3D Prototyping: An Overview on 3D Prototype Printing
Traditional prototype creation processes can be very slow and expensive. However, there are new techniques available to improve product development …
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The extremely high level of precision needed within the aerospace industry makes CNC machining a suitable manufacturing process for the sector.
This article provides you with a complete guide to aerospace machining and its importance.
Gain valuable insights into manufacturing processes.
Choose from 50+ metals and plastics for your project.
Learn successful stories to inspire your project.
Whitepaper, design guide, materials, and finishing.
Different finishing options enhance part appearance and functionality.
Discover our library of educational videos.
If you want to produce high-quality machined parts with a sleek appearance, it’s essential to consider some critical factors related to CNC machining.
Here, we’ve gathered some basic information and important considerations to help you achieve the desired results.
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Custom online 3D printing services for 3D printed rapid prototypes and production parts. Order your 3D printed parts from our online quotation platform today.
Lead Time
Surface Finishes
MOQ
Tolerances
Our online 3D printing service provides high-quality processes for manufacturing high precision, and custom 3D printed parts at a lower cost, with on-time reliable delivery, from prototyping to functional production parts.
Stereolithography (SLA) offers unparalleled precision, creating intricate 3D models. RapidDirect ensures high standards, emphasizing the fine detailing and superb surface finishes unique to SLA.
Below are some of the 3d printing products we’ve manufactured for our valued customers. Take your inspiration from our finished products.
With our online 3D printing services, our AI-powered quotation platform can help simplify your ordering and manufacturing process.
Get in-bulk 3D printing quotes, allowing you to make a pricing comparison between different specs, quantities, raw material, and surface finishes, and helping you choose the solution that best suits your needs and budget.
Our online 3D printing platform enables real-time visibility of the production flow that fosters more efficient operation monitoring and quicker response to negative change.
Quickly check, search, and manage all your 3D printing orders in one place. What's even better is that you get visibility into all stages of the production process and every aspect of the manufacturing operation.
RapidDirect’s custom 3D printing service can move your design, and prototyping to production printed parts within a day. Bring unmatched quality products to market faster.
It is the optimal solution for those seeking to rapidly create and test multiple design variations, offering efficiency and adaptability in the short term.
3D printed visual and functional prototypes allows you to try out different colors, materials, size, shapes, and more, which helps improve the final product.
3D printing is a great technique for quickly creating complex, custom & low-volume productionparts without costly tooling.
We take quality and accuracy as our priority. Our advanced facilities and rigorous testing can maintain the most impeccable quality and tight tolerance of each 3D printed prototype and part.
Process | Min. Wall Thickness | Layer Height | Max. Build Size | Dimension Tolerance |
SLA | 1.0 mm
0.040 in. |
50 – 100 μm | 250 × 250 × 250 mm
9.843 × 9.843 × 9.843 in. |
+/- 0.15% with a lower limit of +/- 0.01 mm |
SLS | 1.0 mm
0.040 in. |
100 μm | 420 × 500 × 420 mm
16.535 × 19.685 × 16.535 in. |
+/- 0.3% with a lower limit of +/- 0.3 mm |
FDM | 1.0 mm
0.040 in. |
100 – 300 μm | 500 * 500 * 500 mm
19.685 × 19.685 × 19.685 in. |
+/- 0.15% with a lower limit of +/- 0.2 mm |
The right material is critical to creating custom prototypes and parts with the desired mechanical properties, functionality, and aesthetics. Just check out the basics of 3D printing materials at RapidDirect and choose the right one for your end parts.
It has high stiffness, good detailing, and affordable pricing. It is a biodegradable thermoplastic with good physical properties, tensile strength and ductility. It gives 0.2mm accuracy and a small stripe effect.
Technologies: FDM, SLA, SLS
Properties: Biodegradable, Food safe
Applications: Concept models, DIY projects, functional models, manufacturing
Price: $
It is a commodity plastic with good mechanical and thermal properties. It is a common thermoplastic with excellent impact strength and less defined details.
Technologies: FDM, SLA, PolyJetting
Properties: Strong, light, high resolution, somewhat flexible
Applications: Architectural models, concept models, DIY projects, manufacturing
Price: $$
It has good impact resistance, strength, and toughness. It is very hard and has good dimensional stability with maximum heat resistance temperature of 140-160 °C. It is a thermoplastic with excellent mechanical properties, high chemical and abrasion resistance along with fine powder finish.
Technologies: FDM, SLS
Properties: Strong, smooth surface (polished), somewhat flexible, chemically resistant
Applications: Concept models, functional models, medical applications, tooling, visual arts
Price: $$
If you need to improve the strength, durability, looks, and even functionality of your 3D-printed prototypes or production parts, surface finishing is necessary. Explore these custom finishing options and there must be one suits your project.
Name | Description | Materials | Color | Texture | Link |
Painting | Painting the surface of a part improves its aesthetic appearance and can provide brand recognition to consumers. In addition, painting can have a protective effect on parts. | Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Steel | Black, any RAL code or Pantone number | Gloss, semi-gloss, flat, metallic, textured | Learn More>> | |
Polishing |
Polishing is the process of creating a smooth and shiny surface, either through physical rubbing of the part or by chemical interference. The process produces a surface with significant specular reflection, but in some materials is able to reduce diffuse reflection. |
Aluminum, Brass, Stainless Steel, Steel |
n/a | Gloss | Learn More>> | |
Powder Coating | Powder coating is a type of coating that is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. Unlike conventional liquid paint which is delivered via an evaporating solvent, powder coating is typically applied electrostatically and then cured under heat or with ultraviolet light. | Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Steel |
Black, any RAL code or Pantone number |
Gloss or semi-gloss |
||
Bead Blasting | Bead blasting results in parts with a smooth surface with a matte texture. Used mainly for visual applications and can be followed by other surface treatments. |
ABS, Aluminum, Brass, Stainless Steel, Steel |
n/a |
Matte |
3D printing prototype is playing a significant role in automotive innovation and development. RapidDirect’s reliable 3D printing service has helped customer create heat resistant, lightweight automotive engine parts for prototyping and production in a fast time. See how fast it is to make automotive engine with our 3d printing facilities.
By simply uploading your CAD files and specifying requirements, you can get the quotation for your 3D-printed parts within 2 hours. With the abundant manufacturing resources, we are confident to provide the most cost-effective price for your 3D printing project.
RapidDirect has an in-house 3D printing factory of 2,000㎡ based in Shenzhen, China. Our capabilities include FDM, Polyjet, SLS, and SLA. We provide a wide range of materials and post-processing options.
Lead time depends on factors such as the overall size, geometry complexity of the parts, and the 3D printing technology you choose. However, the lead time is as fast as 3 days at RapidDirect.
For every 3D printing order, we provide SGS, RoHS material certifications, and full dimensional inspection reports upon your request to make sure 3D prints meet your application's requirements.
Various industries benefit from our online 3D printing services. Many businesses require an economical and efficient solution to realize rapid prototyping and production of 3d prints.
3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, creates three-dimensional objects by depositing materials layer by layer, based on a digital design. It transforms digital models into tangible items using materials like plastic, resin, or metal.
3D printing serves numerous purposes across various industries. Key applications include prototyping, custom manufacturing, medical implants, architectural models, jewelry design, and even food production.
The resolution of 3D printers, measured in microns, dictates layer height and print detail. Typical consumer printers achieve 50-300 microns, while high-end machines can go below 25 microns, offering exceptional detail and smoothness.
3D printing is an additive manufacturing method, building parts by depositing material layer by layer. In contrast, CNC machining is a subtractive method, starting with a solid block of material and removing sections until the desired part is achieved. While 3D printing is often favored for complex geometries and rapid prototyping, CNC machining excels in durability, precision, and material versatility.
3D printing can achieve very high levels of accuracy. Our standard tolerance for 3D printing is ± 0.1mm. But this depends on your part complexity, you can upload your 2D design files and we will evaluate specific tolerances.
Some important factors, such as your part size, height, complexity and the printing technology used, will affect the printing time. At RapidDirect, we can complete 3D printing projects as fast as 1 day.
The 3D prints we create will depend on the specification of the 3D printer you choose. We have a wide range of 3D printing machines, allowing us to print different sizes. Large format FDM 3D printers have a build area of up to 36 x 24 x 26 (inches).
On the other hand, you can expect larger SLA printers to print up to 29 x 25 x 21 (inches). SLS unfilled has a 13 inches max dimension, while the glass-filled SLS machine can create prints of 26 x 15 x 23 (inches). The Industrial Polyjet printer has a build area of up to 19 x 15 x 7 (inches).
The recommended file formats are STEP (.stp) and STL (.stl) . So if your file is in another format, it is best to convert it to STEP or STL.
Capital is a huge decider when deciding on the right 3D printing service. Therefore, it is important to know about several factors that can determine the amount of capital you spend printing or outsourcing your project, including chosen 3D printer, the size and design complexity of a model, the material used, and your part volume.
Traditional prototype creation processes can be very slow and expensive. However, there are new techniques available to improve product development …
In recent years, 3D printing has gained more ground in the automotive industry. This manufacturing technique helps to create prototype …
Many businesses and individuals use 3D printing due to its ease of operation, accuracy, precision, and suitability for making products …
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