| 1. How do I tell if my model is print-ready? |
| Your model is print ready if it is ‘watertight’, meaning it is a completely enclosed object.
We will test this when we receive your model and if there is an inconsistency, ask you to
repair the model or repair it ourselves in-house if you prefer. |
| 2. How can I get a better feeling for the quality of the models and materials? |
| Look at our on-line gallery or come by and have a look at our growing collection of models
in the studio. |
| 3. How accurate are your models? |
| This depends on the machine you are using. The Eden is known as the highest-end printer in
the business and it has exceptional print resolution at a higher cost. It prints .00006 inch layers.
The Dimension is the industry standard of 3-D printers, and has very good quality at a lower
cost. It prints .010 inch layers. |
| 4. What is support material? |
| 3-D printing technology relies on 2 materials- the part material and the support material
required to hold it up during printing. A mushroom form, for example, will require support
material to be built up around the stalk in order to hold up the cap as it is being printed. This
support material is removed after printing. |
| 5. What if there are undercuts or internal voids in my model? |
| Undercuts and unsupported areas are held up with support material during printing. This
material is easily removed using a waterjet or fluid bath. If your model has a void in it with
no opening, we may need to split the model for printing. |
| 6. How can I be sure that my thin walls, protrusions, or other fine elements will print? |
| A good guideline for very fine elements is to assume that .04 inches (1 mm) is the absolute
minimum for printing, depending our your geometry. Remember that these elements tend
to require a lot of support material which needs to be washed off in the end. It is
always better to add extra thickness to ensure the robustness of your model. |
| 7. Will my texture maps print? |
| No. Only geometry prints. |
| 8. Will two or more intersecting polygon objects or meshes print? |
| Yes, as long as they are both ‘watertight’. |
| 9. Do the surface normals on my polygon mesh need to be pointing in the same direction? |
| Yes. Surface normals on all polygon meshes must be pointing outward. |
| 10. What if my model is top-heavy? |
| Be sure that the model has enough footing mass and logical support points or it may crush
under its own weight. |
| 11. How will my model be oriented on the printing bed? |
| Certain orientations allow for higher quality prints. This is part-dependent and our technicians
have experience with maximizing quality based on orientation. A particular orientation will
generate layer stepping in the Z-direction of the model orientation. |
| 12. What is the maximum part size you can make? |
| By subdividing your model into several components, we can fabricate models of approximately
19” x 19” x 7.9” on the Eden and 19” x 18” x 11.5” on the Dimension. Even larger or unwieldy
parts can also be manufactured in components and assembled by our team. |
| 13. Are there any limitations of finishing these models? |
| You can sand, drill, and paint our models. Eden prints generally need no finishing. |
| 14. Do you offer finishing and painting services? |
| Currently no, other than removal of support material and glueing of subdivided parts. |
| 15. How long will my print take to make? |
| This depends on the size, density, and complexity of your print. As a rule of thumb, you
can print a solid bar of material 2-1/2” wide x 10” long x 1/4” high in one hour. Our printers
run 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can expect a small to medium size print to take
approximately 2 - 3 days from your order to completion. |
| 16. How do your memberships work? |
| Crystalline Members receive standing discounts on parts. You must begin an account with us
and reach certain annual expenditures to receive membership benefits. You will be issued a
username which will streamline the ordering process as well.
We offer memberships which exchange loyalty for standing part discounts after a minimum has been met. |
 |
DIAMOND MEMBERS | Annual account total of $10,000+ | 20% discount on subsequent orders |
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RUBY MEMBERS | Annual account total of $5,000+ | 15% discount on subsequent orders |
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EMERALD MEMBERS | Annual account total of $2,500+ | 10% discount on subsequent orders |
