How to run your first BIG BATCH order. Start your printing farm

[Maurici]

So... I've had some major orders lately, of simple parts... but still orders of 1000 or 2000 parts, with turnovers of 500 parts a day... 

I do not run a printing farm, and my projects are normally single parts that currently are unobtainable in the automotive world rather than "batch printing" so... after quite a lot of reality checks, I think i do have now a rather efficient process.

If you run a print farm, this post isn't for you, just skip it.

I'll use my last order (that I've just delivered) as an example.

My setup: 

A MyCron 180x180mm

A switchwire 200x200mm

a Maxi cartesian 400x400mm

a Zero 100x100.

Analise the part and calculate individual print time, and material, and workout your hourly output with SEQUENCIAL printing. Don't ever do layer by layer plates... if the print gets screwed, you will lose 1 part, otherwise, you will lose your whole plate.

an example of my current output for this project:

16 parts in the maxi cartesian. 2h print time

9 parts in the switchwire. 55 minutes print time

12 parts in the mycron. 55 minutes print time.

4 parts in the zero, 30 minutes print time.

my output every 120 minutes is 74 parts.

Remember, they will not print alone. in my case, Re-starting prints in the Zero every half hour, then every hour in the switch and the mycron, and every two in the cartesian... so in your output you have to consider at least, sleep times.

It doesn't matter how big your printers are, but how many extruders you have. Even if you can fit 1000 parts in you printer, your print speed will be limited. You are better with another printer running than with a bigger printer. in another words... more extruders running multiply your output, bigger build plates reduce your involvement.

Samples: Don't deliver the best you can produce, but the best you can confortably produce. I normally sample with the cartesian as the others will outperform it. So... I know my worst achievable quality has been accepted.

Material. Buy individual rolls of filament for your printers... and if you buy material for the project, your output will be reduced by the end. At some point you will have just one roll available and only 1 printer kicking parts. unless you go trough the hassle to re spool the material... However, don't be a fool. Sounds really obvious but the first time I did that I found myself with a roll of 3kg of pla... coz was cheap, and 4 printers to run... That wasn't going to work, was it?

Finally, get yourself a reliable method to count the parts... if you are counting thousands you will screw it up at some point. In my case... I've worked out the weight of 100 parts, and used a kitchen scale to weight the batches... and then add 1 or 2 parts to cover variance, and possible scrap.

Material cost should be negligible. They are paying you for your time, skills, printer wear and electricity... so I normally cost it in a way that the material isn't more than 10% of the cost per part.

and finally... don't be afraid to say NO. If you struggle to produce the samples and you need more than 2 attempts to leave it tuned and acceptable, probably that part isn't for you. Unless you want to face a massive learning experience and quite a lot of stress, reject it politely after study saying your current setup can't support that.

 

Have fun!

 

(I know absolutely everything I've written here, is basic common sense... trust me, I know. And even so... i tripped in every of the above points at least once. Taking in account I'm not precisely a newbie, the first two big batches were a massive reality check. In exchange... the last 3 or 4 have been impresively smooth).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 23 by Maurici

[Penatr8tor]

Or... Just give these guys below a call and have them injection mold the parts using a soft tool, kit them up and ship them for a profit. Then use the money you made and time you saved to do things in your life that make you happy instead of babysitting a bunch of parts while you contemplate why you even bothered trying to print a metric crap ton of small parts on home-built machines. Of course, I have no idea what the part looks like or if it's even moldable because you've put the secret squirrel cone of OMG someone might steal my idea cloak over it but... I do this stuff every day and sometimes it's better to farm it out than do it yourself. Just saying...

Best Rapid Prototyping Manufacturer & Company Since 2008 | Vowin

[Maurici]

59 minutes ago, Penatr8tor said:

Or... Just give these guys below a call and have them injection mold the parts using a soft tool, kit them up and ship them for a profit.

I struggle to see how your advice is helpful at all when I'm ordered parts on monday at 500 a day to finish the run of 2000 on thursday.

59 minutes ago, Penatr8tor said:

Then use the money you made and time you saved to do things in your life that make you happy instead of babysitting a bunch of parts while you contemplate why you even bothered trying to print a metric crap ton of small parts on home-built machines.

I work from home... so isn't that difficult to press re-set in the printers behind me between meetings. and yes... the whole point of it is that the hobby pays for itself... many times doing that.

 

59 minutes ago, Penatr8tor said:

because you've put the secret squirrel cone of OMG someone might steal my idea cloak over it

Its my customer's design. Not really my idea and is the reason the screenshots have been not uploaded... Also kind of irrelevant.

 

59 minutes ago, Penatr8tor said:

Of course, I have no idea what the part looks like or if it's even moldable

then.. go elsewhere with your superiority.

 

I honestly don't see the point of your post.

Thanks anyway... I guess.

Edited October 23 by Maurici

[Penatr8tor]

20 hours ago, Maurici said:

I honestly don't see the point of your post.

I guess that's the real issue then. Sorry that you were offended. I will endeavor to be more kind and social in the future.

[Champ1800]

@Maurici Thank you for your post, I found it quite interesting & this is something I would like to be able to get into as a hobby for some extra income.

Can I ask ask how you do price up the parts? how much per hour for labour, print time, electricity etc? If you don't want to post it maybe you could DM me?
I thought it was interesting that you do not bother including price of material, is that for PLA or ABS, waht about more engineering materials like PACF or PCCF?

[Maurici]

30 minutes ago, Champ1800 said:

@Maurici Thank you for your post, I found it quite interesting & this is something I would like to be able to get into as a hobby for some extra income.

Can I ask ask how you do price up the parts? how much per hour for labour, print time, electricity etc? If you don't want to post it maybe you could DM me?
I thought it was interesting that you do not bother including price of material, is that for PLA or ABS, waht about more engineering materials like PACF or PCCF?

I have no problems talking about numbers. However your mileage may vary and this is why i don't want to disclose them publicly. Electricity, material and printer wear has to be your main point here... and I like to works wit a 200% margin.

I'm happy to write you via private message with the actual numbers I've ran for my last 2 batches (3000 parts, some 200 or so hours printing). let me come back to you later.

Edited October 24 by Maurici