If you are new to 3d printing , its a amazing process , you download a model from your CAD (Computer Aided Design) program , send it to your printer and hey presto in a few hours a new model is yours. Sadly it isn't as simple as that there are many processes involved in the production of a single miniature at Dads Armies we use a liquid resin printer, which models in high grade grey resin its known as SLA (Stereographic Litho graph Art) . As you scroll down I'm going to show you the processes of making a model figure.
First thing you have to do is create your model in a CAD program , we have a talented artist in New Zealand who does that for us . Alas i cannot show you that process . This uploads from my computer to the printer , which calculates how long this will take, sometimes up to 11 hours for a very complex model.
Heres where the magic happens ! printing
to a density of just 1 micron , this is amazing stuff. !
The next stage is a nice chemical
bath to wash the resin, this can take up to 2 hrs, here you can see Grand Moff
Tarkin about to get washed.
The final stage after air drying for 20 minutes , is to bake at 75 degrees for
one hour to cure the resin. after all of this
its time to clean up the model, removing sprues and supports, then hey presto
a brand new model !