Jan 23, 2018 | By Benedict
3D printing software company Simplify3D has released a wealth of resources about 3D printing materials. The resources include guidance on selecting materials as well as tips for optimizing printing settings for a given 3D printing project.
With a limitless supply of different 3D printing materials available, it can be hard to know where to start. That’s why 3D printing software company Simplify3D is trying to make things easier for the average consumer, creating an extensive 3D printing materials guide for 3D printer users of all levels.
The new guide is the result of more than a year’s research at Simplify3D, which has attempted to test all of the popular FDM filament types in use today, providing tips on how to improve print results with each material. The guide includes in-depth articles on more than a dozen filament types, as well as a detailed properties table for an easy comparison of mechanical properties between materials.
The most basic element of the new Simplify3D Materials Guide is a grid of images showing actual prints that created with each material. Users can add tags to quickly filter images based on specific applications or needs, before viewing in-depth articles containing pros and cons for each selected material.
These in-depth articles discuss hardware requirements, best practices, troubleshooting solutions, and pro tips for advanced users. On PLA, for example, the guide suggests that “Increasing the number of perimeter outlines for your PLA prints will create a strong bond between each layer, creating stronger parts that are less prone to breaking.” Each article also includes a “Get Started” section with sample models for practice prints.
Complementing these detailed articles is a comprehensive Filament Properties Table that can be used to compare 25 different properties and characteristics for each material in the guide. The table includes metrics such as strength, stiffness, density, and other mechanical properties. It also includes a built-in comparison tool for the side-by-side comparison of chosen materials.
Simplify3D CEO Clayton Webster says the guide is an attempt to “provide resources to help our customers succeed with the wide array of new materials that are available,” adding that Simplify3D is “constantly testing the latest printers and filaments to make sure our software is optimized for each scenario.”
The guide certainly looks like a brilliant resource for makers, with the side-by-side technical details of different printing materials particularly valuable. The only potential controversy of the guide might be Simplify3D’s “Popular Brands” section on each material, which lists just five products for each kind of filament, potentially obscuring the work of smaller, independent filament makers.
Simplify3D is best known for its versatile 3D printer slicing software that is compatible with a huge range of desktop 3D printers. Its new guides can be found here and its materials comparison table here.
Posted in 3D Printing Materials
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S§d would do better restarting development on their product than copying material charts for the nth time.
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