3D printing is changing the way we make things. From toys to furniture, 3D printers are opening up a world of possibilities for designers, engineers and consumers alike. With 3D printing, jewelry designers are able to produce designs that would be incredibly difficult to hand carve in the traditional manner. Breakthroughs in castable resins are setting new standards for the quality available through an affordable desktop 3D printer. Here are a few tips and tricks to achieve the best results when printing jewelry:
During the polishing stage there will be a material loss of around 0.2mm all around your model. For example, if you need your ring shank to measure 1.6mm finished, you will have to design and print the ring shank at 1.8mm taking into account it will be polished down to 1.6mm. It is key to focus on the thickness of the entire design to ensure it doesn’t go below the printer’s layer height capabilities.
It is important to build and boolean your model properly to have the best results and increase your casting success rate. This means having a watertight design which implies that there are no holes or non-manifold edges in your model. Using a design that is not properly built or repaired may lead to printing issues as well as casting issues.
