3D printing in Limburg

3D printing can be done by everyone, young or old.

You are probably wondering: why a 3D printer? Is it better than regular printing? What are the disadvantages? Or what are the advantages? You will find out today. Holding, feeling and smelling your drawn idea in reality? That is possible. You don’t need to purchase a 3D printer, because if you are our customer, you enjoy free access to our 3D printer, Prusa i3 MK3S. Working at your office while your idea is printing. It has never been so simple and easy.

At offiRent we have made a 3D printer available and we have even decided to make it freely accessible; come and see for yourself if you don't believe us!

1. What is 3D printing?

3D printing is producing three-dimensional objects based on digital construction drawings (which of course must first be in 3D). In principle, a very detailed print in 3D can be made of any desired object. Both companies and individuals can purchase one. A 3D printer offers many possibilities. It is said that in the future, everyone will have a 3D printer at home to print everyday items and objects.

2. What can you print with a 3D printer?

With 3D printing, you can go as far as you want. The list of things you can print in 3D keeps getting longer and longer over time. How about a case for your mobile phone? You can do that! Toys for your child? Those too! A new handle for your fridge because the old one broke? That is possible! Some objects will be harder than others, and perhaps a little more flexible too. This is down to the different filaments a 3D printer uses. In 2019, scientists created something truly incredible using a 3D printer: living things! Yes, you read that correctly. They used 3D printing to make the first small heart with human tissue. Complete with real blood vessels. It cannot beat yet, however. Scientists still need to develop that further.

3. What materials does our 3D printer use?

Nylon

The most commonly used material for drawing three-dimensional objects is nylon. With nylon, the applications are endless: from hard to flexible and from colourful to transparent. Nylon also has an excellent surface quality, making it a perfect filament for printing plastic gears, screws, nuts, bolts and cable ties 3D!

Polycarbonate

This material is often found in items such as packaging, display cases, pergolas, glazing, test and clamping moulds, and double-sided room dividers. Like nylon, polycarbonate is one of the stable plastics and is even up to 250 times stronger than glass! The material is therefore certainly suitable for machining such as milling, drilling, bending and sawing. Note: this material is not waterproof. This can be temporarily resolved by means of a temporary immersion in solvent.

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)

Just like nylon and polycarbonate, ABS is also a stable plastic and dissolves in acetone. You had already seen ABS much earlier and certainly in different colours, even if you don’t have a 3D printer at home – LEGO bricks! These are sturdy and durable. If your final product does not require post-processing, ABS is very suitable for that. Furthermore, ABS can be used for 3D printing children's toys, musical instruments, tables, chairs and housings. This material withstands high temperatures well!

Polylactic Acid (PLA)

PLA is a biological material derived from natural raw materials such as corn and sugar. This makes PLA very environmentally friendly compared to other materials, yet it is plastic. Compared to other filaments, PLA does not smell during printing. This material is also available in many colours. This filament is ideal for printing toys or products that can be printed at high speed. The surface of your final work is then certainly polished. On the other hand, PLA is more brittle than ABS and does not withstand heat as well.

Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG)

PETG is a strong and flexible material. It is an improved version of PET, the plastic used to make the bottles we use in everyday life, but has far fewer drawbacks than PET itself. PET is also the most widely used plastic in the world. The added glycol removes the brittle properties of PET and causes the material to crystallise. PETG filament is very strong, hard, flexible and resistant. In terms of functionality and reliability, PETG is the same as PLA. No odour is released during 3D printing either. PETG is waterproof and immune to chemicals.

High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS)

This filament is mostly used as support material for ABS parts since it closely resembles ABS in terms of properties. HIPS reacts to a different solvent – limonene. A combination of HIPS and ABS offers many possibilities. When using HIPS, you don’t have to worry about sanding, cutting or any other method that could damage your object. Of course, you can also choose to print with HIPS itself and not use it as support filament.

Polypropylene (PP)

PP is a technical plastic with some unique properties. Polypropylene is lightweight, flexible, strong, chemically resistant and food safe! In general – an almost unbreakable plastic. It is difficult to process as a material for a 3D printer because it often warps and has poor adhesion. So printing PP well is a challenge!

Ninjaflex TPE

TPE in general, compared to other filaments, stands out strongly due to its high elasticity (flexibility). TPE closely resembles rubber that is flexible at room temperature. If you want the highest degree of elasticity, choose NinjaFlex. You can print your objects in any desired shape, but at a lower print temperature and slightly slower speed than with other materials.

Laywood

With this wood filament, you can give your print a fantastic texture. 3D printing with laywood at lower temperatures results in a bright colour, while printing at higher temperatures produces a darker print. The printed wood looks rough. Laywood also has many properties, including low warping, similar durability to PLA, no preservative needed (wood loves moisture). You can also finish it as you wish: with paint, screws and sandpaper. You can even print the tree rings! Laywood is also environmentally friendly, as the filament is made from recycled wood.

Laybrick

Brick means stone in English, that's correct. Unfortunately, we cannot yet 3D print with real stone. Laybrick is a mixture of ground chalk and harmless copolyesters. The result is a material that looks and feels like sandstone. This can be used for 3D printing architectural models, maquettes, landscapes and figurines. It conveys the feeling a little better than cardboard.

BambooFill

BambooFill is a mix of standard PLA with bamboo fibres that makes your prints smell and feel like real wood!

Bronzefill

This is a filament filled with 80% bronze particles! This gives you a beautiful result with real bronze properties. It is quite heavy; even 3 times heavier than standard PLA. In reality, your 3D printed object feels as if it is made of bronze!

Acrylic Styrene Acrylonitrile

ASA is a 3D printable plastic that has properties comparable to ABS. It is essentially the UV resistant version of ABS. ASA is mainly known for this, but also for its weather resistance, high impact strength, and high temperature resistance.

T-Glase

This is a PET filament that offers a high degree of transparency. It is an excellent substitute for PLA with super low shrinkage properties, making it very easy to print large flat surfaces. T-Glase is very strong and durable but quite stiff, just like PLA and ABS. There are also no odours or fumes during 3D printing.

NylonX

Carbon fibre filaments use small fibres embedded in a base material to improve the properties of that material. Various popular filaments can be purchased with carbon fibre filling, including PLA, PETG, Nylon, ABS and Polycarbonate. These fibres are extremely strong and cause the filament to increase in strength and stiffness. This also means that the 3D printed parts will be much lighter and more dimensionally stable.