I recently had the pleasure of visiting Thrinno, a Belgian company based in Ghent.
Thrinno is working on a cloud-based system that enables companies with 3D metal printing needs to assess the print process virtually, find the best orientation for printing, and most importantly, get a quote on the price of the printing. Having used this software, I can say it’s nothing short of amazing.
Their website states their product to be a four stage process :
“The tool comprises four steps:
- You make a profile of your printing specs
- You import a model on which different algorithms are applied. These algorithms include amongst others the detection of amount of support, surfaces to be finished afterwards, thermal stresses, etc.
- Based on that and a chosen set of quality parameters, a price and quality score are calculated for different orientations, while taking into account the occupation rate on the build plate. A tool is provided to help you pick the optimal orientation.
- When the optimal orientation is chosen, a quotation is generated with visual feedback.”
At this moment in time, the 3D metal orinting process is very hazy for many companies who clearly could benefit from metal printing. Using Thrinno’s software, the clients can upload their piece to print and get an amazing array of data on how it would print. I was particularly impressed by the software’s capabilities of defining thermal stress issues related to the object and its orientation; users can rotate the object to find the best orientation that will not cause undue thermal problems.
Also, the price calculator and automated quote process can significantly reduce the time and effort companies must apply to get 3D prints for their objects. All you have to do is to create a print spec profile, upload your print-ready STL file, and allow the software to create all orientations and find the associated issues that may occur. When you have checked them through, and picked the one that best suits your needs best, press Generate Quotation to get a Word file with all the relevant information.
To say this tool works wonders is an understatement. Since their ability to manipulate and analyze the STL file is very impressive, I hope they will add an STL file assessment and fixing capability to this tool too. But even as it is, it gives users an unparalleled ability to visualize and assess the print job even before the printer is turned on.
See for yourself – watch this introductory video, and find more on Thrinno’s Youtube channel.
