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thread-456 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/456 | How do people load filament, prime the printhead, flush out the old filament when changing colors when using a standalone 3D printer? | 2016-02-03T09:02:28.547 | # Question
Title: How do people load filament, prime the printhead, flush out the old filament when changing colors when using a standalone 3D printer?
I am wondering how people that use standalone 3D printers (printers that have the ability to print autonomously from SD Card) feed in filament, prime the printhead and/or change filaments without a laptop ?
Do the printers have a menu to arrange all these tasks ? I often only see the options to preheat the head to a certain temperature, but not to load/unload filament, extrude a small amount etc.
I understand this differs from printer to printer, but still am wondering about this.
# Answer
> 9 votes
My printer (IdeaWerk 150) is very basic and doesn't have any options for this from the screen.
I wrote a really simple GCODE file that brings the nozzle up to temperature, then runs the extruder for a few seconds, then waits, then extrudes for a bit again. I think it does this 3 or 4 times then stops. I can put the file (when converted to .x3g!) onto an SD card and run it whenever I need it.
I have a similar file that allows me to level the bed without a computer by just moving the nozzle around to a few key points on the bed and pausing for a few seconds.
I used a GCODE file generated by my slicer in verbose mode to get started, along with a list of codes
I don't have these files to hand at the moment, but this is my `start.gcode`:
```
(**** beginning of start.txt ****)
(This file is for a WeisTek IdeaWerk 150)
(**** begin initilization commands ****)
G21 (Metric FTW)
G90 (Absolute Positioning)
M18 (This disables the stepper motors.)
G92 X0 Y0 Z0 A0 B0 (Declare the current position to be 0,0,0,0,0)
(**** end initilization commands ****)
(**** begin homing ****)
G161 Y X F2500
G92 X0 Y0 Z0 A0 B0
G1 X5.0 Y5.0 Z-5.0 F450
G162 Z F450
G161 Y X F2500 (Home X axis maximum, go until reaching the end stop.)
G92 Z142.4 ( ** Set Bed Height ** )
G92 X-75 Y-75 (set zero for X and Y)
(**** end homing ****)
M108 R8.0 (Extruder speed = max)
M6 T0 (wait for toolhead parts, nozzle, HBP, etc., to reach temperature)
G1 Z10 F500 (Bring bed up)
M101 (Turn on Extruder)
G04 P8000 (Wait for 8 seconds for flow)
(**** end of start.txt ****)
```
If I feed *just* this file into my printer, it will heat up the nozzle, bring the bed up to about 10cm below printing height and once the nozzle is at temperature, it turns on the extruder for 8 seconds.
Your printer will likely be different to mine - there are a few different flavours of GCODE and you will likely have different XYZ positions, so take a look at some GCODE generated by your own slicer and identify the different parts. The principle is the same.
# Answer
> 4 votes
RepRap based printers use LCD modules with control button and SD card. You can trigger operations like
* nozzle heating (to change filament)
* extrude filament
* home axis to caliber bed level
* ...
Most used LCD modules are:
RepRap firmwares (Marlin, Repetier) are supporting it. To get better view on what is supported, take a look on Marlin language file.
# Answer
> 3 votes
There are options for tablets. They are running software **(for example)** on some device that has internal storage, wifi, USB connection etc. You can buy a new tablet, or reuse your old one just to be a controller.
Another great example is **this app**.
Apps have menus that can arrange everything for you, now it depends on what app do you use and what filament you use. It's very simple thing.
# Answer
> 3 votes
I have two different printers that can print un-tethered. The first is a Prusa inspired machine with an LCD and the second is a printrbot without an LCD.
The reprap machine uses a ramps 1.4 board programmed with Marlin that gives me the ability to control loading and unloading of the filament with simple menus.
Not all printers that have the ability to print from SD come with an LCD screen. My printrbot simple metal does not come with an LCD, it is an additional $100.
I am too cheap to buy one so I came up with an extremely low tech way of changing filament. I turn my printer on with an SD card that has an auto0.g file (this tells the board to load and run g-code on start-up), once the printer starts to move I kill the power remove the filament and put new filament into the extruder. I then press the lever to disengage the extruder motor and force the new filament into the hot end until the old color has been purged. Please note this method only works when you are replacing materials that have the same printing temperatures.
# Answer
> 3 votes
I know that my RoBo 3D has the ability to run untethered once the gcode file is saved to the SD card attached to the ramps board. It does have to be attached to the computer to start the print at first, but can then be unplugged from your computer. Since it is just a Marlin based Ramps printer this should work for similar 3D printers.
The gcode files contain the temperature of both the nozzle and the heated bed if you have one. The Marlin firmware will prime the temperatures for you.
Changing filament you would still need to set your hot end temp to swap in the new filament with a computer over USB though.
Now I personally use something called OctoPi which is a raspberry pi distribution preconfigured with Octoprint. OctoPrint allows you to control the printer, monitor or start prints over a web interface and even stream video to watch your prints if you want. While technically you printer is still tied to a computer(raspberry pi), it does not tie up the use of your laptop/desktop while printing. Plus this would allow you to put your 3D printer in more locations in your home as well.
OctoPrint Website http://octoprint.org/
For the OctoPi distribution http://octoprint.org/download/
# Answer
> 2 votes
By a pretty large margin, the most popular "primary control via LCD" printers such as the FlashForge Creator line and Makerbot Replicator 1/2/2x run Sailfish firmware, which has options for all necessary control functions directly from the LCD. Preheat, load, unload, level bed, etc are all done via the LCD and seamlessly built-in scripts. There is no need to connect host software to do anything but update firmware and change rarely-adjusted settings like acceleration parameters. RepRap-style USB control of Sailfish printers is perfectly functional, but not really necessary 99.9% of the time.
This is a major reason why Sailfish printers have historically been popular for printer farms. They're designed for stand-alone operation, which is highly favorable when the printers greatly outnumber the associated computers. It's extremely rare to see a Sailfish printer from the last 5 years without a 5-button LCD panel.
The Sailfish firmware UI/UX is simply built around the LCD buttons rather than host software. This is *generally* more reliable and higher-performance than, say, Marlin via host because it reduces processor time spent on command transmission and eliminates all the possible failure modes in the PC and USB link.
Assuming all Sailfish printers will have LCDs with SD card support and focusing on that one interface really allowed the creation of an overall better printer. More optimization, fewer things that need to be configured by the end-user. But in exchange, you're limited in what kind of hardware Sailfish will support. It's a tradeoff.
In comparison, LCD support was more strapped onto RepRaps as an option rather than the core interface element. This tends to produce a host-driven interface design, rather than an LCD-driven interface design. Which is why operating "headless" tends to be more difficult in Marlin, Repetier, etc.
# Answer
> 2 votes
You don't need a specific menu for this (although some printers are more able than others to do the following procedure), just play with the filament loading procedure.
Although better print qualities are given by sticking (if possible) to the same color and filament, when you have to "flush out" any trace:
* get an **ABS** filament of the **most neutral color** possible, getting a spool dedicated to this task might be a good idea
* load the neutral ABS at 250 degrees (or higher) and let it extrude **freely** and **quickly** for **at least** 1 meter.
* if you need to clean more, extrude at least 3 meters
Note:
* if you can't get ABS (the best option) you can use PLA, but results may vary...
* if you can't get neutral color (absence or almost no color pigment), white is the best choice, otherwise black. Neutral color is best by far for obvious reasons.
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Tags: print-preparation, change-filament, automation
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thread-669 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/669 | parts for autoleveling Prusa i3 | 2016-03-01T17:23:07.397 | # Question
Title: parts for autoleveling Prusa i3
I am following this video series to add auto-leveling to my Prusa i3. https://youtu.be/awsI9bMndJA
I have printed the parts I need and have the servo and ss-5 endstop in my cart at Amazon. What I need to know is what wiring I need to connect the endstop to the RAMPs board? I bought this printer as a kit and all parts were included so I am learning slowly.
The switch http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HPLBAYW?psc=1&redirect=true&ref\_=ox\_sc\_act\_title\_3&smid=AZHZ102UTKBMA
Thanks!
# Answer
> 3 votes
You just need some wires, nothing special about them. You can use any wire that's flexible enough. For the endstop you'll need 2 wires, for the servo (if you need to extend the cable) 3. The connectors on the end are known as dupont connectors.
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Tags: ramps-1.4, prusa-i3
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thread-667 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/667 | Heat sensor problems with Makerbot Replicator 2X | 2016-03-01T14:04:02.353 | # Question
Title: Heat sensor problems with Makerbot Replicator 2X
We have a Makerbot Replicator 2X at our school. I have a class in the computer lab and one of our focuses is using the printer. Currently, it is not printing properly. We are using PLA at 210 degrees Celcius. The built plate is not heated (using Build Tak). This has worked very well in the past. The problem is that when the extruder goes to lay down plastic, the filament is too hot and curls up in a clump around the extruder. This is characteristic of when we first tried PLA at a higher temperature. I think that our heat sensor is not working properly. Does anyone know how we can fix this problem? Is there a way to calibrate the sensor is should we install a new one?
# Answer
> 2 votes
Overall, it is unlikely that the problem is temp sensing accuracy. There are only a few things that will throw off the thermocouple's reading:
* Poor thermal coupling between the tip and the hot block, such as if the tip has partially pulled free of the brass thermowell crimp (this will make the hot block hotter than the reported temp)
* Loss of electrical insulation between the tip and the hot block, plus some ground loop noise or stray voltage on the hot block (this will typically add noise to the reported temp)
You should be able to visually check for the first, and test for the second with a multimeter. The resistance between the board end of the thermocouple leads and the brass thermowell at the tip should be infinite / out of range.
To actually check the thermocouple calibration, you have a few options:
* **Easy:** Look at the behavior of the printed plastic. PLA that is too hot will smell of pancakes/waffles much stronger than normal, or even smell burnt. The printed material may be more shiny than usual. It will string and ooze more as you print.
* **Moderate:** Secure another reference thermocouple (such as might come with a digital multimeter) tightly to the hot block with some Kapton tape, somewhere the aluminum block is exposed. The external TC should read within a few degrees of the printer's TC. (Assuming you get it attached well enough.)
* **Hard:** Place the tip of the TC in boiling water to check if it reads 100C (or slightly lower if you live at a high altitude). Repeat with well-mixed ice water to check if it reads 0C. Both measurements should be within a couple degrees. You will probably need to dismantle much of the extruder to detach the thermocouple for this test.
But, again, the problem probably isn't the TC. It's more likely either a bed tramming issue (eg too much gap between nozzle and surface) or the BuildTak is degraded and not adhering. This can happen if you do a large number of prints in the exact same place, or get the surface oily, such as with fingerprints. Try a fresh sheet of buildtak or cleaning it with rubbing alcohol and moving the print to a different location.
In some rare cases, low-quality filament or filament stored in very high humidity may not stick well. This is pretty rare though. For the most part, if your nozzle gap is right, any extruded plastic will stick to Buildtak.
# Answer
> 1 votes
The temperature is fine.
In my experience the filament curls up only when the extruder is extruding way up, far from the plate: are you experiencing this while actually printing?
If yes: recalibrate the printer so that the extruder is closer to the build plate and this shouldn't happen. For the filament to curl up it means you are way higher than you should be.
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Tags: extruder
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thread-673 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/673 | Does anyone have a Simplify3D configuration file for a Lulzbot TAZ 5 with a 0.5mm nozzle? | 2016-03-02T00:59:15.623 | # Question
Title: Does anyone have a Simplify3D configuration file for a Lulzbot TAZ 5 with a 0.5mm nozzle?
I've been searching, but I'm coming up empty-handed. They have a file for the TAZ with the 0.35mm nozzle, but I'm not certain if I can just change the nozzle size and be done with it.
# Answer
Have you tried the configuration assistant under the "Help" menu?
From S3D 3.0.2
And yes, you can just change the nozzle size in the process "Extruder" tab and be done with it, if you're using auto extrusion width. If you're using manual extrusion width, also change that to be equal or greater than the nozzle size.
S3D will handle everything else. It's not a bad idea to recalibrate extrusion multiplier (with 100% infill 20x20 calibration boxes) but it isn't strictly necessary.
General tip for switching to a larger nozzle: while you get used to it, make sure you preview your sliced files carefully looking for areas with gaps or missing details smaller than the extrusion width.
> 1 votes
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Tags: desktop-printer
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thread-677 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/677 | default axis steps per unit Makerbot replicator 2 | 2016-03-02T18:06:22.483 | # Question
Title: default axis steps per unit Makerbot replicator 2
I can not find anywhere default steps per unit for Makerbot replicaor 2. I'm using Ramp V1.4 instead original board and need to know default steps :/
# Answer
The Replicator 2 and 2x use 18 tooth GT2 pulleys, 1/16 microstepping, and 200 steps/rev steppers. That makes the proper steps/mm value 88.888889.
Note that Makerbot used ~88.56 steps/mm in their defaults, which is the value you get if you calculate from the belt+pulley pitch diameter from the Gates GT2 specs. But this is the value you use for calculating belt length required in a closed loop, not for steps/mm. The 88.88... number is more accurate.
> 1 votes
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Tags: makerbot, marlin
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thread-612 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/612 | Repeatedly Clogged Printrbot Simple Extruder | 2016-02-20T19:31:45.003 | # Question
Title: Repeatedly Clogged Printrbot Simple Extruder
I have a Printrbot Simple Metal. The extruder is getting clogged all the time. I went through the process demonstrated here multiple times already. Heatting the extruder and pushing different tools all the way through to make sure it is completely clear. Every time I get a clear flow of PLA, and after a few minutes the extruder motor starts clicking again. At that point, it is even hard to push in the filament by hand.
I replaced the tip already, but this didn't make any difference. I also tried few different filaments, all of them worked perfectly before.
It feels like stopping the flow even for about 30 seconds would cause it to jam.
# Answer
> 4 votes
I had a similar issue on my Printrbot Simple Metal. I believe my problem was initially caused by clogged nozzle which I replaced, however the jamming persisted. I can't say for sure that it was acting exactly as you describe but I think it may have been similar. I noticed that the little red insulating sleeve was pushed up higher than it was when I got it from Printrbot. When I lowered this my problem seemed to go away.
# Answer
> 3 votes
I'm not sure if this is particularly the issue for you right now, but I have encountered the tension on my drive gear being too high.
Before I upgraded my extruder to the spring loaded mechanism, my extruder used a Delrin plunger to provide tension against the filament towards the drive gear. This plunger used copper washers to help adjust the tension required. Many people ended up upgrading their assemblies to the spring loaded mechanism as the plunger would either put too much or too little tension against the drive gear. Too little and the filament will not be driven into the hotend. Too much and the filament will grind against the drive gear and the drive gear may begin to "eat" away at the filament (especially when the filament becomes hotter). Obviously, if the drive gear is no longer able to catch on the filament, the nozzle will get clogged.
However, even with a spring mechanism, your tension can become too high. Most of these mechanisms allow you to adjust the tension by tightening/loosening the screw holding down the spring. The "sweet spot" for me is just past when the filament can be successfully driven into the hotend. You can test this if you have control over your extrusion motor by removing the extrusion motor from its mount, leaving the spring mechanism installed on the face of the motor. Then, turn your motor on and try feeding the filament through the mechanism. Starting with no tension on the spring, begin slowly increasing tension by tightening the screw on your mechanism until the drive gear is successfully able to guide the filament through. I might even complete another half turn on the screw to account for varying diameters and plasticity states of the filament as it becomes hot.
Hopefully this helps and please keep us updated on anything else you find.
# Answer
> 3 votes
This used to happen to me and my Simple Metal often. The jam was always caused by one of the following:
* Feed rate too high (especially on solid layers or long lines)
* Temperature too low
* Nozzle pushing into previous layer, causing back pressure
* Variance in filament diameter
Personally, I have never printed at 195c. I'm always about 225 or 230. That may seem high for PLA, but then I have stopped having the issues after slowing the print and raising the temperature from 200.
You want to strike the right balance between speed and temp. The slower the feed rate, the lower you can afford to lower the temperature. I think you should start by raising the temperature to 215 and slightly lowering the feedrate.
Also, I have directed a fan at my extruder motor and filament as it enters the nozzle. Keeps the motor very cool and stops the filament softening too early.
Is there a foreign object blocking the nozzle, or does it seem like the filament isn't heating up enough?
# Answer
> 2 votes
I found a solution to my problem, which is very similar to your!
Ok, so first, this clog has nothing to do with the flow rate! speed, retraction, or acceleration!
why? because if it under extrusion or over extrusion, the nozzle would spill more or less filament, but it would not make the extruder clog. To make it clog, there must be something that block the path which make the step driver couldn't push the filament through right? even using your hand.
This problem is call "heat creep", especially if you print small detail things. This is because small details make the filament stay inside the nozzle longer, which the heat eventually make the filament swole up and block the path.
To find out if your problem is cause by "heat creep" or not, try to print something small but tall and print something large overall. If it is heat creep, then the small but tall print would immediately clog your nozzle and make the step driver create click sound. If both print ( small and big ) take the same amount of time to clog your nozzle, then it may not cause by "heat creep".
SO HERE the solution for "heat creep." First and the most important, replace your thermal barrier tube. Second, lower the temperature. Third, check the filament guide components such as the drive gear, bearing, and spring. For example, check the drive gear if it securely screw into the stepper motor. Lastly, check the fan, if it possible, install another fan to cool down the thermal barrier tube. In conclusion, replace your thermal barrier before doing anything else.
I hope this help for you and for many other people!
Alopicaso!
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Tags: extruder
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thread-683 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/683 | Laser cutting on RepRap | 2016-03-03T17:07:09.360 | # Question
Title: Laser cutting on RepRap
I have seen some lasers attached to the RepRap platform for cutting but most seem to be cutting paper, balsa wood, or merely etching. If I were wanting to build a platform for cutting wood, similar to the wood framed or boxed 3D printers on the market, what power laser would I need for that? I assume that a lower powered laser would have to travel slower but going too slow would add the possibility of catching the wood on fire (not good).
# Answer
> 8 votes
Please do not go down this road. First, not all lasers are equally absorbed by the material and the energy converted to heat to vaporize the material. The light not absorbed is reflected right back into your eyes. This is especially dangerous because it doesn't make you go blind instantly, fooling you into thinking there is no harm. You got the other part right, the lower the laser power, the less turned to heat, the longer it takes to cut, the longer you risk exposure to your eyes. That's right, a low powered laser is MORE dangerous than a big one. Next, the only way to properly cut is with air assist. This means a stream of air blows away the vaporized material so the laser can keep cutting deeper. This also prevents fires. The thing we haven't even touched is a proper safety enclosure, proper bed design to not reflect the laser beam back into the laser killing it and your eyes, and finally smoke/particle exhaust.
Simply put, these cheapo DIY lasers are dangerous, and are also illegal.
# Answer
> 6 votes
Strapping a laser to a cheap robot made with flammable plastic parts and no enclosure is stupid in the extreme. Don't do it. Seriously, just don't. **RepRaps are not suitable for laser conversions.**
You have to worry about reflected light damaging your eyes, and for the blue diode lasers currently growing in popularity, causing skin melanomas. You have to worry about mechanical vibration from jerky motion loosening fasteners. You have to worry about the workpiece catching on fire. You have to worry about the fumes being generated from etching and cutting. You have to worry about firmware freezes locking the laser on. It's dangerous to you, anybody in line of sight of the machine, and your property.
Many of the lasers currently being sold for RepRap conversions, particularly from Russia, violate US and EU safety regulations related to power and safety interlocks and should not be on the market at all.
The people posting videos of their RepRap laser conversions are almost always ignorant of proper laser safety requirements and regulations. It's downright scary how much blue flare you can see the camera picking up in a lot of these videos. Don't follow in those people's footsteps.
More directly answering the question details, most people doing light etching or paper cutting type work are using small 0.5-2W diode lasers. These are particularly dangerous because they have poor focus and because they don't have the power to cut cleanly and quickly. That means more fumes, more fire risk, and more damage to the workpiece from edge charring.
Slowing down the laser is not a good solution: dwell time is your enemy. You want a beam powerful enough to near-instantly vaporize the material, not slowly burn it away.
An entry-level proper lasercutter for cutting things like plywood and acrylic is more likely to use a 40w CO2 laser. It should have air assist and fume extraction, and a safety-interlocked enclosure that 100% reflects or absorbs the CO2 laser light wavelength. That basically means a dedicated machine.
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Tags: reprap, replacement-parts, laser
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thread-686 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/686 | How can I improve the overhang angles my printer can successfully print? | 2016-03-04T00:01:02.383 | # Question
Title: How can I improve the overhang angles my printer can successfully print?
Using an FDM printer and PLA or ABS, without adding support material. What modifications can I make to improve how steep an overhang my printer can print before it starts having problems?
The obvious first answer is to add a cooling fan, increasing the airflow over the freshly-extruded material ensuring it solidifies. What other things can improve it?
Does lowing the temperature help? Raising it?
Does speeding up or slowing down the print head help?
Does increasing/decreasing the extrusion diameter, or layer height help?
# Answer
> 11 votes
The two most important things you can do are:
* Provide adequate cooling to solidify the plastic quickly
* Minimize layer height
Cooling is really obvious. You need the plastic to solidify before it has a chance to sag. PLA in particular has to shed a lot of heat before it is fully solid. A fan and air guide setup using a "squirrel-cage" radial blower around the nozzle is optimal. A little 30mm or 40mm axial fan will not provide optimal performance.
Low layer height when slicing is less obvious, but is extremely effective. When you use thinner layers, two things happen:
* There is less melted plastic per pass and a higher surface area to volume ratio, so the fresh material cools faster.
* A larger percentage of each strand in the overhang is supported by the previous strand. If you do 0.2mm thick by 0.4mm wide, half of each strand is unsupported. But if you do 0.1mm thick by 0.4mm wide, only a quarter of each strand is unsupported.
When you combine these two effects, it is possible to exceed 70 degree overhangs with good surface quality.
Another lesser factor is printing shells/perimeters inside-out rather than outside-in. This helps anchor the outermost strand a little better as the overhang is built. This is pretty minor though.
# Answer
> 4 votes
There's an answer here that holds some of the same concepts. Regarding your questions:
* **Does lowering the temperature help? Raising it?** : Yes, lowering the temperature can help. I've found that it is best to stay closer to the lower end of the material's melting point and just a bit above the point. Not only does this help with potential over extrusion, but also shortens the time it takes for the material to cool (refer to the link above). *However*, this could cause clogging if your temperature is too low. Keep an eye on your drive gear to see if there is too much friction while at lower temperatures. Increasing may keep the drive gear from "eating" your filament.
* **Does speeding up or slowing down the print head help?** : I prefer to print slower, most of the time, to allow the material to cool a bit more to avoid curling/warping (I primarily print with ABS, so it matters more). You might be able to give and take between temperature and speed. Consider if your nozzle is cooler and your speed is up, bridging gaps might yield the same results as if you proportionately swap these two values. This concept may only matter if you are in a pinch to get the part done. Again, I prefer slowing my machine down as it allows current/previous layers to cool more before continuing. This can be especially helpful with overhangs when paired with lowering your nozzle temperature.
* **Does increasing/decreasing the extrusion diameter, or layer height help** \- I assume that extrusion diameter equals layer height (not difference in nozzle diameter, aka swapping nozzles). I'm not completely sure, but I think this depends on the part as well as slicing engine settings. For me, MakerWare is pretty good about proportionately adjusting extrusion steps with layer height, so I see an equal change in the width of the extrusion. I would think that in general, a larger layer height would yield a larger extrusion width. This would be helpful when printing overhangs, but may not be helpful when printing bridges (a larger strand will retain heat longer than a smaller one).
Hopefully this helps, please comment if you need more information/clarification.
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Tags: print-quality
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thread-696 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/696 | Stainless tip for thermistor | 2016-03-07T08:08:59.980 | # Question
Title: Stainless tip for thermistor
I would like to secure my hotend thermistor in a more reliable way (now it is just thermistor plugged in the hotend :D). I want to have a stainless steel tip for it to fix it inside hotend with a screw (The same approach as used for the heating cartridge). I have thermistors, but I cannot find any tips to buy separately.
Maybe you have some links for this kind of stainless-steel tips? Or some keywords I can use to search them?
# Answer
The main problem here is that the hot block has to match the temp sensor. There are a couple available commercial options for hotblocks with cartridge-and-setscrew temp sensors, but they're not thermistors:
Other popular options for thermocouples include a brass thermowell crimped onto the tip of the TC (Makerbot and FlashForge) or an eyelet lug crimped onto the tip of the TC (Wanhao).
The best off-the-shelf solution for most printers is probably to use an E3Dv6 hot block, which uses a screw and washer to clamp the thermistor leads so the glass bead tip can't pull free of its pocket.
> 3 votes
# Answer
I am not too sure what you're searching for, but I imagine it to be a kind of thermistor housing to distribute pressure from the screw while maintaining good heat conductance.
I first have to say that I'd be afraid to damage the glass droplet of the typical thermistor design by putting pressure to them, especially including later thermal expansion. However, I never tried and we might find some valuable experience on that in other answers here.
If what I assumed in the first paragraph is true, I would suggest forming some housing yourself with copper foil or copper sheets, since the heat conductance of copper is good and it is more or less soft.
However, as a more simple solution, you might just cut the metal part of a 'wire ferrule', if you got some lying around. (Wikipedia has no english article for this, so I link the german one for the images: Aderendhülse)
Additional info: Can't you clamp the thermistor the way it is done in the E3D V6 hotend, see this image?
Thermal contact should be quite good and you don't have any problems which could lead to damage of the thermistor.
> 3 votes
# Answer
My thermistors came with a small spring surrounding them, which seems to work pretty well for this (see also E3D Thermistor Alternative). It's pretty close to the size of the spring in an ordinary pen, so you could just try one of those, or you could wind one from copper wire. I always use thermal grease as well, just like you'd use for heat sinks.
image from B3 Innovations - Thermistors (Gen1)
> 3 votes
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Tags: extruder, hotend, thermistor
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thread-703 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/703 | Is 3D printing feasible for a coaxial rotational joint? | 2016-03-07T18:42:44.330 | # Question
Title: Is 3D printing feasible for a coaxial rotational joint?
In a design that I need to prototype, I have a coaxial, rotational joint between 2 cylinders connected to another coaxial rotational joint between 2 cylinders by a hinge. I have attached the individual part files as well as their assembly where you can use your mouse cursor to check how they move. Click here for the SolidWorks parts and assembly files
Initially when I 3d printed them by splitting them in half, the outer tube did not close, even after filing the inner tube sufficiently.
Could you tell me an alternative method to get this complicated joint working? I need to 3D print them. I plan to use ABS for the 3D printing.
Thanks for your patience :)
EDIT: Lubrication: I plan to use grease to lubricate the sliding surfaces.
Clearances: I printed them without clearances initially (this is my first ever 3D print and I wanted to know how accurate it would be). I then used Dremel and filing tools to file away about 0.5 mm of both the surfaces. It should have been enough for mating the parts. The gap between the edges of the outer shell while trying to close it around is 3-4 mm which doesn't suggest 3D printing inaccuracy. I suspect that the outer tube isn't circular enough in cross section. It meets the inner tube at the the two ends of the semicircle and not inside its belly (you can see it in the picture). I have already tried the obvious, which is removing material from the surfaces wherever the parts touch. The model seems to be too warped for any success. The parts were printed upwards from the bottom, so it is not the warping due to gravity.
# Answer
> 4 votes
### Consider ball bearings
Depending on the requirements for your joint, I would consider making a design that utilizes *ball bearings*. With ball bearings, your join will not wear down as quickly, and also move smoothly.
### Handling dimensional inaccuracy
The topic of how to achieve dimensional accuracy of FDM printers has already been discussed in this question. You might want have a look at Ryan Carlyle's answer for a specific routine on how to calibrate a Cartesian printer.
From the question linked, a summarized approach for handling dimensional inaccuracy could be:
1. Add any desired tolerances into the joint in your CAD model, without regarding the inaccuracy of the actual printer you will use.
2. Tune your printer and slicer to reproduce those dimensions set by your CAD program.
Generally speaking, the printer settings should handle filament independent dimensional accuracy, while the slicer should be used to account for different characteristics in each filament type. Correcting size through your CAD model is ill-advised, since you should be able to use the same model for multiple printers.
# Answer
> 4 votes
Have you considered to use a service to have the part printed? You can print almost anything in one "pass" using selective laser sintering, typically done in nylon. I am currently un-boxing an SLS printer, so I cannot currently offer to print it, but the capabilities of SLS are substantial for parts of this nature. I've read of entire planetary gearboxes being printed, fully assembled, with appropriate clearances for operation, once removed and "dusted," or cleaned of residual powder.
The printer I hope to be assembling soon has 80 micron powder, so the resolution is quite high, although I forget at the moment the x/y/z figures.
Do you think such a method would suit your purposes?
Edit (add):
because FDM printing by nature causes "oozing" especially in the x/y directions, I would not be surprised to learn that your outer piece has a smaller inside diameter than your design has specified. You may have to make adjustments to the design to compensate. Those adjustments would be specific to a particular printer/filament combination as well. Calibration prints would make the task slightly easier.
# Answer
> 2 votes
Depending on your tolerances and how many you need - and how valuable your time is - you can 3D print in ABS with a regular FDM printer, then clear out support material and do an Acetone vapor treatment or vapor wash. It will be smooth enough for most prototypes.
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Tags: fdm, abs, 3d-models, 3d-design, support-structures
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thread-694 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/694 | Printerbot printing stringy | 2016-03-06T19:25:25.580 | # Question
Title: Printerbot printing stringy
My Printrbot is always printing stringy, despite changing the setting on my z probe by entering command M212 Z-.1 through Z-1.5, with and without a heated bed. My prints look roughly like the one on the left. How do I fix this?
# Answer
The most common cause of print issues like this is **incorrect first-layer gap between the nozzle and bed.** You can tell if that's the problem by trying to print with a raft and/or letting the print continue for a while. If the raft helps and the print eventually "heals up" and only the bottom few mm are bad, then you have a bed leveling / nozzle gap issue The bed must be leveled to the nozzle properly, or nothing will work right.
When using a probe, you need to follow the manufacturer's instructions for how to configure it. For example, are you adjusting the Z offset in firmware configuration.h or in EEPROM? Printrbot should have a guide for this.
If the nozzle gap is fine and the stringiness continues farther up the print, there are two main causes:
* XY or Z movement is larger than intended due to incorrect steps/mm value or wrong microstepping setting
* Severe under-extrusion
Of the two, **under-extrusion** is far more common, and unfortunately has lots of possible causes:
* Printing too cold for the material
* E-axis steps/mm is incorrect for the extruder drive hardware and microstepping
* Extruder stepper current is too low
* Extruder hardware is misaligned or jamming or the teeth are full of plastic dust
* Partial nozzle clog or damaged PTFE tube in the hot end
* Commanded flow rate through the nozzle is too high, such as if you're trying to print big, fat strands at high speeds
* Incorrect slicer calibration (eg extrusion multiplier is too low) or inappropriate slicer settings (eg extrusion width too large for the nozzle size)
* Excessive filament feed path drag between the spool and extruder drive
**The first under-extrusion tests you should start with are:**
* Preheat and try to push filament through the hot end by hand. Can you get a strand to come out without a ton of force? Does it go mostly down, or curl back up to hit the nozzle?
* Remove the hot end from the extruder drive, and command 100mm of filament motion through the extruder. Measure how much travel you actually get. It should be close to 100mm.
* With the hot end removed, command some filament motion, and try to stop the filament from moving by hand. Does it take some significant force to get the extruder to stall or slip?
Based on these, you should have a better idea of what needs to be fixed.
> 3 votes
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Tags: print-quality, z-axis
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thread-710 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/710 | Why does MakerBot Replicator heat the extruder and platform separately? | 2016-03-08T19:21:15.733 | # Question
Title: Why does MakerBot Replicator heat the extruder and platform separately?
I am using a MakerBot Replicator 2x, and when it is heating the platform and extruder, it begins by heating the platform, and then after that is at 110C it goes on to heat the left extruder to 230C. Does anyone know why it does this, since it has enough power to heat both? It seems like it would take less time to heat both at once.
# Answer
**It really doesn't *quite* have enough power to heat everything at once.** Initially bringing the bed up to temp takes a lot of current and so Makerbot's start sequences decrease stepper current and hold off on heating the extruder(s) until the bed is preheated. Once preheated, the bed's power draw decreases to a lower "holding" level and there is available capacity to do everything else.
The start sequencing decreases the max average power draw by a pretty substantial amount. The decrease is about 0.6A each for the XYAB steppers and 1.7A each for two hot ends, totalling 5-6A of avoided peak power draw. (Even lower if you preheat with the steppers disabled rather than idling.)
The history here is that one of Makerbot's design decisions with the Replicator 2 and 2x was to utilize off-the-shelf UL-listed power bricks (like a laptop might use) instead of an internal power supply. This made engineering and safety certification much easier, and completely eliminated mains-voltage wiring inside the printer, which is a big safety plus. However, the largest readily-available 24v power brick had slightly less current capacity than optimal. So Makerbot came up with a software workaround for the hardware limitation.
If you want, you can replace the stock power brick with a ~350w PSU and preheat everything at once. Sailfish firmware builds intended for printers with properly-sized PSUs (eg FlashForge Creators) will allow simultaneous preheating.
> 7 votes
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Tags: makerbot, heated-bed, replicator-dual, hbp
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thread-713 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/713 | What are the advantages/disadvantages of using synchromesh cables instead of belts? | 2016-03-08T19:51:49.223 | # Question
Title: What are the advantages/disadvantages of using synchromesh cables instead of belts?
Some 3d printers use synchromesh cables instead of belts. For example, the Deezmaker Bukito (http://bukito3d.com/) and a number of RepRap conversions.
*Photo from http://christophergranz.com/?p=449*
Are they significantly better than GT2 belts? What are the challenges?
# Answer
Looking at the specs for both the GT2 belt and the Synchromesh I'm very hesitant to recommend a Synchromesh over a belt.
The first thing that sticks out is that there are both error and cumulative error specifications for the Synchromesh. For a device like a 3D printer, I don't like the idea that of my axes can accumulate up to ±0.16 in. of error over 100 pitches (the pitch is between 0.12 in. and 0.25 in. so that is 12 to 25 in.).
Contrast this to a belt where the only way you have a cumulative error is if you skip a tooth and I think the winner is the GT2.
Looking at the non-cumulative pitch error both products are comparable but again the belt wins. For the Synchromesh we have an accuracy of ±0.002 in. versus ±0.0003(1) in. for a 2 mm GT2 belt and ±0.0012(1) in. for a 3 mm GT2 belt.
**Note:** I can't be certain about exact values for error since there are no numbers for the GT2 - only a stupid chart. I also have a hard time believing that error is not a function of total length for both the Synchromesh and the GT2 belt but I'm not the manufacturer. However, since both products are made by the same company I wouldn't be as concerned about them trying to oversell one product over the other.
*In conclusion, I don't see of any reason to choose a Synchromesh over a belt if your physical layout is compatible with both. As pointed out in the marketing material for the Synchromesh, it can be routed along 3 axes whereas a belt works best along a single axis. The Synchromesh seems to be a product designed for a very specific application...*
**Sources**
http://www.sdp-si.com/PDFS/Technical-Section-Timing.pdf
http://www.sdp-si.com/PDFS/Synchromesh-Cable-and-Attachment-Inch.pdf
> 5 votes
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Tags: reprap, printer-building
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thread-250 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/250 | How to print an overhanging arc | 2016-01-14T19:34:50.137 | # Question
Title: How to print an overhanging arc
I am designing a part that has to clamp around a 11mm bushing, and due to other design constraints, it has to be printed with a semicircle-shaped overhang:
This is proving very challenging to print. Two copies of this part have to clamp tightly around the bushing in all directions. Support material is rather hard to remove from the very top of the arc (where the overhang angle is the highest) and I often end up removing just too little of the support material (so the part doesn't fit around the bushing) or too much (and the bushing can wobble around).
Is there any way I can modify the design of this part (bearing in mind that it absolutely has to be printed in this orientation) to make it more tolerant of my inaccuracy when removing supports, or is there perhaps some way to manually design supports that are easier to remove (Simplify3D and Cura both don't quite cut it)?
# Answer
You could modify it as shown in my picture. I added lines tangent to the 11mm circle and in this example I set them to a 40 degree overhang which should be fine, the top line is also tangent to the circle and in my experience it's easier to bridge a small section rather than do a bunch of small overhangs like an arc would do. You still end up with quite a bit of contact but also easy to print.
I did something similar to this on my printer where the smooth rods enter horizontal holes.
> 11 votes
# Answer
I think a lot of this depends on the slicing engine you're using as to what options you have. I use MakerWare (now MakerBot Desktop) which has many options for the support scaffolding as well as other useful settings for your situation. As someone else stated, adjusting the distance (even slightly) can make a world of difference in how easy the supports are removed. Also bear in mind that supports can be more difficult to remove with larger layer heights, so try printing in a lower layer height.
Often times, you shouldn't need to use support structures for a feature like this. I might suggest printing without supports at a reduced speed and lowered nozzle temperature. This will help ensure that the material hardens quicker, which becomes helpful higher along the arc.
Related to the suggestion above, you can focus your slicing setting on better bridging. This should give better control on feeds/speeds while "bridging" a gap between overhanging features. Some slicing engines allow you to specify a different layer height for these areas on the print.
So, I would try printing with reduced print speed, nozzle temperature(s), and layer height with supports. My machine has a range of 0.1mm to 0.3, but I've had more success printing between 0.12mm and 0.15mm layer height with scaffolding in mind.
Last suggestion (when absolutely all else fails) purchase some sort of dissolvable filament (ie PVA - water soluble) and set your scaffolding-to-part distance really close and print. Obviously this only works if you have a multi-extruder head or a lot of time on your hands to swap the materials and adjust the nozzle temperature for each layer (please don't do that...)
> 9 votes
# Answer
If your printer is printing support material that is too strongly attached, you can increase the space between the support and the part in some slicing softwares. On Cura it is located in the "expert settings" menu (you can open it by pressing Ctrl + E), under the "Support" text. Try fiddling with the "Z distance" setting until you find the right setting. You can also change the type of support and support infill amount and see if it have any positive or negative effect.
Edit : I think you should also redesign your part : it seems that it cannot lock the bushing on. The semicircle should be a bit smaller to have a bit of space between your two parts. This way the bushing will be secured firmly by the tightening force of the screws and precision should be less of an issue.
> 6 votes
# Answer
I believe the post by @tbm0115, covers many of the general options. However, I would also consider *installing additional fans* to improve cooling of the model during printing.
As pointed out by this excellent article, installing a fan can significantly reduce issues the from printing overhangs. Regarding the type of fan to get, they stated that:
> It seems that the fan shroud you choose is less important than the fan type. The blower fan was consistently weighted above the stock 40 mm fan regardless of shroud. Using a blower also gives you the best possible airflow through any shroud you decide to use.
In addition - in my experience - adding having two or more fans blowing on the model from different directions will further improve overhang performance. This is because all parts of the print are less likely to experience lack of cooling due to *wind shadow* \- or *drag*.
> 6 votes
# Answer
Here are all the ways I can think of:
* Turn the temperature down just a little, which may reduce sagging
* Crank up cooling, like bigger fan(s) aimed at the print, so it solidifies faster
* Change orientation when possible (not in this case)
* Use soluble support material, and wash it away afterwards (requires 2-head printer)
* Pause the print as you go up, and insert support material manually (ick)
* Omit support material at the very top
* Machine out the support material afterwards with a more precise tool, like a drill or sander the same diameter as the bearing. I'm eagerly waiting for a BoxZY printer that can swap in a milling head in place of the extruder.
* Remove support material as now, but if you remove too much, fill the gap after installing the bearing to prevent wobbling -- epoxy, hot-melt glue, melted PLA, etc. might work, depending on how the part will end up being used.
* Add a set-screw to secure the bearing
Of course, these all have tradeoffs; but I hope at least one of them might help.
Steve
> 5 votes
# Answer
> if I printed it in a different orientation it would delaminate too easily
If you flip it around, the orientation of the layers would be the same, except that you would print from top to bottom instead of bottom to top.
With the arch opening to the top, there would be **no overhang**. Without overhang, you don't need support structures (red). The holes for screw heads have flat roofs (green) that the printer should be able to gap by moving over them quickly.
Here's an image that shows the original orientation at the top and my proposed flipped orientation at the bottom. The blue lien is the print bed.
> 3 votes
# Answer
I had to design something rather like this, but I made the part that wraps around the pipe (pipe in my case - bushing in yours) into a separate piece that slotted into the main arch.
That way, the main arch could be printed with poor precision on the overhang, and the sleeve was printed on its side. It took a little work to make the slotting system fit well, but it was fine. The two arches screwed together to grip two sleeve sections. It also meant I could print the big parts quickly because their precision was less critical.
If - as you suggest - you absolutely have to print it this way, then how about pulling the top of the arch up a little; make it a bit "gothic" if you see what I mean. This is a variation on tjb1's idea above, but rather than have a flat at the top, organize it so there's a gentle point. That way, the printer isn't trying to draw a critical fitting over empty space, and the area that prints poorly is away from the bushing. You might have the slack to put supports back in.
> 3 votes
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Tags: fdm, support-material
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thread-209 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/209 | How can I optimize my print for casting in metal? | 2016-01-13T20:30:30.690 | # Question
Title: How can I optimize my print for casting in metal?
A fellow maker has tried printing a 3D model in clear PLA (\<5% infill, 1 or 2 perimeters), burying it most of the way into casting sand, and then pouring molten aluminum. This melts and burns the PLA, and the aluminum takes the space that the printed model used to take.
There's plenty of room for improvement in his process, but I'm asking about what he can do in terms of the 3D printing process to make his prints more casting-friendly.
What print settings are (generally) best for use in this sort of casting?
What materials, if any, would work better than unpigmented PLA? (Must be a material that a typical thermoplastic FDM printer can handle.)
Any other tips or considerations?
# Answer
> 3 votes
Print a two part negative (mold) of your objects. http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:31581
https://pinshape.com/blog/how-to-generate-a-3d-printed-mold-for-an-object/
Melt and pour wax into the mold. Praffin wax melts at only 37C, not an issue for both PLA and ABS. Use the wax object for casting, not ABS/PLA/etc. The mold is also reusable this way.
To prevent the wax from sticking to the mold, something might be applied to the surface. Oil maybe?
# Answer
> 2 votes
I believe casting typically uses a wax for the positive when using casting sand. So, I would suggest using wax filament in your 3D printer.
I would try to shy away from hard polymers like PLA/ABS/Nylon (all typical 3D printing filaments) if the goal is to "melt it away" because a certain amount of the plastic material will either bind itself with the metal or large chunks of plastic will cause inclusions in your part. Both of these side effects will potentially degrade the quality/strength of your part.
I haven't personally used wax filament, so I can't tell you what the correct setting are. However, you can get most of the necessary information from whichever supplier you go through. I might suggest running your machine slower when using a low-melting filament such as wax or PVA (water soluble).
# Answer
> 1 votes
Typical procedure on the casting is to use the lost-wax method, and using PLA is absolutely fine.
* Print your part at around 101% - 103% size
* Attach flues to the part (or have them part of the model)
* Cast the part in a mixture of sand and plaster of paris
* Once set, burn out the PLA in a furnace.
* Clean the mould of debris
* Pour your metal of choice
For a more detailed reference, check out the following:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWVVSZP3Au4
Regarding the printing itself, my only advice is to use a small layer height and carefully clean up the part before casting
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Tags: fdm, pla
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thread-729 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/729 | z-axis hard to move in some areas - what could be faults, how to improve? | 2016-03-11T17:42:53.527 | # Question
Title: z-axis hard to move in some areas - what could be faults, how to improve?
I have a z-axis which follows schematically the same principle as the makerbot one's (threaded rod and two leading rods with linear ball bearings carrying a level). It is from an old experimental lab doing physics or chemistry.
The axis move gorgeously about 5 cm, but then it get's stuck on either sides of this way. Both driving threaded rod and the leading rods seem perfectly fine and should be able to allow for further movement. This is as far as I can see by eye.
Where should I look to find further issues and how could I improve the performance? Do I need to take the construction apart?
# Answer
There could be a few issues at play.
1. The smooth rods are not parallel which is causing the bearings to bind the further you go up.
2. Part of the thread is damaged not allowing it to pass through the nut.
3. The threaded rod is bent significantly to where it either doesn't pass through the nut or bind the assembly. (Is the end of the threaded rod opposite the motor constrained?)
4. Even less likely is that the motor could be damaged. Since you said it moved 5mm I would have to assume that is several revolutions of the motor so this is unlikely but possible.
The easiest way to find the problem would be to unhook/remove the threaded rod and see if you can move the carriage up and down the rods by hand, if so you just narrowed the problem down significantly.
> 3 votes
# Answer
X stage binding like this is almost always caused by parallelism issues with the rods and/or screw. The two-rod-plus-screw arrangement is quite over-constrained and thus requires good alignment to move smoothly.
Some basic troubleshooting steps:
1. Make sure the screw is not constrained at both ends. It is very difficult to manufacture a screw that is perfectly straight and then mount it so precisely that it can rotate with zero runout. Screws in light-duty linear motion applications should be allowed to "wobble" freely so any bend or runout doesn't apply side-load forces to the Z stage. This can be accomplished by putting a misalignment-tolerant coupler (like an Oldham coupler) on the driven end, and/or leaving the non-driven end free without any support bearing. A motor mount with a small amount of compliance (like a rubber stepper damper) can help when the screw is captive to the motor.
2. Lubricate the screw and bearings and make sure everything is clean and in good condition.
3. Allow the Z carriage to self-align the rods and screw. The proper technique for this will depend on the Z stage, but the basic idea is to loosen the rod and screw mounts on either end, run the Z carriage back and forth a few times to push the rods into position, and then only re-tighten the top and bottom hardware when the carriage is at that end. It may also be necessary to loosen the screw nut and bearings on the carriage to get everything aligned properly and smooth-running, but that does not enforce parallelism like loosening the rod and screw mounts, so is really a secondary step. It may be necessary to leave some "float" in one rod or the bearings on one rod (with gravity preloading out any resultant slop) if the hardware has major alignment issues.
4. If the stage still binds after doing the above, it may be necessary to check if the linear hardware is bent (such as by rolling rods on a flat table) or use a file or Dremel to loosen up the mounts or whatever feature is causing the misalignment.
> 5 votes
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Tags: maintenance, mechanics, z-axis
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thread-732 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/732 | What's the advantage of two z motors? | 2016-03-12T00:17:11.157 | # Question
Title: What's the advantage of two z motors?
Some RepRap models use only a single motor for the Z axis, others use two.
For example, there is the 3drag that has only one motor and a smooth rod on the other side. There are modifications that add a threaded rod on the other side that is connected to the motor axis with a belt - which seems to be a really good solution.
Other printers, like the Prusa i3 or the Mendel90 have two Z motors. And after playing around with a two motor model, I find it pretty annoying when they get out of sync and I need to calibrate the axis and the print bed again. So two motors seem more like an disadvantage to me.
Could someone please shed some light on why most RepRaps have two Z motors (nowadays)?
# Answer
> 14 votes
There are three main options here for Mendel style ZX gantries:
* One Z screw and motor, which is similar to a cantilevered design but somewhat more stable because of the opposite smooth rod
* Two Z screws and two motors
* Two Z screws and one motor, with belt synchronization of the two sides
**Of all of these, running two screws off one motor is clearly superior in reliability and user-friendliness.** There is no risk of the two sides of the Z stage going out of sync. One motor running at higher current will generally out-perform two motors splitting one driver's current via parallel wiring, because one motor with twice the torque can push much harder when one side of the gantry binds up or hits a rough spot.
The only real downside to the single motor, double screw approach is that it requires more engineering and parts. A closed-loop timing belt must be run between the two screws, with associated pulleys, tensioner, and support bearings. In comparison, using a separate motor for each screw is very simple. It adds a stepper and a shaft coupler, but saves a lot of vitamins and design complexity.
Two-motor, two-screw solutions are lower-cost and simpler to design. That's why they're used. End of story.
One-motor, one-screw Mendel style printers are quite rare. The passive side of the Z mechanism does add a little bit of stability to the X stage, but not a lot. It's possible to rack the X stage out of square with the bed and bind up the gantry. In order to work at all, they require a very wide/tall bearing footprint on the driven side to resist torque exerted on the driven side by the weight of the X stage and extruder carriage. So it's true that they don't have synchronization issues, but additional design challenges and undesirable flexure modes are introduced. It's much more common for one-screw designs to simply cantilever out the X stage, like a SmartRap or Printrbot Simple.
# Answer
> 2 votes
The general concept is to provide additional stability during the print. In the case of the 3drag machine you mentioned, you could run the risk of the -X- axis sagging due to the weight of the print head and/or additional wear on the rod or bearings on the one side (smooth side) as a result of the off balance weight. However, you may find "hacks" like this can potentially help reduce the affects by providing a bit more stability.
Having two -Z- axis motors with the threaded rods can help ensure stability of the -X- axis during print and can, overall, reduce wear on the mechanical components.
# Answer
> 2 votes
First up: I'm no expert. All of the below is guesswork.
I think that the main reason is that it makes for a simpler design.
If you hold the X-Axis only on one side, you have to keep it level through rigidity. (Especially if you have the extruder motor on that axis.) If you try to control the sagging, you have a problem because the torque changes depending on the position of the extruder.
For stepper motors to go out of sync, one has to miss steps. Regardless on whether you have one or two or seventeen motors, if you are missing steps, you need to debug it.
I got lots of missed steps in both X and Y, and I tried everything. Until I found out that I was actually missing steps in Z, and the nozzle was hitting the build.
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Tags: z-axis, reprap, motor, knowledgebase
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thread-736 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/736 | Tips for making parts that push/snap together | 2016-03-12T06:50:45.473 | # Question
Title: Tips for making parts that push/snap together
I would like to make some parts that will fit together. Specifically, I'm making an array of holders for small glass vials, which will stack together vertically to make a kind of extensible spice rack, for a scientific application.
Of course, I could just give each module a flat top and bottom surface and glue them together. However, it would be more convenient (and more fun) to make some kind of connector, so that I can just push the parts together and pull them apart when needed. The connection will need to be relatively sturdy, and they'll need to sit flush against each other with no flexing where they join. I am a novice at 3D printing, so I'm looking for tips on how to design interlocking components, both in general and for this particular case.
These parts will be printed in ABS using the Zortrax M200, and I'm designing them using OpenSCAD. They will almost certainly be printed lying on their side.
One option is that there are several parametric Lego brick clones available, which I could easily incorporate into my OpenSCAD project. My only worries are that this might be overcomplicating the problem, and that printing Lego type parts on their side will result in having to scrape a lot of support material out of the hollow parts. (Though on the plus side, the lego compatibility might actually be useful, in terms of not having to manufacture additional supporting material.)
Any tips would be welcome on how to design and print parts that can be pushed together. I am sure I can work it out myself in time, but any knowledge that will save me a design iteration or two would be very greatly appreciated.
# Answer
> 12 votes
There are many different ways too approach this and the question may be too broad, but here's a stab at it...
Here are a few different ways that I've made parts that connect in the past:
Example 1: Utilize the elasticity of the plastic by creating a semi circle to fit around another object. When fitting the part to the other object, the "wings" will flex out and relax around the back end of the object.
Example 2: T-Slot style designs are a nice choice for semi-permanent or interchangeable parts. The key here is just using trapezoids and make sure the "female" end is slightly larger and/or tapered to make it easier to insert the slides.
Example 3: Create snaps. This can be a bit more difficult, but can provide a more professional look to your design. It's best to start off by designing on L-Shaped slot on the parent part and a smaller L-Shaped extrusion on the child part. Then you can add a taper to the bottom area of the "L" to make it easier to insert into the slot.
Example 4: Creating plugs are similar to snaps, they're just circular. Try starting off with a cylinder and joining either a sphere or a slightly larger diameter and tapered cylinder on top. Then you should be able to snap the assembly into a hole that is slightly smaller than the "top" of the plug.
It's important to weigh the usefulness of some design choices against the purpose of your part. For me, if I'm designing something for the shop or something that I think I'm going to be swapping out often, I'll use the T-Slot idea. Other things that "looking pretty" is more important, I'll try to hide the connections by designing a type of snap that can go into the walls of the part.
The T-Slot designs seem to print quite easily with no need for supports (depending on how gradual the angles of your trapezoid are) and provides a lot of structural strength.
Printing snaps has been difficult for me in the past and its best not to try to unsnap the part too much as you run the risk of shearing the snap upon removal. Printing such a small feature means that it is usually not marginally strong. However, including multiple snaps in an area and designing them with tight clearances can provide a very neat/clean connection that is appealing for consumer products (for example, phone cases).
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Tags: 3d-design
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thread-739 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/739 | Which photopolymer for printing? | 2016-03-13T14:35:19.407 | # Question
Title: Which photopolymer for printing?
I am thinking about building my own DLP 3D printer. I want to know which uv curing resin I should use.
Also, I came across a continuous 3D printing technology where oxygen permeable glass was used to stop the photopolymer toching the glass from hardening so the cured photopolymer wont stick to the glass. What resin additives are used to achive this?
# Answer
> 3 votes
I think you will find that it will be necessary for you to tune your own printer to a specific resin. Even as important, you would expect to have different parameters for different colors of resin, as each will absorb the UV to a different degree.
You haven't provided parameters in your request for which resin to use. You will consider availability and cost of the material you select, as well as the UV light frequency for which a particular product is specified. Temperature range of use is another critical detail.
You'll want to avoid resins for which the manufacturer does not provide specifications of that sort.
If you pursue this route, you'll find and learn quite a bit.
Regarding the resin additives for non-hardening: I have not seen such a product and I would not be surprised to learn that it is a proprietary substance and as such, a company secret.
There is a recent development of a similar note, a positive one, in my opinion. There is a silicone compound that forum posts have indicated allow the resin to release with minimal or no difficulty and the clarity lasts weeks of use. Current use of Sylgard or the equivalent means frequent re-builds of the vat due to cloudiness of the silicone or tearing of the surface due to excessive stickiness.
Breakable Glass Silicone has developed quite a following on the B9Creator forums for solving (or substantially reducing) those two factors. That alone justifies the immense expense of shipping from Australia, in my opinion.
The easy release of the layers of the model from the surface would mean far more reliability in printing. You should/could consider this product for your project as it removes the requirement for questionable additives.
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Tags: filament, filament-quality, dlp
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thread-19 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/19 | How to easily get rid of rafts and support structures? | 2016-01-12T19:28:09.363 | # Question
Title: How to easily get rid of rafts and support structures?
My printed parts consist rafts, supports and other extraneous filament when printing with ABS or PLA.
What are efficient general techniques of removing them?
# Answer
The best way to get rid of them is to change the design of the printed object to make them unnecessary.
Instead of printing the one part with support material, the piece can be split into two or more parts which can be printed without support material and assembled after the printing.
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Given that this is not always fully possible, a convenient way to get rid of additional structures is to use a different fillament for them that can be removed easily. This list of printing materials includes Polyvinyl Acetate (**PVA**), which is water soluble. You can wash the support material away given that your actual printign material is not water soluble. Here's a quote from the website (emphasize mine):
> PVA (Polyvinyl Acetate) filament prints translucent with a slightly yellow tint and is **primarily used as a 3D printing support material** because it is water-soluble, meaning that **it will dissolve when exposed to water** (and so MUST be kept dry prior to use). PVA is most often used with 3D printers capable of dual extrusion: one extruder printing a primary material (such as ABS or PLA) and the other printing this dissolvable filament to provide support for overhanging features. PVA 3D printer filament is available in 1.75mm and 3mm.
> 10 votes
# Answer
Increasing the distance between the support/raft and the print should allow for easier removal. Some slicers (such as Slic3r) have settings for 0.0 mm spacing for water dissoluble supports, and 0.2 mm for regular plastic supports.
Changing the upper surface of the support also can help. Some slicers will leave the support as lines all the way to contact with the print. Others will put a full layer on the top of the support before the print. The full layer allows for better adhesion and the print not falling between the lines, but it makes it harder to remove.
When the raft/support is done with lines, putting pressure on the lines in the opposite direction should cause them to break off. As you break some of the outer ones, the support can be pulled down which will continuously rip the support off. There may be a few pieces that remain. These can be removed with wood chisels. Sliding the pointed end between the support and the print will cut into the plastic which removes the support. *Note: always push the chisel away from you as it may slip. You do not want a sharp blade moving uncontrollably towards your body./*
A raft with a solid top:
A raft with only lines for the top:
> 5 votes
# Answer
I use diagonal cutters and a pair of mini pliers. I print with Simplify3d and the support structures are remarkably easy to remove, I find giving a quick pull pops most off. The diagonal cutters get rid of any small beads leftover.
> 4 votes
# Answer
I usually use a chisel or a flat-head screwdriver to easily remove the bottom plate that the printer auto-generates. I would also suggest using something like wire cutters or some mini pliers to pull them off.
> 1 votes
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Tags: support-structures, post-processing, rafts
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thread-754 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/754 | Slic3r - Can I add new infill patterns? | 2016-03-14T22:55:19.037 | # Question
Title: Slic3r - Can I add new infill patterns?
Slic3r comes with a handful of infill patterns/algorithms, including Rectilinear, Hexagon, 3D Hexagon, Concentric, and Hilbert Curve.
Are there any patterns/algorithms already made and available that I can add to Slic3r? If so, how can I add them in?
# Answer
> 11 votes
Although the core of Slic3r is written in C++ a lot of other components such as infill generation are written in Perl. Since Slic3r is open source there is nothing stopping you from writing your own infill module in Perl and recompiling your own version of Slic3r.
If your considering doing this you can find the existing infill code in the Github repository at
https://github.com/alexrj/Slic3r/tree/master/lib/Slic3r/Fill
Instructions on how to run from source can be found at
http://slic3r.org/download
Here is a commit where a new infill pattern is added. This should show you all the parts of the codebase that must be modified to add a new infill model (some trivial C++ modifications appear to be necessary in addition to the Perl code)
https://github.com/alexrj/Slic3r/commit/2811af349ae17230a525ddcf819b1ddffaa250c9
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Tags: slic3r, infill
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thread-737 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/737 | How to turn off supports in Z-Suite (Zortrax slicing software) | 2016-03-12T09:09:54.953 | # Question
Title: How to turn off supports in Z-Suite (Zortrax slicing software)
I would like to print a model without supports on the Zortrax M200. To do this it is mandatory to use the proprietory Z-Suite slicer. I am certain that at some point I found an option to turn off support struts (I specifically remember the text "(not recommended)" appearing in the UI somewhere), but it seems not to be there now. Is my memory playing tricks on me, or is there a way to enable a "no supports" option in Z-Suite?
# Answer
> 1 votes
I've found the answer for myself by playing around a bit more. It seems that in selecting the "support angle", a higher angle means *more* supports. This was confusing me, because I had assumed "support angle" meant the maximum angle of overhang before a support would be generated. I guess it does actually mean that, but it counts 90º rather than 0º as vertical. In any case, supports are turned off simply by changing it to 0, in which case the text "not recommended" does indeed appear.
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Tags: software
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thread-760 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/760 | Analytic equations to make algorithm of 3D printer | 2016-03-15T13:32:30.803 | # Question
Title: Analytic equations to make algorithm of 3D printer
I have a project in the 3D printing. the aim of the project is to realize the control of the 3D printing.
the type of the printer is a printer with cables.
the problem seems to have some development both in mechanical and robotics engineering.
first of all, as our tutor said, we should find the dynamical and the geometrical equations and from those equations, we can find the algorithm to control the system of the 3 D printing.
Well, my question is particularly about the dynamical equations in 2D as you can see in the picture above.
the idea is to find equations of : \- L1 and L2 in terms of xa and ya : which I already found as you can see in the picture \- xa and ya and teta in terms of L1 and L2: which I cannot find ! I would lilke you to help in this point.
thank you in advance
And here, I add the dynamic equations and I would like you to check if it is ok
# Answer
> 3 votes
As shown, the mechanics are under-constrained. You can't solve for theta because you have three degrees of freedom (X, Y, theta) and only two constraints (L1, L2). Gravity *will* tend to bias theta in a particular orientation, but the geometrical stiffness of this arrangement will be so low that it will not be possible to do 3D printing.
To calculate the free-hanging orientation of theta, you will need to know the center of gravity of the end-effector, and solve a system of equations to find the angles and tensions for each cable that produce force vectors which sum to equilibrium with the gravity force vector through the COG. Unfortunately, the tensions will be a function of the angles, so it's not trivial to solve. As a hint, the virtual intersection of the two cables will be coincident with or directly above the COG in all equilibrium positions, and the horizontal components of the tensions in the two cables will be equal.
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Tags: printer-building
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thread-759 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/759 | Getting rid of hardware parts smell (GT2 timing belt) | 2016-03-15T10:38:16.180 | # Question
Title: Getting rid of hardware parts smell (GT2 timing belt)
I ordered 10m of GT2 timing belt for a printer I want to build, however, the chemical smell from the belt is completely unbearable, in the sense of it gives me the feeling it is destroying something in my nose (and my nose isn't even particularly good). I tried to leave the belt outside in my garage for about three weeks now, but the smell has gone only so much. I naively assume it is the chemical to make the belt soft and bendable, would that even be a health risk having the belt around me for more extended intervals of time? Can I make the smell go away, and what would be the best way to do so?
# Answer
> 6 votes
It's a garbage-quality belt, and it will probably continue outgassing at a steadily-decreasing rate for a very long time.
The fact that it has a strong chemical smell is pretty good evidence that it would not comply with regulations in civilized countries (such as REACH). I would recommend returning it or throwing it away and buying from a more reputable vendor. A large fraction of all cheap 3d printer parts these days are ridiculously far out of compliance with US/EU regs and basic common sense for contamination.
If you're hell-bent on using a crappy knock-off belt to save a few bucks, you could put it under vacuum to try to suck out the residual chemical gas faster. Just apply the vacuum very slowly / in stages (say over 10 minutes) so you don't get decompression blisters in the rubber. You shouldn't need a hard vacuum, dropping to 0.5-1 psia or 0.05 bar absolute for a day or two *should* help significantly. No guarantees though.
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Tags: hardware, belt
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thread-726 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/726 | Threaded rods to create frame/axis connection. Which improvements can be made and are they needed? | 2016-03-10T08:59:27.577 | # Question
Title: Threaded rods to create frame/axis connection. Which improvements can be made and are they needed?
I am building what I dub Frankenstein's printer from various components I could find in the electronics dumpster to print the proteins for a P3 Steel (toolson edition).
I want to elevate a scanner bed with an attached DVD drive motor for X-Y movements of the hotend. I plan to connect this by threaded rods to a base that also hosts the heated bed on a stury z-axis mechanism. To make this as stable as possible, I plan to conncect M8 threaded rods in the 8 edges in wooden blocks.
I am planning on 4 vertical rods and 2 crossing rods along the diagonals of the backside of the system. Additionally each side is planned to have one diagonal connected by a rod.
We're talking about a height of about 30cm and M8 rods. Will this introduce lots of vibrations and is it possible to avoid easily? Are there any better connection ideas or improvements I can make to this design?
\*edit: here is a really bad hand-drawn sketch:
# Answer
If I understand you correctly, compared to a Mendel RepRap you are using:
* M8 threaded rod (the same kind of rod used in the Mendel RepRap frame)
* roughly the same lengths of rod as in the Mendel, and
* cross-braced with more diagonals than the Mendel design.
So I expect less vibration and the same print quality as a Mendel.
Rather than put one block of wood at each corner with holes drilled at a bunch of weird skewed angles, the "1X2 split vertex" looks like it is a lot easier to construct.
I've heard several people claim that lots of threaded rods and associated corner connectors can be replaced with a few big sheets of wood in a 3D printer. See Mendel90, RP9, SGBot, WolfStrap, etc.
Looks like a very educational project. Good luck.
> 1 votes
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Tags: printer-building, quality
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thread-764 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/764 | When building the ramps 1.4 is it safe to use small wires to jump the 5A, 12V power input over to the 11 Amp input | 2016-03-15T18:21:53.590 | # Question
Title: When building the ramps 1.4 is it safe to use small wires to jump the 5A, 12V power input over to the 11 Amp input
The idea is so you only need two long wires going from the power supply to the electronics boards. I'm sure I saw this done in a tutorial somewhere, but I can't for the life of me find the source. Also I just bought a kit and the build manual says to use four wires, but only two wires come with the kit, so I recalled that bit of advice in the tutorial and thought hmm either they shorted me those wires, or they just expect me to make do with two. Perhaps the jumping method is common practice? But then why have a plug on the ramps board with four inputs? Why not just two inputs and split it internally if need be?
# Answer
I guess that the external split is at least partly done to force the user to utilize 4 wires. 16 Amps at 12 Volts is quite a bit of power and you don't want your wires or connectors to melt. If you use twice the wire cross section by using 4 instead of 2 wires, you also reduce the resistivity and hence heat created in the wire.
Put it the other way around: Using 2 instead of 4 wires raises the risk of your setup to catch fire.
Still, you can use that bridging technique, if you make sure that all your wire diameters are big enough.
I would advise you, however, to cut the wires that come with your kit in half and use the connectors in the way they were meant to. For optical appeal and less cable clutter you can still put the wires into some braided sleeve for example.
> 3 votes
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Tags: ramps-1.4
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thread-762 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/762 | It is worthwhile to protect electronics with a 3D printed PLA case? | 2016-03-15T17:09:47.277 | # Question
Title: It is worthwhile to protect electronics with a 3D printed PLA case?
PLA is flammable, but a good case can protect the main board from dirt.
Is it worthwhile to protect a circuit board with a 3d printed case?
# Answer
> 6 votes
It depends.
Protecting your electronics from being touched by random bits of conductive material which would short and fry them is always a good idea.
If it's something that will be visible, then a pleasant printed casing might go well. You might just as well use any other casing though, there's no requirement it be 3D printed.
For a very small circuitboard (an inch or less) heatshrink tubing might be a better form of protection. Or just insulating tape.
If you never intend to access the circuitry again and heat dissipation isn't a big issue, then just putting the whole lot in potting compound may work best for you - complete waterproofing and environmental protection.
Or you could just tape a bit of plastic from a 2l coke bottle over it, and get 99% of the protection you'll ever need, and still keep the circuit visible and accessible.
Ultimately, it boils down to: Do you want it to be covered? If so, by what? If you would prefer a 3D printed case, then do you want it enough that it is worth the time and effort to you?
# Answer
> 6 votes
As pointed out by Ryan Carlyle, not all 3D printing filament is flammable (such as PET and PETG), and the question therefore rather becomes:
**Can 3D printing be used to make proper electronic cases?**
And the short answer to that is **yes**. 3D printing allows to make customized cases of all varieties. Also, since there is huge variety of materials available, you not only restricted to cases of plastic filaments - should this be of interest.
Then again, it all depends on what you are protecting your electronics from. If you plan on submerging your electronics into water or throw them into a fire, 3D printing might not work for you at all. If dust protection is your only concern, however, 3D printed cases should do just fine in most cases.
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Tags: electronics
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thread-786 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/786 | Easiest way to build a horizontal hotend mount at home, without printing | 2016-03-18T10:21:36.583 | # Question
Title: Easiest way to build a horizontal hotend mount at home, without printing
For my Frankenstein's printer I am at a loss with the hotend mount. I cannot drill holes of 16 (upper diameter) and 12 mm (clamping diameter, 6mm high) which i would need to mount the E3D V6 clone I have.
What I am looking for: a hotend mount plate that tightly fixes the hotend while having some holes for screws to mount it to the horizontally moving x-y drives. As I cannot print yet, it needs to be manufacturable at home. I thought of something like this:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:285405
I could get a piece of wood thin enough to fit the 6mm gap for the hotend, would not really be able to put any screws through it along the flat axis. also I would have to glue the layer with a 16mm hole on top. Not to say that I don't own a drillbit of 16mm diameter...
Are there some completely different ideas around which I didn't think of yet?
Additional info: the x-y axes are made from a scanner bed and an underneath mounted dvd drive laser positioner. Ideally, I'd want to mount the hotend directly to the DVD drive but a) there is almost no space for that, and b) I'm pretty sure I will burn the DVD drive's motor somewhere along the way, so I don't want to put too much work in the individual DVD drive.
# Answer
You could cut a v-notch groove in a piece of plywood to hold one side of the groovemount neck, and then use a bolt through another piece of wood to push the neck into the V-notch.
There are lots of options when building RepStraps and JunkStraps. Really depends on what sort of hardware and fabrication capabilities you have on hand.
> 4 votes
# Answer
If you do not have the tools to fabricate this component yourself, but have a 3D model available, I would suggest getting someone else to 3D print it for you.
There are multiple options for getting your model printed, such as:
Good luck!
> 2 votes
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Tags: diy-3d-printer, hotend, hardware, stability
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thread-797 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/797 | What kind of silicone glue should I use to attach my thermsistors? | 2016-03-20T00:06:31.977 | # Question
Title: What kind of silicone glue should I use to attach my thermsistors?
I was watching a couple of videos about installing a Thermistor on the heat-bed and extruder of my Prusa i3; both videos mentioned that if I use either Sodium Silicate (Muffler & Tail Pipe Sealer) or Heat Resistant Silicone Glue to attach my Thermistors, I would be able to get a more accurate temperature reading.
Is there a particular kind or specification that is best for use in their the Heatbed or the Extruder?
# Answer
> 5 votes
The main requirement here is temperature resistance. A 3D printer extruder is very, very hot, and will easily exceed the ratings of many typical silicone glues in normal service or during a runaway event. (You should always plan for an eventual thermal runaway. They're alarmingly common with cheap kit printers.) Even high-temp glues will not survive the temperatures an extruder can reach at full power if the firmware locks up.
Muffler putty is popular for fixing thermistors because it's one of the few widely-available ways of attaching a thermistor that will easily withstand the heat. In fact, it will survive after the aluminum hot block melts. (Yes, that can happen.) But muffler putty is fairly brittle, and has a different coefficient of thermal expansion from aluminum, so there is some risk of the thermistor detaching over time. I really don't recommend puttying thermistors used in extruders -- many people do, but it's less robust and less secure for long-term use than the proper hardware fixing methods found in modern hot block designs like the E3Dv6. The temperature sensing is sufficiently fast and accurate simply by putting the thermistor into a pocket in the hot block, without any kind of potting around the glass bead.
High-temp RTV glues are very suitable for heated build plates. Pretty much any RTV (such as from your local automotive repair store) is fine if you just want to attach a thermistor to a plate. However, silicone heaters will require silicone adhesives. I've had good success with Dow Corning 736.
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Tags: extruder, heated-bed, prusa-i3, thermistor
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thread-744 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/744 | Triangulation adapted to curvature | 2016-03-14T00:06:06.590 | # Question
Title: Triangulation adapted to curvature
I don't know whether this belongs here (where most of the questions appear to be about hardware) or on Math or on Blender (though I've never used Blender).
All of the designs that I've published so far consist of grids of bent ‘rods’, and in most of them the spacing of vertices depends on the rod's local curvature; that's easy enough. But I think some of these figures would look better as continuous surfaces, and it's not obvious to me how to arrange the vertices efficiently — that is, to triangulate the surface just finely enough that it's accurate to within the printer's resolution.
So: given a surface defined by well-behaved functions *x(u,v), y(u,v), z(u,v)*, is there a standard way to choose vertices in *u,v* space so that the length of each edge is roughly proportional to the radius of curvature in its direction?
# Answer
> 1 votes
For 3d printing this is not very relevant. The triangles only exist in the File read by the slicer. And there are file-formats that can describe rods without the need to use triangles.
If you create a model in a format that uses triangles than just use enough of them to get your model described fully. (millions of very small triangles) That is probably a waste on part where it has less details, but that just makes the file a bit bigger.
The problem of best print quality doesn't end there.
The slicer looks at the triangfles and creates a 2d image of the intersection of the triangles with the layer hight. It then creates g\_COde paths along the lines in this 2d image for every Layer. Using triangles to describe the model will only give small line segments for these 2d slices. Therefore the G-Code creates will only have straight line movements (G0, G1).
With a format that can describe curves, the slicer could end up with circles and arcs on the 2d slice and could then use G2 and G3 moves. And if the Firmware of your printer understands these commands you would get the best possible quality with rather small model files.
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Tags: 3d-design, resolution, surface
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thread-813 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/813 | Convert G-code to SVG | 2016-03-21T04:49:04.347 | # Question
Title: Convert G-code to SVG
This question is a bit of an edge case for what 3D Printing SE covers, but it has to do with topics most closely related to 3D printing.
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I've found a plethora of ways to convert SVG (vector graphics) into G-code, but I can't seem to find any way to take a series of G-code movements and convert them into lines as a vector graphic.
Why would I want to do this, you ask?
I have a Silhouette, which can cut paper, or draw on paper, depending on if you insert a knife tool or a pen tool.
I have a polar draw bot (Makelangelo) which doesn't want to behave... the motors keep losing steps when the number of steps/second is low, and thus positioning gets off.
I want to use the drawing algorithms in the Makelangelo software to create drawings using my Silhouette, but the Silhouette wants vector graphics, not G-code.
The simplest way in my mind to do this is to convert G-code generated in the Makelangelo software, convert it to a standard vector format (SVG), and import it into Silhouette's software suite.
Alternately, if there's a way to send G-code directly to my Silhouette and have it work, that'd be a much better solution.
# Answer
> 3 votes
There are a number of programs available which will convert g-code to DXF, a common drawing format. If your device does not support DXF directly, there are a number of programs to convert DXF to SVG. I would paste links but a quick search with your favorite search engine should give you useful results. The better conversion programs will allow you to eliminate movement g-code entries, which prevents connections between lines. I did not paste links, as my research shows such variety as to be overwhelming.
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Tags: g-code, file-formats
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thread-801 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/801 | Cons to UV printing | 2016-03-20T18:22:24.270 | # Question
Title: Cons to UV printing
I've been curious about the various UV/Laser printers in (or coming into) market that use liquid resin. I've seen the samples of the Pegasus Touch, Form1, and the Carbon3D as examples. I like the specifications of the quality that machines can put out. However, in my experience with FDM printing, there almost always seems to be something not quite right about the print.
So, what are some major maintenance considerations for these types of 3D printing? Also, specifically, are supports and overhangs as much an issue in these types of printers as with FDM/FFF?
Here are some things I consider major maintenance considerations in FDM:
* Extruder Clogging
* Build platform conditions (i.e. levelness, clean, type of tape, bubbles in tape)
* Variances in material quality (i.e. diameter, purity, physical conditions)
* Mechanics of the machine (i.e. belts, rods, gear teeth, etc.)
* Build environment (i.e. ensuring steady temperature in the build environment, minimize draft)
<sub>I'm not necessarily looking for printer recommendations, more so technical insight on the technology.</sub>
# Answer
> 9 votes
Taken in order your questions:
Maintenance for a resin printer means keeping the vat or tray clean, using appropriate methods to remove the unused resin (or leaving it in the vat per manufacturer's directions). Cleaning the tray should be done also per manufacturer's spec, although each printer's user forum may provide better or more effective options.
The Pegasus Touch has a caution regarding dripping resin on the mirrors, so there's operational care considerations for these types of printers.
There is a build platform for these printers. The flatness and level are as critical or more so for resin printers, as the resolution can be astonishingly high. If any portion of a print does not bond to the platform, that entire print will have a failed section, creating an entirely failed print. Gravity is not particularly helpful in that respect, at least with the Pegasus Touch.
The release medium varies from device to device. The Pegasus Touch originally used PDMS (silicon release compound) and now uses what's called a SuperVat. The plastic material in the SuperVat is purported to provide better release and fewer failures, along with increased lifespan. PDMS becomes cloudy from repeated printing in the same location and can be torn away from the vat if the print does not properly release.
I've become aware of a product from Australia that has had good reports from use in a B9 Creator resin printer. The report indicates that it releases the model quite easily and barely turns cloudy. I have an order pending for this material, as I am hopeful it will perform as described.
The mechanics are also varied. One expects a system to raise and lower the build platform and to direct the laser or illumination system (DLP), but generally, this type of printer is somewhat simpler mechanically.
Because I live in a hot humid climate, my Pegasus Touch remains in the box, and my brain is about to explode with what I've learned of using it. Environmental conditions are likely to vary with different machines. I've seen references that 70 degrees F is too cold, others that say 70-75 degrees F is just fine, anything higher is too hot. Another user says that 65 degrees is good. The type of resin also becomes an important factor for environmental conditions.
The laser will create heat in the resin, so I'm inclined to believe that cooler is better. Different colors require different durations of laser light, somewhat akin to various plastics having different temperatures.
supports and overhangs are important considerations in an SLA or DLP printer, just as they are in FDM.
Expect also that many of the resin printers require that the user purchase only the product provided by the manufacturer. This isn't necessarily a negative as most of the resin sources are priced similarly.
If I've missed any part of your question, let me know.
# Answer
> 4 votes
Despite how many vendors make it appear, resin-curing SLA/DLP printers are industrial or commercial tools that are really not suitable for home desktop use. Here are the major downsides:
* Significantly more expensive to operate than FDM printers, in most cases.
* The resin is seriously toxic until fully cured. Fumes can be an issue for users handling raw resin, and you should NEVER put a photopolymer print into a chemically-sensitive environment like an aquarium or children's toy.
* Prints require messy post-processing to rinse off excess resin (usually with rubbing alcohol) and additional UV light exposure to finish hardening the photopolymer. The used alcohol/resin rinse mix is basically hazmat waste.
* In bottom-up printers, the window in the print vat is typically a consumable. Some printers require replacing the vat ($$) after every liter or two of cured resin. (Technology is advancing rapidly here though.)
* The peel mechanism in bottom-up printers is often a major source of print flaws, due to the need to rock/tilt/slide the print to free it from the vat window.
* In top-down printers, you have to pay a large up-front consumables cost to initially fill the resin tank. (There are workarounds here like floating a layer of resin on brine, but these have their own technical issues.)
* If you leave the resin in the printer for an extended period, you'll probably find a hardened layer on the surface from stray light exposure and have to clean out or replace the vat.
* Resin vats/tanks need to be kept clean and free of cured resin debris from failed prints or stray light.
* Every combination of resin chemistry, printer light source, and printer optics requires specific tuning to dial in the photopolymer curing behavior. This means it's somewhat difficult to change resin brands, and you may effectively be locked into the printer manufacturer's resin. Many light sources will change in intensity or develop dim regions over time as they age, which will either harm print quality, require period recalibration, or require frequent light source replacement.
* There is a limited number of options for print materials. Technology here is advancing rapidly, but for the most part, SLA/DLP prints are non-load-bearing models with a limited range of color options.
These are some pretty significant "user experience" downsides compared to a consumer desktop FDM printer. It's more hazard, more work, and more cost than FDM. SLA/DLP is primarily advantageous where high resolution or high print speeds are required.
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Tags: resin, maintenance, dlp, uv-printer
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thread-796 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/796 | HE3D-XI3 3D printer Repetier software config help! | 2016-03-19T16:25:56.870 | # Question
Title: HE3D-XI3 3D printer Repetier software config help!
I am new to 3d printing and had bought my first 3d printer a couple of months ago. I have it all put together and the software uploaded to the Arduino. However, I need some help with configuration and calibration of the printer. I understand that there is a configuration file that can be changed and uploaded again the create those changes. I also have worked with Arduino before so I know the IDE.
When I turn the printer on everything works, as far as I know. I did some tests to see if anything was wrong, but I couldn't find anything. However, when I hit *home* for all of the x, y and z axis to go to their starting marks, it tries to go past the rails and comes apart. From what I understand this is a configuration issue.
I tried to contact HE3D about this, but received no answer, so you guys are my last hope. If you need any more information to help me, let me know and i'll try getting it to you asap. (I also have read the documentation on Repetier and the installation and configuration section but my brain for some reason is not clicking into gear.)
Thanks for the help in advanced!!! Here are the specs: https://www.3dprintersonlinestore.com/reprap-prusa-xi3
# Answer
Based on some troubleshooting in the question comments, it appears that the issue here is the motors running the wrong way. This can be fixed EITHER by inverting the motor directions in firmware, OR by simply flipping the orientation of the motor plugs where they connect to the controller board. Flipping the plugs is an easy and quick way to reverse the phase of a stepper and thus reverse its direction of motion.
> 2 votes
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Tags: ramps-1.4, software, prusa-i3
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thread-826 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/826 | Beginner in calibrating HE3D Prusa XI3 | 2016-03-22T00:19:31.560 | # Question
Title: Beginner in calibrating HE3D Prusa XI3
This is my first time calibrating my printer and I'm not sure where to start. The printer is running Repetier v0.91 firmware that came on the SD card that came with the printer.
Anyway, the question I have is where do I start calibrating and how would I go about it? I have read on Google many ways and it seems there are different opinions. I am reading this at the moment: RepRap Wiki - Calibration.
# Answer
There's a great tutorial **here** on youtube.
And personally my favourite is this **tutorial.**
> 3 votes
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Tags: prusa-i3, calibration
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thread-676 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/676 | Settings to change when upgrading from Smart Extruder to Smart Extruder+ | 2016-03-02T09:29:08.800 | # Question
Title: Settings to change when upgrading from Smart Extruder to Smart Extruder+
I am optimizing a collection of slicing profiles and in the process of upgrading some profiles from the classic Makerbot Smart Extruder to the new Smart Extruder+.
What are the parameters that should be changed with the new extruder? Are there any params to which the new extruder is more "sensitive"?
Thank you!
# Answer
> 1 votes
There are no "sensitive" params here. You just need to set it up like the regular Smart Extruder.
Like the original design, the Smart Extruder+ is supposed to make Replicator printers simpler to use, more reliable, and more future-proof. It automatically detects when the printer's filament runs out and pauses the job, notifying users via a desktop or mobile app. It also can be quickly swapped out upon wearing out or becoming obsolete.
Additional improvements include faster print start up and refined build plate leveling, the process of calibrating a 3D printer. The smart sensors within the extruder have been enhanced for better performance and to streamline the printing process from start to completion.
Improved components include:
* A better thermal management system
* Extended PTFE tube to feed the filament into the nozzle
* Faster print start up
* Refined build plate leveling and calibration
The enhanced smart sensors are a big part of the story here though in that they allow for better speed, along with savings on the bottom line too, keeping users informed about print status from beginning to end, whether from the PC or mobile app.
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Tags: fdm, pla, makerbot, slicing
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thread-868 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/868 | Are the thermsistors identical for both the heatbed and the extruder head? | 2016-03-25T13:48:11.593 | # Question
Title: Are the thermsistors identical for both the heatbed and the extruder head?
I'm aware of two thermsistors in the Prusia i3 Rework. Are they the same? And if not, how do you tell them apart?
# Answer
> 3 votes
This depends on how you ended up with your finished printer. If it was a kit, then there is a chance that the thermistors might be the same, however, even a kit manufacturer might buy parts that come preassembled as I could imagine being the case for the hotend.
To find out about the actual thermistor **you would need to look up the spec sheet** of the manufacturer of your printer or the individual parts, afaik there is no way to identify them by having them in your hand beyond identifying the resistivity and the coefficient type by using a multimeter.
You could, of course, check the resistivity for a whole temperature range to compare the table of your thermistor to the tables which are listed in firmware, but then you could compile your own tables right away.
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Tags: prusa-i3, thermistor
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thread-864 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/864 | Can I use 20 gauge wire for my Mk2a Heatbed? | 2016-03-25T13:09:16.460 | # Question
Title: Can I use 20 gauge wire for my Mk2a Heatbed?
I purchased the following wire for my MK2a heated bed:
McMaster Carr 1 8209K11 840 Degree F Braided Oven Wire 20 Gauge, Tan, 10 ft. Length 1
Will this be acceptable? I'd like to print with ABS, which I know that the heatbed has to be hotter than when printing with PLA.
# Answer
> 3 votes
Your wire should be rated for at least the necessary 11 amps which the MK2a heatbed is supposed to take.
You can check this by measuring the resistivity of your wire:
> Always test the heatbed wiring for resistance. Remember, at 10A, 0.1Ohms means 1V voltage drop means 10W dissipated by the wiring!
as taken from http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?392,493405 (useful read for seeing what CAN actually happen)
Did you read through the following links? They might clear up some questions:
http://reprap.org/wiki/PCB\_Heatbed
http://reprap.org/wiki/Heatbeds\_-\_A\_beginner's\_guide
I personally would use 1.5 mm² cables, which translates to about 15 gauge wire.
\*edit: This is a nice table to check:
http://www.powerstream.com/Wire\_Size.htm
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Tags: heated-bed, mk2a, wire-type
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thread-870 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/870 | Can I use a multimeter to test the outgoing voltage of this power supply? | 2016-03-25T15:15:58.453 | # Question
Title: Can I use a multimeter to test the outgoing voltage of this power supply?
I don't want to blow out my multimeter or my electronics, so is it safe to test the DC output voltage with a multimeter on my OEM power supply?
# Answer
> 8 votes
If your multimeter can handle the voltage, it should be safe. 12 V should be in the capability range of common multimeters, so I would tend to say yes, - but make sure that your multimeter can handle the voltage and be sure it is set to voltage mode in the appropriate range (if set to current measurement mode for example, it will not survive).
Also take the typical precautions when measuring with a multimeter, as described in, for example, *Safety equipment and precautions for DC circuit experimentation and development*.
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Tags: prusa-i3-rework, switching-power-supply, multi-meter
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thread-871 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/871 | Is 22-Guage Stranded Hookup Wire the correct wire to connect the Switching Powersupply to RAMPs 1.4? | 2016-03-25T15:24:37.770 | # Question
Title: Is 22-Guage Stranded Hookup Wire the correct wire to connect the Switching Powersupply to RAMPs 1.4?
I obtained the following wire 22 Gauge Stranded Hookup Wire from Radio Shack:
```
Type/Style: AWM/1007
Wire Gauge: 22 AWG
Insulation Thickness: AVE. 0.42 mm
Rated Voltage: 300V
Temperature Rating: 80°C / 176°F
```
> Use Limitation: Internal wiring of appliances; or where exposed to oil at a temperature not exceeding 60°C or 80°C, whichever is applicable.. Tags may indicate the following: 600V Peak - For Electronic Use Only.
I'd like to be able to hook up RAMPs 1.4 to my switching power supply with this wire. Will this work okay?
# Answer
> 1 votes
22awg wiring is good for a max of 7A in this usage case. Your power supply can provide 30A. So it is definitely not large enough wire gauge for good wiring practice -- in the event of a short, you want the PSU's over-current protection to kick in before the wiring overheats. That would mean 14ga between the PSU and board. 16ga would probably cover your actual load requirements just fine, but we need to know a lot more about your printer to say that for sure.
12v systems need heavy duty wiring, at least on the main supply lines. You can use 22ga for individual power consumers, such as fans, extruder heaters, etc. (No heatbeds.)
# Answer
> 0 votes
That should be fine for powering RAMPS, steppers and extruders but it is on the thin side. To err on the side of caution you should use somewhat ticker wires. However, you should definitely use thicker wires for the heated bed connection.
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Tags: prusa-i3-rework, switching-power-supply, wire-type
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thread-860 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/860 | Printing multiple prints stacked on top of each other | 2016-03-25T02:37:01.793 | # Question
Title: Printing multiple prints stacked on top of each other
Suppose I want to to print several copies of a large, flat object, such as a hollow frame. If I make an STL file consisting of several copies floating just above each other then my 3D printer's software happily generates supports for the upper objects to sit on, as shown below:
My question is, is this a crazy idea? If it will work it seems it has several advantages. I can print more copies at once than if I tried to fit them next to each other on the platform, and if one of the prints fails the ones below it will still be OK. It doesn't take that much more filament than printing them all separately.
I'll probably try it at some point just to see what happens, but it's not something I've heard of people doing before, so I'm wondering if there's a good reason why it won't work or would otherwise not be a good strategy.
# Answer
If you can get it to work reliably and with decent quality, it would be a good solution. However, you might find it unreliable and the bottom surfaces of the objects might not turn out very nice (as is usually the case with overhangs that needs support). How well this will work is strongly dependent on the object being printed, and this probably will only work for a very small class of objects.
You don't gain much by doing this, as printing multiples "at once" isn't much faster compared to printing them sequentially (that is, if you have time to check on your printer and reset it between prints).
> 3 votes
# Answer
Whether this is or is not crazy is largely dependent on two factors: the printer that you are using and the objects that you are printing. I would only recommend this strategy if you are using dissolvable support material, because separating the parts with breakaway supports will be extremely difficult. Next, this strategy is desirable, because it saves support material; however, that is only true if all of the profiles of the parts are very similar to each other (ideally the profile of each part should cover the profile of each part above it).
As long as you are using the right printer and printing compatible parts, this is a great strategy. It saves space, time, and support material; moreover, stacking parts may also reduce warping due to thermal expansion (a big problem when printing with ABS), because each part acts like a raft for the part above it.
> 3 votes
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Tags: 3d-design
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thread-865 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/865 | Attaching the resistor for the J-Head Extruder with Type 44 Non-Contaminating Heat Sink Compound? | 2016-03-25T13:20:07.487 | # Question
Title: Attaching the resistor for the J-Head Extruder with Type 44 Non-Contaminating Heat Sink Compound?
I saw a video in which someone used GC Electronics Type 44 Non-Contaminating Heat Sink Compound (Part No. 10-8118) to hold the resistor for heating up the J-Head extruder head in place.
Is that a good way to attach it so it heats up the aluminum block?
# Answer
> 1 votes
Nope, not adequate. When heating at maximum power, you should expect the resistor to be 50-100C hotter than the hot block. (It must be hotter than the block in order to transfer heat to the block.) GC 10-8118 is only rated for 200C, but the service conditions at the power resistor may run up to 300-400C depending on power output and desired hot end temp.
For that matter, you may want to question whether the power resistor itself is rated for the \>300C temps it will see in normal service. It's probably not. Most modern hot end designs use steel-jacketed heater cartridges instead of power resistors because they can handle higher temps and are, you know, actually designed to be used as heaters. The power resistors used in older hot end designs are generally being operated way past their design ratings. It's kind of amazing they work at all.
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Tags: extruder
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thread-877 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/877 | How do I compensate in cura for thinner filament? | 2016-03-26T00:42:59.643 | # Question
Title: How do I compensate in cura for thinner filament?
I have a monoprice printer, works great. .4mm nozzle. I bought a number of PLA solid colors and they all print reliably. I also bought 2 rolls of PLA translucent colors, and I have lots of trouble printing with them. What I eventually noticed was that when the translucent filaments extrude, they come out in a noticeably thinner stream.
Not sure why, I've tried increasing the hot end temperature and printing slower, but nothing seems to help. The effect seems to be that not enough filament comes out from the nozzle for the speed the head is printing at.
I use cura for the slicer, and I've tried changing the filament flow percentage and I've tried slowing down the print speed. Nothing seems to help, the nozzle ends up dragging the recently extruded filament around the bed until it all comes off.
Has anybody else seen this, where translucent filament extrudes thinner than solid colors? Any suggestions what to try to make it stick and print reliably?
Thanks.
# Answer
> 1 votes
In cura (if you are not in the quick print mode) you can dine the diameter of your filament. Setting the filament diameter to a smaller value will give you more plastic coming out of the nozzle. You can also set the flow percentage to more than 100%
You should also try to use a skirt. Some nozzles need some time until the flow is like it should be.
Another reason for this might be that the distance between bed and nozzle is too high. Try to level your bed so that the distance is less than before.
If all this doesn't work then it will at lest give you new ideas of where to look.
Best luck!
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Tags: filament, speed
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thread-882 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/882 | How to print LiDAR file format LAS | 2016-03-26T13:05:02.423 | # Question
Title: How to print LiDAR file format LAS
I want to print a model that I acquired in the LiDAR file format LAS.
I don't have a printer but I'm planning to send a model to one of those shops who print for you.
What do I need to do beforehand to make it print OK?
# Answer
> 5 votes
Because my research shows that LAS files are point cloud data, you would first have to convert the point cloud to a mesh. Point clouds are just that, data references to points in 3d space. A printing service works with files that represent planar surfaces, properly joined (watertight, aka manifold) to form a solid or solid surface model.
The only resource I was able to find involves using Meshlab. There are two reasonably practical references for this process.
The first is somewhat generic and provides the conceptual information: Point Clouds to Mesh
The second appears to be a more step-by-step method:
Point Clouds to Mesh (2)
I would expect that if you are successful in creating a mesh from your data, you would then want to use a program suitable to determine (and repair) any non-manifold portions of the model. There are many available, including Meshmixer, although the others have escaped my alleged mind at this moment.
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Tags: scanning, file-formats
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thread-887 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/887 | How many times can you re-flash the Marlin firmware to a RAMPS 1.4 board before it degrades the ROM? | 2016-03-26T19:42:28.583 | # Question
Title: How many times can you re-flash the Marlin firmware to a RAMPS 1.4 board before it degrades the ROM?
First of all I'm working with a Folger Tech Prusa i3 kit, if that makes a difference. Also I believe the Arduino is a Mega 2560.
I know somewhere in the back of my head that electrically programmable ROM like what must be on the Arduino board storing the firmware degrades a little, each time you write to it. Right now I'm trying to calibrate away another print problem, and I think I need to modify the firmware yet again, which I've already done several times. So I'm starting to worry about how many times I can do that.
Well, once I remembered the acronym "EEPROM", and after a little googling, I came across this, Arduino - EEPROM, which says that it can handle 100k cycles, so I think I'm onto the answer, but the problem is I'm not sure if a cycle is an entire file being uploaded? Wouldn't it be a single blip of data? And if so how many cycles would the average Marlin file consume?
I also found this:
> but I'd be very surprised if I've uploaded to it more than 2000 times
on Mega2560 bricked? not detected, DFU failing, indicating that the answer might be as low as 2000.
Also, this:
> **Failure modes**
>
> There are two limitations of stored information; endurance, and data retention.
>
> During rewrites, the gate oxide in the floating-gate transistors gradually accumulates trapped electrons. The electric field of the trapped electrons adds to the electrons in the floating gate, lowering the window between threshold voltages for zeros vs ones. After sufficient number of rewrite cycles, the difference becomes too small to be recognizable, the cell is stuck in programmed state, and endurance failure occurs. The manufacturers usually specify the maximum number of rewrites being 1 million or more.\[5\]
>
> During storage, the electrons injected into the floating gate may drift through the insulator, especially at increased temperature, and cause charge loss, reverting the cell into erased state. The manufacturers usually guarantee data retention of 10 years or more.\[6\]
from Wikipedia: EEPROM - Failure Modes, indicating the answer might be into the millions.
At this point I'm just wondering if an expert might see this and relieve my angst...
# Answer
The EEPROM is *not* where the program itself is stored, what's relevant for your question is the flash. The flash in the ATmega2560 is rated for 10,000 cycles (i.e. you can reprogram it *at least* 10,000 times).
> 15 votes
# Answer
The AVR has SRAM for variables (what is usually called RAM), it has EEPROM for non volatile variables and it has flash for the executable code. (Harvard Architecture!)
For re-flashing the firmware neither SRAM nor EEPROM write rates are important, but the Flash rates are. The flash write rates are in the region of 100 thousand to a million so that should not be a problem.
The article you linked also states that he did not more than 2000 rewrites and therefore should be fine. I can only agree. A few thousand re-flashes is no problem. Once you get closer to 100 thousand you can start to worry.
Flash bits can only be written from 1 to 0. Erasing the flash writes all bits to 1. Erasing can only be done on a flash page (size is device dependent but usually a multiple of 512).
> 1 votes
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Tags: marlin
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thread-866 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/866 | Safely Hooking a Switch up to an OEM Power Supply? | 2016-03-25T13:44:43.030 | # Question
Title: Safely Hooking a Switch up to an OEM Power Supply?
I ordered an OEM Power Supply and I intend to hook up with this rocker switch I believe it's like the one specified in the Power Supply Documentation which reads:
> In the US, IEC320 C14 plug connections are common, but use your preferred standard.
I've also seen where this was attached in this thingiverse project.
Inside the switch I've also added an F4AL250V fuse.
Now what's confusing me is, that the this rocker switch on the back reads 10A 250V~ so I'm wondering if it's safe to use.
The switch will be connected to the house mains via a plug and wired just like in the this thingiverse project, so it can be the input into my OEM Power Supply via the black (hot - L), white (Common - N) and Green (Ground) wires.
For the connecting wires I stripped a black PC Tower wire to get at the black, white, and ground wires inside it.
http://reprap.org/wiki/Power\_Supply#OEM\_type\_PSU
# Answer
At 250V a rating for 10A means 2500 Watts, which is fairly enough to use with a typical 3D printer. Make sure that the wire you use to connect the switch to the power supply can also take the current you need. Easiest way to get a cable that is safe to use is salvaging a mains cable from other devices. I would not use wires that were made for low power use and with unsolid connections.
\*edit: I'm still not sure which cable you intended to use from this tower PC. If it is a mains cable like this
https://www.google.com/search?q=mains+power+cable&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjL6Y23l9zLAhUCrRoKHXvsArsQ\_AUIBygB&biw=1421&bih=922
you should be on the safe side.
> 2 votes
# Answer
The power supply that you posted is 12v 360w. This means that (in the USA with 120v power), it will draw 3 amps at 120v. Your switch is rated for 10A at 250V so it works.
The switch should be placed to interrupt the HOT wire coming from the wall to your power supply.
If you happen to be using 240v power, it is also safe as you would be drawing 1.5 amps at 240v which is still within the spec of the switch.
> 2 votes
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Tags: prusa-i3-rework, switching-power-supply, wiring, wire-type
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thread-789 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/789 | Is 3D printing a good way to save money? | 2016-03-18T13:09:08.507 | # Question
Title: Is 3D printing a good way to save money?
If you already have a 3D printer, would you say that you have saved money on buying the printer, buying models and then printing the models, compared to buying something alike in retail?
Would you say that saving money is an argument to buy a 3D printer?
# Answer
> 10 votes
I would say that the general answer to your specific question is no. If you want to justify buying a printer because of all the things you could print instead of buying that is not going to be easy.
If however you are a DIYer and you have some CAD skills, or are willing to learn some, then consider the 3D printer as another tool you can use. There are plenty of stories about people who fixed some very expensive thing instead of having to buy a whole new one for hundreds of $/£; so if you have a specific use in mind then it may be justifiable to you.
I have made and fixed stuff around the house, but it's often things you simply couldn't buy, or could have fixed some other way.
There is an ever growing library of models available out there, and many are free. I recently fixed the leg on my keyboard with a printed one which I found on thingiverse, took minutes to print and the keyboard is part of a wireless set which would cost £30 to replace, so that was great but you won't normally find exactly what you want like that at this time.
And lastly it's not plug 'n Play yet, so you need to be a tinkerer at heart to use most printers out there right now.
# Answer
> 3 votes
# Yes and No.
There are two sides of this, ***yes*** and ***no***. Why I say *yes* is because there are little things that the 3D Printer can come in use for, like creating charger holders or just little household objects. The *no* side of this for me would be because of the cost of the filament in general and the maximum object size you can create with your 3D Printer. I know they have bigger ones out there, but you aren't going to make anything too big. Another reason it's a *no* is because of duration of time. It may save you money, but your going to be spending a lot more time and possibly more money the bigger your objects get, which is the only reason I'm not trying to get one at the moment. I'm choosing to wait until technologies advance to get my personal one, where it doesn't take over an hour to print out a keychain tag.
So ***yes***, you probably could save money in the long run, depending on what you create with it based on size and how much filament you use, but I'm also going to say ***no*** because of the disadvantages the 3D Printer has. I personally would wait for technology to advance in the next 5-15 years before buying one that has a lot more power than these, as the one's currently in the market are expensive.
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**EDIT:** As I stated in my reasoning, I currently do not own a 3D Printer, but I do use one at my school for educational purposes and I do know the hassle on time and money for creating products that are relatively small in size.
# Answer
> 3 votes
You'll never net a profit 3D printing the equivalent of Dollar Store trinkets. Commercial-scale injection molding costs pennies per part, while 3D printing typically costs dollars per part. It's great every so often when you can replace an out-of-stock widget and rescue a major appliance from the trash heap, but those instances are pretty rare.
What 3D printing lets you do is make stuff that simply wouldn't exist otherwise. That could mean clever gadgets that can't be manufactured any other way, or niche items that don't have enough volume to be economical via traditional manufacturing and sales channels, or one-off prototypes or art projects. Those may be very high value items! But it's difficult to assign a dollar value to them.
# Answer
> 2 votes
What 3D printing or additive manufacturing is good for is printing *small and delicate stuffs*. examples: scaffolds, tissues, human organ. i've seen some people use 3D printing to print bone or a part of it.
Also, it's good for fast prototyping, especially you don't want to wait for the machine shop forever. that's where 3D printing comes in.
What is not good about 3D printing is the piece cannot withstand normal force/stress as compared to regular casting/manufacturing ways. 3D printed work piece are easy to break compared to other methods. no matter what alloys/plastic ink you use, there is always something better. 3D printing don't give the best. as such, manufacturing still relies on old methods.
let's review the pros and cons of regular manufacturing (mfg) and 3D printing:
* regular mfg:
+cost: design mold, more time/money investment to make equipment
+profit: faster+cheaper (in term of $/product) for mass production
* 3D printing
+cost: cheaper machine (usually but not always, depending on the input materials, could be alloys, plastics, etc.), laser type (diff commercial printers use diff laser)
+profit: cut time to make equipments because it's ready avail, more expensive but also more control so each of these methods have their goods and bads. personally i think it's usually worse than better compared to regular mfg so it doesn't make much sense to me.
So in my opinion, **no**.
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Tags: 3d-models
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thread-880 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/880 | Is there a reason for the z-axis M5 drive nut to be super loose on the lead screw? | 2016-03-26T08:53:37.860 | # Question
Title: Is there a reason for the z-axis M5 drive nut to be super loose on the lead screw?
So I bought a prusa i3 kit from a company called folger tech off of ebay. I've built it and even printed out a few parts, but I noticed that a lot of noise seemed to be happening only while the x-axis motor was moving the extruder. Then I noticed if I put my finger lightly on the plastic part of the x-carriage I could dampen the vibrations and pretty much eliminate the noise I noticed. Then I took apart that part of the printer and examined everything and all I could notice that seemed to be loose was that nut that allows the z motor to push up the x carriage. I don't know if I got a bad nut, or a bad screw, or is it's just supposed to be this way? I thought it was kind of a weird way to build things with a screw turning a nut, because I thought that it would bind up. But now I'm wondering if that is why it was so loose fitting (to reduce friction)? So does it need to be that way? Or could I get a different nut? Or is there some better way to go about fixing this issue? Or perhaps it's not even an issue.. idk.
# Answer
It's probably intentional. Threaded rods are almost never perfectly straight. If the nut is rigidly coupled to the carriage, then the slightest deviation in the screw will either cause it to bind up or appear as artifacts (e.g. z-wobble) in the print. By making the nut slightly loose, it can move around a bit to compensate for wobble. See e.g. this design and this design for how this is commonly implemented in other printers.
> 4 votes
# Answer
I agree with Tom about looseness.
I would suggest 2 solutions:
1. Use grease which will reduce friction (and vibrations as a consequence);
2. Use better clutch (coupling). Full aluminium couplings are prone to conduct noise (vibrations) from the threaded rod. You can use Oldham coupling with a plastic floating member. This will definitely reduce noise on Z axis.
Of course you are encouraged to use both solutions :)
> 2 votes
# Answer
I do not agree with the answer of Tom.
In a proper design, the nut is supposed NOT to be loose, especially in the Z-direction. All options of the nut to move can cause imprecise layer heights and Z-wobble. There is also the possibility to introduce Z-wobble by bent rods and good contact of the nut. However, Z-wobble is not what I want to address.
Yes, to me, it seems possible that your rod or your nut (or both) are looser than they are supposed to be. However, I don't know the exact design of your printer. Usually there is some play along the axis, but hardly any perpendicular to it. Typically this can introduce a hysteresis (wikipedia link) in the placement of the X-carriage. There is a nifty design against this, which most likely should also help you to get rid of your noise: Thingverse: Z-axis anti backlash for Prusa i3.
**First**, however, you should check the following:
* Are both your Z-axis drives set to the same height, or is just one of them doing the work (which would be very rare, by the nature of the design)?
* Is your nut lose in the X-carriage? While the nut should not be lose itself, it should be totally fixed in the X-carriage (again: typically, but I don't know the FolgerTech approach).
* Try other nuts from the hardware store to be sure whether you have a faulty nut or not.
* While you're there you can connect a threaded rod with nuts there to gain experience what the typical degree of freedom in this union is.
> 1 votes
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Tags: prusa-i3, z-axis, mechanics, lead-screw
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thread-904 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/904 | Teflon tubing in nozzle throat coming out? | 2016-03-31T07:14:05.890 | # Question
Title: Teflon tubing in nozzle throat coming out?
I have a HE3D prusa XI3 printer with an MK8 extruder. While printing or testing, the extruder makes a clicking noise as if the filament isnt getting hot enough to extrude. I began my investigation and read about many reasons why this could be happening. Eliminating most of them, I finally took off the fan on the extruder and looked at it while it was trying to extrude. I noticed the teflon tubing and tried to push it back into the throat. Then the extruder worked fine. I put everything back together and began testing again. The clicking came back, - I then took the fan and heatsink back off and there it was again. Pushing back down and this time extruding some material and noticing the tubing slowly coming up. Is there anyway to fix this without upgrading to a better hot end?
# Answer
> 5 votes
It looks like you got too tight nozzle, too cold hotend or extruding speed is too high (all could be in the same time of course). As filament goes into the teflon tube (coldend) and then into hotend it doesn't have enough time to go out throught the nozzle. So it causes that melted filament accumulates in hotend and pushes out teflon tube.
Check application and arduino settings for
* nozzle diameter (increase it), check if it's not plugged with something inside
* hotend temperature (increase it), check for your filament settings
* extrude ratio (decrease it), check also gearing on extruder motor
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Tags: extruder, prusa-i3, hotend, nozzle
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thread-898 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/898 | How to compensate for bad quality filament? | 2016-03-30T16:45:29.260 | # Question
Title: How to compensate for bad quality filament?
Bad filament with changing diameter causes an uneven flow of plastic out of the nozzle. Besides buying very high quality filament (do we really want to be dependent on professional Filament producers?), what other ideas and methods could be used to mitigate the differences in diameter?
Could a pellet extruder be a solution?
# Answer
> 4 votes
I am only going to answer the part of the question about how to improve the results from low-quality filament:
There have already been projects going on dealing with the issue of varying filament diameter. A sensor that detects the filament's diameter and sends its value to the printers firmware can compensate for the varying volume of the filament pushed into the hotend by simply changing the extrusion speed. You could think of an extrusion multiplier or a change in the steps/mm value. Of course this has to be calibrated for the distance the filament needs to travel from measurement to hotend.
A good first read can be found in the following project:
http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?13,222517
And the corresponding Thing page:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:454584
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Tags: extruder, print-quality, filament-quality
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thread-771 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/771 | Designing clips that won't break | 2016-03-16T10:04:42.047 | # Question
Title: Designing clips that won't break
As my first project, I'm trying to design a holder for glass vials, for a scientific application. The photo below shows the latest design iteration, and also shows the problem with it:
As you can see, one of the clips that's meant to hold the vial in place has broken off. This happened after inserting the vial once or twice.
I think I understand the reason for this. It's because I'm printing in the orientation shown below, in order to avoid the need for supports. (This will be more important later, when I scale it up to an array of many holders.) This means that it's relying on the strength in the z dimension, which is much weaker than in the other two directions, because it relies on the cohesion between the layers.
My question is whether I can do anything about this by changing the design of the clips, without abandoning my hope of support-free printing. I don't care at all what the design looks like, except that as much of the vial as possible needs to be visible from the front. I'm printing in ABS.
I have tried varying the thickness of the clips. Thinner ones don't break as easily, but they are a bit floppy and aren't very good at keeping the vial vertical. The ones shown are the thickest I've tried - I'm afraid that if they're too thick they won't bend at all. (The vial is supposed to be inserted from the front rather than the top.)
**Edit** just as an update, here's what it looks like using John Biddle's suggestion, which works perfectly:
# Answer
It looks like those clips are thin and need to bend pretty far to let the vial out. Try to make the clips thicker, but with a smaller clip to retain the vial so that it doesn't have to bend as much.
This is what I'm thinking, in beautiful MS-PAINT form:
> 31 votes
# Answer
I agree with the previous assessments -- printing vertically for that part of the clip will definitely alleviate the layer adhesion being your weak point.
You might also consider splitting that clip as a separate modular piece (which will clip/socket/bolt into the stand). Depending on implementation, this would give you the ability to
* Print that part vertically without supports
* Swap the part if it breaks, without having to print the whole assembly again
* Preattach the clip to vials, which may be good or bad depending on your usage
> 12 votes
# Answer
Considering that you wish to print the clip in the vertical orientation but without supports, I would suggest that you create a suitable taper of the clip from the bottom. The taper would provide necessary support-free support but may reduce the amount of bottle access one has to remove it from the clips.
As such, you could also reduce the amount of the straight vertical segment of the clip at the front, which would allow the support-free support to start at a higher level from the bottom.
If the bottle bottom encirclement is raised, you'd receive additional retention. You could then reduce more the upper encirclement and taper for easier release.
I too prefer to design models that require no support, but have run into the same circumstance, where the weaker axis takes a disproportionate load.
> 8 votes
# Answer
Come on. Wider clips will just survive a bit longer. The real cause is the orientation (plane) of printing.
Continues filament layer will always be more durable than few layers sticked together.
So the question is why not to change printing plane? You can use better design which utilizes support without using "support material"
> 7 votes
# Answer
**The Short**
* Just print vertically
* Reduce the clip size to bring them closer to the centerline
* Try a vapor treatment or epoxy to increase strength
**The Long**
Ultimately, printing the object vertically (so the clips are printed horizontally) would be the strongest solution.
Alternatively, you could adjust your model to bring down the size of the clips to reduce the strain. Consider making more of a cup or cone on the bottom for the vial to slide into center. Then reduce the length of the clips to bring the closer to where the center of the vial will be. Make sure, however, that your clips still curve slightly around the center (and maybe a mm or two beyond). From a design point, the bottom clip is probably unnecessary.
Another option might also be to use a small vapor treatment on the ABS. Depending on how deep the alcohol penetrates, it could diminish some of the issues with the part cracking along the grain. This is just a fairly labor intensive process compared to some of the others posted here.
Side note, those are great looking prints! I like how smooth ABS can look. ~~Its hard to tell, but it looks like your part has a bit of warping on the bottom. Definitely look into some of the warping questions here on Stack.~~
> 5 votes
# Answer
Printing the model vertically should certainly be considered, as that will alleviate your issue by a whole lot. If altering the design by adding a *taper* to your model isn't what you are looking for, placing a *manual, removable support structure* at the outer edge og the overhang could also be an option. This way, you could print the overhang as a *bridge*, making it much easier to print vertically.
Also, have you considered using another material than ABS? There are a large variety of filament types available that have better semi-flexible properties than ABS, without sacrificing overall strength. For instance, PETG and Taulman's Alloy 910 filaments are both very strong, and surprisingly flexible.
> 3 votes
# Answer
If you don't want your clip to break, you'll have to engineer in some form of flexibility in a strong part of your design. For example, right now it looks like the bases of the clips are sitting rather solidly on the underlying surface such that it can't move. I'd suggest that instead it might be better to have two clips attach separately to the bottom using a "post", and have each post attached to the solid part of the base with a piece of plastic whose horizontal cross-section is a somewhat-rounded accordion-style double zig-zag.
From the top:
Having multiple "pleats" will mean that each degree that the clips flex outward will only require each pleat to flex a fraction of a degree. You'd have to play around to find out what number of pleats would give a suitable degree of stiffness and flexibility, but if the printer renders the design by drawing the zig zags, stresses should be concentrated in the directions where the material is strongest.
> 1 votes
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Tags: 3d-design, print-strength
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thread-913 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/913 | Are Makerbot Smart Extruder nozzles swappable? | 2016-03-31T15:23:27.067 | # Question
Title: Are Makerbot Smart Extruder nozzles swappable?
I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with Makerbot smart extruders and knows whether or not the nozzle size can be changed. I'm trying to figure out if I can use different nozzle diameters (0.25mm, 0.5mm, 0.8mm, etc.).
Makerbot doesn't sell any replacement nozzles on their site, so I suppose I'm just trying to figure out if the nozzles on the makerbot use the same diameter/thread pitch as other nozzles, like the ones from E3D or if I'd have to mill my own, which is way more trouble than it's worth.
Any research on the subject is pretty sparse, and the best resource I found is a blog post from 2011 when they still allowed their customers to do such things themselves. I've searched around their Google Group but got nowhere. Beside that, there isn't really any information from the last three years or so on the Makerbot machines.
# Answer
> 3 votes
Yes, you can change the nozzles with the 5th gen line printers, although it's not recommended or supported by Makerbot. You're on your own if something goes wrong with an aftermarket nozzle. Here's a swap video from Fargo3D: https://youtu.be/vL80bslk9vw
I would recommend "mk8" Makerbot Replicator 1/2/2x style nozzles, since these will be similar dimensions to the original nozzle. Ebay has lots of cheap ones, or P3-d and Micro Swiss are popular options for premium Makerbot mk8 style nozzles. But you *should* be able to use any standard M6 male thread, ~2mm ID nozzle (such as from E3D, because the Smart Extruder Z homing routine will compensate for nozzle length.
When you change the nozzle, you're also going to need to change the slicer settings. Do not use default settings with a different nozzle. Smaller nozzles will require significantly lower print speeds, and larger nozzles will require wider extrusion width. You can create a custom profile in Makerbot Desktop to do this, or use a 5th-gen-compatible slicer like Simplify3D.
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Tags: makerbot, nozzle
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thread-917 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/917 | Which algorithm does Marlin use to create arcs? | 2016-04-01T23:18:49.420 | # Question
Title: Which algorithm does Marlin use to create arcs?
I'm writing a paper about a plotter (I use a Prusa i3 with a custom "extruder" aka pen). And I'm supposed to write about the algorithms I/the plotter use(s). I tried reverse engineering, but since I'm not very experienced with this technique I wasn't successful. So I'm looking for **the algorithm that Marlin uses for its G2/G3 commands**.
# Answer
> 4 votes
The algorithm is based on the "Vector rotation by transformation matrix", and this solution is based on a solution from Jens Geisler. The formula for clockwise rotation is:
More information about the vector rotation can be found on Wikipedia.
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Tags: prusa-i3, reprap, g-code, algorithm
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thread-929 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/929 | Brass rails, bunting bearings ok for x,y axes? | 2016-04-03T18:12:34.253 | # Question
Title: Brass rails, bunting bearings ok for x,y axes?
new to 3D printers and to this community :)
Would a 1/4" brass rod with bronze bunting bearings for sliders and SAE 30 oil suffice for X and Y axes with moving extruder instead of print surface?
I'm gathering cheap/scavenged materials for a first time build, as a learning experience, and it doesn't need to work very long.
I just have no idea yet how heavy the extruders are, generally. I'm thinking of threading the rod so I can pull it tight for straightness under load.
# Answer
> 1 votes
Extruders tend to be quite light. An E3Dv6 complete with fan, shroud and wires is under 100g. Unless you use a Bowden extruder, you also have to add ~300g for a stepper motor. In any case, it will be quite light.
Sintered bronze bushings can definitely be used in a 3D printer; they're used in the (quite popular) Ultimaker 3D printers. I can't tell whether your particular bushings will work well, but I think the most important consideration is that there isn't too much play between the rod and bushing (but I'm assuming you took care of that). 3D printers don't place high loads onto the motion system.
"Proper" LMxUU bearings aren't very expensive either (reasonable ones can be had for less than $2) so if the bushings don't work out, you could always try those.
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Tags: extruder, y-axis
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thread-941 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/941 | Tetrahedral honeycomb? | 2016-04-06T13:09:23.440 | # Question
Title: Tetrahedral honeycomb?
I have an idea for a 3D printed project, but I'm a total noob in this area and need someone to reality check it for me.
Basically what I want to do is a tricopter frame made of a tetrahedral honeycomb.
The whole model would be within 30 * 30 * 10 cm, the honeycomb edges would be approximately 1mm thick and about 15mm long and it would be printed out of nylon with SLS.
I have found Shapeways' design guidelines and my idea seems to fit it, but still it feels slightly more extreme use than what they had in mind.
Is this doable? Does anyone else use a similar method? Is there some software that I can use to generate honeycombs like this, or do I have to write it myself?
Edit:
This is how two layers of the honeycomb look like:
In the actual model there would be several layer of this on top of each other and the shape would be kind of carved out of the honeycomb (+ some finishing to avoid spiky surface)
# Answer
For designing your part, especially considering the repetitive mathematics involved, I would consider to learn to use OpenSCAD. I've learned the program and it fits your modeling requirement quite well. I feel it's easy to learn and is somewhat easier for folks who have a programming background. I don't have one, but it's still a logical progression to learn this program.
Regarding the SLS aspect, that also jumped out at me as a suitable answer. Solid shapes require to have "drain holes" to reduce the amount of powder consumed by the process.
I am assembling a Sintratec SLS printer and your model is the sort of thing I would enjoy to create with the printer. I've not yet listed my Sintratec printer on 3dhubs to solicit business, simply because it's not yet a fully assembled printer!
I did a quick Google search for "openscad tetrahedral honeycomb" and found this link:
http://forum.openscad.org/Beginner-Honeycomb-advice-needed-td4556.html
The result is more a polygonal honeycomb, not a true 3d tetrahedron, but it's a start. The file that created it is fewer than a few dozen lines of code.
The post is old enough that the internal links no longer work but the OP posted his module code and that does work:
I'm not sure how personal contact works in stackexchange, but I'd be willing to work with you regarding creating your code and if the printer ever gets assembled, printing out your part.
Adding a picture again, to show the latest revision, based on the updated information:
> 3 votes
# Answer
> Is this doable?
It has been done, therefore it is doable.
I agree with fred\_dot\_u that OpenSCAD is a good system for programmatically generating highly repetitive 3d procedural content like this space truss 3d structure.
p.s.: A few links to people 3D printing various space trusses:
> 3 votes
# Answer
In short, I don't think printing the full tetrahedral honeycomb design is a good approach considering the application of the part. Here are few things to note when attempting to 3D print the tetrahedral honeycomb:
I wouldn't recommend trying to 3D print this with a an FDM/FFF printer as you will most likely need supports and there would not be enough strength laterally. You may be able to *print* the design using SLA, but handling would be very difficult before post-processing as the part is very brittle post-print until a heat treat or curing process is done to chemically solidify. The post-process of the SLA could determine how strong the part is (ie. stainless steel powder, infused with bronze in a heat treat process would be good for such a part).
While SLS may be the best method for 3D printing this type of design, for that size part (30x30x10cm) you're looking at an expensive print regardless of whether or not you print it yourself.
Instead, I would highly recommend finding (or designing your own) a joint connector that would allow you to join wood/plastic dowels in the tetrahedral honeycomb shape. Not only will this be cheaper for you in the long run (easier to replace a few broken segments than an entire 3D printed model), but it could provide more structural strength for something that could potentially get banged around, like a tricopter.
For example, this model on Thingiverse (not my model) shows an example of how you can utilize 3D printing complex or custom joints that allow you to connect dowels in the shape you're looking for. It'd kind of be like building with K'Nex.
As far as designing said joint, you could model a single "inner" joint that has 18 connectors (8 on XY plane, 6 on YZ plane, and 4 on XZ plane). Below is a crude example of what I mean drawn in Google SketchUp:
> 2 votes
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Tags: sls
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thread-955 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/955 | How can I scan a thing and modify it or scan two things and compare them? | 2016-04-09T07:53:09.530 | # Question
Title: How can I scan a thing and modify it or scan two things and compare them?
I've been asking people about this, not no clue yet.
I want to scan a thing and modify it a little.
For example I have an object with 3 parts and
I want to change the position of the third part relative to the other 2 parts.
For example I have a certain object and I want to modify it a little to see
how the air flow around them would change.
Or I want to scan two similar things and see what's the difference between them
PRECISELY... is there any way to do this?
# Answer
> 2 votes
While I'm not sure what you mean by *I want to scan a thing and modify it a little to see its effect.* In general, a 3D scan typically results in a series of raw points. You'll need to convert the 3D point cloud into a Mesh before you can really do any solid modeling with it. Here are a few OpenSource programs that you could potentially use:
To compare two scans, you could use the raw data in CloudCompare as well.
However, without knowing what your intended use is, it's difficult to tell how to help you. Please consider updating your response with a bit more of your own research so that we may definitively answer your question.
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Tags: scanning
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thread-946 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/946 | Marlin move axis issue | 2016-04-07T17:01:44.793 | # Question
Title: Marlin move axis issue
I have problems with setting up Marlin for my new printer. Each time I rotate the dial, axis move to the same amount. It doesn't matter how much I moved it, to 1mm or to 20 mm (according to screen), axis move to the same really small step. It happens with all of axis. I tried to change step per unit to much higher value and it still does the same. Maybe you have some ideas guys? :)
# Answer
> 2 votes
Update. Jumpers were inserted to 1/16, but stepper chip I have (9488) could not handle that many micro steps. I changed it to 1/8 and now it works good.
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Tags: marlin
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thread-953 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/953 | Can a sandstone 3D print be printed as a solid object? | 2016-04-08T19:31:59.540 | # Question
Title: Can a sandstone 3D print be printed as a solid object?
I've been asked to prepare a 3D model for 3D printing in sandstone. I've been told that it needs to be 3" tall and the walls have to be at least 2 mm thick. It's an absolute pain in the neck having to make sure everything is the right thickness. So, I was wondering, can the whole model just be printed as a solid object, with 100% infill, and does that work for sandstone?
# Answer
> 5 votes
Yes, you can just print it solid. However, it might be significantly more expensive to print your object entirely solid. For instance, Shapeways charges \\$0.75 per cm³ of material for their full-color sandstone. A solid cube of 5x5x5 cm would cost \\$96 to print, whereas it would only cost around \\$6 if you printed it hollow with 2mm walls.
# Answer
> 2 votes
To add to the selected answer, again, yes you can, however making all of the walls AT LEAST 2mm thick shouldn't be too hard, depending on your model and modelling app.
If your modelling app doesn't have a good shell function (or if it's too finicky on your model) you could easily define SOME negative space within the larger volumes of your model in order to save costs without having to actually make perfectly consistent wall thicknesses. Just make sure you leave a hole through which the excess material can escape from the interior void.
Shapeways has a good set of guidelines for their full color sandstone prints, which work about the same as any: http://www.shapeways.com/materials/full-color-sandstone However, you'll want to double check exact measurements with your printing service.
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Tags: print-material
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thread-984 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/984 | 3D printer calibration test STLs? | 2016-04-13T19:59:29.573 | # Question
Title: 3D printer calibration test STLs?
Is there any well-known test set of 3D models that I can print out which will clearly show up the problems I need to work out in calibrating my 3D printer? Ideally, it would be either one or multiple models which shows the point at which overhanging starts to fail, points at which stringing occurs, the accuracy of one layer over another, and maybe edges which are supposed to be a particular length.
# Answer
Yes.
There are more test models one can download than would be possible to list here. A search on Thingiverse results in pages and pages of useful models. A common model for testing is called the 3d Benchy, although it is not particularly parametric. Overhangs, retraction, layer alignment and other aspects of your printer are tested with this model.
Another option is to purchase a set of test models from 3dkitbash.com:
QuickPrintTests
The models lists as such:
```
#3dk01 - Voids
#3dk02 - Spikes
#3dk03 - Flex
#3dk04 - Edge
#3dk05 - Text
#3dk06 - Bridge
#3dk07 - Dissolve
#3dk08 - Ball Joint
#3dk09 - Hinge
#3dk10 - Columns
```
which are more specifically defined for testing your printer. I would expect that Thingiverse and other model-sharing sites would have similar designs available to meet your specific requirements.
> 4 votes
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Tags: 3d-models, calibration
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thread-990 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/990 | How do I determine that the electronics are working with the test firmware? | 2016-04-14T04:09:00.080 | # Question
Title: How do I determine that the electronics are working with the test firmware?
> You may want to use this code to test all the electronics before installing any of the suggested firmwares.
There's a bunch of code in the sketch, and it looks to me like it just makes a component run, or heat up, for a little but and then move on to the next component, and do the same thing is that about right?
Well if I'm testing this out and my printer is already for the most part assembled; should I set the stepper jumpers to something larger like a full turn, or half step, so I can see the motors move? Because I've also read that if you're going to test things out you shouldn't even be hooking up but one of the stepper drivers in case you burn one out!
# Answer
Running this kind of test isn't really necessary; it provides a nice test to see if everything is working *but so does uploading actual firmware* (and this isn't any safer than traditional firmware, at that).
It looks like it runs the steppers in one direction for 5 seconds and then in reverse for 5, which should be more than enough to see them move even with 1/32 stepping (it moves them at 1 step/ms, which would come out to 3/4ths of a turn with 1/200 steppers and 1/32 microstepping).
It isn't necessary to remove any code that isn't used. It does no harm.
> 2 votes
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Tags: printer-building, ramps-1.4, prusa-i3-rework
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thread-991 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/991 | What does the trimpot on my Switching Power Supply do? | 2016-04-14T04:23:04.040 | # Question
Title: What does the trimpot on my Switching Power Supply do?
On my Switching Power Supply there is a little orange trimpot that's marked `VR1`; what does that do, and does it work similar to the ones on the stepper drivers?
# Answer
> 4 votes
No doubt it's just a final tuning potentiometer. Even on the pictures you linked it's described as V adj which stands for voltage adjustment. It's a way to tune your power supply's output as it can vary depending on temperature/humidity/wall-plug voltage/etc.
It's usually set properly and doesn't need to be touched. But you can connect a multimeter to check if your power supply gives the voltage you need.
If you are not familiar with the subject but still want to do it yourself, it's good to set your multimeter to the highest available range and make sure that AC/DC is properly chosen. Now you can measure voltage. You can set the range closer to the expected values then. Usually multimeters have a range around 20 or 30V DC which is propbably what you expect from your power supply. In such a range you should see something like 12.000. If it varies from 12.000 you can then precisely adjust it to get as close as possible to this value. But watch out... cheap power supplies can cheat you. When the are have a load on the output (your 3D printer for example) they can reduce voltage.
# Answer
> 2 votes
Vr usually stands for variable resistor, basically a pot. Usually by adjusting this you would adjust the voltage output on most power supplies, ensure you double check your voltage output with a meter after adjusting.
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Tags: printer-building, switching-power-supply
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thread-988 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/988 | Bronze Filament Problem | 2016-04-13T19:30:52.690 | # Question
Title: Bronze Filament Problem
I made a torus that was 1 on the x and y axes, and 3 on the z axis in Blender. It is supposed to be a bead for a beaded necklace. It was exported to Cura as an .stl, then printed on a Lulzbot Mini. It worked fine in plastic, but when we tried it with bronze filament the nozzle clogged and it didn't start printing.
Is there something I need to add to the model that will provide instructions for the printer? The person who operates the printer says that most, but not all, of the models he prints in bronze have a border around them when they print, and this one didn't. I don't know if that makes a difference.
# Answer
> 3 votes
Since we do not know more about the printer and its settings it is most likely that the issues lies within the printer and the temperature/print speed settings. Fill materials do print differently than just colored plastic of the same type. Find valid print parameters for the type of filament that you can modify as needed for the printer that is being used (a good first gauge are the offsets the printer has for other type of filaments (thermistors might be offset for example) added to the 'literature values' of the new filament).
It might also be, that the nozzle was not clean when changing filaments and hence the clogging occured. Have you/your printing guy tried a 'cold pull'? How should I clean my extruder when changing materials?
Usually nozzle clogging comes down to knowledge about your printer and experience with the filament.
# Answer
> 2 votes
We print a lot of stuff in a variety of materials, and I think it is likely what you are experiencing is a problem caused by some combination of the following: Object size overall, object detail size, wall thickness, or span width/thickness.
Blender gives pretty clean stls, but the last-mile needed to get output is primarily a materials engineering problem.... (and saying thias, I am assuming you got a valid stl that the printer was able to read and rip...)
A first thought: Try loading your stl into one of the services that price online. Shapeways does, and Cubify does or did... and you can download the driver software for the Form2 even if you don't own the printer.
Bring your stl into these apps and look for error messages. The Shapeways ordering app does a nice job of showing issues, particularly ones like wall thickness and manifold faces/vertices (another possibility I did not mention above) very quickly.
I'd offer to look at your stl if it is something you can share... and/or you can ask your output guy for a sample stl he has printed with some success before. Bring that stl file into Blender beside your model and compare.
I do not recognize a "border" around stls, but all of the printers have preferences for the support sprues that support the model as it is built.... possible that he means these?
In any case, shout if I can help. We have used a lot of materials, but some of them take tweaking -- most often with detail size (how small of a detail you can recreate on the rpinted surface) and step size (how small the steps are inbetween printed layers in additive rinting systems.
Or... just chuck it onto a CNC with a big ole' block of bronze and machine it down! That's pretty old school, but it works, too... just by removing material rather than adding.
Here's a torus at Shapeways I uploaded....
# Answer
> 2 votes
The border that the operator is most likely referring to is called a brim or skirt and is typically handled by the Slicing software that the operator uses to convert the 3D solid model into the machine code for the 3D printer to run.
I'd recommend double checking the settings in Cura for a brim/skirt. This function will make the machine print a small outer layer a few millimeters away from the part itself. The outer layer gets the filament flowing and hopefully will dislodge any clogs the machine might have.
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Tags: filament, ultimaker-cura, nozzle
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thread-992 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/992 | Solidoodle 4 voltage requirements | 2016-04-14T04:44:40.390 | # Question
Title: Solidoodle 4 voltage requirements
I have a solidoodle 4 and have blown the power supply . Long and the short of it is I am trying to modify a Xbox 1 power supply to fulfill the need. I am measuring he voltage at the output and its 14.04 volt.
Question is this, is the operational voltage range on a solidoodle able to operate on 14 volt ?
# Answer
> 1 votes
I have not used or seen a solidoodle 4, but as found on the internet, the controller board used in the printer is a version of the Sanguinololu, and the reprap wiki says that
> The board is designed to be flexible in its power source, working with a 12V/5V ATX power supply or any 7V-35V power source via the on-board voltage regulator.
if you're using a board not older than V0.7 http://reprap.org/wiki/Sanguinololu
However, I have also found images that show the Solidoodle with this board:
http://www.reprap.org/wiki/SAV\_MKI
which can be used with 11-15V. This however might be for older versions of the printer.
There are some things to keep in mind: if there is no voltage regulator on the board, make sure that all parts can take the voltage without overheating at some points.
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Tags: printer-building, desktop-printer, electronics
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thread-979 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/979 | Micro 3D filament food safe | 2016-04-13T14:10:00.600 | # Question
Title: Micro 3D filament food safe
**Before you put duplicate from this Which are the food-safe materials and how do I recognize them? please read**
I need to know if this 3D Ink™ (PLA Filament)is food safe
# Answer
> 5 votes
In general, PLA is known as a "food safe" filament, especially ***Natural PLA***. However, filament suppliers have different processes that may detriment the food safe quality.
Doing a little digging, I found an article on the M3D site which mentions the following about their filament
> All of our products, including our filaments are made from 100% non-toxic components and considered generally safe under normal use. They are not considered a chemical, or a hazardous material by OSHA standards. Therefore, OSHA defines it as an "article" and does not require MSDS sheets. You can see more information about that here: http://www.ilpi.com/msds/faq/partb.html#article
So, without contacting M3D directly to acquire an MSDS (or asking if its food safe), you will not find one online.
Here is an article on a few tips for printing food safe objects as well. In a nut shell, don't 3D print food handling objects with crevasses, using uranium, or intend to put in the oven (a.k.a common sense).
# Answer
> 1 votes
In general no filament is safe as the printing process leaves "nooks and cranies" between the layers where germs can gain a foothold.
For food safe, I would advise:
* print with white filament
* use an acetone vapor bath to smooth and melt many of the "nooks and cranies" away.
* Use a spray polyurathane and coat with 3-4 layers to reduce the evil "nooks and cranies" even more.
At that point it it should be dishwasher safe and food safe.
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Tags: filament, food
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thread-951 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/951 | Strength of 3D printed Objects | 2016-04-08T08:23:49.213 | # Question
Title: Strength of 3D printed Objects
I am new to 3D printing and need to know if I use steel in printing, do I get the same strength (compression and shear) as steel profiles manufactured in a factory?
# Answer
A laser sintered part typically uses what could be described as surface bonding, as it does not melt particularly deeply into the powder. It would not have the same strength characteristics as machined steel or otherwise processed metal. A part constructed from 3d printing using feed metal/welding methods would have more strength, but would not necessarily have un-modified steel strength, due to the heat applied during the process.
Using a metal which responds to post processing, as in tempering, will likely improve the strength, but I believe that one is unlikely to reach the same values as "ordinary" steel. Compression along the lines of the construction layers would be reasonably strong, but forces applied in other directions are likely to match only the characteristics of the bond. The same consideration applies to shear strength.
> 2 votes
# Answer
In terms of FFD plastics:
Using metal infused filaments for FFD printing; definitely not. The properties mixed into the filament will have some affect on the final piece, stronger, heavier, etc for BronzeFill, but still the majority of the print material will be plastic.
However, you can use PLA plastics (and new Moldlay wax like filament) for lost wax casting so all of the plastic is replaced with the molten metal.
In this case, yes, all the plastic or filament is replaced with the final casting metal and it's at strong as any other cast item.
> 1 votes
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Tags: 3d-models
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thread-1006 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1006 | What does a "3 h5" mean in reference to the axle of a motor? | 2016-04-15T12:29:19.757 | # Question
Title: What does a "3 h5" mean in reference to the axle of a motor?
Sorry if this isn't the right place to ask, but it seemed like the most relevant stackexchange.
I want to print a connection from a motor to an omniwheel, the axle of the wheel is listed as 8mm, but the one of the motor only say "3h5" which isn't really helpful for me, and neither was Google.
Side-question: Would pla be sturdy enough or do I need to use abs?
# Answer
> 6 votes
I think it's a reference to a tolerance. Look at this ISO table. This States that the nominal diameter of 3mm is held to a tolerance of +-0.004mm.
@DarthPixel provided some great links identifying the term *interference fit* (or press fit as I've heard locally) as described here. Also, here is a better link providing examples of how the tolerance works and more legible tables to reference the correct tolerance. Keep in mind that the units in the tables is in nanometers.
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Tags: abs, pla, 3d-models, print-preparation, motor
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thread-983 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/983 | Functional object in low poly - program and tutorial | 2016-04-13T18:59:16.827 | # Question
Title: Functional object in low poly - program and tutorial
I'm losing my mind, it all started out with the idea of a project where I want an abstract shape (I'm going to call it a stretched cube with an angle), now I know a bit of Vectorworks - a 3D/Architecture drawing program. I found nothing in all the tutorials how to make something low poly but still be able to for example screw the bottom of with a thread for example.
I found numerous shapes I like on Thingiverse but they are all STL files which I've learned so far are hard to edit and make them functionally usable when cross transferring them for one to another program.
Today I gave it another try to find other programs which can give me the result and functionality I want. Thus far I've only found program where you make the shape perfectly and then by using a mesh program like 123make and Meshmixer to then change the outcome of the rendering. But in my case this makes some parts unable to use anymore as example the threading?
So for the question I their a program which I can make a low poly shape (example below) where I still can add holes and threading like you can do with AutoCAD, Vectorworks.
I hope somebody knows how to do this I've been searching and asking around for weeks!!
This is an example of the type of shape I would like to create, Low poly vase \- mine would be exactly the same but it would be to give you an idea
Example of the thread I would like to implement in the shape above, Tap and Die for 3D printed threads
# Answer
Yes, you can accomplish threading easily with something like 3Ds Max, Blender, Maya etc. I use Maya personally so, in Maya, all you have to do is:
1. Create a cylinder. This will be the main body of your 'screw'.
2. To make the thread, you need to create a helix primitive. You can edit the number of coils and the coil thickness in the Maya GUI.
3. Once you have the thread, it is a simple matter of performing a couple of boolean operations. The first boolean (union) operation will unite the screw made in step 1 with the thread made in step 2. The second boolean (subtract) operation will cut out the thread from the object within which you want your screw to be driven into. When you print the two models, you should find that the screw nicely turns into the object from which you cut out the thread.
The point is: yes, it is easy to do such things in most 3D software packages. Maya comes with a nice selection of default objects you can use, so essentially you need to do no 'modeling' yourself to create something like the example you showed us.
Your next question, about editing models on Thingiverse. The reason why you cannot edit them easily is because most models there have been decimated and triangulated, which makes them very difficult to reshape or edit because the topology is no longer strictly manifold -- it is just a big mess of triangles!
If you want to edit Thingiverse models, I recommend something like ZBrush. You can import triangulated models and then rebuild the geometry into quads (using DynaMesh, for example), which you can then edit to your liking. Once done, you can simply decimate and re-export as STL or whatever extension you need.
Finally, low/high poly is not so relevant in 3D print outs, especially in mechanically functioning parts. This is because most models are created in high resolution (high polygon count) and then decimated + triangulated down to truncate file sizes. But the functionality and physical feel of the model should not change due to this process - it just takes practice and lots of experimentation.
Hope this helps :)
Hassan
> 2 votes
# Answer
I've had my share of struggles with the issues you're having - bridging the software gap between hard-edge, parametric modeling tools (typically CAD) and more free-form, 'soft'/organic, modeling tools. It's not a trivial task to work across both domains simultaneously.
The simplest workflow I've developed is:
1. Create a simple CAD model of parts of the object you're trying to make that have mechanical/precision features (e.g. threaded screw holes, joints) in a CAD program (e.g. AutoCAD, Inventor, Solidworks, Fusion 360).
2. Export a high-precision STL of those parts
3. Create/generate the 'soft'/organic portions of the model in your software suite of choice (e.g. Blender, Maya)
4. Export an OBJ file (or STL, if the option is available) of the 'soft' parts
5. Import both sets of parts into Meshmixer and combine them there.
6. Export to a single, combined STL
7. (Optional) Pass the 'end product' STL through a model "fixer" - I quite like the Microsoft Model Repair Service
Meshmixer is a powerful but poorly documented tool. In my experience, it's capable of accomplishing most of the basic "fixes" most models need in preparation for 3d-printing. It is possible to do some amount of sculpting/organic modeling within Meshmixer itself but you'll probably find it inferior in that regard to other software suites, if you know how to use them.
> 1 votes
# Answer
If you have some programming background, take a look at OpenScad. It allows you to model using a functional programming language. Basically all of the customizer models on Thingiverse are written in openscad. My gut says you can use the poly command to string together a bunch of polygons to do what you want.
> 1 votes
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Tags: 3d-design, 3d-models
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thread-1012 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1012 | Power Supply Safety | 2016-04-18T01:39:11.703 | # Question
Title: Power Supply Safety
I just recently purchased a new MightyBoard (Rev G) for my Replicator that requires a new power supply.
The power supply for the Rev E was a 24 V/9.2 A which was necessary for the dual extruders and heated bed. I know I need a 24 V power supply, but should I be concerned about the amperage? What will a higher (or lower) rating affect on my machine?
# Answer
I suggest looking at the maximum amperage draw for all components that could be on at one time, and then find a power supply that can supply at least 20% more current. You would never want to get a supply rated for lower current than your max draw, because then it will affect the torque or your motors, or the temperature to which your heaters can get.
Think of it like this: An outlet at home may be rated at 115V/20A. Your blender is not going to draw the full 20A; having a little extra never hurts. But if you try to run a large appliance (dryer, hot tub, etc.) on a smaller amp circuit, the breaker would blow because you are trying to draw more than it can supply.
The point is, get something rated for higher than you need, within reason. It will draw only what it needs.
Pro tip: Make sure to set the current limits on your stepper motor drivers for maximum performance!
> 6 votes
# Answer
A short, figurative answer from the electronical point of view:
A **power supply** (an an analogy you can view it as a water pump) as used by 3D printers is usually supplying a fixed **voltage** (a constant pressure going into your pipe system), in your case 24V.
The given **amperage/current** (the amount of water that actually flows) that is actually utilized at a given point in time is determined by whatever you hook up to your power supply (the system of tubes or pipes - imagine a valve like your tap/faucet). Now the amperage rating of your power supply gives how much current you can run through your electrical system (as is the flow of your tap/faucet by the pump if you had a limitless big, imigainative one).
The **power** that your supply can deliver is the product of voltage and amperage: P(power) = U(voltage)\*I(current).
*What you need to make sure is* that **a) you deliver the correct voltage**, because this is what your circuitry needs to be specifically designed for (image the pressure of your pump being too low or to high, - you either won't recieve any water in the second floor, or your tubing can't stand the pressure) and **b) that you can supply *at least* the needed power** (otherwise you get a problem once you open up all the taps/faucets in your house, because they don't supply as much water as demanded). If your power supply can give more current, that's fine, it might just not be used. And as mentioned by Thetravellingfool already, keep a certain plus for losses and as a reserve, because no pump likes to run constantly at it's limits either ;)
> 3 votes
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Tags: electronics, switching-power-supply, mightyboard
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thread-981 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/981 | Printer randomly stops, Is the power supply bad? | 2016-04-13T17:35:24.807 | # Question
Title: Printer randomly stops, Is the power supply bad?
I have a prusa i3 with Mendel firmware and a RAMPS board. Recently it has been randomly stopping during prints. The LCD screen will lock up, the print will stop, and the heating elements will turn off. Pressing the reset button on the RAMPS restarts the system and it works fine.
In addition to stopping during prints, it has also frozen up while just sitting while on.
My first thought is the power supply (12V 30A) is going bad, but is there anything else I should check before I buy a new one and replace it?
Update:
I replaced the power supply with a new one, and the printer did not stop and completed a print. I am voting to close the question.
# Answer
It could be several things.
Your ramps board is overheating or has to much load on it. If you're not cooling the ramps board adding a fan may help the issue.
I know Robo3D had this issue and started shipping with a fan to cool the ramps board.
The ramps/arduino board could be faulty, the firmware may have gotten corrupted or the current version has a bug in the code.
If you are not printing from the sdcard on the lcd controller and using software through a usb connection, that computer may be causing the issue as well.
> 2 votes
# Answer
I had the same thing, the printer was not heating the nozzle anymore after starting the print. I fixed this by reinstalling the firmware.
It could also be that your stepper drivers are overheating. you can add a fan to cool them.
The SD card could be bad, maybe try an other card or another .gcode file.
It is probably not your power supply, a 30A power supply is more than enough, but you can measure the volts on the power supply while the printer is running, if it is around 12V it is probably alright.
> 1 votes
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Tags: prusa-i3, switching-power-supply, firmware
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thread-966 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/966 | Determining the temps and speeds for DIY printers? | 2016-04-11T16:02:02.677 | # Question
Title: Determining the temps and speeds for DIY printers?
I've been going down the learning road with two broken printers that I'm rebuilding with better parts and electronics.
One thing that I've recognized is that there is a pretty low likelihood that any hotend or heatbed that has had the thermistor/thermocouple and/or the printer board swapped with a non-OEM part can be trusted to accurately report it's own temperature.
Sure, there are lots of things I can (and do) do to try to make it as accurate as reasonable like calibrating with thermistors from multimeters, IR thermometers, etc., but each method has limitations. You never know if the 2nd thermistor is mounted both correctly, or if it is reading the same local temp as the printer thermistor. IR thermometers have issues with reflective surfaces (like aluminum hot ends and build plates) Calibrating the thermistor constants from experimental data isn't perfect.
IMHO, any hotend/heatbed temp on a DIY setup might be off by a constant ± 5 °C or so, more if it is poorly calibrated.
Printers use PID controlled heaters to keep oscillations down to a degree or two Celsius, because people say it impacts print quality.
Is there a good visual or experimental way to know whether your temperatures are "correct" for your printer/filament? IOW, if my filament was supposed to be heated to 220 °C, how would I know if my printer was having issues because the "true" temperature is only 215 °C (or 225 °C) when it is reporting 220 °C?
One common problem I've experienced is the nozzle clogging after the transistion from layer 1 to layer 2. (Layer 1 = higher heat and slower speeds, Layers 2+ = lower heat and faster speeds.) It's been a struggle to know which factor (lower heat or faster speeds) are to blame for the clogs after the transition.
# Answer
> 10 votes
The short answer is, you use the temps and speeds that give you good results. It's trial and error.
The temperature number your printer reports really doesn't matter. That's just a process control variable: it needs to be consistent and repeatable, but it doesn't need to be accurate against an independent reference. What you should care about is your print results.
Some signs your printing temp is too cold:
* PLA printed parts have a dull, matte surface
* Poor layer adhesion
* Extruder stalls or strips the filament at fairly low printing speeds for your extruder and nozzle size
Some signs your printing temp is too hot:
* PLA printed parts have a very shiny surface
* PLA has a very strong sugary/waffle smell, or any material smells burnt
* Stringiness during travel moves that you can't eliminate by tuning retraction
* Excessive oozing while the nozzle is stationary off the print
* Bubbles or cloudiness in extruded strands in extruded strands even with dry filament
You will also calibrate speeds via trial and error. There are two main speed limits for a printer: how fast the motion mechanism can move the nozzle without running into issues or unacceptable print quality degradation (which is also a function of acceleration settings), and how fast the hot end can heat up and melt filament.
The mechanism speed limits you have to find via trial and error. Pick a test print you like (such as Benchy) and repeat it with different tuning until you find your preferred limits.
Melt flow restrictions are slightly more complex, because they are a function of VOLUME flow rate, not commanded speeds. Make a large boxy test print (with long straight lines) and multiply extrusion width times layer height times feedrate. That will give you your approximate flow rate in mm<sup>3</sup>/sec. Generally speaking, every extruder + hot end + material combo will have a maximum feasible flow rate. For example, most "average" hobbyist printers with 0.4 mm nozzles and good extruders can extrude about 4-8 mm<sup>3</sup>/sec with PLA. PTFE-lined hot ends are at the lower end, all-metal hot ends are at the higher end. The value will depend on your hardware. But you can do a few quick benchmarking tests to find the limit, and then use that to determine peak feedrates to avoid exceeding the melt capacity of your system.
# Answer
> 3 votes
As per the detailed answer given by Ryan Carlyle, it can be a trial and error process to determine the optimal settings for your printer. This certainly does not require absolute accuracy of the temperature sensors<sup>1</sup> or the use of ideal filament to achieve. In your slicing program it should be possible to *increment* or *alter* the parameters - like 'flow rate' or 'printing temperature' *during* a print of a simple shape - in such a way that is is possible to make subjective comparisons.
Some enthusiast videos detail a method of using a slicer program to print a simple hollow column and to increment a particular parameter from say 90 % to 110 % of the "ideal" values in fixed steps every 5 mm in the Z direction. One can then observe the output and make a subjective determination of the print quality along the length of the column, and adopt the parameter value associated with the position in Z that produced the "best" outcome in terms of finish, strength and layer adhesion.
A standard plugin for the free slicer program "Ultimaker Cura" called "TweakAtZ" allows one to generate such a script, and could be a good option even if you normally would use a different slicer. A user on the youtube site (with which I have no association) detailed this approach in a video titled How to Find the Perfect Print Settings For Your 3D Printer. They went on to recommend this process be undertaken each time a new roll of filament is loaded in the printer.
I consider the method to be a good suggestion, as I find the suggestion "Pick a test print you like (such as Benchy) and repeat it with different tuning until you find your preferred limits." to be a potentially very wasteful and nonproductive proposition to an inexperienced user.
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### Footnote
<sup>1</sup> Directly calibrating the accuracy of the indicator for the temperature sensor inside the extruder would be no small feat, and as has been mentioned above would likely be of little value. If absolutely necessary it would probably best be done with a small gauge wire twisted Type "T" thermocouple wire tip inserted directly into the extruder nozzle if possible. Using an IR thermometer not would be appropriate due to the size of the target vs the IR thermometer's field of view and the emissivity of the nozzle as you have already observed.
# Answer
> 1 votes
It looks like you have to calibrate your thermometer first. The easiest way is to use well known thermistor (preferably in well working printer) and then measure temperatures with your thermometer. This way will give you proper calibration of it. Then you can measure other thermistors with this thermometer.
Of course it requires to keep conditions constant as far as possible.
But to be honest... I don't really feel (or see) if there is a big difference with temperature ± 10 °C.
Let's say my filament has temperatures from 185 °C to 225 °C and I tell you there is no difference (at least I don't see it) if it's 190 °C or 210 °C.
Of course this difference is crucial when you reach min/max temperature but in the middle...
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Tags: calibration, speed
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thread-857 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/857 | Adjusting the Z end stop? | 2016-03-24T02:32:29.347 | # Question
Title: Adjusting the Z end stop?
I have adjusted my z axis end stop via the paper test. However when I press to home all the axis the z axis hits the print bed moves it down slightly then goes to the postion I describe. Is this how its supose to be if not what do I need to do?
# Answer
Typically a machine will rapid to find its software stop(s), retract and slowly find its mechanical end stop. Please regard the RepRap Wiki for general troubleshooting and basic technical information.
> 3 votes
# Answer
Yes, this is normal. Your printer is, at first, probably going downward with some speed. When it hits the end-stop it has some momentum and doesn't stop right away. So once it hits the end-stop, it has to physically stop the print head and move upward again slightly to get to the right position.
> 3 votes
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Tags: calibration
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thread-1040 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1040 | Would appreciate advice on unclogging hot end [Makerbot Replicator v2] | 2016-04-24T10:03:29.390 | # Question
Title: Would appreciate advice on unclogging hot end [Makerbot Replicator v2]
My Makerbot Replicactor V2 constantly jams. Usually when I go to use it after it's been off for a few hours the filament has jammed and I have to take off the front fan to remove the filament. Today, after going through the usual rigmarole of having to take the front fan and fan guard off, remove the filament, cut it and then load it back in I found that there was another problem.
It appears something is jammed inside the hot end itself. When I loaded the filament back into the machine, it took it but nothing came out of the nozzle, instead it all pooled up around the aluminium mounting block where the filament feeds through.
Here's a couple more pictures, the last one is basically what happens to me on a regular basis: https://i.stack.imgur.com/sZ784.jpg
How should I go about fixing this? I've already cleaned the extruder nozzle, but unsure as how best to proceed with this. I would prefer to get this fixed fairly soon as I need to 3d print files for a uni assessment piece.
# Answer
For molten filament to jam at the inlet to the thermal barrier tube like shown here, there must be something wrong with the cooling in your setup. The cold zone needs to be cool for the extruder to work right. It looks like the cold zone is not staying below the glass point of the plastic, so the filament softens and mashes into a jam.
Here are some common causes of jamming in Replicator 2 extruders:
* Printer's environment is too hot. If it's in a hot garage, move it indoors. If you have it inside an enclosure or cabinet, open it up to let it breathe. All-metal extruders with PLA are very sensitive to ambient temp.
* Not having good contact between the heatsink and the cooling bar. Normally, just bolting them together is fine, but a small amount of of thermal grease (like Arctic Silver) smeared over the contact surface can help too.
* Not having the fan pointed the right way. You want the fan to blow ONTO the heatsink: this provides more turbulent flow and better cooling. This means you should not see the fan sticker when everything is assembled.
* Fan dying and and spinning too slow. A new fan can be a good idea. (24v fans only!) Or you can try gently peeling off the fan sticker and adding a single drop of light oil (like 3-in-one) to the bearing, then re-attaching the sticker.
* Using non-stock thermal barrier tubes that do not have the correct internal geometry. Lots of people sell bad tubes that don't have the "secret sauce" (internal diameter step). The four good vendors I'm aware of for this part are Makerbot, Carl Raffle, Micro Swiss, and Performance 3D.
* "Floating" the thermal barrier threads by tightening jam nuts on both top and bottom of the cooling bar. All-metal extruder designs require good contact pressure between the thermal barrier tube threads and the cooling bar, to ensure maximum heat transfer. The best approach is to put one jam nut below the bar to forcibly push the thermal barrier tube threads into the cooling bar, and no nut on top. (Using just one nut on top is better than two nuts, but worse than one nut below.)
It's also possible that there is some material partially blocking the nozzle, which is contributing to molten plastic backup up and jamming.
What I would recommend right now is removing both the nozzle and thermal barrier tube from the printer, and either replacing them or fully cleaning them out. There are multiple options. You can preheat the hot end with the cooling bar in a vise or on a metal surface with no fans attached, to heat up the plastic in the thermal barrier tube and allow you to push the blockage through with a small allen key. Then do something to REALLY clean it out, like nylon cold-pulls, or cooking the parts in a blue flame such as a torch or gas stove. Then check for internal debris with something like a toothpick.
Once you can see through the nozzle orifice and there's no junk inside anything, reassemble everything properly and try again.
> 3 votes
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Tags: extruder, hotend, maintenance, makerbot-replicator2
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thread-1045 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1045 | What are the modifications on this Kossel? | 2016-04-24T19:35:02.150 | # Question
Title: What are the modifications on this Kossel?
*(This question is a kind of self-answer. I know who built this printer, he explained the modifications, and I thought it might be interesting for others too. I've asked him to answer this question, to keep this information on Stack Exchange. I realize this question in its current form may be "Too Broad", feel free to edit to make it more specific).*
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I saw this Kossel Mini printer, and noted that it has some modifications. I'm told this is to make it easier to transport, and would like to know how these modifications make it more robust and more transportable.
# Answer
Cool you placed my Kossel Mini on Stackexchange! What I have modified to the standard kit:
* Retractable probe using RC Marlin (Rich Cattels Marlin with auto bed probe functionality). Never have to adjust endstops after it is once setup. All can be done in firmware.
* Made a transport case, in the picture the cover is missing which is a triangular case which fits over the printer. You can clip it on and the carry it with the handle on top. I just throw it in the car and bring it to the Hackerspace and Hackerevents/Makerfaires and when I feel to it, I can do an auto-probe to align it again (which is hardly needed BTW)
* Another mod is the Vaeder extruder, which is really cool in the way it uses a GT2 timing belt to drive the filament. It uses a round wheel and it drives the filament over 1/4 of the diameter of the wheel, so there is a 3 to 4 cm area where the belt drives the filament.
Advantages:
1. Lots of retracts don't "eat" into the filament causing feed issues
2. Doesn't flatten the filament. Keeps it nice and round.
Disadvantages (at this moment):
1. Not possible/ very hard to do filament swaps on the fly (to experiment with multicolor prints).
2. First time assembly can be a head ache, once you have it assembled it really works and is easy going.
And last but not least. I made a foldable Roll holder.
It is mounted on top by two M8 screws with knobs. When I am done I undo these two screws, fold in the roll holder and it is then mounted to the side of the flight case. This way I can transport printer and roll holder carrying it only using 1 hand. So I use the other hand carrying the bag with accessories like rolls of filament, 3D spray, tweezers etc.
Maybe this info helps other people new to 3D printing improve their printers, or enables them to bring printers more easily to meets and events to inspire others to build more Delta printers. As it's just mesmerizing to see them print. I love watching the print come to reality because it such beautiful piece of engineering!
> 2 votes
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Tags: kossel, ruggedised-printer
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thread-1035 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1035 | Trend in Filament Costs? | 2016-04-21T20:09:32.627 | # Question
Title: Trend in Filament Costs?
Some have suggested that filament costs are asymptotically approaching a baseline cost - others that costs are linearly decreasing. Does anyone know where to find the trending costs on a single class of filament over the past decade or more?
Part of the reason we are asking is to get enough longitudinal data to begin projecting costs for printing objects in the future. You might think of it like the "Moore's Law" of filament costs.
# Answer
> 3 votes
I'm not clear as to the intent of your question, but I would like to provide some insight. Typically, the biggest differentiating factor between a mediocre data scientist, and a good one, is based on the hypothesis they put forth. Therefore, understanding where the cost of filament is derived from is much more important than analyzing the market price equilibrium over a period of time (Even if done with consideration to various filament types).
Here are some basic costs:
* Raw material (the cost based on region, and grade)
* Manufacturing scale (Mixers, extruders, cooling, spooling, packaging, etc.)
* Shipping (Often 50% of cost for small quantities)
* Supply chain (Number of middle men)
Without going into detail of every preceding point, I was able to break down costs to a theoretical $10/kg for ABS, if starting with virgin pellets, and shipping flat rate USPS within the US.
The point that I am trying to make is, fundamentals over technical analysis in this case.
# Answer
> 1 votes
You could have a look though the various price trackers for Amazon (like ccc and thetractor), for some basic trends. Most of them does not seem to have sufficient data to give any valuable insight, but that could change.
In general, I would refer to the yearly and monthly trend reports found on 3D Hubs. They usually include the average filament order costs per filament type from the previous 30 days, although they do not display it as a continuous graph at this time.
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Tags: filament, cost
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thread-1053 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1053 | Pushing Text into surface - Google Sketchup | 2016-04-27T13:12:32.580 | # Question
Title: Pushing Text into surface - Google Sketchup
In Google Sketchup, I have text on a surface that I'd like to push / pull so that the text is etched into, rather than placed upon the surface. I can't seem to figure this out, the text disappears when I try to push it into the surface and I'm not quite sure what else to try. Any advice?
# Answer
Definitely you have to perform substract operation. Take a look here
Extrude text and then substract it from the object to etch in.
> 1 votes
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Tags: 3d-design
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thread-1051 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1051 | Is there any opensource software that controls the RAMPS RepRap board directly from the computer? | 2016-04-27T04:15:08.270 | # Question
Title: Is there any opensource software that controls the RAMPS RepRap board directly from the computer?
I'd like to find an opensource software that communicates directly with the RAMPS board (or any other 3D printer driver) without using the arduino...
It doesn't matter if it runs on Windows or linux as long as it's opensource. Also, I'm not worried about how this communication is done (USB, serial port, parallel port)...
Has anyone ever heard about projects like this?
# Answer
The key question is not really if there is such software, but rather if such software is possible, or if it would work very well.
While a printer is more than just stepper motors, those are one of the trickiest parts, so it makes sense to look primarily at that.
Back in the old days of personal computing, it was not uncommon to generate stepper motor signals from the CPU of a personal computer, using individually settable bits on either a special purpose interface (that is in fact basically how the head in a floppy drive was typically moved) or borrowing another available interface such as a parallel printer port.
But then two things happened: computers got faster, but more isolated from the world, and operating systems in common use became much more strict in what they permitted.
To move a high resolution stepper at a decent speed, you need to generate either step pulses or winding activation signals at a fairly high rate. And to accelerate and decelerate a motor under load, you need to finely vary their timing. Back when I/O ports hung directly off processor buses, and operating systems could not prevent programs from speeding up the system hardware timer in order to run a stepper routine rapidly, this worked to a degree. But today:
* Most PC class processors have little, if any directly coupled I/O - especially by the time you get outside the box. An interface like USB is great for moving a large amount of data per unit time, but it is absolutely horrible for accomplishing a trivial task with precise, frequent timing - it is a freight train, not a bicycle courier. Many of the things which let a processor internally operate quickly specifically work by decoupling it from an outside world that often cannot keep up - memory caches, bus exchange units, etc. If you do find a parallel port today, it is likely to be on the far side of a PCI bus bridge at the least, and have a different low-level interface than a legacy one.
* Modern operating systems have a time-slice scheduler which "owns" the CPU(s) and hands out small chunks of processing time to ordinary programs. These programs typically get to run often enough to appear responsive to the user, but not frequently enough to accurately drive stepper motors. There are various schemes which have been tried, for example to create a "hard real time" scheduler which owns the processor, and allows a motor control task to register for precisely needed time slices - then, with whatever time is left over a Linux or Windows or similar kernel is allowed to run, and divide up the remaining time among ordinary programs through its scheduling rules. Of course, such a scheme tends to need to be revised each time the utilized conventional operating system has a new major release.
While there are ways around these issues, they tend to require atypical hardware and deep changes to the operating system installation - making them neither inexpensive nor easy to setup for end users.
Instead, it is generally simpler and more cost effective (not even $10 these days) to put an embedded processor on an external circuit board, and have it act as a delegate to execute precise-timing tasks on behalf of the host processor. Somewhat extending from the idea of industrial CNC machines that originally read punched paper tape, and were later updated with a scheme where an ordinary computer "drip feeds" G-code commands over a serial port, modern 3D Printers tend to deliver G-code (or other) command data a little bit in advance of when it is needed, so that the latency of a USB or serial connection doesn't really matter. Normally enough data is buffered on the printer for it to keep running, but even if not it would only pause briefly between the complete moves which are transmitted, not experience motor stuttering as it would if the USB were trying to deliver each individual step pulse.
As for why an Arduino - probably mostly the history of who built the machines which kicked off the enthusiast printing trend. If someone from an industrial background were tasked with building something like an FDM printer or a machine with similar motion needs in isolation today, chances are they would end up with an ARM processor that would be a bit faster, more flexible, and with more resources, and likely cost a little less. But in actual history, the early affordable machines were built by those in maker community, who were already familiar with the availability of the Arduino, and willing to put some cleverness into getting good motion out of its limitations. RAMPS in particular seems designed to be a coarse-pitch through-hole bridge that a hobbyist could build themselves, and then buy the slightly trickier to work with surface mount processor and motor drive chips preassembled in the form of an Arduino Mega and stepper drive modules. That even fairly propriety machines maintain these basic parts choices is probably an indication of the utility of not "reinventing the wheel" - if you want to develop a printer, you can start from available components and customize them only one by one as you choose, rather than not being able to run your development prototype until you get a working circuit board designed and fabbed, a working software base developed, etc.
> 4 votes
# Answer
No, there exists no software like that. You can't communicate with a RAMPs board because a RAMPs board has no logic built-in; it's just a dumb breakout board that connects the Arduino Mega to your printer's components (such as stepper drivers, MOSFETs for controlling heaters, endstops,...).
If you wanted to connect a RAMPs board "directly" to your computer, you'd need a way for your computer to generate the pulses that the Arduino normally generates. You could potentially use a parallel port for this but you'd need many more outputs than a single parallel port can provide *and* you'd need to find a way to do the analog to digital conversion needed for the thermistors.
It's just not very feasible (considering how few computers have parallel ports nowadays).
> 5 votes
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Tags: ramps-1.4, software, open-source
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thread-1026 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1026 | Is there any way to shrink 3 mm filaments down to 2.85 mm? | 2016-04-20T03:34:28.357 | # Question
Title: Is there any way to shrink 3 mm filaments down to 2.85 mm?
Some 3 mm filaments seem to actually be 3 mm - is there any way to shave off the excess and use it as 2.85 mm?
# Answer
> 8 votes
I would not recommend you to try and somehow re-size the filament, since even the smallest of irregularities and error in diameter occurring from such a process would ruin your prints with sporadic over and under extrusion. Rather, if you have the tools available, you could grind the filament into pellets, and use a filament extruder to make it anew with your desired diameter.
Alternatively, depending on your printer setup, you might very well extrude true 3.00 filament with your 2.85 mm filament printer. If you try to do that, make sure to:
* Adjust filament diameter in your slicer
* Check that your filament isn't getting squashed by the extruder wheel
* Check that all mechanical parts actually can pass through your filament freely
I do not own a 2.85 mm printer myself, and therefore have not tried this procedure. There are, however, several people who seem to have done this successfully.
# Answer
> 1 votes
You will need to melt it push it through a hopper, screw thread, then draw it out at a constant pressure, with a water bath plus a sensor to check diameter.
# Answer
> -3 votes
you could put a 3 mm extruder on you're printer. or (if you're r brave) put route filament in the oven for 10 minutes and unroll it than stretch it out. if you do this outside you can attach one ent to a stride licht or something an pul on the other end, if it is hot anoth it should hold its new position. but don't get it to hot or the filament will stick to itself, you can put talk powder on it to prevent this but be shore to watch it off before using your filament. i have never tried this and not komw is it will work. you can try it on i short pease of about 2 m first to test it oud. if it works, please tell me. i would love to know.
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Tags: filament
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thread-1058 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1058 | What does it mean for step and dir "to be on their own ports"? | 2016-04-28T12:15:26.643 | # Question
Title: What does it mean for step and dir "to be on their own ports"?
The wiki page for the RAMBo board mentions:
> Step and Direction pins are on their own ports for synchronous movement capability
What does this mean, and how does it affect printing? Do I need special firmware to take advantage of this?
# Answer
A "port" for the AVR microcontroller is a set of eight IO pins that are controlled together at a hardware level. The underlying machine code can write an entire byte to set the status of all 8 pins at once. So in principle, all the step pins on the RAMBO board can be triggered exactly simultaneously.
The Arduino IDE hides this behavior from firmwares by abstracting the port's byte handling as a function call for each individual pin. That means programmers only have to know the Arduino PIN number, not which port and position on the processor is being used. And then the modern firmwares typically used by RAMBO do a further layer of abstraction to make it easy for the same firmware to be used by different boards, by changing pin assigned names in a config file (usually pins.h) and not assuming any specific port selection was made during board design.
There's no guarantee for open-source firmware that a particular pin selection was made in hardware. Lots of 3D printer controller boards even have pretty dumb pin assignments, like using hardware-PWM-capable pins for stepper signals rather than PWM'd heaters. Marlin and Repetier have chosen flexibility over performance optimization in this regard. They pretty much let the board designer use any pin for anything. When they have to do stuff like run heater PWM control or fire a bunch of step pulses as fast as possible, they emulate that in software rather than taking advantage of specific hardware that isn't always available.
In this specific case, there may not actually be all that much performance gain/loss. Writing to an output pin is pretty fast. The amount of time difference between firing a few step pulses in sync or firing them sequentially is on the order of a few microseconds. That won't make any difference to the motion fidelity of the printer's physical drivetrains. Somebody involved in the RAMBO design just thought it could be useful, and put a reference to it on the Wiki page (in the very first upload!) and it's never been clarified or removed from the Wiki page in the years since.
> 4 votes
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Tags: electronics, firmware
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thread-1047 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1047 | Prusa i3 Dual Extruder Setup Issues | 2016-04-24T23:59:13.337 | # Question
Title: Prusa i3 Dual Extruder Setup Issues
I have a Folgertech Prusa i3, on a Ramps 1.4 with Marlin and I use Repetier-Host to control it. I am attempting to convert it to a dual extruder Bowden setup, and I can't seem to get the second extruder to work, although the first works just fine.
This is my problem:
I am not getting a reading in Repetier-Host for the thermistor of the second extruder. It is at a constant 100C. When I turn on the cartridge heater for the second extruder in Repetier-Host, the cartridge heater does not heat up.
This is what I have done:
For the second extruder, I connected the wires from the thermistor to the pins for T2 and the wires for the cartridge heater to D9. I have not updated anything in the Marlin firmware. In Repetier-Host, I selected that there are two extruders, and a second extruder is indicated under the 'manual controls' tab.
This is what I have double checked:
I confirmed the second thermistor works because it indicates a proper temperature reading when plugging it in both T0 and T1. I confirmed the second cartridge heater works because it heats up when connected to D10.
I apologize in advance if this is an amateur question, but I can't seem to find an answer anywhere. If somebody could at least point me in the right direction, or let me know if there is something I did not include in my post, I would really appreciate it, and hopefully it would help somebody else coming across a similar problem.
Thanks
# Answer
Thanks to the comments, I was able to narrow down the specific issues in the firmware. The firmware version was really out of date, so I recommend finding the latest stable version.
Therefore, I found the latest stable version of Marlin, downloaded it, and created my own edited version. I went line by line in `configuration.h` and `configuration_adv.h`, with the old version I had side by side to the newer version, making any and all appropriate changes. Below are the lines I found most important to evaluate when setting up a second extruder.
Make sure the you have the right board selected from `boards.h`:
```
#define MOTHERBOARD 34
```
Make sure the # of extruders is specified:
```
#define EXTRUDERS 2
```
Make sure the sensor is active:
```
#define TEMP_SENSOR_0 6
#define TEMP_SENSOR_1 6
#define TEMP_SENSOR_2 0
#define TEMP_SENSOR_BED 6
```
This should be considered:
```
#define HEATER_0_MAXTEMP 240
#define HEATER_1_MAXTEMP 240
#define HEATER_2_MAXTEMP 240
#define BED_MAXTEMP 90
```
Everything under this comment should be looked at:
```
// Preheat Constants
```
These would allocate the second extruder for other motors:
```
#define Z_DUAL_STEPPER_DRIVERS
#define Y_DUAL_STEPPER_DRIVERS
#define DUAL_X_CARRIAGE
```
I'm sure there are other parameters I may have missed, and these are specific to my Prusa i3, but I hope this helps out anybody else in the future.
> 4 votes
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Tags: prusa-i3, ramps-1.4, software, marlin, dual-nozzle
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thread-1063 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1063 | Print contaminated by chips of previous filament colors | 2016-04-30T22:06:39.797 | # Question
Title: Print contaminated by chips of previous filament colors
I have a flashforge creator dual.
From time to time while printing a model I notice when there are abrupt changes in direction, that a few "Grains" of old filament fall out from the head. Generally they end up embedded in the print which is not a big deal, but sometimes they get into a visible portion.
I can mitigate this somewhat by disassembling down to the gears, and blowing out all of the old filament.
My question is two fold
**"What is causing these chips to accumulate near the gears?"**
**"Is there something I can do to resolve this issue?"**
# Answer
> 1 votes
My bet is your extruder knurls are scratching the filament. If it happens for specific filament then probably it doesn't keep its diameter. It means you can avoid these grains by using better filament.
If it happens always then you could do 3 things
1. reduce stress on the spring which pushes filament to extruder gear
2. make extruder gear less sharp
3. eventually change the great itself
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Tags: print-quality
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thread-1066 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1066 | Preview 3d printing process | 2016-05-01T09:34:01.923 | # Question
Title: Preview 3d printing process
Is there any type of software in which you can animate the way the .stl object will be printed?
I'm not talking about what the end result looks like. I'm talking about a tool which acts like it's printing the given object as an animation.
I know it somehow depends on your printer but is there anything I can use?
# Answer
> 2 votes
You may wish to consider Craftware for your purposes. It's a free program in beta form that does provide a tool-path animation for printing the layers. It is not so much specific to a printer as it is configurable for your own requirements. The video shows what I believe you are seeking at about the two minute point.
Simplify3D also provides such information, but is not a free program.
# Answer
> 2 votes
The open source slicing engine, Slic3r, also allow for such a preview. The preview is not animated, but you can see the path that your printer will follow for each layer.
To do this, simply upload a model and press the *preview* button in the lower part of your screen. To select which layer to preview, use the slider on the right of the preview window.
# Answer
> 1 votes
I'm using MatterControl and it has such visualization. User can see synchronized animation which shows how the object is actually printed and user is able to see each path of filament put onto the layer.
It's possible to control starting and ending position so it's possible to precisely visualize each milimiter of filament even between start and end point.
MatterControl also visualizes extrude flow so if user set extrude to 150% or 200% then application shows wider "line".
All of it can be seen in 2D (from top view) and in 3D (perspective view). There is also possible to see overlay (by transparency) and print speed (visualized by color).
MatterControl also shows non-printing moves and retraction points and their hight.
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Tags: 3d-design
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thread-1072 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1072 | My MakerBot 2 jams after a couple hours of prints | 2016-05-02T02:10:34.873 | # Question
Title: My MakerBot 2 jams after a couple hours of prints
My MakerBot 2 jams after a couple hours of prints. It is a couple months old, and the tip stops extruding after a couple straight hours of prints. I am guessing that there is a design flaw and that the media is melting inside the extruder before the feeding teeth. Does anyone have experience with this?
# Answer
> 2 votes
As you stated, it could be a result of the material beginning to melt before the extruder. Here's a few things to look out for:
* Is your extruder temperature appropriate for the material? Typical printing temperatures can range anywhere from 200 - 225 °C for PLA (depending on the supplier). Often, if the extruder is too hot, the material will bubble or over extrude.
* Is the material of proper quality? There's a reason MakerBot Industries wants you to use their filament (besides putting their hands in your pocket book), and that is repeatability. They've tested their filament on their hardware and ensured that the material will extrude with regular print settings.
* Is the material being stored properly? Sometimes people forget to store PLA in a dry place to avoid absorbing moisture in the filament. If moisture is absorbed, it can perform poorly in the print. Indications of moisture can include a slight steam from the extruder and/or bubbles in the extruded material (similar to overheating).
* Are the fans operating correctly? If the fans aren't running or aren't running enough, the filament begins to heat further up the extrusion assembly (closer to the drive gear) which can inhibit extrusion. I know that MakerWare/MakerBot Desktop has been updated lately with more emphasis on controlling fans for active cooling, so make sure that your fan(s) are operating for duration of the print as necessary.
All and all, your filament is getting too hot. If you can't determine the sudden change, consider printing with a lower extruder temperature from now on. However, if you're using MakerBot filament (or similar quality) then I would definitely verify that your machine is calibrated, wires are fully connected, and settings are double checked. If all is as expected, then you should call MakerBot support (since they're closed source now, they technically have an obligation to help you) especially since the machine is so new.
# Answer
> 2 votes
Check if your tapes on your extruder have worn out. If that is the case, the heat will travel into the motor. when it pushes the filament through the ambient temperature is greater than the temperature of defrom of PLA (~70 °C). When this happens the filament starts bending inside and clogs inside. This is one case only. You could hear a small repeated noise, also the motor will be extremely hot.
Edit: Also make sure your fans are running at speed. sometimes due to improper wiring it runs at 30-50 %. just give it a light tap. The speed difference is visually noticeable.
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Tags: makerbot
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thread-1078 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1078 | Can I use a pin header in a breadboard to wire up the z-axis motors in parallel? | 2016-05-02T15:58:04.713 | # Question
Title: Can I use a pin header in a breadboard to wire up the z-axis motors in parallel?
Can I use a pin header with the molex on my Nema 17 motors and a bread board to wire up the z-axis motors in series?
Also, do breadboards and pin headers have ratings, the way that wires do?
# Answer
> 1 votes
You could absolutely do that.
Ultimately, the amount of current you can push through a wire/breadboard/connector depends on its resistance: for a given current **I**, a component with a resistance of **R** will have a voltage drop of **V = I x R** across it, resulting in a power dissipation of **I^2 x R** watts.
I measured the resistance of breadboard traces to be around 7 Ohm/meter (measurement subject to some error, but this is the value I got testing over a 300mm stretch at 0.2A). This is quite high, the wires that came with your stepper motor are probably in the range of 0.1 Ohm/meter. If you had a stepper running at 2A, you'd waste 28W of power in a meter of breadboard rails.
Thankfully you're only going to be dealing with a very short stretch of breadboard (wasting "only" 0.8W for 4 wires over a 3 pin stretch each). It would probably be OK, but it's not ideal. Make sure the connection is good (and keep an eye on it initially) as a bad connection can result in significantly higher resistance and that might generate enough to melt your breadboard and short things out.
A better way of doing this would be to simply solder the wires together, or (if you don't want to permanently connect the steppers) use the pin headers you mentioned, and solder them together directly (for example on a piece of perfboard or perhaps just link them up directly with a few pieces of thick wire).
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Tags: printer-building, prusa-i3-rework, wiring, nema-17
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thread-1065 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1065 | Ball valve to be prototyped | 2016-05-01T06:42:46.247 | # Question
Title: Ball valve to be prototyped
Hey so theres a product we have been prototyping. We cant do FDM. The item has a ball valve. and the ball ~ 1.6-1.9mm I cant seem to prototype it. I have tried SLS, SLA, Polyjet. Anybody knows what could be wrong, or what should be the dimension i should be using? I thought I would post this at engineering section, but since I have to prototype I thought its best if its in 3D Printing section
Edit:
Update:
So heres a figure showing the direction of air flow.
Update: Thanks both answers are helpful. though not a precise answer. Then again, there is no correct answer. Thanks a bunch. Lets see how the coming months are. :p
# Answer
> 3 votes
Hey why to make it soooo sophisticated and poor? Air valve cannot be designed with 2 stiff elements - it will never work.
Make the air your friend but not the enemy. Use old good rubber (silicone) "flake" instead. Especially when you have such small design.
Take a look on the picture.
Here you have black element which is rubber or silicone. It's sticked on one side. When air goes from the pipe (goes up) then rubber is slack so the air can flow. When you suck then rubber seals the pipe.
**\[edit\]**
You can find such solution in for example bike pumps, inflatable matterss pumps also gas masks and so on. It's pretty fine for low pressure.
Of course ball valves are also widely use but then such device has to have "rubber" ball nest so ball lies on the rubber ring to seal it. There has to be a spring to tight the ball to the ring. Without such spring turning the device upside down would cause the valve would not work at all. Ball solutions are intended to higher pressure.
Please note the spring which tights a ball creates kinda threshold on the pressure level which means that pressure has to exceed a spring force to reduce a pressure. This doesn't occure in rubber valve.
I don't know what device you are trying to prototype but I'm pretty sure a rubber valve will be just fine.
Please also note that sealing surface is very low in ball valve solution but in rubber valve it can be almost unlimited so it can seal quite well even when the surface is not perfect.
# Answer
> 2 votes
As mentioned above in the comments, this really isn't a good application of 3D Printing. At least, not with expectation that it functions. I'd suggest using 3D printing to verify other dimensions and having the part machined traditionally. That ball and "seal" needs to be precision ground or honed to fit in order to stop air flow.
My company has manufactured parts similar to this and the way to go was to produce a concave "cup" for the ball to settle into and hone the edges with a diamond slush using a ball end mill. That way, the ball settles into the cup and the pressure creates the seal.
<sup>Omitted due to update in OP's image</sup>~~**Update** Excuse the poor SketchUp drawing, but this might help explain a potential design change: Deprecated image~~
Please see DarthPixel's answer for a good design choice.
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Tags: 3d-design, rapid-prototyping
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thread-1089 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1089 | Getting better support than Slic3r generates | 2016-05-04T02:47:04.393 | # Question
Title: Getting better support than Slic3r generates
I found a nice model for a ship from the game "Eve". It doesn't have a flat bottom, so it needs support material. But Slic3r generates several dozen tiny support pillars, and one by one they break loose from the build plate. As they get tall, the leverage of course increases, and since they're so tiny they don't have much area in contact with the bed, so they separate. Eventually the whole model broke free, turned a bit, and since I had gone to dinner it kept printing... see below. I think the main problem is the poor support material geometry, but the controls in Slic3r for support material don't seem to give many options.
How can I get better support material layout? Oh, this is PLA, by the way.
(appending to question to be able to put in the picture)
I tried a bunch of things, and the MeshMixer support, plus fiddling with several settings, got it to come out pretty well. Thanks to all, esp. @Tormod!
# Answer
> 5 votes
I know many Slic3r users - myself included - add support material to the model itself *before* importing it into Slic3r.
I personally favour MeshMixer for support generation, as the supports are much more predictable and easily removable. In complicated cases I also add supports in my CAD software.
Although a not free, the support generation in Simplify3D is supposed to be great, allowing for custom placement.
I also found this review that compares support settings in Meshmixer, Slic3r and Cura fairly well. Here is the summary:
> **Meshmixer**
>
> This support was the most efficient in material use however it required the most manual tweaking to print properly. In addition the marks it left once removed were more noticeable than Cura and (sometimes) Slic3r. While the settings could probably be further modified to improve the performance this support type appears the most limited for future improvements.
>
> **Slic3r**
>
> The support's performance was variable - by far the best in some situations (fox's head and tale) however the worst to remove with the most obvious marks in other areas of the same model. This may be down to my chosen settings and with some more tweaking I may get better results. The most obvious general flaw is that it does not leave a big enough gap between the support and the unsupported areas of the model (like the foxes legs or the lower roots of the planter)
>
> **Cura**
>
> While some of the support left marks, overall it was the easiest to generate support which performed consistently well. Once again though slight tweaks could improve this further for specific models.
>
> Overall Cura wins my "no time to tweak - got to make it work now" award.
# Answer
> 3 votes
I see more important things on your photo.
1. Filament layers are not sticked together, even these on the first layer (on the bed).
2. Next is that lines are not staight but they are wavy.
This suggests that you should try
* increase HE temperature
* set speed of the first layer (20% of normal speed)
* decrease first layer thickness
* increase extrude rate for the first layer
Of course (answering your question) there are other types of support material. The most stable should be honeycomb but it will not work for you if you will not tune up printing parameters.
# Answer
> 2 votes
I have not used Slic3r very much. But my guess is that the settings should still be same.
Also, are those rafts? They look incomplete: you might want to check your leveling again.
In addition, try to increase your thickness of the support material. Make it squares or something, as that will give much better strength.
Furthermore, if there is a setting for manually placing supports, you might try that. Simplify3D had that option and it worked wonders for few of our projects.
# Answer
> 1 votes
In my point of view it seems that the bed offset not optimal. I see that you are using the blue tape, which is better than any other tape. As a next step I would recommend to try different types of glue.
I agree with Tormod Haugene and can also recommend Cura. You can also experiment there with a lot of parameters and after a time you will get a feeling how to print your things successfully. Just take a look at the download page at Ultimaker for the application and if there are problems with the software you can feel free to report issues at GitHub.
Regards
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Tags: support-structures, support-material
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thread-1076 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1076 | What is a good book to read about 3D printers? | 2016-05-02T14:25:23.397 | # Question
Title: What is a good book to read about 3D printers?
I've been interested in 3D printing for the past month however, I have noticed that it's sort of a "reserved" topic. Meaning that everyone who talks about it, has already some basic knowledge about the topic. What are some good resources for someone who wants to start learning from zero? My main goal is to acquire enough knowledge in order to build my own 3D printer.
# Answer
> 4 votes
You can learn a lot just by reading the forums. I'll just list a few that are quite popular...
Reprap Forums \- Has a ton of information on DIY printers including build logs and posts dealing with many issues.
Soliforum \- Large user base with lots of information. Not sure what it's standing is now that Solidoodle is gone but I'm sure the forum will stick around.
SeeMeCNC \- Support forum for SeeMeCNC, has a lot of information for Delta printers and also other printers.
There aren't many books that I know of...Make magazine has done a few issues on 3D printing that you could try to obtain. I'm not sure what your idea of building a printer is, do you want to design your own or follow someone's instructions and put one together? Designing one would require some basic hardware and engineering knowledge.
All that said, the best learning experience would be buying a kit and learning as you go. You'll never read in a book what you will learn from having your own printer.
# Answer
> 3 votes
The resources you have at your fingertips are going to be more up-to-date than anything you'll find in a paper/published book. Use this amazing thing called the internet and read everything you can find. Use Google or your favorite search engine using appropriate terms. I'd suggest, based on your overly broad question, that you use "build your own 3d printer" as a starting point.
You'll find that Instructables is one useful resource as well as MakerShed for additional material. You will find a very large source of helpful information at 3dprintboard.com simply by reading others' posts there and at other forums as well.
There is quite a bit to absorb and understand but with the internet at your fingertips, you won't be lacking for information.
# Answer
> 3 votes
I would recommend **Design for 3D Printing: Scanning, Creating, Editing, Remixing, and Making in Three Dimensions** by Samuel N. Bernier, Bertier Luyt and Tatiana Reinhard
It has a lot of tips, tricks and examples. Good for beginners and experienced users.
# Answer
> 1 votes
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES 3D Printing, Rapid Prototyping, and Direct Digital Manufacturing
Springer
I think its a perfect book. A lot of details to all technologies. \*Beware there is math and physics involved.
# Answer
> 1 votes
If you really want to learn about three dimensional printing then "Mastering 3D Printing" by Joan Horvath, published by Apress, would be a good place to start.
It does not provide you the in depth knowledge about all the types of printers or materials but it is good enough to get a newbie like me or you get of the ground.
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Tags: printer-building
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thread-1098 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1098 | Should I comment out the code for what I am not testing when loading the test firmware for Ramps 1.4? | 2016-05-04T13:19:59.970 | # Question
Title: Should I comment out the code for what I am not testing when loading the test firmware for Ramps 1.4?
> You may want to use this code to test all the electronics before installing any of the suggested firmwares.
I'm planning on:
1. Flashing the test firmware onto the Arduino Mega 2560, then unplugging it from the USB.
2. Connecting RAMPS 1.4
3. Connecting all 3 jumpers under the X-Axis (leaving the other jumpers disconnected).
4. Connecting a stepper driver to the X-Axis on the board.
5. Turning the trimpot down all the way, and then back up 1/4th of the way.
6. Plugging in 1 NEMA 17 motor to the X-Axis.
7. Connecting 5A DC input into RAMPS 1.4 (not plugged in).
8. Finally plugging it in and seeing if the motor moves for 5 seconds.
Now my question is, if I'm going to do this to test out a single NEMA 17 motor, do I need to comment out the rest of the test code before loading the firmware?
# Answer
> 4 votes
There's no reason to comment anything out. It will work just fine without any modification, even if you're just testing a single motor. That said, I don't see the value of this "test firmware" over just installing Marlin.
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Tags: ramps-1.4, firmware
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thread-191 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/191 | What criteria do I need to be aware of when buying a 3D printer for personal use? | 2016-01-13T14:36:43.710 | # Question
Title: What criteria do I need to be aware of when buying a 3D printer for personal use?
I'm interested in designing & 3D printing as a hobby (e.g. printing chess sets, small toys for family etc.)
Conducting a Google search has brought up a range of small, cheap printers, but beyond that I don't know how to differentiate them.
E.g. selling points include:
* "liquid light-sensitive resin"
* "partially assembled" with "very few parts and minor configuration"
* "Wi-Fi enabled"
My question is, **which features are going to benefit a small-scale, new enthusiast to 3D printing?**
PS. The software I intend to use is Windows 10 3D design
PPS. I'm not a graphic designer by any means, just a new enthusiast.
# Answer
Here are few things to consider from my point of view
---
**Printing technology**
The first thing that you need to take into account is printing technology. The most common\[citation needed\] right now is Fused Filament Fabrication. "Liquid light-sensitive resin" is being used in Stereolitography and Digital Light Processing - the SLA printers I found are less common and more expensive than FFF ones.
---
**Price**
Need to decide on budget. You can buy printer for 60k USD and 400 USD. Quality is somehow linked to price but that's not a rule. You can buy a shitty printer for a lot of money.
---
**Printing area**
Bigger allows you to print bigger things. You need to ask yourself how big things you really want to print. Remember that 3d printing is quite slow process - how often you will want to print big things that will take 60hrs+ to finish?
---
**Printing materials**
What kind of materials you want to print with? Some materials will need higher temperatures so check the max hot-end temperature, some will require heated bed.
---
**Assembled or DIY kit**
You can usually get kits for self-assembly cheaper than Ready-To-Print machines. However, it will require additional skills (i.e. soldering), tools and time to assemble. I am not sure if I would buy DIY kit for commercial use, but as an enthusiast I immensely enjoyed putting my Rostock Max together.
---
**Reviews and reputation**
It is generally safe to buy printer that already has some users. Beware of new magical Kickstarter printers which will "change the 3d printing forever". Reddit /r/3dprinting suggests that your new printer should meet 3 criteria:
* Printer passes the youtube test - has lots of youtube evidence that this particular printer is working.
* Printer is out of the pre-order phase. This means that all pre-orders have been delivered.
* Printer has a reputation of working well among current users.
I found it to be a very good set of rules.
---
**Upgrade capabilities**
That's very user-dependent, but this point is very important to me. I want to be able to change and improve certain parts of my printer. Check if you can switch the extruder, replace the hot-end etc.
---
**Support**
I think one of the most important points. See if you can find a forum for your printer and how active community is. It will be immensely helpful if something goes wrong (and it will). Also, company support is very important. What will happen if you need a replacement part or your printer will stop working altogether?
---
This list is definitely not complete. There are many more things that might be taken into account like configuration (delta or XY), multiple extruders, closed cases etc.
> 15 votes
# Answer
I think the list of masteusz is a good one but before you can decide on what you need you have to get a better understanding of how 3D printing works, like Silver Quettier said. Please be aware that printing a object is yet not as easy as printing on paper. The machines that print 3D are more like industrial machines than that they are like your inkjet printer at home.
For the curious beginner I would suggest to first concentrate on modelling and printing technique.
# Modeling
You can of course download things from ThingyVerse or YouMagine but you might be more interested in *making* things than printing them. I don't know Windows 10 3D design. I personally find Sketchup Modeling software a good entry-point because they have a large set of video tutorials and while you learn you can add more complicated extensions to the program. There are also extensions that help you make your model 'watertight' and 'ready for print'. Of course you can find heaps of tutorials on Youtube for other modeling software like freeCAD or Fusion but you might find it a bit overwhelming.
# Printing
As suggested in the comments, you could start with letting your objects print by others. It's worth to set aside a small budget for that. They easiest to design for is SLS printing. You don't have to worry about overhangs etc. Buying a SLS printer is not an option but you can have it print at multiple printingfarms like Shapeways. You soon enough find out that making a print 'light' and hollow will save a lot of cash. Shapeways will tell you if there is anything wrong with your design too.
A bit harder is FDM printing where layers of threads are stacked. Because overhangs need support, most of the time extra plastic is printed that has to be removed later. Plastic is not expensive and insides can be printed hollow, so cost is not so much a thing you have to worry about when designing. On 3Dhubs you can find experienced people who own a printer and want to print for you. They can tell you what is printable and what not. If you have a hub near you this is a good option to get familiar with the technique. If you did that a couple of times you can decide to go to a fablab or makerspace where you lent/rent a printer. Make yourself familiar with slicing software like Cura before you go. There are many settings like for filling the space in the object and for making support for parts that 'hang in the air'.
When you buy a printer you probably print mostly with PLA and ABS and all printers can print that. Even when you own a printer you might sometimes want to print a part at Shapeways because of the material options or to make something that is impossible to print. 3DHubs gives you the possibility to experiment with a large range of printer and materials. Print quality though is often influenced by the experience level of the person printing it so don't deside what printer to buy on these results. 3DHubs has a good printer-guide.
On the other hand, having a printer yourself makes it a lot easier and more fun to print objects you have downloaded. Also, making something, seeing the result and then adjusting it, is a more organic way to learn and create designs.
Welcome to 3D printing ;)
> 3 votes
# Answer
The number one most important thing about a 3-d printer is the Extruder/PrintHead component. If these are buggy, the printer is worthless. Seems like most printers are pretty good with everything else. The place that they die is in the Extruder/Print Head assembly.
The second most important thing is quality of the plastic parts. One nice thing about that is you can usually reprint the plastic parts by going to thingiverse.com and downloading them.
So, I'm on my 2nd printer. I returned the first one to amazon and may very well return the second one. It is a frustrating game. On thing I notice is that VERY FEW printers have a LOT of ratings. Some might have 4 stars, but only 8 votes... The latest one I have had 200+ votes but a 3.5 rating. If you have 200+ votes and anything below 4.2, you've got an inconsistent and potentially crappy product.
So, to sum up, Get details on the extruder. Does it cool properly, is the design such that the filament is properly driven and pushed? Is the hot head the only hot part, or is the tube getting heated too. Does the extruder throat near the hot head have a Teflon tube inside it?
Read the ratings on Amazon, read the bad reviews and then look at the pictures of the product to verify them.
Best of luck.. I'm about to return #2 printer and perhaps part out #3. Not quite sure yet..
> 3 votes
# Answer
One of the biggest questions you should ask yourself is: What is your end goal?
1. Is it to get your printer and immediately print something (pre-assembled).
2. Is it to learn about 3d printing by constructing a kit, encountering all kinds of potential issues getting it working, then once it is working getting everything all dialed in and then getting good prints.
The 2nd option requires less initial investment but may take considerable time and frustration. (I did this 6 months ago)
> 2 votes
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Tags: desktop-printer
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thread-1117 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1117 | Alternative 3d molding techniques at home | 2016-05-06T00:02:50.243 | # Question
Title: Alternative 3d molding techniques at home
i have seen formbox http://golem13.fr/formbox/ and it uses heat and many materials like PVC. Is there any way to do this with paper or paper derivatives(like egg carton)? If the answer is yes, how can i do that?
# Answer
Forming kinda blister out of paper is possible but not the way it's formed out of plastic. Paper is not elastic, it's bendable but not strechable. It's the issue of how cellulose fibers are formed and how are they entangled.
Anyway - you can create a form out of wet mixed paper pulp. Wrap it around your model and then wait until it's dry. It will form amazingly stiff form. You can do it also out of wet handkerchiefs.
You could build a vacuum machine as in the formbox to squeeze the paper pulp the get water out of the material but the cover should be done out of light silicone film so it would be treated by vacuum.
> 2 votes
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Tags: 3d-models, material
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thread-1127 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1127 | What setting do I need to change to get rid of this gap between the shells and the inside? | 2016-05-08T14:30:46.043 | # Question
Title: What setting do I need to change to get rid of this gap between the shells and the inside?
I've noticed that some of my prints (mostly square-ish objects) are coming out with gaps between the outside shells and the inner parts. This gap is visible even in the 2D sliced preview of the layers so I think it must have something to do with slicing settings, but I'm at a loss for what I need to change to fix it.
See below for images of the issue. On the orange piece near the right hand side you can see light shining through the gap. The black cube has it at the top, though it's not deep enough to let light through like with the orange one. There is also an image of the layer preview which shows the same gap.
I have a Rostock Max v2 (stock hot end). I am using Matter control using mostly stock settings, I've tweaked around layer height, speed, and temp but I don't think those are the cause.
.
**Images of the issue:**
# Answer
> 2 votes
It's generally called infill overlap. In terms of first layer it's good to set extrude rate to 120% or even more so infill will overlap perimeters and itself. There is also the issue of "overlapping" layers which is not managed by any specific parameter. it's the issue of layer thickness and HE temperature.
Unfortunately Matter Control has kinda bug or at least an issue with extrude rate. If you set higher extrude rate then overlap will be automatically reduced in some way. So it's good to increase extrude rate manually during printing and then set it back to normal. this will cheat slicer.
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Tags: software, slicing, mattercontrol
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thread-1120 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1120 | 3D printing using OctoPrint on Linux Ubuntu desktop | 2016-05-06T18:56:01.593 | # Question
Title: 3D printing using OctoPrint on Linux Ubuntu desktop
I'm trying to set up OctoPrint on my Linux Ubuntu 16.04 desktop to work with my Micro3D printer. The printer works fine on Mac and Windows:
I've installed OctoPrint with the M3D Fio Plugin Manager. I can see the files in `~/.octoprint/` fine and I can even turn the printer fan on/off, move the extruder, etc. through OctoPrint:
But when I press the blue "Print button", there is no response. Also the files in the "upload" section are greyed out. Must I download a slicing program or something? I'm new with 3D printing in general but not with Linux. Grateful for help!
# Answer
I just discovered that OctoPrint only reads .gcode files for printing (apparently, unless you have a slicing software embedded in it), so I installed Slic3r separately, and ran
```
./slic3r mystlfile.stl
```
to generate a .gcode file (in the executable directory).
Then I uploaded the .gcode file to OctoPrint and things got moving.
> 4 votes
# Answer
For me it sounds like you've missed to install the CuraEngine for slicing, but I'm only guessing, as I'm not using OctoPrint at all.
Instead I'm using Cura directly and save gcode to a SD or use USB printing for quick/small prints.
Regrads ;)
> 2 votes
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Tags: desktop-printer, octoprint
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thread-1128 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1128 | Travel Mug Woes | 2016-05-08T14:50:39.170 | # Question
Title: Travel Mug Woes
I have a 30ish year old travel mug from Sheetz that I intend to model and print using my OpenScad skills. The fact that it is an insulated mug means that the inside is hollow to an extent.
What reccomendations do you have toward turning this into a foodsafe, leakproof success?
# Answer
**You cannot make a safe coffee cup using home FDM printers. There are no printable thermoplastics available to consumers/hobbyists that will reliably AND safely contain coffee/tea temperature beverages.**
Even though some plastics may appear mechanically suitable at first sight, there are long-term issues with using thermoplastics for elevated temperature service. The material becomes weaker and less dimensionally stable under load as the temperature approaches the glass point of the polymer. For example, here is some Stratasys test data for ABS strength versus temperature:
Even if the plastic survives a few uses, it may creep and warp over time. And that might be fine, depending on your needs! People have printed working coffee cups out of ABS before. For some definition of "working" you can make print a working coffee mug. It's just not going to work at the level of longevity and reliability that people typically expect from hot beverage containers. (Imagine if the handle breaks and pours scalding liquid in your lap.) PLA in particular tends to give out abruptly due to its unusual ability to creep to ultimate failure with very low elongations.
Then there is the question of whether ANY FDM printed part is ever safe for *repeated* food service use. One-time uses (such as throw-away cookie cutters) might be perfectly fine, but repeated use introduces additional problems because FDM parts are porous. They contain a microscopic void/grain structure that is perfect for trapping food debris and sheltering bacteria. Every FDM part is similar in that regard to an old, scratched, wooden cutting board. They are difficult to effectively sanitize. A high-temp dishwasher cycle will do the job, but that imposes significant thermal stress on thermoplastics.
Here's an example micrograph I took of voids in a printed part (strands all aligned the same way to highlight the shape):
These voids will also allow liquids to leak unless careful print settings are used. Over-extruding with multiple perimeters, or doing some kind of post-print sealing can make water-tight parts. It's not hard, just takes some experimenting.
There is also considerable anecdotal evidence that much of the cheap filament from Asia is full of nasty, toxic substances that may leach into hot beverages. Heavy metals like lead, strontrium, and cadmium are often found in thermoplastics as processing aids, pigments, or simply from unscrupulous companies disposing of industrial ashes by mixing them into dark-colored filaments for export. US-made and EU-made filaments seem to be better in this regard.
Now that the basic issues are out of the way... Here is the breakdown of specific materials you might want to try:
* **PLA** blends used in 3d printing will soften and fail almost instantly on contact with hot beverages. (They contain melt-reducers and viscosity modifiers and polymer molecular weights specific to FDM filament and will perform differently from injection-molded PLA products.) It is *possible* to anneal PLA to survive higher temperatures, as this increases the crystallinity of the polymer and thus makes it more heat-stable. However, that is highly experimental and results will vary considerably with filament provider, color/pigment, and annealing process used. Even annealed PLA is unlikely to survive long-term against very hot beverages and dishwasher use.
* **ABS** will become fairly weak at hot beverage temperatures. It may survive use for a while, but is quite weak and will slowly creep with very hot beverages or in a high-temp dishwasher. ABS IS approved for food use in many contexts, despite what many people think, but hot beverages are not one of the approved uses.
* **PET** blends are chemically a pretty good choice -- soda bottles are PET -- but generally have glass points around 70-75C and thus will be weak or fail outright at hot beverage temperatures. It is also important to ask what is being blended into the PET. For example, PETG is "glycol modified" but filament vendors do not share any details about this or reveal how it may affect the polymer's leaching behavior.
* Most **nylons** will creep under load at surprisingly low temperatures, perhaps 50-55C depending on the blend. Nylons are also attacked by acids and will absorb stains and smells from coffee. Nylons also tend to swell/shrink quite dramatically on exposure to water, so mechanical fit and general shape of nylon parts may not be stable enough even for cold beverage service. **Taulman's 910 is probably a good candidate for hot beverage service due to its high working temperature**, but acid attack from coffee exposure may still be an issue in the long run. It's worth trying.
* **Polycarbonate** is thermally stable even in boiling water, so mechanically it is fine, but PC leaches BPA (one of the monomers left over from manufacture) into hot liquids.
* High-temp exotics like Ultem and PEEK aren't printable by consumer/hobbyist printers at the size scale required for a coffee mug. They simply warp too much unless you have an oven for a heated build chamber.
In summary, you *can* make a working coffee mug via FDM printing, but it isn't a great idea. **Your best bet for 3d printing a coffee mug is ordering ceramic printed from an online service bureau.**
> 10 votes
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Tags: food
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thread-1136 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1136 | Are there any services that offer 3D scanning? | 2016-05-09T17:46:43.240 | # Question
Title: Are there any services that offer 3D scanning?
So, have a plastic car part I want to duplicate because the driver side part is broken (I have the passenger side part) and It isn't sold anymore. It's a small piece that would be an excellent candidate for a 3D printed replacement. I know there are companies I can send a 3D model to that will happily print it for me, but I also need to create a 3D model from the part. Is there a company or service that I could mail the part to that would return it along with a 3D model of it?
# Answer
> 6 votes
The right Google (or other) search should do the trick. I've provided 3D Printing services via 3D Hubs and MakeXYZ and some people do provide 3D scanning services. If you can't find 3D Scanning, you could try talking to a local machine shop. They might have the tools to be able to reverse-engineer the object, or know another place that can.
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Tags: 3d-design, 3d-models
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thread-1135 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1135 | How to open .max files | 2016-05-09T16:28:22.077 | # Question
Title: How to open .max files
I need help opening a `.max` file a friend sent me. The thing is, I don't have Alias Maya. Well, a copy of Alias Maya that works anyway.
Are there any other file openers that I can use? Or do I have to get Maya to open the file? Would Alias Maya open the file? I don't want to get download 1.3 GB and discover that there is 15 MB file opener.
Is there a file converter maybe? That converts `.max` to, maybe, `.obj`?
# Answer
> 1 votes
You could try import it with blender. It's a free software which should be able to import the files.
First thing is to go the the File-\>User Preferences-\>Add Ons tab. In the Import-Export section, enable the 3DS Add-on.
After that you can export it to the desired format. Before exporting you must select the model/mesh you want to export. Otherwise nothing will be exported. The obj exporter is enabled by default in blender.
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Tags: 3d-models, file-formats, 123d-catch
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thread-1143 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1143 | Print paper or cellulose - any recyclable filament? | 2016-05-10T15:52:03.190 | # Question
Title: Print paper or cellulose - any recyclable filament?
I know there is a 3d printing technique, where sheet of papers are cut and glued. Like the ones Staples has in their stores. But this sort of paper isnt recyclable, because of the heavy use of glue.
Is anywhere filament available, which is made of cellulose or other recyclable and bio-degradable material? Or do you know if research is going on in this area?
edit: added bio-degradable
# Answer
> 3 votes
Filament made of Polylactic acid (PLA) is usually made of biological materials (such as corn), and can therefore be considered bio-degradable in most cases.
Whether the filament is 100% bio-degradable (and non-toxic for the surroundings) will depend on the specific formula used by each individual filament manufacturer. (Many manufacturers include various additives to achieve particular effects, such as glow-in-the-dark, metallic finish or extra strengh.)
Woodfill PLA-like filament might be of extra interest to you, not only because it typically is bio-degradable, but also because it will give you the *look and feel* of being bio-degradable.
Hope that helps!
*PS: there are multiple other filament types that are either recyclable, bio-degradable, or both, although PLA might be the most commonly available of them all.*
# Answer
> 1 votes
Check Green-TEC by extrudr.eu is made from lignin (wood) or perhaps Algix Dura. They are both bio degradeable. Green-TEC ist my favorite because of less warping and fast printing.
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Tags: filament, recycling
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thread-1156 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1156 | Would a steel, instead of an aluminium, plate be reasonable? | 2016-05-12T15:44:06.400 | # Question
Title: Would a steel, instead of an aluminium, plate be reasonable?
I have a Flashforge Creator Dual.
One corner of my print bed is warped down. I am thinking about having a steel print bed made so it would tend to stay flat.
Has anyone tried this?
# Answer
Whether you should use steel or aluminum depends on the construction of your print bed stack. Either will work, but there are trade-offs involved.
Various considerations that may come into play:
* A flat sheet of aluminum has better **stiffness/weight ratio** than a flat sheet of steel. If weight/mass is a concern, such as with a Mendel style moving Y-bed, aluminum may be superior to an equivalent stiffness steel sheet. On the other hand, steel has the superior **stiffness/thickness ratio**, so if the total thickness of the plate is constrained, such as by the printer's mounting hardware, steel may be higher performance. In short, for sheets of equivalent stiffness, aluminum will be thicker but lighter. That may or may not matter for your specific printer.
* Differential thermal expansion can be an issue, depending on what the plate is attached to. For example, rigidly bolting a steel sheet to an aluminum sub-frame will cause the structure to warp when its temperature changes. Likewise for bolting an aluminum sheet to a steel sub-frame. Bed mounts that "float" will not cause warping in either case.
* All kinds of rolled sheet metal may have a tendency to warp when heated/cooled, due to residual stresses and grain alignment effects from manufacture. When people want extreme dimensional stability for the flattest and lowest-warp print bed possible, an aluminum cast tooling plate material such as MIC 6 is usually used. The MIC 6 sheet is then precision ground to be flat. Of course, that adds cost.
* Neither aluminum nor steel is a particularly good *bare* print surface. Either will need some kind of adhesion layer, like Kapton tape or gluestick. The adhesion layer matters far more than the type of metal underneath.
* Aluminum sheets are often used as **heat-spreaders** to even out the bed temperature of heated beds. This is very important when heaters are smaller than the total bed size, or have hot spots. (Most heaters do have hot spots.) Steel is a relatively poor conductor of heat, so the surface of the bed will take longer to heat up and will be less even. That may or may not be an issue, depending on the printer and desired materials.
So, it's really a holistic design decision. Aluminum is far more common because of its thermal properties and lower weight, but steel print beds (particularly with permanent adhesion coatings) are often used too.
> 5 votes
# Answer
I would consider getting another aluminum build plate for the following reasons:
* **Lightweight**. Aluminum is a very lightweight metal, making it suitable for most machines that have injection molded platform arms. This reduces potential sagging of the arms and overall load on the -Z- axis stepper motor.
* **Conductivity**. Referring to this simple Google search for heat conductivity, aluminum is significantly more conductive than steel (205 vs 43 respectively) with copper at about double that of aluminum.
* **Availability**. Aluminum is already a widely used material for 3D printing, so finding one will be relatively easy and probably cheaper than having a steel build plate custom made.
In conclusion, I personally would not recommend using steel for your build plate as aluminum seems to have the most benefits. Yes, steel will be more rigid and durable, but I don't think that these should be variables that are significantly more beneficial over aluminum.
> 8 votes
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Tags: heated-bed
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thread-1161 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1161 | Extrusion adjustment | 2016-05-13T13:12:06.020 | # Question
Title: Extrusion adjustment
I recently started to use Simplify3D! It is great software, but I have a problem with adjustment of amount of plastic extruded. I have a slight under extrusion after I adjusted amount of plastic extruded using perimeter test (Printing a square with wall thickness of one layer, measuring, adjusting extrusion multiplier). I suggest that there is under extrusion by looking at top layer (there is distance between layers) and there are gaps around holes as well. I'm using Ultimaker two and colorFabb filament. I can resolve problems by increasing extrusion multiplier, but then I have incorrect layer width :/ I have also attached picture. http://postimg.org/image/keghmu075/ On a right side, there is a part with correct extrusion multiplier (under extrusion). Maybe you guys have some ideas?
# Answer
**SHORT ANSWER**
You're not supposed to do the single-wall perimeter thickness test to calibrate Simplify3D. That screws up the extrusion volume. The correct volume calibration procedure for S3D is:
1. Measure actual average filament diameter and input that
2. Print a 100% infill calibration cubes
3. If the print is over-extruded (top or sides bulging), decrease Extrusion Multiplier by about 0.05 and try again. If the print is under-extruded or looks clean, increase Extrusion Multiplier by about 0.05 and try again.
4. Repeat as needed to dial it in. The correct value of Extrusion Multiplier is the largest value that does not produce over-extruded prints. This produces minimum void volume and strong parts.
5. In the future, that specific material+extruder combination will always have the same extrusion multiplier. You only need to measure and input filament diameter and you will always get accurate volume output. (And if you use high-quality filament with consistent diameter, you don't even really need to measure the diameter.)
If you really want to measure perimeters, you can do 3 perimeters and divide the measurement by 3. That takes into account most of the overlap and will be much closer to accurate than a single-perimeter measurement.
**COMPLETE ANSWER**
The goal here is to fill the print volume as completely as possible (at least in the "solid" parts of the print like perimeters, roofs, and floors). Empty space between strands doesn't contribute to part strength. In fact, voids act as failure initiation sites by concentrating stresses. Because extruded strands come out with rounded edges, they have to be **overlapped** to squeeze plastic into gaps and minimize "corner voids." That looks like this:
Where the bulges overlap, the excess plastic gets pushed into the corners to *mostly* fill the voids. It's very difficult to get 100% packing density, but you can get pretty close if you calibrate volume correctly.
You DO NOT want to space the strands without overlap. That makes very weak prints and looks like this:
To get the right amount of strand overlap, the slicer has to do some math and make some assumptions about how you're calibrating it. This is not uniform between software packages. So it's important to understand what "extrusion width" means to different slicers. For a couple prominent examples:
* Slic3r treats "extrusion width" as the measured outside dimension of a stack of strands. Adjacent strands are then positioned closer together than the nominal width according to a somewhat complicated equation to get sufficient overlap for bonding.
* S3D treats "extrusion width" as the average width of the stack of strands, which is the equivalent width if the plastic strands were extruded as ideal rectangles instead of a stack of ovals. Adjacent strands are positioned 1x nominal extrusion width apart. That provides the correct amount of overlap without any extra math. But each individual strand is really somewhat wider than the nominal "width."
Both of these techniques can produce the exact same output if calibrated properly, but they require different calibration techniques because they calculate the plastic volume and adjacent strand spacing different ways.
It's important to understand that S3D spaces its strands 1x extrusion width apart. When you use the measured perimeter thickness to calibrate Simplify3D for extrusion width setting = measured thickness, you get under-extruded prints with no strand overlap. **S3D's strands must measure wider than the "width" setting to get the correct overlap.**
In practice, S3D's code is smart enough to know how this affects print dimenions, and will adjust perimeter positions to get accurate overall dimensions. But single-wall test boxes will be thicker than expected.
The downside to the way Slic3r calculates volume is that it is only accurate for strands that are shaped like ovals. And that is only an accurate assumption when \[extrusion width \> nozzle width + layer height\]. The strand must be wide enough for molten plastic to flow sideways and develop the circular bulge cross-section. So people almost always print with wider strands in Slic3r than is strictly necessary. The volume calculations don't work all that well with thin strands. Whereas S3D's volume calculation method works fine with pretty much any extrusion width greater than layer height and greater than nozzle diameter.
There are pros and cons to both systems. You just need to understand the correct calibration technique for each.
> 8 votes
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Tags: software, slicing, extrusion, simplify3d
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thread-1144 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1144 | How to enlarge a Sketchup Model | 2016-05-11T06:45:35.900 | # Question
Title: How to enlarge a Sketchup Model
I have moved forward with the whole .max thing. It's on the back burner. But not as critical now. I have found a Sketchup model of the model I want. But it is ridiculously small (0.17 m long by 0.10 m wide!).
How do I enlarge it to fit my dimensions as a whole?
# Answer
Use Cura middle button in bottom
> 2 votes
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Tags: 3d-models, resolution, support-structures
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thread-1167 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1167 | How could I keep the material on the print plate from bending up on a makerbot 2? | 2016-05-14T03:31:20.547 | # Question
Title: How could I keep the material on the print plate from bending up on a makerbot 2?
I printed a big base for a model, but the corners of the bottom bent up, making the whole base rock when set on a table. Is there a quick fix for a makerbot2 without a heated plate?
# Answer
> 3 votes
* Consider using a different material. Since you're on a replicator 2 you're probably not printing with ABS (which would be a terrible choice for a large, flat model) but probably with PLA. Perhaps you could try printing with PET(G) instead, which tends to warp even less.
* You could try modifying your model a little. If you include several grooves in the bottom surface of your model that may provide some "strain relief" so-to-speak, preventing warping.
* Increase adhesion: print your initial layer slower, closer to the build surface, at a higher temperature, with a brim, and with some kind of print surface to increase adhesion (tape/glue/hairspray).
* Increase ambient temperature. The Replicator 2 does not have a heated bed, but you could still make the cooling more gradual by enclosing the printer, shielding it from drafts, etc...
# Answer
> 2 votes
Try printing with a raft, and adding "helper discs" to expand the size of the raft. You might also try lowering your extruder temperature a bit to reduce the cooling temperature differential.
# Answer
> 1 votes
here are the options:
* Use brim settings which increase contact surface.
* Use some sort of glue. People are using many things including hairspray. I do prefer paper glue stick.
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Tags: makerbot, print-quality, warping
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thread-1164 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1164 | Pros to UV printing | 2016-05-13T17:06:02.507 | # Question
Title: Pros to UV printing
This is related to Cons to UV printing and focused on Ryan Carlyle's answer, mentioning:
> *"...resin-curing SLA/DLP printers are industrial or commercial tools that are really not suitable for home desktop use."*
So, my general question is what are the pros to using a DLP printer in an manufacturing environment?
My experience with 3D printing in manufacturing has shown me the necessity of understanding material strengths as well as how to utilize the 3D printing technology (FDM mostly) to produce a structurally strong part. Most of what I've made has been fixtures with small to moderate forces applied to them.
In short, are there any technological advantages to using a DLP printer in a manufacturing environment?
# Answer
> 2 votes
When using a DLP 3D printer, a projector (or other UV light source) is shining on a layer of resin. As the light source shines on a whole layer at a time, it is able to print at a rather constant linear vertical rate. This rate is normally around 2.5 cm (1 inch)/hour
When comparing this to a standard FDM printer or a single laser system (such as the Pegasus Touch. The printer takes more time on more complicated layers. If a you were able to print the same 2.5 cm (1 inch), at 0.3 mm layer height, it would be a total of ~85 layers. This would allow for ~42 seconds per layer. Most layers would take longer from this (from personal experience).
With the constant layer rate, multiple objects can also be printed at once because if the printer has to print the layer for the first object, it is not taking more time for it to cure resin in another location on the print bed.
In addition to this, DLP printers can have much better resolutions than FDM printers. A DLP printer such as the Titan 1 has a 37 μm XY resolution while a Prusa i3 has a resolution closer to 300 or 400 μm.
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Tags: resin, sla, dlp, uv-printer
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thread-1165 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1165 | Is this model feasible to print? | 2016-05-14T02:39:17.017 | # Question
Title: Is this model feasible to print?
I have a 3D model that I'd like to print. This is my first project, so I'm trying to decide if I'm getting in over my head. Here's the model rendered with Blender:
If I throw it at a commercial printing shoppe, is it going to be fairly straight forward? Or is it unlikely to be able to get the colours fitting together like this to work well?
# Answer
> 7 votes
Here is a set of options you can get:
1. print the object on multi color printer
Unfortunately we got some limitations here (on the market). Printers have limited set of heads which are in fact printing in one color at a time. So we usually have 2 colors, there are also 4 color heads. If there are more then they are rare, expensive or rare and expensive.
here are examples of such color printouts:
project project
2. print object splitted
In this case you can have single color printer. You print parts in one color then you change filament and print other color and so on. The issue here is to have well formed object which is designed for such print method (it's connectable in some way) or you can stick printed parts with the glue.
here are examples of such puzzled printouts:
project project
3. print and paint
here are examples of such painted printouts:
project project
**NOTE:**
All above assumes that you are gonna print your object in FDM technology. You can also take a look on other technologies such as:
* Stereolithography(SLA)
* Digital Light Processing(DLP)
* Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
* Selective laser melting (SLM)
* Electronic Beam Melting (EBM)
* Laminated object manufacturing (LOM)
# Answer
> 5 votes
Getting this printed at a professional print shop will be quite straightforward, given that you prepare the model nicely for printing (i.e. make it a watertight, manifold mesh).
You could print the pieces separately and assemble them later. You might also look in to getting this printed in one piece with the colors already in place on a ProJet machine, which is available as "Full Color Sandstone" on Shapeways. This might be a nice option for you.
With regards to printing the pieces separately you could go with pretty much any printing process, bearing in mind that FDM will offer the greatest range of available colors but the worst surface finish. You could try SLS instead (White Strong&Flexible on Shapeways) which is a white material that can be dyed with fabric dyes (such as RIT and Dylon) to achieve any desired color. Of course, anything you get printed (regardless of the material) could also be painted.
If you decide to get this made in FDM then make sure to choose a nice orientation for the pieces (minimizing overhangs) so you get the best quality possible. The print shop may be able to help you with this.
Getting the parts to fit together will not be a problem if you keep a little bit of clearance (around 0.2-0.5mm) between parts that interlock.
# Answer
> 0 votes
You would need to ask around shops to see what they think about this 3d file. What I have heard is that colors of prints end up blended together, and that the print resolution is low. How many colors are you using? You could probably get a quality print, but it would come with a high price. Print quality is dependent on the expensiveness of the machine used.
# Answer
> 0 votes
The simplest and cheapest method to have this object printed would be to have individual STL files for each part and give these to the print shop with the color of each piece.
Printing as a single piece would be much more expensive as more advance methods would be needed as mentioned in the other answers.
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Tags: 3d-models, 3d-design, services
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