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But what is a stacked system? Essen-
tially, it means connecting several small-
er 3D printers instead of using just one
larger machine. The printers are normal-ly placed one on top of the other and
files can be sent to each of them using
the same interface, through a network or
a connected workstation.Although one 3D printer will let you
see how a model looks and works you
still need to wait between prints before
you can make any changes. But, with a
stacked system, you can set one idea
printing while you work on the next,
evolving the design as you go. You can
see how different ideas work, compare
them side-by-side and see how they
can be improved or combined in a way
no other manufacturing process can.Why have a stacked 3D
printer system?
Be it pen and paper or your chosen CAD
application, drawings of your design are
great for visualising your ideas. But it’s
only when you have the prototypes inyour hands that you can see if your de-
sign fits the brief.A traditional prototype will enable you
to get a good understanding of how
something will work, look, and function
before returning to the drawing board to
enhance the design. But there’s a wait in
between interactions, a wait that the use
of a 3D printer can reduce.Utilising a stacked system enables you
to repeat the prototyping process as
many times as you need until you per-
fect the item you’re working on. Having
two, three or more printers in a stack
enables you to set off a print to test one
area of the design while you continue to
work on another.A huge advantage is that you can test
ideas side-by-side. Say you’ve designed
a hinge, but you have two ideas for theFeature: Stackable 3D printer
A
nyone working in engineering will
know that it takes time to perfect adesign. The iterative process strives to
develop the initial idea through design
and prototyping until it reaches the
desired result. And, it’s not just engineers;
product designers, modellers, jewellers
and educators, for example, also have
ideas and designs that evolve. This is
where a stacked, desktop 3D printer
system comes in. Quite simply, stackable
3D printers enable you to test and refine
ideas in a way that hasn’t been possible
in the past using traditional modelling
and production processes.
A 3D printer on every
desktop: the key to faster and
more efficient iterative design