More and more companies are taking advantage of the possibility of producing consumer items using additive technologies. New production systems are adapted to the production of large series, maintaining the highest standards of quality and repeatability. An example illustrating the claim that 3D printing is not only fast prototyping is a project implemented with the use of Liquid Crystal Magna 3D printer, in which 675 pen cases were produced within twelve hours.
Liquid Crystal Magna is a 3D printer made by the British company Photocentric, a propagator of photopolymer 3D printers based on the use of LCD screens. What distinguishes Liquid Crystal Magna from other Photocentric devices is the relatively large working area (510 x 280 x 350 mm) and the high speed of 3D printing – this set of advantages will work both in rapid prototyping and mass custom printouts.
The device guarantees high precision and reliability, ensuring constant, high performance. The patented mechanism of peeling off subsequent layers performs its task using minimal force, which translates into small stresses. Thanks to this, very fast 3D printing of models and the use of supports with a small diameter of connection points with the object is possible.
The project involved the implementation of 675 pens for advertising purposes. To complete the order as quickly as possible, all pen models oriented vertically are placed on the work table. Due to the fact that this type of geometry does not require the use of very high precision, a 100 micrometer layer was used for printing.
The production uses Daylight Magna Concept in green, a material developed for printing jewelry models, figurines and other precise designs. The advantage of this resin is the ability to produce durable 3D prints from them, which is why it works well for creating utility items.
The large working area of the Liquid Crystal Magna, which goes hand in hand with high quality printing throughout the entire table meant that the entire production process took 12 hours. As for the price, the cost of consumable material per item was less than EUR 1.
