3D printing has become an enormous resource with both consumer and industrial uses. Anyone can benefit from this exciting creation method, whether they’re printing for a personal project or working with 3D printing technology professionally. However, you might wonder, “What’s the difference between amateur and industrial 3D printing?” Here’s how commercial 3D printing differs from hobby printing.
Heat Chambers
Commercial printers typically have heat chambers that heat and cool materials like plastic to create parts. These chambers regulate temperatures to prevent your materials from warping or deforming. On the other hand, hobby printers might not have a temperature control system as complex as their industrial counterparts. This means that consumer printers might struggle to create large, intricate projects that an industrial printer could easily complete.
Support Removal
Another way that commercial 3D printing differs from hobby printing is the presence, or absence, of support removal. Some projects require extra structures to help hold pieces together until they are complete. Hobby printers can only create support structures from the same material as the project, which means the user must remove it manually. However, commercial printers can use more than one material at once and usually operate with dissolvable materials to make removing supports simple.
Material Options
One of the perks of 3D printing is that many materials out on the market are compatible with these devices. Commercial printers can utilize significantly more materials than hobby printers. But consumer printers must use materials that don’t require any post-processing. Other materials are only compatible with industrial printers that meet the right conditions and have specialized functions.
Price and Efficiency
Even though they’re similar, hobby printers and commercial printers serve different purposes. As such, they differ in price and efficiency levels. Beginners and hobbyists need printers that are easy to use and cost less, whereas professionals need something with more technological features. Lower prices on hobby printers mean that they might not be as efficient. Commercial printers may cost more but perform faster and last longer.
At 3D Printers Depot, we’ve made it easy to buy 3D printers online without hassle. Contact us today, and we’ll assist in pairing you with a printer that will fit all of your needs.