Time for Prusa to print SLS MMU/MK3 parts?  

Re: Time for Prusa to print SLS MMU/MK3 parts?

How many SLS printers they would need to fullfil the demand? Hundreds...

Re: Time for Prusa to print SLS MMU/MK3 parts?

How many SLS printers they would need to fullfil the demand? Hundreds...

True, high demand is problem, but its not about hundreds of sls printers, rather few-tens large scale EOS systems running simultaneously such as P770 can make rapidly hundreds of parts.
If its still not possible to fullfil demand, it'd be cool to see at least stress sensitive parts to be SLS printed.

Re: Time for Prusa to print SLS MMU/MK3 parts?

Will the sl1 serve to make your own? That would sell a couple.

Re: Time for Prusa to print SLS MMU/MK3 parts?

Will the sl1 serve to make your own? That would sell a couple.

I am speaking about nylon powder SLS prints which are more suitable for 3d printer parts, than brittle UV resin SLA prints.

Re: Time for Prusa to print SLS MMU/MK3 parts?

I am speaking about nylon powder SLS prints which are more suitable for 3d printer parts, than brittle UV resin SLA prints.

More expensive without direct benefit to the company.

Re: Time for Prusa to print SLS MMU/MK3 parts?

I thought one of the reasons for the I3 printer farm is that it alows Prusa to see where problems develop and solve them?

Re: Time for Prusa to print SLS MMU/MK3 parts?

How many more iterations will they need of, say, the z-axis mounts before they are ready to be injection molded?

7 years not long enough to finalize the development?

Re: Time for Prusa to print SLS MMU/MK3 parts?

How many more iterations will they need of, say, the z-axis mounts before they are ready to be injection molded?

7 years not long enough to finalize the development?

It's not about iterations only. PR is printing this parts in-house with their own printers. It's a pure business decision with all the advantages and disadvantages.

Re: Time for Prusa to print SLS MMU/MK3 parts?

How many more iterations will they need of, say, the z-axis mounts before they are ready to be injection molded?

7 years not long enough to finalize the development?

It's not about iterations only. PR is printing this parts in-house with their own printers. It's a pure business decision with all the advantages and disadvantages.

And yet the excuse is "so they can see where problems develop and solve them". So how do you solve a problem with a part without an interation?

You're supposed to make business decisions which are actually to your advantage.

1. It's important for the Z-axis mounts to be accurate and strong. 3d printing them does not achieve this.
2. By 2019, it should be a stable part. I mean, it's obviously not, but it should be.
3. Printing those parts is more expensive, more time consuming, produces worse parts, and chews up farm resources that should be dedicated to a part where printing has a higher value-add. Remember, this is the company that can't even provide printed parts with their upgrade kits.

If not iterations, what possible business argument are you making here, other than the fact that it's a business and so businesses make business decisions, which by now hopefully everyone realizes is a completely circular argument?

Please affirmatively cite the advantage tying up printers (and humans) on such parts.

Re: Time for Prusa to print SLS MMU/MK3 parts?

1. It's important for the Z-axis mounts to be accurate and strong. 3d printing them does not achieve this.

I can print pretty strong and pretty accurate z-axis mounts. Because I have the option to choose the method and material, I can even produce stronger parts then the molded ones which are usually being provided by the (chinese) componies. If you want to discuss molded vs 3d printed parts in general, then I'm out.

2. By 2019, it should be a stable part. I mean, it's obviously not, but it should be

This is exactly where PR made the best business decisions. Everything is open source. There is no dead line for development. As long as people see a need in improving parts, they're doing it and at some point PR is taking it over.

3. Printing those parts is more expensive, more time consuming, produces worse parts, and chews up farm resources that should be dedicated to a part where printing has a higher value-add. Remember, this is the company that can't even provide printed parts with their upgrade kits.

Ok... if you don't see any benefits, I can tell you what I see.

1. Price per part: factory molded parts are only cheaper if you have a mass production. Prusa is maybe reaching the quantity now where you can reach a break even point with the MK3. 1k printers of the same type is just 1k parts of the same parts. It's not much. It's not like Prusa is shipping every week 10k printers.

2. Current parts are designed to be printed. If you want to mold them, you maybe need to redesign them. Because PR wants us do be able to produce those parts by yourself, they have to provide two different design parts.

3. This is the company which provides upgrade kits, even for the older hardware. Just look how much effort they put into offering options for old customers. MK2 -> MK2S -> MK2.5

And I don't even mention the image benefit: It still follows the original idea of self replicating machine. It's only for the plastic parts, but if you take it away, it will be gone completely.