Miniatures and small figures can be printed using 3D printers. When you have a large 3D printer at home, the possibilities are endless. Replicating large objects is simple when using a large 400x400 mm or 300x300 x 400 mm device. Alternatively, you could invest in a large format 3D printer (600x600x600 mm) and use it to print 3D cars and boats, furniture for your home, life-size statues, and actual dog houses.
Take a peek at Jeremy Harrison’s creative Halloween display project, which is aimed at Gambody enthusiasts. He decided to use his Artillery Sidewinder X1 and CR-10S Pro to 3D print a massive AT-ST Walker. 300x300x400 mm (11.8×11.8×15.75 inches) is the size of each of their build volumes.
How to Pick a Large 3D Printer
Choosing a large build volume 3D printer can be challenging, especially if you’re on a tight budget. It ought to be user-friendly and dependable. Naturally, the build volume is the key component that determines whether a machine is successful or unsuccessful.
Since print bed sizes vary, we’ll start with a 3D printer that we classify as “large.” Based on our testing of all the noteworthy printers available today, we typically identify four categories for printer sizes: There are four different sizes available for build areas: small, 180 x 180 mm; standard, approximately 250 x 250 mm; mid-size, approximately 300 x 300 mm across the build platform; and large-format, 400 x 400 mm and larger.
Large-scale production The difficulties faced by 3D printers are made worse by their size. To sustain its weight and build, not to mention the stresses from heavy moving parts during the printing process, the construction must be incredibly sturdy. The motion system’s ability to control the large moving print bed’s inertia will also depend on the printer’s design. Alternatively, if outfitted with updated firmware, completely eliminate vibrations during printing to achieve rapid, high-quality printing. Industrial 3D scanners are also used by businesses.
Bracing and brackets to stop playing in the printer’s frame are good indicators to look out for because stability throughout the height of the print volume is also essential.
How to Create Large Models with Large Volume 3D Printer
Step 1: Splitting Your Model
We suggest the following two approaches for splitting models: Include elements in your design that will let the prints align themselves, or divide the parts into straight cuts so that you have to align them when you’re fastening them.
Whichever approach you decide on, it’s a good idea to give each part a unique identification (letters or numbers) if you have a lot of parts. This will aid in solving the puzzle when assembling it.
Add Aligners
Split your 3D model using your favourite CAD program, then add simple aligners like slots, pins, grooves, recesses, and lips, or more intricate ones like dovetails and cuts that match the model’s natural creases. Aligners can be incorporated into a design to facilitate part assembly.
In an ideal world, these aligners would make it easy to align and assemble your parts, but if they differ even slightly from your 3D models and don’t line up precisely, problems may arise. Thus, if your printer is unable to print parts that are dimensionally accurate and unlikely to warp, do not use aligners.
Use Straight Cuts
It requires less design work to split your 3D model along straight lines than it does to add aligners. Straight cuts are also more accommodating when prints come out slightly warped or have more dimensional variation in general. During assembly, you can solve the puzzle by giving each part an identification number. Straight cuts have the drawback of being labour-intensive to assemble because each component must be manually aligned and held in place until the adhesive has completely bonded.
Step 2: Printing Your Model
The stereolithography (SLA) method of 3D printing produces fully dense parts by default. When 3D printing large objects, this might not be necessary, depending on your design. In these situations, hollowing out your design or 3D printing the outer shell are excellent ways to save a significant amount of both time and material. Make sure to include venting holes when printing hollow models with an SLA 3D printer to prevent pressure volumes from being created by resin and air.
