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Jan 2015
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gavbrum
Jan '15

My company are looking to find someone that can 3d print in silcone for a range of watch prototypes. I know that this is a reletively new material to print in but I know there are printers out there capable of doing it and add on’s available for 3d printers that allow this. Is there anyone out there doing this or have any contacts of anyone doing this.

  • created

    Jan '15

  • last reply

    Apr '17
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bensonr
Jan '15

I cannot print directly in silicone. What I can do is print in abs or pla and make a mold to get silicone parts.

Xeno
Jan '15

Not many printer can print silicone, but do remember that silicone is very hard to post proces, and any structure in the print will not be able to smooth out.

if you are looking just for cheapest test parts, and don’t care for the structure, then this is the ways to go.

otherwise you will get better results to have the object printed, and have molds made to cast in silicone, or polyurethane rubber.

it is more time consuming and costly.

but you could also look for printers that can print flexible PLA, I have seen some good prints with this material.

and when you want a lot of prototypes, or limited range of won devoloped / designed object, you could even consider investing your own 3D printer :slight_smile:

gavbrum
Jan '15

I’ve looked at this method and it looks to be quite sketchy and rough even when casting has been fairly sucessful. Direct silicone printing looks like it gives much better results.

Guus_1
Jan '15

Printing in silicone is not yet available, as far as I know.

flexible PLA is about the flexibility you want for watch wrist band.

I think the best have a prototype printed in ABS, smooth it with acetone vapor and than make a silicone mold.

You can then make your prototypes by pouring Silicone or Polyurethane in the mould.

if you want to do it yourself check formx.eu. They are located on Amsterdam.

Also many YouTube films on how to.

Or I can help you out since I have all the equipment to make smooth and perfect prototypes :wink:

If you know what you are doing this is the way to go!

Ofcourse it will be more expensive then printing because it’s time consuming.

bensonr
Jan '15

I cannot print directly in silicone. What I can do is print in abs or pla and make a mold to get silicone parts.

iprototypedit
Jan '15

Hey gavbrum,

Printing in Silicone can be done using a paste extruder machine. However the layers are not so neat and often gets broken or results in deformation due to the property of silicone to expand. We have a patent pending machine that can print in Silicone successfully. We have succesfully printed many products in Silicone. We can help you make your prototype.

Gaurav Loyalka
+91 9810773689

picsima
Jan '15

Folks

As copenhagen says we are 3D Printing silicone, without support material, no post processing and at a resolution of 400 microns. Currently we have a test rig and we are looking for circa £300K to develop the technology to a point where we can achieve sub 200 micron resolution with variable Shore Hardness A in a single build. Follow us @picsima on Twitter and our website www.picsima.com 53

gavbrum
Jan '15

I have seen this on your website already and watched a few videos on youtube. Are you at a stage where you are printing for customers etc? I’d be interested in sending you stuff we’d be looking to get prototyped in silicone. We specialise in silicone watches but it would be a real advantage to prototype in this material before we get moulds made. This is our website www.breo.com 28 Have a look and let me know if you think we could work together.

Pot8oSH3D
Jan '15

Hello @picsma. Very impressive. Is it the kind of technology that’s likely to result in a moderately priced desktop printer or is it inherently bulky and/or cost prohibitive for smaller sized printers?

3Dscaleworks
Jan '15

Gav,

I can give it a shot upload the stl file to Saenhub and i will see what i can do for you.

It would be fun to help you with this and see what FPE can do!