3D printers open up a world of possibilities in the realm of DIY projects, product design, and much more. Learn everything you need to know about these printers here.
What Is a 3D Printer?
A 3D printer is a special type of printer designed to print 3D objects from renderings created using software. The printer uses a filament of thermoplastic, a type of plastic that can melt and be molded when heated. This allows you to create virtually anything in the size that the 3D printer supports.
Why Should You Use 3D Printers?
You can make all sorts of trinkets and toys with them
Many people get 3D printers for the sole purpose of enjoying them as a hobby. The idea of being able to print virtually anything sounds like something a child would dream of, and many kids-at-heart love designing all sorts of things that can be brought to life using their own 3D printer.
There are a few common uses for 3D printers when it comes to hobbies. For one, it’s a great way to print figures and figurines. If you play a tabletop RPG such as Dungeons and Dragons, you could print out an entire set of customized figures and characters for your campaigns and stories. This reason alone is why many DnD fans have a 3D printer at home.
It’s also great for doing small DIY projects for your home. If you want to make a tool to hold your phone on your desk, for example, you can engineer one as long as you know the dimensions of both the desk and phone. Using 3D printers this way requires a bit of technical knowledge, sure, but with all the free educational resources on the Internet, it’s not impossible to learn by yourself.
You can design products with them
There’s another more business-oriented benefit to 3D printing - product design. If you’re a company that’s planning on creating a physical product or merchandise, you’ll need to be able to test out the product before mass-producing it. The problem with making prototypes is that it can cost you quite a bit of money to request one from a manufacturer, especially if you’re making multiple revisions of the prototype.
With 3D printers, the only real thing you spend on (other than the printer itself) is the filament used to print the object as well as the electricity required to run the printer. This can potentially be more cost-efficient if you’re going through multiple iterations of the prototype. The added convenience of being able to use the prototype as soon as it’s printed also makes a 3D printer worth considering.
Things to Consider When Buying a 3D Printer
3D printers are nothing like your typical laser printer, so you’ll need to take note of a few things before buying.
Accuracy
3D printers aren’t always accurate when printing a product. Take a look at objects printed by 3D printers 5 or even 10 years ago. The objects were rough, crude, and lacked minute details. While technology has come a long way since then, and the accuracy of printers has improved overall, not all of them have the same level of precision. This is the result of a combination of software and hardware limitations.
When picking a 3D printer, try looking at some objects created by that specific printer model. That way, you can get a good idea of how accurate the printer is at capturing finer details, smoother curves, and so on. You really can’t expect a printer to print out a perfect object all the time, but finding a printer that’s consistent in its accuracy is the next best thing.
Size
Aside from accuracy, one major limiting factor of 3D printers is their size. All printers have a limit to how large of an object they can print. Any object that’s larger than the supported size will either print only partially or not print at all, depending on how you set it up. As such, you’ll want to find a printer that supports the size of projects that you intend on doing with the printer.
If you’re a business that’s looking to design products in-house, then you’ll want a large printer to handle all sorts of components. This will prevent you from encountering the problem of running out of space. For people who use 3D printers as a hobby, however, you may not really care for the maximum size, especially if you’re just printing miniatures and the like.
3D Printer Price Range
3D printers can cost anywhere between $200 and $500, with some printers costing more due to their size, accuracy, additional features, build quality, and other factors. For hobbyists, you shouldn’t really have to spend more than $300 on a 3D printer.
Some 3D Printer Buyers Ask
Q: Are 3D printers worth it?
A: That depends on your purpose in buying a 3D printer. 3D printers can be worth the investment for businesses that want to develop prototype items and components in-house. For hobbyists, simply being able to print miniatures for their own amusement is reason enough to make the purchase “worth it”.
Q: Are 3D printers accurate?
A: While the accuracy of 3D printers has improved over time, it’s nowhere near perfection, and you’ll often be able to tell if an item is 3D-printed or not based on its quality or consistency.
Q: Are 3D printers safe?
A: 3D printers are generally safe to use, though be sure to keep them away from pets and children.