Just an idea but if we’re looking at a longer term view of what we would like to do in the space, can is ask the membership to consider SLA Printing ?
This would put us up with the big boys on the fabrication side and it’s pretty cool…
An example Machine http://www.liymo.com/liymo-stereolithography-3d-printer?language=en¤cy=GBP&gclid=CN6bmqjZv9ACFe0K0wodSYoKQg
We would need a lot more research but it’s out there for discussion?
Courty
+1 from me.
Now everyman and his dog has a 3D printer at home (or at least a kit of parts waiting to be a 3D printer… ) we need to stay ahead of the game!
I agree. I brought this up before we had substantial cash reserves in the old “Hopes and Dreams” thread.
I am also wondering now, is the Ultimaker2 the best fused deposition printer we could own? Could we budget for a better one? Are substantially better ones on the market now?
Tried to blag a Formlabs Form 1 for the space a couple of years back…no dice at all.
Def should be on the wish list
Experience from LCC and Institute of Making is that it needs to be in a very low dust environment.
Three machines all needed major maintenance to clean them from being in workshops with good extraction, so I would imagine we’d have issues.
We would need to box it from day 1 with a ventilation system. we should really do this for the 3D printer too :o)
Courty
Yes, but the current machine you just wipe the surface.
I think you mispelled there Courty, it’s spelled SLS 
http://www.prodways.com/en/printer/promaker-p1000/
Industrial Plasttic 3D Printer at an “affordable” price!
If we’re going SLS let’s up it to metal printing. I’m sure prices must’ve fallen since I last looked?
EOS DMLS direct metal laser sintering machines are only $700k! Bargain!
Pledge drive? I’m in for £50
Are the SLS ‘plastic’ printers affordable?
Doesn’t laser sintering count as welding and we’re not supposed to weld ? 
I saw a beautiful huge titanium direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) set-up at RedBull that they made gearbox parts with, VERY nice but I seem to remember it was the best part of $1m inc the kilns and multiple $10k’s per refill pack - hows the kitty looking ?
Courty
No, they’re not affordable. Still in the many tens of thousands of pounds at the low end, I believe.
However, has the fused deposition stuff improved since the introduction of the Ultimaker2 that we have?
I wanted to print an enclosure recently for a Raspberry Pi and 16 relay board but realized that the Ulimaker’s bed was too small, so that I would have to print the part in halves and glue or otherwise fasten them together. A printer with a larger build volume I think would therefore be useful.