I love seeing manufacturing and 3d printing in mfg settings. I work in mfg (not 3d printing, sadly).

  • pelespirit@sh.itjust.works
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    11 months ago

    This is a great video. Here is my best guess for the process, but I’m not a 100%

    • Use weird mouse to make design
    • Use a water soluble adhesive so the filament sticks
    • Clean up edges with a torch
    • Put resin in for stability and UV cure
    • Put color resin in for front look and UV cure
    • Put really cool LED tape on that I would love to have the source for
    • Hang
    • sylver_dragon@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Put really cool LED tape on that I would love to have the source for

      This stuff is available from Amazon and probably cheaper on Aliexpress. I have a roll of white LEDs with a sticky backing, which is a lot like the stuff used in the video. I also recently ordered this stuff which is a UVA LED with a sticky backing. My plan being to try and pair it with glow in the dark PLA to get a nice glow effect.

    • EmilieEvans@lemmy.ml
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      11 months ago

      This is likely a Piocreat Creatwit K8 printer (Creality sister company) even though it’s labeled Smart3D.

      What soluble adhesive to use depends. PVA slurry is certainly an option.

      The resin is also there to help with light diffusion.

      Not into sign making but I guess the colored front is required as epoxy resin yellows over time and with colored resin this isn’t visible. There are other options than epoxy resin but those cost more.

      Those LED tapes aren’t special. Search for bendable LED strip.

    • NOPper@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      There are a few variety of that LED strip, and I use em for all sorts of junk. Just built a big backlight piece for my living room with maybe $80 worth. Look for WS2812 and you’re on your way to multiple varieties using the same chips!

  • TootSweet@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    All that white filament. They must go through a lot of nozzles.

    Though it’s hard to see from the video whether they’re using something special like a ruby-tipped one or whatever. Also, maybe a wider nozzle makes a difference.

      • Pennomi@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        Titanium Dioxide is fairly abrasive, and it’s one of the most common white pigments. It could be something else though, that’s just my best guess.

  • kizzard@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Awesome video, very cool to watch FDM 3D printing used in a modern manufacturing process. That said I don’t think “Mass producing” is the correct term here. A boutique sign company offering custom, chiefly handmade signs (after the printing is complete) is the opposite of mass production: A lot of work is going in to each of these and they probably aren’t churning them out.