3D Printers
One of the most crucial aspects of developing any new physical product is producing the first working sample. Samples and models range in functional quality from unusable to ground breaking but a good model is able to showcase at least one key component of the product and can be used as a stepping stone to better designs. The methods and techniques used to make a model also vary widely and for many hard goods 3d printers and additive manufacturing machines are increasingly being used to help improve model quality. Getting up to speed with a printer is still not all that easy (though lots of companies are claiming to help fix this) there is still a lot of knowledge required to build a good Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) model, prepare that model for printing and actually get the printer to output as expected. Of course in that process you must decide what machine your part will be printed on which can be an almost insurmountable tasks.
Every new 3D printer, and there are lots of them, has something a little unique about it. There are printers with different size capabilities, ranging from the micro scale to house sized. Printers that handle different materials, including titanium and even chocolate. Some printer simply look better than others, which may make a huge impact if they are going to sit in plain view on a desk. Regardless of the selection criterion there are a lot of printers to choose from. We have combed the web trying to collect as many printers and manufacturers as possible. Below is a list.
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