3DPRINT Multiple Pieces in Steel and Save Money

I love 3d printing and many of my projects I print them in my house. But for some projects I use the 3d printing services that can be found on the internet. I mostly use Shapeways, (marerial: stainless steel).

In this design that I show you here I found a problem, that the price increases with each piece. To solve it, I tried to print all the individual pieces as one. I hope you like the result.

Step 1: Union Between Pieces

Join the pieces by 2mm thick wires, rounding the end that joins the piece. introduce this round part in your piece up to the distance indicated in the images. My piece are 2mm thick wires.

each piece has two points in which it is attached. For very large pieces, I would need more union points. observe that the final structure is closed, to give it more structural strength and that it can print so.

Step 2: Union Between Pieces

Here I give you an idea of how to make the same union but in a flat area of the piece. Make a hole 2mm in diameter and 0.5mm deep. place the union of step 1 at the distance indicated in the photo and round the edge of the hole with a radius of 0.5mm.

In this way the breakage area that you can see in the photo would be below the plane.

Step 3: Difference Between Printing 15 Pieces or 1 Single Piece

In the photos you can see the prices, in matte gold steel, which is the one I use the first time.

One piece costs 10.79 euros. so 15 pieces would be 161.85 euros.

15 pieces printed as one costs 25.78 euros

the difference: 136.07 euros

It's a good money saver, I think.

Step 4: Final Result

Here you can see the result. the area of break is very clean, it is not necessary to sand or polish. although you can do it if you want. the only tool that was used were pliers, using them from the back, by the area of the handle so as not to damage the surface of the pieces. I leave a video where I show how to do it. it is not necessary to see it whole, it is very boring and repetitive.

Greetings and thank you