• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

3D CAD World

Over 50,000 3D CAD Tips & Tutorials. 3D CAD News by applications and CAD industry news.

  • 3D CAD Package Tips
    • Alibre
    • Autodesk
    • Catia
    • Creo
    • Inventor
    • Onshape
    • Pro/Engineer
    • Siemens PLM
    • SolidWorks
    • SpaceClaim
  • CAD Hardware
  • CAD Industry News
    • Company News
      • Autodesk News
      • Catia News & Events
      • PTC News
      • Siemens PLM & Events
      • SolidWorks News & Events
      • SpaceClaim News
    • Rapid Prototyping
    • Simulation Software
  • Prototype Parts
  • User Forums
    • MCAD Central
    • 3D CAD Forums
    • Engineering Exchange
  • CAD Resources
    • 3D CAD Models
  • Videos

3D printer

In-House Prototyping: 3D Printer or CNC Machine?

July 16, 2014 By Barb Schmitz Leave a Comment

Physical prototyping of parts has traditionally caused major bottlenecks in the product development cycle. Though somewhat of a necessary evil to build physical prototypes for testing, the process by which they are created causes significant delays in development and drives up over design costs.

Traditionally when design teams need a part prototyped, they outsource it to third-party job shops. Since outside job shops typical have minimums in terms of order quantities, these prototypes are not given high priority, slowing down their production. If designers want the prototypes turned around quickly, they are typically required to pay a premium.

New rapid prototyping technologies change the game

Increasingly sophisticated machining technology is becoming more affordable and accessible, and as a result, more and more companies are bringing technology, such as CNC machines and 3D printers, in house. Having the capabilities to create prototypes quickly in house saves significant time to market over the traditional process of outsourcing to machine shops.

The affordability of 3D printing is poised to radically change the landscape for manufacturing forever. 3D printing enables design teams, as well as hobbyists and would-be inventors, to quickly create physical prototypes with the push of a button. The prices of these machines and the materials they use have plummeted in recent years, putting the technology in the hands of anyone with an idea and a desire to convert that idea into a reality.

The Mojo desktop printer from Stratasys prints finely resolved models in nine colors.
The Mojo desktop printer from Stratasys prints finely resolved models in nine colors.

Most designers and engineers recognize the value of being able to rapidly produce a physical component of their design, especially if it’s a complex design. They want to be able to hold it, pass it around in a meeting, and to know what it will feel like. It’s difficult to read anything today and not hear about the exploding popularity of 3D printing, but is it the best option for creating prototypes?

3D printer or CNC machine: Should it be an either-or proposition?

Anthony Graves, product manager at Autodesk, believes the answer to that question is not always. “Over the next couple of years, engineers are going to recognize that just like there’s value in having a 3D printer, there’s a tremendous value in having a CNC machine for the same reasons,” says Graves. “Sometimes you want to be able to produce the real part that’s going to be used, not just a representation of that part.”

For a simple smaller part, to create a 3D print might take a couple of hours, whereas with an integrated CAM app and a CNC machine, that same part could be produced in under 20 minutes. As a result, for many parts, it’s faster to machine them than to 3D print them. For parts that cannot be done economically or quickly on a CNC machine, designers should use a 3D printer.

“For prototyping, you shouldn’t choose between a 3D printer and a CNC machine, you should have both,” says Graves. “3D printing is all the rage, but it really shouldn’t be an either-or proposition because the two technologies complement each other. I could go out and for several thousand dollars buy a very respectable 3D printer with decent resolution, but I can also buy a bench-top CNC machine for the same amount of money.”

Barb Schmitz

Filed Under: CAD Hardware, News Tagged With: 3D printer, 3D printing, CNC, Rapid Prototyping

Stratasys Debuts World’s First Color Multi-Material 3D Printer

January 26, 2014 By Barb Schmitz Leave a Comment

Making its official debut at SolidWorks World 2014, Stratasys unveiled the Objet500 Connex3, the industry’s first and only 3D printer that combines colors with multi-material 3D printing.

The system combines droplets of three base materials to produce parts with virtually unlimited combinations of rigid, flexible and transparent color materials as well as color digital materials–all in a single print run.

The ability to achieve the characteristics of an assembled part without assembly or painting will save designers and engineers significant time and help them validate designs and make better decisions earlier in the design cycle before committing to manufacturing.

Three Primary Colors Combine to Create a Wide Range of Vibrant Colors

Similar to a 2D inkjet printer, three color materials are combined to produce hundreds of vivid color options for users. The 3D printer also includes six palettes for new rubber-like Tango colors, ranging from opaque to transparent colors in various shore values to address markets such as automotive, consumer and sporting goods.

Glasses 3D printed on the Objet500 Connex3 Multi-material color 3D printer using Opaque VeroYellow, rubber-like black, and a unique translucent yellow tint in one print job--no assembly required.
Glasses 3D printed on the Objet500 Connex3 Multi-material color 3D printer using Opaque VeroYellow, rubber-like black, and a unique translucent yellow tint in one print job–no assembly required.

The Objet500 Connex3 Color Multi-Material 3D Printer is available now through Statasys resellers.

Barb Schmitz

Filed Under: News Tagged With: 3D printer

Primary Sidebar

3D CAD NEWSLETTERS

MakePartsFast

Follow us on Twitter

Tweets by 3DCADWorld

Footer

3D CAD World logo

DESIGN WORLD NETWORK

Design World Online
The Robot Report
Coupling Tips
Motion Control Tips
Linear Motion Tips
Bearing Tips

3D CAD WORLD

  • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
Follow us on Twitter Add us on Facebook Add us on LinkedIn Add us on Instagram Add us on YouTube

3D CAD World - Copyright © 2021 · WTWH Media LLC and its licensors. All rights reserved.
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media.

Privacy Policy