Well, I'm definitely aware of the commercial world where cost is no object but hard to justify a lot of that stuff for hobbyists. CAD/CAM software is one of those. I'll look into the lower-cost options.. thanks for the info.
As to scanners, the cost of accurate laser-based and/or stylus-based digitizers is a barrier. That's why I was wondering if you had played with optical image-based scanners? They obviously would have lots of distortion but if they generated a model you could "adjust" in CAD, I'd think it would be affordable.
Being a met E I like metal parts and my professional life was made difficult many many (and many more) times by unexpected polymer properties.... but that's not the point. ABS is clearly a workhorse. Nylon absorbs water and changes properties so was never popular in my previous life when other "lubricious" options existed. Can you, for example, buy PTFE-filled ABS filaments for your printer (bushings, sliding surfaces)? I'll bet the carbon-fiber ABS options are pretty strong.
Cool beans on the conductive options. That knob needs to be plated. Just saying.
I've seen some fairly high-res "home-printer" parts that had good surface finishes. I'm sure the more you spend, the better the outcome. No surprise here but it's really great the world allows hobbyists to even do this stuff.
Keep having fun and sharing it!
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