[3D Printing Application] FDM and SLA Resin 3D Hybrid Printing: Creating the Iron Man Gauntlet of Your Dreams!

Why has 3D printing become the preferred method for cosplay costume creation? Many cosplay enthusiasts are exploring the use of 3D printing technology to create cosplay props and costumes that were previously made with plastic and fiberglass. This trend is popular due to the similar materials, as well as its affordability, time-saving benefits, and convenience!

3D printing opens up possibilities for rapid prototyping and almost limitless modifications. While handmade projects used to require hours or even days of hands-on work, 3D printing allows you to continue creating even when you're working or busy with other things, saving you more than half the time!

As a super fan of Iron Man, Kersey Fabrications' mission is to build his own complete Iron Man suit based on his favorite classic red and gold Mark 3. This time, he will be making a replica Iron Man gauntlet with a working repulsor (we were all captivated by it!!

His creation process involves four important steps:

 • Choose the right model
 • Size your cosplay costume
 • Use an FDM printer to create a prototype
 • Build the final model with resin prints

Choosing the Right Model

There's a lot to discuss when it comes to choosing the perfect model for your 3D printed costume project. It can be a shape and style you like, a function you want to pursue, or a model that only you can use. For Kersey's Iron Man gauntlet project, choosing the right model involved finding the correct palm segmentation, considering the repulsor's installation, how it would be worn, and how it would fit him.

He mentioned that early armor models usually consisted of a whole hand, which needed to be cut or split in half by himself. Later, Walsh3D's model appeared, offering multiple assembly methods that could be combined almost arbitrarily, and you could easily adjust it according to your needs. Kersey chose the hinged Iron Man hand because it is easy to wear - you can secure it with magnets or pins, and it also provides some space for electronics.

Measuring and Adjusting

Of course, a gauntlet that fits well, perfectly wraps your hand, and is ideal for different movements is every costume printer's dream! But considering that everyone's hand size is slightly different, some size adjustments and modifications to the model are needed.

First, Kersey suggests going into Meshmixer and measuring the model. He found the model to be too small for his liking, especially since he would be installing electronics in it. Most importantly, the way the model was designed made it harder for him to move his wrist, lacking flexibility in the joints. To solve this problem, he made some modifications to the palm and fingers.

Measuring Palm Size

While Kersey liked the shape of the palm and the wearable system, he still needed to do some work, adding some thickness to have enough space for the electronics. This also made his finger holes larger, giving him room to move his fingers and even make a fist.

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Installing Finger Components

While the palm uses a simple two-piece model, the fingers are composed of three small joints each, with each joint connected by a hinge to allow finger movement.

After printing all the finger parts, Kersey began to try them on one by one, feeling the movement and sensation of each finger on his hand. Since he wanted to add some rubber parts inside the gauntlet, he decided to increase the thickness and height of the fingers to upgrade them. He also suggests creating a master model in Meshmixer with all the correct dimensions for future use. This way, every time you print something new, you don't need to re-size all the parts. Instead, you can directly use the master model to start printing.

Prototyping with an FDM Printer

As mentioned earlier, FDM 3D printing is a great way to prototype quickly because it offers a fast, convenient, and more affordable way to iterate! For Kersey, this allowed him to fully test all the gauntlet parts and ensure they fit and moved well before using a resin 3D printer.

FDM 3D printing also allowed him to test if his electronics (including new pixels, batteries, and motherboard) would fit the challenge.

Once he was satisfied with the FDM results, he was ready to power up his new Sonic Mega 8K (now featuring the brand new Sonic Mega 8K S!!

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3D Printing Resin Cosplay Models

While FDM printing is more cost-effective, the print results may not be what you're aiming for in your final cosplay piece.

Although extensive polishing and priming can achieve a smooth surface, resin 3D printed parts can achieve the same look directly from the printer, saving you time and effort.

Kersey loves the smooth and clean surface of the printed parts and believes that due to the 8K resolution quality of the Sonic Mega 8K, its quality can easily rival injection molded results. In addition, the size of the printer allowed him to print all parts of the gauntlet on one build plate, so he only needed to print twice to complete his gauntlet.

If you are considering using a resin 3D printer for your cosplay costume parts, the Sonic Mega 8K or Sonic Mega 8K S are also good choices. With a large build volume and an 8K resolution screen, rest assured that all your models will print perfectly with a smooth surface!

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