Ultimate 3D now Finishing 3D Printed Parts
Finishing 3D Printed Parts
We have teamed up with a world class Painter/Finisher to help bring your prototype and production parts to life. Finishing 3D printed price.
We offer a full spectrum of colors, once the color is decided you can chose a finish from Flat to Full Gloss finishes.
Your parts are sanded smooth, then filler primer is applied. At this point the parts are wet sanded. Then the color of choice is sprayed on. Once the color is on, a clear coat is applied in the desired finish (Flat to Full Gloss).
If you have a proof-of-concept project that you need in a hurry, we can print the parts in a week. They painted in a matter of days and shipped to you overnight!
The project below was printed in our SLS machines using Nylon 12 material. The parts also received 2mm heat staked threaded inserts for assembly purposes.
Our mission is to provide 3D printing customers with extraordinary products and services from a team that loves doing their job. We want people to be excited about 3D printing with us.
WHAT WE DO
It is called “rapid prototyping” for a good reason. Once your CAD file ready, we will usually print your parts within three to four days – faster if necessary.
(Higher volume orders may require extra time).
We specialize in high quantity production parts and are very competitive with injection molding on lower volumes. It is possible to make thousands of one part faster and lower priced than injection molding when you amortize the cost of tooling into the part cost in many cases.
We can print parts that cannot be injection molded, due to under-cuts, hollows, holes on an angle and complex geometries.
We gladly review all models for printability and cost effectiveness and give constructive feedback for your benefit.
Ultimate 3D Has Expanded
Our New Prodways P4000X printer has arrived and is up and running!
What does this mean for you? It means we can print twice as many parts keeping
our outstanding lead-time to 1 week or less.
From the beginning we have situated ourselves to be your number one supplier of 3D Printed parts, this is our way of staying at the top of your supplier list.
Our mission is to provide 3D printing customers with extraordinary products and services from a team that loves doing their job. We want people to be excited about 3D printing with us.
It is called “rapid prototyping” for a good reason. If you have your Cad file ready, we will usually print your parts within three to four days – faster if necessary.
(Higher volume orders may require extra time).
We specialize in high quantity production parts and are very competitive with injection molding on lower volumes. We can make thousands of one part and are faster and lower priced than injection molding when you amortize the cost of tooling into the part cost in many cases.
We can print parts that cannot be injection molded, due to under cuts, hollows, holes on an angle, complex geometries.
We gladly review all models for printability and cost effectiveness and give constructive feedback for your benefit.
Do you create CAD models?
While we have extensive experience and understand CAD, it is not the focus of our business. However, if you have the need for design work, several of our customers are also designers that we recommend for such services. If you have a model you need someone to look over to make sure it’s fit for printing, we can definitely do that and make suggestions when needed.
Can you print in color?
We don’t print with colored materials, but we can dye the finished products a variety of colors. We can also paint parts and apply hydrographic patterns.
What materials do you use?
Our standard material is Nylon 12, with composite variations.
Nylon 12 (durable white plastic)
Glass-filled nylon
Carbon fiber-filled nylon
Fire retardant nylon
Alumide (Aluminum filled Nylon)
* For more detailed information about our materials, check out the data sheets on our website – ult3d.hookdm.net
If you have a project that requires 3D Printing give us a call at 503-848-8227 we will gladly discuss the options for your project. Pricing will be determined after evaluation of each project. Prior to calling, email your models to quotes@ult3d.hookdm.net so we can look at them while we talk!
We are a friendly bunch and genuinely want to help!
Address: 5575 SE Alexander St, Hillsboro, OR 97123 (click to map it)
Seven Reasons Businesses Prefer Using 3D Printing for Production
You've probably heard. Many companies have switched over from traditional manufacturing, thrilled about the way 3D printing has streamlined their production processes. But those who are still warming up to 3D printing may have their reservations about how it can be used for end-use parts. Are the materials strong enough to create a durable part? Will the parts look professional? Is it really cost-effective? These are good questions to ask since quality and price are central to purchasing decisions.
Today, additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, is an excellent alternative to traditional manufacturing in a variety of situations. You can get durable, professionally finished parts, simplify the design process, gain better control of your inventory, and save a lot of money.
1. Rapid turnaround
Traditional manufacturing is a time-intensive process. Simple molds can often be completed in a few weeks, while more complex molds tend to take several months. On top of that, if you change your design, you have to wait out the tooling process again, which makes it hard to operate flexibly. In a sense, having 3D printing at your service makes you lighter on your feet and quicker to pivot, enabling you to respond to consumer demand, unforeseen market challenges, and technological developments.
2. Comparatively low costs
While 3D printing can absolutely cut costs compared to traditional manufacturing, it’s important to understand how 3D printing saves you money, and that it isn’t always more affordable. It really depends on your needs. The primary ways that you save money with 3D printing are through circumventing tooling costs—making product development significantly more affordable and low volume production a viable option. Depending on the functional use of your product, you may also save money on materials.
In addition, if you end up needing to adjust your product, traditional manufacturing requires that you pay expensive injection molding costs all over again. Using 3D printing for production, you don’t pay to change your product—except for any cost associated with creating a new CAD model of course. You pay for volume, not complexity or variety.
3. Production-grade materials
Obviously, 3D printing would be no good for end-use parts if the materials couldn't withstand normal use and even extreme conditions like high temperatures. That's what makes thermoplastics like nylon so great. Nylon is one of the most popular printing materials for production-level parts because it's strong, flexible, and highly tolerant to heat. You can also use different composites to achieve other product characteristics. For example, carbon-fiber and glass-filled nylon composites are popular among products built with SLS.
4. Highly controlled inventory
Predicting and managing inventory is a major task for any company. Excess inventory can absorb valuable space and capital, while lacking the proper inventory can cost sales and credibility. This is where 3D printing becomes extremely helpful, allowing businesses to control their inventory like never before. 3D printing allows suppliers in numerous industries to order additional parts very quickly, and in specific numbers. In addition to rapid manufacturing and custom order quantities, 3D printing enables companies to redesign or change their parts spontaneously, based on market needs.
5. Flexible volume
Most of the time, in order to have tooling done for your product, companies set specific volume requirements before they will make your molds. And it makes sense. Every business sector has to determine how to maintain their desired profitability based on their own technology and labor. The setback for designers and innovators is that they’re sometimes required to order a significantly higher volume of product than they need. They will certainly hope to sell all that product to make it worth the initial cost.
6. Simple or no assembly
Another reason business prefer to use 3D printing for production is that it often eliminates or reduces the need for assembly. Selective laser sintering (SLS) is a 3D printing method that prints objects in powder, creating a reliable support structure that enables parts to be built “inside of each other” without touching. You can imagine how this could eliminate the need for printing and assembling separate parts, instead allowing for the printing of functional products. Some fun and impressive examples include the 3D-printed cube with 28 working gears, and the fully assembled wind-up car, both printed using selective laser sintering and requiring no assembly at all. Whether you escape assembly altogether or simply create stronger designs with fewer pieces, designing for 3D printing is unique and opens up a world of experimentation and new possibilities in product development.
7. Domestic Production
People love to buy local products. If your product is affordable and made in the USA, this can help create brand loyalty and also give you better communication during the production process. Manufacturing is a totally different game when you can do it yourself or call up your manufacturer with questions and insights.
As you can see, 3D printing has created some amazing possibilities in the realm of manufacturing, making it an excellent alternative not only for prototypes but also for final production. If you have any questions about the technology or if 3D printing is right for your project, call us up and we’ll gladly give you a free consultation.
Happy printing,
5 of our Favorite Recent 3D Printing Projects
In recent years, 3D printing has been used to improve and even save lives around the world. It’s also been used to create some truly fascinating, though totally impractical products. The technology is just so versatile, and it’s amazing to see how designers and innovators in different industries are using it to change the world, whether they’re replacing limbs or just dropping jaws. Here are a few of our favorites from both sides of the coin:
- A Replacement Human Skull: Hands down, some of the coolest 3d printing feats have occurred in the realm of medical science. Last year, 3D printing was used to replicate a whole human skull in order to relieve a Dutch woman from pain and vision loss associated with a rare condition that caused her enlarged skull to press against her brain. Now with a plastic 3D printed cranium, her vision has returned and her symptoms are no more. Go science.
- A redesigned brace for scoliosis: It’s no secret that scoliosis, which affects an estimated 2-3 percent of the population, can make daily life very difficult for many people, starting at childhood. To our delight, 3D systems, headquartered in Rock Hill, South Carolina, has been working on a sleeker, more comfortable back brace called Bespoke, which young adults and children are actually excited to wear.
- Prosthetics for animals: There’s just something about helping our animal friends that has made even the most technophobic humans smile about 3D printing. Naturally, the numerous efforts to save the lives and lift the spirits of animals with 3D printed prosthetics make our list of favorites. From stories of Derby the dog who can finally run thanks to prosthetic front legs, to a penguin with a new beak at the Warsaw Zoo, we can’t help but feel warm and fuzzy.
- Mind-blowing fashion design: Many fashion designers have begun to shock and inspire the world by creating collections either partially or entirely from 3D printed materials. From Iris Van Herpen to Noa Raviv, one of our very favorites, designers are letting their imaginations run wild and taking new risks to explore the possibilities of 3D printing with clothing. Whether you’d ever see someone wearing some of these extravagant designs in public is a different story, but we’re just excited to see people having fun with it. Considering that 3D printed scoliosis braces exist, we can only imagine how else 3D printing technology will bring brilliant function into the wearable world.
- Working 3D printed cars: There’s no way we could leave the first working 3D printed car off the list. This electric car, called the Strati, took 44 hours to assemble, drives up to 40 miles per hour, and can travel more than 120 miles on a single charge. Quite impressively, the Strati has only 49 printed parts, while traditional cars typically have 5,000 to 6,000 parts.
Another noteworthy project came from the National Transportation Research Center at Tennessee's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which created a 3D-printed Shelby Cobra on a six-week timeline to be presented at the Detroit Auto Show. It takes an incredible amount of energy to manufacture a car, and using additive manufacturing is one of the most efficient ways to accomplish the task. The lab’s goal was to make the car look sleek and beautiful like an original cobra, experimenting with surface finish, energy absorption, and manufacturing speed. The result is glorious.
Will cars be 3D printed in the future? We wouldn’t bet on large-scale 3D printed auto production any time soon, but considering the energy efficiency of 3D printing over traditional manufacturing methods, there’s certainly reason to continue innovating.
We hope these innovations from the last year or so have inspired you. So what do you think? What have been some of your favorite 3D printing feats? Let us know in the comments below!