Hi, I am interested in starting my own business using a 3D printer to make a product that is quite large. From looking at what is available on the market there do not seem to be 3D printers of the size that I will need, approx 3ft X 7ft with possibility to scale up bigger, which leads me to think building my own will be the best way to solve this problem. Is there a reason why printers are not commercially available for the size I am looking at? What are the problems in scaling it up? My understanding is that all you need to do is build a bigger printer then reprogram it to take into account the size, or is there something fundamental that I am missing?
Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks
That really depends on what kind of printers were you thinking about, and the resolution needed. I assume you want a plastic extrusion printer? Then one of the problems is the time needed for such a large print. Even at a low layer resolution it can take weeks to print something that size.
What is application of this 3ft x 7ft x ?? ft part? And what kind of resolution do you need? Unless there are complex or captured geometry that is impossible to do via subtractive methods, it seems like the wrong approach to take?
You sound like you’re using the wrong process for this due to hype.
The high end guys like Boeing and the like have ebdm printers that are vacuum rooms large enough to print full size jet turbines. Very impressive!!
The software for 3d printing will easily adapt to larger printers.
How good are you at mechanical engineering?
Good luck!
Thanks for the responses guys, I am keeping the product to myself at the moment but for my idea to work each shape will need to be unique and tailored to the clients specification. I am still researching what the resolution and material to produce it will be but additive manufacturing will allow a precision and strength that the current manufacturing method will not allow. If it will take weeks to make something that size that may be a problem. There are a lot of issues to solve at the moment but you have given me some things to think about
Sometimes, just water/laser cutting sheets and laminating them, and then filling in the gaps is your better bet… Apparently, that’s how a lot of the chassis for heavy equipment is made these days…
I’ll look into that method but the ideas I have in the way I want to develop this product means that may not be a viable option
@Ben_Fulford , your idea isn’t worth keeping to yourself. Someone else has already had it, and you’re just stifling the people who wish to give you advice by keeping it a secret. This whole “omg my idea is the best ever, I must not share it with anyone” is an idea long past its time. It’s the internet, and people are so connected there’s not a single chance your idea hasn’t been thought of already.