Hi, I am in need (for myself and for a spanish partner) to find a CNC machining /3D Printing business that can make reliable and fast prototypes or single items, production quality.
The target objects would be small miniatures (28-54mm) or master pieces for assembly kits that could be replicated later by silicon moulding and resin. We’ve tried 3D printing and SLS earlier and we’ve found that there’s lack of detail, and the grainyness that the 3D printer leaves is totally picked up by the silicon mould, making reproduction impossible without further machining.
We’ve gotten our best results by reproducing our 3D models with a small 5-axis CNC machine like the ones they use for jewellery purposes, but the problem is that the spanish company that did that asks for a ludicrous fee for each piece. The precision is astounding, though, and we could take a mould with the silicon and achieve perfect resolution.
Does any of you know any company that could do that at a reasonable cost?
Do they do precision work and small items? I don’t want an overkill CNC machining tool, because It’ll cost a lot to stop it just for my small test miniature and do it, and that’s how the prices rises to ludicrous levels.
The jeweller we tried in Spain charged us an expensive price because he earned more money carving a master for, say, a custom-designed golden ring, and doing that miniature work impeded him to use it for doing more über-expensive stuff.
Just have a look on alibaba.com - there are hundreds of companies offering CNC machining (with optional hand-finishing), mostly based in China.
We used Star Prototype (China) and had excellent results at quite unbelievable prices - for example, machined-from-solid plastic parts, polished and painted, for sub-US$100. This was a good few years back, but I think they’re still in business.
[quote=“Blaquesmith”]Do they do precision work and small items? I don’t want an overkill CNC machining tool, because It’ll cost a lot to stop it just for my small test miniature and do it, and that’s how the prices rises to ludicrous levels.
The jeweller we tried in Spain charged us an expensive price because he earned more money carving a master for, say, a custom-designed golden ring, and doing that miniature work impeded him to use it for doing more über-expensive stuff.[/quote]
I might be able to help. I’m in the midst of creating a 3D printer company here and our machine can achieve a high level of detail as it uses near UV light to cure acrylic resin. We haven’t tested our prints with silicon moulding yet but it is something I’d like to try.
30 micron? that’s awesome! Best printers I’ve seen get only 75 micron in the xy axis, most doing around 150 micron.
The thing is, we need the masters to make silicon molds for casting resin, and the standard 3D printer it’s too rough. I’d be interested on checking it, seeing a few samples, and maybe trying one out.
I’m offering 3D printing services (including ABS) in Taipei. Below a reference pricing:
0.1mm PLA: 25NTD, ABS: 30NTD
0.2mm PLA: 20NTD, ABS: 25NTD
0.3mm PLA: 15NTD, ABS: 20NTD
I could review your design to avoid any issue during printing and of course, iteration that will save you money. Once reviewed, a quotation will be send to you.
You could send me a message with your file (STL, STEP or other CAD format). You can speak English, Spanish, Japanese or French.
I supposed you already solved your 3D printing requirement.
Perhaps, will be others who arrives to your post with similar requirements and could get news.
