Completed Test Model - Evaluation

Turns out the test model was finished 3D printing 2 days earlier than the expected date, it was shipped out on the 4th Feb not the 6th and actually turned up today. It seems that Shapeways has a site in the Netherlands, so anyone purchasing from Europe is likely to have the model processed and shipped from there, rather than their USA base.

This is fantastic news for my expected completion dates as it takes no where near as long for models to arrive than I was anticipating. The test model arrived at my door almost 1 and a half weeks earlier than I was expecting it to!

Evaluating the model
Production Time / Shipping

This might not seem like an important factor to evaluate but it has some crucial implications for my work process and time management. Although I can't assume all future models will be turned around so quickly I now know that my models are likely to come from the Netherlands and not the USA, this means it shouldn't take as long for my models to turn up meaning I have more time to reprint models should something go wrong etc. I also now know that the models are packaged and delivered in a way which is unlikely to cause damage in transit, which has addressed some concerns I had about delicate models being damaged on route.

Material

The material I got the test model printed in is called "White Strong & Flexible", I originally chose this as its meant to be capable of printing high levels of detail and it is structurally strong. It also has the lowest requirements for printing detail (eg. 0.2mm for raised/imbedded details).

I am however unsatisfied with the finish it provides.

It is difficult to see from the photographs but the material has a very rough, powdery finish. Something that I think will be unsuitable to paint as I think the paint will just be absorbed into the model. I have considered trying to seal the model using a weak mix of something like PVA glue. This is something I will be experimenting with over the next few days. If I cannot find a way to effectively seal the model and make it suitable to paint I may not be able to use this material at all.

Details / Definition

One of the most important aspects of my model is the level of detail it has. I already know that I am limited by the process of 3D printing as to how much detail I can expect to get into the model and the minimum size this detailing can be.
Having met these requirements however, I was expecting a much better clarity when the model arrived.

I was unimpressed and honestly disheartened by the detail my 3D printed model actually had. Certain aspects are pretty good, such as the chains etc. But the majority of the model has lost almost all of the detail I had put into it. All the surface detail has gone although it may not have been deep enough in the first place.

There are a few factors I think are having an impact on the quality of the print. These include;
The way I made the model - I had to touch up several parts to make it suitable to print, however I only changed bits which were flagged up as too thin, I didn't make any alterations to surface detail which may have just been too small to print.
The material - Although capable of high detail levels the material prints in such a way that rounds off and minimizes detail, edges are rounded off and loose definition.

Moving Forward

I believe some issues can be fixed from better building of the model. Now I have a better idea of the printing process I know I need to make details bigger and more defined in order for them to print but this isn't necessarily going to give the definition I want.

Increasing the overall size of the model would no doubt lead to better printing but it also increases the cost dramatically.

Choosing a different material may increase the quality of print and is the next logical step to take as I'm not even sure I'd want this material even if it did have all the detail I wanted.