Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
3D Printing Without a
Printer
10
How and why to use 3D printing services instead of a
desktop machine.
W
RITTEN
BY
C
OLLEEN
J
ORDAN
I'm incredibly lucky to have a job that even
two years ago I never would have imagined
could exist. I create 3D-printed jewelry and
own a business, Wearable Planter, all thanks
to tools and technology that have only been
available for a few years.
technology is increasing at an unpreceden-
ted rate.
When I design a new product or piece of
jewelry, I begin by creating sketches of what
it will look like. This part of the process often
takes the longest, as I am deciding on the
form and feel of the object. I then create a 3D
model in SolidWorks, Rhino, or whichever
program I feel will allow me the most crea-
tivity with my knowledge of the software.
After I'm done creating, I export the file for
printing, and I run checks with a program like
Netfabb Studio to make sure it's suitable for
printing.
When I studied industrial design at Georgia
Tech from 2006-2010, 3D printing wasn't a
tool we used frequently. We learned how to
use 3D design programs to mock up our
projects, but we typically used the resulting
3D files for product rendering. Of course we
had access to a 3D printer, but few people
knew how to use it, and the models it made
were fragile and expensive.
It wasn't until my last semester of college
that I worked on a project that required 3D
printing. I handed the flash drive with my
files to the lab assistant, thinking it would
never work, and then watched with amaze-
ment as my jewelry piece was printed layer
by layer exactly as I had intended.
Most people with the desire to imagine and
prototype a new product don't have imme-
diate access to a professional-quality 3D
printer. The good news is that access to this
I then use 3D printing services like Shape-
ways and Ponoko—both to prototype and
to create my final products.
When I use these services, I have to wait two
weeks or longer to see how my print turned
out. That can seem like a long time, but it
affords you a new perspective when you're
forced to step away from your project mo-
mentarily. Sometimes when I get my first
print back it's exactly what I was expecting,
but often I see changes that need to be
made, whether in material choice or wall
thicknesses or other details.
