Which 3D printer to choose for a small business
Small businesses often use 3D printers. They help create certain products, such as keychains. A printer is a very convenient thing, because it can do most of the work independently, without human intervention. In addition, he is able to make several dozen products in one day.
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Criteria for choosing a 3D printer for a small business
There are some criteria by which printers are selected:
- Printing nozzle diameter. Responsible for print resolution.
- Dimensions of the product itself. While small ones can make objects weighing a few grams, large ones can make objects weighing more than 5 kg.
- Availability of multi-color printing. It is only available in expensive and large designs. These are unlikely to be needed for home use, and are suitable if you have a business related to the production of a specific product.
- The country where it is made. One of the most important parameters. Most printers are made in Russia, China, the USA and Europe. The following criteria depend on the country of origin: cost, availability of spare parts and consumables, technical support and service.
- Printing accuracy. The higher the layer thickness, the worse the accuracy. Too thick layers (more than 0.5 mm) will make the product of poor quality.
- Speed. Some models can create a model in a couple of hours.
Practical models are suitable for small businesses.If you choose a device weighing more than 10 kg, the operation will be stable and vibrations will not appear in the body. You should choose models that can print layers 0.1 mm thick. And thanks to different materials and a large number of nozzles, there will be more possibilities. Depending on the use, you can choose a product that will create perfectly smooth or rough surfaces. And such devices can be used not only for business, but also at home, for entertainment.
Most suitable models
To better familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the printer, let's look at the most popular models:
- Cube. It has good printing quality. Unfortunately, the set of settings is small. BUT it is capable of printing from flash drives.
- Afinia H Series. Country of origin: China. It is recommended because it produces high-quality products with automatic settings.
- Ultimaker 2+. Very high quality print. Capable of making very thin layers and performing a large amount of work in a short time.
- Printrobot Simple. The best choice in terms of price and quality. Possibly the highest quality printer available today. But there is one drawback - it is quite difficult to set up.
- Form Uses polymer as materials. That is why the printer is used less often, the polymer costs much more than thermoplastic. But the print quality is very high.
All companies have a huge selection of products. You can buy both budget options and expensive but high-quality devices. Therefore, which printer to choose depends on the preferences of the company.
The main advantage of a 3D printer is that it quickly recreates the necessary items. And the monetary and labor costs are minimal. You don't need to be an expert to use the printer.The device can be used at home, at work or for the production of large quantities of goods.