3D printers are becoming more available and affordable. Interested in purchasing one for the classroom? Below are some helpful buying tips and a rundown of available models.
What to Look For
Entry-Level Filament 3D Printers: Solidoodle or Cubify Cube
Price: $300 to $2,000
Description: These printers use a filament disposition process whereby the plastic is processed, melted and then distributed in layers to create the final product. The machines work with two types of plastic: ABS (which is used in Legos) or PLA, an organic version. The printers have a single nozzle for the filament and use 1.75-mm or 3-mm filaments, so users can choose from a wide range of colors. Most machines with basic software. For those that don’t, users can access a variety of software options.
Pros: These types of 3D printers are relatively cheap and easy to set up.
Cons: The printers have a single extruder, which means it can only print out one material or color at a time. The build area is also small: 4 x 4 x 4 inches (10 x 10 x 10 cm).
High-End Filament Printers: MakerBot Replicator 2 or RepRap Mendel
Price: $1,000 to $3,000
Description: Models such as the MakerBot Replicator 2 or the RepRap Mendel offer more sophisticated FDM filament features, such as multiple extruders, improved vertical resolution and thinner layers for smoother prints.
Pros: The larger build area (often up to about 10 x 6 x 6 inches or 25 x 15 x 15 cm) enables bigger prints. The multiple extruders also allow for more materials and colors.
Cons: These printers are more expensive, and the sophisticated parts could break with heavy use.
Other-Material FDM 3D Printers: Hyrel
Price: $2,000 and up
Description: These machines use air-dried materials other than plastic, including clay, Plasticine and Sugru. Plasticine can create more flexible models, and with its ability to bend like rubber, Sugru is ideal for elastic products.
Pros: The printer can support a number of extruders and use materials that aid in the printing of pots and dishes.
Cons: This machine’s support for material is experimental, meaning that the user will have to figure out what it can and can’t use.
Stereolithography (SLA) 3D Printers: Form 1 or the B9Creator
Price: $3,000 and up
Description: These machines use a photosensitive resin and a digital projector or laser. The light shines on the material, causing it to solidify.
Pros: The printers offer very high resolution—smooth prints with .012 inches of horizontal resolution and .001 inches of vertical resolution. The printing process is also quicker than with FDM filament models.
Cons: Only a limited range of fairly expensive resin colors is available. For the Form 1, the resin costs $149 per liter and is available in gray or clear. The build area is also on the smaller side: 6 x 5 x 5 inches (15 x 13 x 13 cm).
Powder 3D Printers: Zprinter 150
Price: $10,000 and up
Description: In powder printing, a fine powder is spread over the print surface. Then a laser melts the powder, or a solvent liquifies it, forming the layer. Powder printing can handle materials including metal, glass and plastic.
Pros: The machine can make products in multiple, customized colors; some models can print from powdered metals.
Cons: These printers are more complex to assemble, and the solvents and laser components are expensive. Only open-source designs are available, which owners can try to build themselves.
Article by Kassondra Granata, EducationWorld
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