"Is 50micron resolution essential for a 3D printer? Questions" Topic

I'm shopping for a hobby 3D printer. My initial assumption was that the lower the print resolution the better. But I have seen some prints that look really food at 200 microns. So maybe 50 microns is overkill? Maybe 100 microns is good enough?

I realize it depends on what I'm printing. I will not be printing 28mm figures which I've read need at 25 micron resolution or less to begin to look decent.

Next question -- is it better to go with an open source printer that can be updated and upgraded or go with a ready-out-of-the-box printer that may be easier to use?

What printers have the best resale value? If I start small but want a better printer later, is there a market for my previous printer? I wonder, too, that with so many printers on the market and technology constantly improving that no one will want older technology so you're pretty much stuck with any older models.

Thanks

As far as resolution is concerned that is up to you to decide really. I've seen some models illustrated on TMP that seem to be full of layer lines when there should be smooth sides. It depends on what you are happy with on the table. Hopefully some of the regular printer users will be able to tell you what resolution they use and link you to picks so that you can see for you self.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We print our 1/144 models at 100 micrin (0,1mm) layers. To me they are fine but I do not look at them from less than a foot. The replicator two is about standard print speed and a Modern Marder IFV takes about 1 1/2 hours to print the hull. My understanding is that at 0,05 microns and lower the print speed has to be lower so this will make a hull take well over 3 hrs to print.

My personal perception is that surface patter is an overblown issue, but that is a personal opinion from a modeler. I strongly dislike metal vehicles and figures (though i do have to use some)as they are heavey, damage easily and detail rapidly bends making them far worse than printed.

What I do hear is that for small details (The example I was told was windscreen wipers for 1/32 scale race cars) are possible and practical with 25 micron layers. But printing is slow, but probably not an issue on small parts.

Look at the round robin thread by me and you will see some 1/144 models at 100 micron layer thickness and judge for yourself.

What I would suggest if money is not such an issue is twin head printers that do the supports in a soluble material. Ours do not and its something we would like when we do finally change printers. The ULTIMAKER 3 is designed to do this but apparently it is significantly slower on print times. This would also help on complex figures.

The above is all toothpaste printing. Lazer sintering has other issues. I will not use Frosted ultra detail is a hopeless material. Such printers are VERY expensive.

All the best Brian

Considering the time it takes to print an item, you will want to hang onto your older printers as long as they work, to print lower resolution parts. Get the best resolution you can afford if there are two models/brands with the same offering – a lot of print problems can be attributed to poor setup or maintenance – you can find ideas for improving common printers on sites such as Thingyverse or on various user forums.

As for 'open source' vs. 'proprietory', I'd go for a common 'open source' design like a 'Prusa i3' or similar because of the ready availability of parts, both as 'spares' and as aftermarket upgrades such as improved print heads that can print flexible (rubbery) filament. The 'open source' printers are not restricted to buying one manufacturer's 'special' filament on coded reels but can take just about anything on the market if you dial in the right settings.

That said, don't buy a bucket of parts and try to figure it out yourself, there are a considerable number of companies making clones of the i3 design that arrive as a couple of assemblies that just need a few screws inserted and cables plugged in before you get the (fun?) task of tuning the printer so it will print. Even expensive, fully assembled printers will require considerable fiddling to start making adequate prints.

Before you 'pull the trigger', spend several hours on YouTube looking at reviews and 'how-to' videos. I'd recommend 'Makers Muse' '3D Printing Professor' '3d Printing Nerd' as reasonably un-biased presenters.

You will also have to decide on where to buy from – on-line or a bricks-and-mortar store. The local store has the advantage that you can easily take your problems to someone who should be able to help – be aware that a lot of big box stores offer seemingly great deals but have zero support and often just buy a container or pallet load of a printer, then change brands to whatever is cheapest for them once the first lot has sold out. Better to look for a smaller store that is dedicated to tech hobbies and has a range of printers. If you are confident of your abilities then there are a few on-line stores such as Hobby King who offer a reasonable range of printers at good prices, but support is limited to some common parts, a good supply of filament and other expendables.

Here is the thing often overlooked: You need to worry about xy (horizontal) resolution and not just the z (vertical) resolution. The vertical resolution is meaningless at 50 microns if the xy is at 400. Printer manufacturers know this and often hide it and just make a big deal about how thin their layers can be. Thin layers of goop are still goop!
For the most part your z layer never really needs to be a higher resolution than your xy is. This is why projector/LED/LCD based printers offer the highest resolution. An extruded plastic printer is still a glue gun and can only get so much detail. An LCD based printer can get so much more.
For instance a Makerbot* has a nozzle that is 400 microns. A Wanhao D7 prints at 64 times that resolution (50 microns xy), in resin, for $500. USD

*Instead of advertising their xy in microns they advertise the accuracy of the xy positioning in microns, very much not the same thing!

I don't mind using a lower resolution for larger print jobs like terrain pieces or vehicles. The layers aren't all that visible after I prime and paint the finished model. It's smaller, more detailed figures, such as individual characters, where I would like as high a resolution as possible. That's why I'm watching and waiting for a reasonably priced SLA printer.

@MutantQ --

New Wanhao Duplicator 7 -- $650 USD?

Where can I order one???

link

Even better -- $495 USD!

Description says DLP/SLA but it appears to be DLP. Better rez than FDM but SLA with laser may be better.

SLA with laser isn't better. The laser spot in xy is fairly large. The D7 has a learning curve but will give you great figures and vehicles.

I'm a firm believer in you get what you pay for. Look at the support, and web site of the printer you thinking of buying, and check for a Facebook users group to get a idea of how well they perform in working out problems, because you will have them.