3D scanning and producing new parts

MFstooges said:

How good is the cost from PCBWay? I tried to upload a model of a simple spur gear @ xometry and they quoted $200+ each for 3D printing with sintered material.

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OAPOli said:

It was a custom bottom camera plate for a grip. It was $100 CAD, CNC'd aluminium. You can try to upload your design and see.

If you requested metal sintering I'm not too surprised by the cost. Gears can also be traditionally machined of course, and some are available off-the-shelve.

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Andreas Thaler said:

If I don't do 3D printing myself and want to have a part made, how do I go about this?

What does a service provider need to be able to do this work?

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Hunter_Compton said:

You’re going to need to supply them with a 3D geometry file, this is normally a .stl (stereo lithography) file extension.

This type of file can be generated either in suitable CAD software or with a 3D scanner and its associated rendering software. In my opinion the former is preferable for anything technical with specific dimensions, scanning is better for amorphous shapes and even the best scans will still need editing before going to print, and don’t give you much ability to vary dimensions to account for tolerances and such.

I’ve used craftcloud3d.com before for ordering parts to be printed. You upload your 3D file and tell them what material you want and they will provide quotes from multiple vendors a given costs and timeframes for productions.

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reddesert said:

Another avenue to think about is that in many places, there are maker spaces or even public libraries that have 3D printers and possibly classes to teach you how to use them. This is perhaps best suited to printing small parts that don't take too long. You need to use CAD software, which can range from relatively simple web interfaces (eg TinkerCAD) to complex. It may take a few tries before you produce a CAD model that is printable, due to gaps, unphysical shapes/interfaces, etc. It's worth learning, though.

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reddesert said:

Another avenue to think about is that in many places, there are maker spaces or even public libraries that have 3D printers and possibly classes to teach you how to use them. This is perhaps best suited to printing small parts that don't take too long. You need to use CAD software, which can range from relatively simple web interfaces (eg TinkerCAD) to complex. It may take a few tries before you produce a CAD model that is printable, due to gaps, unphysical shapes/interfaces, etc. It's worth learning, though.

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Dan Daniel said:

Along this line, such 'maker spaces' will have people who know how to do this kind of work and can use a few bucks. Many are affiliated with schools so have students looking for experience. Worth asking around, and be sure to pay fairly if you do find someone to work with you.

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