DOES 3D PRINTED DETAIL SETS FIT BETTER ?

[dai phan]

Hello,

 

In my 3 past builds, I have used engine sets made by Eduard, Verlinden and CMK. These kits are not 3D printed as they come in bases that must be cut off. There are so much dry fitting, sanding, trimming to make them work. Now I see latest Eduard's releases are almost 3D printed. As such they are designed with CAD/CAM that should mate with the kit parts perfectly ? Thank you for your expert replies. Dai 

[Dave Williams]

They do use CAD, because that’s how you input the design into the 3D printer.  In theory, they should fit better because they don’t have to be made slightly oversize to account for shrinkage, and the molds don’t wear out, but accurate dimensions still have to be input.  If you don’t use correct dimensions when you design the part, then it won’t fit.

[ElectroSoldier]

3D parts still need the build supports that need to be removed. Not quite the same as the gates on resin parts but they still have clean up work to do.

 

As to the fit it very much depends on the part. Now 3D printing is starting to become the thing (even I have one now) manufacturers will have to tailor parts to specific kits even more than they did before but that is something they need to worry about not you.

You select the parts for your particular kit and they should fit perfectly.

 

Resin printers (like the one I have) do still suffer part shrinkage, that is just part of how resin works you wont even escape that, but Im not sure if companies like Eduard use resin of filament printers.

[Geoff M]

On 10/12/2022 at 11:01 AM, dai phan said:

Hello,

 

 As such they are designed with CAD/CAM that should mate with the kit parts perfectly ? Thank you for your expert replies. Dai 

With any computer program it is only as accurate as the data put into it.  As the saying goes "garbage in-garbage out".

 

Geoff M

[Crash Test Dummy]

My last job we used 3D printing for prototyping quite a lot.  This was using Formlabs SLA printers. I found the dimensional accuracy of the process to be absolute garbage. Every part was an iterative process to get a 3D CAD model that the printer could produce with correct dimensions. Shrinkage, warping, excess resin were all problems. It was almost unheard of for the first print to fit right. Just to guarantee you could fit a screw in a hole we ended up using loose tolerance holes everywhere.  Orientation of the parts was a factor too. I had one multi-part item that after several iterations had snap fit tolerances. Then I got a set that nothing fit and I came to find my boss ordered the parts rearranged to add some other items to the the print run.  

 

This isn't to say these printers can't produce parts that fit, it just may take several iterations to get to a CAD model that the printer will actually produce what you want. It really depends on if the parts maker takes the time to test fit their products to the intended kit.  I'd swear many of them don't bother.  I've had numerous resin cast ejection seats that were too big for the intended kit.  Same would apply to 3D printed parts.  This may not be an issue on a bomb or missile, but is definitely an issue if you're 3D printing an ejection seat, cockpit, or something that has to fit specific dimensions.