With all due respect, It’s a faster process than 3D printing for some applications, and can do some things a 3D printer can’t. It may not be for everyone, but if it improves more than one members’ productivity, I still think it would be a benefit to the space. If it’s against the better interest of the board and the committee, then I will have to foot the bill myself, which I have already done frequently and often during the course of my membership. It’s something I personally need right away, and in accordance with the purpose of Makerspace at large, I thought it would be a benefit to bring to your attention.
No worries, David. Apparently a lot has changed since I started with Makerspace. The specificities of an individual’s work was not the subject of so much scrutiny to be a participating member. I am a little shocked and dismayed over the interrogation and the derogatory nature with which my suggestion has been received. I have been working nearly a decade to get my small business off the ground and have chosen not to outsource for personal, financial, and intellectual issues. This is not the first time I have had to go back to the drawing board to re-engineer an issue because a process I thought was available was in fact outside my learning curve. For once, I know that is not the case, and I can offer proof that this process is actually faster, cheaper, and more versatile than a 3D printer for some applications. My work is proprietary. I neither want nor need to share details of my manufacturing process. At the end of the day, I just want to get the job done and not have to argue about it., hence the sarcastic retort.
Looking forward to meeting new faces as soon as I get this done.
LNS technologies offers an affordable manual unit for $1800.00
AB Machinery has the next level up at a bit of a price jump. The AB-100 offers pneumatic injection, which means members can create multiple parts without physical exertion. This unit starts at $6500.00 https://www.abplasticinjectors.com/
With all due respect, you posted this as a job listing and asked for help making your widget, then pivoted to “Hey, DMS, buy this so I can use it to get my business off the ground.”
My work is proprietary. I neither want nor need to share details of my manufacturing process. At the end of the day, I just want to get the job done and not have to argue about it.
All that makes sense in terms of a startup business. It doesn’t make a lot of sense in terms of a community based shared-tooling workshop. If you’re playing with the cool tools, you’re going to have folks interested in what you’re doing, and sometimes even offering helpful advice once they see what you’re doing.
That is the whole purpose of Makerspace. Sharing of tools, knowledge, and experience is encouraged, not mandatory. Sharing the details of my product line is discretionary.
It appears that specific unit is designed for really small parts and with almost no automation it seems like it was designed as a teaching tool than a production tool.
That being said if you can’t get committee buy in it may be worthwhile to donate towards it for example match any donation for the equipment (Important to get storage approval first) to stir up interest.
Generally speaking DMS focuses on rapid prototyping and not production equipment but as this tool is unlikely to ever be used for production donating towards it may be the best method to see if you can stir up interest and that way a group can learn together.
If you have no interest in learning the injection molding process you likely will be best served to use a injection molding provider that can build your molds and perform the injection. This will likely be far cheaper and have better consistency than using something like the press you link.
Well, again, having used this exact machine at a makerspace, I feel the manufacturing benefit of it is virtually 0.
If some committee decides that the educational benefit is high enough, be sure to pick up a hot plate or similar to go with it, the mold will need to be heated separately to make parts. And don’t expect to change materials or colors once it’s loaded, cleaning out the hopper is virtually impossible (they claim you can ‘purge’ it, but we did not have much luck).
Edit: Oh, and it takes quite some time to reheat after a shot. I believe we were leaving it for ~10 minutes between attempts.
You asked for said scrutiny on your project when you asked for help on an injection mold process.
As for the derogatory nature, this line absolutely shows why you’re getting these types of responses:
This has been a show of someone who thinks they’re entitled to having a niche machine purchased because they have a personal project (a commercial personal project too) that needs it, and it’s not going to provide any benefit outside of your business.
No one has said a 3d printer is superior, but at the same time injection molding isn’t something in the maker realm. parts of the quantities stated to justify injection molding simply aren’t something for making at the space.
Then frankly, don’t ask for help here.
You mean you don’t want to defend why you think we should buy a machine only you are going to use, to benefit your business (which, as a non-profit, would be against the law for us to do).
Same reason we don’t make our own filament anymore, nobody wanted to do it and it’s not practical.
But, Liz, if you needed this yesterday, DMS is not the solution to your problems at this point. I’m sure there are 100 or 1000’s of job shops in China and in the US that can injection mold these quickly, some might even sign an NDA.
Hey Mitch - Could I meet with you to discuss injection molding? It seems you have a larger base of information about the process. The " I needed this yesterday " was euphamistic.
Honestly I’m not going to be of any help, sorry. I have never done it. Injection molding is like engineering in the dark arts, I’m not qualified here. If I was I’d probanly be making way more money and working overtime right now.
Seriously get a quote from Xometry.com and see the reality of what you’re asking.
