Hello to all i have some questions about shapeways or other 3d printing sites:

What formats are accepted? (par,sat,iges...etc.)
How much cost approximately WS&F Entire puzzle of an average size? (real cost, examples)
Shapeways can print empty pieces with wall thickness of 0.7 mm; what is the best way to create parts externally closed and internally empty?
There is a cheaper site?

Thank you all

RAfael

What formats are accepted? (par,sat,iges...etc.)
- File formats: DAE, OBJ, STL, X3D, X3DB, X3DV and WRL

How much cost approximately WS&F Entire puzzle of an average size? (real cost, examples)
- 100 to 200 USD depending on volume; the pricing is 1.50 USD per cm3 (plus $1.50 startup cost). If your puzzle is large enough and the parts are densely stacked (so there is at least 1 cm3 of model material in each cm3 of bounding box) the cm3 cost is reduced to only $0.75 but the startup cost is raised to $16.50. This works out to be cheaper.

Shapeways can print empty pieces with wall thickness of 0.7 mm; what is the best way to create parts externally closed and internally empty?
- You can't make closed, hollow parts. If you design a part to be hollow on the inside it will be filled with powder. You need to add one (preferably two or more) escape holes so Shapeways can remove the powder. If you want your parts to be solid you can make the hole very tiny (0.01mm) and the powder will be trapped inside but this is not recommended because it makes the dye act funny.

There is a cheaper site?
- No, Shapeways is by all means the cheapest provider of SLS printing.

I know this has changed over time... currently, is there a problem with doing this? Will you be charged for the full volume?

You don't get charged if you leave a tiny hole connecting inside to out - does not need to be large enough to let the powder out. It's a software limitation, trapping powder is allowed by Shapeways.
I would avoid doing it though, I don't like the feel of trapped powder pieces and after dying the pieces keep releasing dye residue.

Hello, thank you both for the explanation and the question,
for me isn't a problem make a hole in all parts, i'm not making a new puzzle,
only a shape modification I wasn't able to finish by hand.
i have other problems, i will update to them tomorrow.

Many thanks
Rafael

So if you don't leave a hole, what happens? Does the software delete the empty interior volume, charging you for the full volume? If so, it's a shame -- there shouldn't be any downside to power completely trapped by solid nylon, right? It would be nice to be able to make solid pieces.

Yep, you get charged for the full volume.
You can make the hole 0.01mm (perhaps smaller, but this works fine) and it will still work. The hole will be too small to print (it will be solid) and all the powder will be trapped inside, but you won't be charged for the full volume. It's because of the software that they use to calculate volume.

So... in this circumstance, does Tom's concern about dye residue still apply?

Yes, particularly in this instance. It's not as bad as I make it seem but I try to avoid it. Oskar does it all the time.

standard cube 3 * 3 * 3 - 57mm: cost $ 65
There is no optimization. it may be worth $ 45:)
http://www.shapeways.com/model/176243/g ... ining.html

thank you to all, if i understood well:

1)Format allowed: DAE, OBJ, STL, X3D, X3DB, X3DV and WRL;
2)Shapeways can print empty pieces with wall thickness of 0.7 mm but for make this they must fill the internal pats with powder, we can make a hole a thin hole or more, to bring out the dust that remains trapped inside;
3)If you leave also a small hole "bandwidth" shapeways don't charge you the full price volume, powder inside makes the piece stronger;
4)A standard cube 3 * 3 * 3 - 57mm: cost $ 65;

HELP
1) i use Solid edge, and i have coverted the .par file to .stl but shapewais make some issues they can't accept because actual measurements (in mm) are changed and then tells me that the pieces can be printed it as too small.

2) I didn't understand this: the pricing is 1.50 USD per cm3 (plus $1.50 startup cost). If your puzzle is large enough and the parts are densely stacked (so there is at least 1 cm3 of model material in each cm3 of bounding box) the cm3 cost is reduced to only $0.75 but the startup cost is raised to $16.50. This works out to be cheaper.

4) How many cm 3 for the 3x3x3 it is empty inside how thick are the walls if empty?

This is the transformation that I have almost finished the tetrakis hexahedron 4x4x4
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=21943

I have a quick question. does the number of orders in your cart make a difference in the price as long as it is past the minimum price? I want to put a puzzle on my shapeways shop and I want to make sure its as cheap as possible. the puzzle can easily be ordered with 1 core set and 10 sets of pieces (the same set ordered 10 times) but i can reduce the number of sets if i organize it differently. should i do that?

Well you have to pay $1.50 per model so that's $15 more than if you jam them into one. Also with density discount this can charge you even more.

O ok thanks! I will probably reorganize the puzzle so it can be purchased for a little bit less.

Hello,

...Waiting replies...
Thank you

Best regards
Rafael

Hello, here's my issue i have problem with my design, i have already controlled the meausure but for me is ok i can't understand:

""Hi ,

We're sorry, but there was a problem with processing your design called 'Vertice modificato'. It didn't pass all the checks that we run to make sure a design is printable. Here's the error message:

Your design is too small!

The size is 0.10 x 0.10 x 0.10 cm / 0.04 x 0.04 x 0.04 inch (h x w x d). We can only produce products larger than 0.25 x 0.25 x 0.03 cm / 0.10 x 0.10 x 0.01 inch (h x w x d). Please rescale it to make it larger.""

Someone could help me?
Best regards
Rafael

Maybe you specified the wrong kind of units? When uploading an STL file, you must choose between inches, mm and cm depending on how you modeled your object. Maybe your file was made in inches/cm but when uploading you selected mm?
See also: http://www.shapeways.com/tutorials/erro ... nd_of_file

Hello, thank you very much, i have uploaded the file with mm (the desing was made in mm an i've choosed mm in upload)

Is it designed to be 10 cm by 10 cm? When uploading just click mm instead of meters. If this doesn't work for you, you can try a free program called blender. Just open your stl and scale it to the correct size, then export it. Watch tutorials on this first before downloading it though, it might be too complex of a solution for what you need.

no it is designed in mm, in .par format, After that turned into .stl format with solid edge
Thank you i'll try,
Best regards rafael

Hello to all, all is ok, i have solve the issues using netfabb and i have the last question

when i order the pieces,
after 20 cm3 ws&f or Ws&f polished should not be discounted set-up costs?
or this is only and exclusively for the same piece? (not for the entire order);

many thanks to all those who helped me

Best regards
Rafael

The discount only applies to models, you must place all parts in one file to get the best price.

hello, thank you

and how to create a single file?
best regards

Hello, intend to draw the pieces into one file?
Thank you
Best regards
Rafael

Have you tried for yourself yet? You asked your question how to stack parts in one file 3 minutes after I suggested it, so it seems you couldn't have attempted it on your own in that time.

In any case, here is an example of what you want to do:

I have a question to add to the discussion:

With WSF, what is the minimal spacing to ensure that pieces do not fuse together in printing?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t shapeways arrange them?