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Use case of the
in the model making sector:
Jérôme PETIT, passionnate about nautism and model making, designs and handcrafts small scale ship models for many years.
During the conception of the replica of a sailboat for which precision was required, he has, for the first time, considered the use of Strateo3D to manufacture several parts.
- WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST NEED?
I wanted to create tools to help me in intervene more precisely on certain parts of the model I was creating. I first considered making drilling and sawing jigs and/or guides for the pasts, then I soon realised that 3D printing would be usefull in many other ways.
Later, I also used the Strateo3D to make various finishing parts and cabochons of all kinds.
Finally, in view of the very convincing results I had obtained, I also decided to print the two half-edges constituting the keel of the boat in order to make two plaster moulds and pour lead into them.
- HOW DID YOU MODEL THIS TOOL (FIRMWARE)?
All parts were modelled using Rhinoceros software based on manually produced 1:1 scale drawings.
- WHAT MATERIAL WAS USED TO PRINT THE TOOL, AND FOR WHICH REASON?
PLA was used to print these different parts because the uses did not require specific mechanical properties or resistances but were more related to precision.
- HOW DID YOU DETERMINE THE VARIOUS MANUFACTURING SETTINGS (LAYER THICKNESS, POSITIONNING, FILL RATE, ETC…)?
I had complete confidence in eMotion-Tech for the production of these plastic parts and they adapted the settings according to the different expectations I had.
- DID THE PART HAVE TO BE PRINTED IN SEVERAL PARTS? IF SO, HOW MANY? WAS IT PRINTED ALL AT ONCE ON THE SAME BED OR SEVERAL PRINTS?
All the parts were printed at the same time on the same bed because their dimensions allowed it.
- HOW MUCH TIME DID THE PRINT LAST?
The printing of all the drilling and sawing tools took a dozen hours, while all the finishing parts were produced in half a day, and it took 18 hours to produce the four half-edges intended for moulding.
- WHAT BENEFITS DID YOU SEE IN USING THE STRATEO3D TO PRINT THIS PART?
I was totally amazed by the precision of the parts that the machine was able to produce, by its speed of execution and by the ease with which one could obtain a part via this process.
- COULD YOU COMPARE IT WITH ANOTHER MANUFACTURING METHOD (TIME, COST, ETC…)?
It would have taken me about 15 hours to make the wooden ogive by superimposing about 30 layers of wood which I would then have sanded to get a smooth and regular surface, whereas the whole set of parts was modelled in only 4 hours.
Furthermore, concerning the finishing pieces and the drilling and sawing guides, I doubt that I could have obtained the same degree of precision if I had had to make them by hand.
- Are you considering other uses of the machine/request to the printing service?
Obviously, it was very useful in the development of this boat model and I will certainly have many other ideas and/or projects that will require the use of 3D printing in the future.
Jérôme PETIT