Hello… I’m the owner of Engineering For Kids in the Chesapeake location. We teach engineering concepts to kids ages 4-14 about engineering and technology. We have a new cirriculum that we can offer using 3D printing. However, I do not have a 3D printer. Please explain how using a 3D hub works. If I teach a group of 15-20 kids, and they all create a design, what is the process for getting their design created? Please advise pricing, time, etc.
Thanks!
Hi @hamptonroads, here’s a short explanation of how 3D Hubs works: Online Platform | Put Parts Into Production In 5 Minutes
Hope this helps!
n23d
3
You look on the site and choose a hub. Upload the stl file (a 3d mathmatical model of the part you want to make) to the hub. Indicate the material and resolution you want along with any post processing. The hub will respond with a quotation for the part. Accept the quotation and pay for the part. The hub will print it and ship it to you. In general the larger the part the higher the cost. Cost is based on the volume of plastic needed to make it and the number of layers required(machine time). A higher accuracy part will take longer to print because it will use more layers for the same volume. The type of plastc and 3d printer used will also influence the cost. PLA or ABS plastics done using FDM type machines (machines that squirt out layers of hot plastic) are most economical. Polycarbonate, Nylon, PET and flexable plastics tend to cost a bit more because they are more difficult to print. Resin parts using the SLA process (a vat of liquid resin is selectivly hardened by a scanning laser or projected image) are much more accurate and expensive because the equipment and resin costs more. Extra services would be support removal and part finishing like sanding and painting will add cost. Ready made STL files can be down loaded from sites like thingiverse.com, or you can create your own by using such tools as sketchup and gimp (free) or other comercialy available programs like Rhinoceros or Inventor. There are also programs that can convert hand drawn images into printable files although I am not real familiar with them. Another possibility is a hand operated 3d printer pin like 3doodler.
