29 replies to this topic

[Alza]

interesting 

[AntsAnonymous]

Been a while...Wondering if you have any updates lately? I just bought a 3D printer and plan on designing my own modular design.  Did you use PLA or ABS?

[drtrmiller]

PLA is fussy for parts that must fit together, but you can work out the tolerances so the type of plastic matters less.

 

What 3D printer do you have, and does it have a heated bed?

[AntsAnonymous]

I got a Robo3D R1. Yes it has a heated bed. Planned on using ABS.

[drtrmiller]

I have very good results with Gizmo Dorks HIPS filament, which is what I use for a number of products I sell—I've gone through about 20 pounds of the stuff.  If you have problems with ABS or HIPS warping, use Build Tak.

[AntsAnonymous]

Do you finish your products? Acetone for ABS or limonene for HIPS? Or are your customers happy with the unfinished look?

[drtrmiller]

As long as the layers are even, I'm happy, and I don't think customers mind.  I've had nothing but compliments about the appearance of the new GroTube XL.

 

[AntsAnonymous]

Hope you don't mind me asking, but what software do you use to do the 3d modeling?  I understand if you don't want to give away trade secrets  I like the pattern on that, might even add a little grip to it when handling. Hope you don't mind a little friendly competition either.  I plan on selling mine once I get a design down. I want to figure out a vertical design that remains modular, for those with less space.

[drtrmiller]

Hope you don't mind me asking, but what software do you use to do the 3d modeling?  I understand if you don't want to give away trade secrets  I like the pattern on that, might even add a little grip to it when handling. Hope you don't mind a little friendly competition either. I plan on selling mine once I get a design down. I want to figure out a vertical design that remains modular, for those with less space.

You should develop products as contributions to our research on the byFormica website!

I'm developing the business as a community-owned and operated venture, and users who create products manufactured and sold by byFormica earn up to 80% of the profit generated from the sale of the final commercial item, per the Community Content page.

Also, I've begun the early stages of iterating a vertical nest assembly for the upcoming GlassBox formicarium. I don't have any public details yet, because it is in the very early stages. Most of what I have published to the byFormica website is "settled" or highly developed ideas.

All the final work I do will (eventually) be documented publicly, however the use by others outside the compensation model, is described here.

Trust me, this is not a business you want to delve into alone, unless you have an infinite amount of free time, skill, and money, and don't mind barely breaking even on the best of days.

To answer your question, AutoCAD Inventor is the parametric modeling tools I and others use to model industrial designs like what I produce.

Edited by drtrmiller, April 3 2024 - 8:44 AM.

[Foogoo]

Yeah, I changed to just getting covers cut. I started to become concerned with even though I was trying to keep something close to his design. It would still require a few iterations to get right, and the cost was not going to be cheap. Where I do have a 3D printer.

 

I am glad I did, as P. advenus isn't taking to this formicarium well. I think the chambers are to tall. I am using a 10w LED spotlight, but they still stick to their test tube. So going to cut some height out of the design, and see if that helps.

Any update on your designs?