How bad an idea are used 3D printers? :)

I was browsing the auction that was posed in the powder coating thread and found this

https://swicoauctions.com/online/26/item/60489

It’d be neat to get a “grown up” 3D printer in the space, and I think Objet is the cheapest way to do that… but how miserable a money pit would it turn into? :slight_smile:

(Paging @Tookys as the only 3D printing professional I know of in the group)

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The number one drawback of most large commercial printers is the proprietary filament/ cartridges and cost of those. That would be the first thing I would check.

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OBjet cartridges are insanely expensive, and the printheads require regular replacement and maintenance. Without a service contract, it’s nearly impossible to get parts, and they give ZERO support for EOL’ed machines. ( kind of like FormLabs )

The 460 pictured here is the 3DSystems one – a powder printer. The powders and binder expire quickly and the color inks for this printer cost as much as you’d expect – much more than what inkjet ink costs!

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PTSD flashbacks of using objet printers

unless your willing to sink thousands of dollars per year just for it to sit in the corner, run away.

Objet is a good brand for industrial printers, however at my job our engineers are actively avoiding it preferring using the formlabs printer.

My rule of thumb for cost is as follows.
Something that would cost $1 of material on a FDM printer
Formlabs will cost $12
Objet Resin will cost $55

(that also looks like a powder printer which will get dust everywhere.)

The service contract is on the order of $3500/year, the print heads are considered a consumable costing $1500/head/year etc.

Sorry, “objet” was a brainfart on my part.

I remembered the inkjet-cartridge-and-starch printers being called something else before they were acquired by 3D systems, and for some reason “objet” popped into my head. It’s definitely not one of those.

They were made by ZCorp - what where they called?

It’s a moot point now that the auction’s closed, but I’m wondering if $650 would have been a good deal or an the start of an unending money pit. I’d completely forgotten about vendors being weird about selling materials to customers without maintenance contracts. No to mention the fact that the starch models were basically only good for aesthetic purposes (though they were pretty good at that)