I can 3D print too

I’ve done assignments from school on 3d printing, but I only know so much about it

it prints the object a layer at a time, exactly how you tell it to(unless it messes up),

with injection molding, you, obviously, inject liquid plastic into a mold, which causes the blend/marbling when using two colors.

Basically all colour variation on a 3D print is going to have to be a texture on the uploaded model, but the problem then is that limits the usable materials to sandstone and the full-colour plastic.

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Does 3d printing allow things to be printed in colour or just in white?

The answer to that question is basically that it depends.
Extrusion printers can print in any colour you have filament in, while laser powder printers tend to go for either black or white powder for mass printing, from what I’ve seen. UV curing resin printers can have any colour of resin, though by default those will be clear, and sandstone/color plastic prints will have full colour.

I wonder if printing will be able to make lego sets you can actually buy in the store that are only used with 3d printing

While it’s theoretically possible, the thing about 3D printing vs. mass production is that non-printing forms of production tend to always be better. A 3D printer is a complicated, slow mechanical system, while an injection mould only needs high pressure and heat to produce potentially better results faster. So it could be done, but it wouldn’t necessarily be the best way to go about making a product.

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I notice 3d printing has been used for the prototype 2015 toa masks

indeed, 3D printing is widely used for prototypes.

That’s true

The important word here being “Prototype.”

3D printing shines at making prototypes of things because the machines are so adaptable, all they need is a 3D model to print, which then makes it a much cheaper option than, say, CNC-ing out an entire injection mould for a part that may not even be used.

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I wonder if they’ll ever show prototypes of what the 2016 gearbox looked like

I get the impression that since it’s one of the more technic-y parts, it most likely never had any physical prototypes.

ok then

i tired printing pieces recently . . didnt turn out that well

Which pieces were these, and what material?

not sure what material , just some cheap stuff and the parts i tried to print were lewa’s 2001 axe and a custom piece

Never knew this existed lol, but I just got these 3d printed items.
http://board.ttvpodcast.com/t/toa-voriki/18328/2

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So for those of you who really enjoy your masks with a non-grainy, non-purple sort of plastic, the Voriki mask is now in black acrylate, which I hear is popular.

Spray paint is probably the way to go if you want it to somehow become purple.

By the Celestial Spires! Fantastic job! Love the texture used for the model.

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