Need Help!- inexpensive online rapid prototying service

[andrew888]

Hello everyone:

I want some small aluminum parts machined accurately but inexpensively from cad drawings. Do any you know of a good inexpensive online rapid prototying service. Any help will be appreciated.

Andrew

[mcphill]

Do you want aluminum, or do you want rapid prototype? I have a 3D printer (prints in ABS plastic) if you want to check fit and function prior to committing spend on machined parts. If you want me to quote your parts, e-mail me the files at mike(at)mcpii(dot)com.

[Matt@RFR]

Andrew, you've got your terminology wrong, which is going to cause confusion. Like Mike alluded to, "rapid prototyping" is done in plastics only.

If you go to the main forum page here, you'll see that we have a section dedicated to exactly what you're looking for.

One problem: "Accurately but inexpensively" is an oxymoron. When you post your RFQ (request for quote), please post a target price for your parts. Legitimate shops will not quote you if you're expecting something for nothing.

[andrew888]

Hello everyone, mcphil and Matt:

Prototyping technologies
Selective laser sintering (SLS) Thermoplastics, metals powders
Fused deposition modeling (FDM) Thermoplastics, eutectic metals.
Stereolithography (SLA) photopolymer
Laminated object manufacturing (LOM) Paper
Electron beam melting (EBM) Titanium alloys
3D printing (3DP) Various materials sugar etc
robocasting concrete, pottery slurry etc.
roboforming sheet metal

The field is rapidly changing, it is not done with only plastics.

I want a prototype.

One problem: "Accurately but inexpensively" is an oxymoron. When you post your RFQ (request for quote), please post a target price for your parts. Legitimate shops will not quote you if you're expecting something for nothing..

Your quote is insulting, I been here since 2004. I stand by my quote. thanks for your time before the insult.

"Accurately but inexpensively is an oxymoron." "if you're expecting something for nothing.."

mcphil, I will contact you privately, we might be able to work things out.

Andrew

[Matt@RFR]

Originally Posted by andrew888 Your quote is insulting, I been here since 2004. I stand by my quote. thanks for your time before the insult.

Huh. And here I thought I was being helpfull. I'll be sure not to make that mistake again.

[keebler303]

Originally Posted by andrew888 Hello everyone: I want some small aluminum parts machined accurately but inexpensively from cad drawings. Do any you know of a good inexpensive online rapid prototyping service. Any help will be appreciated. Andrew

You will see that your post was somewhat of an oxymoron. Rapid prototypes are not "machined".

You said help would be appreciated, guess not so much. Since you are able to copy and paste from google, try reading about how many places have SLS capability, and then how many of them can use aluminum. I am not aware of any machines which can prototype parts using aluminum. I think it would be a good challenge to find someone who provides "rapid prototyping" of aluminum, not machining.

I doubt aluminum will work for SLS or EBM for a few reasons:

1) High thermal conductivity means it will melt a blob, not a finite spot. Ever TIG welded aluminum? Can you make a tiny weld pool? I can't.

2) Fine aluminum powder oxidizes quickly, meaning you will be working with aluminum oxide powder, probably not going to work.

3) Aluminum is really reflective, the same reasons its not cut with lasers would make me think it wouldn't be used in SLS either.

Mentioning "inexpensive" twice in two sentences means you want cheap. As previously stated, there is no such thing as cheap AND accurate. I am also not aware of any rapid prototyping service, online or otherwise, which is "inexpensive", not in my opinion anyway. It fills a need but its not cheap. I have seen some nice parts come from Redeye. No experience with any other online places.

Was that helpful?
Good Luck
Matt