3d printing

lewis · Mar 2012

Hi guys, hope you are all well. Just wanted to introduce my company PD Models.http://www.pdmodels.co.uk/ we recently invested in a high definition 3d printer that we think you may find interesting. We have been working in the rapid prototype game for a few decades now and with this new machine are expanding. the accuracy and detail of our machine really is second to none, you want that delicate skin texture to show in the model no problem. Check out these examples below of what we can do.

So what do you guys think, would love some feedback and we welcome questions.

Keep up the good work and we hope to work with a few of you in the future!

ok here are a few updated prices as a rough giude.

50mm £60

[FONT=&quot]80mm £100[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]130mm[/FONT] £150

210mm £300

310mm £500

mdeforge · Mar 2012

Isn't ~$392 kind of steep for that size? I'm pretty sure Shapeways can print something like that for a fraction of that price, textured even. Maybe I'm wrong though, I've never had something printed. I wonder how Robot the Company compares? (I think that's what they're called. Someone here from PC owns it).

PS: Your prints look great btw

Steve Schulze · Mar 2012

You won't get anywhere near that level of detail from Shapeways. The price seems about consistent with the high res prints we were getting for How to Train your Dragon.

Lamont · Mar 2012

The detail and resolution of the print is what you pay for. I had projects where it was $400 for not even close to that resolution. This price is a steal.

(Oh and Robot rocks my socks **thanks for all the hard work dude**)

Wells · Mar 2012

Nice!

Yeah, that's not a bad price for this level of finish. This looks like it's mold-ready, which is pretty awesome.

My company is strictly for prototype-quality, hence the price difference.

Looking forward to seeing more prints!

EVIL · Mar 2012

those are some quality prints!

PS try to use spell-check next time, as a person representing a company its a bit sloppy

lewis · Mar 2012

hey guys, yeah im pretty sure shapeaways and other companies (apart from ownage

) are using either zcorp or objet machines, these you really want to stay away from unless it is just for very basic prototypes. You get build lines galore with those. the prints you see here in the photos are not even built at the highest resolution our machine can handle

.
Cheers for the heads up EVIL

lewis · Apr 2012

thought you guys might want to see an update with a recent biuld

Justin Meisse · Apr 2012

amazing detail on the knight - what would something like that run on average?

ambershee · Apr 2012

I'm genuinely quite impressed with the quality, so I'm equally interested in the cost.

Bigjohn · Apr 2012

That's really cool. Awesome level of detail.

So what kind of printer do you guys use?

Also, how did you deal with the overhangs? Like on the shoulders or those horns? Was it printed in pieces and then put together afterwards?

ambershee · Apr 2012

@BigJohn - the answers to those questions are on the website

lewis · Apr 2012

hey, i think the cost of this piece was around £150. it was indeed build it pieces but that was because the client was going to cast it and wanted it in kit form. our machine would easyilly have been able to biuld this in one piece, overhangs or not.

the machine is a projet 3000HD plus.

pior · Apr 2012

Hey there, great quality, and indeed it does seem to be on par with Ownage, very cool.
What would be your price estimate if the armored knight posted above was printed at 30cm / 12 inches ?

Also, do you handle the full production of a model (like, a few dozen cast copies) or are you just taking care of the initial print ?

Can't wait to see more!

lewis · Apr 2012

pior thanks for the comments!

as far as an estimate for a 12 inch model i would say your looking in the regon of £700-800 for the print. you would sertainly need to look into cutting it up into pieces to make it fit on the machine (we have a 8x7x6 inch biuld envelope at that resolution).

at that size you would probly add i bit of post processing also to get it looking really great.

as far as casting we acually specialise in vacuum casting and have done for several year supplieing industrial models to designers. we are a bit new to this type of wotk tho so would probly just take each job as it comes. if its not overly complicated or too small, sure we can do that.

got something in mind?

Bigjohn · Apr 2012

It makes sense that it was done in pieces. But you say that the machine could print it in one piece too? That's pretty amazing. How does it handle the overhangs then? Does it generate support structures? Really curious about it.

Donavonyoung · Apr 2012

Some great quality. Really glad you posted on here.

lewis · Apr 2012

Bigjohn- yeah it builds support structure on every down facing surface. Support structure is a wax so you just melt it off after the build . This way you get no marks at all.

erroldynamic · Apr 2012

Pretty sweet pieces. Great job you all are doing.

Ace-Angel · Apr 2012

I think some of these models are cool, but too much SSS is killing the look ;P

lewis · Apr 2012

ace-angel, forgive me but what is SSS?

pior · Apr 2012

Hi there again Lewis - PMed you!

(SSS means "sub surface scattering" ; it is a 3D rendering term encompassing the different algorithms used to simulate the look of light scattering through an object like skin, was or jade ... Ace was just making a nerdy joke haha)

lewis · Apr 2012

hi guys, thanks for all the messages so far, the response has been great.

as its still kind of early days for us with this i wanted to ask your honest opinion on the prices i have stated? im in the minddle of reviewing them to get a decent standard price for basic figures accross a few different sizes.

thanks

cptSwing · Apr 2012

i can definitely not comment on the prices, but those models are looking well nice!

lewis · Apr 2012

ok we have come up with these as a rough giude for a few size options. please note that these prices reflect a very high quality biuld. we are biulding in 16 micron layers accuratly everytime with no stepping. every little bump and texture will transfer into the model.

50mm £60

[FONT=&quot]80mm £100[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]130mm[/FONT] £150

210mm £300

310mm £500

i hope these prices are somewher cloase to what you guys would accept, we realy would love to work with all of you !

if any of you have a perticular job you want me to qoute for please dont hesitate to hit me up at lewis@pdmodels.demon.co.uk

another pic to wet your apetite

see ya later guys!

Hazardous · Apr 2012

Awesome stuff lewis! How does the detail hold up smaller than 50mm, i know for something like the elephant it shouldnt be too bad, but how about something more complex like the knight at say 35mm ?

Im wondering at what point does the detail start to deteriorate

Cheers!!

lewis · Apr 2012

nice question, to be honest im not really sure, that knight was biuls at 70mm anyway. half that size im not sure, i think the problem areas would be where some of the pieces of armour are very thin. you would need to go over the model and either thicken things up or eliminate any undercuts altogether. might give a print a go tho just to see what it does, stay tuned

Hazardous · Apr 2012

Awesome man, definitely keen to see how it goes!!!!!

Habboi · Apr 2012

I have a question. I looked on the site and couldn't really find anything about it and forgive me if I sound like a tard but I don't know anything about 3D printing.

Anyway does your printer work with game models? As in normal mapped? Or does it have to be a high poly mesh?

Scruples · Apr 2012

It has to be real geometry, structure needs to be closed and a single piece unless you want to assemble it later. Some types can add color, here just watch this.
[ame="

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP25fKsN0Io"]How FigurePrints 3D Prints World of Warcraft figures.wmv - YouTube[/ame]

Justin Meisse · Apr 2012

Habboi wrote: »

Anyway does your printer work with game models? As in normal mapped? Or does it have to be a high poly mesh?

high poly mesh only, and the mesh has to be water tight - run an STL check on your model to find any errors. <whoops missed Scruple's post>

Habboi · Apr 2012

Now that is cool. You're already giving me ideas. It's kind of a nuisance you have to weld it tight. I would have killed to have some of my environments (especially my secret one) made into 3D and have them on my desk.

I may have to bookmark this since it's in the UK.

Justin Meisse · Apr 2012

Habboi wrote: »

Now that is cool. You're already giving me ideas. It's kind of a nuisance you have to weld it tight. I would have killed to have some of my environments (especially my secret one) made into 3D and have them on my desk.

I may have to bookmark this since it's in the UK.

you can have intersecting meshes, you just need to cap all the holes

lewis · Apr 2012

hey guys, yes for the most part Justin_Meisse is correct with what he says , as long as you can give us an .STL we can biuld it.

i wouldnt worry to much about files being "watertight" , it used to be a problem back in the day but we have biult a few models with our new machine that had errors without a problem.

Bigjohn · Apr 2012

I'm guessing whatever program you're using to slice the STLs also caps the holes? Which one do you use by the way, if you don't mind saying?

gray · Apr 2012

wow these are really tight. you are in my bookmarks. i have yet to get a sculpt printed but i will definitely give you guys a consideration when i do.

ZacD · Apr 2012

How long until we get 3d printers than can print themselves?

lewis · Apr 2012

gray thats great to know we will be here

zacd- if your talking complete working print electronics and everything then a very very long time. but there is a symple open source reprap printer that can print some of its own working parts, great guy that made that. not really usefull in this setting but werth haveing a look at if your interested.

lewis · Apr 2012

big john- hey we use a mix of magics to check files and maybe repair if needed. then a simple program that comes with our machine to biuld.

lewis · Apr 2012

ok Hazardous as promised here is a print of the knight but smaller. Personally i think it came out pretty well, only one problem was breaking off the sward, but that was my clumsy fingers not the build

the guy measures 42mm to the top of his head. Pretty much all the detail has been kept, lost a few of the smaller rivets on his feet and legs. And there are a few tiny chips on the edges of his armour plates on his arms where they are pretty thin, but i think this could be fixed by thickening them up before a build.
the bit im most impressed with is the fingers on the hand, i really didnt think they would hold up, i think any smaller and would have lost them, i measured his index finger with my digital callipers and it was 0.37mm thick!
so there you go hope you like

Bigjohn · Apr 2012

Pretty impressive.

ah_lex · Apr 2012

Hi Lewis, the resolution of these prints look fantastic, what materials can you print in?

ambershee · Apr 2012

The smaller one is pretty good, although he seems to have lost a lot of definition in the helmet and chest plates.

lewis · Apr 2012

ah_lex- thanks! we only have one material, it is an accrylic based material.

ambershee- think its just my photography skills. will try and get a better shot.

ZacD · Apr 2012

A good way to make details pop would be to do a wash of black paint and wipe off as much as you can with a cloth without working the tight edges, it'll give it a AO like look.

fearian · Apr 2012

That brings something else to mind; I'd love to see some 3d prints that have been painted up! RL texturing!

lewis · May 2012

yeah thats sor of what we were trying do achieve with the prints on the first page.;)

ZacD · May 2012

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/billyzelsnack/printxel-3d-printer-beta-kit

I missed out, $300 for a 3d printer.

lewis · May 2012

Impressive that the guy has made that himself. Printers like that have been around for a long while now, search for "fused deposition modelling". Mainly used in the design industry as you have the option to build parts in the exact material you will have them once you go to full production. But the surface quality on parts from a machine like that is absolutely terrible; you can sort of see it at the end of the guy’s video you linked to.

ZacD · May 2012

I'd gladly pay $300 for a printer just to fool around with creating mock-ups and prototypes (and I'm sure some studios would like to a have something like that for artists to use, valve recently purchased a 3d printer for employees), Obviously if I wanted a detailed print with small surface texture detail I would be happy to pay a few hundred for it.

lewis · May 2012

oh yeah agree, handy for a very qiuck prototypes especially at the price point!
i love websites like kickstarter, so many great projects come out of there that normaly would have never got out of peoples sheds!

3d printing

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