 3D printer will be a good help for a small workshop or a hobby circle. nine0003

      Phrozen Sonic Mini 8K

      Features:

      LCD resolution: 7.1" 8K Mono LCD

      XY Positioning Accuracy: 22 µm

      UV wavelength: 405 nm

      Working area size: 165x72x180 mm

      Layer thickness: 0.01-0.3mm

      Phrozen Sonic Mini 8K is one of the representatives of 8K photopolymer printers, which can still be counted on the fingers of one hand. The high resolution LCD-matrix allows you to print figures with amazing surface quality and amazing detail. Such a printer is suitable for demanding printers who care about accuracy and the perfect surface of the finished model. nine0003

      Totals

      3D printers are gradually showing themselves to be great helpers in many areas, not only in medicine and industry, but also in home hobbies. Thanks to 3D printing, it is possible to produce small figurines or elements of dioramas much faster, paying more attention to the elaboration of details, rather than painstaking modeling or the search for exotic materials.

      And digitalization makes it much easier to share your work and finished models in the community or adjust them to your needs, for example, change the scale or adjust the pose. nine0003

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      3D printing for dummies or "what is a 3D printer?"

      • 1 3D printing term
      • 2 3D printing methods
        • 2. 1 Extrusion printing
        • 2.2 Melting, sintering or gluing
        • 2.3 Stereolithography
        • 2.4 Lamination
      • 3 Fused Deposition Printing (FDM)
        • 3.1 Consumables
        • 3.2 Extruder
        • 3.3 Working platform
        • 3.4 Positioning mechanisms
        • 3.5 Control
        • 3.6 Varieties of FDM printers
      • 4 Laser stereolithography (SLA)
        • 4.1 Lasers and projectors
        • 4.2 Cuvette and resin
        • 4.3 Varieties of
          • Stereolithography Printers

      The term 3D printing

      The term 3D printing has several synonyms, one of which quite briefly and accurately characterizes the essence of the process - "additive manufacturing", that is, production by adding material. The term was not coined by chance, because this is the main difference between multiple 3D printing technologies and the usual methods of industrial production, which in turn received the name "subtractive technologies", that is, "subtractive". If during milling, grinding, cutting and other similar procedures, excess material is removed from the workpiece, then in the case of additive manufacturing, material is gradually added until a solid model is obtained. nine0003

      Soon 3D printing will even be tested on the International Space Station

      Strictly speaking, many traditional methods could be classified as "additive" in the broad sense of the word - for example, casting or riveting. However, it should be borne in mind that in these cases, either the consumption of materials is required for the manufacture of specific tools used in the production of specific parts (as in the case of casting), or the whole process is reduced to joining ready-made parts (welding, riveting, etc. ). In order for the technology to be classified as “3D printing”, the final product must be built from raw materials, not blanks, and the formation of objects must be arbitrary - that is, without the use of forms. The latter means that additive manufacturing requires a software component. Roughly speaking, additive manufacturing requires computer control so that the shape of final products can be determined by building digital models. It was this factor that delayed the widespread adoption of 3D printing until the moment when numerical control and 3D design became widely available and highly productive. nine0003

      3D printing techniques

      There are a lot of 3D printing technologies, and even more names for them due to patent restrictions. However, you can try to divide technologies into main areas:

      Extrusion printing

      This includes methods such as deposition fusion (FDM) and multi-jet printing (MJM). This method is based on the extrusion (extrusion) of consumables with the sequential formation of the finished product. As a rule, consumables consist of thermoplastics or composite materials based on them. nine0003

      Melting, sintering or bonding

      This approach is based on bonding powdered material together. Formation is done in different ways. The simplest is gluing, as is the case with 3D inkjet printing (3DP). Such printers deposit thin layers of powder onto the build platform, which are then selectively bonded with a binder. Powders can be made up of virtually any material that can be ground to a powder—plastic, wood, metal. nine0003

      This model of James Bond's Aston Martin was successfully printed on a Voxeljet SLS printer and blown up just as successfully during the filming of Skyfall instead of the expensive original

      sintering (SLS and DMLS) and smelting (SLM), which allow you to create all-metal parts. As with 3D inkjet printing, these devices apply thin layers of powder, but the material is not glued together, but sintered or melted using a laser. Laser sintering (SLS) is used to work with both plastic and metal powders, although metal pellets usually have a more fusible shell, and after printing they are additionally sintered in special ovens. DMLS is a variant of SLS installations with more powerful lasers that allow sintering metal powders directly without additives. SLM printers provide not just sintering of particles, but their complete melting, which allows you to create monolithic models that do not suffer from the relative fragility caused by the porosity of the structure. As a rule, printers for working with metal powders are equipped with vacuum working chambers, or they replace air with inert gases. Such a complication of the design is caused by the need to work with metals and alloys subject to oxidation - for example, with titanium. nine0003

      Stereolithography

      How an SLA printer works

      Stereolithography printers use special liquid materials called "photopolymer resins". The term "photopolymerization" refers to the ability of a material to harden when exposed to light. As a rule, such materials react to ultraviolet irradiation.

      Resin is poured into a special container with a movable platform, which is installed in a position near the surface of the liquid. The layer of resin covering the platform corresponds to one layer of the digital model. Then a thin layer of resin is processed by a laser beam, hardening at the points of contact. At the end of illumination, the platform together with the finished layer is immersed to the thickness of the next layer, and illumination is performed again. nine0003

      Lamination

      Laminating (LOM) 3D printers

      Some 3D printers build models using sheet materials - paper, foil, plastic film.

      Layers of material are glued on top of each other and cut along the contours of the digital model using a laser or a blade.

      These machines are well suited for prototyping and can use very cheap consumables, including regular office paper. However, the complexity and noise of these printers, coupled with the limitations of the models they produce, limit their popularity. nine0003

      Fused deposition modeling (FDM) and laser stereolithography (SLA) have become the most popular 3D printing methods used in the home and office.

      Let's take a closer look at these technologies.

      Fused Deposition Printing (FDM)

      FDM is perhaps the simplest and most affordable 3D construction method, which is the reason for its high popularity.
      High demand for FDM printers is driving device and consumable prices down rapidly, along with technology advances towards ease of use and improved reliability. nine0003

      Consumables

      ABS filament spool and finished model

      FDM printers are designed to print with thermoplastics, which are usually supplied as thin filaments wound on spools. The range of "clean" plastics is very wide. One of the most popular materials is polylactide or "PLA plastic". This material is made from corn or sugar cane, which makes it non-toxic and environmentally friendly, but makes it relatively short-lived. ABS plastic, on the other hand, is very durable and wear-resistant, although it is susceptible to direct sunlight and can release small amounts of harmful fumes when heated. Many plastic items that we use on a daily basis are made from this material: housings for household appliances, plumbing fixtures, plastic cards, toys, etc. nine0003

      In addition to PLA and ABS, printing is possible with nylon, polycarbonate, polyethylene and many other thermoplastics that are widely used in modern industry. More exotic materials are also possible, such as polyvinyl alcohol, known as "PVA plastic". This material dissolves in water, which makes it very useful for printing complex geometric patterns. But more on that below.

      Model made from Laywoo-D3. Changing the extrusion temperature allows you to achieve different shades and simulate annual rings

      It is not necessary to print with homogeneous plastics. It is also possible to use composite materials imitating wood, metals, stone. Such materials use all the same thermoplastics, but with impurities of non-plastic materials.

      So, Laywoo-D3 consists partly of natural wood dust, which allows you to print "wooden" products, including furniture.

      The material called BronzeFill is filled with real bronze, and models made from it can be ground and polished, achieving a high similarity to products made from pure bronze. nine0003

      One has only to remember that thermoplastics serve as a binding element in composite materials - they determine the thresholds of strength, thermal stability and other physical and chemical properties of finished models.

      Extruder

      Extruder - FDM print head. Strictly speaking, this is not entirely true, because the head consists of several parts, of which only the feed mechanism is directly "extruder". However, by tradition, the term "extruder" is commonly used as a synonym for the entire print assembly. nine0003

      FDM extruder general design

      The extruder is designed for melting and applying thermoplastic thread. The first component is the thread feed mechanism, which consists of rollers and gears driven by an electric motor. The mechanism feeds the thread into a special heated metal tube with a small diameter nozzle, called a "hot end" or simply a "nozzle". The same mechanism is used to remove the thread if a change of material is needed. nine0003

      The hot end is used to heat and melt the thread fed by the puller. As a rule, nozzles are made from brass or aluminum, although more heat-resistant, but also more expensive materials can be used. For printing with the most popular plastics, a brass nozzle is quite enough. The “nozzle” itself is attached to the end of the tube with a threaded connection and can be replaced with a new one in case of wear or if a change in diameter is necessary. The nozzle diameter determines the thickness of the molten filament and, as a result, affects the print resolution. The heating of the hot end is controlled by a thermistor. Temperature control is very important, because when the material is overheated, pyrolysis can occur, that is, the decomposition of plastic, which contributes both to the loss of the properties of the material itself and to clogging of the nozzle. nine0003

      PrintBox3D One FDM Printer Extruder

      To prevent the filament from melting too early, the top of the hot end is cooled by heatsinks and fans. This point is of great importance, since thermoplastics that pass the glass transition temperature significantly expand in volume and increase the friction of the material with the walls of the hot end. If the length of such a section is too long, the pulling mechanism may not have enough strength to push the thread. nine0003

      The number of extruders may vary depending on the purpose of the 3D printer. The simplest options use a single printhead. The dual extruder greatly expands the capabilities of the device, allowing you to print one model in two different colors, as well as using different materials. The last point is important when building complex models with overhanging structural elements: FDM printers cannot print “over the air”, since the applied layers require support. In the case of hinged elements, temporary support structures have to be printed, which are removed after printing is completed. The removal process is fraught with damage to the model itself and requires accuracy. In addition, if the model has a complex structure with internal cavities that are difficult to access, building conventional supports may not be practical due to the difficulty in removing excess material. nine0003

      Finished model with PVA supports (white) before and after washing

      In such cases, the same water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) comes in handy. Using a dual extruder, you can build a model from waterproof thermoplastic using PVA to create supports.

      After printing, PVA can simply be dissolved in water and a complex product of perfect quality can be obtained.

      Some FDM printers can use three or even four extruders. nine0003

      Working platform

      Heated platform covered with removable glass work table

      Models are built on a special platform, often equipped with heating elements. Preheating is required for a wide range of plastics, including the popular ABS, which are subject to a high degree of shrinkage when cooled. The rapid loss of volume by cold coats compared to freshly applied material can lead to model distortion or delamination. The heating of the platform makes it possible to significantly equalize the temperature gradient between the upper and lower layers. nine0003

      Heating is not recommended for some materials. A typical example is PLA plastic, which requires a fairly long time to harden. Heating PLA can lead to deformation of the lower layers under the weight of the upper ones. When working with PLA, measures are usually taken not to heat up, but to cool the model. Such printers have characteristic open cases and additional fans blowing fresh layers of the model.

      Calibration screw for work platform covered with blue masking tape

      The platform needs to be calibrated before printing to ensure that the nozzle does not hit the applied layers and move too far causing air-to-air printing resulting in plastic vermicelli. The calibration process can be either manual or automatic. In manual mode, calibration is performed by positioning the nozzle at different points on the platform and adjusting the platform inclination using the support screws to achieve the optimal distance between the surface and the nozzle.

      As a rule, platforms are equipped with an additional element - a removable table. This design simplifies the cleaning of the working surface and facilitates the removal of the finished model. Stages are made from various materials, including aluminum, acrylic, glass, etc. The choice of material for the manufacture of the stage depends on the presence of heating and consumables for which the printer is optimized.

      For a better adhesion of the first layer of the model to the surface of the table, additional tools are often used, including polyimide film, glue and even hairspray! But the most popular tool is inexpensive, but effective masking tape. Some manufacturers make perforated tables that hold the model well but are difficult to clean. In general, the expediency of applying additional funds to the table depends on the consumable material and the material of the table itself. nine0003

      Positioning mechanisms

      Scheme of operation of positioning mechanisms

      Of course, the print head must move relative to the working platform, and unlike conventional office printers, positioning must be carried out not in two, but in three planes, including height adjustment.

      Positioning pattern may vary. The simplest and most common option involves mounting the print head on perpendicular guides driven by stepper motors and providing positioning along the X and Y axes. nine0003

      Vertical positioning is carried out by moving the working platform.

      On the other hand, it is possible to move the extruder in one plane and the platforms in two.

      SeemeCNC ORION Delta Printer

      One option that is gaining popularity is the delta coordinate system.

      Such devices are called "delta robots" in the industry.

      In delta printers, the print head is suspended on three manipulators, each of which moves along a vertical rail.

      The synchronous symmetrical movement of the manipulators allows you to change the height of the extruder above the platform, and the asymmetric movement causes the head to move in the horizontal plane.

      A variant of this system is the reverse delta design, where the extruder is fixed to the ceiling of the working chamber, and the platform moves on three support arms. nine0003

      Delta printers have a cylindrical build area, and their design makes it easy to increase the height of the working area with minimal design changes by lengthening the rails.

      In the end, everything depends on the decision of the designers, but the fundamental principle does not change.

      Control

      Typical Arduino-based controller with add-on modules

      FDM printer operation, including nozzle and platform temperature, filament feed rate, and stepper motors for positioning the extruder, is controlled by fairly simple electronic controllers. Most controllers are based on the Arduino platform, which has an open architecture. nine0003

      The programming language used by printers is called G-code (G-Code) and consists of a list of commands executed in turn by the 3D printer systems. G-code is compiled by programs called "slicers" - standard 3D printer software that combines some of the features of graphics editors with the ability to set print options through a graphical interface. The choice of slicer depends on the printer model. RepRap printers use open source slicers such as Skeinforge, Replicator G and Repetier-Host. Some companies make printers that require proprietary software. nine0003

      Program code for printing is generated using slicers

      As an example, we can mention Cube printers from 3D Systems. There are companies that offer proprietary software but allow third-party software, as is the case with the latest generation of MakerBot 3D printers.

      Slicers are not designed for 3D design per se. This task is done with CAD editors and requires some 3D design skills. Although beginners should not despair: digital models of a wide variety of designs are offered on many sites, often even for free. Finally, some companies and individuals offer 3D design services for custom printing. nine0003

      Finally, 3D printers can be used in conjunction with 3D scanners to automate the process of digitizing objects. Many of these devices are designed specifically to work with 3D printers. Notable examples include the 3D Systems Sense handheld scanner and the MakerBot Digitizer handheld desktop scanner.

      MakerBot Replicator 5th Generation FDM Printer with built-in control module on the top of the frame

      The user interface of a 3D printer can consist of a simple USB port for connecting to a personal computer. In such cases, the device is actually controlled by the slicer. nine0003

      The disadvantage of this simplification is a rather high probability of printing failure when the computer freezes or slows down.

      A more advanced option includes an internal memory or memory card interface to make the process standalone.

      These models are equipped with control modules that allow you to adjust many print parameters (such as print speed or extrusion temperature). The module may include a small LCD display or even a mini-tablet. nine0003

      Varieties of FDM printers

      Professional Stratasys Fortus 360mc FDM printer that allows printing with nylon

      FDM printers are very, very diverse, ranging from the simplest home-made RepRap printers to industrial installations capable of printing large-sized objects.

      Stratasys, founded by FDM inventor Scott Crump, is a leader in industrial plant manufacturing. nine0003

      You can build the simplest FDM printers yourself. Such devices are called RepRap, where "Rep" indicates the possibility of "replication", that is, self-reproduction.

      RepRap printers can be used to print custom built plastic parts.

      Controller, rails, belts, motors and other components can be easily purchased separately.

      Of course, assembling such a device on your own requires serious technical and even engineering skills. nine0003

      Some manufacturers make it easy by selling DIY kits, but these kits still require a good understanding of the technology. RepRap Printers nine0003

      And, despite their "homemade nature", RepRap printers are quite capable of producing models with quality at the level of expensive branded counterparts.

      Ordinary users who do not want to delve into the intricacies of the process, but require only a convenient device for household use, can purchase a ready-made FDM printer.

      Many companies are focusing on the development of the consumer market segment, offering 3D printers for sale that are ready to print “straight out of the box” and do not require serious computer skills. nine0003

      3D Systems Cube consumer 3D printer

      The most famous example of a consumer 3D printer is the 3D Systems Cube.

      While it doesn't boast a huge build area, ultra-fast print speed, or superb model build quality, it's easy to use, affordable, and safe: This printer has received the necessary certification to be used even by children.

      Mankati FDM printer demonstration: http://youtu.be/51rypJIK4y0 nine0003

      Laser Stereolithography (SLA)

      Stereolithographic 3D printers are widely used in dental prosthetics

      Stereolithographic printers are the second most popular and widespread after FDM printers.

      These units deliver exceptional print quality.

      The resolution of some SLA printers is measured in a matter of microns - it is not surprising that these devices quickly won the love of jewelers and dentists. nine0003

      The software side of laser stereolithography is almost identical to FDM printing, so we will not repeat ourselves and will only touch on the distinctive features of the technology.

      Lasers and projectors

      Projector illumination of a photopolymer model using Kudo3D Titan DLP printer as an example

      The cost of stereolithographic printers is rapidly declining due to growing competition due to high demand and the use of new technologies that reduce the cost of construction. nine0003

      Although the technology is collectively referred to as "laser" stereolithography, most recent developments use UV LED projectors for the most part.

      Projectors are cheaper and more reliable than lasers, do not require the use of delicate mirrors to deflect the laser beam, and have higher performance. The latter is explained by the fact that the contour of the whole layer is illuminated as a whole, and not sequentially, point by point, as is the case with laser options. This variant of the technology is called projection stereolithography, "DLP-SLA" or simply "DLP". However, both options are currently common - both laser and projector versions. nine0003

      Cuvette and resin

      Photopolymer resin is poured into a cuvette

      A photopolymer resin that looks like epoxy is used as consumables for stereolithographic printers. Resins can have a variety of characteristics, but they all share one key feature for 3D printing applications: these materials harden when exposed to ultraviolet light. Hence, in fact, the name "photopolymer".

      When polymerized, resins can have a wide variety of physical characteristics. Some resins are like rubber, others are hard plastics like ABS. You can choose different colors and degrees of transparency. The main disadvantage of resins and SLA printing in general is the cost of consumables, which significantly exceeds the cost of thermoplastics. nine0003

      On the other hand, stereolithographic printers are mainly used by jewelers and dentists who do not need to build large parts but appreciate the savings from fast and accurate prototyping. Thus, SLA printers and consumables pay for themselves very quickly.

      An example of a model printed on a laser stereolithographic 3D printer

      Resin is poured into a cuvette, which can be equipped with a lowering platform. In this case, the printer uses a leveling device to flatten the thin layer of resin covering the platform just prior to irradiation. As the model is being made, the platform, together with the finished layers, is “embedded” in the resin. Upon completion of printing, the model is removed from the cuvette, treated with a special solution to remove liquid resin residues and placed in an ultraviolet oven, where the final illumination of the model is performed. nine0003

      Some SLA and DLP printers work in an "inverted" scheme: the model is not immersed in the consumable, but "pulled" out of it, while the laser or projector is placed under the cuvette, and not above it. This approach eliminates the need to level the surface after each exposure, but requires the use of a cuvette made of a material transparent to ultraviolet light, such as quartz glass.

      The accuracy of stereolithographic printers is extremely high. For comparison, the standard for vertical resolution for FDM printers is considered to be 100 microns, and some variants of SLA printers allow you to apply layers as thin as 15 microns. But this is not the limit. The problem, rather, is not so much in the accuracy of lasers, but in the speed of the process: the higher the resolution, the lower the print speed. The use of digital projectors allows you to significantly speed up the process, because each layer is illuminated entirely. As a result, some DLP printer manufacturers claim to be able to print with a vertical resolution of one micron! nine0003

      Video from CES 2013 showing Formlabs Form1 stereolithography 3D printer in action: http://youtu. be/IjaUasw64VE

      Stereolithography Printer Options

      Formlabs Form1 Desktop Stereolithography Printer

      As with FDM printers, SLA printers come in a wide range in terms of size, features and cost. Professional installations can cost tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars and weigh a couple of tons, but the rapid development of desktop SLA and DLP printers is gradually reducing the cost of equipment without compromising print quality. nine0003

      Models such as the Titan 1 promise to make stereolithographic 3D printing affordable for small businesses and even home use at around $1,000. Formlabs' Form 1 is available now for a factory selling price of $3,299.

      The developer of the same DLP printer Peachy generally intends to overcome the lower price barrier of $100.

      At the same time, the cost of photopolymer resins remains quite high, although the average price has fallen from $150 to $50 per liter over the past couple of years.

      Learn more