It takes time and effort to master both systems. You can't just buy in and expect professional results.' (I own/use 3 different printers) As Bert said ' if you want professional results, you need professional tools AND you need to develop the skills to use them. I have been using various CAD/CAM programs for over 17 years, and also do 3D printing. Less money more in the setup,molds, master = more profit for less than 1000 of each.Ĭheap and easy just doesn't exist from what i have seen not without the loss of quality and much more rejects and cleanup. More money spent less time making molds and masters = less profit unless you sell 1000's. Masters and making molds is the cheapest way to go but it is a trade off. Learning the software is like taking a 2 year college course before you can make anything useful. I am speaking from experience I cast 5x7 flask x8 in one burnout, I have made masters and molds and use expensive (over 20K cadcam software) for machine work (not jewellery). The quality of the master will dictate the quality of the casting not the material used. If you have vulcanized molds the material if the master doesn't matter.

Making Masters in sterling and molding them is the way master jewelers in NY make there molds (some use copper). Software for building models and the learning curve are both high so unless you can run the software you are at a huge learning curve and a huge disadvantage both time and money. You are used to quality waxes and a 3d shoots plastic (problem with burnout in that there is a lot or carbon/residue in the plastic) not even close to wax.Ī 3d that shoots wax is a minimal of 8-12k cost wise. The problem is the material and resolution of the 3d printers.

Simple cad programs