3D Printing Services
- AI instant quote in 1 hour
- wide range of material and finishing options
- Technial support, design guide and case studies for your reference
3D Printing Services
RapidDirect leverages the power of the latest 3D printing technologies, ensuring high-quality printed parts with a wide range of 3D printing materials. Our high-volume capabilities and large suite of machines results in fast turnaround times, with parts completed in as little as 2 days. We specialize in several manufacturing processes: create your prototype with our 3D printing service then later take advantage of our injection molding services for short-run production.
Advantages of 3D Rapid Prototype
- Cost-effective printing services with very quick turnaround
- Customization and design flexibility
- Instant online quoting service and reliable lead time estimation
- Wide range of materials and finish options
3D Printing Processes
- Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM): A 3D printing process that extrudes melted filament through a nozzle, building up an object layer by layer. FDM is compatible with a broad range of materials and can be used for prototyping or end-use production.
- PolyJet 3D Printing: A 3D printing technology developed by Stratasys that jets layers of a curable liquid photopolymer onto a build surface to achieve smooth, high-resolution parts. PolyJet is also capable of multi-color and multi-material 3D printing.
- Selective Laser Sintering (SLS): A 3D printing process that uses a computer-controlled laser to sinter a powdered material (such as Nylon or polyamide) layer by layer. The process produces accurate, high-quality parts that require minimal post-processing and supports.
Material
PLA
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.
Subtypes
- ABS
- ABS Like
- Acylic
- Nylon
- ABS
- ABS Like
- Acylic
- Nylon
- ABS
- ABS Like
- Acylic
- Nylon
ABS
It is a commodity plastic with good mechanical and thermal properties. It is a common thermoplastic with excellent impact strength and less defined details.
Nylon
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.
Vero
It is a multi-purpose and multi-colour photopolymer offering strength, stiffness and versatility. It is also smooth, accurate, clear, and flexible. For multi-material versatility, it can be blended with other photopolymers to vary hardness, flexibility, translucency, or heat resistance.
Vero Clear
It is smooth and precise making it ideal for ornamental purpose as well as for mechanical use. It is strong, stiff, elongated, and impact resistant. It can be used as an alternative to glass for lenses, clear covers, dispensers, and light pipes.
ABS-like
It is high impact resistant and good shock absorbent. It is designed to simulate ABS-grade engineering plastics by combining high-temperature resistance with high toughness. It has a high impact resistance of 65-80J/m and a heat deflection temperature of 58-68 °C upon removal from the printer. A higher heat deflection temperature of 82-95 ºC can be achieved after thermal post-treatment.
Rubber-like
It has shore hardness below 70A producing parts with a rubber-like feel along with good mechanical properties. It does not require support material and is used for producing complex geometries.
Applications
Rapid Tooling
Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) and fused deposition modeling (FDM) are widely used for producing tools, fixtures, and jigs. The ability to craft these parts on demand and to meet specific requirements is highly beneficial for manufacturers.
Rapid Prototyping
3D printing is an ideal production method for manufacturing concept models during the design phase and fully functional prototypes for product testing. The technology is well suited to this application because it offers quick turnarounds for prototypes and design flexibility.
Direct Manufacturing
More and more, 3D printing is being utilized for the production of end-use components and products, especially when customization is needed. The technology’s flexibility, efficiency and the range of possible build materials are leading it into end-use applications across many industries.
Finishes
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.
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.
Powder Coating
Powder coating forms a durable, wear resistant and corrosion resistant layer on the surface of parts. Powder coating can be used to apply colors to parts and is compatible with any metal.
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.
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