Industry talk of the Internet of Things is usually focused on how each and every thing in our lives is going to connect to the Internet and share what it knows. And the online shopping metrics show that the Internet has forever changed how we purchase things. But what about how we share them?
The Maker Community
Hobbyists are sort of the physical world hackers. They find ways to do what they need to get done, and in the process they sometimes come up with very innovative solutions. Before the Internet, they might be able to get ideas from magazines like Popular Mechanics or Popular Electronics. Maybe they would start with a Heathkit model of something close to what they wanted. Now many might start with an Arduino and build a prototype of the machine they need. And they share their ideas on the Internet as part of the maker community. The challenge for many that want to participate in the maker world is that while they would like to consume (and maybe slightly modify) things from other makers, they are not ready to design it from the ground up themselves. (The change from Do-It-Yourself to Do-It-With-Others - collaborative innovation.)
3D Printing as Distribution
The folks from MakerBot realized early on that 3D printing had two markets: one for designers of things that wanted a way to build one-off parts, and another for people who wanted to print things that others had designed. To foster the second market, they created Thingiverse, where any user can post the design files for something they have created and let others print their own copies.
The great part about doing this in the world of 3D printers is that when you find a thing you like, you just print your own copy. Need furniture for a doll house? Have a look on Thingiverse (I have grabbed several parts to print for family enthusiasts). Want a Dr. Who phone cover? There are many you can print. And as 3D printers get more pervasive, we will see more and more parts available for download rather than needing to buy/ship them at all. Manufacturing will be really local - in your house.
Complexity and Cost
The world of 3D printers and their cost has usually reflected the time honored model of choices: Fast, Good, Cheap (pick any two). A couple of years ago I found the Velleman K8200 printer kit. This was a chance to own a 3D printer for $700. I had been wanting to get one, and the price was finally close enough to reasonable. I was able to build it in about 8 hours. Then I was able to wire it in another 16 hours (I am an Electrical Engineer, but I don't solder much). Then I had to work through leveling it, all the software settings, and getting the parts to stick to the heated bed (what a mess). I played around with it for a few months before I really got it going (motivated by needing it to support the Rockin' Robots FTC team I coach). Had I known how much work it would take to get to good prints, I might never have started.
I have kept an eye on the market. There are a lot of FTC teams out there on tight budgets. Once this gets cheap enough, they all would benefit from having their own printer. So when the Monoprice folks offered their Maker Architect 3D Printer for $299 (including shipping), I had to give it a try. Assembly was a couple of bolts, and there were some sample parts on the included SD card that allowed us to do a test print in the first 2 hours after the printer arrived. What a difference! At this point, we can recommend them to any team that needs a way to print.
Printing Software
The printers all have control software that they recommend. Some of it is OK. Some is complete garbage. I have been using the MatterControl software and find it to be amazingly simple to use. Nothing else has come close. (If you use it and get value from it, please make a donation to them to fund the great work they are doing to help the world of 3D printing.) The new 1.4 release can work with the Maker Architect referenced above (select it as a MakerBot Replicator 2 and follow the software settings from the Maker Architect manual for setting up their designated software).
Of course, if you are printing parts on your own, you probably want to design some as well. For the FTC teams, PTC Creo is available for download for free. It is very useful and has helped our team build a lot of great parts. For those who just want to build a few parts, TurboCAD is available for ~$100, and it includes some good tutorials on building 3D parts.
Printing Suggestions (In-The-Weeds Details)
For those who are venturing into the 3D printing space for the first time, I have a few suggestions.
First, if you buy the Maker Architect, be sure you install the 3M insulated sheet onto the acrylic print plate. There is no reference in the install instructions on using the 3M self-adhesive sheet, but our first print was directly on the acrylic - and we had to hack the part off with a screwdriver and pliers. Adhesion is good, but that was way too strong.
Second, use a warm space. The print material needs to cool at a reasonable rate, and I have found that 70-80 Fahrenheit gives good plate adhesion and good part shape. Unless your printer is enclosed, the room temperature around it can make a BIG difference (even with a heated plate like is present on the K8200). The PLA flow/adhesion is also impacted by humidity, so consider that if you have printing challenges.
Third, have a slightly sticky print plate. I use AquaNet Extra Super Hold hair spray on the print surface. I have tried several ways to help the first layer adhere well, and this is the best solution I have found (and it is simple and cheap). Wiping the surface clean periodically with Acetone (fingernail polish remover) can also help. I have found that putting some scrap pieces of filament (or failed parts) into the bottle of Acetone we use puts a small film of PLA onto the bed which can also help first layer adhesion.
Fourth, not all 3D filament is the same. Try a few and see what works best for you and your printer. I have had consistently good luck with the Shaxon PLA filament, despite what some of the reviewers have said. I have run through over 10 kg of their material in many colors and never had an issue. I have a pile of ~10 other brands I have tried and was unable to get good prints with. I have started on a spool of Inland 1.75mm PLA for the Maker Architect, since the K8200 PLA we had was all 3mm and we could get it (cheap!) at the local Micro Center. It has worked well so far (only 5 prints, so nothing really authoritative, but most of the filament that I tried that did not work well was having problems from the first part).
In Closing
The phenomenon of 3D printing has been spreading rapidly over the last several years. Design and manufacturing teams with sufficient resources have been taking advantage of this technology for a much longer time. As the prices have come down and they have become easier to use, there are many more uses being found. With the latest price drops, every home hobbyist should be considering one.
