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Saroj Manandhar, an Engineering Supervisor at The Toro Firm, first discovered about 3D printing when he attended a tradeshow in 1999, the place he set his eyes on a Stratasys FDM 3000. Proper then and there, he knew he needed to have one.
He got down to procure one for his firm as quickly as doable. “My objective was to combine 3D printing in our improvement course of in hopes of saving money and time,” mentioned Manandhar, including that “in lower than a month, we have been utilizing the FDM 3000 across the clock to print our prototypes in a matter of hours quite than the standard methodology of constructing molds that may have taken us a number of weeks and value fifty occasions extra.”
Since then, Manandhar’s firm has procured a number of different giant FDM printers, they usually have not seemed again since: “we develop our merchandise totally using 3D printed components. It additionally helps that 95% of our elements are plastic. We proceed to save lots of effectively over $250,000 in tooling yearly and minimize down on improvement time by 10 – 6 weeks per challenge.”
Entranced by what 3D printing might accomplish, Manandhar waited for the day when 3D printers grew to become extra reasonably priced so he might start to work on some private initiatives. “I’ve at all times wished my very own 3D printer for a very long time,” states Manandhar, “and with the 3D printers now being extra reasonably priced, I lastly procured two Airwolf HD printers in 2014.”
With loads of apply utilizing Solidworks, Manandhar started designing his first print for pleasure: Ironman. “I thought-about it a private problem to mannequin the whole Ironman go well with,” claims Manandhar, “it took me a number of weeks to finish the mannequin and some extra weeks to print the components within the Airwolf and FDM printers.”
With outcomes like this, we would say it was undoubtedly definitely worth the wait.
Ironman MK17
So, what’s his secret to producing prints that seem like they have been solid?
Step 1: Use an automotive filler/primer to coat the prints. Manandhar makes use of Dupli-color automotive primer.
Ironman MK42 – Top 46″
Step 2: Sand the surfaces. 200 – 300 grit sand paper is really helpful.
Millennium Falcon
Step 3: Paint the components in your required colour. Dupli-Coloration and Rust-Oleum paint works effectively.
Robo Cop – ED-209
Step 4: Coat the print in 2-3 layers of clear polyurethane. Manandhar makes use of Rust-Oleum clear coat.
Hyperlink – The Legend of Zelda
Manandhar has printed loads of profitable fashions utilizing the above steps, at each his house and at work. Due partly to his wonderful prints, he hopes that 3D printing will proceed to develop into extra areas and grow to be extra accessible: “I imagine that our technology has the duty to arrange the following technology in 3D printing – each college and faculty ought to tailor programs in ‘Speedy Fabrication’ and supply funding to maintain this system.”
“With the speedy advances in 3D printing of not solely plastic, however different supplies resembling metallic, carbon fiber, meals, organic, and even development supplies,” confirms Manandhar, “there isn’t any doubt that 3D printing will impression the best way we dwell sooner or later.”
We could not agree extra.
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