3D printing studio founder to give workshops at 3D Print Expo
According to the forecasts of Wohlers Associates Inc., volumes of the 3D printing software and hardware market will reach $17-20 billion by 2020. A promising three-dimensional printing industry is rapidly growing. Therefore, it requires new specialists. With the education system failing to keep pace with the increasing market needs, it is more efficient to explore 3D modeling and printing on our own.
Print Expo invites those desiring to gain real-life experience in 3D modeling, scanning, and printing to specialized workshops held by Artem Rodin, the founder of 3D-EX Studio. People wishing to discover how to work with advanced models of scanners and printers will learn Polygon X software and will be able to print three-dimensional figurines on their own.
About Artem Rodin
Artem Rodin runs both his own 3D-EX Studio and an educational laboratory of additive technologies. His educatory studio at the First Moscow Educational Complex allows teenagers to learn 3D printing aspects.
Artem started his career in the additive technology area with modeling and successfully cooperated with PICASO 3D. Afterwards, he bought his own 3D printer and decided to set up his own business.
Rodin has revealed how modern 3D printing studios operate and how they work on orders. Besides, he has shared the details of workshops that he will conduct at 3D Print Expo.
Operational concept of 3D printing studio
3D-EX has been existing for three years. First company customers were from Yakutsk. The order was express: we printed a figurine immediately and had to send it the next day. To deliver a product somewhere and in due time, Artem had to ask people at the airport for help (courier companies had no time).
3D-EX has regular customers and new clients, so the company is running as expected. Office life begins at 9 a.m. and employees go home at 7 p.m. However, sometimes we face force majeure where customers ask to complete the order as soon as possible. In such cases, the work is humming from morning till night, and Artem has to spend a night near 3D printers in order to control the process.
Indeed, equipment, unlike people, operates at nights as well. Employees coming in the morning check 3D printers and send created goods to further processing. Then, the process starts again: it includes order acceptance, negotiations with customers, pattern design, print activation, and final product issue.
According to Artem Rodin, the main challenge is that not all customers understand the concept of 3D printing. Sometimes they ask us to make a product until tomorrow, while the work requires a week.
Our colleagues also help to find orders, as Moscow has the whole community of 3D printing workers. They can join hands to work on a complex project or transfer orders to each other for a certain fee. It is profitable because all studios have different equipment and various specialists and possibilities. Therefore, sometimes it is better to give away an order that you cannot execute and receive a fee.
Artem believes that companies should buy six printers to compete successfully on the 3D printing market. The majority of these devices should print using plastics, and at least one of them should use photopolymer materials. Currently, 3D-EX has two dozens of printers but does not have a scanner, as scanning orders are quite rare for the company. If the team receives such an order, it is easier to rent required equipment.
3D printers in figures: five plastic printing devices generate 30 000 RUB per month; a single photopolymeric device provides twice as much. Plastic printing orders are more frequent, but production of photopolymeric goods is more expensive and complicated.
Customers usually ask to print certain details, components, gear wheels, and pieces of mechanisms. 3D-EX once received an order for 6000 small buttons, which had to be made ASAP. As the result, it took a week along with recalculation and packing.
Most uncommon and difficult orders of 3D-EX
The company produces not only household and industrial items. Artem Rodin admitted that some objects printed in his studio were sent into space. The 3D-EX founder has mentioned five most interesting orders that can be publicly discussed.
1. The Eye of the Abyss sculpture
This giant statue was ordered by a woman artist from Moscow. The 3D printed unusual sculpture is a copy of her work. It was produced part by part and then assembled together. Mermaid was completed in two weeks. Now, the sculpture is presented at world-renowned exhibitions.
2. Queen from Alice in Wonderland
Moscow-based bar ordered a printed figurine of Red Queen to decorate its interior. 3D-EX created the Queen in a week: the figurine was printed in separate elements, which were assembled and painted white. The pattern was developed by third-party designers, while bar designers were responsible for the color.
3. Weapons from Fallout
A replica of a laser from the Fallout game was ordered for a military role-playing game. This gun was based on the airsoft one. dditional elements were printed in 24 hours.
4. Truck for electric train
Sergey Chaynikov designed this 3D model on his own in order to participate in the 3D BOOM contest. The truck was printed in the 3D-EX studio using PICASO 3D Designer PRO 250. The main point was the development of additional supportive water-soluble elements. As the result, the boy’s work was recognized as the best one in the contest.
5. Tractor
A tractor body was printed specially for a robot platform. Production started from scratch: the team designed a pattern and unwrapping, and then printed stage-by-stage and painted the object. It was difficult to work with plastics for this figure, but the team succeeded. They presented a complete product to the customer in two weeks.
Program of workshops at 3D Print Expo
Rodin still cooperates with the company producing PICASO 3D and gives workshops using its equipment. 3D Print Expo will allow everyone interested to practice in three-dimensional printing on PICASO printers, in particular, Designer X PRO.
The device is equipped with two nozzles allowing to print using two materials at the same time. The process is based on JetSwitch technology. Besides, an inactive nozzle leaves no marks on objects. This printer is able to print water-soluble supportive elements for complex constructions.
Workshops will be carried out on both days of the event: October 12-13. They will be divided into two sections: one for beginners and another for advanced users.
A workshop for newcomers will start at 10 a.m. on the first and second days. Guests will learn how to cope with hardware and software, print objects using off-the-shelf patterns, as well as discover why one needs 3D printing and what customers want.
Lessons for advanced users will begin later: at 2 p.m. on both days of the exhibition. Attendees will learn how to work with Designer X PRO and Polygon X software. Moreover, they will figure out how to adjust a 3D printer on their own. Participants will be also engaged in modeling and 3D printing. Besides, Artem will tell the audience how to start your own 3D printing business.
You can register to the workshop on the 3D Print Expo website. If you register in advance, a ticket will be cheaper than during the event. The price also includes the attendance of the exhibition.
3D Print Expo is a major event dedicated to the development of additive technologies. It will consist of specialized lectures and the drawing of valuable prizes such as Vortex Dual 3D printer.
