I don’t know if this is a first ever, but it is a first for me.
I have combined 3d FDM plastic printing with LASER engraving. Combining two of my current interests.
I realized after studying LASER engraving and cutting, that plastic is a popular medium to cut and engrave, But I haven’t seen or heard it suggested for use with 3D printed plastic.
So I set about seeing what works and what doesn’t when combining LASER power with printed plastics.
Original bowl design using Fusion 360. The CAD is not designed as two color. The 60 small pyramids are integral with the rest of the vase. Creating a single .stl file.
Tiertime UP Studio 3 slicer now has a "paint" function. Using that tool areas of any .stl file can be selected and manipulated. In this case using the separate function. This was used to "cut out" each pyramid in situ and assign a depth to be printed in a second color. In this case 2.5mm.
The printing ran for about 10 hours. The result of the print is good, but you don't need to judge my color selection. Ha!
Tea Box
Here is a seven piece project (Tea Box). Three main parts - the box, the lettered top plate, the top rim, and four separate feet.
The big part, the box, reported a 24 hour print time on the Cetus2 UPStudio3 (UPS3) slicer. Actual run time was a bit over 22 hours.
The lettered top plate was a five hour print. The rim and four feet were another 4.5 hours.
Total printing time was almost 32 hours.
How 3D Print Projects are Born
Three dimensional printing is NOT just about the printing. The printing is a machine process. Machine set-up is a complex setting of variables that constantly change for an equally complex set of reasons.
Not getting into machine settings here, as every process, print, and printer is different. Starting points are good but anyone who has a die-hard favorite setting that ALWAYS works Is probably just overwhelmed by the variables and perhaps fears experimenting. It's easy to "mess up" what seems to always work... Ha!
Thoughts on High Resolution 3D Printing
I am doing some heavy duty thinking on where and how super resolution, hobby class, 3D additive manufacturing 3D printer can be a best-use application for a single creative person. (A hobbyist) Specifically, the 4K-6K+ resin printer variety.
The only need for that much resolution is to produce super-fine detail in or on what is produced.
For me, jewelry master models for casting is my first #1 answer. Casting process issues aside. Second would be other casting models such as for dentistry. But, I don't know any hobbyist making teeth... :)