Tiny Threads

Hey guys,
I‘m new to 3D design and would like to start learning how to design and print my own jewelry in silver or gold.
I‘m wondering, if it‘s possible to design & print little threads, such as in piercings or if such small things are to tiny to design in shapr or print afterwards.
Just „in general“. :wink:

Thanks for your help :v:t3:
Danny

Define little? Shapr can. But most printer that we can afford can’t

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f.e. an ear stud with 16-12 gauge ( 1.2 -2mm diameter) with a short thread at the end and a matching zylinder with an inner thread.

Can’t do that with FDM. Too small. I’d even wonder if SLA would handle that.

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SLA could handle it. Biggest draw back to SLA is the size of the beds are what get expensive. Tolerances get down to fractions of a millimeter. I printed parts that snug fit air tight by shrinking faces by 0.2mm and it made all the difference. I have an MSLA printer if you want to test prints here and there just send me a fully supported file. I hate optimizing supports in Chitubox and am praying to the lord Shapr3d implements that feature.

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Thank you so much for your help. I had to google a lot of things, as I’m so new to this field, I didn’t even know, that there are different types of printers/ printing methods. :slight_smile:
I would love to purchase my own printer one day,
but for the moment, I think it’s best to rely on producers like shapeways and concentrate on the design process.
I looked up their material information for gold and silver, but when I understand them right, they can’t produce as small as I would like to.
f.e. for a cylinder with an inner thread
the min. measurement are 0.8mm for each wall = 1.6mm

  • 0.4 for the thread embossing/engraving on each side = 2.4mm
    and for the escape hole inbetween 2.0mm or 4.mm (depending if it’s a single hole or with 2 “exits”),
    = so 4.4mm to 6.4mm would be the full diameter of the cylinder.
    (if my math is right …)

No problem. I’m new to this too. I’m still learning shit and making more mistakes than successes. I didn’t really sanity check those dimensions when you put it like that. SLA printers can get insane details but the level of detail and cost are linear.

For something that small it wouldnt be worth the time and effort to try to print, it could work in theory, but you’d be better off buying a tap and die set and adding the threads in the good old fashioned way.

The newer monochrome LCD SLA printers are affordable, but you are limited by the resolution of the LCD that the curing light is shone through.