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BigCode 952

2016/01/12

<issue_start>username_0: There is a 3D desktop printer [RepRap](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RepRap_project) which can print most of its own components. Assuming each printed printer will print the next one and so on. Are there any limitation how many times this can be achieved? For example somebody printed for me printer and I do the same for my friends and they do the same for theirs. Can this go forever (since 3D model stays the same), or there are any serious side-effects/disadvantages of doing that continuously?<issue_comment>username_1: As long as you maintain each printer and keep a proper calibration, go for it, this is what they were designed to do, I've even made replacement parts for myself. Unfortunately the [RepRap project just shut down on January 15th 2016](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RepRap_project#History) due to their lack of sales. I have a reprap that came from a reprap, and has made another reprap. Just make sure that when printing out the pieces for the next you are properly calibrated, otherwise the next machine might be built crooked; Your only limitations will be the electronics pieces and the small amount of hardware that you will need to buy. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: The files used to print these objects are digital, and do not degrade in any way after each printing. There are no side effects or degradation that occurs over time due simply to printing them multiple times. This is the RepRap philosophy, and the machines are actually designed with enough tolerance for printing and building mistakes that even if the print isn't perfect, it will not only work fine, but it can print a printer better than it was printed, with some care and attention to calibration. The process still takes a lot of human intervention, in the way of building the new printer and properly calibrating it. If there are errors in the printer or the prints it produces, they can almost always be attributed to the builder/calibrator/user, and not to the design or the fact it's the Nth generation of printer. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: The reprap printers have often been compared to plants, providing fruits to you and the possibility to reproduce themselves. This analogy holds in both good and bad ways. Any life form can reproduce itself only so often without artefacts (mutations) being introduced. It takes a bit of **skill to build, configure and run a reprap printer**. While the parts can be passed on, that doesn't necessarily hold for gained experience. Chances are that the parts your printer produces are not as good as those that you have received to build the printer. At least not until you caught up on the learning curve. A reprap has a lot **other parts that are not printed and can vary in quality independently from the printed parts**. It makes a difference what steel rods are used, what driver circuit for the motors, etc. If you give printed parts away that are as good as those that you received yourself, the added parts are not necessarily as good as your. --- My recommendation would be that **you and your friends get printer parts from that somebody and you build your printers together**. While giving parts to others is a great thing, building 3D printers together with friends is greater. Upvotes: 3

2016/01/12

<issue_start>username_0: On a number of occasions I've broken small plastic parts that are nearly impossible to replace but could easily be 3-D printed. The latest such mishap is the volume knob on the factory-installed radio on my car. I have little experience in 3D printing, and would like to be able to replace these parts with something very close to the original. Spending hours measuring and designing a replacement part that should be $5 isn't really an option. I need something to scan the broken pieces in 3D and somehow just seal up the seam where it's broken. Is there a scanning/printing/software system to do this that doesn't require a lot of 3D design experience?<issue_comment>username_1: The easiest way is as you currently do: model the pieces by hand, using (digital) calipers to measure them. Scanning technology isn't very good, and the models are not of printable quality. Usually, fixing a scan is more work than modeling an item from scratch. Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: There is scanning technology: either hardware or software (such software typically works from multiple 2D photographs). It has limitations, but is an active research area, and getting better all the time. "Autodesk 123D Catch" and "3-Sweep" are a couple examples. One tradeoff between automatic and manual is the complexity of the shape you need to duplicate. Sometimes you can make a much simpler shape that still works, and/or thicken the part so it doesn't break the next time. That can make manual design much more attractive. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/12

<issue_start>username_0: I have a few kg of 3 mm filament when I only have use for 1.75 mm. How can I make 1.75 mm from 3 mm filament?<issue_comment>username_1: The best option is to find somebody in need of 3 mm filament and trade them for it (either in exchange for 1.75 mm filament or in exchange for legal tender with which to buy said filament). The next best option would be to cut it into small pieces, and feed those into a filament extrusion system such as the [filastruder](http://www.filastruder.com/). Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: In theory, making filament is easy. You take a 3 mm hotend with a 1.75 mm hole, and extrude the 3 mm (sometimes actually 2.85 mm) filament, let it cool, and then reel it up. In reality there are a lot of pitfalls to making filament - if the pressure isn't even, the hole not perfect, the temperature uneven, you can end up with oval filament, filament with bubbles, or worse. If you are over temperature you may damage the filament and it could look good, but not melt correctly when used. If you reel it too fast you may thin it out more than the intended diameter, or too slow and you may thicken it. A lot of hotends use steppers, which may result in ripples in the filament, so you may end up building a nearly custom filament machine. Resolving all these problems is probably not worth simply selling or giving away the filament to someone that can use it, and buying the right size for your machine. If you are still interested, though, you might as well go all the way and build a full filament extruder that accepts raw plastic feedstock (usually pellets) as well as your filament, and convert it that way, then continue using it to create your own filament. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: You could build a machine that has a nozzle with 3 mm input hole and 1.75 mm output hole, based on some designs for filament making machines. Or you could just cut the filament into little peaces and use them instead of the granulate in an original filament making machines. There are some open designs for such machines [you can build](http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-your-own-3d-printing-filament-factory-Filame/), or you could buy one, such as [Filabot](http://www.filabot.com/collections/filabot-core). However, as mentioned by [kaine](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/36/kaine), this is very unlikely to be worth the cost/effort. Best option for you is to try to sell the 3 mm filament to someone who has a use for it, take the money and buy some 1.75 mm filament instead. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/12

<issue_start>username_0: I am printing a print using PLA on a Prusa i3 printer and an MK8 extruder, at 210 degrees celsius, 60 mm/sec, sliced with slic3r. The print consists of a base, with 4 tower-like projections that then join with a near-vertical overhang slope that isn't posing a problem for my printer. However, even before the overhang begins, I am getting large amounts of strings as the extruder head jumps between the four towers in the print, leading to a "spiderweb" effect between them. How can I deal with these strings, and are they a warning that there might be something amiss with my printer, or possible other failures in other parts of the print?<issue_comment>username_1: Stringing is often a result of too-high a temperature, or insufficient retraction. When there is highly liquid filament in the nozzle tip, it can adhere to the remainder of the print while dripping as the nozzle moves, leading to a thin string of the filament forming. As further travel moves are performed in each layer, this turns to a web. The high temperature causes filament to be very liquid, causing it to move downward in the nozzle chamber easily, as opposed to having to be extruded forcefully due to viscosity. The temperature setpoint of 210 was high enough to cause this to happen. A second possible cause, insufficient retraction, can also be blamed for this issue. Retraction is a process in which the extruder reverses its movement to pull filament back up the hotend, preventing it from dripping at the tip, and forming a string. Most slicers will allow specifying a numeric value in millimeters of filament to be retracted. Remember that printers with Bowden tubes between nozzle/hotend and extruder motor will require increased retraction and priming (extrusion when starting to print after a retract-and-move). Note that too much retraction can cause other problems, such as insufficient plastic in the hotend chamber at the start of the next printing move, which can cause gaps and other issues. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Here's just a few of the things you might want to look into. * plastic - some plastic types are more stringy than others and there's also variation between brands and colors. * moisture in filament - water turning to steam tends to cause the extruder to ooze when it isn't printing, which can cause stringing. * temperature - too hot or too cold can cause stringiness. * retraction distance - not enough retraction can leave some nozzle pressure, causing it to ooze during travel moves (not sure how much retraction speed matters but I suspect it can make a difference too). * acceleration - if it's too slow it's more likely to draw out strings. * travel speed - faster travel speeds are more likely to prevent strings or make them thinner and less of a problem. * z-hop - raising the extruder on travel moves makes stringing more likely. * wipe - a longer wipe distance can be helpful to reduce stringing, especially with some of the more stringy filaments. * combing - avoiding passing over open spaces can reduce stringing in some cases * part cooling fan - more cooling might help to reduce stringiness. There are other things too, the extruder design makes a big difference with longer bowden tubes being more challenging to tune. The order in which the layers are printed can make a difference too in some more specialized cases. Upvotes: 3

2016/01/12

<issue_start>username_0: I want to print a model of an animal cell. What I have so far: I managed to use different colors to print out the different parts of the cell. My question is: what is the best way to connect plastic 3d printed parts? Glue? Melted plastic? I need it to have a strong connection and not very visible when used well, and preferable dries fast.<issue_comment>username_1: For ABS print, I recommend [acetone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetone). It is not a glue, but it will dissolve the plastic a bit and if you apply it to both connecting parts and push them together, they will stay connected after the acetone dries. However, it does not dry very fast and you have to be careful not to destroy the object. For PLA I usually use regular super glue ([Cyanoacrylate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanoacrylate)). Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: After doing the processes that username_1 described, the edges of the print can be finished with a 3D printing pen. The pen extrudes filament as a regular print head does, but is hand held. The filament can be extruded on the previous gap between the two prints. It will melt between the two sides and can be finished to create a smooth connection point. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: For ABS I use a gel super glue ([Loctite is my current favorite](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B003TP2TBQ)), it seems to slightly melt the ABS parts together and makes for a great bond. A slurry of old scrap ABS and acetone also works well, though I find that it will evaporate even if left in a closed mason jar over time. The small nozzle applicator and the fact it doesn't seem to evaporate makes super glue the better choice for me. The gel super glue works "OK" for PLA but I've had parts fail after taking a small tumble. I just started using this [acrylic cement](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B003HNFLMY) for PLA. It cures *very* fast but seems to slightly melt the PLA in the same way the ABS options do. For internal seams I like to put a bead of ["high performance" hot glue](http://www.mcmaster.com/#7518a61/=10nnkbd) over the seam. It's just a bit flexible and seems to do a good job taking drops. Lastly I really like (but haven't mastered) friction welding parts together using a Dremel. <NAME> at MAKE Magazine did a great write up on the [technique here](http://makezine.com/projects/make-34/skill-builder-finishing-and-post-processing-your-3d-printed-objects/). Upvotes: 3

2016/01/12

<issue_start>username_0: Is it possible to re-use ABS or PLA filament material from printed parts? If so, what is the techniques to reform it?<issue_comment>username_1: There are a few options. 1. Machines are available which grind the used plastic into fine pieces, melt it down, and extrude it as filament to be reused. [Filabot](http://www.filabot.com/) is perhaps the most well known. 2. Depending on where you live the local recycling programs may accept PLA or ABS. They will then shred it and melt it down for reuse. 3. PLA is bio-degradable so you can put it in the compost. 4. I put scrap ABS in acetone which results in a slurry which can be used as a glue to attach ABS parts, fix cracks, and hold parts to the bed. Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: If you're more interested in the recycling and reuse aspect than the re-print aspect, you could melt all the scrap filament onto a cookie sheet or into a bar (like in a bread ban). You could then manually work the material, or use a CNC machine to carve out your next thing. This [Youtube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUR6_bQLU-E) refers to HDPE, but the same concept will apply to other thermoplastics: This [Youtube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-HWrDMr0ks) uses a cookie sheet and failed prints: Upvotes: 4

2016/01/12

<issue_start>username_0: I print ABS on a LulzBot Taz 5 and frequently have issues with the corners of objects lifting off the bed. My extruder is at 230 °C and the bed is at 90 °C for the first layer and 100 °C for the rest of the layers. I have experimented with using ABS slurry (ABS + acetone) on the bed for increased adhesion, building a foam enclosure for the printer, and varying the fan speed. I have noticed the problem is more common the taller the parts are and the sharper the corner is. Adding ABS slurry helped for smaller parts (less than an inch tall) but with my more recent larger parts the adhesion to the bed was so good that the corners of the part lifting actually peeled the PEI tape off of the bed. I have tried using both a skirt and a brim with no change. The skirt stays on the bed, the brim gets pulled up with the corner.<issue_comment>username_1: The solution I prefer to prevent ABS withdrawal is using [Blue tape](http://reprap.org/wiki/BlueTape) on the bed, and then spread a thin layer of [Polyvinyl acetate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_acetate) (Vinavil glue). If your printer allows it, you can also print with the bed at 110°C. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: This is a common problem with ABS. You might prevent it by enclosing the printer inside a box/chamber - that will create a warmer environment and the extruded material will cool down more slowly, hence not creating such a tension. Other option is to use PLA instead if possible, the problem is not so significant with PLA. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Adding a manually added brim with a larger bulk at the corner extremities that you can cut off after printing should help. My larger prints come off the printer looking like tents with concrete weights tied to their corners. The 'weights' are attached to the print by very short a 2-3 layer (depending on print size) brim-like strip that makes them easy to remove using side cutters. The 'weights' are usually enough to hold the corners of my target print on the plate in conjuction with a weak slurry. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Most common problem with corners is to low temperature of heated bed. Set the [heated bed temperature to 110°](https://www.matterhackers.com/articles/how-to-succeed-when-printing-with-abs#abs3). If this will not help then try to set [brim in your slicer](http://manual.slic3r.org/expert-mode/skirt). The problem can be cause by other issues. You can find additional tips in following Troubleshooting Guides: * [overheating](https://www.simplify3d.com/support/print-quality-troubleshooting/#curling-or-rough-corners) (simplify3d: Print Quality Troubleshooting Guide) * [differential cooling of printed object](http://reprap.org/wiki/Print_Troubleshooting_Pictorial_Guide#Corner_Lift) (reprap.org: Print Troubleshooting Pictorial Guide) * [warping](http://support.3dverkstan.se/article/23-a-visual-ultimaker-troubleshooting-guide#warping) (A visual Ultimaker troubleshooting guide) * [warping](https://all3dp.com/common-3d-printing-problems-and-their-solutions/) (all3dp.com: 16 Common 3D Printing Problems) Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: There are many different approaches to solving this issue and most of the answers already are spot-on. However, the fundamental reason for the "warping" is incorrect and inconsistent temperature across the material. If there is too much fluctuation in the temperature across the object in this heated state can result in warping. The reason you see this mostly on the build plate is because the temperature of the first few layers of molten plastic vary much more against the build plate than against higher layers. Note that you can see additional warping mid-print using ABS and this can be a result of a draft or sudden drop in ambient temperature. So, to help solve your problem, here are some suggestions (sorry if there are duplicates): * Completely [enclose/seal your machine's build area](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1292/should-i-enclose-my-3d-printer) to reduce (or eliminate if possible) draft and prevent the natural heat of the machine from escaping. * Increase the temperature on your build plate. I almost exclusively use ABS on my printer and I keep my HBP at about 112C. However, I live in the NW of the US, so my climate is naturally cooler than say Florida. * Alternatively, [try decreasing the nozzle temperature](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1251/how-to-choose-an-extrusion-temperature) to a lower point within the ABS melting range. This will just shorten the gap between the inconsistencies in temperature across layers. It is typically better to print at lower temperatures if you can help it. Obviously there are differences in the filament, so you'll have to find that "sweet spot". * [Ensure your build plate is flat](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/470/bed-leveling-method/479#479) and your tape doesn't have bubbles. Your BP being flat should be a no brainer, but if your kapton tape (or whatever you use) has bubbles, your freshly printed plastic may not be getting the same temperature from the BP as the rest of your part. This is a bad thing as mentioned earlier. * Use extra adhesion techniques such as "ABS Glue" (ABS w/ acetone) or even hairspray. This works about 80% of the time for me, but can make it a bit difficult when removing the parts off the BP. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_6: I would recommend using a raft on your print. A raft is a few layers that are printed on the bed before your print starts. The larger you make the raft the stronger the center of it will be. The edges may warp, but the inside where your print is will be fine. Using a raft that is mainly comprised of lines instead of solid surfaces would allow a smaller chance of warping as it could only warp with the lines. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rOghMm.jpg) Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: I think you answered your question in your statement. Lulzbot and ABS. Lulz does not have an enclosure. Try using PLA for an open air system. Or build an enclosure. Following you can add glue or hairspray. But I promise you, with any open air printer, you will face this problem. I only use ABS on my FFCPs. Even with their passive heat chambers I plan to move to PLA for all my printers. Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_8: To answer the specific question of "why" the corners lift off, it seems it has to do with the thermal expansion (or shrinkage) and surface adhesion area. The material is deposited hot, and even after it cools is still warm, and as it cools it apparently shrinks in size slightly. Each layer therefore produces a little bit of force, pulling upwards and towards the center of the layer as the layer shrinks. So each layer is actually in a state of slightly tensile stress. Over a few layers this may not cause a noticeable effect, but as more layers are added, the total force pulling on the bottom layer increases. The reason this affects corners more than the bulk surface regions is that the total surface area holding the part to the bed is smaller at sharper corners, so less force is required there to overcome the bed-adhesion force, causing corners to unstick eventually. Since this is an artifact of thermal expansion, attempting to maintain a uniform temperature across the print volume/printed part will probably help a lot (for example, by enclosing the printer, as others have said). In addition to the prior suggestions, the following paper suggests that chamfering (rounding) the corners can help with this (if your design allows for that): [<NAME>, "Factors Affecting Dimensional Precision of Consumer 3D Printing", Intl. Jnl. Aviation, Aeronautics and Aerospace (2015)](http://commons.erau.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1085&context=ijaaa) *"If the bottom layer does not appropriately adhere to the print bed, the cooling process and material shrinkage in layers above it will tend to pull at the smallest features, with the least surface area in contact with the bed, causing sections of the print to warp. Sharp corners at the bottom of the print pose a particular problem."* *Side-thought:* I wonder if varying the bed temperature during the print (for example, slowly decreasing it to room-temp as more layers are printed) would help, since a constant bed-temp would theoretically produce a vertical temp-gradient for a very tall part. Don't think I've seen anyone try that (presumably because Cura doesn't automatically insert those g-code commands for us). Wouldn't be too hard to insert custom bed-temp commands throughout the g-code file though, but would take longer to temp-stabilize between layers. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_9: Another approach is to put mouse ears on all the corner parts, that you clip off the print afterward. See [Mouse ears defeat corner curling monster](https://www.makerbot.com/media-center/2011/02/25/mouse-ears-defeat-corner-curling-monster). Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_10: In answer to the question "why do the corners lift when using ABS", the answer has to do with the coefficient of thermal expansion (or contraction). ABS, compared to PLA, has a higher coefficient meaning that as the temperature of you part changes the more the part will deform. With 3d printing, the material extruded from the nozzle is quite a bit higher than the build chamber. As the layers print and the extruder moves up, the lowest layers are cooler than the layers above, shrinking as time goes on. For angular parts this is a larger problem than for round parts. With angular parts (parts with sharp edges in X and Y axis) as they cool, the internal stresses induced by cooling increase and can't be resolved in just the xy axis and cannot move into the build plate. The part then lifts up to reduce these stresses. A brim or raft, is a thin layer that ideally cools at a constant rate through out which will effectively increase the bonding of your part to the build plate. Abs to abs bonding being stronger than abs bonding to whatever your build plate material surface is. For most parts this is sufficient to keep good adhesion while your part builds and cools. Raises the temperature of the build plate also reduced the stress in the brim/raft by reducing the difference in temperature. This is why those are the go-to solutions for stopping abs from lifting. If your part is large enough or the angles are quite sharp in XY, (think of a five pointed star for example). Then the brim raft won't necessarily be enough to prevent the warping. That's where "helper discs" "mouse ears" etc . Are helpful. These, when dispersed around the outer sharp corners, increase the surface area of the raft and also reduce the angles of the thermal contraction due to cooling. Note, that while I'm talking about ABS specifically, this will apply to any and all materials if the part geometry, or material properties have the same issues. Nylon for example is also a pain to print for similar reasons. The final thing to say is that all if this is for nothing if your build plate isn't both flat and level. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_11: This post is meant to share experience with products that make your products stick to the bed. This is not meant to be a promotion of the products! In other answers I've seen answers hinting to Elmer's glue sticks. I have been printing directly onto the aluminium heatbed from day 2 of the i3 Prusa clone (Anet A8) printer and the glass beds of the Ultimaker 3 Extended and my HyperCube Evolution using a PVA based spray (3DLAC, but there are more products with similar effects, e.g. glue sticks). This sticks so well that PLA and PETG can only be removed after cooling down the bed completely. For ABS you could use DimaFix which can be used for ABS as it increases grip with increasing temperature where 3DLAC looses grip over 80 °C (according to theory). After trying DimaFix on high temperature beds for printing POM filament (very tough to get this to stick as this is bearing material!) I found that prints stick better with 3DLAC on glass. Upvotes: 1

2016/01/12

<issue_start>username_0: Taken from the [answer provided by @EricJohnson](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/60/47), When should I use a raft, and when should I use a brim? What advantages does each have over the other? Raft [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rOghM.jpg) Brim [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/9MnlZ.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: A raft helps when the part has few points of contact with the print bed, and doesn't therefore adhere well at points within and without the part. A brim helps when the part doesn't adhere well around the perimeter of the part. There are very rare situations where you'll need both, but typically you'll only use one or the other. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: A raft will allow for better adhesion for the whole print as the raft attaches to the printing surface and the print attaches to the raft. Rafts go all the way under the print and consist of multiple layers, whereas a brim is only 1 layer and on the outside of the print. Rafts are normally harder to remove than brims because of the increased contact with the print. From my own experiences, the brim does not help a lot with layer adhesion as it is only 1 layer. I normally use a raft when I need a nice looking 1st layer that is not on the bed or when there are not enough contact points. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: A raft is used to prevent warping. Instead of printing directly on the build surface, parts are built on top of it. You remove and dispose of a raft post-print. The raft is larger than the part and so has more adhesion. Rafts are primarily used with ABS to help with bed adhesion. Rafts are also used to help stabilize models with small footprints (e.g. a pole), or to create a strong foundation on which to build the upper layers of a model. If your only concern is bed adhesion it is better to use a brim. A brim is attached to a model and extends outward. Brims typically have several outlines and may be a few layers tall. Brims are often used to stabilize small parts of a model, such as legs of a table, because brims help these areas stay connected to the print bed. ### TL;DR The brim is only around a model and attached to its first layer, a raft is also under it. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: I have been favoring brims recently; I am tired of the rafts becoming an integral part of my print, impossible to remove. Upvotes: 0

2016/01/12

<issue_start>username_0: I made a test print for a small gear (~ 1.5 inches in diameter) a few months ago, with a hole through the center. On the first try, the filament (ABS) fused to the print bed, meaning that I had to spend ten minutes scraping off material to loosen it. One solution to this is to use painter's tape spread across the print bed. This yielded a good print during the next run. The problem with this method was that some of the tape subsequently fused to the backside of the gear; it was so tight that I had to discard the prototype. Multiple varieties of tape made no difference. Is there a way to continue using this tape without having it fuse to the filament?<issue_comment>username_1: This can highly depend on the slicer you are using. Some software such as Makerware and Slic3r allow you to adjust the settings for the first raft/part layers. I might suggest adjusting this "Z0" point to about 1/4-1/2 of your layer height. Essentially the first layer (or two) will not adhere as well. This is just one suggestion of many solutions. Here are some other variables I could think of off-hand: * Type of build plate tape (ie masking, painters, kapton, etc.) * Type of material. I've noticed that PLA is very stubborn if you let the part completely cool after printing and that it's much easier to remove the part from the build plate/raft right after it's complete. * Type of build plate. Are you applying too much heat (if you have a heated bp) for the material such as PLA? * Try lowering your layer height. This will ensure that each strand does not have too much surface area and therefore less chance that it will create a vacuum affect with the build plate. This can, however, result in a worse surface finish. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: My very first thought was you didn't re-calibrate your Z0 after adding the blue tape. It sounds like the print head was too close to the print bed to begin with, and adding the blue tape just made it that much worse. Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: One thing that I do to keep it from sticking to the tape. Is to add glue from a glue stick down on the building pad in an even coat on top of the tape. Upvotes: 1

2016/01/12

<issue_start>username_0: Acetone can be used to smooth ABS prints. What safety precautions should be taken during its use?<issue_comment>username_1: There are a few main safety precautions you should consider. * **[Make sure the area is well-ventilated.](http://sinkhacks.com/building-acetone-vapor-bath-smoothing-3d-printed-parts/)** Acetone is flammable. A buildup of acetone gas could quickly get concentrated, meaning that a single spark could lead to disaster. Using a fan is good; angle it towards an open window. This is also to prevent exposure to acetone because of its toxicity. * **[Be prepared to fight a fire.](http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927062)** Should vapor ignite, you may need to fight the fire. If it is large enough, then you should clearly evacuate the area. If it appears to be small, use dry chemical powder to snuff out the fire. Alcohol foam, water spray, and/or fog may be used on slightly larger fires. Acetone is not likely to cause a large inferno to rip through the building. But there's always the chance of a small fire. Be careful. * **[Create a vapor chamber.](https://rivercitylabs.org/acetone-smoothing-chamber-3d-printing/)** This is another way to stop a potential fire from spreading. It can also reduce contamination. * **Wear gloves.** This can minimize any potential transfer toxic effects. However, skin exposure is unlikely to cause major issues. Acetone is toxic, as I mentioned before, but it is not highly toxic. Exposure via [the eyes and nose/mouth](http://ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/chem_profiles/acetone.html) is the main risk. Skin effects may occur (e.g. mild irritation), but they are minor and generally arise only after long-term exposure (hence the recommendation of gloves in some cases). Acetone exposure is only a serious problem when a person is repeatedly exposed to levels [greater than 1,000 ppm](http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/idlh/67641.html) (severe effects only arise at much higher levels). It seems unlikely, given a proper ventilation system, that this will be an issue In addition to all this, basic safety precautions such as wearing a ventilator mask and goggles should definitely be taken. When working with any such chemicals with the potential for bodily harm, these should absolutely be used. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: You can smooth a print with acetone using different approaches which require different precautions. In general, you should have ventilated area and use gloves (or wash your hands after the procedure). Applying Acetone Directly ------------------------- Using the print in acetone for several seconds or you can apply acetone with a brush. There is a low possibility of fire. See this video, [(4) MakerBot Replicator - Model Finishing Tricks - Acetone Wash](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3nJbU9OInk). Cold Acetone Vapor ------------------ This process takes several hours and gives you best control of the process. Because no external heat is used there is low chance of fire. See this video, [Cold Acetone Vapor Finishing for 3D Printing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2lm6FuaAWI). Hot Acetone Vapor ----------------- This approach takes minutes to smooth the print and there is high chance of ignition. I would never use it inside a building. See this video, [Make your 3D Printed parts look professional with Acetone and a Rice cooker! - 2014](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sblh0bBHoQ). Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: 1. **No fire.** Acetone is highly flammable. Avoid open flame, smoking, soldering etc. near acetone or acetone fumes. Be ready to fight a fire. 2. **Ventilate.** Acetone is very volatile so the fumes will be everywhere in the room. While breathing them should not kill you, it is certainly not good for your health. It may cause drowsiness or dizziness. It is also a good idea to close the container/jar as soon as possible and do not keep it open when not necesery. 3. **Avoid eye contact.** Acetone causes serious eye irritation. IF IN EYES: Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses if present and easy to do – continue rinsing. Seek medical help if needed. You should also avoid skin contact; repeated exposure may cause skin dryness or cracking, but this never happens me if I wash my hand after using acetone. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Contrary to what the other answers suggest, the risk of fire is [not that great](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJWhfpWlGFg). An acetone "explosion" is even more unlikely, since you need a ratio of 2.5%-12.8% acetone vapor to air for that: too much acetone (as would be the case inside of your smoothing vessel) and nothing happens, too little (as would be the case inside of a badly ventilated room) and nothing happens either. Note that even if you were working in a completely non-ventilated, ridiculously small 1m^3 room you'd still need to evaporate over half a liter of (liquid) acetone to reach that bare minimum 2.5%. In any case, well before you got into the "danger zone" the air would become unbreathable. So, then what should you be mindful of when using acetone? * It can give you a headache. Avoid breathing the fumes and ensure adequate ventilation. * You may opt to use gloves, as skin contact should be avoided (acetone can irritate the skin and possibly be absorbed through the skin). However, limited skin contact isn't a big deal: acetone is an ingredient in some nail polish removers. * Acetone is heavier than air, so if you use a sufficiently high container fewer fumes will escape. * If somehow a fire does start, it will likely be limited to your container. Having a lid handy allows you to starve the fire of oxygen, harmlessly putting it out. All in all, smoothing using acetone is not very dangerous. Acetone isn't suspected to be carcinogenic, though it isn't something you should be careless around either. The risk of starting a fire is small. On the other hand, solvents like MEK (used for smoothing PLA) aren't as nice by far, and should only be handled with a respirator. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: Repeated exposure to acetone *can* lead to the skin becoming sensitised, which means that in the future it will become overly irritated at the slightest contact. On a more mundane note, it is an excellent degreaser and dries your skin something rotten. And then your fingertips can split and take days or weeks to close up, hurting in the meantime. Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_6: Safety Advice for Acetone Handling/Usage ======================================== --- ***Please remember that you handle acetone at your own risk! By using this advice you agree to hold me harmless and not sue me as a result of using these instructions/advice. Remember that I am not a professional chemist or a lawyer (this isn't professional or legal advice)!*** --- I encourage you to research safety precautions and risks on your own to build a personal body of knowledge. The most effective safety precaution available to you is knowledge; the brain is the most important piece of safety equipment! This listing of advice for acetone handling is generated from the highlights of a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for acetone. After reading this advice you should read an MSDS for acetone directly. It would actually be an excellent idea to find and read the MSDS for all the chemicals you use during 3D printing. **Safety Equipment** * Wear safety clothing! Acetone requires that you wear protective gloves, protective eyewear, and a respirator (to protect your airway). It is also highly recommended to wear protective (ideally also chemically resistant) clothing (like a smock or an apron). These safety clothes are recommended because acetone is a toxic substance which can absorb through the skin and walls of the lungs directly. Make sure to verify the gloves are made of a substance which blocks acetone absorption, also, verify that your respirator is rated to protect against acetone (many respirators are not capable of blocking acetone due to it's volatility). * Possess, prepare and understand how to use an eyewash station, a fire blanket, a fire extinguisher (rated for chemical fires), a chemical shower/dousing system and other standard laboratory safety equipment. Posting warning signs along the entrances and exits to the work area about working with a volatile, flammable and explosive gas is also recommended. * Keep an inert absorption media readily available to cleanup spills should you accidentally fail to avoid a spill. Diatomaceous earth, silica/sand and activated charcoal are all potential absorption media. Should you have a large spill or not possess absorption media (which should not happen - always verify safety equipment is present and working before handling chemicals!) then you may also dilute the spill with water and mop up the dilute solution of acetone. No matter which method you use to cleanup a spill remember to dispose of the contaminated cleanup materials according to the requirements/laws of your local area. **Do not** lazily dispose of the acetone down the drain without doing research on the correct disposal methods! **Control Your Environment** * Ensure proper ventilation of your workspace (ventilation is required in addition to your respirator due to explosion/fire risk). If the atmospheric concentration of acetone becomes too high the risk for fires and explosions quickly becomes unacceptable (the risk is never going to be zero working with acetone unfortunately, but minimizing it is very important). Working outside is the perfect way to insure the ventilation is adequate, although that presents it's own problems and considerations. Alternatives include using a fume hood, or even something as simple as a fan blowing air through an open window. * Eliminate any and all sources of flame or spark for a considerable area around all sources of acetone (10-15 meters minimum). Take special precautions to prevent being unknowingly contaminated with acetone (which could then be accidentally transported from the work area to a flame source using you as a carrier). Personal contamination can lead to injury if you attempt to smoke during a break or at anytime before verifying you are not contaminated. It is important to provide an ignition-free environment that extends quite far away from the immediate vicinity of the acetone because acetone can ignite a vapor trail of acetone and allow the flame to travel distances via flashing over the vapor trail. Physical isolation is the ideal solution to this dangerous problem. A policy of always closing the door to the acetone work area is an example of physical separation which would hopefully prevent this vapor trail flash-over. * Avoid acetone spills. Acetone is an excellent solvent which could easily eat away the paint on your wall or destroy the finish of your table. Spills also necessitate following special precautions for cleanup and disposal, which have already been provided earlier within this list. **Acetone Chemistry** * Do not under any condition mix your acetone with chemicals without an extensive analysis and understanding of the products and the risks associated with the reaction. The following list of chemicals will create an explosive compound/mixture when reacted with acetone, so do not allow them to come into contact with acetone: hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid, nitric acid, nitric acid + sulfuric acid, chromic anydride, chromyl chloride, nitrosyl chloride, hexachloromelamine, nitrosyl perchlorate, nitryl perchlorate, permonosulfuric acid, thiodiglycol + hydrogen peroxide, potassium ter-butoxide, sulfur dichloride, 1-methyl-1,3-butadiene, bromoform, carbon, air, chloroform, thitriazylperchlorate. * Should you accidentally ignite some acetone, you must take additional precautions while evacuating or while attempting to extinguish the fire. Acetone is a hydrocarbon and the reaction of burning it produces products which include carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Essentially, humans are incapable of detecting these gases with their senses (detectors exist to measure concentration). However, these symptoms of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide can help alert you to the fact they are present: shortness of breath, blackness along the edges of your vision, confusion, headache, unconsciousness, coma, and finally, death. Carbon monoxide is far more dangerous than carbon dioxide because often the first symptom is unconsciousness, which prevents you from evacuating, leading to death. The dangerous of gas inhalation are substantial enough that as soon as a fire becomes medium-sized you should seriously consider evacuating the area rather than staying to extinguish the fire. It is better to lose property to the fire than to die (if you die I would guess that your property is destroyed anyway!). **Risk Analysis** * Acetone is a confirmed developmental toxin for females and a suspected developmental toxin for males as well. The risk of breast milk contamination is unknown, but it is a suspected toxic contaminant. Mutagenic and tetragenic effects are not known. The result of this toxicity is that pregnant or breastfeeding women should not handle or be around acetone (due to vapors) even for short periods of time. * The risk of cancer and the carcinogenic properties for acetone are not well-defined, with some declining to classify acetone as a carcinogen and others classifying it as being carcinogenic. California, for instance, has required that acetone bear a proposition 65 warning about cancer risk. * Acetone is definitely a toxic substance, but it is not highly toxic and accidental ingestion or absorption is essentially incapable of causing severe symptoms. Small exposures to acetone (like the exposure levels likely encountered during 3D printing) are more-or-less not very harmful. However, if you do get a problematic exposure to acetone, contact a poison control center. * The LD50 ("lethal dose 50%", dose where half of subjects die) in rats is 5800 mg/kg, making the predictable (humans are often similar to rats in regards to toxicity) LD50 for an adult human similarly high. With such a high lethal dose, the predicted toxicity of acetone likely causes chronic sub-lethal damage instead of causing an acute and lethal response. If we assume an average adult human (62 kg) shares the LD50 of a rat- that human would need to consume 392 cc of acetone to reach the LD50. 392 cc is nearly equivalent to 4/10 L- meaning that there is essentially no chance the small consumption of acetone caused by working with it could poison an adult human (if our assumptions are correct). * *Potential effects of inhalation, ingestion or skin absorption of acetone:* dry skin, nausea, vomiting, skin irritation, eye irritation, burning sensation, redness, tearing, inflammation, corneal injury, depression, fatigue, excitement, stupor, insomnia, hypersomnia, ataxia, tremors, dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, headache, muscle weakness, loss of motor coordination, speech abnormalities, narcotic effects, coma, kidney damage, liver damage, brain damage, and death. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/12

<issue_start>username_0: I would like to print multiple parts continuously (non-interactively), so I can leave the printer alone for a longer time. So after finish, parts could be moved somehow out from the printing area, so the next can start. Are there any methods of achieving that with standard desktop printers without having to use multiple printers?<issue_comment>username_1: The only thing I can think of off hand is an old mod for the early MakerBot machines. It first was released for the Thing-O'-Matic I believe, but is compatible with Replicator 1 machines (and its knock-offs). Here's the [Thingiverse page](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4056), but look up Automatic Build Plate. Essentially, you can use the Replicator G slicing program and there is a setting for "ABP" or Automatic Build Plate. This will basically tell the ABP to run its routine after the controller receives the response that the printing program is done and roll the finished part off the edge of the build plate, then start the same program over again. Drawbacks: * I don't think it's easily compatible with newer machines/slicers. But, it's open source * Pretty sure you have to use Replicator G, which is outdated now and may make your machine sound like it's going to fall apart (I know from experience) Going off of @username_3's answer about solenoids. It reminded me that someone integrated a [solenoid "ejector"](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:872617) (aka Boxing Glove) for their machine. Update (06/08/2016): Forgot to mention that if you choose to create your own "Boxing Glove" or conveyor belt, some software such as Octo-Pi and Repetier-Host allow plugins. So, you could interface with your hardware via customized code and integrate the functionality directly into the slicing application for the full closed loop operation. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: An option that might be feasible for some situations (depending on your setup) is **Sequential Printing** - a feature provided by some slicing software, for instance [Slic3r](http://manual.slic3r.org/advanced/sequential-printing). In short, this allows you to print multiple objects **one at a time** rather than simultaneously. This has some obvious benefits, but also some downsides: **Benefits:** * Each object is finished individually, and you will therefore not have multiple half-finished prints *when* something goes wrong. * No particular printer or bed swapping mechanic is needed. **Downsides:** * With most consumer printer, print area is somewhat limited, and sequential printing requires you to place objects so that the hot end can move freely between the finished objects, potentially restricting the effective usage of your print volume. * By printing objects one at a time, you limit the natural print cooling that happens when printing multiple objects at the same time. In particular for smaller prints, you might not want to print sequentially unless your print cooling solution is up for it. * Requires some setup You specifically mention that you would like the finished prints to be moved outside the print area. In it self, sequential printing does not do this for you; however, if you fit your printer with a large, motorized print bed, you might achieve the same effect without moving into unfamiliar technology! Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: It would be possible and not too terribly difficult to rig a servo or solenoid with a push plate like a plow, on top of your build plate. However this would require another processor via raspberry pi or arduino to control it. Scripting execution when the print has completed wouldn't be terribly difficult either, but it isn't readily available and certainly isn't part of a mass produced printer. My issue with the concept is if you push a bunch of prints off the build plate, what guarantee do you have they wont become damaged in the process? Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: I Don't really think that it is possible without hardware modifications, or maybe some small parts that will fit in the bed of the printer all on the same time Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_5: I've recently seen a video of this being done successfully with almost no hardware modifications to the printer. Unfortunately I can't find the video itself any more, but the basic idea is to use the print head/gantry to knock the finished prints off the table, likely by adding some custom commands to the end of the sliced G-code. After the print is finished, the bed moves to the Y endstop (this was done on a bedslinger printer), the head is lowered to about half of the parts' height, then the bed is slowly moved so that the part crashes into the head, gets detached and knocked off the table, then the head is lowered even further and sweeps the part away. The only mechanical modification, namely a sheet of paper stuck to the table's edge, ensures that the part will roll clear of the bed rails, and pushes the pile of finished parts further from the printer once it's off. In the case of that video there were three parts being printed at a time, so the motion was repeated for each of them, even though most of the time all three got successfully detached by the gantry. This approach is likely far from universal, and probably only works with parts that are tall enough and have a small enough footprint to easily detach from the bed; I certainly wouldn't try it if the parts have really good bed adhesion and require more than a slight force to pop off. But it looks like if the requirements are satisfied it should be quite effective. Also it's likely to be problematic on printers with box frames where it's the bed that moves in the Z direction, as the printed parts are likely to get trapped between the bed, print head and printer frame. CoreXY designs where the bed is static and the head moves in all three axes should be fine, however. Upvotes: 0

2016/01/12

<issue_start>username_0: For standard ABS and PLA filament, most distributors recommend storing the filament in an airtight bag. Does not doing this actually make print quality worse? I have left mine in the open for a year and have had no noticeable problems.<issue_comment>username_1: **Humidity may be the problem.** [Humidity tends to degrade filament, making it weaker.](http://3dprint.com/68083/airtight-filament-delivery/) If you leave a coil of filament out, over time it will be exposed to humidity. I have yet to hear of this happening over a short period of time - the real threat comes if you leave it out for weeks or months - but it can happen nonetheless. Contamination with other materials is possible but unlikely. The odds of some sort of impurity developing from nearby particles is extremely low unless the filament is actively exposed to some other material. In most cases, though, things should be just fine. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I haven't had any other issues storing it in the open, but keeping it in an airtight environment (especially if you live in a humid environment) keeps it moisture free, which can effect print quality. Manufacturers recommend this to help keep filament dry. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: It makes a difference where I live, and I'm not in a particularly humid climate (California). When printing with wet filament, you'll sometimes hear it popping and see steam coming out of the extruder (it's usually only this extreme with nylon). With most other filaments, when they're wet, the extruded filament will have small bubbles in it and the surface finish of the parts will be rougher, with breaks in the layer lines. It can also lead to more oozing and stringing. Air print a few centimeters of filament and look at it closely to see if there's any bubbles, if not, it's probably dry enough. Whether the filament absorbs enough water to be noticeable in a few hours, in a day, or in a week depends a lot on the filament (and I assume the humidity too). I'm mostly noticed problems with nylon, ABS, and NinjaFlex, less with PLA and PETG (though I avoid leaving any filament out for more than a day). If you're not seeing any difference between, then I wouldn't worry about it. Storing filament dry is a hassle. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: Normally you should check and follow guidelines provided by filament manufacturer or please contact them for more details. It can vary as not all environments are the same. For example frequent temperature fluctuations can increase chances of making a filament turn brittle. For example [PLA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polylactic_acid) can be easily transfigured at temperature ranging from 55-70°, so it should not be exposed directly under sunlight for an extended duration[faq](http://www.botfeeder.net/faq.htm). [PVA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_alcohol) specifically is a water-soluble filament, so keeping it dry is absolutely necessary, because when it gets wet it can become unusable. Therefore when possible, keep them in original packaging (a sealed bag with a dessicant packet) as long as possible. See: [How should I store my filament?](http://www.matterhackers.com/articles/the-matterhackers-3d-printing-faq#faq5) at MatterHackers FAQ Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: In most cases, you should be fine with ABS or PLA out of an airtight container. If you're worried about it, throw a few desiccant packets where you store your filament. However, some specialty filaments should be stored in an airtight container. PVA is notorious for absorbing the ambient humidity around it. When it's heated, the water it has absorbed starts to form bubbles, completely messing up the extrusion. In short, some specialty filaments, definitely. With others, it isn't necessary, but it can't hurt. Upvotes: 3

2016/01/12

<issue_start>username_0: I want to fabricate a sample holder and shadow masks to use in vacuum chambers. The type of printing material is not important to me PLA/ABS/PC-ABS/nylon). I'm worried that 3d printed objects (FDM) would degas under high vacuum. Is that an actual concern?<issue_comment>username_1: Almost all of the FDM materials outgas even at normal atmospheric pressure, and, in fact, most plastics outgas. Further, FDM and many other printing processes do not guarantee no internal voids - meaning that putting a 3D printed object into a vacuum may result in breakage, cracking, and possible explosion hazards. For this reason I would focus only on SLA, as the model is printed within the liquid resin pool and should have a reduced possibility of internal voids. Finding a resin that has a low out-gas rate after curing, though, is still going to be difficult. For this to be answered more completely, you need to specify your tolerable outgassing rate, and the processes used inside the vacuum chamber. For instance the answer would be completely different if you are discussing an electron microscope vs a sputtering chamber. As a start you might consider companies that specialize in [engineered materials intended for vacuum use](http://www.boedeker.com/outgas.htm). They may be able to provide guidance as to which of their materials might be 3D printed and usable in your setup. Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: I found much the same question at [Does PLA outgas?](http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?184,140966) An answer there pointed to a NASA outgassing database, [Outgassing Data for Selecting Spacecraft Materials](http://outgassing.nasa.gov), and says that: > > ABS (unknown supplier), MakerGeeks PET and Makerbot PLA have been measured and are listed in the NASA database. > > > Poster there recommended PLA for lower outgassing, and clear PLA because there would be fewer additives to complicate the problem. Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: This naturally depends on the ultimate pressure you require. I have made a few tests with LEGO pieces (ABS) in vacuum and reached 10-5 mbar without problems. I did not try to go any lower. Otherwise, have a look here: [A 3D printed beam splitter for polar neutral molecules](https://arxiv.org/abs/1611.01792). A Formlabs Stereolithography machine was used there, producing a material that basically is PMMA. Pressures in the 10-8 mbar range are possible with that. Recently, Formlabs has presented a resin that produces heatable plastic up to 280°C, and that can be baked to get into the 10-10 mbar range (tested here). Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: At work, I put a 3d ABS part printed via 3d hubs (5\*20\*30), in the chamber at 1 mbar. No signs of breakage what so ever. No signs of sudden leaks. Going anywhere below 1mbar, i.e., to 10^-infinity mbar, I think should theoretically still not cause any breakage or sudden leaks, as the expected mechanism of failure depends on the pressure difference; i.e., [1atm-1mbar] ~=[1atm-10^-infinity mbar]. Based on the above I have made some more parts to be put in a chamber at 1E-5 mbar. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: I have a 3d printer that uses ABS filament. The software I use will generate vertical supports for my objects before printing that can be easily broken off after they have been used during print to hold sharp angles up that would normally fall. After breaking off the stints, the print is far from smooth. Is there a material that is best suited for "sanding" down prints without damaging the print?<issue_comment>username_1: I use normal wet/dry sandpaper and it works just fine. If I remember correctly, I usually start with 220 and then work my way up to 400, 600, and 800. There are also foam or rubber sanding pads available that work really well when you're sanding something organically shaped. The grits you start and finish with will depend on how rough your surface is. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I have a bunch of solutions to this problem but I'm always looking for additional ideas. I usually start by slicing as much as possible off with a hobby knife. The more than can be removed before sanding the better. For big prints I like big [generic sandpaper sheets](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B001449TPS) from the hardware store. Starting with the highest grit and moving down. Make sure you're discarding your sheets when they get totally gunked up (which can happen pretty fast) or you won't get much done. For smaller nooks and crannies I have [a set of needle files](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B000NPUKYS). They do a pretty good job clearing out screw holes and smaller features on printed sculptures. I've also had some success sanding with my [Dremel](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B00005LEXX) when it comes to annoying stuck on supports or other imperfections. Having some horsepower behind your sanding can be a nice break. I've also seen the [wire brush attachments](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B000HWRU9U) used for finishing Bronze and Copper-fill prints. Just keep an eye on your speed or you'll sand a hole in your print. Lastly (and one I haven't tried) are [these sanding sticks](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B0039ZCQAK) They were recommended by a friend and look like they would be pretty easy to use/swap out used sandpaper. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: I use nail files. They're easy to get, cheap and have different grits on either side. You can lay them flat or hold them in your hand and they have some stability making it fairly easy to sand something that is or should become flat. Plus, you can fix any nails you damage while removing support structures. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Another method that you could try is an [acetone vapor bath](http://hackaday.com/2013/02/26/giving-3d-printed-parts-a-shiny-smooth-finish/). (All credit to them, by the way) Just so you know, this is a very **risky** method, but the outcome is *very* nice. Remember that I warned you... And please, *please* watch cautionary videos and practice ***extreme*** caution. I cannot stress that enough. All you have to do is get a heating pad (or anything that can heat up to the necessary temperatures) out into a well-ventilated environment. Then, get a large glass jar that you probably won't need in the future that can fit the 3D Model and pour some acetone inside. Afterward, you should place a small platform inside, just as in the video. Place the jar onto the heating pad. Now, place the 3D Model inside onto the platform. Now, remember that acetone is a *solvent*. That means that it basically melts off the details off of the 3D Model. So, if your model is moreover detailed, you should leave the 3D Model in the jar for a small amount of time (i.e. about 30 seconds *at most*). If your model is not as detailed, you can put it in for a much longer amount of time, such as five minutes. Remember, the longer it is inside, the less the details! Also, make sure to take the model out without using your hands, as it could possibly be harmful. You could use a wire hanger attached to a piece of tin foil to take it out, just as in the video. I hope this helps; be safe! ***Seriously, exercise EXTREME caution while handling the vapor, as it is incredibly flammable, and can build up in poorly ventilated areas!*** Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: It should be noted that the suggested methods in other answers all have the following disadvantages: * The vapor just seems to weaken the print to much faster than print smooths. * Sanding melts the plastic pretty easily and just rips the print apart. * Filing helps but leaves blemishes that require the whole print to be sanded and/or painted. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: I've noticed if I'm printing too close too the bed or if the bed isn't level to nozzle across the whole bed the supports will leave marks on the print where the print was 'smushed' by the nozzle being slightly closer on that side. Also, in Simplify3d you can increase the vertical and horizontal distance between the part and the support, which makes a big difference as far as cleanup, too far though and the support doesn't support. I also increase the speed of support printing, since it directly affects layer adhesion. The faster the speed the less likely to bond to the model. I use small files for small quick imperfections, and sometimes small knives for stubborn brims. For smoothing I now use a quick acetone dip on my parts. Usually 10-30 seconds completely submerged at most. Then without touching the print (it's very mushy) place it down or hang (outside) to dry out the acetone for about two hours for every hour printed or so. You can handle small parts within 10 minutes if you dipped less than 15 seconds. The acetone evaporates over time and the abs print regains its strength completely once all the acetone is gone. This can take days if it's a big part (maybe 9" x 9") and was dipped in acetone for longer than 30 seconds. If the part smells like acetone, it's still evaporating. Don't over dip the part in acetone, you can't go back. You don't want to lose the form of your print. You can always dip again. Forget the heat acetone method or cool acetone vapor method that takes hours. Recommend doing it OUTDOORS and perhaps a gas mask and eye protection, acetone is very thin and splashes no matter how careful you are. I tried brushing it on but the results were not very consistent. ABS floats in acetone so consider how your going to get the part submerged and then subsequently out without leaving huge finger prints. Practice on a few small prints or even scrap models and failed prints. Strangely, nobody suggests this method in forums. It's much faster and easier than the other vapor methods. The dry out time isn't fast but you don't have to watch it the whole time. Always be safe and keep acetone away from any ignition source such as an open flame and ensure proper ventilation. 100% Acetone is used in millions of salons every day, safely. Heating acetone up in an enclosed space has severely injured people so I don't recommend adding any heat source. Acetone evaporates in water at the same rate as not in water (open air) so I'm going to try mixing water and acetone to slow the smoothing for better control and a larger bath. Even medium sized parts need a good deal of acetone to completely submerge them. Also, you can try doing one side and recording the seconds submerged. Then when it's dried out, dip the other side the same amount of time. Edit: Sure! I just did two scrap pieces since you asked. It's very difficult to capture gloss. These were about 15 seconds in acetone rotating them to get even coverage in acetone since the bath wasn't large enough to fully submerge them. This method can leave blemishes but these are warped or failed prints anyway. I enhanced one picture to try to show layer detail.  Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_6: I normally deburr with a deburring tool: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2klww.png) Then I file if needed, then I hit it with a scotch brite pad: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/XAfxO.jpg) And then I give it a quick pass with a heat gun to darken all the areas that have turned lighter from the abrasion. Video showing heat gun (but not scotch brite): <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Aj9WCabPgw> Upvotes: 2

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: I'm going to 3D print a part that needs to meet certain strength requirements, due to its usages. I know how strong a particular plastic (eg. comrpessive/tensile/shear strength) is when dealt with in a solid chunk, but not when it is 3D printed. What is a good way to estimate the change?<issue_comment>username_1: I use normal wet/dry sandpaper and it works just fine. If I remember correctly, I usually start with 220 and then work my way up to 400, 600, and 800. There are also foam or rubber sanding pads available that work really well when you're sanding something organically shaped. The grits you start and finish with will depend on how rough your surface is. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I have a bunch of solutions to this problem but I'm always looking for additional ideas. I usually start by slicing as much as possible off with a hobby knife. The more than can be removed before sanding the better. For big prints I like big [generic sandpaper sheets](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B001449TPS) from the hardware store. Starting with the highest grit and moving down. Make sure you're discarding your sheets when they get totally gunked up (which can happen pretty fast) or you won't get much done. For smaller nooks and crannies I have [a set of needle files](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B000NPUKYS). They do a pretty good job clearing out screw holes and smaller features on printed sculptures. I've also had some success sanding with my [Dremel](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B00005LEXX) when it comes to annoying stuck on supports or other imperfections. Having some horsepower behind your sanding can be a nice break. I've also seen the [wire brush attachments](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B000HWRU9U) used for finishing Bronze and Copper-fill prints. Just keep an eye on your speed or you'll sand a hole in your print. Lastly (and one I haven't tried) are [these sanding sticks](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B0039ZCQAK) They were recommended by a friend and look like they would be pretty easy to use/swap out used sandpaper. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: I use nail files. They're easy to get, cheap and have different grits on either side. You can lay them flat or hold them in your hand and they have some stability making it fairly easy to sand something that is or should become flat. Plus, you can fix any nails you damage while removing support structures. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Another method that you could try is an [acetone vapor bath](http://hackaday.com/2013/02/26/giving-3d-printed-parts-a-shiny-smooth-finish/). (All credit to them, by the way) Just so you know, this is a very **risky** method, but the outcome is *very* nice. Remember that I warned you... And please, *please* watch cautionary videos and practice ***extreme*** caution. I cannot stress that enough. All you have to do is get a heating pad (or anything that can heat up to the necessary temperatures) out into a well-ventilated environment. Then, get a large glass jar that you probably won't need in the future that can fit the 3D Model and pour some acetone inside. Afterward, you should place a small platform inside, just as in the video. Place the jar onto the heating pad. Now, place the 3D Model inside onto the platform. Now, remember that acetone is a *solvent*. That means that it basically melts off the details off of the 3D Model. So, if your model is moreover detailed, you should leave the 3D Model in the jar for a small amount of time (i.e. about 30 seconds *at most*). If your model is not as detailed, you can put it in for a much longer amount of time, such as five minutes. Remember, the longer it is inside, the less the details! Also, make sure to take the model out without using your hands, as it could possibly be harmful. You could use a wire hanger attached to a piece of tin foil to take it out, just as in the video. I hope this helps; be safe! ***Seriously, exercise EXTREME caution while handling the vapor, as it is incredibly flammable, and can build up in poorly ventilated areas!*** Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: It should be noted that the suggested methods in other answers all have the following disadvantages: * The vapor just seems to weaken the print to much faster than print smooths. * Sanding melts the plastic pretty easily and just rips the print apart. * Filing helps but leaves blemishes that require the whole print to be sanded and/or painted. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: I've noticed if I'm printing too close too the bed or if the bed isn't level to nozzle across the whole bed the supports will leave marks on the print where the print was 'smushed' by the nozzle being slightly closer on that side. Also, in Simplify3d you can increase the vertical and horizontal distance between the part and the support, which makes a big difference as far as cleanup, too far though and the support doesn't support. I also increase the speed of support printing, since it directly affects layer adhesion. The faster the speed the less likely to bond to the model. I use small files for small quick imperfections, and sometimes small knives for stubborn brims. For smoothing I now use a quick acetone dip on my parts. Usually 10-30 seconds completely submerged at most. Then without touching the print (it's very mushy) place it down or hang (outside) to dry out the acetone for about two hours for every hour printed or so. You can handle small parts within 10 minutes if you dipped less than 15 seconds. The acetone evaporates over time and the abs print regains its strength completely once all the acetone is gone. This can take days if it's a big part (maybe 9" x 9") and was dipped in acetone for longer than 30 seconds. If the part smells like acetone, it's still evaporating. Don't over dip the part in acetone, you can't go back. You don't want to lose the form of your print. You can always dip again. Forget the heat acetone method or cool acetone vapor method that takes hours. Recommend doing it OUTDOORS and perhaps a gas mask and eye protection, acetone is very thin and splashes no matter how careful you are. I tried brushing it on but the results were not very consistent. ABS floats in acetone so consider how your going to get the part submerged and then subsequently out without leaving huge finger prints. Practice on a few small prints or even scrap models and failed prints. Strangely, nobody suggests this method in forums. It's much faster and easier than the other vapor methods. The dry out time isn't fast but you don't have to watch it the whole time. Always be safe and keep acetone away from any ignition source such as an open flame and ensure proper ventilation. 100% Acetone is used in millions of salons every day, safely. Heating acetone up in an enclosed space has severely injured people so I don't recommend adding any heat source. Acetone evaporates in water at the same rate as not in water (open air) so I'm going to try mixing water and acetone to slow the smoothing for better control and a larger bath. Even medium sized parts need a good deal of acetone to completely submerge them. Also, you can try doing one side and recording the seconds submerged. Then when it's dried out, dip the other side the same amount of time. Edit: Sure! I just did two scrap pieces since you asked. It's very difficult to capture gloss. These were about 15 seconds in acetone rotating them to get even coverage in acetone since the bath wasn't large enough to fully submerge them. This method can leave blemishes but these are warped or failed prints anyway. I enhanced one picture to try to show layer detail.  Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_6: I normally deburr with a deburring tool: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2klww.png) Then I file if needed, then I hit it with a scotch brite pad: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/XAfxO.jpg) And then I give it a quick pass with a heat gun to darken all the areas that have turned lighter from the abrasion. Video showing heat gun (but not scotch brite): <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Aj9WCabPgw> Upvotes: 2

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: When you add a raft in Slic3r, the first layer of the raft prints at the first layer speed. After the raft is finished, the first layer of the print prints at the standard speed. How can I make the first layer of the actual print slow down to the first layer speed?<issue_comment>username_1: You shouldn't need to. The purpose of a slower first layer is to help with need adhesion. With a raft the first layer of the model is printing on the raft so it can go at regular speeds. Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: I've played with v1.2.9 only a little bit (I primarily use MakerWare). However, it looks as though you can just go to `Print Settings -> Speed -> (Modifiers) First Layer Speed`. Here you'll have the option to set the speed in `mm/s or %`. If you're having issues with the first layer (or two) not adhering very well to a raft, try reducing the distance between the part and the raft. Mine looks to be a default of 0.2mm. This can be adjusted from `Print Settings -> Support Material -> (Options for support material and raft) Contact Z distance`. Please note that the closer the part is to the raft, the more likely the part is to sticking to the raft once it cools. So, I would recommend being close by as the part finished so you can quickly remove the raft before it cools with the part. It become especially more difficult with PLA because it becomes hardened during the print process, therefore resulting in a more catastrophic material failure if any part of the object is broken (such as a raft). I'll also note that I primarily use MakerWare for my machine and v3.8 has made it much easier to apply these types of settings. It's similar to Slic3r's interface and no longer in a JSON file that pops up. Through the MakerWare interface, you can navigate to `Settings -> Custom -> Extrusion Speeds -> First Layer` to adjust the print speed. You'll also notice that there is a separate option for `First Layer Raft` that ensures that the two values are separate in the post-processer. I believe it still may be possible to use MakerWare for a non-MakerBot machine, just export the file to GCode and you should be able to load it directly into your machine via SD card or possibly even Slic3r (it might change some of the code though). Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: This is still work in progress, and here is what I have so far, but first: **A useful alternative for similar problems:** A problem very similar to this would be to use different settings for different parts of a model in Slic3r. For most settings, this can be achieved through [modifier meshes](http://slic3r.org/blog/modifier-meshes). Post processing scripts: ======================== As far as I know, Slic3r does not give you the option of setting the speed of the first layer after a raft directly, but they do allow you to run [post processing scripts](http://manual.slic3r.org/advanced/post-processing); that is, to automatically run a set of operations - programmed by you - on the g-code output. Although far from trivial, you can in theory make a program that runs through the output g-code, adjusts the settings to your preference, and then saves it again at the target destination. ### Tuning overall printer speed through g-code: As it turns out, there is a [simple g-code command](http://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#M220:_Set_speed_factor_override_percentage) that sets the overall speed of your printer's operation: ``` M220 S[some number] ; see the link above for compatible firmware ``` A [newsletter](http://reprapworld.com/newletters/newsletter_4_201438.pdf) from Reprapwold explains that: > > For example M220 S50 will reduce the speed to 50% > of the original sliced G-code. If you want to hurry your print to the finish in time > for dinner, use M220 S200, to print twice as fast (200%) > > > In other words, just like some printers allow you the change speed mid-print, you can use the M220 command to override the current speed used, either through a user interface such as PrintRun, or by fiddling with the original g-code itself. ### Manipulating the g-code output to adjust speed settings: The easiest way to achieve our goal would be to manually manipulate the output g-code file through a text editor, and insert our M220 command in appropriate places: * Set M220 S50 just before the first *perimeter* layer (after the raft's *interface layer*), to slow down the first layer of the actual model. * Set M220 S100 sometime after the first perimeter layer, to resume the normal speed settings. In order to do this, though, we need to be able to distinguish these two points in the g-code output. ### Distinguishing insertion points: Slic3r offers a setting under `Print Settings -> Output options -> Verbose G-code` that - when enabled - inserts written comments all throughout the g-code files generated. If one inspects a g-code file outputted for a model with raft, one will find the comment: ``` ; move to first perimeter point <- lets call this A ``` and ``` ; move to next layer (x) <- lets call this B ``` littered several places throughout the gcode. It is under my *impression* that the *first* occurrence of comment **A** happens right after the raft is finished, and before the actual model is being printed, while the first occurrence of comment **B** succeeding comment **A** can be used to set the speed back to normal. It should be noted, however, that **the comments in the output g-code does not seem fully consistent**, and I would therefore not recommend anyone to automate this logic into a script without possibly finding other, more reliable breakpoints, and thoroughly verify these through several different models. I have not looked into the details of writing an automatic script for this task as of yet. Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: Assuming you have a high quality printer with a fast processor, will you see a noticeable improvement by upgrading from 16X/32X microstepping drivers to 64X/128X microstepping drivers? (e.g. smoother surface finish). In what ways do they perform differently from the more common 16X or 32X stepper drivers. I'm thinking the RAPS128, Silencioso, and Trinamic drivers vs the DRV8825, A4988 and A4988.<issue_comment>username_1: Prints benefit from higher microstepping in two ways: **Noise level** Using microstepping reduces noise from your printer's operation. **Print quality** Using higher resolution microstepping does not increase the physical accuracy of your prints meaningfully, but it can reduce surface artifacts such as [moire](http://www.soliforum.com/topic/10108/extruder-pulse-moire-at-132-microstepping-causing-diagonal-lines/). Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: You will likely not see a noticeable improvement by upgrading from a 16x or 32x to a 64x or 128x microstepping driver. Depending on the motors you're driving and the size of the load you could actually see a decrease in quality. Although microstepping increases theoretical resolution it does not necessarily increase accuracy. The reason is that microstepping significantly limits the incremental torque of the motor. This means that you may ask for a step but not get one because the torque of the step won't be enough to actually turn the shaft. As an example: a motor running in full steps will have 100% of its rated holding torque. Moving to 16 microsteps/full steps drops this to ~10%, 128 drops it to ~1%. The practical effect of this is that in high torque situations (such as printing at fast speeds) the motor may end up skipping some of the steps. In this way the increase in resolution can actually lead to a decrease in accuracy (smaller steps but they may not actually be taken). A relevant calculation to do would be to work out what the different number of microsteps to full steps works out to in terms of horizontal, vertical, or whatever movement the motor drives. You can do this by measuring how far the stepper moves said surface in one revolution provided you know the number of steps it takes per revolution. **Example:** With no microstepping: 1 turn/inch \* 200 steps/turn = 200 steps/inch or .005 inch/step (127 micron resolution) With 16x microstepping: 16 \* 200 steps/inch or .0003 inch / step (8 micron resolution) In this example 128x microstepping would be absolutely foolish. Every situation is different and you should use this information to make a decision based on your setup. Many manufacturers have recommendations on how far their motors can be microstepped. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: I've had my printer for almost a year now. Is there something I should be doing to maintain the motors?<issue_comment>username_1: No, stepper motors do not require maintenance. They are a brushless kind of motor, so they do not have brushes that need to be replaced. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: The stepper motor itself does not. You may want to inspect the motors for debris or dust. Depending on your configuration you may want to check on parts of your printer that connect to your stepper motor such as shaft couplings, pulleys, lead screws/threaded rods and belts. The stepper motor wires should occasionally be inspected for wear and strain. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: What materials which are [commonly used in 3D printing](http://www.shapeways.com/materials/), are food-safe? Are there any certifications/grading process for such materials, which can help me with my cross-checking and selection? --- I have been using an [FDM printer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fused_deposition_modeling).<issue_comment>username_1: Food safety is a property of both the process and the material. You can't stick food-safe material in a printer that has previously been used to print something food-dangerous and expect the result to be food safe. The only way to know if a given material is food-safe is to ask your supplier, but a lot depends on how you then process it. For instance, FDM printers often have brass nozzles, which contain lead. To print food-safe materials, you need to use a stainless steel nozzle. Food safe materials can be identified by mean of [an universal symbol](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_safe_symbol). Moreover, to ensure food-safety of a 3D printed model you may need to further process it (for instance, by vapor smoothing or coating with a food-safe lacquer). Some claims circulate on the internet that 3D printed models may have surface porosity in which bacteria can grow, but I've not been able to find a reliable source for this claim. Still, you need to be cautious. Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: There are 3 things that might affect food safety of 3D printed objects: 1. The filament - it's food safe only if it says so on the package (even if the plastic is not toxic you don't know about the color and other additives) 2. The hotend - the hotend and nozzle may leak metals into the filament, you need something like a full stainless steel hothead. 3. And finally, 3D printed objects contain little holes that bacteria can get into - so nothing printed on an FDM printer is food safe unless coated with some food safe sealing material (except for single use) Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: ### Food Contact Substances There are regulatory agencies in most developed countries that regulate food containers. In the USA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates [Food Contact Substances (FCS)](http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/PackagingFCS/ucm2006853.htm) which are materials that come into contact with food during production, manufacturing, storage, packing, and use. They have many lists of FCS which are either approved for use, generally recognized as safe, regulated, restricted, or otherwise already evaluated and for which they have recommendations. It is up to the manufacturer to ensure that FCS are safe, so the liability rests with the person making the 3D prints. If you make something that looks like a cup and could be confused with a cup, you may be responsible for following these guidelines. ### US FDA regulation for ABS and PLA The FDA has an online resource to help guide manufacturers through these lists, [Determining the Regulatory Status of Components of a Food Contact Material](http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/PackagingFCS/RegulatoryStatusFoodContactMaterial/default.htm). Within this, for instance, you will find the list for materials that are appropriately regulated indirect additive, under which you'll find where polymers are listed, [21 CFR 177](http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?node=pt21.3.177). Part 177, INDIRECT FOOD ADDITIVES: POLYMERS Notably, PLA is not present in this section, or any other list that I've searched (but a more thorough search may prove productive). ABS is included here, in section 1020, which I've quoted below. Whether your filament manufacturer is following this ABS formula or not is something you will have to determine for each ABS supplier you use, though. Additives, colorants, and other ingredients may make a specific ABS non food safe, according to the FDA. > > [§177.1020 Acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene co-polymer.](http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?node=pt21.3.177#se21.3.177_11020) > Acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene copolymer identified in this section > may be safely used as an article or component of articles intended for > use with all foods, except those containing alcohol, under conditions > of use E, F, and G described in table 2 of §176.170(c) of this > chapter. > > > (a) Identity. For the purpose of this section, the > acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene copolymer consists of: > > > (1) Eighty-four to eighty-nine parts by weight of a matrix polymer > containing 73 to 78 parts by weight of acrylonitrile and 22 to 27 > parts by weight of styrene; and > > > (2) Eleven to sixteen parts by weight of a grafted rubber consisting > of (i) 8 to 13 parts of butadiene/styrene elastomer containing 72 to > 77 parts by weight of butadiene and 23 to 28 parts by weight of > styrene and (ii) 3 to 8 parts by weight of a graft polymer having the > same composition range as the matrix polymer. > > > (b) Adjuvants. The copolymer identified in paragraph (a) of this > section may contain adjuvant substances required in its production. > Such adjuvants may include substances generally recognized as safe in > food, substances used in accordance with prior sanction, substances > permitted in this part, and the following: > > > Substance Limitations 2-Mercapto- ethanol The finished copolymer shall > contain not more than 100 ppm 2-mercaptoethanol acrylonitrile adduct > as determined by a method titled “Analysis of Cycopac Resin for > Residual β-(2-Hydroxyethylmercapto) propionitrile,” which is > incorporated by reference. Copies are available from the Bureau of > Foods (HFS-200), Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch > Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740, or available for inspection at the > National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information > on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go > to: > <http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html>. > (c) Specifications. (1) Nitrogen content of the copolymer is in the > range of 16 to 18.5 percent as determined by Micro-Kjeldahl analysis. > > > (2) Residual acrylonitrile monomer content of the finished copolymer > articles is not more than 11 parts per million as determined by a gas > chromatographic method titled “Determination of Residual Acrylonitrile > and Styrene Monomers-Gas Chromatographic Internal Standard Method,” > which is incorporated by reference. Copies are available from the > Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (HFS-200), Food and Drug > Administration, 5100 Paint Branch Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740, or > available for inspection at the National Archives and Records > Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this > material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: > <http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html>. > > > (d) Extractive limitations. (1) Total nonvolatile extractives not to > exceed 0.0005 milligram per square inch surface area when the finished > food contact article is exposed to distilled water, 3 percent acetic > acid, or n-heptane for 8 days at 120 °F. > > > (2) The finished food-contact article shall yield not more than 0.0015 > milligram per square inch of acrylonitrile monomer when exposed to > distilled water and 3 percent acetic acid at 150 °F for 15 days when > analyzed by a polarographic method titled “Extracted Acrylonitrile by > Differential Pulse Polarography,” which is incorporated by reference. > Copies are available from the Center for Food Safety and Applied > Nutrition (HFS-200), Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch > Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740, or available for inspection at the > National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information > on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go > to: > <http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html>. > > > (e) Acrylonitrile copolymers identified in this section shall comply > with the provisions of §180.22 of this chapter. > > > (f) Acrylonitrile copolymers identified in this section are not > authorized to be used to fabricate beverage containers. > > > [42 FR 14572, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 42 FR 48543, Sept. 23, > 1977; 47 FR 11841, Mar. 19, 1982; 54 FR 24897, June 12, 1989] > > > ### Regulation globally The [EU has a database](https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/sanco_foods/main/?event=display) for this, though without some industry specific experience it appears difficult to search. For instance, rather than listing ABS as an item, it lists the three monomers that constitute ABS seperately, so you have to read through the Acrylonitrile section, the butadiene section, and the styrene sections seperately to understand the food safety aspects of ABS. Of course someone has gone to the trouble of parsing all these different regulations in different countries and created a book that summarizes much of what you can glean from individual databases, [Global Legislation for Food Contact Materials](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B00W53IY8K) J S Baughan but it's not an inexpensive resource, and needs constant update so may need to be repurchased each year to keep up with the latest legislation worldwide. It would, however, be a handy reference and starting point for a hack space or library for makers. ### Conclusion Keep in mind that these are regulations formulated by government bodies. They may have a scientific basis (and hopefully they all do) but they do not replace your own testing and common sense. Even if you follow these regulations, you may still be liable for any unsafe objects you create. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: I have looked at this a lot, both from the standpoint of my own use, and of selling items on Etsy. As far as I can determine, PLA and ABS are both generally safe. The FDA lists ABS and PLA as safe plastics for food contact, although some pigments and additives can bring their own problems. ABS is nit generally safe (per the FDA) for contact with alcohol. I don't know why. So, for my use, I make wine, beer, and cocktail containers from PLA, and coffee mugs from ABS. PETG softens too much with boiling water and does not work for coffee and tea mugs. I've tried. It fails. Be careful if you use acetone smoothing on ABS. The acetone enters the ABS, and even after a few days of ambient conditions, the plastic may contain enough acetone to create bubbles in the plastic when the acetone boils off in response to hot water. I had heavily smoothed this particular teacup. Perhaps if it was less exposed to acetone vapors, it may have let the disolved acetone escape faster. I have used non-smoothed ABS coffee mugs for months without problems. You will read about brass nozzles contaminating the print with lead. You will read about the ridges being bacterial breading grounds. This may be true. ABS still makes a fine coffee mug for personal use. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: Suddenly, my printer has started producing prints that have a very pronounced layering. Normally, the alignment between layers is very good, and the prints look very smooth. Suddenly, the prints have become much worse and the layers are misaligned with respect to each other. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/MgWVx.png) The part on the left is my "normal" quality, while the part on the right show the deterioration. Here is another picture (in which the good part is on the right): [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/c1I5Q.png) The parts are both printed with 0.1mm layer height, and identical slicer settings/filament. I am printing on a custom-built FDM printer; the mechanism is roughly similar to that of an Ultimaker.<issue_comment>username_1: There are many factors, here are a few things to check: I'd first suspect filament feeding. This type of ridging can be caused by a filament coil that is binding occasionally, or a filament that doesn't have an even diameter or volume per length. Binding within the filament feeder and feeder tubes can also be a cause. Bubbles in the filament, or sometimes a mismatch between the filament ideal temperature and the head temperature could create results like this, but it probably wouldn't vary so much between the layers. Next I'd look at the print head. If it has blockages, or poor temperature control this could result. Lastly, I'd check the mechanisms - disconnect the motors and see if all the carriages slide smoothly without any binding, particularly the Z axis. It doesn't look like you're missing steps, but binding here may result in greater backlash, which could result in similar ridges. Make sure any belts and gears are tight. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: As with many topics in 3D printing, there can be many variables that produce this result. Immediately, your images make me think that the belts on your machine are not tight enough. This can cause noise in every direction of movement and is more prominent in backlash areas. I would suggest going through your general maintenance checklist: * Replace Build Plate tape * Level build plate (An uneven plate or improper height can yield these results as well) * Teach your axis belts * Clean/lube guide rails * Clean drive gears Keeping up on your maintenance (I do mine about every 5 prints) should reduce noise in your motion and ensure better quality prints, mechanically speaking. As mentioned above, your results may be caused by your BP being leveled too low (or too high). If your build plate height is off, the filament will not adhere to previous layers very well (if too low) and can cause this back and forth "spaghetti noddle" effect on outer layers. If the build plate is too high, you might see the nozzle physically "spreading" the previous layer around as the nozzle digs into the layer. Another possible fix for this would be to play with the settings in your slicing engine that involve the order that shell/roof/floor layers are printed. ie Start inside-out or start outside-in. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Have you recently leveled your print bed? By placing the nozzle too close to the bed on the first layer the first layer will seem over extruded. If there are no infill layers after the first layer, these layers will seem over extruded as well since the extra filament will have nowhere to go. A typical sign of too close bed leveling is that the bottom layers seem over extruded, while layers after regions of infill appear normally extruded. Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: It appears the heatbreak of my E3D nozzle had worked itself loose from the heatsink, allowing the nozzle to wobble around a bit. Because the nozzle was still tight against the heatbreak I didn't experience any issues with my hotend, but because the heatbreak was slightly loose the nozzle wasn't properly constrained and moving around a bit. A quick turn to tighten the heatsink back into the heatbreak was enough to fully resolve the issue. My prints are as smooth as ever now. Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: I am working on a robotics project and need to print some gears. These will probably by under a LOT of pressure. Which material/filament should I choose so that the gears don't wear off easily? PS: Newbie here... **EDIT:** According to my instuctor, it has to be some sort of plastic (not metal). It also has to be lightweight...<issue_comment>username_1: So, as you say you want to materials for printing robotics parts. And as you have not given any budget constraint, I would give you a list of materials which would help you achieve the task, and you can choose amongst them accordingly. 1. Plastics: Basically used for building prototypes. Nylon Polyamide should be a choice for you. > > Polyamide 3D printing is achieved through SLS 3D printing. It offers > strong and flexible prints. The upside of this material is that the > printing technology requires minimum preparation of the 3D file before > printing. There is no need for support. And it also offers the > possibility to create intricate shapes and moving part in just one go. > After the print the polyamide can be polished and dyed. > > > 2. Metals: Metals like Brass, Alumunium and Steel should be a good choice. But, if I were to achieve your task, I would select carbon fiber. some details about it: > > Carbon fiber consists of 90% carbon atoms, each fiber is 10 times > thinner than a human hair. Carbon is especially prized for its lack of > combustibility and infusability but also by its incredible strength > (stronger than steel) and ability to create flexible structure, light > weight and corrosion resistance. Its melting temperature is 1500, this > heat there are only carbon. > > > Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Filaments that are intended for making parts that require strange should be rated by the manufacturer for strength and flexibility. You need to calculate the required strength and then choose a material with higher rating For example the rating for filaments made by Taulman are at <http://www.taulman3d.com/how-to-choose.html?m> Upvotes: 1

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: I am currently working on parts for a custom prosthesis. My main concern at the moment is to find biocompatible materials that can be 3D printed from a UP or a Reprap. The piece would need to be in contact with the skin for extended periods of time, probably around 17 hours a day on average. The main concerns I have are: * Skin reactions caused by prolonged contact * Skin reactions and bruising caused by friction * Degradation of the materials due to prolonged exposure to skin secretions and sweat * Risks of toxicity in the compounds generated by the aforementioned material degradation **Which materials can you recommend?** **Any extensive data (from testing) would be greatly appreciated.**<issue_comment>username_1: There are printers designed for medical use, and the manufacturers supply them with varying levels of [certification and testing](http://www.medicalplasticsnews.com/opinion/passing-the-test_1/), however I've not seen a filament manufacturer certify their material as bio-compatible separate from the printer. The printing process changes the material slightly in the best case (and significantly with poor temperature control or badly set parameters), so even if bio-compatible filament were found, the resulting product might not achieve the same level of bio-compatibility. If your intent is to use hobbyist level machine for medical purposes, you might simply want to use an interface, such as a sock or a molded/cast polymer that you know to be bio-compatible between the printed part and the skin. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: If you want to know something about what you are questioning, it is interesting to you to read <http://e-nable.org/resources/prosthetics-students-consultation/> That's a link with complementary information how to print 3D as a volunteer. I know that is not enough information about products, but I believe Nylon is the best recommend because it is what generally printers are using, though. This website supports information with Dr. Chang by the e-mail <EMAIL> but there insnt information about the components used in the prosthetics, but I know that Nylon is the best suited to it nowadays. If you prefer there is a site with makers loging information about PETG: <https://www.matterhackers.com/news/how-to-succeed-when-printing-with-petg-filament> Upvotes: -1

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: I'm interested in finding online APIs where you could perform a call to some third party service with some print preparation request with my model (i.e. "heal a model" or "set up support") and get in return GCODE file I can send to a 3D printer. My input will be : * The 3d model (obj, stl) * My printer (makerbot, ultimaker, whatever) or a printer profile * A printing profile This is opposed to all the classical 3D printing processes we have right now. Currently when printing in a 3D printer you would need to go through these phases: 1. Create/Download a model 2. Prepare the model for printing with some 3rd party desktop software 3. Export the model as gcode 4. Save the file to some flash drive 5. Plug the flash drive into the printer 6. Print the model with the printer interface I would like to know if this process can be simplified to a point where you can just print your model directly from your web browser without going through all these steps. I know I'm over simplifying things here, but I would still want to see if solutions like I suggested exist? Thanks<issue_comment>username_1: There are printers designed for medical use, and the manufacturers supply them with varying levels of [certification and testing](http://www.medicalplasticsnews.com/opinion/passing-the-test_1/), however I've not seen a filament manufacturer certify their material as bio-compatible separate from the printer. The printing process changes the material slightly in the best case (and significantly with poor temperature control or badly set parameters), so even if bio-compatible filament were found, the resulting product might not achieve the same level of bio-compatibility. If your intent is to use hobbyist level machine for medical purposes, you might simply want to use an interface, such as a sock or a molded/cast polymer that you know to be bio-compatible between the printed part and the skin. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: If you want to know something about what you are questioning, it is interesting to you to read <http://e-nable.org/resources/prosthetics-students-consultation/> That's a link with complementary information how to print 3D as a volunteer. I know that is not enough information about products, but I believe Nylon is the best recommend because it is what generally printers are using, though. This website supports information with Dr. Chang by the e-mail <EMAIL> but there insnt information about the components used in the prosthetics, but I know that Nylon is the best suited to it nowadays. If you prefer there is a site with makers loging information about PETG: <https://www.matterhackers.com/news/how-to-succeed-when-printing-with-petg-filament> Upvotes: -1

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: I would like to print edible cookies or ornamentation for a cake. Is printing with edible materials achievable by standard thermoplastic-like 3D desktop printer? Or you need to buy a special printer to do that?<issue_comment>username_1: You can, but that doesn't mean it's very easy. You don't have to buy a special printer, but you need a special extruder (such as <http://www.structur3d.io/>). Most of these systems can print anything with the consistency of Nutella. However, many parts of the printer may not be food safe. Another option (if you simply want 2d designs) is something like the [PancakeBot](http://www.pancakebot.com/). It can probably also "print" with anything that has the same consistency of pancake batter. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: You cannot print edible models using a "standard" consumer 3D printer without first installing an "hot end" capable of depositing edible - normally thicker - substances as well as a suitable extruder mechanism. However, there are not necessarily any technical limitations in the electronics, software, slicers etc. in a typical printer that wouldn't allow you to install such an upgrade. For instance, you could calibrate your extrusion rate and nozzle width to suit batter and similar. Some commercial printers, such as the [DeltaWASP](http://www.personalfab.it/en/products/deltawasp-20-40/) allow for upgrades that print clay, which wouldn't be very different from printing liquid food. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: MakerBot Industries had a mod available for their early open source machines called the [Frostruder](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1143). It was basically a syringe connected to your print head. I saw this in action at the University of Washington a long time ago. Check out the legacy [ReplicatorG in action](https://depts.washington.edu/open3dp/2014/12/3d-printed-cookies-more-printable-recipes-frostrusion-walkthrough/)! I like to relate 3D printing as "A hot glue gun on rails". The beauty is that a lot of the home machines can easily be almost anything on rails. So, you could always try to 3D print a solution of your own. Please keep in mind any federal regulations on food processing materials (ie ABS is not recommended for most food applications). Upvotes: 3

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: I would like to print fancy plastic cutlery sets or plastic glasses. Is it safe to do it? Or bad for your health, if so, why?<issue_comment>username_1: Having performed a quick search through all the resources at the FDA Food Contact Substance resource, I cannot find PLA in any list except an occasional notification that a specific manufacturer has obtained approval for use in specific circumstances, with the notice that such notifications are only valid for that manufacturer and cannot be used to validate another use of a substance. There are companies that have received approval for their specific formulation and use of PLA as a food contact substance. You may wish to discuss this further with your material supplier to find out if they have approved PLA product available. Without specific product approval, though, PLA is not on the lists of generally recognized as safe, nor approved for food contact use. Regulations in other countries may differ, so you may want to search the EU directives, for instance, to find out their opinion on PLA as an FCS. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Regardless of whether the actual filament you are printing is marked as Food Safe by the provider, remember that actually printing the filament might contaminate it. If you previously have printed a toxic filament on your printer, you cannot be sure no remains of that filament are deposited onto the model. Equally, I believe very few printers only consist of parts that are all marked as Food Safe - the parts that touch the filament that is. Another aspect of food safety is your ability to properly clean 3D printed objects. Due to the highly structured surface of 3D printed objects, I would not be certain that they are truly clean after washing, particularly since many plastics cannot be cleaned in a dishwasher. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: As others have pointed out, PLA isn't specifically not food safe, but materials that have been printed previously can contaminate the PLA. Additionally, anything 3D printed is extremely porous. Once a part is used for food, moisture and bacteria will accumulate in the pores, and can never be completely cleaned out, contaminating any food that contacts it. It can't be sterilized either, because the temperatures needed for sterilization would deform or melt the plastic. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: In my slicing software (Slic3r) some of the vertices/walls of my model seem to have disappeared, so that the inside of the model - which should be solid - is visible, while the surface appears as a thin shell. Why does this happen? Is it still safe to export the model for printing?<issue_comment>username_1: Some STLs aren't exported properly from the CAD software. Use a repair tool or service like <https://modelrepair.azurewebsites.net> . The repaired STL shouldn't have those issues anymore. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: My understanding is that this occurs when the object is not a true solid. Since an STL holds the triangulation of each face and spline, the slicing engine is not "smart" enough to determine if there is a gap in the model and therefore if it should be filled in and how. When the slicer encounters a gap, it will either treat the endpoint as the end of the feature or navigate to the next point on the layer, resulting in either gaps in the print or extra inclusions that don't make sense. I've noticed that my models will fail as a true solid when I use complex solid tools such as Union, Subtract, and Trim. A lot of times there will be a rounding error in how these tools interact with the solid model that will result in a small (sometimes not very small) gap in the outer shell of the solid model. When exported to an STL, the gap is retained. @username_1 mentioned it in their answer, but Microsoft does provide online tool(s) for 3D Printing including a solid repair tool. Use [Microsoft 3D Tools](https://tools3d.azurewebsites.net/) to upload your STL and try to automatically detect and fix issues with your file(s). Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: In the cad software, it could be that your normals are reversed or inconsistent. Recently I used Cinema4D to export some models, and the faces were acting super weird in the slicer. What I mean by 'reversed normals' is that your polygon faces could be oriented inward. Some slicing softwares don't care about that, and treat both sides of each face equally. In those that observe reverse normals, faces may be completely invisible, or appear with a lack of shading or strange shading. There should be tools in your cad software to align the normals, or flip them on each face at least. Alternatively, some tools like MeshLab and Meshixer I believe have tools to fix this. Also of course make sure your model is watertight and that you don't have too many errors like duplicate vertices, faces, etc. Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: Had similar problems with blender <-> Slic3r, modified a stl in blender then slic3r started acting up, showing strange faces where it shouldn't. The solution was (as suggested by @username_2) to solidify the exported object. Just add a Solidify modifier to the object(no need to apply), and when exporting to stl make sure to check the "Apply modifiers". Upvotes: 0

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: 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.<issue_comment>username_1: 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. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: 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) Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I think the list of username_1 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](http://www.shapeways.com/additive-manufacturing). 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 ;) Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: 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.. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: I'm reading about wiring up the electronic components to my Prusa i3 using an Arduino Mega 2650 and Ramps 1.4. I have step sticks, a heated bed, and a [Switching Power Supply 12v Dc 30a 360w](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B007KG0ZYI) (more details on that later when I can add which ones to the post). I've heard that if you wire it wrong and plug it in, you can do anything from starting a fire to burning out your boards. What are some tips of things to check before plugging it in? Are there any common mistakes that I can avoid?<issue_comment>username_1: I'd say polarity and voltage are the biggest things -- about all you can do is double- and triple-check everything; then check again.... Be very careful about where you feed in 12V power (mainly for heaters and fans), vs. 5v (for the Arduino). In many cases I found it unclear which way +/- went going *out* from the board (the *inputs* on my boards were at least marked clearly!). I found that if I plug in a limit switch connector backwards, that connects 5v straight to ground, which will probably make your power supply cut out (assuming it's properly protected -- otherwise it could potentially catch fire). Stepper motors, on the other hand, just run the wrong direction if you plug them onto RAMPS backwards (good design!). Another thing to watch for only comes up if you're powering the Arduino via USB (I do that a lot, since I'm plugged in anyway to send files and such). A short can try to draw too much power from USB. In that case my Mac shuts down USB and gives a message; I don't know what would happen with other hardware. I have heard that plugging a stepper-driver board onto RAMPS backwards is likely to fry a board, and that plugging or unplugging a stepper motor while powered is also risky. But I haven't messed those up yet, so I don't now for sure. :) I may be overly cautious, but I never leave the power supply plugged in when I'm not around. Best wishes! Steve Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: * Polarity matters, sometimes. Be especially mindful of the wires from your power supply to the board, as getting those the wrong way around will definitely cause damage. Heated beds and extruders are not polarity sensitive, and can go in either way. Fans are polarized, but will probably survive if you get them backwards - they just won't run. Stepper motors don't care about polarity, flipping the connector around just makes them run backwards. * Take special care with endstops. The endstop connectors have 3 pins (VCC, 5V and signal), endstops with 2 pins are usually connect to GND and signal. Putting a 2-pin endstop across 5V and GND will destroy the 5V regulator. * A common cause of damage is wires not being clamped in their respective terminals properly. The offending wire will arc, melting and destroying the connector. Tighten down screw terminals properly, use proper crimps if you have them. Soldering the ends of wires going into screw terminals is not encouraged, but if you do solder the ends then make sure to check after a while and tighten the screws again. * Put the stepper drivers in the right way around. * For things like the heated bed and wires going to your power supply, use sufficiently thick wires. Especially with the heated bed, a lot of current flows through the wires and flimsy wires will heat up and melt. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Adding to the other answers: * ALWAYS power-off the printer completely and make sure it is not receiving any power from any source (could be receiving power from USB after you turned the power supply off). * Avoid loose wires, and before powering the printer on make sure every wire is connected in the right place. Loose wires can cause damage even if not powered if they get under the PCBs, where they can cause shorts. I fried an Arduino Mega this way. * Never mix between 12v and 5v supply/output wires. Connecting an output wire of the wrong voltage will usually cause damage only to the part receiving power, while connecting a supply wire of the wrong voltage can cause severe damage to many components at once. * Keep all wires organised. That will help you understand which wire is connected to what quickly, and will help you do what is mentioned in #2 and #3. Upvotes: 0

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: Printer: FDM printer (FDM == Fusion Deposition Modelling). Raw Material: Thermoplastics. How do I do multicolor printing? What changes should I make to the printing process/to the raw material used? (Answer in the context of printing a basic 3X3 Rubix cube) --- Bonus: What are the best practises while doing multi-colour printing? (<-- This is opinion based and/or broad, so pl add an answer to this point as an extra to your answers if you can. It would greatly help people getting started/practising with multi-colour printing)<issue_comment>username_1: There are a few different approaches I've seen which you could look into. The easiest and most common is multiple extruders, each with a different color of thermoplastic. Tools like Pronterface and Slic3r have built-in support for multiple extruders. With multiple extruders you can get one color per extruder; there's no clear way to mix colors and get a color between the input materials' colors. Another, more complicated approach is to use a single extruder with three inputs, like [this one](http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Diamond-hotend-Prusa-i3-Extruder-Full-kit-E3D-V6-Brass-Multi-Color-Nozzle-3-IN-1/32516521911.html), where thermoplastic from the three inputs can be mixed in varying amounts to get color gradients between the input colors. With red, yellow, and blue filament, you could get a rainbow of colors...albeit without any control over value (white to black) or saturation (bright vs dull color). Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Here are the methods of printing with multiple colors that I'm aware of (from the most common to the rarest): 1. Print each color separately and the assembly/glue them together - this isn't technically multicolor printing but this I the most common solution since most printers aren't multi-color 2. Multiple extruders, one for each color - this is by far the easiest and mot common multi-color setup, but it won't help with a rubic cube because I don't think its practical to build a printer with 6 extruders 3. The multi color hotend from @username_1tinCarney answer that feed multiple filaments into a single nozzle - I really don't know anything about those hotends 4. Last, there's a trick you can use that stops in mid-print and let you swap filament, more information in [this youtube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PytBrb1s9SY), but this also won't help with a rubic cube because you can't use different colors in the same layer Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Design a product in such a way that it has different heights that can be seen in one plane. By using direct drive extrusion we can easily change the material of different colours with out pausing the print to obtain colour print. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/CIYII.jpg) Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: If you are trying to print something like a Rubic's Cube in the correct colors without using paint or stickers, there are only a couple of options. Assuming that you are using a printer with only a single extruder and no fancy gadgets, you will need to print each color cube you will need to print in a lot of pieces and then put them together. You can't use tricks like changing the filament manually at a certain level for most of the cubes because most of the cubes are corner cubes with 3 colors. Assuming that you have some sort of multi-material system, then you just use STL files that are made with the proper colors. And I'm talking any sort of multi-material system, including multiple extruders, the fancy extruder described by @username_1tin Carney, or the MMS from prusia3d.com which has 4 inputs to a single extruder with the disadvantage of no mixing and having to automatically waste filament when changing colors. There is another system used by the [da Vinchi Full Color 3d Printer](https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/31/xyzprinting-announces-a-3000-full-color-3d-printer/) which sprays ink onto the filament as its printing. Since the standard STL file doesn't have color definitions, the normal thing to do is to break up the original file into several STL files each with their own color. This requires Meshmixer or a 3d modeling program. I've done a lot of research on this, but haven't had a chance to try yet because my Original Prusia 3d and its Multi-Material kit haven't arrived yet. :( Upvotes: 1

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: I have noticed that [Slic3r](http://slic3r.org/) offers a speed setting called "[auto speed](http://slic3r.org/blog/new-stable-1.2.9)" meant to give a constant filament pressure at the extruder, which I believe could eliminate filament grinding issues at higher printing speeds. According to the tooltip in Slic3r, auto speed is calculated from two parameters: * Maximum speed * Maximum volumetric speed Maximum speed speaks for itself, but how can I calculate the maximum volumetric speed of my print?<issue_comment>username_1: Auto speed is calculated from maximum volumetric speed in mm3 per second. If you normally print at 80 mm/s, your extrusion width is 0.5 mm and you are printing 0.2mm high layers, your volumetric speed would be 80 \* 0.5 \* 0.2 = 8 mm3/s, which is the volume of plastic extruded by your printer every second when printing at that speed (not accounting for any die swell). Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: There's no fixed maximum volumetric speed that works for everyone, there's simply too much variables to account for. By using @username_1 explanation you can convert from volumetric to regular speeds but you still need to test what speed works best for your setup. Just a few of the other variables affecting how fast material can come out consistently: temperature (nozzle & heat brake), extruder motor power, path friction between extruder and hotend, material compressibility, fluidity and glass transition temperature, .. There are interesting topics on RepRap forums, like this one: <http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?262,654085> Upvotes: 2

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: I upgraded to an Mk9 dual extruder, and it came with thermocouples installed instead of the thermistors I had before. No matter what I did with the thermocouples, the indicated temperature jumped around by as much as 30C or more. In short, after several weeks of fiddling I never got the thermocouples to work well, and replaced them with thermistors, which have been fine. So my question is: what is required to get thermocouples to give reliable, consistent, accurate readings? Are they just incredibly touchy? Some things I tried include: * Of course, one must add circuitry (typically a thermocouple amplifier board such as <http://wiki.ultimaker.com/Thermocouple_Sensor_Board_v1>), to convert the tiny voltage differences to larger differences usable with Arduino or similar analog inputs. * Place those boards close to the thermocouples, but far enough that they are at pretty stable temperature themselves. * Have absolutely no wire extensions of splices, changes of wire types (material), etc. * Avoid doing repeated measurements too fast. * I replaced a thermocouple board with 5V through a potentiometer to the analog input pin, to rule out problems in the Arduino, pin configurations, or software, and got stable readings. * I checked for shorts-to-ground from the heater block, both sides of the thermocouples, the heater itself, etc. None found. * The thermocouple wires are surrounded by a braided shield (not common or shorted to either thermocouple wire); I tried grounding that at either end and at both ends, to the heat block, the printer frame, the power-supply ground, and the RAMPS board ground. These had various effects (sometimes large), but I couldn't find any configuration that made the readings stable (much less accurate!). Anything I'm missing? Thanks! Steve<issue_comment>username_1: It sound like you just have a defective thermocouple. But, I just did a google search for "Why are thermocouples inaccurate" and found [this article](http://www.temprel.com/support/troubleshoot-thermocouple.aspx) on identifying bad thermocouples and preventative maintenance. I never thought of a lot of the tips in the article, but I haven't had such drastic temperature errors either. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Thermocouples work by passively generating VERY small voltages via the Seebeck effect -- usually a few tens of millivolts. They're literally just a pair of wires made from two different special alloys, electrically connected together at the "hot" end. That wire junction can be mounted inside whatever kind of attachment tip or lug is desired. The fact that they're very simple and passive devices makes them extremely precise and consistent between TCs of the same type, MUCH more so than thermistors. Any type-K thermocouple in the world will give you the same accurate output +/-1-2C or so. You can even cut a thermocouple in half, re-twist the ends of the wires together, and it'll still work! However, the very small (millivolts) signal they generate is quite susceptible to electrical noise and circuit design. The signal voltage has to be greatly amplified to be useful. So it doesn't take much EMR from your heater or stepper wires to interfere with the TC reading. A frequent problem with TC circuits in 3d printers is the dreaded GROUND LOOP -- if the "hot" tip is electrically connected to the hot block, voltage and current on the heater and motor wires can induce small currents through the TC wires that totally screw up the millivolt signal. The amplifier picks up these stray voltages and it throws off the temp read. So, there are some important guidelines for keeping noise out of the TC wires: * The TC wires must be electrically insulated from the mounting hardware (eye lug, thermowell, whatever your extruder has). You can check this with a multimeter -- you want infinite / out of range resistance from the TC leads to the mounting tip and hot block. While you're at it, make sure your heater cartridge wires aren't shorting to the hot block -- that's unsafe and can also cause problems with TCs. * Keep the two TC wires close together, and not immediately parallel to noise sources like PWM-controlled heaters or stepper wiring. If you must run the TC in a bundle with the other wires, TWIST the heater/stepper wiring pairs. (For steppers, twist each coil pair to a different pitch if possible. You don't need to twist the separate coil pairs to each other.) Another common issue with TC circuits is the COLD JUNCTION COMPENSATION. A thermocouple doesn't measure tip temperature, it measures the DIFFERENCE in temperature between the hot tip and the cold junction where the TC is connected to either the amp or copper wiring. The TC amp has an onboard thermistor that it uses to add the temp at the cold junction to the measured signal from the thermocouple. There are a few things you need to do to make sure the cold-junction compensation works properly: * You should run TC wire all the way from the "hot" tip to the TC amp. You CAN splice it and install plugs, but only with more type-K TC wire and proper type-K thermocouple plugs. These use the same metal as the TC wire so they don't generate undesired junction voltages that interfere with the TC signal. If you splice copper wire between the TC and the amp, any temp differences along the copper will not be measured! This is a particularly big problem if you splice to copper inside a warm enclosure and then run copper to an amp outside the enclosure. * The amp should not be super hot. The onboard thermistor is designed to accurately measure temperatures reasonably close to room temp, not hot-block temps. * There should not be large temperature gradients near the amp or between the TC wire termination and the actual amp chip. Place the amp far enough away from the hot end and other heat sources (like stepper motors) that it isn't experiencing weird temp profiles. If you do the above, the TC will output a good signal, and the amp will read it properly. But there's one more hitch. The mainboard has to know how to understand the amp's output. 3D printer control boards that are designed exclusively for TCs, like Mightyboards, usually use digital communication between the amp and the main control chip (MCU). This is high-reliability and does not require any special firmware configuration -- support is baked in. But if you're strapping an external TC amp onto a board that is expecting thermistors, **you will have to tell the firmware how to read the signal from the amp.** The most common technique is for the amp to output a linear voltage signal to the MCU's normal thermistor input (ADC). Then you configure the firmware to use the appropriate "thermistor table" (really a voltage lookup table) for that particular amp. Depending on your controller board, you also may need to make sure the regular thermistor pull-up/pull-down resistors aren't affecting the amp's output. So you need to make sure: * You don't have electrical noise issues * The cold-junction compensation is working as intended * The firmware and controller board is configured correctly for your amp chip's output If you do all that, a TC should give superior accuracy and reliability over a thermistor. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: I'm considering buying [this package](http://reprapworld.com/?products_details&products_id/783/cPath/1680), the Kossel, as my first 3D printer. It's not the cheapest model, but apparently a high resolution and stable, which is what I'm after. The question is, what is the life expectancy of this printer, given the component list? Assuming the printer is constructed properly and properly taken care of, but used once or twice a week for several hours. Is it possible to make an estimate of how many years this particular printer could be used before it starts showing signs of wear? **Parts list:** 1x Complete set of platics for Kossel Mini (PLA) 1x Kossel mini Extrusion set 1x traxxas (set of 12) 1x Carbon Tube (kossel printing arms) Set of 6 3x Square slider (40cm) 1x Megatronics v3.0 - Kossel kit 1x Heated Bed glass round 17cm diameter (Borosilicate) 1x Kapton heater mat round 16cm diameter 1x Power supply 12V (240/115V / 20A MAX) 3x Aluminum Pulley GT2 5x Timing belt 1m x 6mm (GT2) 1x E3D v6 - HotEnd Full Kit - 1.75mm 1x Hobbed bolt v1.1 1x Brass drive gear (Wade's compatible) 6x Bearing 623ZZ 125x (1 pcs) Screw M3X8 Philips 125x (1 pcs) Washer M3 normal 125x (1 pcs) Nut M3 normal 6x (1 pcs) Screw M3X16 Philips 12x (1 pcs) Screw M3X25 Philips 6x (1 pcs) Screw M3X20 Philips 10x PTFE tubing, 2inner/4outer diameter (10cm) 1x Bowden setup - J head comp. plug set (1.75mm) 1x E3D v6 - Threaded Bowden Coupling - 1.75mm 2x (1 pcs) Screw M3X40 Philips 6x (1 pcs) Screw M2X16 Philips 1x Power cable 1.8m 6x M4 Threaded rod - Custom length<issue_comment>username_1: Much like your car, the number of miles, or the number of prints that you can get out of it is entirely up to how well **you** can maintain it. A 3D Printer is a machine, and a machine needs general maintenance; if you see something starting to break - or get worn out - or anything abnormal, fix it. I am sure that if you had something like a MakerBot, it would require less maintenance then a fully home built machine, but if you are building it from scratch, I am sure you don't mind. I am still rocking a 3 year old home built MendalMax, and have both made some improvements, and had to make some repairs along the way - but it is still in damn good condition. For a $600 investment, I can say you will get a few years out of it if you take proper care of it. By the time the end of its life comes (5+ years), I am sure there will be much better printers available for cheaper, and you will never look back :) * Tighten all your nuts and bolts * Keep it calibrated * Keep belts properly tensioned * Oil X, Y, and Z rods * Clean of any dust and scrap plastic (compressed air can?) * Clean hobbed bolt * Clean extruder * Ensure all electronic connections are secure * Check wires at points of movement for wear !remindme 5years Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I have built a Kossel too. Got lots of tips from the Google Deltaprinter group. Most important when using the Traxxas rod ends is to have the metal parts go into the freezer and the plastic parts in warm water(not boiling, just 60 degrees celsius or so). Then put the 2 together, due to the fact the metal crimps just a little and the hot water softens the plastic a bit, they will fit easy and will be stiff longer. These mounts tend to wear out causing play in the effector. I have printed 100's of hours on my Kossel mini with traxxas rods and still moves very nice and prints accurately. Upvotes: 1

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: 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?<issue_comment>username_1: I believe casting typically uses a wax for the positive when using casting sand. So, I would suggest using [wax filament](http://www.machinablewax.com/product.php?product=52) 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). Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: 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 Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: 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? Upvotes: 2

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: How do I determine how much an individual print costs? I'd like an answer including support material, failed prints, and (ideally) wear and tear / printer maintenance costs. To clarify, I'm not asking how to *predict* the cost before printing, but rather how to calculate the actual cost after printing. Though predicting the cost beforehand is useful as well.<issue_comment>username_1: For [FDM](http://3dprintingfromscratch.com/common/types-of-3d-printers-or-3d-printing-technologies-overview/#fdm) printing: Both Cura and Makerbot Desktop (and perhaps others I'm not as familiar with) will give you a preview of both the length and weight of your print, including supports/rafts. Once the print is done you can weigh it on a kitchen scale. PLA Filament currently runs about \$23/kg on Amazon, which works out to \$0.023/g. Multiplication can then give you a good estimate of materials costs for a print. Only experience with your specific printer will give you an idea of how often you're going to hit a failed print, and how often you're going to need to replace parts. For wear and tear you could try using a depreciation model of 2-3 years, but that's only an estimate. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: There are many factors that make up the cost of a print. * Filament base cost-calculate the cost per gram \* number of grams used * Power used by the printer-power cost \* time * Setup time for the printer-hourly cost \* time * Print time (as you could be printing other objects) * Print area - you can run multiple prints at once * Chance of print failure - (1+ %of failure) \* cost of materials and time * cost of printer (divided over expected prints * printer maintenance * profit margin Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I recently faced the problem of calculating the cost of my printed 3D models. I wanted to know what their real value had to be counted in Excel. It was really inconvenient. Then I found a program for counting, it turned out really great, even takes into account the electricity. This is not an advertisement just throwing, maybe someone also encountered such a problem. <https://codecanyon.net/item/mcc-3d-model-cost-calculation-for-3d-printer/24033425> I was interested in the question who solved the given problem in what ways? Upvotes: 0

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: I would like to make custom cake molds. I've asked about this in a few stores that specialize in cooking equipment, they said this wasn't possible. I wonder if 3D printing makes it possible. It would require a material that is food-safe, as per [Which are the food-safe materials and how do I recognize them?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/147/which-are-the-food-safe-materials-and-how-do-i-recognize-them) However, there are two extra conditions: * The material must be able to withstand the heat of an oven or microwave, and not mix with the dough. * It should not be too difficult to remove the cake from the mold after it is ready. The first condition is where this question is a little different from [Can you use PLA material with food and drinks?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/181/can-you-use-pla-material-with-food-and-drinks) - that question is about cutlery and glasses, not about things that go into the oven or microwave. Is there a material that can be used for this purpose?<issue_comment>username_1: For [FDM](http://3dprintingfromscratch.com/common/types-of-3d-printers-or-3d-printing-technologies-overview/#fdm) printing: Both Cura and Makerbot Desktop (and perhaps others I'm not as familiar with) will give you a preview of both the length and weight of your print, including supports/rafts. Once the print is done you can weigh it on a kitchen scale. PLA Filament currently runs about \$23/kg on Amazon, which works out to \$0.023/g. Multiplication can then give you a good estimate of materials costs for a print. Only experience with your specific printer will give you an idea of how often you're going to hit a failed print, and how often you're going to need to replace parts. For wear and tear you could try using a depreciation model of 2-3 years, but that's only an estimate. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: There are many factors that make up the cost of a print. * Filament base cost-calculate the cost per gram \* number of grams used * Power used by the printer-power cost \* time * Setup time for the printer-hourly cost \* time * Print time (as you could be printing other objects) * Print area - you can run multiple prints at once * Chance of print failure - (1+ %of failure) \* cost of materials and time * cost of printer (divided over expected prints * printer maintenance * profit margin Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I recently faced the problem of calculating the cost of my printed 3D models. I wanted to know what their real value had to be counted in Excel. It was really inconvenient. Then I found a program for counting, it turned out really great, even takes into account the electricity. This is not an advertisement just throwing, maybe someone also encountered such a problem. <https://codecanyon.net/item/mcc-3d-model-cost-calculation-for-3d-printer/24033425> I was interested in the question who solved the given problem in what ways? Upvotes: 0

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: When the print head changes direction, the printer must accelerate and decelerate the print head. When calibrated correctly, the printer is able to do this quickly and without causing the printer to shake too much, without drastically slowing down the print process. If I set it too high, my printer shakes violently, especially during infill. If I set it too low, print times are doubled or tripled. What process can I follow to determine (or how can I calculate) the fastest acceleration value my printer can use without causing problems in my print? I'd prefer a process I can follow over a formula I can plug values into, especially if the formula includes magic numbers.<issue_comment>username_1: A tool that you might find useful for experimenting with acceleration is [RepRap Centrals Acceleration Calculator](http://prusaprinters.org/calculator/) (at the bottom). By setting an *acceleration*, *length of travel* and *target speed*, you can see: 1. The theoretical speed that can be achieved during the travel with your set acceleration (yellow line). 2. The distance required to reach your target speed, and for how long it will hold that speed before slowing down (blue line). For instance, setting `acceleration = 3000, length = 30 and speed = 150` means it will travel 4 mm before reaching its desired speed of 150 mm/s, while that same acceleration theoretically could give a speed of 300 mm/s for the given distance: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/g13l3.png) **Calculating speed, acceleration and jerk:** In many cases your printer will have some limitation in maximum speed or settings given by your provider that can be used as a starting point. If not, trial and error is the most straightforward way of doing it. I would separate speed calibration into three task: 1. First find the *maximum speed* your printer can tolerate. One way of doing this is to print an object with long travel distances, and vary the maximum travel speed. 2. Using the calculator above, increase the *acceleration* for various traveling distances until you get suitably smooth acceleration curves for your desired speed for medium to long traveling distances. 3. Adjust your *jerk* setting to allow for quick speedup on short traveling distances. Jerk speed is the speed that the printer will immediately jump to before taking acceleration into account. With a jerk of 20mm/s, the printer will make an immediate jump from 0 to 20 mm/s, and thereafter speed up to the desired speed by following the acceleration profile. As a rule of thumb, it might be smart to then set the actual speed, jerk and acceleration approximately 20% below the the maximum found as a safeguard when printing. Also, bear in mind that [the strength of stepper motors lowers for higher speeds](https://www.google.no/search?q=stepper%20motor%20strength%20curve%20NEMA%2017&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=985&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi74aLL46fKAhVIdCwKHdJbDa4QsAQIGg&dpr=1#imgrc=NbUjFTxiWehyKM%3A), so that the nozzle will not hold its path very well if obstructed. If this becomes a problem, consider lowering the speed. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: As Tom pointed out, binary search is the best way. In case that term isn't familiar to all readers, here's a little more detail: 1. Establish an acceleration value that you're sure is too low (call it $L$), and one that you're sure is too high ($H$). It sounds like you know such values already from experience. 2. Figure out the speed in the middle: $(L+H)/2$. Call that $M$. 3. Try printing at speed $M$. Something like a stepped calibration cube might be a good choice of object (plenty available on Thingiverse). 4. If $M$ is still too fast, take $M$ as your new high-speed limit (that is, reset $H$ to the value of $M$), and repeat from step #2. 5. If it's slow enough to work, take $M$ as your new low-speed limit ($L$), and repeat from step #2. Each repetition will cut the range in half. Keep repeating until $L$ and $H$ get as close as you want; say, within 5 % of each other or so. I wouldn't bother trying to get super-close, because the workable value will vary somewhat over time (friction from dust getting on various parts; slight voltage differences; different mass and pulling tension for the filament roll, temperature of motors, complexity of the object you're printing, behavior of the slicing program you use, you name it). Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Most printers use between 2000 and 5000 mm/s2.... extrusion moves are usually 2000 (on average, between different printers), travel is normally seen at 3000-5000, though for most lower end or duel direct drive extruder (heavy) printers, this value should be lower (some as low as 500-1000, some as high as 2000 for travel). Heavier extruders need lower values, as well a slower jerk values, to avoid the motors skipping. The jerk setting being set lower can actually be beneficial, as this makes for smoother extrusion after a corner or a hole (some people will see ripples near these areas as it accelerates out of the direction change - lower values make these ripples smaller, but slightly increase print time). I've just modified mine with a prototype carriage design that I'm working on. It's added about 100 grams to the stock weight. It was finely tuned before, so this extra weight set it over that pillow of 20-30% in the setting, and makes the X and Y skip as it jerks around the plate; especially in high resolution models, particularly high resolution circles with 200 faces on the vertical axis, because the printer tries to jerk after each node - normally that isn't an issue, but in heavy designs, the jerk setting needs to be lowered. I had my jerk at 20 for XY, and its now at 4, after having tested and failed 8 and 15 values. The acceleration was at 2000 for both extrusion and travel (some firmwares don't allow separate values for travel and extrusion moves, but if yours does, it's best to have travel value about double the print moves - when your travel is twice the speed of extrusion moves - so use that 1-1 formula in relation to speed, scale it for each desired speed set in the slicer). Mine has been tested at 2000, 1500, 1000, and 800, failing all of them, with jerk setting of 5. Now testing 500 for acceleration, and beginning to get a little confused as to why this is happening. Now I'm having second thoughts... After going as low as 800 from 2000, and still getting skipping (seemingly worse) am I getting this backwards here? Do I need a higher value if the motor is skipping on quick moves? My understanding is that lower is better for those problems, but perhaps I've confused myself. Upvotes: 1

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: Using a thermoplastic MDF printer with a 0.4mm extruder nozzle, I frequently have trouble with the nozzle getting clogged. I am not sure what's causing the clog, but my guesses are dust and/or burnt filament (from leaving the hot end on without extruding). What can I do to prevent, or at least minimize, the extruder nozzle getting clogged? Bonus question: What other common causes of clogs are there? (ie what should I watch out for besides dust and leaving the hot end on?)<issue_comment>username_1: Lubricating the filament is the most common solution I've heard of to stop filament jams and clogs. Lubricating makes for a smoother ride through the print head. While you're at it, make sure that the filament is clean. The best way to stop jams from dust is to get rid of the dust in the first place. Some people recommend [canola oil](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:103729), which I've heard works reasonably well for both ABS and PLA (though especially for PLA). You can even [3D-print dust filters/lubricators](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:52203), if you think this could be a serious issue. I personally try to clean the print head regularly, after every couple prints or even after each print, if I have time. Something sharp, like tweezers, can pick off bits of filament near the tip of the nozzle. I haven't tried other utensils yet, but there are certainly other tools that would work. I've also heard of people regulating temperature with a fan, in order to prevent partially melted bits of filament clogging up the inside of the nozzle, but I don't know if that's effective. In some cases, the problem could even be as mundane as a support issue. I once set up a spool of filament, only to have a jam when the support for the spool failed, leaving the line of filament tugging at the nozzle and clogging it. Taking steps to prevent this from happening can be simply and effective. Whatever the cause, preventative measures are always my choice. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Different types of hotends and extruders can lead to different problems associated with clogging. Based on my personal experience the leading causes of clogs and jams are the following 1. Foreign material in the nozzle (dirt, dust, low quality filament) 2. Mixing materials in the hotend (running ABS at 220 then switching to PLA without purging the nozzle) 3. Excessive retraction or "heat soak" in PLA (PLA expands when heated if your retraction is set to high you can actually push the expanded PLA high enough that it cools down and can no longer flow) To solve these issues I recommend using one type of filament, preferably decent quality (typically $40 per kg), if you swap materials be sure to completely purge your nozzle of the higher temperature material. Set your retraction as low as you can trying to minimize ooze (try .4 mm for all metal hotend or 2-3 mm for makerbot style). To minimize carbonized plastic in your hotend don't leave your hotend's heater on for extended periods of time. One way to keep dust from accumulating on your filament is to cover your rolls when you aren't using them, I personally use hairnets, you can buy a 12 pack for a couple of dollars and they last for a long time. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: As general advice, regardless of your printer, extruders tend to clog if: [Some of them might not apply to every printer, but they should be as general as possible] 1. you let the filament run out mid print, most extruders have a "dead zone" between the grinding wheel and the hot end, in which if the filaments stays stuck there, your only option is to open the extruder 2. you let a filament create knots with no one present to readily fix the knots, or the grinding wheel will saw the filament, leading to (1) plus a clogged grinding wheel: more often than not the quality of a filament brand is measured by the presence or absence of knots. 3. you let the hot head stay hot without printing for too long, it will fill of melted filament leading to risk of it carbonizing inside the extruder, leading one again to (1) 4. you use flex or rubber material which have the added complexity of grinding against the common plastic guides of the filaments feeders: depending on the material used, you might decide to avoid using the guides and feeding the extruder directly 5. you print at higher qualities (e.g. 0.1 mm) leads to lower filament throughput that can become stuck if the nozzle is too wide (and the grinding wheel goes too fast) 6. you never clean (i.e. blowing will suffice) the grinding wheel: filament dust sticks there increasingly over time. 7. you let the extruder is too close to the plate: if the filament is not free to fall on plate as it should (settings-wise) it will fill the hot end back up leading to clogs 8. you print wood, brick and derivate filaments: they are highly unhealthy for the extruder since they are plastic/resin charged with wood powder. The powder tends to a) burn and b) stick to the internal walls of the extruder. If I can think of more I will add them. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: First, you don't. To reduce the likelyhood, use good plastics without contaminations. Do not over heat the plastic, causes faster carbon build up. Buy hand drills, mini drills to clear it. Don't switch materials around a lot. Low temp plastic residue will cook when you switch to high temp plastic. Again carbon. Last will come to your extruder is self. Use a hardened extruder tip, less likely to wear. All metal should help a lot too, PTEF tubes often get baked in a jam situation. Or do what I do. I use a giant 1mm nozzle. I have printed at least 20 lbs of plastic on the same nozzle. The other solutions say put oil etc.. I will just say that is not a great idea. First you will have terrible bed adhesion, second it just seems wrong. Not to mention it will be out of the extruder within one KG?. The only time its okay to use oil is if you have a bowden setup. Upvotes: 0

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: I've occasionally had issues with excess filament residue getting stuck to the print bed. [There are ways to prevent this](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/78/how-can-i-stop-my-print-bed-tape-from-sticking-to-the-filament), but sometimes even these precautions aren't enough. Over time, residue can build up. I've observed this in some printers, though not others. Are there any techniques to best clean print beds? In the past, I've used various typical cleaning supplies, with different degrees of success. However, I don't know if this will lead to damage to the printer over time. The printer I'm using has a glass print bed, which I occasionally partially cover with blue painter's tape during printing.<issue_comment>username_1: * If you are printing with ABS (or PLA), acetone will dissolve it. Simply pour some on the bed and wipe it off (beware, acetone can damage beds that have a coating or a plastic sheet over them, be sure to test this first). * Heating the bed back up may make the plastic softer and easier to remove. * If you are using tape on the bed, you could remove the tape to remove the plastic stuck to the tape. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: My usual solution for cleaning the glass bed on my printer is a glass scraper (basically just a razor blade with a handle on it): [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/03af0.jpg) Regardless of what kind of filament (abs/pla/nylon) or surface treatment (glue/painters tape/abs slurry) I've used the glass scraper always takes it right off, and with the style I posted a picture of the blade is flexible and thin enough it's also useful for peeling up the edge of prints that are stuck to the bed. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I use a razor blade scraper to get stuff off that is sticking. Priory to printing I heat and level the build plate, then wipe it down with alcohol to get any greasey fingerprints off of it. [My Scraper](http://www.thingiverse.com/make:177038) Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: When I print PLA on glass plate, I clean the glass with cold water and dishwashing liquid. Cold water! And no wipe! Cold water should take all dishwashing liquid "to the ground". Now you have glass as clean as possible. Now the filament sticks to the glass far better than when glass is not clean. But of course it doesn't fix problem of cleaning HB after print. To reduce this problem I use glue stick (paper glue). I don't know if it's common but I do like this technique. So having clean glass I spread (grease) some glue stick. It doesn't really matter if HB is cold or hot. This gives me a VERY strong adhesive force between the extruded filament and the glass. It's so strong that there is almost no way to detache it by hand. I use a paper knife. Now you still have thin layer of glue and you can print again / add another layer of glue (but not more than 2..3 times) or wash it with hot water. After few times it's good to clean it again with dishwashing liquid and cold water. This technique is amazing. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: I have a glass bed and I use plastic razor blades from Scraperite specifically black blade to clean it up. Looks like it's the best alternative to metal blade so far. Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_6: I use hair spray directly on my glass bed , then just a little bit of rubbing alcohol on a small piece of paper towel to clean it...that removes all surface materials... I don't use tape any more... Russ Upvotes: 2

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: My thermoplastic FDM printer has a heated bed and uses glass as the printing surface. Sometimes the glass will chip or break entirely when I'm removing my print. This happens most often when the print has a large area in contact with the glass. What can I do to keep this from happening?<issue_comment>username_1: Some things I've tried that have helped: Lay down a layer of masking tape. Most people who do this use blue painter's tape. The plastic should stick nicely during printing, yet release reasonably easily when you remove the print from the heated bed. Lay down a later of Kapton tape. The principle is the same as masking tape, but Kapton tape has a smooth surface and is more durable than masking tape. The down side is Kapton tape is far more expensive, and applying it correctly is a LOT more work, since you have to use water and you have to keep bubbles from getting underneath it. Put some ABS scraps into a bottle of Acetone, and allow the acetone to break down the ABS til you have a slurry. Spread this slurry as evenly as possible across the build plate, and allow the acetone to evaporate away. This leaves a thin film of ABS on the plate, and will release much better than if you print directly onto the build plate. I recommend using clear ABS if you can, since some of it will stick to your print and clear will be the least visible. You'll need to re-apply it regularly, since it will come off with your print where it touches the build plate. **WARNING**: Use proper ventilation and avoid contact with acetone. That stuff's not good for you. Also it's flammable, so keep a fire extinguisher nearby. I prefer the ABS/acetone slurry method, but it requires good ventilation and a handy fire extinguisher. Also note that you don't have to print in ABS to use an ABS/acetone slurry; I print primarily in PLA and it makes no difference. I've also heard of others using a glue stick or some other surface treatments that allow for good adhesion during printing while still allowing for easy removal. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: You can try using a raft with a bottom that is not 100% solid. Something with lines or crossing lines will lessen the contact area with the bed making it easier to remove. Note: reducing the adhesion to the bed will make prints more likely to fail. Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: I use the glue stick method. I like to take my build plate out and put it in the freezer. The different coefficients of thermal expansion between the glass and plastic usually means that the part just pops off in the freezer. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Richrap had a [detailed blog post](http://richrap.blogspot.de/2016/02/glass-3d-print-build-surfaces-are-not.html) on this issue. TLDR: Glass screen protectors (for ipads or other tablets) are wells suited to protect the glass from chipping. Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: I have 2 suggestions. First, get better glass. high quality [borosilicate plate glass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borosilicate_glass) at least 3 mm thick should shrug off even scraping with a razor. Second, don't scrape it with a razor, put the whole thing in the freezer (or fridge, or in front of a fan, wherever), borosilicate is known for having a very low thermal coefficient, so the plastic is going to shrink more than the glass and should pop right off Upvotes: 0

2016/01/13

<issue_start>username_0: For a science project, I'm 3D-printing some custom pipes and tubes to regulate the flow of gas (a combination of ethyl alcohol and water vapor) through an apparatus. They need to be pretty small, as the entire experiment is designed on a small scale. I'd also like the use a little filament as possible. How thin can I make the walls of these pipes and tubes before either they collapse or gas leaks out? I know that's possibly an engineering issue, but I'd also need to take resolution into consideration. Ideally, the pipes would be about two centimeters in diameter, possibly a little larger or a little smaller in some parts. I'd most likely use ABS, but PLA is my backup in case there's some unforeseen reaction between the gas and the pipes. The printer I'm using is an FDM printer, a version of the MakerBot Replicator.<issue_comment>username_1: The thinnest wall your printer can print is determined by its nozzle size, and will be a little thicker than that nozzle size. A great challenge when dealing with thin, hollow cylinders is that the cross-section has very little surface area and it can delaminate easily, especially if the tube is long. You could try printing the tube with a very thick extrusion with, and using only a single perimeter. That would give better gas-tightness and layer adhesion than two, thinner perimeters, but it may turn out too fragile for your application. In that case, you'll need to print additional perimeters. Sticking to thicker extrusion widths would still be beneficial. At a two centimeter diameter I'd say the single perimeter has a decent chance of working if you handle them gingerly. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: The thinnest possible will be a single outline, so the best you can possibly do is slightly larger than your nozzle size. The biggest issues I see in terms of making a thin airtight tubes are: * Complex geometry: anywhere you have overhangs you may need to increase the wall thickness to ensure a sealed overlap. Bridging will need extra layers to ensure good layer adhesion and any supports will have to be removed carefully to not damage the surface. * Perimeter start/end: The joint where the perimeter starts/ends not only has to seal to the layer below but it has to seal with the now cooling start point. This could be especially problematic if all of your layers are started at the same point (which visually produces a vertical seam) because you don't have a smooth perimeter on the previous layer and any imperfections in the joint are compounded. Thoughts: * Print on end where possible: You'll get a higher quality outer perimeter if your layers are full rings instead of printing up both sides of a pipe on its side. * If you can manage a single perimeter when printing on end try using the "spiral vase" setting, which will smoothly raise the z position and print as a spiral instead of printing discrete layers. This removes any issues related to sealing the start/end of a perimeter. * If you're printing with multiple perimeters increment the wall thickness in multiples of the nozzle size to ensure the perimeters are sealed together. Having the perimeters not bound together increases the chance of leaks and reduces stiffness. * Do the pipes have to have the same thickness all along them? You can probably reduce thickness to save material for simple geometry (straight sections) if you change thickness gently. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: When printing thin cylinders vertically, * Slow print speed, to avoid rocking the model. * no shells, just one nozzle thick, so you don't need fill. Fill can easily rock the print. * Print at least 2 at a time at the smallest layer thickness you can do. This causes the hot end to have to move away from one cylinder to get to the next. This gives each cylinder layer some extra time too cool and harden before the next layer goes on. I generally print .1 or .05 for cylinders. * Your slicer may have a setting that tells it to wait between layers so the plastic has more time to cool. I think the setting is called ORBIT on mine. Consider following up with an acetone vapor bath to help seal the pores in the print. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: This is difficult to give a definitive answer, but I have some thoughts. For a vertical wall, the minimum thickness is determined by your nozzle size, typically 0.4mm. If you are able to print entirely in a vertical orientation (a pipe standing on end), you may consider using "vase mode" with no top or bottom to print. This can help simplify the CAD modeling, as you don't have to model the hollow interior and wall thickness. For a horizontal wall, in theory this could be a single layer height, about 0.1mm depending on the printer and settings. Realistically, you will probably need 2 to 4 layers to get something "solid". However, this is not likely to have good results for a hollow pipe due to performance of the printer in bridging and overhangs. A thin, round pipe laying on its side is not likely to be successfully printable. For printing in a horizontal orientation, I'd recommend a non-circular shape; the specific shape would depend on your overall design and goals. A "teardrop" or "flat teardrop shape can help with horizontal holes through parts. Also, rather than individual pipes, perhaps you could design a block with hollow passages. This could allow thicker walls, make it much stronger, reduce assembly needs, allow for extremely complex routing and internal connections, and may even allow for functional parts like valves or sensors to be installed. Finally, I would not expect an FDM-printed part to be airtight. There will most likely be some small gaps between layers and where layers start and stop. As an example, I tried making an ice mold, but almost all the water seeped through before it froze. Another poster recommended an acetone vapor bath, which should help seal any pores. This only works with ABS. Another idea might be to coat the inner surfaces of the pipes with a resin that can seal everything up. Upvotes: 1

2016/01/14

<issue_start>username_0: I often switch my print material, i.e. ABS / PLA / Wood / Flex, How can I best clean out my extruder between them to ensure I don't contaminate my next print?<issue_comment>username_1: In most cases, removing the old filament from the printer, inserting the new filament in, and running the new filament through the printer for a short period of time will clean the nozzle. The skirt of the print can also be a time during the actual print for the old filament to be flushed. Assuming the skirt is long enough, all that needs to be done is the new filament inserted and the print started. Assuming that extruding new filament does not fix the problem, there is a more serious problem such as a clogged extrusion head that needs to be fixed with other methods. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: If you feel you need to *clean* the nozzle the best approach is a *cold pull*. You can perform this procedure with many printers, however, you should seek advice from your printer manufacturer before attempting this process if you have any doubts. With the previously filament still loaded and the tool head cold: * Begin to raise the temperature of the tool to the printing temperature of *the next filament you intend to load* * As it begins to warm up perform any tasks you normally perform during filament unloading (open the idler, for example). **You should not be fighting against the extruder drive gear or any other part of the tool during this process!** * With a fair amount of pressure begin pulling on the filament * The old filament should eventually release from inside of the tool leaving the end of the filament roughly in a nice molded shape of the inside of the tool. Begin loading the next filament you intend to print and manually feed some filament through as the tool finishes heating Anything left over from the previous filament including pigment or other residue should be stuck to the end of the filament. You can perform *cold pulls* as many times as you wish by loading new filament, extruding a small amount, letting it completely cool and repeating the steps. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Some people use a nylon "cleaning" filament when switching types of filaments. It heats well to a variety of temperatures and seems to stick well to whatever is in there when pulling it back out. Be sure to heat it up to the temperature of the filament being removed to get that to bind with the nylon. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: I always find the best way is to run more filament through the nozzle. Just enough for a full colour change. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: eSun has a cleaning filament that extrudes at a wide range of temperatures. It may seem ridiculous to use filament that costs over $100 USD per kilo to purge the nozzle, but it's very convenient and in practice, you don't use much each time (it's sold in 100g packs). I'm still using some samples I received with some filament over a year ago. Cold pulls will probably be more effective though (as described in another answer), they're just more effort. I usually use cold pulls with nylon when I want to clear out my nozzle, either as part of routine maintenance or when switching to plastics that are sensitive to contamination (usually PETG or ninjaflex). I usually use the cleaning filament when I want to change from a dark to a light or clear filament, especially if the new filament is expensive. Most of the time I just feed in enough of the new filament to purge out the old, with the temperature set to the max of the two. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/14

<issue_start>username_0: After multiple jams from bulging filaments on two spools I'm getting frustrated. One, right before a job was done. Is there something I can do to prevent these bulges in filaments from ruining jobs? What can I do to prevent this from happening in the future before it's a disaster? He's a picture of one I found using google. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6UvLW.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: How to catch *and* fix these on the fly? That would be difficult.. But this is an issue you really should not have. [Could it be an issue with filament storage?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/q/84/47) Or is it coming from the manufacturer with these bulges? If so, I would try contacting ( you may have gotten a bad batch? ), or finding a new retailer if this happens often. I have gone through a lot of pounds of both ABS and PLA and never come across this. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: **Bottom line: *The easiest way to prevent this is to avoid cheap filament.*** You can get mid-grade filament for a few dollars more than the ultra cheap stuff. In other words I tried out some 10$ stuff from ebay, and while it might print for a little while it notoriously clogged in any prints greater than 1hr. 20-25$ is the going rate for mid-grade filament on amazon and check the reviews I've had good consistency there. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: There is a filament width sensor design at <http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:454584> -- cleverly, the author tweaked Marlin so it adjusts extrusion in real time to correct for variations. That said, I agree with several others that buying filament with better quality control, and keeping it dry and unchewed by Labradors, should be enough. :) Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: That's my picture :-) I use a filament monitor with an encoder wheel that pauses the print if the filament stops moving (because a bulge got stuck, or filament ran out, or the hot end jammed, or whatever). I have a bunch of these on multiple printers: <http://www.toybuilderlabs.com/products/tunell-3d-printer-filament-monitor> The Tunell monitor works with Sailfish, Marlin, and Smoothie to my knowledge. This particular one doesn't work with Repetier, but you can wire up a simple encoder wheel to use Repetier's filament monitor functionality. Like other people have mentioned, you should avoid cheap filament, and return spools with bulges. I personally only see bulges like that maybe every 20 spools or less. Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]

2016/01/14

<issue_start>username_0: I have a strange issue with my heated bed. It has been working well for a long time, but recently it has developed an issue where the temperature reported by the thermistor will occasionally jump by around 10 degrees. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/aMRF7.png) [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/7CMAV.png) My setup is a 600W, 240V silicone heater mat, with integrated 100k thermistor, that is switched with a solid state relay. The mat is fixed to a 4mm thick aluminium plate. It seems unlikely that these fluctuations are due to bad PID tuning since the reported temperature changes much more quickly than is physically possible. I've checked the wiring, tried using a different thermistor port and making sure the connector was properly plugged in, but to no avail. The fluctuations are brief enough that they don't cause any problems when printing, but I'm worried about the issue getting worse. I have a RAMBo board 1.1b, and I've tried using both the integrated 5V SMPS supply and an external USB supply. The issue is not limited to the start of printing, the temperature reported can be stable for a long time before the issue pops up. The issue also occurs during cooldown (further confirming that PID has nothing to do with it): [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ilKXA.png) In fact, the issue seems slightly more common during heat up and cool down, but is not limited to these times. I would like to know what might be causing this issue, and if there's a way to solve it without replacing the thermistor (which would be a pain, since it's integrated into the heater mat).<issue_comment>username_1: It really looks like either a bad thermistor or bad electrical joints. Are the connections to the thermistor itself crimped, or soldered? Are there connectors near the thermistor that can get heated up by the bed? Electrical connections that are mechanical in nature (such as crimped, or using a connector) can degrade quickly in heated situations, particularly when the heating is intermittent. Consider replacing crimped connections with soldered joints where possible, and where not possible use gold plated connectors and crimps to avoid oxidation issues. Oxidation and poor mechanical connections will change resistance based on movement, giving you apparent increases or decreases in sensor readings even when the sensor output is unchanged. Chances are good that the thermistor itself is fine, but that the connection nearest the thermistor, between the wires and the thermistor, is faulty. If it's crimped, you may be able to simply add flux, then solder it to increase the bonding between the wires and the thermistor and decrease future issues with oxidation. Note that soldering is really only useful for the thermistor on the bed. The head thermistor must be crimped, as the head temperatures can exceed solder temperatures depending on the target temperature and the solder alloy. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: It sounds like EM interference to me, though Adam's points about connections are also a good bet. I would try re-routing the thermistor wires far away from other wires. If that helps, then either leave them re-routed, or shield them. In any case, please let us know what you find. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: From the decay curve of the temperature graph, it appears that the firmware is filtering the temperature signal. Since it jumps up so quickly, I suspect that the thermister is indicating a much higher than 10-degree temperature change, but after filtering the result is a ten-degree change. If the problem were a bad connection to the typical thermistor, the temperature would appear to be much lower, not much higher. An electrical fault that would cause a typical negative temperature coefficient thermistor to indicate an intermittent high temperature could be a short circuit or some other condition that could cause 0 voltage across the thermister. Your circuitry may be different, but I would suggest that several circuits I've seen on 3D printers to sense temperature have one side of the thermistor connected to ground, with the other side connected both to a pull-up resistor to Vcc (+5 or +3.3 depending on the electronics) and to an analog input which samples (measures) the voltage. If the powered thermistor line shorts to ground anywhere, it will show 0 volts. If the pull-up resistor is disconnected from the power source, it will show 0 volts. If either thermistor line has extra connection resistance or has a bad connection, the voltage will be closer to Vcc than it should be. You could check this possibility by connecting a voltmeter or oscilloscope to the non-grounded thermister line, and then monitoring the voltage. The voltage should always appear to smoothly change (limited by the thermal physics of the bed. Try moving the bed and/or head through the range. Try tapping the bed, cables, and electronics while looking for a change. Any sudden change indicated a connection problem. The voltage going up indicates an open circuit to the thermistor. The voltage going down indicates a short. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: So it seems it's neither the PID, nor the outside wiring. It also seems unreasonable that these temperature jumps reflect reality (too quick both up and down). You say that you have a heater mat with: > > with integrated 100k thermistor > > > This seems to be a thing you haven't checked out, if it's broken / got its wires pulled out a bit, it could explain these jumps in temperature. Try using another thermistor, at least to see if those temperature jumps occurs with it or not. HTH Upvotes: 2

2016/01/14

<issue_start>username_0: 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: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/LcLSm.png) 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)?<issue_comment>username_1: 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. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: 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...) Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: > > 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. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/xqHJl.png) Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: I believe the post by @username_2, 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](http://www.desiquintans.com/coolingtests), 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*. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: 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 Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: 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](https://github.com/limited660/E1x/blob/master/STL%20Files/X_Axis_Idler_Block_-_1x.stl) where the smooth rods enter horizontal holes. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ByUUM.jpg) Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_7: 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 username_6'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. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/14

<issue_start>username_0: I'm thinking of recycling some filament from a couple of recently failed prints. I can reuse them in the future for basic prototypes, so I'm not concerned with whatever weird mixture of colors come out (they are of a few different colors). The thing is, I have both PLA and ABS, in small quantities. I originally intended to simply use each one separately, but it occurred to me that they could be mixed. If I recycle PLA and ABS together into one strand of filament, will there be any negative side effects (e.g. reduced strength)?<issue_comment>username_1: This is not a good idea. Both filaments have different melting points, that of ABS being much higher than that of PLA. To melt the ABS you have to heat the plastic to the point where the PLA starts to degrade. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Simply put, PLA and ABS should not be mixed into a filament. The most common issues most printers experience, such as delayering, warping, etc., are addressed completely differently based on the material you are working with. There are many examples of this, and I will attempt to go over some of the basic ones. You will have extreme difficulty getting proper layer adhesion. Assuming you have a level, flat, semi-coarse (helps) surface for the first layer, the recommended heated bed temperature is 70C for PLA. With ABS, you will experience warping by the 5th layer at that temperature. ABS prefers 110C for a heated bed, and 80C for a heated chamber (personal experience for most reliable results). Next issue is going to be delayering and stringing. There is no happy medium! Matter of fact, the number of issues even attempting this is almost too many to list. The quality will be complete garbage. On one hand you will have delayering, warping, and jamming of the ABS when set to PLA specs, and stringing, leaking, etc., when set to ABS specs. I hope this helps. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Mix 'em, let us know how you go. You're unlikely to damage your printer, and you're only 'wasting' scrap. I suspect that if you mix in small quantities of ABS (30% or less) you'll end up with a PLA mix similar to a 'wood' or 'metal' PLA filament. To that end, recommend trying to print with PLA settings first, and going from there. Make sure you let us know how you go, it'll be real interesting to see the results! Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: yes but you would have to experiment with the settings to see were it afectivly melts. Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_5: First, I print ABS and PLA models. I have accidentally printed PLA at ABS settings with absolutely no strange effects (being printed at 100 °C heat bed and 225-240 °C extruder temperature). If the mixture is truly homogenized together, I do not see a problem in mixing the two materials, however, the cost of a recycler and winder are still cost prohibitive. Like the above poster said, experimenting would be necessary to get the settings right. Technically, it should work . Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_6: CNC Kitchen tested PLA up to 265 °C or 270 °C in a couple of videos, for example The plastic (it may depend on the brand) holds just fine up to 250 °C, but (from personal experience) bridges become really difficult to tune. Strength is very good. ABS can be printed properly starting from 235 °C (depending on the brand). At 235 °C layer adhesion may be suboptimal, but you are mixing it, so it's not obvious that the result will be poor. So, to summarise you have a common range 235-250 °C where you can print both plastics properly when pure, so it is reasonable to think that by mixing them you will have at least the same temperature range (the bottom may even be extended a bit, as it happens with PC-ABS which prints properly colder than pure PC). So I would say that it is a worth test with likely positive results. In fact, ABS-PLA blends exist and are very good blends for industrial use as the [Terrafilum](https://www.terrafilum.com/products/composite/) site states: > > ABS\_PLA\_Blend > > > Strong PLA Industrial Grade PLA with superior flow and > strength performance; designed for parts where PLA is desired but > where the parts will be subjected to repeated use; ideal for parts > that may need bend slightly without breaking during use. > > > Upvotes: 1

2016/01/14

<issue_start>username_0: I am operating a laser sintering machine, using polyamide 2200 powder (with a grain size of approximately 50 micrometers). During a print, a lot of powder goes unsintered and can theoretically be reused. However, using purely recycled powder degrades print quality to an unacceptable level. Mixing a little used powder into a larger amount of fresh powder seems to work well though. What is the greatest ratio of used to fresh powder that still gives good results, and is there anything I can do (pre- postprocessing) to allow more powder to be reused?<issue_comment>username_1: You'll find generally that mixing 40% new polyamide with 60% recycled polyamide will result in a reasonable finish and part. You will obviously want to use all new for parts requiring the best possible finish and mechanical properties, but this mixture will be very difficult to tell apart from a fully new mixture part: <http://www.paramountind.com/pdfs/eos_pa2200_mds.pdf> This is more detailed research showing how used powder changes and how that affects print quality here: <http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/13552540910960299> Searching for the research paper title may find a free source, but the linked resource does require a subscription or payment to that service. Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I currently use the 60/40 recycling mix ratio and find that it works very well. I do however wonder if there is an even more effective ratio in order to recycle used powder. I currently discard all "cake" powder (powder remaining in the build piston) and am only "recycling" the push off powder. I found this paper but it's unclear if they are reusing just the push off or both push off and cake. Any further opinions/ideas would be greatly appreciated. <http://www.internationaljournalssrg.org/IJME/2015/Volume2-Issue7/IJME-V2I7P106.pdf> Upvotes: 2

2016/01/15

<issue_start>username_0: Usually it will either will rip the tape, or break the print somehow. Currently using ABS on a taped glass bed with a layer of hairspray for adhesion.<issue_comment>username_1: I moved to a plain glass heated bed with a brush applied acetone and ABS mixture. Using an old emptied nail polish bottle with brush, I added some acetone and then threw in ABS pieces until it reached a brush-able consistency. I then brush it on the glass build plate where I believe the print will occur, and it works very well. On removal of the part the coating comes with it. I just found previously that ABS would adhere to my kapton taped heated bed too strongly to use, and so while this involves a little work before each print, it's overall better than kapton for me. I did experiment with sheet metal beds coated with kapton, but they curl during printing due to the ABS thermal stress, allowing my parts to be concave on the bottom side. Easy to remove from the plate, though, since it flexed. There may be a good middle ground material but I didn't experiment further. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I have had best results with ABS on a heated printbed (untaped) with a thin coat of UHU Stic. It can be a little tricky to remove but minimizes damage. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Glass has a very peculiar effect under heating, that can be used to remove extremely delicate parts from the surface of it: Glass expands and shrinks differently to the ABS under temperature. Letting the glass bed cool down has it shrink, creating tension on the interface layer which can be exploited with a thin scraper. Putting the bed with the print into the fridge increases the tension to a point at which the bonding breaks. This results in the part popping free in several areas (sometimes everywhere) and easing the removal. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/15

<issue_start>username_0: Let's say I print a part out of ABS and wait for it to cool. I could theoretically do this with several copies of the same printer, modified to use print beds of different compositions. Will the material a bed is made out of affect how long it takes a part to cool?<issue_comment>username_1: Assuming you are meaning the build plate and not confusing it with a printed raft, yes, different materials for the build plate will have different cooling rates. I don't know the values of hand, but a Google search can get you to a formula to calculate how long a certain size build plate of a given material type should roughly take to cool. (I'm using the mobile app right now, so I'll have to get back to this answer later to give links and more details) Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: **What bed material cools faster?** I found an [extensive list](http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/thermal-conductivity-d_429.html) which relates various materials to their *thermal conductivity*, k [W/mK]; the lower thermal conductivity, the better the material insulates, and the slower the print bed will resist changes in temperature - both heating up, and cooling down. Here are the thermal conductivity for some common materials for 3d printer beds: ``` Aluminum 205 Glass 1.05 Acrylic 0.2 Air 0.024 (for reference) ``` There is also the matter of thermal capacity, but I will not go into that right now (need to do some research myself first!). **Will bed material affect cooling time?** Bed material, I believe, is not necessarily related to print cooldown time: it depends on the situation, such as whether we are discussing cooldown during or after printing, and if the bed is heated or not. 1. If you are *not* using a heated bed, I believe the bed material doesn't matter at all. 2. With a heated bed *while printing*, only the first dozen layers or so are probably affected by the rising heat sufficiently that it affects the printing process. 3. With a heated bed *after printing*, the thermal characteristics of the bed will determine how quickly the print cools (and thus can be removed). Also remember that other physical properties, such as flatness (both cold and during heating) of the bed material is vital for successful prints, and that not all materials can tolerate heating equally well! Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]

2016/01/15

<issue_start>username_0: Why do we have two standard filament sizes, 1.75 mm and 3 mm? Does it really make a difference when printing? Or is the 1.75 mm just for smaller printers? In what situations should I be using 1.75 mm? When should I be using 3 mm?<issue_comment>username_1: There's no appreciable difference. Just use the filament that fits your particular printer. If you don't yet have a printer, then I'd get one that uses 1.75 mm filament: * 1.75 mm is increasingly becoming the "standard", thus being easier to get. Some filaments are not available as 3 mm. * 1.75 mm filament allows for finer control, because feeding in 1 mm of filament corresponds to less plastic extruded. * 1.75 mm filament requires less force to extrude. Compressing 1.75 mm down to 0.3 mm takes less force than doing the same to 3 mm filament. However, the advantages are fairly minor. I don't see any reason to replace a functioning 3 mm extruder with a 1.75 mm one (yet). Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: There are a few factors to consider those two: **3 mm** * More rigid - easier to print with flexible plastics. I couldn't make my 1.75 mm printer print with NinjaFlex using standard Bowden extruder. * Can extrude faster * Quality is less affected by changes in diameter - it is a concern mostly when using cheap plastics **1.75 mm** * More popular, easier to buy * Needs smaller extruder than 3 mm * Easier to use with Bowden tube * More precise when printing Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: I think (as do a lot of others) that the differences are rather minor. So just my 2 things I know from experience. We've been using 3 mm for some years and now we are moving towards 1.75. 1.75 mm filament is very easy to entangle, especially, if it is not on spool. You can even easily create knots on the filament and it is very hard to untangle. As long as you keep it on spool and always buy on spool, you should be fine. 3 mm filament on the other hand, creates very high tension when the spool is about to end. Sometimes the last couple of meters are unusable because of this and you have to throw the rest of the spool away. Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: I generally agree with the points in username_2's and username_1's answers, but I would add a bit more detail. Generally, the differences are minimal, however: * Generally speaking, a 1.75 mm filament will make it easier to use a smaller nozzle diameter (<0.4 mm), allowing for more precise prints in some cases. * 1.75 mm filament will give you better flexibility with flow rates as it has a higher surface to volume ratio, allowing for faster melting in the nozzle, and allowing you to push your printer to higher volume extrusion rates. * The converse of the above points is also usually true. "3 mm" filament (which is usually actually 2.85 mm) will allow for better control and higher extrusion rates on wider nozzle diameters. * 1.75 mm filament is indeed more popular than 2.85 mm, however the smaller diameter means that manufacturing tolerances really need to be tighter along the length of the filament—a ±0.1 mm difference in width along the length of your filament is only ±3.5 % for 2.85 mm and more like ±6.7 % for 1.75 mm, so you're going to have a bigger difference in actual flow rates compared to your expected flow rate set in your slicer, resulting in lower-than-expected print quality. That means you're probably going to want to spring for more expensive, higher quality 1.75 mm filament in order to get good prints. * Your printer's hardware setup matters, too: Bowden-based printers, like the Ultimaker 2, generally have more luck with the thicker filament because thinner stuff will usually compress more in the Bowden tube and create a stronger spring effect, causing extra pressure in the nozzle. This will often cause blobbing, stringing, and over-extrusion and hamper the positive effect of your retractions. Ultimately, you can tune your printer and slicer settings to create or negate most any of the differences in print quality caused by filament diameter, but you may have an easier time with certain prints and printers with one diameter over the other. Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: I agree with all the answers above but only would like to add if you want to build a very large printer using 0.8 mm or 1.2 mm nozzle, i would advice to go 3 mm. 1.75 mm filament then just can't be fed in fast enough. Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_6: One thing I haven't seen anyone mention yet is the issue of the size vis-a-vis time of the final print. 3 mm filament allows the printer to spit out a ***lot*** of plastic at once, letting you build must taller prints much faster. Larger filament can also provide a much wider base for the next layer to rest on; smaller filament needs to print multiple times side-by-side to get the same width. Of course the fineness of the layers will suffer, but you can go about twice as high in one pass compared to when you use the smaller filament. On the flip side, the smaller filament will more easily print extremely fine layers than the bigger filament. So it's a trade off. Consider the printers building items feet or tens of feet in height. They use "filaments" that are measured in centimeters or decimeter a instead of millimeters. Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_7: As I read the history, 3 mm filament was an accident of the supply chain when 3D filament printers were first being developed by hobbyists. There was a product called a "plastic welder" which consisted of a melting device and a source of filler material. This filler was 3 mm plastic. As the techniques and equipment developed, the market for filament grew to a size where it could support companies producing filament specifically for 3D printing. The benefits of 1.75 mm filament over 3 mm were, IMO, huge -- especially the easier melting and lower force needed by the extruder. Except for special purposes like pushing soft plastics through Bowden tubes, it seems from the marketplace that 1.75 mm filament as completely overtaken 3 mm filament. A possible second-order disadvantage of 1.75 mm filament can be water absorption. The surface-to-volume ratio is higher -- there is more surface per unit of the filament through which water vapor can be absorbed. It is important to keep filament dry, and sometimes necessary with both 3 mm and 1.75 mm to dry the filament in an oven before use. Upvotes: 3

2016/01/15

<issue_start>username_0: As an extension from [this](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/264/when-to-use-1-75mm-vs-3mm-filament) question, is there any reason that you would not be able to use 1.75 mm filament in a printer that takes 3mm filament? I know you would have to change the filament size in the slicing of prints but would there be any other problems? Also, would using 1.75 mm filament be possible if the nozzle diameter was greater than 1.75 mm but less than 3 mm?<issue_comment>username_1: 1. It may work for a short time but you're going to fill the melt chamber quickly and possibly overflow to a point where the filament isn't constrained causing a messy jam. All the molten plastic will likely flow backwards to a point where the diameter isn't 3mm any longer (probably next to your drive gear) but depending on the length it may just flow up, cool down and jam the extruder. 2. No, the filament would just pass through unheated and not do anything. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Typically an extruder and hot end are designed for one or the other, and cannot support the other without mechanical changes. The extruder may not be able to grip a smaller diameter filament with enough force to assure even feeding and retraction. The hot end, however, is much more complex. The filament has to be pushed with force into the melting zone, which means the filament has to slide along an area inside the hot end where the filament is plastic but still put pressure on the filament ahead of it. When you put filament into a hot end, the filament softens before the melt zone, but since the walls of the hot end are just barely larger than the filament it has no choice but to continue pressing down on the liquid filament below. With a narrower diameter filament, though, the filament can heat, soften, then travel *backwards* along the sides of the hot end and cool in place, jamming the hot end, or at least preventing an even continuous flow of plastic. Some hot ends will accept a small Teflon tube that takes this space up and allows you to do this with fewer issues, and if you like to tinker you can experiment with this, but be prepared to learn a lot and fail a lot as you find out the hard lessons of hot end design. Generally you should upgrade your entire extruder and hot end setup to the size you want to use. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]

2016/01/15

<issue_start>username_0: I've been printing for a week now on my new printer and have been getting great results, including great adhesion. However, most of my prints have had a fairly small footprint. Now, I'm stepping up the types of items I'm printing, and I've started to run into a problem. Long, thin parts are starting to lift off the bed, especially at the edges of the bed. I've read [the question dealing with this issue with ABS](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/61/why-do-the-corners-of-my-abs-object-lift-off-the-bed) and realize some (most) could apply to me. However, I'm printing entirely in PLA on a non-heated bed. My question is: What is the best way to go about troubleshooting this problem? In which order should I attempt fixes to narrow down the problem most quickly? Printer: Monoprice Maker Architect 3D (Very similar to Makerbot) Material: PLA Heated Bed: No Bed Material: Something similar to BuildTak on top of an acrylic bed. (The sheet of material came unlabeled with the printer and I haven't been able to track down exactly what it is.)<issue_comment>username_1: There are several things you could try without spending much but even PLA will warp on an unheated bed. I had a Legacy Kossel that I switched to an acrylic bed and had many issues with warping and prints pulling off the bed. Some cheap things to try would be... 1. Adding a brim to the print. 2. Blue painters tape on the acrylic, remove the other material if doing this. 3. Place cheap piece of glass/mirror on bed and use hairspray/gluestick. 4. Use hairspray/gluestick directly on acrylic. You must be careful here because first layer height is very critical to prevent damage to the acrylic from the plastic welding. A layer of hairspray or glue should prevent it but dial in your height before printing. 5. If you aren't currently using a fan, you could try sealing the sides to prevent drafts. I doubt this would change much since you are using PLA but it's an option. 6. If these are your designs, there are steps you can take to reduce warping as seen [here.](http://hackaday.com/2011/11/15/a-technique-to-avoid-warping-on-large-3d-prints/) Also many other suggestions [here.](http://www.makerbot.com/blog/2011/06/23/12-ways-to-fight-warping-and-curling) Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I use 3DLAC from Reprapworld on a heated bed. People I meet once a month during our 3D Printer meets use this stuff on non-heated beds. I suspect it is just hairspray, but for me it did miracles. Especially printing large objects that go all the way up to the edge. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Try a dilute solution of PVA glue (approx. 5:1 water:PVA) applied to the bed or the BuildTak like sheet and allowed to dry. Keep the ambient temperature as high as possible (but not so high as to soften any plastic on the printer obviously). Big brims help - consider adding them to the model rather than just applying them in the slicer. I've used 12 mm by 0.5 mm deep circles to good effect, particularly on acutely angled parts of the model or the extremities. Upvotes: 0

2016/01/16

<issue_start>username_0: With [fdm](/questions/tagged/fdm "show questions tagged 'fdm'") printers, the 3D object that should be printed can be positioned anywhere in the build volume. But it's only practical to place it on the bottom, because otherwise support material would be necessary. stereolithography has the same problem. Even though the photopolymer can be cured at any position in the build volume, the result would drift away if it was not held in place by support material. The powderbed based printers (either powder+binder or any of the laser/electron beam sintering/melting variants) do not have this problem, because they continuously fill the entire build volume with powder. The support material that other printing technologies require is part of the powder based printing anyway. It would be possible to pack the build volume with many prints and print them in one go. Given that the machines are relatively expensive, it would be economical to increase the throughput. A company that does use such printers heavily could wait a certain amount of time until a few print queued up that fit together in the build volume and only then start the process. Do people do this?<issue_comment>username_1: There are several things you could try without spending much but even PLA will warp on an unheated bed. I had a Legacy Kossel that I switched to an acrylic bed and had many issues with warping and prints pulling off the bed. Some cheap things to try would be... 1. Adding a brim to the print. 2. Blue painters tape on the acrylic, remove the other material if doing this. 3. Place cheap piece of glass/mirror on bed and use hairspray/gluestick. 4. Use hairspray/gluestick directly on acrylic. You must be careful here because first layer height is very critical to prevent damage to the acrylic from the plastic welding. A layer of hairspray or glue should prevent it but dial in your height before printing. 5. If you aren't currently using a fan, you could try sealing the sides to prevent drafts. I doubt this would change much since you are using PLA but it's an option. 6. If these are your designs, there are steps you can take to reduce warping as seen [here.](http://hackaday.com/2011/11/15/a-technique-to-avoid-warping-on-large-3d-prints/) Also many other suggestions [here.](http://www.makerbot.com/blog/2011/06/23/12-ways-to-fight-warping-and-curling) Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I use 3DLAC from Reprapworld on a heated bed. People I meet once a month during our 3D Printer meets use this stuff on non-heated beds. I suspect it is just hairspray, but for me it did miracles. Especially printing large objects that go all the way up to the edge. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Try a dilute solution of PVA glue (approx. 5:1 water:PVA) applied to the bed or the BuildTak like sheet and allowed to dry. Keep the ambient temperature as high as possible (but not so high as to soften any plastic on the printer obviously). Big brims help - consider adding them to the model rather than just applying them in the slicer. I've used 12 mm by 0.5 mm deep circles to good effect, particularly on acutely angled parts of the model or the extremities. Upvotes: 0

2016/01/16

<issue_start>username_0: There must be a trick to doing a good job of applying Kapton tape on a printer bed plate… We built a Bukobot and even with a great deal of care ended up with bubbles under the tape and occasional overlaps. I'd appreciate any pointers.<issue_comment>username_1: There are several things you could try without spending much but even PLA will warp on an unheated bed. I had a Legacy Kossel that I switched to an acrylic bed and had many issues with warping and prints pulling off the bed. Some cheap things to try would be... 1. Adding a brim to the print. 2. Blue painters tape on the acrylic, remove the other material if doing this. 3. Place cheap piece of glass/mirror on bed and use hairspray/gluestick. 4. Use hairspray/gluestick directly on acrylic. You must be careful here because first layer height is very critical to prevent damage to the acrylic from the plastic welding. A layer of hairspray or glue should prevent it but dial in your height before printing. 5. If you aren't currently using a fan, you could try sealing the sides to prevent drafts. I doubt this would change much since you are using PLA but it's an option. 6. If these are your designs, there are steps you can take to reduce warping as seen [here.](http://hackaday.com/2011/11/15/a-technique-to-avoid-warping-on-large-3d-prints/) Also many other suggestions [here.](http://www.makerbot.com/blog/2011/06/23/12-ways-to-fight-warping-and-curling) Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I use 3DLAC from Reprapworld on a heated bed. People I meet once a month during our 3D Printer meets use this stuff on non-heated beds. I suspect it is just hairspray, but for me it did miracles. Especially printing large objects that go all the way up to the edge. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Try a dilute solution of PVA glue (approx. 5:1 water:PVA) applied to the bed or the BuildTak like sheet and allowed to dry. Keep the ambient temperature as high as possible (but not so high as to soften any plastic on the printer obviously). Big brims help - consider adding them to the model rather than just applying them in the slicer. I've used 12 mm by 0.5 mm deep circles to good effect, particularly on acutely angled parts of the model or the extremities. Upvotes: 0

2016/01/16

<issue_start>username_0: E3D hotends use a thermistor whose legs are insulated with glass fiber sleeving and clamped down with a screw and washer: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/IAJDy.jpg) This solution enables the printing of high temperature materials, but it's a bit fragile and after reassembling the hotend a couple of times, the screw will have thoroughly mangled the thermistor's legs and sleeving. Some knockoff E3D hotends use a (horrible) solution where the thermistor is just loose in its respective hole, and kapton taped to the heater cartridge wires which holds it in place: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/xMsxq.png) This solution seems kind of ad-hoc, and I'm worried about the thermistor coming loose. One advantage is that it can be reassembled arbitrarily often, since just pulling out the heater cartridge also pulls out the thermistor without damaging it. Note that the picture shows PTFE sleeving which restricts the temperature, but you could easily use fibreglass in this situation as well. Another solution is the stud thermistor: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ER2gr.jpg) It screws into the hole that is normally used for the clamping screw. Unfortunately you're limited to around 250C because of the epoxy used in the stud. I've also found that the epoxy fails after a while (regardless of temperature) and the thermistor isn't locked in place any more (it still works, by virtue of being constrained by the heater cartridge wires as in the previous solution but that's not ideal). Are there any solutions, compatible with genuine E3D hotends, that: * are not limited in temperature by epoxy or PTFE, * can withstand being disassembled and reassembled better than the standard fiberglass sleeving, * is a bit less hokey than a kapton taping the thermistor's wires to the heater cartridge and hoping that holds it in place?<issue_comment>username_1: I like the mounting method on my Mk9 extruder: there's a small hole drilled into the heat block, parallel to the heater hole. B3 Innovations sells a thermistor packaged into a small spring. The whole assembly goes in the hole, and a setscrew (gently!) secures it. You could just as well put a bare thermistor into a spring or something similar; it's mainly to protect the thermistor from the setscrew, and from excessive bending. From your photo, it looks like the same thing would work fine for your hotend. However you mount it, adding some thermal grease can help conduction from the surroundings. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I have now purchased a hot-end block from [here](https://www.3dprinterspares.eu/heat-block-upgrade-kit-for-prusa-i3--compatiable-3d-printers-73-p.asp), that has a "cartridge style" cylindrical thermistor that fits into a drilled hole of the hot-end block, and is fixed by an additional screw. This system makes maintenance much easier, the thermistor slides in and out without force, and it has a connector to change only thermistor (or unscrew hot-end block without removing cables if your hot-end also has a connector). [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2KcU4.jpg) I highly recommend this upgrade, if you are using older-style hot-ends, because it makes maintenance much easier. Upvotes: 1

2016/01/16

<issue_start>username_0: From what I understand, when you hook up the [Switching Power Supply 12v Dc 30a 360w](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B007KG0ZYI) to the wall outlet, you have to be **very careful**; careful not to get the wires mixed up; careful not to have anyone or anything touch the leads (in fact the first proper project I intend to print out will be [a casing to fit around the switching power supply](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:31659)), or just order one from someone. Now there are three wires that go into the US wall of particular concern, and these wires come out of a standard PC cable with the female end cut off, and they hook the power supply. Like the external casing, these three wires are also insulated, and when you take the insulation off the bare wires and connect it to the power supply, you have to use Electrical connectors of some sort to connect them to the power supply's screw leads. I bought some electrical connectors just for this purpose, but I'm not entirely certain they will be good for this purpose, so I thought I'd check here first. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RTAFs.jpg) There are specifications on the back: ``` ╬──────────────────╬──────────────────────╬─────────────╬───────────╬ ╬ ╬ AWG ╬ Wire Size ╬ Stud Size ╬ ╬──────────────────╬──────────────────────╬─────────────╬───────────╬ ╬ Spade Terminals ╬ ╬──────────────────╬──────────────────────╬─────────────╬───────────╬ ╬ YF1.25-35 (red) ╬ 22-16 ╬ 0.5-1.5 ╬ 3.7 ╬ ╬──────────────────╬──────────────────────╬─────────────╬───────────╬ ╬ Ring Terminals ╬ ╬──────────────────╬──────────────────────╬─────────────╬───────────╬ ╬ YF1.25-4 (red) ╬ 22-16 ╬ .5-1.5 ╬ 4.3 ╬ ╬──────────────────╬──────────────────────╬─────────────╬───────────╬ ╬ Butt Splice ╬ ╬──────────────────╬──────────────────────╬─────────────╬───────────╬ ╬ BF-1.2SS (red) ╬ 22-16 ╬ .5-1.5 ╬ n/a ╬ ╬──────────────────╬──────────────────────╬─────────────╬───────────╬ ``` Not sure if I should use ring or spade terminals, and I don't know what wire size to use; and I don't know what wire grade is inside a standard PC power cord or even if these are safe connectors to use for this.<issue_comment>username_1: It is okay to just use bare wires in the type of screw connector found on your power supply. They're designed for it; they have a little plate under the screw that prevents the wires from being frayed by the screw. If you want neater wire termination, you should use one of the spade type ones. Pick the smallest size that fits your wires. PC power cords are generally fitted with an IEC C13 plug, and those are rated for 10A (meaning also the wires themselves will be able to carry at least that much current). This is fine for any home 3D printer which usually draws a fraction of that. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: The block on the supply will accept the bare wire [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/En7sd.jpg) you *could* use the yellow in the middle on the right, but the screw on the block essentially does its own crimp. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/16

<issue_start>username_0: [This article](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/1115.html) states that 3D printing has been accomplished in outer space, on the International Space Station. I'm curious as to how this works differently from 3D printing on Earth. Are there any extra measures that needed to be taken to ensure that the filament would be correctly extruded onto the print bed, or during other steps?<issue_comment>username_1: Most likely, the 3D-printers used on ISS does not incorporate some fundamental difference that allow them to print in zero gravity. Some people over at [3Dprint.com](http://3dprint.com/62797/3d-printing-upside-down/) raised a very similar question, and figured that when turning their 3D-printer upside down and on it's side: > > there’s not really much difference at all. It’s quite interesting to see how the orientation has little effect on the quality. > > > One of the early 3D-printer models - the [Bukito](http://bukito3d.com/) printer - demonstrated that their printer was so portable it even could print on the move, and [upside down](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePU4EEM3JEI). In other words, some consumer 3D printers already print upside down, and so they would probably print in zero gravity as well! *(That's the short story anyway. Have a look at Ryan's post, who gives a great description of the more intricate parts of space printing!)* Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: To answer your question, you have to consider how the melted filament sticks to the print bed and to other layers, and if gravity has any affect on how it sticks. The answer is that gravity does *not* have any real affect on the stick-to-itivity of the filament. Instead, the plastic bonds to the print bed surface, and then subsequent layers fuse with the previous layer. Nor does gravity have any affect on how the filament is fed or how the belts and gears move. Certain filament roll holders may not be able to be used if they do not clamp the roll down, and the printer also needs to be clamped down. But, perhaps surprisingly, there isn't really anything else that needs to be done differently to make a printer work in space. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: The first big space-specific issue is actually air quality. You can't just open a window to air out the molten-ABS smell from the ISS! FFF printers put out fumes and nanoparticles. In a space station, the same air gets recycled over and over, and the air purification systems have a specific set of contaminants that they are optimized for, as well as a design capacity for air turnover and chemical removal rates that won't be adjusted just because somebody's printing a space-ratchet today. Protecting cabin air quality is a huge design factor for any experiment that goes into space. The Made in Space printing experiments on the ISS to date were performed in one of the vacuum experiment chambers, so any unfiltered fumes (or fire flare-ups) could be vented directly to space if required. In the long run, this isn't going to work -- other experiments may need the vacuum chamber, or "production" printers may be too large to fit. So the printer needs to have its own internal air purification system. Another MAJOR design constraint is launch survival. Rocket payloads must be designed for extreme g-forces without 1) damage, or 2) significant internal shifting of mass which would affect the payload center of gravity. Total payload weight is also quite important here: lifting mass to low Earth orbit is EXPENSIVE. Surprisingly, the microgravity environment itself isn't that big of a deal. Molten plastic is highly viscous and pretty much stays where you put it long enough to solidify, as long as it's sticking to something. But two impacts do come to mind. * First, an unsecured filament spool will try to unwind itself. Gravity won't provide the contact friction we usually rely on to keep spools from bird's-nesting. (Think about it: a tightly-wound spool is literally a giant coil-spring.) * Second, heat flows are different in microgravity -- you can't rely on passive convection to cool the print or the motors. Accommodations must be made for sufficient forced airflow and heat-sinking on anything that requires cooling. And that includes the enclosure itself, since, as mentioned above, the print chamber must be sealed up tight for air quality control. Finally, reliability is critical. Amazon doesn't deliver to the ISS (yet). Even a single stripped screw may take the printer out of commission for months until a replacement part can be fit into an upcoming supply launch. Having the printer catch on fire because something shorted would be catastrophic. So, really, it's all about making a printer robust enough to make it up there, operate safely, and never break. Printing upside-down is trivial in comparison. Upvotes: 3

2016/01/18

<issue_start>username_0: Are there any techniques for getting a smooth finish for parts printed with co-polyester (PET) filaments? More specifically, I am looking for an alternative that does not roughen the look of the part - such as using sandpaper - but rather works like acetone baths for ABS. In particular, I want to treat ColorFabb's XT filament made from the [Eastman Amphora™ 3D polymer](http://www.eastman.com/Markets/3D_Printing/Pages/Products.aspx) ([datasheet](http://ws.eastman.com/ProductCatalogApps/PageControllers/ProdDatasheet_PC.aspx?Product=71100831&sCategoryName=Generic)). This is also the polymer is also used in: * ColorFabb [nGen and XT](http://colorfabb.com/co-polyesters) * Taulman3D n-vent * TripTech Athiri 1800 * 3DXTech 3DXNano<issue_comment>username_1: I've found a [chart](http://www.plasticsintl.com/plastics_chemical_resistence_chart.html) which covers several plastics and solvents and only two of them ([Chloromethane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloromethane) and [Chloroform](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloroform)) are rated "D" which includes dissolving the material and both seem to be quite nasty and I doubt you will be able to purchase them without being placed on several lists. Is it possible that something like [XTC-3D](http://www.smooth-on.com/Epoxy-Coatings-XTC/c1397_1429/index.html) from Smooth-On would work for you? Also some more information on dissolving PET [here](https://www.researchgate.net/post/How_do_you_dissolve_polyethyelene_terephthalate_PET), several sources also mention PET is affected by Hydrogen Peroxide but they do not mention to what degree the plastic is affected. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Ethyl acetate (sold as a MEK substitute) is supposed to work for vapor smoothing PET. It doesn't seem very toxic (it's used to decaffinate cofee and tea, and as a nail polish remover), but you might want to look more into it. There's a post on Printed Solid's blog where he vapor smoothed colorFabb XT and MadeSolid PET+ along with a few other filaments and got some good results. <http://printedsolid.com/blogs/news/37035395-vapor-smoothing-3d-printed-parts-pla-colorfabb-xt-t-glase-pet> The links in the blog don't work for me, but google was able to find slightly larger versions: <https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0887/0138/files/blog_2014-03-20-18.38.04-1024x613.jpg?16147388421280943481> <https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0887/0138/files/blog_2014-03-21-18.16.28-1024x612.jpg?9543779874607042697> Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]

2016/01/18

<issue_start>username_0: Common 3D printers (read "cheap") may be used to print masks for PCBs (printed-circuit boards) which use PTH (through-hole) components. But can they be used to print PCBs which use SMD components? I'd like to make boards at least for Arduino-like SMD chips.<issue_comment>username_1: In theory, I imagine you can, but there are some practical considerations that might need some thought: If you have a desktop printer with multiple extruders, you could probably print with both one *conductive* and one *structural* filament, and thereby build circuits in 3D. One concern would be the low melting points of most 3D printed filaments, since one would have to limit the heat generated by the mounted components and connections so that the structure of the "board" would not be melted. Mounting components to the board would also differ from a normal PCB, since you would have to connect the components with the conductive filament without melting the structure of the board. In other words, you probably would have to use conductive filament as "solder", and melt components into place. Whether you could use typical tools used for mounting SMD components with conductive filament as solder is beyond my knowledge. Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: In addition to the thermal issues Tormod raised, there is a conductivity issue. Present conductive filaments are much less conductive than copper. The power loss may be enough to affect functionality. Also, the lost power goes to heat, making the thermal problems worse. For bulk materials, "volume resistivity" is measured in "Ohm-cm", which is the resistance of a 1 cm cube of the material, measured from one entire face to the opposite entire face (see <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_resistivity_and_conductivity>). Copper has a volume resistivity of about 1.68 *micro*Ohm-cm. Proto-pasta conductive PLA filament claims 15 ohm-cm (<http://www.proto-pasta.com/pages/conductive-pla>). Functionalize F-Electic™ claims 0.75 ohm-cm (<http://functionalize.com/about/functionalize-f-electric-highly-conductive-filament/>). Printing itself significantly raises resistivity. Proto-pasta claims 30 ohm-cm along X and Y, 115 along Z. More intuitively, each cm of length of a 2.5mm wide printed trace, 0.4mm thick, should add several hundred ohms with the Proto-pasta, or several tens of ohms with the F-electric. That may be enough to matter. It's probably worth mentioning that there's a specialized PCB printer (the "Voltera") that uses (pricey) conductive ink, and can also dispense solder paste: <http://www.computerworld.com/article/2885188/3d-circuit-board-printer-a-smash-hit-on-kickstarter.html> Upvotes: 2

2016/01/18

<issue_start>username_0: When designing parts that should either fit with external objects or other printed parts, what measures can one take to ensure that the dimensions of the final print are accurate and fit the other object? To my knowledge, you at least have two options to account for printer inaccuracy and shrinkage: * Adjust the space around joints in your CAD model * Adjust dimensional offsets in your slicer software Are there any good workflows one can use to design and print 3D-models accurately without resorting to trial and error?<issue_comment>username_1: I think the best way to go about this would be to calibrate your printer and slicer as best you can. One of my pet peeves is when people upload STLs that have been adjusted to fit their printer/material. There are many suppliers of material that vary in quality as well as many materials and different printers that the tolerances shouldn't be built into the part because in the end it usually just makes it harder for others attempting to print the model. If you aren't sharing models then all I can say is you are still better off to calibrate your printer and tune your slicer to your material. You'll have more luck with models from other people and have an easier time designing your own. If you still have trouble then modifying the model is probably the last option. I don't know of any CAD programs that can work with problems 3D printers have so experience is going to be your only help. I know in Inventor you can go around and Thicken/Offset individual surfaces of the model to compensate or if you had a percentage for your shrinkage you could get creative with formulas in the sketches. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I think it's important to remember that a 3D printer is both an R&D tool and a piece of manufacturing equipment. As such, we should treat it and it's process similarly to other pieces of manufacturing equipment (ie mills, saws, etc.). Other (albeit traditional) manufacturing methods such as a mill will typically require post-processing to parts to remove any burrs and clean the parts. Since tools like a mill are a subtractive technology, it can already hold tight positional/dimensional tolerances. However, as 3D printing is additive manufacturing, it's difficult to hold the same tolerances directly out of the machine as compared to traditional tools. For this reason, I would suggest planning time for a more traditional process after the print if tolerances and connections are a concern. This could be as simple as using a Dremel or using a mill/lathe. I would recommend increasing your shell/floor/roof settings in your slicer to accommodate the subtractive process though. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Unfortunately, different firmwares and different slicers require different calibration techniques! There's a lot of software-specific advice out there, like printing a single-wall calibration box and measuring the wall thickness. That's a good technique for Slic3r, but not for Simplify3D. It can be very confusing. Here's the general outline of what you should do: 1. **Rough calibration check** for printer steps/mm. Do the values in your firmware settings make sense for your linear motion hardware? For example, you can calculate what the theoretical values SHOULD be based on belt pitch and pulley tooth count. Print something moderately big (~100-200mm) and check if it's +/-1-2%. If it's off by more than that, your steps/mm is probably wrong. 2. **Check for mechanical backlash** using a backlash-checking print like this one: <http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:252490> Tighten belts and perform other printer-specific tuning required to eliminate backlash. Backlash will throw off other calibration steps, so make sure there's no slop! 3. Follow the recommended **extrusion volume calibration** steps for your slicer. This starts with measuring your filament diameter with calipers and inputting that into your slicer. And then you will usually either *"print a single-walled box and measure the thickness"* or *"print a series of 100% infill calibration boxes and adjust the extrusion multiplier to the largest value that looks good without bulging."* By measuring filament diameter and then adjusting an extrusion calibration setting in the slicer, you will be able to measure future filament and prints will come out right. Giving the slicer fake diameter values will force you to recalibrate every time the diameter changes. Note that you must redo this calibration for each FILAMENT MATERIAL and EXTRUDER DESIGN. Different material/extruder pairs will have different bite depths and effective drive diameter. 4. **Precision calibration check** by printing a variety of object sizes and PLOTTING "desired size" as X and "actual size" as Y. Then find a linear fit equation, y=mx+b. (Do this separately for your printer's X, Y, and Z axes.) *The value "m" is your scale error.* You can use your slicer object scaling to fix this. For example, ABS usually requires 100.3-101% scaling to account for shrinkage. If you have scale error with a low-shrinkage material like PLA, you can adjust your firmware's steps/mm value to compensate. *The value "b" is your fixed width error.* Assuming you don't have backlash, this is usually caused by the small amount that molten plastic bulges out to the sides, or by extrusion volume calibration error. You can improve this by fine-tuning your extrusion volume. Many slicers also have "horizontal/XY size compensation" settings that you can use to shrink/expand the part by b/2 to correct the fixed width error. Any residual fixed-width error that you cannot correct with slicer settings should be added as a tolerance in your part models. If you follow these steps, you should get +/-0.1mm or better dimensional precision on your prints.\* \*Deltas not included. That's a whole other ball of wax. Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: A few suggestions I haven't seen explicitly stated in the other answers. Export resolution ================= When you export your STL files you can increase the resolution. If dimensional accuracy is extremely critical, you'll want to confirm that the STL conversion process hasn't altered the dimensions of curved surfaces outside your max min tolerances. I.e. open your STL file in you CAD program and then re-measure the resulting surfaces. STL conversion for holes makes the wholes slightly smaller, and external curved surfaces slightly larger. Material Swell ============== I've noticed on my printer that parts are typically slightly larger when printed. I've managed to account for this in my CAD model by shrinking certain dimensions slightly in CAD prior to exporting them. My dimensions are typically off by about 0.1-0.2mm in XY, which if you're making something with close fits it's worth tweaking the file prior to printing. Warping ======= If I've got a part that needs to be perfectly flat, I'll use a raft with an additional ring (or two) of helper discs surrounding the part. For the flattest side I'll also print this on the build plate. If you've got two or more, best judgement. Angled Flats ============ If i have a part with flat surfaces that are at angles to the the build platform I'll slow my extruder way down, 10mm/s is my go to speed. Keeping the extruder moving slowly will help to ensure that your edges and walls will be relatively smooth and with the least amount of distortion. Calibration and setup ===================== Everyone has said it, I'll say it again. Check your printer prior to a critical print. Any sag in your belts will cause drooping, Print a test part to ensure that your temperature settings are good for your filament, and that your extraction distance will minimize stringing. I do a few test prints with a new filament and again about half way through a roll to ensure everything is still working properly, and if needed I'll tweak things as needed. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: I print several pats that use 2.5mm "Pogo pins" which are spring-loaded electric contacts. I've found that many variables will influence the size of the holes I have in my design. Flow, temperature even different brands of filament will change the final size. I create a profile for each part and specific filament. That way I can make changes without changing other parts/projects. Then I print a test piece with some 2.5mm holes and a few that are a few tenths of a millimeter larger and smaller. I also make holes in the test piece that are vertical and some that are horizontal as I've found that orientation to the layers makes a difference. I then fit the pins in my test piece and note which orientation and diameter fit best. After that, I lock down every variable I can think of! I added some desiccant beads to my filament storage bins and found even that increased the diameter of the printed holes. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/19

<issue_start>username_0: I upgraded to a dual Mk9 extruder, and quickly discovered how critical it is to get the ends of both nozzles exactly level with each other -- that is, equally distant from the build plate at all times. Otherwise the lower one will crash against the plastic just extruded by the higher one. So, what's a good procedure for getting the nozzles accurately level? About all I've figure out is to move the heads down close to Z=0, and then run X and Y back and forth and eyeball and adjust; then move even closer to Z=0 and repeat. Is there a better / more efficient way?<issue_comment>username_1: 1. Make sure that the **bed is level**. As the saying goes, a level bed is next to godliness or something like that. Pay extra attention to the direction the nozzles are offset by (if one nozzle is offset on the X-axis, pay extra attention to the bed leveling along the X-axis). [This can be done with just one nozzle and a business card or piece of paper](http://wiki.solidoodle.com/leveling-the-print-bed). 2. Use a **bubble level** to get the nozzles about right. Move your z-axis up a bit and put a bubble level against the nozzles. Adjust as necessary so it's exactly level. The nozzles should be level enough that the bubble stays in the middle. 3. Fine-tune it with a **business card**. When you home the z- axis, you should be able to just fit a business card under both nozzles with a moderate amount of resistance. Don't force the card. If sliding the business card under produces a different amount of resistance for one nozzle than for another, adjust the nozzle a *tiny* amount. You can also use an index card or playing card. 4. Once it passes the card test, try a test print. If it doesn't work, make sure your bed is level, your nozzle offset is correct in the slicing software, and try calibrating with an index card again. If the nozzles become way off, try the bubble level again. As for physically adjusting the level, another answer suggests shims made from aluminum foil, which work well. Personally, my extruder was off-level by almost exactly 1mm, so a pair of washers worked nicely for that. Happy printing! Leveling with a bubble: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/O1IDe.jpg) Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Two good options for ROUGH alignment: 1. **For threaded thermal barrier type extruders:** use a leveling jig like this while the extruders are disassembled: <http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:23013> 2. **For straight-shaft thermal barrier type extruders:** Carefully level the bed to whichever nozzle is lower, using your preferred piece of paper / business card / feeler gauge. Then stick the same paper / leveling tool under the higher nozzle, release the set screw or clamp on the tube, and drop it down to rest on the leveling tool. You can also use a printed jig if your thermal barrier tubes are stuck and need some force to move. The best and easiest way for FINE alignment: **Shims.** Just stick some folded-up aluminum foil (or layers of Kapton, or whatever) under whichever end of the cooling bar is lower, and tighten the screws holding it onto the carriage. Re-adjust as needed until perfectly level. This is ten times more accurate and much easier than trying to get precision alignment of the thermal barrier tubes in the bar itself. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Another option, that I found was the simplest one that worked for me: 1. Level your bed using just the first nozzle (temporarily lock the 2nd nozzle higher than the 1st one). 2. Move the printhead at the center of the bed 3. Loosen the grub screws on both nozzles (IMPORTANT, don't skip this step) 4. If you're not using a glass bed, temporarily clip a sheet of glass on your bed. 5. Home the Z-Axis 6. Move the the head sideways, front and back a few times just to be sure (X, Y) 7. Move the printhead back at the center 8. Lock the grub screws on both nozzles. Lock them slowly alternating between the top and bottom screws. Also make sure the wirings don't pull on the head (it's actually better if they push the nozzles down). 9. Relevel the bed, this time checking with the 2 nozzles The sheet of glass ensures a completely flat and solid surface, on top of your properly leveled bed. Try the above in case nothing else works for you. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/19

<issue_start>username_0: I just received this printer and while it seems to talk to Makerbot Desktop software I'm not sure if I should be trying to update the firmware. The printer comes with firmware v7.2 and while Makerbot Desktop offers an upgrade to v7.5 I'm not sure if it's a good idea with this non-Makerbot branded printer. I've also seen information on upgrading this printer to Sailfish v7.5, is this the same thing as Makerbot firmware v7.5?<issue_comment>username_1: The Monoprice Architect is is a bare-bones FlashForge Creator that has been re-badged for Monoprice. The Creator line is a very popular set of printers, so there is lots of good advice out there. The FlashForge Google Group is a good community to join: <https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/flashforge> The entire FF Creator line, in turn, is cloned from the original Makerbot Replicator 1. So you can use Makerbot slicing profiles for the Replicator 1. Just keep in mind that Makerbot does not generally test new software revs with their older printers, and DEFINITELY does not test new software revs with competitor knock-offs. Sometimes they appear to break functionality for non-Makerbot machines on purpose. So recent versions of Makerbot Desktop may not "play nice" with your FlashForge. **The most recent "known good" free slicer you should use with this printer is Makerware 2.4.x. You can find links by searching the FF Google Group.** On that note, you may have received instructions to use ReplicatorG with your printer. But RepG is abandonware: development stopped years ago. It should only be used for firmware updates, not as a slicer. You should also only use the most recent version posted on the Sailfish page on Thingiverse: <http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:32084> Using older versions of RepG with newer firmware revs will corrupt your EEPROM! Only use the version downloaded from the link above. The firmware that comes with the printer is FlashForge's slightly-customized build of either Sailfish or Makerbot's Replicator 1/2/2x firmware. But here's the trick: Makerbot's Rep1/2/2x firmware is just an old, out-of-date, slightly customized version of Sailfish. Makerbot stopped keeping up with bug-fixes and feature additions a long time ago. **Everything is Sailfish:** just different versions. You should use the most recent official release version listed at: <http://www.sailfishfirmware.com/> Follow the instructions in the Sailfish manual from the link above, and RepG will automatically pull the right builds from the official mirror and populate a list of printer options to choose. The trick here is which build to download. As of 1-21-16, there is not an official Monoprice Architect build yet. Which would mean editing a machine xml profile to avoid the firmware throwing warnings. I STRONGLY recommend getting used to the printer using factory firmware before trying to fight with custom machine profiles... But here is the basic process to pick a Sailfish firmware build when you're ready: First: which Atmega processor version do you have? The large chip in the middle of the control board will either say 1280 or 2560. You need to know which version you have. Bad things happen if you load the wrong version. Second: What is the tooth count on the X and Y drivetrain pulleys? To my knowledge, FF always uses 17-tooth pulleys, which matches the Replicator 1 and FF Creator profiles. The Rep2 and 2x use 18t pulleys, so only use those builds if you have those pulleys. People often mess this up and their prints end up with dimensions ~5% off in X and Y. Third: The Architect has one extruder and no heatbed, so firmware builds that expect those to be connected (Rep 1 Dual, Creator, etc) will throw errors if loaded. You can fix this from the LCD screen or RepG, but that's a whole separate question. Do some printing and learn about the printer before attempting any firmware update so you'll know what to do if you pick a build with the wrong parts. Fourth: This one is just for the sake of completeness. Some FF models were shipped with off-spec heatbeds that require special firmware builds to prevent drawing too much current and overheating / overloading the power supply. The Architect doesn't have that, but firmware builds for those printer models (eg I believe the FF Creator 2560) will under-power regular heatbeds. This is just something you need to know with the Architect if you decide to install a heatbed later. But it's a really critical safety warning for people with those off-spec heatbeds. If this all seems complicated, that's because FlashForge (and in turn Monoprice) relies heavily on the open source Sailfish project to maintain the software ecosystem behind this line of printers. FlashForge has some internal builds that they use for flashing new bots, but these are not kept particularly up-to-date. Nor does FlashForge release the source files, so it's quite opaque where exactly the stock firmware differs from mainstream Sailfish. In the long run, you should install mainline Sailfish. But it's ok to stick with the factory firmware until you get used to the printer. To summarize: Because there is not an existing Sailfish build, you're going to need to do some investigating and some experimenting to figure out which build will work. Don't try that until you're familiar with the printer. Post on the FlashForge Google Group when you're ready for help. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Since the printer has no heater, I'd advise some sleuthing 1. Look at the motherboard. Find the big black square chip and see if it is a ATmega 1280 or 2560. Likely it's a 1280, but you never know. This will impact which firmware build you use. 2. If you will eventually add a heater PCB, then figure out the size (wattage) of the power supply. It may be big enough now for a heated platform, or maybe not. I guess you can cross that bridge if/when you add a HBP (heated build platform). However, it can make a difference as to which firmware build you load as some builds of Sailfish will intentionally serialize heating so as to not put too high of a load on the power supply (PSU). Armed with the above info, you can then decide if you want a 1280 or 2560 build of Sailfish. And if you want a build which will serialize eventual use of an HBP or not. Serialized: MakerBot Replicator 1 Single & Dual (implied ATmega 1280), MakerBot Replicator 1 with ATmega 2560 Non-serialized: FlashForge Creator I, II & X (implied ATmega 1280) For a non-serialized, 2560 build know that the FlashForge one is for a poorly behaved heater PCB and you likely won't want it. That sort of leaves you without a good, non-serialized choice. In a pinch you can use the ZYYX 3D build for a 2560. Or you can contact the Sailfish team directly: speaking with very certain knowledge, I can assure you that they'd be happy to do a targetted build for your machine. However, at present they lack info to do so (e.g., build volume, distances from endstops to center of build platform, etc.). Upvotes: 2

2016/01/19

<issue_start>username_0: When I use Cura with the Pronterface UI it sometime just stops printing. When it stops the printer just stops, the UI looks like it's still printing but nothing is moving in the printer, also, trying to control the printer from the UI does nothing. It always stops early in the printing process, usually during the auto-leveling process or while printing the skirt, the latest it happened was during the first solid layer of a raft. Usually closing the printing window and re-opening it solves the problem but not always, this never happened to me with the basic UI, I couldn't find any settings that makes the problem better or worse, it just happens randomly. Anyone knows how to stop that from happening? My printer is a Robo 3D R1+ **Update** After installing a screen on my printer I discovered Pronterface is sending a "Wait for user" G Code to the printer. Because this changes the question too much and invalidates the existing answer I've asked a new question at [What makes Pronterface wait for user?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/518/what-makes-pronterface-wait-for-user)<issue_comment>username_1: The Monoprice Architect is is a bare-bones FlashForge Creator that has been re-badged for Monoprice. The Creator line is a very popular set of printers, so there is lots of good advice out there. The FlashForge Google Group is a good community to join: <https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/flashforge> The entire FF Creator line, in turn, is cloned from the original Makerbot Replicator 1. So you can use Makerbot slicing profiles for the Replicator 1. Just keep in mind that Makerbot does not generally test new software revs with their older printers, and DEFINITELY does not test new software revs with competitor knock-offs. Sometimes they appear to break functionality for non-Makerbot machines on purpose. So recent versions of Makerbot Desktop may not "play nice" with your FlashForge. **The most recent "known good" free slicer you should use with this printer is Makerware 2.4.x. You can find links by searching the FF Google Group.** On that note, you may have received instructions to use ReplicatorG with your printer. But RepG is abandonware: development stopped years ago. It should only be used for firmware updates, not as a slicer. You should also only use the most recent version posted on the Sailfish page on Thingiverse: <http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:32084> Using older versions of RepG with newer firmware revs will corrupt your EEPROM! Only use the version downloaded from the link above. The firmware that comes with the printer is FlashForge's slightly-customized build of either Sailfish or Makerbot's Replicator 1/2/2x firmware. But here's the trick: Makerbot's Rep1/2/2x firmware is just an old, out-of-date, slightly customized version of Sailfish. Makerbot stopped keeping up with bug-fixes and feature additions a long time ago. **Everything is Sailfish:** just different versions. You should use the most recent official release version listed at: <http://www.sailfishfirmware.com/> Follow the instructions in the Sailfish manual from the link above, and RepG will automatically pull the right builds from the official mirror and populate a list of printer options to choose. The trick here is which build to download. As of 1-21-16, there is not an official Monoprice Architect build yet. Which would mean editing a machine xml profile to avoid the firmware throwing warnings. I STRONGLY recommend getting used to the printer using factory firmware before trying to fight with custom machine profiles... But here is the basic process to pick a Sailfish firmware build when you're ready: First: which Atmega processor version do you have? The large chip in the middle of the control board will either say 1280 or 2560. You need to know which version you have. Bad things happen if you load the wrong version. Second: What is the tooth count on the X and Y drivetrain pulleys? To my knowledge, FF always uses 17-tooth pulleys, which matches the Replicator 1 and FF Creator profiles. The Rep2 and 2x use 18t pulleys, so only use those builds if you have those pulleys. People often mess this up and their prints end up with dimensions ~5% off in X and Y. Third: The Architect has one extruder and no heatbed, so firmware builds that expect those to be connected (Rep 1 Dual, Creator, etc) will throw errors if loaded. You can fix this from the LCD screen or RepG, but that's a whole separate question. Do some printing and learn about the printer before attempting any firmware update so you'll know what to do if you pick a build with the wrong parts. Fourth: This one is just for the sake of completeness. Some FF models were shipped with off-spec heatbeds that require special firmware builds to prevent drawing too much current and overheating / overloading the power supply. The Architect doesn't have that, but firmware builds for those printer models (eg I believe the FF Creator 2560) will under-power regular heatbeds. This is just something you need to know with the Architect if you decide to install a heatbed later. But it's a really critical safety warning for people with those off-spec heatbeds. If this all seems complicated, that's because FlashForge (and in turn Monoprice) relies heavily on the open source Sailfish project to maintain the software ecosystem behind this line of printers. FlashForge has some internal builds that they use for flashing new bots, but these are not kept particularly up-to-date. Nor does FlashForge release the source files, so it's quite opaque where exactly the stock firmware differs from mainstream Sailfish. In the long run, you should install mainline Sailfish. But it's ok to stick with the factory firmware until you get used to the printer. To summarize: Because there is not an existing Sailfish build, you're going to need to do some investigating and some experimenting to figure out which build will work. Don't try that until you're familiar with the printer. Post on the FlashForge Google Group when you're ready for help. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Since the printer has no heater, I'd advise some sleuthing 1. Look at the motherboard. Find the big black square chip and see if it is a ATmega 1280 or 2560. Likely it's a 1280, but you never know. This will impact which firmware build you use. 2. If you will eventually add a heater PCB, then figure out the size (wattage) of the power supply. It may be big enough now for a heated platform, or maybe not. I guess you can cross that bridge if/when you add a HBP (heated build platform). However, it can make a difference as to which firmware build you load as some builds of Sailfish will intentionally serialize heating so as to not put too high of a load on the power supply (PSU). Armed with the above info, you can then decide if you want a 1280 or 2560 build of Sailfish. And if you want a build which will serialize eventual use of an HBP or not. Serialized: MakerBot Replicator 1 Single & Dual (implied ATmega 1280), MakerBot Replicator 1 with ATmega 2560 Non-serialized: FlashForge Creator I, II & X (implied ATmega 1280) For a non-serialized, 2560 build know that the FlashForge one is for a poorly behaved heater PCB and you likely won't want it. That sort of leaves you without a good, non-serialized choice. In a pinch you can use the ZYYX 3D build for a 2560. Or you can contact the Sailfish team directly: speaking with very certain knowledge, I can assure you that they'd be happy to do a targetted build for your machine. However, at present they lack info to do so (e.g., build volume, distances from endstops to center of build platform, etc.). Upvotes: 2

2016/01/19

<issue_start>username_0: I'm in the process of building a 3D printer and have all the stepper motors wired up and the controller connected to the computer running pronterface. I can move each axis and also send g-code to the printer. Now **how can I define the current position to be the 0/0/0 position?** I'd like to move the printer into a position where I think should be the zero position and define it as such in pronterface somehow.<issue_comment>username_1: > > G92 X0 Y0 Z0 > > > tells the printer that the current position is (0,0,0). Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: There's a handy list of G0-codes at <http://reprap.org/wiki/G-code> -- though the list is too big to be convenient for finding a code if you're not already sure what it's called... :( Upvotes: 2

2016/01/20

<issue_start>username_0: I found a story about someone [3D-printing equipment for their Lego minifig](http://www.fablabamersfoort.nl/en/node/534), using an Ultimaker. (Article is in Dutch, but accompanied by photographs). I noticed that what they made weren't the actual connecting bricks, but the tools used by the minifig. And that even so, some filing and a dremel were needed afterwards to make them fit properly. I'm told that to make something connect properly with real Lego, the machine needs to be tuned very precisely. So, what resolution is needed to print bricks that will connect with normal Lego bricks?<issue_comment>username_1: It's really more about calibration than resolution -- a poorly calibrated printer will have dimension errors that prevent mating with true LEGO bricks or other printed bricks. Also, "resolution" is an incredibly loaded term for 3d printers, because it can mean a lot of different things. But we don't need to get into that right now. There are really two big things to worry about: layer height and extrusion width. Layer heights of 0.1mm or 0.2mm should be fine. Coarser layers may run into surface finish issues that make the bricks difficult to put together or take apart. There probably isn't much reason to go finer than 0.1mm for this application. Almost all FFF printers can do 0.1mm layer heights as long as it is reasonably well-tuned. **Any typical household FFF printer with a "normal" nozzle size can print fine enough for the bricks to work. It just needs to be tuned well.** The smallest "must have" feature in a standard lego brick is the 1.6mm thick wall around the sides. The typical minimum printable feature size for an FFF printer is 2x the extrusion width, because the slicer will place a path on the inside edge of the shape and the outside edge of the shape. (Some slicers will allow single-extrusion features, but this is not generally recommended because it makes weak parts.) So, how wide is the extrusion width? It's adjustable, and different slicers auto-recommend different values, but as a safe rule of thumb it needs to be between 1x and 2x your nozzle size. There are some volume calculation quirks in different slicers that may encourage larger or smaller sizes, so sometimes people recommend [extrusion width = nozzle size + layer height] particularly with Slic3r. This is very system-specific. Assuming you have the most common stock nozzle with a 0.4mm orifice, and also set the extrusion width to 0.4mm, the slicer should put four strands in the walls of the LEGO brick. That's good. Where it gets tricky is if you have an extrusion width that does not evenly divide into 1.6mm. Say you are printing with an extrusion width of 0.6mm. There is enough room in the wall of the part to place two full 0.6mm perimeter strands... but then a gap 0.4mm wide will be left in the center. You can't put another 0.6mm strand into that 0.4mm gap. Different slicers handle this different ways. Some will leave an empty space between the walls, and you get a very weak print. Some will mash an excessive amount of plastic into the gap, causing poor print quality as excess material builds up more and more on each layer. Some will push a smaller-than-commanded strand to try to properly fill the volume. So, the general advice with small features is to make sure your extrusion width goes into the part's minimum thickness a reasonable number of times. * [Feature size / extrusion width < 2] is BAD * [Feature size / extrusion width = 2] is GOOD * [2 < Feature size / extrusion width < 3] is BAD * [Feature size / extrusion width > 3] is GOOD Although these will vary somewhat by slicer -- older slicers like Skeinforge tend to have more issues with this than newer slicers. What you should do in practice is check your slicer's print previewer to see whether it is leaving a gap between the strands. Then adjust extrusion width and perimeter/shell count to try to get an intelligent output. There's some trial and error involved. Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: I have notes about printing Lego bricks here: > > <https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3424550> > > > The upshot is, you want to align the wall thickness of your brick model edges to match an exact multiple of nozzle thickness of your printer. This is more important than using an STL file that exactly matches real Lego dimensions, because your slicer and printer are unlikely to be able to match those dimensions anyway. And because of that, you'll need other adjustments to the bricks to help them fit well with each other and with real Legos. Additionally, while it is well-understand that Lego bricks use a 1.6mm "Lego Unit" for their standard edge thickness, it's less-well understand how they use an additional .1mm "Play Factor" to help bricks to fit together better. Based on my tests, this play factor is removed from *both sides* of an edge, such that a standard Lego edge wall should be 1.4mm thick. Put this all together, and I've found you want to aim for 1.2mm edges when using a .4mm nozzle, and 1.5mm edges when using .5mm nozzle. Alternatively, a .4mm nozzle can do real 1.4mm Lego edges by only using 1 line for the outer walls, and filling in the remaining .6mm of thickness. Personally, I *never* want to use just 1 line for a wall, and 1.5x the nozzle diameter is also the bare minimum I'd trust for filling in to work well, making this plan a challenge, too. The thingiverse piece I linked to is actually a customizable brick *generator*, that will let you make fine adjustments and help you create brick STL models based on your printer, your slicer and settings, and your material, that will print well and fit with other bricks. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/21

<issue_start>username_0: I was just shopping for filament, and saw some glowing claims about PETG being as easy to work with as PLA, but as strong as ABS, and less brittle. Anyone know if that's actually true, or what the tradeoffs are?<issue_comment>username_1: PETG is great stuff to work with. It is stronger than ABS also. It prints slower than ABS and PLA. The formulas vary quite a bit from vendor to vendor. I have used 3 brands, and each of their properties vary. From my experience you do have to be careful with moisture. You'll be able to tell you have moisture in your filament if you start hearing a slight hissing and popping and an increased number of structural zits on the object. Moisture will also increase the problem listed in Mark's post below regarding the accumulation of filament on the nozzle. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: In addition to what @AsaDeDeBuck said, PETG is also more flexible than PLA, and less stinky than ABS. Furthermore, some PETG variants like to accumulate on the nozzle (particulate build up) and then char a bit before being deposited at some random spot on the object. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I have never used ABS, because I have a young child at home and no ventilation system (just to be safe). I have however used PETG, a crystal clear brand competitively priced on AMA-ssive online retailer, I loved it and will probably only buy it in the future. **Advantages Noted:** * There is no odor I could detect * It is remarkably clear, like glass using a large nozzle (1.2) and layer diameter. * It flexes without breaking I'm guessing what seems like about 10-15% more than PLA. In other words if I print a large circular ring I can squeeze the ring about 10 to 15% farther without the ring cracking or breaking. * The material itself is more dense, identically printed items have more weight to them and feel sturdy. * It has a higher glass transition temperature **Disadvantages noted:** * It's a little more expensive, but not prohibitively so (like carbon fiber). * It requires a higher printing temperature, so uses more power. * I havent perfected my retraction settings, and I have read others having similar issues with excess stringing. IOW it oozes more than PLA. * Switching between this and PLA requires extra care and time to ensure the nozzle is clear. I guess that is the same with any other alternate material as well. Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: PETG is great, but definitely not as easy to print as PLA. However the advantages of higher impact resistance, temperature resistance and longevity make it superior to PLA for parts that require those properties. ABS is even harder to print than PETG and has worse strength and layer adhesion so no reason to bother with it in my opinion. I print PETG at 80°C bed temp on PEI bed material, with 250°C nozzle temp. At first I was trying my old BuildTak bed material and it works at 40°C but the base of my parts was warping up some, it still worked but they didn't come out flat. If you raise the temp on BuildTak to 80°C bed then the PETG permanently bonds to the BuildTak and rips up pieces of it upon removal. PEI at 80°C keeps the base of printed parts perfectly flat (up to a certain part size/thickness) and has good adhesion and release properties with no wear showing on the bed after many prints. If your parts are 100% infill and over about 3/4" (20 mm) tall you may still have problems with the base not ending up completely flat. In such large rigid parts the upper area that does not stay properly heated through conduction from the bed will shrink some and pull the lower sections up with it. Lower fill density like 50%, 20% help with this problem. PETG build up on the nozzle was a real problem for me until I got a silicone sleeved hotend, E3D is the only one who makes them that I know of right now, but I am sure there will be others shortly. This completely fixed the problem of filament sticking to the hot nozzle and later being deposited as black charred blobs. Another thing to consider is moisture, after even a day in high humidity PETG absorbs enough moisture to undergo hydrolysis upon extrusion at 250°C and become very brittle. To avoid this I use a conventional food dehydrator with the plastic being fed from inside, you can lookup designs on Thingiverse. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: I love PETG. When I first started I always used ABS because I thought it was the best and didn't see the point in using PLA. However, after a few years of playing around I no longer use ABS. I use PLA for when I am testing and PETG when I want to print something that will be used, ike parts or models. PETG is a little more expensive, however worth it, as it is strong and easy to use. I normally print at 220°C on the nozzle and 80°C for the bed. PETG has more flex to it so when you are printing parts it is less likely to break under pressure like ABS. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/21

<issue_start>username_0: [Stereolithography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereolithography) produces parts by projecting ultraviolet light on the top of a vat of liquid photopolymer, causing it to harden. [CLIP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous_Liquid_Interface_Production) produces parts by projecting ultraviolet light through the bottom of a vat of liquid photopolymer, causing it to harden. This seems like a minor difference, yet CLIP is reportedly much faster (I've seen numbers as high as 100x). Why is this?<issue_comment>username_1: It's important to understand what specifically is being compared. **CLIP is much faster than bottom-up technologies that require a peel step between every layer.** For example, the Form1 galvo SLA printer tilts the resin vat to separate the transparent bottom from the print. That is, by far, the slowest part of SLA/DLP printing with most modern light sources. Where the speed comes in is that without a peel, a continuous "movie" can be used to cure the resin rather than a series of alternating images and peels. Top-down printers can print dramatically faster than bottom-up-and-peel printers. CLIP is not necessarily faster than top-down. For example, the Gizmo 3D line of top-down printers are very similar in print speed to CLIP. (<http://www.gizmo3dprinters.com.au/>) Most "consumer" SLA printers these days use bottom-up-and-peel techniques, because this has some practical advantages over top-down printers: * Way less resin is required to fill the printer when the part is pulled out as it builds rather than being lowered into the tank (along with the Z stage) as it builds. Resin is expensive. This also means bottom up printers can be smaller and have fewer mechanical parts such as leveling devices submerged in resin. * Standard resins contain an inhibitor chemical that prevents polymerization in the presence of oxygen, which causes the surface layer exposed to air (and low-level stray light) to not cure. So top-down printers must shoot light through a non-curing layer before reaching curable resin. This makes the tuning more sensitive and can somewhat reduce detail compared to a bottom-up printer curing right on the window. * Replacement vats or windows for bottom-up printers may be seen by manufacturers as a profit-generating consumable, since they have to be replaced somewhat frequently. * Top-down printers have to worry somewhat more about resin flow rates as the part is lowered. Air bubbles may be pulled into the resin or the fresh resin layer above the part may vary significantly in thickness if the part is submerged too fast for the resin viscosity. (Admittedly, bottom-up printers will experience excessive suction forces and potentially break off bits of the print at high peel speeds.) CLIP is a bottom-up technique that doesn't require a peel step, because the vat creates an oxygen layer over the window that keeps the resin from curing directly on the surface and sticking. In that way, it arguably performs more like a top-down printer than a bottom-up printer. Top-down printers that are designed to overcome the above issues and use high-intensity light sources can achieve exceptionally high print speeds. This includes similar "continuous" build techniques used as in CLIP. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: The number of 100x could be true in some situations. I wish I could see the part(s) that they printed to measure this 100x, but that is another story. Looking at their videos they can move the build plate at a maximum speed of 10mm per minute. You will see the Eiffel tower video where they have to change over to standard speed for flat layers. It is because the flat layers stop resin flow and can't be printed using continuous printing. Prodways have shown that they can move it at 20mm per minute, but again there are things that are not advertised/mentioned. To achieve higher speeds you need to make the resins more reactive. Making resins more reactive means the resins won't last as long in the vat/bottle. So they expire sooner. It also means they could harden under normal light conditions so it makes it difficult to work with. If you look at the Prodways video you will see resin waste on the build plate. That shows that the projector brightness was set too high. Gizmo can print between 5 and 25 times faster than a leading brand of SLA printers, also depends on the number of parts and complexity on the build plate. The decision was made to advertise the build plate moving speed, e.g. 3mm per minute, rather than the number of times faster than anything else, because that is a value that doesn't change with the number of items on the build plate, but it does change depending on the projection area size. Imagine you just have a single line going upwards then most SLA printers could do it at the same speed. B9 Creator (bottom up) users have actually shown they can do continuous printing when printing really tiny items with very thin walls, because they don't have suction problems in those situations. Now when you add many small objects with small features on the build plate DLP printers will display the full layer in one go where laser based SLA machines need to draw out each part like an FDM machine. Continuous printing does have limitations. Resin needs to flow from the bottom or you will get resin starvation and cause holes so you might not be able to use it for everything. You should see it as another tool in your printing toolbox rather than the be all and end all. So after all that, the 100x depends on so many things, you shouldn't get stuck at looking at that number other than knowing it is a way of marketing the printers. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/21

<issue_start>username_0: In Cura, I can edit my .ini profile settings as needed, for example, when I change filament or models. It's annoying to have to edit the profile on another computer and update it on my Pi just to change the infill, etc. I've searched <http://plugins.octoprint.org/> and can't find any plugins that do this.<issue_comment>username_1: As far as I know, this is currently not possible. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: There is an import function. <https://github.com/foosel/OctoPrint/wiki/Plugin:-Cura> Btw. now in Cura 2.1 you'll also need to reimport your .ini. Regards :) Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: You can manually edit the .profile by using an SSH terminal program (e.g putty) to log into your Pi Then cd ./octoprint/slicingProfiles ls to see folders (on mine I see cura) cd cura ls to see profile files e.g fred.profile sudo nano fred.profile move down to where you can see the slicing parameters and edit away Upvotes: 2

2016/01/22

<issue_start>username_0: [E3D-Online](https://e3d-online.com/blogs/news/are-abrasives-killing-your-nozzle) and [Make Magazine](http://makezine.com/2015/09/11/carbon-fiber-filament-ruins-nozzles/) have written about the potential damage printing carbon fiber and glow in the dark filaments can do to your printer's nozzle. What I can't seem to find is what clues or warning signs to be on the look out for if your nozzle has taken a significant amount of wear. I've printed a few hundred grams of glow filament personally and have not noticed any change in print quality. E3D says you may have "unpredictable erratic printing" with a worn nozzle. Can anyone explain or provide examples of what this actually means and when a replacement is necessary?<issue_comment>username_1: I believe the little experiment made by E3D - the same link you provide - answers your question very well. Several points about wear can be found in this article. After printing only 250 grams of ColorFabb XT-CF20 (carbon fiber filament): * The nozzle diameter had increased markedly * The inner walls of the orifice (opening) showed deep sharp ridges and grooves * The tip of the nozzle had become critically rounded, and shortened All of these symptoms were found repeatedly for standard brass nozzles. In particular, I believe the last of these symptoms may be the one most easily identifiable without accurate measuring equipment (and without observing print quality). With regards to reduction in print quality, these symptoms could be simulated by: * Setting the nozzle diameter too big in your slicer * Leveling your bed too high (the rounded tip will also reduce the length of the tip) * Printing with a partial clog that interruptus normal filament flow (due to the grooves and ridges) Exactly what this will look like on your printed part is hard to predict, but I would assume you could see blobs, under-extrusion, poor layer adhesion, as well as an irregular surface finish of your top layers. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: One of the things I look for is if you pull the print head a good ways off the bed and have it extrude. It should just squirt plastic straight down. If it bends sharply in one direction, or even curls back on itself, then that is a sign of damage. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: You can check for shortened nozzle length using a set of feeler gauges to measure the gap from bed to nozzle. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feeler_gauge> Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: **TL;DR** You could compare the nozzle to a similar new nozzle to look for wear. --- The creators of the [Olsson Ruby Nozzle](https://olssonruby.com/anders-olsson-olsson-ruby/) have published some pictures of wear on brass, steel and hardened steel nozzles. From [their website](https://olssonruby.com/design-quality/) the following image is taken: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/drWLD.png) Depending on the amount of filament that is being printed, not only the internal dimensions, but also the outer dimension change considerably. This is clearly visible in the images. Comparing your nozzle to a similar new nozzle might give you an idea of the wear of your nozzle. It is expected that long before the nozzle reaches this state, you need to readjust the bed to nozzle distance and the flow modifier, you will see this in the quality of your prints and the first layer sticking to the bed. So, the more (frequent) you need to tinker to get the print to stick or to print successfully and dimensionally correct, the bigger the change your nozzle has worn. Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: According to the inner diameter doesn't change much, but, as said by @username_4, the nozzle shortens and at the end you get to the inner cavity. Check the length and you are done. Upvotes: 1

2016/01/23

<issue_start>username_0: I need to do some post processing of my 3D-printed models that includes adding some holes. For each of PLA, ABS, PETG and other 3D-printing materials: In what ways is drilling a hole in a model made from that material like or unlike drilling wood? Is it worth getting special "plastic drilling bits" that cost tons of money or can I use regular high speed drill bits? Do these plastics have grain that they will split on when drilled into, and if so, what are ways to avoid such splitting? Are higher speeds better, or lower speeds, or should I only use a finger-twirled bit holder? Are some 3D-printing materials easier to drill than others? What other methods also work for creating a hole in the different types of plastics?<issue_comment>username_1: I wouldn't recommend drilling a hole in a 3D printed part in a traditional sense like with wood. Instead, I would merely ream a 3D printed part. I've done this quite a bit where I'll print my holes at a slightly smaller than nominal size and use a standard carbide drill to ream the hole. Things to consider: * Printing the holes smaller than nominal will ensure your hole is not printed larger than nominal * Printing with a higher shell will ensure you can remove the material without exposing the infill Note that drilling directly into (or thru) an infill area of the part could lead to cracking of the part later, depending on the hole's functionality. In general, a printed hole (even if reamed) will be significantly stronger than one drilled through an infill area. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Have to get this out of the way... Can you just print the hole into the part instead of drilling? That's usually best, when possible. If you need to drill, you'll definitely want to print an undersized hole and then ream it out with the drill. This both provides alignment for the drill and adds extra plastic around the region you'll be weakening. If you don't know where the hole needs to go in advance, fill the model with a hex pattern of tiny holes in the general region of the future drilling. This is an easy way to strengthen the area with more plastic without making the entire part solid. (Using a slicer that allows localized print settings will also work.) The hole should be aligned more or less vertical or "across the grain" (+/-45 degrees aligned with the Z axis) to ensure there are nice, strong hoops of plastic around the hole to keep it from splitting. Drilling into a printed part (particularly PLA) from the side / parallel to the XY plane is highly likely to split it. It may even be ok at first but crack later under load or due to creep. Regular wood drill bits work ok, but you need to go slow and take nibbles, leaving the plastic time to cool so it doesn't melt and stick to the bit. (Coolant is an option.) Use a pilot hole, piloted bit, or step drill to remove less plastic per pass. A really sharp bit will perform dramatically better than a dull bit. Put something hard and drillable like wood behind the plastic part to help avoid breakage and bit-jamming when you break through the opposite side. Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Drilling is indeed possible, but as stated in previous answers you should preferably do this along the vertical from the print bed for maximum strength, and if possible use an undersized hole as a starting point/guide. Drilling horizontally may cause the layers to separate but if you clamp down in the z-direction you're much more likely to succeed. It's likely to start cracking if even a relatively small torque is applied (one layer with bad adhesion is enough to make it surprisingly weak). If you still need to apply torque from the horizontal consider reinforcing the structure in the z-direction or splitting your print and gluing/fusing the pieces together to get some strength in both directions. Two holes of decent strength (one along the vertical and one along the horizontal) can also be achieved by adding vertical holes and bolt the layers together. When drilling take care not to apply too much force and make sure the excess doesn't get stuck in the drill bit. Any drill bit should work but I find that wood ones have a slight higher tendency to make the bit jam. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: In addition to the good answers already given, I'd like to add: Use a sharp drill bit, and don't go too fast. Dull drill bits and fast rotation are more likely to heat up the plastic (especially PLA) to a point where it gets soft again, and then you're usually in trouble because instead of a clean round cut, the material will start to bend and tear. And if you allow it to cool around the drill bit - well, I destroyed a thread tap this way... Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: The primary difference between drilling FDM printed plastic and wood is that the plastic part is not solid the entire way through, and that plastic will melt or burn at much lower temperatures than wood. If you know before printing that you're going to want to drill the part or potentially need to, then you'll want to modify the design of the part such that there will be sufficient internal reinforcement and material in the location of the drill site. The way I've done this in the past is put a through hole through the the entire part and slightly undersize the hole. Then I also increase the number of shells on the part so that the threads will have some extra material to bite into. If you know you're going to need a hole in the part but not sure where then I'd suggest using the highest level of infill possible on the print so that your part will be as close as possible to being solid plastic. Or if there are a few areas you think might need to be drilled you can build your own internal structure but that can take a lot of time. If you didn't know your part was going to need to be drilled AND you printed with minimal infill then be very careful about drilling and only use minimal pressure to cut through the top layer to avoid crushing the part. Then once the part is drilled all the way through consider filling the part with an epoxy to reinforce the hole location (if necessary). Best case scenario though is knowing where and how big you need the hole to be before print. Of course though specs change on the daily. As for the heat generated from the drilling process I haven't had much trouble with dissipating it. My 'method' for drilling a printed part (technically reaming) is that after I align my hole with my drill press, I then tap the drill-bit cutting only a millimeter at a time, then retract, wait a few seconds then repeat until all the way through. A little time consuming but my reasoning is to minimize burning and overheating of the hole due to the cutting friction. In all honesty I think my drilling approach is overkill. But, every time I've needed to do it has been due to an error in modelling. I didn't have the time to reprint and was under a time crunch. My post processing step therefore did not have the option to fail so I was extra careful. Whether it was overkill or not it definitely worked, and it's always better to be a little more cautious than late. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_6: I realize this is an old post .. but playing around with drilling PLA myself .. 100 % infill .. and use dish soap for a lubricant .. it seemed to work really well .. I am a hobby machinist .. had a lathe and mill years back and used all the proper oils etc .. but in this case didnt want to expose the pla to oils and I did that once on a part I was trying to wet sand .. and it appeared as though the pla absorbed some of the oil .. Well that just gave me all kinds of thoughts and ideas as far as oil absorption goes .. lol Maybe need to experiment with how much a piece of PLA will absorb if its even measureable .. Anyways .. agree with all above .. and could give the dish soup a try in hopes that it will help lessen the amount of heat generated .. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/24

<issue_start>username_0: On one of the nozzles on my printer, the filament comes out at a 45 degree angle. It seems that this causes problems with adhesion to the bed and overall quality. * What caused this problem? * How do I fix it? * How do I prevent it from happening in the future?<issue_comment>username_1: If you're extruding into the air, it's actually quite normal for the filament to come out in seemingly random directions. This shouldn't cause problems because the filament should always be getting squished onto the bed/layer underneath (or during bridging, getting stretched). The way the filament comes out in free air doesn't reflect how it behaves during printing. If you are experiencing troubles then perhaps the nozzle is clogged with a small piece of debris (or, unlikely) the nozzle is actually damaged. There's little you can do to prevent that apart from using high quality filament and being careful not to damage the nozzle. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I've personally had this happen when I had a minor clog in my nozzle. My first steps to fix this would be: 1. Make sure the exterior of your nozzle is clean. I've had bits of plastic pull at the extruding filament and change it's direction. 2. Attempt a "cold pull" or "[atomic pull](http://support.3dverkstan.se/article/10-the)". On my Replicator 2 I do this by removing the extruder motor, heating up the hot end, manually pushing a length of filament through the nozzle, letting it cool slightly and tugging the filament (and hopefully the clog) out of the nozzle. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: You very likely have partial clog in your hotend (the side which is clogged is the angle the extruding filament bends to) or have some plastic somehow stuck on the nozzle surface which the extruding plastic almost sticks to, like two droplets of water merging into one. If its the latter, clean the hotend. It's easier to remove the plastic on it while its hot and soft, but don't burn yourself. If it's a clog, that's more complicated. First, you can make sure if it is indeed a clog or not by extruding into the air and measuring the wire with a caliper. If it's thinner than it should be and your slicer settings are fine, then its a clog. Ways to get rid of clog: 1) Replace the nozzle with a new one. 2) Break the clog with a sharp wire. 3) Take the hotend off and clean the nozzle with acetone ("acetone bath"). 4) Blow torch on a removed nozzle. Dangerous thing to do for some but it works. If you're not confident or experienced to do this and the previous two solutions don't help, then go with option 1. Upvotes: 1

2016/01/25

<issue_start>username_0: I"m considering making my own filament, with a device like the one at <http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:380987>. Partly because it's another machine to build, which is cool, but also to save money on filament. Has anyone here tried to make their own filament? My main questions are: * Is the quality comparable to typical off-the-shelf filaments? Put another way, with reasonable tuning can one produce filament that's good enough to use without a lot of frustration? * Does it require a lot of attention to tuning, monitoring, or other details (which make it less worthwhile / more time-consuming)? Warning of pitfalls to avoid is also welcome. * Are there useful things one can do this way, that are hard to achieve with off-the-shelf filaments? For example, unusual materials; better control of diameter, density, etc; or mixing one's own colors?<issue_comment>username_1: You can basically use any machine that pulverizes your pellets into small pieces. [**One guy on 3dhubs, explained it in details.**](https://www.3dhubs.com/talk/thread/how-make-your-own-filament-recycling-old-3d-prints-part-1) My conclusion is that you can recycle everything using this data gathered from research up in link there. Also, you can use any plastic material and pulverize it into pellets (even from the bottles) and you can try to do this process. Only thing that matters is quality of product. I was thinking about pellets from vinyl records. I bought one big collection before one year, and there was around 500-600 records that are completley useless. So, you can pulverize them and repeat the process, because process of making vinyl records and process of making bottles is completley different, and uses different kind of plastics. So to draw a conslusion: everything depends on quality of pellets. And to answer on your three questions: > > Is the quality comparable to typical off-the-shelf filaments? Put > > another way, with reasonable tuning can one produce filament that's > > good enough to use without a lot of frustration? > > > No, it isn't Your filament would be lower quality if you don't get a great pellets. > > Does it require a lot of attention to tuning, monitoring, or other > details (which make it less worthwhile / more time-consuming)? Warning > of pitfalls to avoid is also welcome. > > > Yes it does. Check the link up there. > > Are there useful things one can do this way, that are hard to achieve > with off-the-shelf filaments? For example, unusual materials; better > control of diameter, density, etc; or mixing one's own colors? > > > Again, it all depends on type of filament you like to use. I wrote about plastic filaments. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Producing own filament is a challenging task. I see main pitfall in producing filament so it has same quality as you get in shop. You have to: * constant round-shape diameter * diameter tolerance ±0.05 mm * avoid bubbles and other defects * avoid object in filament (depends on pellets quality) * store pellets properly (high humidity is a problem) Additionally you have to deal with spooling, because it affects the diameter too (if you roll filament too fast then you reduce its diameter). It takes a lot of time and frustration to develop such a machine. If you would like to produce own filament, consider buying a filament machine: * [Strooder](http://omnidynamics.co.uk/shop/Strooder) (£960) + [Strooder spooler](http://omnidynamics.co.uk/shop/Strooder%20Spooler) (£192) * [FilaFab](http://d3dinnovations.com/filafab/) ([£745 - £1495](http://d3dinnovations.com/filafab/product-category/ext/)) * [ExtrusionBot](http://www.extrusionbot.com/) ([\$720](http://www.behold3d.me/product/extrusionbot-filament-extruder-for-3d-printers-3/)) (Spooler included) * [ProtoCycler](https://redetec.com/pages/shop) ($1700) * [FilaBot](https://www.filabot.com/) (\$1600) + Spooler (\$600) If you would like to use different material then ABS/PLA then take a look on Strooder documentation - they confirm usage of [PP, PET, HDPE, HIPS, PE](http://omnidynamics.co.uk/shop/strooder), even [wood filament](http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.php?4351-Any-Wood-Filament). Is it not better option to print directly from pellets? Take a look on [Universal Pellet Extruder for RepRap](http://richrap.blogspot.cz/2014/12/no-more-filament-quest-for-universal.html) ([model](https://www.youmagine.com/designs/universal-pellet-extruder-reprap-3d-printing)). Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: 1. Quality depends on 3 things: 1. Quality of pellets (purity, fillers, color) 2. Where/how they are stored before and during the extrusion (humidity, contaminants) 3. Have a filter in your extruder to get rid of random junk and air bubbles ending up in your filament (250 micron wire mesh filter) There's no secret formula the filament producing companies have, they just have very efficient and very fast filament producing machines (of course very expensive, too). But when it comes to vanilla ABS or PLA, it's almost the same content. 2. Personal experience: no. If you get the same pellets, store it in the same place and run your extruder in the same place, it should behave the same. 3. I don't think there is some filament mixture you won't be able to find anywhere, but you might be able to make it yourself cheaper. Example: mixing strontium aluminate powder for glow in the dark filament (come in many colors, not just green). I'd recommend this design: <http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-your-own-3d-printing-filament-factory-Filame/> It produces filament pretty fast (one full 1kg spoon in 3-4 hours). Just make sure you have enough experience to not electrocute yourself while assembling this as the heaters use mains power. I personally think the commercial "hobby" extruders are not worth the money. I also own the Filastruder and it's just no different and slower than the above, unless you care about a pretty plywood case for your extruder I see no advantage and since it uses off-the-shelf parts itself why bother buying a kit like that than sourcing the parts yourself? Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]

2016/01/25

<issue_start>username_0: When installing and using a new hotend for the first time, which steps of action should be taken before. This will probably be more applicable to chinese clones than to authentic products (is the statement true?): **Should a certain cleaning procedure be carried out** (removing swarf/shavings for example)? **Should mechanical precision be controlled and if necessary improved** (de-edging and nozzle size are two things I could think of)? I know the topic [How should I clean my extruder when changing materials?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/233/how-should-i-clean-my-extruder-when-changing-materials), which is a nice addon read, but I am concerned about brand-new extruders.<issue_comment>username_1: I haven't done anything special to set up mine. But it's probably worth doing a general cleaning. I'd swab it off with alcohol, including running a q-tip or similar inside the fiber feed path. Then blow out the nozzle with compressed air to make sure it's clear. You could measure the nozzle diameter by fitting fine drill bits in to see which is the largest one the passes through freely. Be sure to measure how much fiber your extruder *really* takes in when you ask it to extrude a certain length -- but that's about the extruder, not the hotend per se. Finally, I'd check the insulation, if any. I got a couple hot ends that had big gaps in/around the insulation. I've found that "high-temperature gasket maker" is great for improving insulation (depends, of course, on the shape and design of the specific hot end. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I heard some people are using silver polish on a pipe-rag (not sure what the English word is, it's a long metal wire with threads on it to clean a pipe (for smoking). Then put the pipe-cleaner in a cordless drill and spin it around to polish the inside the hotend to have it silky smooth inside. Also i heard some people put a hotend in canola oil and cook it, supposedly the canola gets on the hotend (like baking in a new chinese wok pan, you put oil and heat it to create a nice oily film). I always bought original J-heads and switched to E3D only for my Delta printer. Never had to clean anything, but heard the chinese clones sometimes lack the finish the "real" products have. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: So far, these are my experiences to make a new hotend work properly. * Read the instructions. The ones of the 'original' if it is a clone. * Check the parts. Is everything included you need? * and check the design, if it is a clone. It might not be the same as the one they're trying to copy. Figure out the differences (as far as I encountered mainly the heatbreak/inliner design) * There is no immediate need to mechanically check the nozzle if it passes an optical check. You will be calibrating the extrusion anyway and unless you're unhappy with the results, there are most likely more severe impacts than the accuracy of the nozzle diameter. * Cleaning should be done to some extent. You wouldn't want any visible leftover products from the hotend's production in the extrusion path. Anything that you can't see will most likely be removed easily by the filament and should only be a problem when there are other more significant flaws. * You maybe want to install a heatbreak into the heatsink with lots of thermal paste to transfer the heat as effectively as possible. A defined and short meltzone is key for reliable operation. * You also maybe want to add some thermal paste for the thermistor/thermocouple to ensure quick heat transfer here. * You maybe want to insulate your hotend thermally to not lose heat by dissipation. I asked a question about that process here: [Efficient and easy way to thermally insulate the heat block of the hotend?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/q/1247/168) * Test whether the filament is easily guided into the heatbreak, so that it doesn't stop being extruded by catching an edge or deforming over one. * Check the two valuable answers of username_1 and username_2, there's good information in them! This answer is most likely not complete and totally up for discussion. I appreciate any addtional answers and comments to improve on the topic! Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]

2016/01/25

<issue_start>username_0: What are the specifications of the three wires inside a PC cable that is used to connect the switching power supply to a US AC outlet. The positive, negative and ground appear to be the same gauge stranded cable, and I've heard that it can handle 10A, but beyond that I don't really know what the rest of the specifications for the wire are.<issue_comment>username_1: *Very* basically speaking, electricity works like this: 1. There's some source that delivers a certain **voltage**. 2. You have a device that operates at a certain voltage. **The device voltage and supply voltage should always match.** No, don't put that 120V US device in a 230V outlet in Europe. 3. The device does something. By doing something it draws **current**. Most devices also draw some current when not doing anything. 4. How much power your device draws is the product of these two values:`voltage x current = power` So far, so good. In your case: 1. > > US AC outlet. > > > the **voltage is 120V**. 2. On [this other question of yours](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/q/352/10) you linked to [this power supply on amazon](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B007KG0ZYI). Besides being available gift-wrapped, it states the following feature: > > You can choose the input voltage (110V/240V) by switch. > > > 110V ≈ 120V, which means the **device voltage matches your supply voltage**. 3. The supply can deliver 30A at 12V on the DC side which means 360W. If it could transform the electricity ideally, without any inefficiency, that would be **3A** at 120V on the AC side. But your supply is unlikely ideal. [Wikipedia suggests 60-95% efficiency](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switched-mode_power_supply#SMPS_and_linear_power_supply_comparison). Let's be super pessimistic and assume 50%. That means half the power that goes into the switch power supply is turned into heat. In order to still get the 360W out, you have to insert 720W. That means **your device draws 6A** on the AC side. What does this all mean for your wire? What wire size do you need for this supply? Coincidentally, the above link to the amazon website showing your power supply also suggests the following PC ATX power supplies to me: * [Sentey Power Supply 725 Watt](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B00SN6VN7W) * [Sentey Power Supply 1000 Watt](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B00I3IXEBI) Let's get this straight: You can buy a power supply for a PC and plug it into your outlet without even thinking about what a wire size is. You'd just plug and play. **That PC power supply will potentially draw more current** than **the power supply of your 3D printer**. A standard wire would be able to supply either one of the PC ATX power supplies linked above and would not have a problem delivering a lower current to the power supply of your 3D printer. The switching supply doesn't have a plug like a PC ATX supply, but that on its own doesn't make it any less secure (if wired up properly). It's just less common for household appliances. > > Ultimately, I'd like to avoid a fire, or damage to the house wiring. > > > That's a good and valid concern. PC Power supplies deliver 12V and supply more than enough current (like the examples above). They are probably in use in your house already and did neither set it on fire nor damage the house wiring. A switching mode power supply is just as secure and if bought from a known brand unlikely to do you any harm either if used properly and within its specifications. **Ultimately**, this is not a question of secure electricity but a trade-off between secure electricity and the price to pay for it. The standard wire and it's specifications have little to do with this. --- Personally, I also use a cheap switching power supply made in china for my printer. It's very noisy and I pull the plug when I leave it unattended. Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: It's somewhat unclear what you mean by "standard PC cable", but virtually all desktop computers use [IEC C14 sockets/IEC C13 plugs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60320#C13.2FC14_coupler). Such connectors/sockets are rated for 10A 250V and thus you can safely assume that the cord itself will also be able to handle this voltage and current. 10A is what is specified by the IEC, certain North American standards agencies rate C13 cords for up to 15A. The IEC standard also specifies that the conductors inside of a C13 lead have a cross sectional area of at least 0.75mm^2 and at least 1mm^2 if the cord is longer than 2m. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/26

<issue_start>username_0: If I need to test out some of the components of a RAMPS 1.4 based 3D Printer, can I only plug some of them into the board (not all of them) and test them out? I'd like to test out the NEMA 17 motors without testing the heated bed or extruder. Is this safe and why?<issue_comment>username_1: Yes, you can. By leaving components unplugged you would simply have some pins powered that are not in use. But even with all your components plugged in, you would still have some unused, powered pins on your board, so I wouldn't think too hard about that. In some cases it might be needed to mount e.i. fans to cool your electronics while running, but for testing a few stepper motors, you will be just fine. Exactly how you would address each individual motor depends on your setup, however. My best bet would be to simply rely on your "default" firmware (such as Marlin), and then run commands for testing through Pronterface/PrintRun or similar. Alternatively, you could upload your own sketch/firmware to the Arduino, and manipulate each stepper driver individually. This is a somewhat more advanced option, though. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: If by components you mean motors, fans, or heated bed, then yes. This is even suggested in the [Final Setup](http://reprap.org/wiki/RAMPS_1.4#Final_Setup) instructions on the RAMPS wiki. > > If you think you may have mistakes (in your setup) you can install only one stepper driver during initial testing and risk only one stepper driver. > > > There are also printers using RAMPS with no heated bed and other machines that have no extruder at all. Furthermore, from an electronics perspective: if nothing is connected across a terminal no current will flow and therefore there is no damage that can be done. Obviously if you short out the unused connections there will be problems. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: As others have also said, this is generally fine. The main things I'd avoid are: * Don't plug or unplug "heavy" items (mainly motors and heaters) with power on; turn everything off first. This is especially true for motors, whose coils produce a hefty back-voltage when disconnected. * Be extra careful about stepper *drivers*. For example, some printers use 2 motors for Z, so if you test each axis against one driver, the current requirement may be quite different for each axis. * Plugging in a limit switch backwards on RAMPS is likely to short +5V straight to ground, which is worth avoiding. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/26

<issue_start>username_0: This is in with [my other question about components](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/394/when-building-a-ramps-1-4-based-printer-can-i-safely-plugin-just-some-of-the-co) and the [other question about electricity](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/389/in-the-standard-pc-cable-wire-that-goes-from-the-wall-outlet-to-the-switching-po); how can I check to see how many amps are being pulled? Can I check a component at a time to make sure I'm not going over the limit, and then just add them all in together once I've summed the amps to make sure it's safe to hook everything up. The amps shouldn't change right? What settings should my multimeter be set to? And to check how much it's pulling, do I just put the multimeter's leads on the green terminals on RAMPS 1.4?<issue_comment>username_1: To measure amps (current), the meter has to be wired in series with the item to be measured (for this reason, ammeters are designed to have very low resistance). This has the down-side that you have to disconnect the component to put the meter in line with it. That makes it hard to do the "check a component at a time" method you mentioned. An ammeter measures *actual* current flow, so you really can't test a component for it in isolation. Components can have wildly different "current draw" depending on the situation. For example, motor current varies with torque and speed; current through a resistor varies with the voltage across it; and so on. There are special "clamp-on" current meters that just clamp around a conductor and report the current by using induction. Very nice if you have one. If you just want the total current the entire RAMPS board is pulling, put the ammeter between the power supply and the RAMPS power input connection(s). Be *very* sure not to have the meter set to read volts or ohms when you do this (it might or might not survive). Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: The easiest method is to use a Clamp On amp meter on either the hot or neutral of your power supply. In most cases clamp on meters only work with AC xor DC power so you would only be able to get the reading on one side of the power supply. Multiply this number by the voltage and you get the wattage. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: If you don't want to stick a multimeter on the wire, I recommend getting a kill-a-watt meter. Pretty much, you plug it into the wall, and plug the printer into the meter, and it has a little screen that shows the result. Upvotes: 2

2016/01/26

<issue_start>username_0: There is a little circuit board, or breadboard or something [in the diagram of the wiring for the i3](http://reprap.org/wiki/Prusa_i3_Rework_Electronics_and_wiring#Wiring). And it's mentioned that the z-axis motors need to be [wired in parallel](http://reprap.org/wiki/Prusa_i3_Rework_Electronics_and_wiring#Motors_wiring) but beyond that they don't give you much detail about parts or how the wires go in. Can someone provide me with some more detail on this?<issue_comment>username_1: In the diagram, they do show the wires connecting together, which is right. You can accomplish that just about any way you like, so long as you pair up the wires correctly from one motor to the other. I'm assuming both "Z" motors are the same type and have the same color-coding for their wires. If not, you'll need to figure out the correspondences first (you may want to post another question if you need a hand with that, since it's pretty specific and generally useful). Many control boards have "headers" sticking up, with 4 bare pins for each motor. Connectors that plug right onto those are readily available, such as at <https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10364>. Some ways you can wire the motors in parallel: * Some control boards, like my RAMPS 1.4, provide 2 sets of header pins next to the Z stepper driver board. In that case, just put a connector on each motor (if they're not there already), and plug them in next to each other. * If there's just one set of header pins (or one Z-motor socket of some other kind) on your controller, make a "Y-cord" by soldering the wires from one connector (that plugs to the controller) to *2* 4 pin connectors, one to mate with each motor. * Or you can skip the 2 extra connectors entirely, and just solder the motor wires to the wires from the connector: 2 reds to red, 2 blacks to black, or whatever. * If your controller just has empty holes, either solder in header pins and do as above (preferred, IMHO), or wire directly into the holes, splicing the 2 sets of motor wires if there's only one set of holes. Motor and connector wires are wildly inconsistent, so make sure you get them sorted out right if they aren't already. The first thing is to check continuity: find 2 pairs of wires, which are the ends of two separate coils. If your motors have more than 4 wires it's trickier. With RAMPS (see handy diagram [RAMPS 1.4 RepRap Arduino Mega Pololu shield](http://makerdev.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ramps_fanboard_annotations.jpg)), [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/A6lsT.jpg "RAMPS 1.4 RepRap Arduino Mega Pololu shield") the 4 pins are commonly labelled (starting from the one nearest the power-supply end of the RAMPS board): ``` 2B 2A 1A 1B ``` It means coil 1 and coil 2, each of which has ends A and B. I find this unclear because it could just as well have been numbers for the coils, and letters for the ends (if you wire it that way it won't work). So be sure you have continuity (maybe 15 ohms or so) between the wires you connect to 2B and 2A, and between the wires you connect to 1A and 1B. The *really good thing* about this pin order is that if a motor is running backwards all you have to do is power off and then turn the plug around. That's one reason I think it's important to keep connectors in there, rather than soldering directly. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: For some unknown reason, everywhere everybody is saying that Z stepper motors need to be connected in parallel... And this was always the only obvious way, until recently some people started to connect these motors in series. And I personally started to believe the right way is to connect them in series. All stepstick drivers are some kind of current limiting devices (you could read more about chopper mode). It is all about current. Connecting in series will guarantee that both motors receive the same current in all situations. And as result you could expect the same behaviour from both of them. The bad thing when they are in parallel, is that the motor with the bigger load will get more current and as a result the other one will get less current and could skip steps. Of course, in an ideal situation, this should never happen but don't forget about Murphy's law ("whatever can go wrong, will go wrong"). One more thing - why did I change my wiring and connected my Z motors in series: At some moment I found that one Z motor was disconnected but the other one was working and this resulted in a broken printer geometry. When Z motors are in series and if one of them fails or disconnects, the other one will not work either. You will get always synchronous operation from both of them! I made this Z splitter that works fantastic: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/WM9F3.jpg "Z splitter") Upvotes: 3

2016/01/27

<issue_start>username_0: I'm thinking about buliding my own 3D printer from scratch. Is it better to buy a starter DIY kit and try to build your printer around it, or to order separate parts for printer, and then to combine a printer?<issue_comment>username_1: From a general point of view, there are a few things to consider. **If you buy a kit**: Pros: * You get some insurance that *you have all the parts that you need* to get a functional printer - all the electronics, structure, bolts, nuts, screws, washers, wires and so on. * Most likely, all the parts you get are made to *fit together*. * You will (usually) get a *manual*, often a community that can help you out, and sometimes even technical support. * Sometimes, it can be *cheaper* than buying each part separately (but it can also be more expensive) Cons: * You have limited/no options to customize your printer to your own preferences without purchasing additional parts. * Some kits can be difficult to upgrade later or may be locked to some configuration or software. **My opinion:** The way I look at it, the better option for *you* depends on how you want to spend your time. That is: 1. If you get a kit, you can spend more time building. 2. If you collect all the parts yourself, you will have to spend time planning, ordering parts (possibly multiple times) in addition to actually building the printer. A possible lack of manuals could also increase the building difficulty. If you don't already own a 3D printer, I would recommend getting a kit, simply because struggling with trivial things like parts not fitting together can take away the fun for many people. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I built my first printer from scratch, though it's fairly similar to an oversize MendelMax 2. It was a good learning experience, but very frustrating at times. Overall, I think I'm glad I did it that way, but a kit would have gotten me printing much faster and a bit cheaper. Here are my main impressions from the experience... * You should already be familiar with most of the basic skills involved: soldering, wood- and/or metal-working, electronics, etc. And don't forget software -- I wrote a lot of Arduino code for various things along the way. * You'll need to be diligent about searching for answers online, because there's no manual to go to. This group should make it a lot easier now than it was last year. * Some problems will have great answers online; some won't, or the answers will be hard to piece together. I found that stepper motors have a "lore" all their own, with several subtleties I didn't expect. * You'll have to decide *how* "from scratch" you want to go -- I bought completed Arduino Mega and RAMPs boards, but you could buy a kit or components for those instead, or even design your own electronics altogether. * You'll make mistakes and spend money to recover. For example, my Y-axis motor couldn't move the build platform nearly fast enough (too much inertia), so I had to re-work that axis entirely, using a much more expensive lead screw, plus bearings, blocks, couplers,.... * If you think you might want to sell the printer later, I imagine it would be easier if it's a known design. That said, it's a blast except when you get stuck; and the satisfaction when your first successful print comes out is pretty great. Oh, one other hint: especially for hardware, buy in bulk. You can probably get 100 of a certain bolt online for the price of 10 at your local hardware store. Give or sell the leftovers to help others get started. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: A few months ago I bought a cheap (220 USD) [Prusa i3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prusa_i3) kit from China and put it together. Putting it together was fun and still a bit of a challenge. It was also nice to have pre-configured firmware already loaded onto the Melzi board that came with it. So for the downside: The board (Melzi) that came in the kit only supports one extruder so if I want to add more extruders later I have to replace it. This means that in that case I would have paid for two boards. Maybe you should ask yourself what your #1 goal is. If you are mostly interested in having a printer for use in other projects, then a kit might be what you want. If your main interest is having something to tinker with, then maybe you should go all in and make everything from scratch. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Three great answers have already been posted, and it has been extremely interesting to read them. I shall try not to repeated what has already been said. I have sourced the parts *separately* for three different printers: * P3Steel (the frame was a kit, mind: [Orientation of long thin rod on P3Steel v4](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/3312/orientation-of-long-thin-rod-on-p3steel-v4)) * Wilson II * Kossel XL and Mini I have been coding Arduinos and Pis and building robots and quadcopters for a few years now. Then, in November 2016, because I needed a prop guard for a ZMR250 quadcopter that I found hard to obtain, but easy to print, I started reading about 3D printers (mostly RepRap wiki, and then individual blogs of straight forward builds, as well as design modifications, of Prusa, P3Steel, Wilson and Delta/Kossel printers), watching countless construction videos and asking questions here on SE 3D Printers, and reading other's questions and answers, as well as going through eBay for hours at a time, looking up parts and making numerous Bill Of Materials (BOMs) and blogging the information that I gleaned. So this gave me a good grounding and starting point for when I did get around to ordering. In fact, the process is still on going... After ordering the parts, in December, piecemeal, I then had to wait for a month for the parts to arrive from China, during which time I read some more, and revised what I had already learned. I then, finally, got to work on the P3Steel, in January, but two and a half weeks later, before I had finished it, I had to move to BKK for an extended period. I suffered delays with the P3Steel build due to postal latency, obviously, but also, some partial kits where missing critical parts (see [Is the 8mm x 20mm bearing axle for the X-axis idler (of a P3Steel) a custom part?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/3332/is-the-8mm-x-20mm-bearing-axle-for-the-x-axis-idler-of-a-p3steel-a-custom-part)), so I had to get them machined in Thailand (because it only costs around $3 to get something machined here). Hopefully, when I get back to the UK, I should have everything to hand and be able to finish the build in a few weeks maximum Once in Bangkok, I started sourcing parts for a Wilson II, and then, subsequently, a Kossel, mostly because the aluminium and steel rods are a quarter, to a half, the price that they are in Europe. Also, I had to go through the ordering process again, getting parts from China for these two printers - however, the parts from China only take two weeks to arrive to Thailand, not a month or so, for the UK. The Wilson II parts I plan to take back to the UK, in order to complete the build there, hopefully printing the plastic parts on the P3Steel, when/if the P3Steel is completed. Note, that seven, or eight months, down the line from when I first took an interest in 3D printing, I *still* haven't completed a single printer, yet. However, I sure as hell have learnt a lot. Note: most of the delay is due to the six month relocation away from my printer build in the UK. Also, due to my reading of the modification blogs for the Wilson and Kossel, I have recently been re-purchasing upgrades, before I have even fitted a bolt together, for the Kossel and Wilson, let alone completed either of the base builds. For example, I have just purchased Chinese aluminium vertices, rather than the plastic PLA prints that I got from Sintron. So I have ended up with a fair collection of spare (redundant?) parts, but again, it has helped me gain a great insight as to what works well, and what does not. To reiterate that which [TestGeek has said](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/409/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-collecting-parts-yourself-versus-getting-a-diy-ki#answer-415), *one major tip* I would have is (and I read this on a forum when I was first getting into 3D printer building), if you are sourcing the parts separately, is to buy bulk (get packs of 10 pcs, 50 pcs, 100 pcs), and buy more than you require: nuts, bolts, bearings, GT2 belt, GT2 pulleys. The price comes down phenomenally, and you can resell the spares, locally, for about as much as you paid for the whole lot, online, thereby covering, or almost covering, the cost of the printer. Plus, spares come in handy for further builds down the road. Don't buy anything from the US (unless you are already in the US, I guess) - the import/postage fees are outrageous. --- ### TL;DR In the same way as you learn more from building a kit as opposed to buying a pre-built printer, you will learn more sourcing the parts separately, but it might cost more, in redundant parts. Also: * Research extensively first * Buy bulk * Be prepared for delays, be patient * Be prepared for an iterative design Upvotes: 1

2016/01/27

<issue_start>username_0: How do I smooth 3D printed objects? What is the best / common method to do this?<issue_comment>username_1: From a general point of view, there are a few things to consider. **If you buy a kit**: Pros: * You get some insurance that *you have all the parts that you need* to get a functional printer - all the electronics, structure, bolts, nuts, screws, washers, wires and so on. * Most likely, all the parts you get are made to *fit together*. * You will (usually) get a *manual*, often a community that can help you out, and sometimes even technical support. * Sometimes, it can be *cheaper* than buying each part separately (but it can also be more expensive) Cons: * You have limited/no options to customize your printer to your own preferences without purchasing additional parts. * Some kits can be difficult to upgrade later or may be locked to some configuration or software. **My opinion:** The way I look at it, the better option for *you* depends on how you want to spend your time. That is: 1. If you get a kit, you can spend more time building. 2. If you collect all the parts yourself, you will have to spend time planning, ordering parts (possibly multiple times) in addition to actually building the printer. A possible lack of manuals could also increase the building difficulty. If you don't already own a 3D printer, I would recommend getting a kit, simply because struggling with trivial things like parts not fitting together can take away the fun for many people. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I built my first printer from scratch, though it's fairly similar to an oversize MendelMax 2. It was a good learning experience, but very frustrating at times. Overall, I think I'm glad I did it that way, but a kit would have gotten me printing much faster and a bit cheaper. Here are my main impressions from the experience... * You should already be familiar with most of the basic skills involved: soldering, wood- and/or metal-working, electronics, etc. And don't forget software -- I wrote a lot of Arduino code for various things along the way. * You'll need to be diligent about searching for answers online, because there's no manual to go to. This group should make it a lot easier now than it was last year. * Some problems will have great answers online; some won't, or the answers will be hard to piece together. I found that stepper motors have a "lore" all their own, with several subtleties I didn't expect. * You'll have to decide *how* "from scratch" you want to go -- I bought completed Arduino Mega and RAMPs boards, but you could buy a kit or components for those instead, or even design your own electronics altogether. * You'll make mistakes and spend money to recover. For example, my Y-axis motor couldn't move the build platform nearly fast enough (too much inertia), so I had to re-work that axis entirely, using a much more expensive lead screw, plus bearings, blocks, couplers,.... * If you think you might want to sell the printer later, I imagine it would be easier if it's a known design. That said, it's a blast except when you get stuck; and the satisfaction when your first successful print comes out is pretty great. Oh, one other hint: especially for hardware, buy in bulk. You can probably get 100 of a certain bolt online for the price of 10 at your local hardware store. Give or sell the leftovers to help others get started. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: A few months ago I bought a cheap (220 USD) [Prusa i3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prusa_i3) kit from China and put it together. Putting it together was fun and still a bit of a challenge. It was also nice to have pre-configured firmware already loaded onto the Melzi board that came with it. So for the downside: The board (Melzi) that came in the kit only supports one extruder so if I want to add more extruders later I have to replace it. This means that in that case I would have paid for two boards. Maybe you should ask yourself what your #1 goal is. If you are mostly interested in having a printer for use in other projects, then a kit might be what you want. If your main interest is having something to tinker with, then maybe you should go all in and make everything from scratch. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Three great answers have already been posted, and it has been extremely interesting to read them. I shall try not to repeated what has already been said. I have sourced the parts *separately* for three different printers: * P3Steel (the frame was a kit, mind: [Orientation of long thin rod on P3Steel v4](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/3312/orientation-of-long-thin-rod-on-p3steel-v4)) * Wilson II * Kossel XL and Mini I have been coding Arduinos and Pis and building robots and quadcopters for a few years now. Then, in November 2016, because I needed a prop guard for a ZMR250 quadcopter that I found hard to obtain, but easy to print, I started reading about 3D printers (mostly RepRap wiki, and then individual blogs of straight forward builds, as well as design modifications, of Prusa, P3Steel, Wilson and Delta/Kossel printers), watching countless construction videos and asking questions here on SE 3D Printers, and reading other's questions and answers, as well as going through eBay for hours at a time, looking up parts and making numerous Bill Of Materials (BOMs) and blogging the information that I gleaned. So this gave me a good grounding and starting point for when I did get around to ordering. In fact, the process is still on going... After ordering the parts, in December, piecemeal, I then had to wait for a month for the parts to arrive from China, during which time I read some more, and revised what I had already learned. I then, finally, got to work on the P3Steel, in January, but two and a half weeks later, before I had finished it, I had to move to BKK for an extended period. I suffered delays with the P3Steel build due to postal latency, obviously, but also, some partial kits where missing critical parts (see [Is the 8mm x 20mm bearing axle for the X-axis idler (of a P3Steel) a custom part?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/3332/is-the-8mm-x-20mm-bearing-axle-for-the-x-axis-idler-of-a-p3steel-a-custom-part)), so I had to get them machined in Thailand (because it only costs around $3 to get something machined here). Hopefully, when I get back to the UK, I should have everything to hand and be able to finish the build in a few weeks maximum Once in Bangkok, I started sourcing parts for a Wilson II, and then, subsequently, a Kossel, mostly because the aluminium and steel rods are a quarter, to a half, the price that they are in Europe. Also, I had to go through the ordering process again, getting parts from China for these two printers - however, the parts from China only take two weeks to arrive to Thailand, not a month or so, for the UK. The Wilson II parts I plan to take back to the UK, in order to complete the build there, hopefully printing the plastic parts on the P3Steel, when/if the P3Steel is completed. Note, that seven, or eight months, down the line from when I first took an interest in 3D printing, I *still* haven't completed a single printer, yet. However, I sure as hell have learnt a lot. Note: most of the delay is due to the six month relocation away from my printer build in the UK. Also, due to my reading of the modification blogs for the Wilson and Kossel, I have recently been re-purchasing upgrades, before I have even fitted a bolt together, for the Kossel and Wilson, let alone completed either of the base builds. For example, I have just purchased Chinese aluminium vertices, rather than the plastic PLA prints that I got from Sintron. So I have ended up with a fair collection of spare (redundant?) parts, but again, it has helped me gain a great insight as to what works well, and what does not. To reiterate that which [TestGeek has said](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/409/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-collecting-parts-yourself-versus-getting-a-diy-ki#answer-415), *one major tip* I would have is (and I read this on a forum when I was first getting into 3D printer building), if you are sourcing the parts separately, is to buy bulk (get packs of 10 pcs, 50 pcs, 100 pcs), and buy more than you require: nuts, bolts, bearings, GT2 belt, GT2 pulleys. The price comes down phenomenally, and you can resell the spares, locally, for about as much as you paid for the whole lot, online, thereby covering, or almost covering, the cost of the printer. Plus, spares come in handy for further builds down the road. Don't buy anything from the US (unless you are already in the US, I guess) - the import/postage fees are outrageous. --- ### TL;DR In the same way as you learn more from building a kit as opposed to buying a pre-built printer, you will learn more sourcing the parts separately, but it might cost more, in redundant parts. Also: * Research extensively first * Buy bulk * Be prepared for delays, be patient * Be prepared for an iterative design Upvotes: 1

2016/01/31

<issue_start>username_0: I have seen lots of printers that print chocolate using a syringe with molten chocolate. But, even cooler, would it be possible to print chocolate using some kind of feed system for **continuous** chocolate printing, so large objects and for a prolonged time, not only lasting the content of one syringe with molten chocolate ? Things to consider are IMO: * How to keep the chocolate long enough in a molten, viscous state enough to print ? * Chocolate needs a tempering temperature, which means it needs to be around 32-37 degrees celsius, else it doesn't shine but gets a dull look (or turns white after a while). * Chocolate is food, so you need foodsave equipment in the whole chain that is in contact with the chocolate. Maybe a peristaltic pump that keeps pumping the molten chocolate to the extruder, which might be a valve that can be open/closed from G-code ?<issue_comment>username_1: Update: I found a nice article about chocolate printing: <https://all3dp.com/2/chocolate-3d-printer-all-you-need-to-know/> --- You are searching for chocolate extruder. I did not find one, which would fulfill all your requirements. You have to adapt each solution. Zmorph3d Liquid paste extruder ------------------------------ * <https://zmorph3d.com/cake-and-chocolate-extruder/> According video on the page you insert chocolate in liquid form. That could be solved with heated chocolate container. Syringe based extruders ----------------------- * <http://www.open-electronics.org/3drag-is-now-printing-with-chocolate/> * <http://richrap.blogspot.de/2012/04/universal-paste-extruder-ceramic-food.html> * <http://www.instructables.com/id/Chocolate-Extruder-for-Ultimaker/> You can use a [2 liters syringe](http://esyringe.com/2l-jumbo-syringe.aspx). And if this is not enough then you can refill during print. Convert pellet extruder ----------------------- Printing from chocolate pellets is simpler then printing from plastic pellets. Therefore if you use foodsave parts to build such a extruder then this is useable for you. * <https://www.youmagine.com/designs/universal-pellet-extruder-reprap-3d-printing> Cooling ------- * [3DRAG CHOCO (Chocolate 3d printer) Cooling system explained](http://www.open-electronics.org/the-3drag-choco-chocolate-3d-printer-cooling-system-explained/) Shop ---- by Open-Electronics * [Extrude for chocolate](https://store.open-electronics.org/index.php?_route_=3DCHOCO) * [Syringe Heater for 3Drag chocolate printer](http://www.open-electronics.org/syringe-heater-for-3drag-chocolate-printer/) Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: I would look into what Hershey did for this chocolate printer in junction with 3ds. Behold state of the art Chocolate 3d printing.. The [CocoJett](http://richport3d.com/2015/02/17/3d-systems-unveils-the-cocojettm/) That said there is little said about their tank system. Far as the actual question it self. There is nothing to facilitate a large pool of continuous chocolate. It would be easy enough to build something that stirred the chocolate and a pump that feeds it in. At that point we are talking about a fair amount of new engineering. One could figure out how to map the E extrusion to a pump that would refill what was spent. This section is just a bit of speculation.. I wonder. It seems to me that the way to go for XL coco printing would be powder. Bind it with an edible adhesive (hot sugar water maybe?). Have the printer refrigerated. Or just have a simple system that can change out the syringes of coco. Last you could just pause it while you change syringes. Upvotes: 0

2016/02/01

<issue_start>username_0: I recently found out carbon fiber and glow in the dark PLA can damage the printer nozzle, now I'm suspicious of all the "exotic" filaments. So, does wood filament cause damage to the nozzle? (under normal use, or at least what someone who only used PLA/ABS before would consider normal use) Let's assume a normal quality brass nozzle - not some cheap stuff that didn't even came in the correct size to begin with and not some premium reinforeced nozzle - and reasonable quality filament.<issue_comment>username_1: If you haven't been to their site before, you should check out the forums on 3DHubs. There's a lot of how-to's. A quick Google search yields [this](https://www.3dhubs.com/talk/thread/accelerated-nozzle-wear) link to a similar question. The key thing to note is that in all technicalities, any material you run through the nozzle is going to cause *some* sort of wear on your nozzle. **How quickly** depends on the material or composition. The answer to the question linked above relates it spot on to sandpaper. If you have sandpaper made out of metal (ie stainless pla), it will scratch your skin fairly easily. If you have sandpaper made out of tree bark (ie laywood pla), it probably won't scratch your skin as bad, but it'll still scratch. And just for poops and giggles, lets say you have sandpaper made out of pla; it'll take a while, but you could eventually make your skin raw if you rub the plastic against your arm long enough. It is typically recommended to use one nozzle for each material type as to avoid cross-contamination of materials in your printing. With this idea in mind, if you are using many types of materials, you can also minimize failed prints due to clogging and other "damaged nozzle" type troubles. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I haven't used such fiber myself (yet), so this is an educated guess rather than experience. Assuming you mean the kind that has real tiny wood bits embedded, it *shouldn't* wear a brass nozzle badly, because the nozzle is considerably harder than the wood. Carbon fiber or steel embedded in filament are much harder, so would be expected to wear the nozzle much more. That said, wood-based filament will still wear the nozzle slowly -- even a hardened steel drill bit gets dull with use, even if you only cut wood with it. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: EDIT: **It seems many haven't shared my same experience and have their own input and proof, please view others answers below! For the record I've been using Hatchbox Wood PLA** Original Answer: Wood filament has the same effect on the nozzle as PLA, so, no, it shouldn't. It's just some wood shavings mixed with PLA, after all. Materials like Carbon Fiber and Stainless Steel are abrasive and will wear down a brass nozzle. You would want a hardened steel nozzle in that case. Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: Wood PLA is too abrasive for a brass nozzle and will wear it out until it becomes a straight pipe after about 12 hours of printing with it. This answer is based on first hand experimentation. I'm attaching photographic evidence of what to expect if you do not use hardened steel at minimum for Wood PLA. This image shows that the nozzle after a 48 hour print is a complete straight pipe. It was mostly a straight pipe after about 12 hours. I let the print complete to take stock of the entire result. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/AlFK6.jpg) Here I am measuring a piece of filament that's been extruded after running the Wood PLA through the nozzle for 48 hours. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BtkVl.jpg) And here is how the layers degrade. When the issue started I thought maybe I had a clog, however my extruder was exhibiting perfect extrusion behaviour. The result looks like inconsistent flow, and it is. The extruder is moving at a rate appropriate for a 0.4 mm output, but the nozzle is now 1.7 mm wide. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/zWWgY.jpg) Upvotes: 3

2016/02/02

<issue_start>username_0: In general 3D printers are compact and smaller than RP machines. That's ok. But, what's the difference? 3D printers can be used as RP machine too.<issue_comment>username_1: All rapid prototyping means is automatically producing a physical part from a cad model. 3D printing is a way to achieve rapid prototyping. There are 2 main methods of rapid prototyping: additive, and subtractive. A 3D printer is additive- you add materials to an object layer by layer. Usually, when people talk about a subtractive machine, they are talking about a CNC mill (or lathe), which tend to be extremely large (most are over one ton). You start with all the material there, and you subtract the material that you don't want. This might be what you are thinking of. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: To add to the above answer, a very simple way to say it is that FMD 3d printer is a rapid prototyping machine which has a component called an extruder which pulls and melts plastic which the machine then lays down. Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: A sintered metal printer is a version of a 3D printer that is rapid, but expensive. Seen 1 for 800,000$aud Uses laser to melt metal particles like titanium. Upvotes: -1

2016/02/02

<issue_start>username_0: I'd like to customize and modify some parts on Thingiverse, beyond just simple scaling for 3D printing. I've been looking for some tools that convert the STL files into something that is easily edited, but so far all that I've found are really buggy and crash frequently as soon as one loads a reasonably complex model. Are there any free open source software tools that people can recommend that handle STL importing and editing? If not FOSS, what about just "free or nearly free for hobbyists, ed, non-commercial?<issue_comment>username_1: There is no argument that the most successful FOSS 3D editor is Blender. It can both import and export STL files and export to STL or many other formats (DAE, OBJ, 3DS, FBX, DXF, WRL) so you can both use it to edit STL models as well as just use it as a STL converter. <https://www.blender.org/> Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: If you want to do basic edits to an STL, a program such as [MeshMixer](http://www.meshmixer.com/) might be right for your. It offers the ability to combine and subtract models, add custom supports, and similar, in a fairly straight forward manner. An alternative that allows your to do complex editing of STLs would be [Autodesk Fusion 360](http://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview). Here you can import STLs into meshes, which you then may convert into solids for further editing. It is more work to use, but a very flexible solution; you can i.e choose to only convert certain faces to solid, or use the mesh as a reference point for other designs. As far as I know, neither of these are FOSS (free and open source), but both are free for non-commercial use. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: You can use [OpenSCAD](http://www.openscad.org/). It's a script based powerful CAD open source software under GPL. On Thingiverse, a [lot of things are](http://www.thingiverse.com/search/prolific/things?q=&search_mode=advanced&description=&username=&tags=Customizer&license=) made with this CAD software (the `Customizer` flagged ones) and you can just download their source code (`.scad`) and directly edit them ! You can also import existing STL and edit them like they were a primitive shape like a cube. You can then interact with them by doing binary operations, adding parts, etc. It is hard to start with if you have never coded, but that's worth it : > > OpenSCAD is a software for creating solid 3D CAD models. It is free software and available for Linux/UNIX, Windows and Mac OS X. Unlike most free software for creating 3D models (such as Blender) it does not focus on the artistic aspects of 3D modelling but instead on the CAD aspects. Thus it might be the application you are looking for when you are planning to create 3D models of machine parts but pretty sure is not what you are looking for when you are more interested in creating computer-animated movies. > > > Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: I have used Wings 3D (<http://www.wings3d.com>) for just that purpose. It is very easy to use, and has many other useful functions built in. Not only can you reform the mesh, but you also you have the ability to import and export many other meshes such as .obj, and etc. When you have completed your modifications you can export them in one of several formats (I find it easier to just keep it in .stl) and then use netfab (also has a free version with some limitations as compared to the paid version) to fine tune the mesh if it is not printable in its current format. Wings will export your modifications in .stl format, but you may have to fine tune to get rid of holes blemishes and etc., and you can view your changes in several views such as Gaussian and other forms. If you decide to try Wings 3D you need to go through the tutorials, since there is a multitude of possibilities, including making your own meshes, beginning with several basic forms such as squares, cubes, cylinders and several other basic geometrical figures. Using these two programs I have been able to modify many meshes and arrive at a very printable object. One of the features of Wings which has been quite valuable is the smoothing app which reduces the sharp division lines on some models. Since both programs are free you can try them and uninstall them if they do not fill your needs. Blender is also an excellent free program, but I find Wings to be much simpler to use. Hope this helps Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: If you want a WYSIWYG-style editor and are not content with OpenSCAD, I found 123D Design (Autodesk, definitively not FOSS but free for hobbyists) to have (on a Mac) a compromise between power and ease of use that most appealed to me. If you insist on FOSS probably Blender comes closest, but I found it to be too idiosyncratic in interface and tools to be usable. Upvotes: 0

2016/02/03

<issue_start>username_0: I have a Robo 3D. However A while ago, the print bed was fractured, and now it has a long crack cutting it in half. The bed still works because it is held together, by the screws holding the bed to the tracks. So I want to continue using it, because it still is fairly good, the heating element works fine, and a replacement bed is 80$, and I am unsure if the one sold on the RoBo 3D website will be compatible with my printer as I don't have the R1, but a version before that. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/b4osS.jpg) So my question is: How can I best align the two glass fragments, to provide as flat a print surface as possible, and two how to best hold these two pieces in place, or if it would be best to invest in a new print bed? EDIT: Here is a image of the heating element as well to explain the situation with how it is attached[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4yr34.jpg) EDIT: The RoBo 3D team have said that I just need to upgrade my y-axis with a object on thingiverse and then buy their new build plate. So I am going to experiment with a glass replacement, and if that fails to succeed then I will go along with their suggestion, and buy the upgrade. Thanks everyone for their help.<issue_comment>username_1: IMHO your best bet is to use some kind of a tape. I do not have any experience with robo3dprinter but, I have been using glass with PET tape on in for past 4 years. I have seen guys using Kapton tape as well. Never tried. The main disadvantage on this solution is increasing the bed thickness, I am not sure if you are able to tinker with the Z level endstop, in case not this migh be an issue. The other solution you can try is replace your bed with piece of glass and then apply PET tape or any other kind, I am also not sure if you are able to replace the bed print surface of not. When using glass and PET tape, you need to get the surface of PET tape rough using sand paper, and you might have to apply so called Acetone Juice to make sure that your ABS prints will stick to the bed. Acetone juice is basically Aceton with disolved piece of Natural ABS plastic this created sticky layer on your bed that helps to hold your prints on the bed while printing. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: A little chip is fine, but I wouldn't print with that big of a crack. **However**, that doesn't mean you need to spend $80 on a new sheet of glass. Option #1- If you want borosilicate glass, you can get a sheet from either McMaster (about $40+shipping for a 10"x10" piece, less for smaller) or from a local glass maker (the price varies a lot, so you should check that also if you want to go that route). However, you won't be able to drill holes (tempered glass *will* break of you drill a hole). Borosilicate glass has the advantage of being *extremely* heat-resistant, so it won't break from thermal expansion. If you go this route, you should pick up a few binder clips also to attach the sheet to the heated bed. Option #2- You might be able to get picture frame glass from a hardware store. It's super cheap (mine was $3 or something from lowes) and they'll often cut it to exact size. You might be able to drill this, but you have to be extremely careful. Sometimes, the hardware store can drill holes in the sheet for you if needed. If you don't want to drill, a few binder clips will work just as well. Just a note for if you are using binder clips: you might need to (depending on how your hbp is set up) get a piece of glass that is slightly smaller to allow for any bed leveling screws to have room. If you're going with the picture frame glass, you should make sure that the glass will be entirely within the heated part so that there isn't any heat gradient (that's how glass cracks/shatters). Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Replacing your bed is the safest option, especially if you have a heated bed. Cracks and chips in the glass create an uneven surface for your prints, and can become a safety hazard; additionally, while borosilicate glass is very resistant to thermal shock, it can continue to crack or shatter when subjected to rapid/uneven temperature variations after damage. Borosilicate glass tends to break in large pieces rather than shattering (snap instead of splintering), but it's still a safety hazard. It sounds like you have the Kickstarter version of the Robo3D R1; the current glass bed on the Robo3D uses magnets to hold the bed in place, so you'd probably need to replace your Y axis rails along with the bed. I would contact Robo3D support to see what options you have available for upgrading the bed and rails through them. Aside from Robo3D, you have a few options: - If you plan to continue using the bed, Kapton tape is an effective surface application for general printing. It's very thin, but provides an effective surface for ABS & PLA adherence, works with heated beds, and is compatible with secondary adherence items (blue masking tape, PVA glue, ABS slurry, etc). Kapton tape can be damaged after several prints, so plan on having several sheets on hand. - You can replace your current borosilicate glass with a new sheet of borosilicate glass from a secondary source - Aluminum plates are an effective replacement - Lexan sheets also make an effective replacement, but I wouldn't recommend applying heat to them. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: If your heatbed itself is aluminum/copper/other metal: Get a glass cut and replace it. The current one is probably attached to the heatbed with adhesive glue. If it the adhesive is cyanocrylate based, you can remove by rubbing with acetone. If silicone type, it will come off by some force. Don't worry, you won't damage aluminum. THe heating element is either inside the aluminum or under it. If it's not alumunum it's likely a PCB heatbed. Then I wouldn't suggest to use acetone or some "antiglue" and would just try to apply a little force and see if the glass moves a bit. If no, don't bother, PCB heatbeds can break too. Then I'd just suggest to apply some epoxy to cover the holes surrounding the cracks and keeping the glasses uniform. Also, about replacement glasses: picture frame glasses are very cheap. McMaster sells some high quality bearings and rods, but for glass there's no point to waste money. $5 is typical for that size borosilicate glass, if you're in USA (I'm not) I think your local Home Depot will cut it for free for you as well. Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: I agree with several others that your best bet is to replace the glass entirely. But short of that, you might try something like Loctite "Glass glue", which is essentially crazy glue for glass. Be sure to level and clamp well while drying, or you'll end up with it permanently *not* straight of course. You'd want it clamped to a very flat surface, and clamped pushing the broken edges together. But I think I'd just replace it. Upvotes: 1

2016/02/03

<issue_start>username_0: I'm using Cura as my slicing/printing software and I just started using the BuildTak printing surface. The BuildTak is damaged by pushing a hot nozzle into it and my printer's (Robo3D R1+) autoleveling feature works by pushing the nozzle into the build surface. Is there a way to configure Cura so that it runs the Z probe first, then heat up the nozzle? My first sheet of BuildTak already has 10 small holes in it (at the homing position and at the 9 leveling touch points)<issue_comment>username_1: In Cura (and Slic3r), you can 100% customize what the printer does before printing your actual model through custom **start/end g-code**. If you navigate to the `Start/End-GCode tab in Cura`, then select `start.gcode`, you can see what operations are run before each print begins. Lines prefixed with `;` are comments, and does not affect the printing in any way. Basically, we want to manually tell the printer to do the auto leveling *before* heating up the nozzle by editing the g-code in `start.gcode`. ### G-Code generated with the default start.gcode: If you try to slice some model with the default code found in `start.gcode`, you will get something like the following (depending on your printer): ``` ; CURA AUTOMATICALLY INSERTS THESE TEMPERATURE CODES M190 S70.000000 ; Set bed temperature to 70 degrees M109 S210.000000 ; Set nozzle temperature to 210 degrees ; THESE ARE THE CODES FROM START.GCODE (for a ROBO 3D R1) G28 ;move printer to endstops (the home position) G92 E0 ;zero the extruded filament length M565 Z-1 ;set z-probe offset G1 Z5 F5000 ;move the printer 5mm above the bed G29 ;run auto-leveling ; THE ACTUAL MODEL BEGINS HERE ;Layer count: 168 ;LAYER:0 . . ``` ### Analyzing the g-code output At the top of this code snippet, we can see that Cura automatically inserts g-code for heating up the bed and nozzle to their respective temperatures with the [M190](http://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#M190:_Wait_for_bed_temperature_to_reach_target_temp) and [M109](http://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#M109:_Set_Extruder_Temperature_and_Wait) g-codes. This means the printer always will heat up the nozzle before reading the `start.gcode`s that we set. However, if we manually override [M109](http://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#M109:_Set_Extruder_Temperature_and_Wait) code in `start.gcode`, the [M109](http://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#M109:_Set_Extruder_Temperature_and_Wait) at the top will automagically disappear from the generated g-code output! (Thanks, @TomvanderZanden!) We could therefore use the auto-leveling command [G29](http://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#G29:_Detailed_Z-Probe) before manually setting the nozzle temperature with [M109](http://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#M109:_Set_Extruder_Temperature_and_Wait); specifically, we want to add `M109 S{print_temperature}`, which reads the `Basic -> Print Temperature`-setting in Cura, and replace `{print_temperature}` with it automatically. ### Manipulating start.gcode: In order to postpone heating the hotend till after probing, `start.gcode` could be something like: ``` G28 ;move printer to endstops (the home position) G92 E0 ;zero the extruded filament length M565 Z-1 ;set z-probe offset <----- ( YOU HAVE TO ADJUST THIS, READ BELOW) G1 Z5 F5000 ;move the printer 5mm above the bed G29 ;run auto-leveling M109 S{print_temperature} ;set nozzle temperature, and wait for it heat up ``` And that's about it! You can then use these codes in your `start.gcode`. However, you probably will have to recalibrate your z-prove offset. ### Adjust z-probe offset: Normally, auto-leveling is done with the nozzle heated for a reason: when the nozzle is warm, it expands slightly, moving closer to the bed. You might therefore have to adjust your Z-probe offset with the [M565](http://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#M565:_Set_Z_probe_offset) command (as demonstrated in the snippet) to account for the increase in nozzle length when warm. ### Remember: Remember that when editing g-code in this manner, you will take full control of how the printer operates. You could therefore very well do something unintended, so keep the power switch close! Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: As pointed out in [Markus's comment](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/454/how-to-configure-cura-to-run-the-z-probe-before-heating/469#comment6403_469) to [Tormod's answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/469/4762), `{print_temperature}` needs to be replaced by `{material_print_temperature}`, so the code now becomes: ``` G28 ;move printer to endstops (the home position) G92 E0 ;zero the extruded filament length M565 Z-1 ;set z-probe offset <----- ( YOU HAVE TO ADJUST THIS, READ BELOW) G1 Z5 F5000 ;move the printer 5mm above the bed G29 ;run auto-leveling M109 S{material_print_temperature} ;set nozzle temperature, and wait for it heat up ``` Upvotes: 0

2016/02/03

<issue_start>username_0: 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.<issue_comment>username_1: There are options for tablets. They are running software **[(for example)](http://www.3ders.org/articles/20130408-control-3d-printer-with-pengpod-touch-screen-linux-tablet.html)** 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](https://www.matterhackers.com/store/printer-accessories/mattercontrol-touch)**. 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. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/oI8Sz.png) Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: 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](http://softsolder.com/2013/03/14/g-code-and-m-code-grand-master-list/) 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. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: 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: * [RepRapDiscount Full Graphic Smart Controller](http://reprap.org/wiki/RepRapDiscount_Full_Graphic_Smart_Controller) [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fGJrJ.jpg) * [RepRapDiscount Smart Controller](http://reprap.org/wiki/RepRapDiscount_Smart_Controller), see [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2niF8_XZ7xs) [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/5asvg.jpg) RepRap firmwares (Marlin, Repetier) are supporting it. To get better view on what is supported, take a look on [Marlin language file](https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/blob/RC/Marlin/language_en.h). Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: 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. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: 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. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: 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/> Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: 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. Upvotes: 2

2016/02/03

<issue_start>username_0: I'm thinking of another extruder on my printer, and I'm curious about this one.... Is it necessary to have both hot ends on same height? Why yes / why not? (if there is not)<issue_comment>username_1: I don't have dual extruder printer myself, but to my understanding having both nozzles leveled at the same height is critical for getting successful prints. For typical FDM printers, the lowest point of the end effector should always be the nozzle. If you, for instance, mount a fan lower than the tip of your nozzle, it will eventually collide with the printed object. The effect of having unequally leveled nozzle tips for a dual extruder printer will be exactly the same: one of the nozzles will either drag against or collide with the model during print; or, one of the nozzles will be to far away from the model, giving poor layer adhesion. Either way, the result will be sub-optimal. So, leveling both nozzles equally is probably a good idea. You might want to have a look at [this question](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/331/levelling-heads-for-dual-extruder) on some advice regarding how to do it. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: If your printer has no way to move the heads up and down, or otherwise out of the way, and your slicer isn't able to detect collisions and account for head height differences in the produced G code, then they must be at exactly the same height *from the bed*. If extruder A is hanging lower than extruder B, then when B has printed at a certain level, and A moves across that area, A will hit the material B has printed. Unfortunately, this is further complicated for newer printers because some of them rely on digital bed leveling. If your bed isn't parallel to your X and Y axis movement, then you have to work very hard to make sure the heads are parallel to the bed, and with some mechanisms this isn't possible without making the mechanism itself parallel to the bed, so just mounting the new head at the same height as the other head might not be sufficient if your printer isn't perfectly calibrated already. I have not yet seen a printer or slicer that manages heads of different heights, but I suppose it's possible to manage the problem with additional intelligence. For instance, if the printer can move the heads up and down independently, it might move one down for printing, and the other up and out of the way when it's not printing, and then the opposite when it switches. I can't think of a good reason to do this, though. Another option would be to develop a slicer to generate G-Code that will prevent such collisions. The printer would necessarily be limited in what it could print depending on the location of the second head, as there are some situations where it would need to print in a certain area, but a collision prevents it from getting to that area. At any rate, no one has developed such software or mechanisms yet, so if you had good reason to mount the heads at different heights, you'd have to account for all of these factors and develop the complete solution yourself. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I have a dual extruder Replicator 1 and having the nozzles at the same height is a must and albeit a bit of a struggle otherwise. At one point, I had to disassemble my extruder head and the nozzles didn't line up quite right. There after, printing with the lower one obviously didn't have any troubles, however, printing with the high extruder made it so the lower extruder would scrape the molten plastic layer. This made my surface finish horrible and almost impossible for support structures to be printed. Instead of fighting with my stock nozzle assembly to get everything perfectly lined up, I just shimmed the one side with some stacks of paper cutouts. This brought my extruders very close to even. Also, you'll want to make sure excess plastic is cleaned off of **BOTH** nozzles when printing with either nozzle. I found that some prints would fail because of a small discharge from a previous print on the other nozzle. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: To add to the above answers, besides the obvious point that one hotend might collide with something another hotend positioned lower than it has printed, you also want both hotends to be positioned X microns above the bed at minimum height so your filament will stick to the bed properly. Position one a bit higher than the other and what it prints won't stick to the bed very well, position one a bit lower and it will hit the bed and clog/be unable to print the first layer. The only reason I can think of when you'd want one hotend to be higher is a situation when you're not using both hotends and don't want the second hotend to drag on and deform a layer the main hotend has printed and is still warm and deformable. If that's an issue (I doubt) then sure, move it a bit higher. If there are other reasons for what you would like to have the hotends at different heights, please add that to your question. I can't think of one myself. Upvotes: 0

2016/02/03

<issue_start>username_0: I have searched the internet and found various 3D printers with different advantages and materials which they can print - some even multi color. However, I cannot seem to find a printer that can print multiple material with different properties; for instance, simultaneously printing PLA and metal. Is there currently such a printer available or in development?<issue_comment>username_1: Yes and no. > > for instance simultanious printing of plas plastic and lets say metal. Is such a printer available or in development ? > > > Practically speaking, no. Metal printing requires significantly higher temperatures than plastic, and the two processes are so incompatible that there is currently no good solutions that would allow one printer to print both in the same print. Whether extruding filament, laser sintering, or curing resins, the materials involved have to be fairly similar in processing environment to print adjacent to each other without issue. There are many printers that are intended to print multiple materials by changing the print head. You might, for instance, use a ceramic paste extruder, then change the head for the next print using plastic. There have been efforts in the past, and some efforts are ongoing, to resolve this. For instance wood's metal, a low temperature alloy, can be poured at temperatures compatible with plastics, so it's possible to create a printer that prints plastic, leaving troughs or voids in the plastic, then the same printer during this print would pour molten woods metal into these areas, which then solidifies into an internal metal structure. These are intended for circuitry and electrical use, however significant problems still exist because the thermal expansion differences in these materials lead to stress and result in poor reliability. So while some of these processes are being developed, this is still just in the experimental stage and there are significant problems to overcome before printers can print widely different materials in a single printing session. Of course you can find plastics with such a wide range of characteristics that they can be seen as printing different materials. Plastics imbued with wood fibers, printing next to conductive plastics with graphite, printing next to flexible plastics, etc, etc are now possible, and depending on your requirements they may meet your needs. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: For the most part, you can achieve this with a dual extruding printer. However, dual extrusion is best for either multi-color printing or printing with support material. For example, printing the part with PLA and all support material with water soluble PVA. In practice, printing two completely different materials is not sound engineering practice as they have the potential to not make a well enough bond to each other. So, the case of pure metal and pure plastic, the two materials will not bond well because they will not both be in the same physical state together at any point in time. However, your best option would be a printer like the [MarkForged](https://markforged.com/) which uses a composite approach by combining a common binder (ABS, PLA, Nylon, etc.) and a strong material such as Carbon Fiber, Fiberglass, or Kevlar. Upvotes: 2

2016/02/03

<issue_start>username_0: Is there a good method or tool to level the bed of 3D printers? I find myself making small adjustments a lot and it's mostly just trial-and-error. A normal bubble level is of limited help and trying to figure out if the head is the thickness of a sheet of paper from the bed in all corners is beyond the capability of my vision.<issue_comment>username_1: The easiest way I know of (unless your printer has a Z-probe and automatic leveling), is to bring the nozzle(s) down fairly close to the bed (maybe 1/4" or so), and then move it around while watching for anyplace that doesn't look even. Adjust the bed until it seems even. You can just eyeball it, or use a ruler or object to measure. Then bring the nozzle down closer, and repeat. Each time you move it closer, you'll be able to eyeball more accurately. Once you're quite close, pull out a 3x5 card, or business card, or similar, and move the nozzle up or down until the card just fits between the nozzle and the bed (with no great pressure, but no space either). Again, move the head all around the bed, and do any remaining (tiny) adjustments so it's the same everywhere. Of course if the bed is at all warped this will be much harder, or even impossible. So before starting, put a good-quality straightedge along it to make sure it's actually flat. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: There are several ways. 1) Simplest is the business card/paper method. This video shows how simple it is: [Leveling the platform](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bzAE5-QgUY) You should feel the same amount of resistance between the hotend and the bed on all sides. On some 3D printers there are 3 screws holding the bed (eg. Solidoodle) and on others there are 4 screws on each edge (e.g. Prusa i3). On some 3D printers you need to rotate a screw with a screwdriver to adjust it (e.g. Solidoodle 3) and on some you have a nut (mostly wing nut) (e.g. Solidoodle 4). I find most people move the extruder around when adjusting the bed by controlling the motors. I think the quicker way is stopping the motors (in Repetier Host it's the "Stop Motor" button) and moving the gantry by hand. Tutorial: [3D printing guides - Bed leveling](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED1Gxvw2Rmw) 2) Second one is just more advanced version of the above. You use a dial indicator/ micrometer attached to your extruder and make sure the number on the dial is as close as possible on all edges. [Level the Print Bed on a RepRap / RepStrap 3D Printer with a Mitutoyo Dial Test Indicator](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI6eKDUzdfA) [Micrometer op 3D printer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K19BaqhYD0c) There are also digital versions of this tool. You might need to print or make some other way a piece to be able to attach a micrometer to the extruder (there might be one for your 3D printer on Thingiverse already). Now, remember I mentioned that you adjust the height of the edges of the print bed with a screw/nut? Well, since there is a lot of vibration during print those tend to get out of place and that might explain why you end up readjusting it over and over again. What I have found to solve this is to use a single drop of Loctite (cyanocrylate glue) in the middle of the nut/screw. A single drop will secure it in place but also not make it impossible to unscrew in the future. 3) Setting up auto-bed leveling on your 3D printer if it's modable enough: [3D printing guides: Setting up auto bed tramming leveling tilt compensation!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcGFLwj0pnA). Finally, if you can't get the bed leveled no matter what, it might be uneven. That's usually caused by warping. Both PCB beds and aluminum beds can get warped. With the former just sandwich a glass bed on top of it and it should be fine. Warped aluminum is pretty hard to flatten. In this extreme situation you might need to get a new aluminum sheet cut and drilled, preferably a mm thicker one which is less likely to warp under the same conditions. I think this happens when you either set the bed temp too high and/or the thickness of the aluminum bed is too small (bad or cheap 3D printer design). Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: If you don't have an auto-leveling build plate or a depth gauge attachment for your X-Axis, you're pretty much stuck with the "piece of paper" method. To perform this easier, try shifting the paper as you adjust the bed. As soon as the paper becomes difficult to move (the nozzle is touching now), back off the build plate by about a quarter turn. Please also keep in mind how your printer is constructed. If your build plate arms are plastic, they are easily susceptible to warping if you have a heated build plate. Even if the warping isn't permanent, the build plate can technically shift during a print as the arms get hotter. Some people go as far as replacing these arms with aluminum versions. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: After the first leveling, I usually don't need to touch it for long time, even if my bed structure is of wood and could warp in time. I guess you need to adjust it because you turn on the heating and in the meanwhile do the leveling. Do it when the bed is hot and stable for 5 minutes and you'll see it will stay correct between prints. Keep in mind that, in my case, the temperature changes the position of the extruder as well: do the leveling when everything is hot, even if without filament inserted. Edit: if you print both ABS and PLA, a single leveling done at an intermediate temperature will be enough. Also, be sure that the screws don't move due to vibrations. I used a foam washer to keep them in position. It warps during the first hours of application and then provides good friction. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: I printed a faceplate for a Reprap X400 to use an electronic drop gage to level the bed: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6mICh.jpg) [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/1ZWfE.jpg) [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/E70mW.jpg) [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/MjUXw.jpg) Upvotes: 2

2016/02/04

<issue_start>username_0: Occasionally, while printing, my *y* axis will slip and the layer will, from that point forward, be shifted, ruining the print. What might be the causes of an axis slipping? I have tried cooling the motor which seemed to have been getting warm, and the belts are not too tight. This does not happen with every print, and seems to be an intermittent problem. My printer is a MendelMax RepRap, and the *y* axis is my moving bed.<issue_comment>username_1: From what I've experienced, there could be three potential reasons. 1. Your belt(s) could be loose. Simply loosen your Y-Axis motor and pull the motor until the belt is slightly more than taught (it will relax into a taught position). Then, tighten the motor securely in its place. 2. One of your axis endstops could be triggered mid-print. If you have a larger print, you run the risk of hitting an endstop, which could cause the machine to lose its coordinate system. 3. I found on my machine, if you run your program via USB (on MakerWare specifically, possibly others) there might be some sort of lag in the serial connection that could cause the entire program or coordinate system to shift. I repeated this issue multiple time using a USB connection and fixed it (repeatedly) by either running off of an SD card, using a different slicer (in my case the Cura plugin for OctoPi), or trying an earlier version of your software (this was my long term solution). The latter worked best for me. I tried running MakerBot Desktop on my Dual Replicator 1, but ran into the same exact issue as you. In fact, I encountered this issue around firmware 5.0 on the Replicator as well (7.? is the latest). Finally I switched back to using MakerWare 2.4.? and everything worked fine. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: The current to your motor driver could be set either too high or too low. If it's set too low then the torque might not be sufficient and the motor will skip steps. If it's set too high then the driver might overheat and occasionally shut down to protect itself. Another option is that the printing speeds (or jerk/acceleration settings) are too high. I would start by reducing the travel speed (which presumably is higher than your printing speed) and see if that makes a difference. The motor getting warm is normal and will not cause these issues. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: In my experience, the most common reason for positional offset during printing, is the *motor skipping steps due to physical impact*. Your stepper motors do not give *positional feedback* to your printer. So, if you forcefully move your motor during print, then the printer will not notice, and simply pretend it never happened. In particular, the motor could skip steps if: * Your nozzle collides with erroneous extrusions (e.g. blobs) during print. * Your speed settings (jerk and acceleration) are too high for the mass (inertia) of the parts moved by the y-axis motor. Smaller collisions and nozzle drag at high speed (e.g. during travel) could also cause this problem, since the strength of stepper motors is [reduced at high speeds](https://www.google.no/search?q=stepper%20motor%20strength%20curve%20NEMA%2017&espv=2&biw=1396&bih=805&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwifiuvOwN3KAhXBGCwKHUWHDPgQ_AUIBygB#imgrc=ZBI28Gp2zjb3oM%3A). Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_4: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fWRUk.png) (source: [all3dp.com](https://all3dp.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/MaX_Fredroom_3D_Printer_Hangover.png)) Your printer is skipping steps in the y-direction. This can have several causes. Take a look into [Shifted layer guide on RapRap.org](http://reprap.org/wiki/Shifted_layers) which lists 29 possible problems that can cause this issue and how to fix them. First items of the list: 1. Driver current is too low 2. Driver current is too high 3. Belt too Loose 4. Belt too Tight 5. Loose Set Screw/Grub Screw 6. Belt or Bearing is binding 7. Speeds are too high 8. Acceleration is too high 9. ... When I was dealing with this issue on my RepRap I had to increase current to the particular driver. Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_5: I had a repeatable problem where my prints were shifting to the side after about 5mm. This was down to a loose z-axis guide rail that would come out of its end support about 5mm into the print, but appeared secure when the bed was set to its initial position. (My print head moves down). There was a grub screw hidden below a panel at the base of my printer. I'm not familiar with the build of the MendelMax so this may be different for you. Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_6: Given the last few questions you have.. I am going to say that you have too much mass. F = M\*A. If you are trying to move a heavy plate, you will need to reduce the Jerk setting. As well as maximum acceleration. Post your firmware settings for more advice. Also just for completion, sometimes the pololuls overheat. that can cause it too. As well as a loose belt. Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_7: My Y axis runs on a channel and I believe there was some grit or metal flakes in the channel left over from manufacturing. The wheels in the channel got stuck on the debris and caused the belt to slip. It made a horrible grinding noise when this happened. So I blew out the channel with pressurized air and tested all the wheels. I'll update if necessary as I test my fix with longer (taller) prints. *Update* Actually, the print had messed up g-code. The gcode file was corrupted. Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_8: One possibility is that after some time, your bed's sliding rods become sticky (where printer but not yourself notice). Turn printer's power off, spray windex on rods and bearings, slide the bed forth and back until it becomes slippery, wipe any excess around, turn power back on. reconnect printer and send it to home xyz coordinates since you moved bed, messing up its xyz memory. Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_9: Make sure your controller board/electronics board etc is as cool as possible - if not the axis may jump - that's what happened with me - after adding additional fans over the Ramps/Adruino - I did not have the problem again (so far) Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_10: Had Y axis stepping issues Solved the issue by correct pressure on the guide wheels on the Y-axis track. Too much pressure caused binding and the Y stepper motor to skip steps Hope this helps some people Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_11: I had the same issue. the only thing that helped me was settings.. uneven surface of layers caused collisions with the nozzle. I adjusted the flow by calibrating my steppers.. also the type of infill pattern you use can cause nozzle collisions. Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_12: I have some suggestions that might solve your problem 1. Try to use belt tensioner which is suitable from your printer.(You'll probably find one on Thingiverse) 2. The belt has teeth but your bearing which slides your belt does not. So try a bearing cover that has teeth. That will prevent slipping of the belt. 3. Most importantly lower your acceleration constant. This has a lot to do with missing steps from the motor. 4. Decreasing the print speed can help as well. Upvotes: 0

2016/02/04

<issue_start>username_0: From what I understand, it takes a really long time for the heated bed to heat up using an MK2a heated bed. I've heard some people suggest that using [Polyisocyanurate (PIR) foam](http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?4,584582) (insulation that takes quite a bit of heat to catch on fire) can be used under the headed bed to make it heat up faster. Now of course there are other methods for doing this too, for instance using a larger power supply, but at this point I'd rather just use the parts that I have without re-soldering many of the components on the RAMPS board. I was wondering what a proper way to attach this to the bed would be for instance, should the springs go on the bottom or on the top of the bed? Do I need some extra parts? Are there any other considerations for doing this?<issue_comment>username_1: If you use a seperate powersupply for your bed (or if your controller has a built in voltage regulator so it doesn't damage at higher voltages) you can sometimes find an small potentiometer near the connection terminals of your powersupply, turning this potentiometer up can raise the outputvoltage of your powersupply by a few volts max. In my case the potentiometer was orange and allowed me to turn up the voltage by almost 2Volts! If your printcontroller is running from the same powersupply and is critical about input DON'T do this since it will damage the electronics. Better option then is to find a higher voltage powersupply and power the bed Seperately. A buddy of mine runs his MARK2a bed on 19V and it heats up very fast. (he uses an obscure 15V powersupply that was able to be cranked up to 19V). And he doesn't use insulation at all! Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: An alternative solution that is used with some [Kossel Mini](https://www.think3dprint3d.com/3D-Printer-Kits/complete-3D-printer-kits/Kossel-Mini-3dPrinter-Kit) models, is a simple [cardboard covered with aluminum tape](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/RNWfKpkiA_cg16D6gPqcQ4e1uCFmW4-lIV-KVZYnFJyn3EtbCrsH_sXHKXZxkrlPjnHD1giczw676mjnJbq4SwFeJRHEGvfZqdh_j_QoX1kYxGITuiuJ9xQZ023sgMSyCEolIuo) ([docs](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1k2J78MIDsD2FBHLDnZ06bMdprNjH6nYhkiLUsjemnUc/pub)). This solution has the added benefit of actually improving heat-up time, since the reflective surface of the aluminum tape *reflects the heat back into the bed*, instead of getting absorbed. It is also a very simple solution, without costly materials. I guess mounting it properly could be an issue depending on your printer, but this is a fine solution for the Kossel models, at least. Upvotes: 2

2016/02/05

<issue_start>username_0: Glass is always level, easy to clean, easy to work with. Aluminium allows for the addition of automatic bed leveling with an inductive sensor and distributes heat a little more evenly. When printing mostly ABS and PLA, which one is better?<issue_comment>username_1: I believe printing directly on aluminium is unwise, simply because it will expand when heated, typically giving the bed a concave or convex shape. Glass, on the other hand, does not (at least not significantly). As pointed out in the comments below, the heat expansion of aluminium could potentially be mitigated by increasing the thickness of the bed, as well as heating it evenly. Also, a common solution is to place a glass plate on top of an aluminium bed, at the cost of a slightly longer heat-up time. In my experience, printing directly on heated glass can be very practical and give a nice surface finish for some PLA variants and other materials that support it. I don't know if printing directly on aluminium can give similar benefits. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Aluminium gives low adherence. Probably because its top of surfaces gives temperature fast. But using conductive metals is the right direction. There are some benefits: * Electromagnetic induction allows to heat faster and reach higher temperatures with same current. * Non-transparency allows to use mirror under bed to make heating bonus. But's: * It will expand when heated. I tried [titan](http://specialmeaning.blogspot.com/2016/04/3d-printing-on-titan.html). Here is [prooflink](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vXyZGqwSAY). Using 0.5 mm it gave good results on printing with temperature 120 degrees Celsius. But as I had bit crooked plate, I had to stop using it. Needing to heat it up 20 degrees more than glass makes it pointless, unless using microwave. Try [borosilicate glass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borosilicate_glass). Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I have aluminium 3 mm thick and 110x110 mm big, and it bends when heated. Inevitably the center becomes higher than the sides. It is not a problem with [PLA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polylactic_acid) and nylon, but noticeable with [ABS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylonitrile_butadiene_styrene). I use [Kapton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapton#3D_printing) on top of it, and the print sticks easily with PLA. ABS requires hairspray on top of it, and nylon requires glue stick (but it fails anyway if the piece is big). If you use glass with a top layer for proper adherence, you should be fine. Aluminium below could help spreading the heat, but... it will bend and push the glass, therefore you increase the risk of breaking: the glass does not bend much, but internally it is ALREADY withstanding a lot of stress when hot, and aluminium below could push it to the limit. Edit: it appears however that aluminium beds are in general the best ones: Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: I use a 200 mm x 200 mm aluminum bed over an aluminum heated plate. It is attached by bolts in the corners. I use a proximity probe to run a leveling program and I print on the aluminum. I don't see where my bed is bowing or causing attachment problems. I run the leveling program with the plate at temperature (110 °C) and any bowing is handled by the software. It works very well with ABS. I haven't used much PLA and am still experimenting. Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: I have only printed on an aluminum build plate but I agree with username_4. I use Marlin RC6 (I really should update to RC7 but I am lazy and RC6 is working well for me) and the mesh bed leveling system. WELL worth the time to get it setup. I use blue painter's tape and I print in both PLA and ABS, but mostly ABS. I have very few issues with the part(s) not sticking to the build plate, actually the problem I have tends to be the opposite LOL! I started to get good, repeatable results when I switched to mesh bed leveling and then great results when I changed my first layer to be 200 % flow. YMMV but I print with 110 °C bed and 235 °C print head, use blue painters tape and mesh bed leveling. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: I've got a full frame i3 with a glass printing surface, and an Anet A8 with an aluminium surface. According to my optical thermometer there is a 15 to 20 °C temperature loss between the bed sensor and the glass surface at 65 °C, which is how hot I have to run the i3 to get adhesion with PLA. I have not tried printing ABS yet on either printer, but I cannot see getting the glass surface temperature high enough to give good adhesion. I use dilute PVA adhesive as on both surfaces, but it does not adhere well to the aluminium. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: you could always slightly slot the holes on your aluminum bed so its not corner constrained and forced to bow in the middle.. My advice is use both and hairspray currently testing the effectiveness of insulation on the bottom of the plate Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_8: I have used glass from the beginning and it works perfect. (From old picture frame and old scanner) I have tried glass with tape, glass with hairspray and have had very good luck on printing on both. Prefer hairspray :) I have tried printing on the heated aluminum, but experienced the aluminum plate tend to warp due to temperature changes. With a glass plate on top of the aluminum, you have a flat surface that don't warp. :) So I would give glass thumps up! EDIT: Printed on Glass with glue-stick. Wow. Sticks really good. Upvotes: 1

2016/02/05

<issue_start>username_0: I currently print with a .4mm nozzle on my extruder, and my prints seem to come out fairly accurate; would I see much of a difference if I went to a .3mm? What are the pros and cons of larger and smaller nozzle sizes?<issue_comment>username_1: My understanding is that the only difference is your range that your layer height can be. For example, the optimal layer heights for a 0.4mm nozzle fall between 0.1-0.3mm. So, we can assume a smaller nozzle will yield a lower range. Keep in mind that varying sizes in the nozzle could produce complications more prominently than with a standard size. Things such as ooze, clogging, and filament backup may occur with a smaller nozzle size if your slicing engine is not setup correctly. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: 1) Smaller nozzle advantage: sharper "corners" (higher X and Y resolution) 2) Larger nozzle advantage: faster 3d printing (because you can print the shell faster as each perimeter can be thicker so you'll need less perimeters to be printed to get the same shell thickness. Same true for infill). 3) Smaller nozzle disadvantage (varies, debatable): higher risk of clogging. There are of course other factors which can result in clogging, but this can also affect it as even finer particles in less quality filament can get stuck now. 4) Smallel nozzle disadvantage: since less plastic can come out at a given duration of time, it means less speedy printing of larger layer heights, if at all possible. I feel like I should get back to (1) and explain why it is so. When companies market their 3d printer they usually talk about the layer height (the Z resolution) completely ignoring the X and Y. This makes sense for marketing. Luckily it is not hard to explain what is usually left out and what is important for one of the answers to your question on what are advantages of smaller nozzles: The Z resolution depends on two main things: 1) The stepper motor driver accuracy of your 3d printer's motherboard. Pretty much all are the same now. Claiming your 3d printer can print at 20 micron layer height doesn't say anything, pretty much any 3d printed today can. 2) Nozzle/extruder quality, nozzle diameter. The latter surprisingly does not determine much. Because of how FFF/FMD 3d printing works, the perimeters of your 3d print can be way thinner than your nozzle diameter. This might sound odd but there's a simple explanation: the molten plastic coming out of the hotend is squished and stretched when the head moves. Because it is stretched, it can be made thinner as you increase how much it is squished. There's not much experimentation done on this and available online, only from personal experience I can say I can print perimeters 50% thinner than my 3mm nozzle. So I suppose if you wanted thinner perimeters than that, you would need to swap to a thinner nozzle. Why would you want thinner perimeters? To get sharper corners or in other words better X and Y resolution for your 3d prints which is ignored by most unlike the overstated "layer height" (Z resolution). Here's an illustration to help you visualize how fatter perimeters and less sharp corners/edges on your 3d model result in "lower X/Y resolution" (the illustration is a 2d cutout, viewed from the top): [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/E9Q38.png) Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]

2016/02/06

<issue_start>username_0: **Given the emissions that 3d printing gives off (ABS = styrene and other chemicals, PLA give some off, etc), what options are there to filter the air in the enclosure other than venting the air out of a window?** More information on the chemicals 3d printing emit: * <http://built-envi.com/portfolio/ultrafine-particle-emissions-from-3d-printers/> It looks like activated carbon filters would be a strong performer for ABS (styrene) and PLA (lactide): * <https://www.sentryair.com/activated-carbon-filter.htm> **Are there better filtering materials or processes for filtering the air in an enclosure?** Here's an example filter setup: * This fan mount: <https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:780001> * 60mm fans and this filter: [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XNI5SY4](https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/B00XNI5SY4) * And sandwich the filter on the fan using this fan grill: <https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:11906><issue_comment>username_1: My residential materials expert referred me to these links ([3D Printing Fume Extraction Solutions](http://www.bofaamericas.com/3D-printing-fume-extraction.asp), and [ABS 3d Printer Nanoparticle and Chemical Exhaust Air Filter](http://www.3dprintfilemarket.com/140629194058.html)) and thinks that you're pretty much on track with the idea of using activated carbon. We both primarily print with ABS with my Replicator Dual and what's worked enough for me (in the past 5 years) is to keep my printer next to a window or vent in my den at home. The window is obviously a good ventilation option, but the variability that it creates in the ambient temperature screwed with my prints. Later, I moved my machine into its own hutch, which, if it is an option, would greatly help the overall environment for both the machine and any stored filament. We'll keep poking around, but hopefully that helps in the mean time. Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: It depends on how often you use your printer, meaning how many particles does your printer emit for time-unit. If you print nonstop with 5 printers then it's a different situation, opposite to one print per week. Best material for passive filtering is carbon foam. It has the ability to capture chemical fumes. See this [filter comparison](http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/general-health/air/diff-types-of-air-filters.php). Having an enclosure with such a filter would be a good start. For example [BuzzBox](http://buzzbox.apogeescience.com/). [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/guEjW.jpg) I have to say that I don't know the particle size of 3d printing emission and how good the filtering ability of carbon foam is. A step above is to bind such an enclosure bundled with an air purifier. The best option would be laboratory equipment. But it is the most expensive one. It is designed to filter toxic vapours, fumes, gases and particles. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/PTXLT.jpg) Update ====== If you decide to build an enclosure on your own, take a look on Prusa's video on a DIY version build from Ikea table. There is no filtration system, but it should be simple enough to integrate a carbon foam with a ventilation. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/KQDCh.jpg) * video: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS7ZtBNh2hE> * blog post: <https://www.prusaprinters.org/cheap-simple-3d-printer-enclosure/> * 3d models: <https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2864118> Update: ------- Here is an article about DIY enclosures: <https://all3dp.com/2/3d-printer-enclosure-5-cheap-diy-options/> Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: I was very concerned about this issue when I bought my own 3d printer, so I decided to design fumes extraction solution for this. It is tailored only for my Zortrax M200 but I hope that it is good example of how to solve this problem with limited budget. <http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1158639> Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: I have looked into this a lot. Especially when I had a phd chem engineer girlfriend who kept talking about how the fumes might give me cancer.. Frankly the system you need just costs too much. Lab equipment can run 20k easily. Not to mention the noise. What you really need is a backyard shed, but as one who lives where it snows I understand that is rarely a realistic option. The Buzzbox looks cool and there are other brands. However their prices are usually as much as a flashforge, and usually cannot even hold a flashforge. More importantly there are parts where you can DIY your own. 300 for a plexiglass case that can only hold a mini printer is not good enough by far. Take a product [like this air scrubber](http://www.3dprintclean.com/scrubber-filtration.htm) Or build your own this like [this hard core one](http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-laser-cutter-fume-extractor/) designed for a laser cutter. The local hackerspace should have a large laser cutter. Plastic should run 100 - 200 depending on how thick of a sheet you want. I personally buy scrap pieces. Designing a square box, adding hinges, then coating the edges with silicon sealant. Evacuate the chamber when done printing. Also should double as a heat chamber.. For me, I can easily run 5 printers at a time. So I might take a metal Cabinet, seal it up. test it with a fog machine. Cut out a hole for the evacuation hose, and wire up camera. But I am far from having that much free time. Also if I manage to make it air tight it should reduce fire hazard. Taking that laser cutting fume extractor. There is nothing that will perform better than that. I hear you might get some smell, but that was in regards to laser cutters. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: I designed this self-printable filter enclosure. Rather than vent any air outside the printer enclosure, this will recirculate the air within, constantly running the air through the filter while at the same time conserving the heat needed for ABS prints. It's simple, and you can employ more than one of these or, using my design files, extend the size of the cabinet to stack more layers of carbon filtration material. It only employs one inexpensive PC fan to move air. I've found it effective for my purposes, never having to smell ABS prints or suffer eye irritation from them again. <https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2209222> Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_6: Anybody consider using a Grow Box Fan and filter inside an enclosure. They come cheap with 180 cfm fan and / carbon filters. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/16XP7.jpg) Seems like it would work well, just wondering if they are really noisy. Upvotes: 0

2016/02/06

<issue_start>username_0: Some electronics come as a single PCB. They have CPU and everything on just one board. Other electronics are a shield for an Arduino. So these are always two boards. The Arduino and the other PCB. You probably don't want to exchange the Arduino unless it is broken. Does it break that often or are the two boards just the predecessors of the one board solution? What are the benefits/downsides to having one/two boards?<issue_comment>username_1: Many 3d printer motherboards are based on Arduino/Atmega microcontroller and just add some stepper motor drivers, MOSFETs and such in a single board. That explains why you use the Arduino IDE to update or modify their firmware. Now why you would want to use an Arduino + an Arduino shield board like RAMPS? Well if you're not good at electronics, are happy with the cost of your own board, don't care much about upgrades/modding beyond what is possible with your board, maybe you shouldn't, it might be overwhelming. There are several advantages with using Arduino with a shield for your 3d printer, "two boards are not just the predecessors of the one board solution", no. 1) It is moddable/exandable/upgradable/has replacable parts. If your printer came with its own motherboard that doesn't have additional or enough pins to add more fans, enclosure lights, a second extruder, an LCD and you want to, it sucks. RAMPS can do that, it has plenty of extra pins. It is upgradable. You want to replace the stepper drivers with a new one? Or you accidentally damaged the one you have? Fear not, you can just replace that instead of the whole motherboard. Think if it like other motherboards being PCs on which you can't change the CPU, RAM and GPU. 2) It is here for a long time, you will be able to acquire one for a long time. There isn't just one company making RAMPS or similar sheilds. Sometimes 3d printing companies go out of business or stop producing your particular motherboard. RAMPS is likely here to stay. Because Arduino is very likely here to stay. 3) As said above, not just one company owns or makes RAMPS or other Arduino shields. Besides the possibility of your motherboard not being produced anymore, there's also the advantage of not being at the mercy of one companies pricing and shipping policies. This is true for some other boards as well though. 4) It is possibly cheaper than what have you. I don't want to post a link, but one company right now is selling their derivative of Printrboard for like $180. Check the cost of Arduino Mega, stepper drivers and a RAMPS board yourself, quite a difference. That said, there are some boards which are close in price. 5) It's an Arduino. Why is this a good thing by itself? Because many people who have a 3d printer are tinkerers/makers and they already use Arduino for other projects. It is open source with a rich library to control many things. The modding and upgrades for your 3d printer which can be done with Arduino is another level higher. Or it can be a good learning experience for your future Arduino projects. If on the other hand you already use Arduino and are experienced with it, you might use it just because you know how to control it/fix it better than some specialized board you haven't seen before. Plus for a guy like you your 3d printer's motherboard will be an "off-the-shelf" part, that's nice, right? Video on RAMPS: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYJn6FuWOv4> Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: There isn't really a big advantage to one solution or the other. The approach of having separate boards means it is more modular and broken parts can be replaced more easily, but electronics don't break on their own: it is almost always user error. If you are even a tiny bit careful when assembling your electronics, you won't ever have anything break and the advantage of having modular electronics is moot. On the other hand, there's no disadvantage to using modular electronics either. Of course, another advantage of modular electronics is that you can upgrade separate components (for instance, swap in better stepper drivers). The value of this advantage depends on whether you eventually want to upgrade. Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: There is an advantage to the one who builds the shield: They don't have to design the circuit that is on the Arduino (main board), possibly even including Wifi or USB communication. The components on board are more expensive in small volumes, so the ready made boards are even competitive in price. Developers get a proven and well known board, with perfect support in software toolchains. Depending on the solution, they might even have less trouble with certification, as the high frequency components are already known. So, they only have to design the shield, holding some motor controllers, sensors or similar. This makes it possible to produce small amounts of units very fast, which is also a benefit for the end users / end customers. It makes niche solutions possible at lower cost. Being able (if at all) to swap out a single component is likely not a real benefit, except if you enjoy taking your electronics apart. Upvotes: 1

2016/02/07

<issue_start>username_0: My printer has an auto-leveling feature that works by touching the build plate with the tip of the nozzle. I started using a BuildTak surface and BuildTak is damaged when you push a hot nozzle into it. So I edited the start G-code to run the auto-leveling before heating up the hotend But ABS doesn't stick to the build surface unless I pre-heat the hotend and wait about a minute. So now I'm looking for a G-code command to put at the end of the start G-code that will make the printer wait a minute before printing The sequence I'm looking for is: * Heat up the bed * Auto level * Raise the hotend a little bit so it doesn't touch the build plate * Heat up the hotend * *Wait a minute (that's the only part that is missing, everything else works)* * Start printing Any way to insert a delay into the G-code? I'm using Cura to slice/print, my printer is Robo3D R1+<issue_comment>username_1: An alternative solution to using a hard delay with the [G4 dwell command](http://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#G4:_Dwell), is to increase the time that the temperature set with [M109](http://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#M109:_Set_Extruder_Temperature_and_Wait) has to be held before it continues with the next command. In Marlin, this setting is named `TEMP_RESIDENCY_TIME`, and can be found around line 150 in `Configuration.h`. By default, this is set to 5 seconds, which looks like: ``` // Actual temperature must be close to target for this long before M109 returns success #define TEMP_RESIDENCY_TIME 5 // (seconds) ``` If increasing this setting solves your exact problem, I cannot say, but it could be worth looking into. Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: The G-code to delay is `G4`. `G4 P60000` will wait for one minute. The `P` is in milliseconds. Some firmware also accept a `S` Parameter that has the seconds. So, if supported, `G4 S60` would do the same thing. The details for this and all other G-codes are documented [here](http://reprap.org/wiki/G-code). Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: I´m using this code for my prints. ``` G29 ; Autonivel M190 S35 ; set bed temperature G1 Z4 F240 ; lift nozzle M109 S195 ; wait for temperature to be reached G21 ; set units to millimeters G90 ; use absolute coordinates M82 ; use absolute distances for extrusion M104 S210 ; set temperature G92 E0 G1 E-1.5000 F1800 G1 Z0.225 F240 ``` On M190 S35, the nozzle is still on the low position (1.2mm), then goes to 4mm then waits for the extruder temperature Ex. 195°C; when the extruder reach the 195°C for 10 seconds then the printers starts to print going the nozzle to 0.22mm while the nozzle reach the second temperature of 210°C. On This time its allow me to clean the nozzle and normalize the temperatures for a good prints. **Note:** To avoid the nozzle stays many time on low position (1.2mm) normally I preheat the bed at 35°C. some times to heat the bed takes a longer time than heating the nozzle. This is the main reason that I prefer to preheat the printer. Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: Thank you username_3 for the G-code you used to solve the hot end cooling issue after bed levelling probing. I did change `M190` to `S60` but kept everything else. This worked. ``` G29 ; Autonivel M190 S35 ; set bed temperature G1 Z4 F240 ; lift nozzle M109 S195 ; wait for temperature to be reached G21 ; set units to millimeters G90 ; use absolute coordinates M82 ; use absolute distances for extrusion M104 S210 ; set temperature G92 E0 G1 E-1.5000 F1800 G1 Z0.225 F240 ``` Upvotes: 1

2016/02/09

<issue_start>username_0: I just added a fan to my printer because very small layers seem to come out very badly. For example, the 5mm PLA cube that's the top level of the test shape shown below. Watching closely, I can see that the newly-extruded fiber is pushing the previous layer(s?) around pretty freely. And when the object is finished, the little top cube is bulging, rounded, and still soft to the touch. The 2nd-to-top level of the object is also quite small and quick, but often comes out nicely (if anything, it was better before I added the fan). The fan is a squirrel-cage with about a 2.5cm square outlet, pointing at the nozzle from about 5cm away, running full speed. The extruder is a Mk9 from <http://www.makergeeks.com/duexretopr.html>. I also tried telling pronterface to wait if a level was too brief, but that setting seems not to do anything. What else can I try? It seems like this is a not-enough-cooling problem, but perhaps something else too? [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rKDz8.png)<issue_comment>username_1: Layer Times ----------- See my answer to [this question](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/516/what-parameters-affect-cylinder-regularity) and pay particular attention to my suggestion about a minimum layer print time. I'm not sure if all slicing engines provide this option, but I know MakerWare/MakerBot Desktop and (possibly) Slic3r allow this setting. Basically, when you're extruding smaller features like this, the previous layer(s) are still very hot and possibly very pliable. So, as your nozzle moves around above the previous layer, the nozzle may (and probably will) push some of this molten plastic around. Chances are you can see it to a certain degree while it's printing. You can definitely see this in a most drastic state if you print a tall and small diameter cylinder. You'll notice that the part will become almost exponentially unstable the higher it goes. By increasing the time your printer takes to print a single layer, you are allowing the previous layer(s) to cool closer to the ambient temperature of the build space, and hopefully not as molten. Please refer to [this calculator](http://www.abcgroup3.com/toolbox/mold_cooling_calc.htm) or a similar one for material cooling times. For a standard shell setting of about 2-3 (0.4mm nozzle) will yield about 130sec to cool down to room temperature. I would recommend (for ABS/PLA at least) about a 15second minimum for each layer, possibly longer depending on the size and spread out of the features. Also note that this can be cheated by simply printing multiple items in the same build plate with the same heights (ie. multiples of the same part). Naturally, it will take longer for the machine to print the rest of the parts and therefore allow each layer to cool slightly before being printed over. Active Cooling -------------- Again, some slicing engines have an Active Cooling setting. I don't personally have this option setup on my machine, but I believe it regulates the flow of air directed at your nozzle (usually by use of a mounted fan). This can help cool the layers a bit faster. With ABS, this might result in some pretty bad warping mid-print. Feedrates --------- Try bringing down your feedrates to provide the printed portions of the current layer more time to cool if the above options aren't available. Note that you might also bring down your hotend temp to shorten the time it takes to cool the plastic. All else fails -------------- My only other suggestion is stated above, try printing duplicates on the same plate. My diagnosis is that the previous layers aren't cooling down enough before the next layer begins. Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I believe you might be having an issue with insufficient cooling. Remember the suggestion to have wait times per layer to let the previous layer cool? Well, I think with your setup and print not only do individual layers overheat, but individual parts of each layer. You either need to try more direct or dual fan cooling or maybe use a nozzle with thinner outer diameter which will have less surface to heat the layed down plastic surrounding it. Upvotes: 2

2016/02/09

<issue_start>username_0: Most electronics use micro-controllers like an AVR, but I'm seeing ARM chips in new electronics. ARM chips are said to be more powerful, but in what areas related to 3D printing could this help? What are the features that the AVR struggles with and where an ARM could be better? High Speed movement? Delta printers? Graphic display? And is the AVR really the limitation there?<issue_comment>username_1: Generally, AVR is in fact less powerful than many ARM cores used today. Most printers with AVRs don't have floating-point coprocessors, although a lot of the step and movement control can be done in integer-only math (except for G2/G3). Marlin can interrupt for step handling [up to 10000 times per second](http://softsolder.com/2013/06/04/marlin-firmware-stepper-interrupt-timing/) on AVR, translating to 40000 steps per second. This isn't particularly useful without mechanical components that can move at those speeds and still print meaningful results (or are far more precise and have a far higher step-count-per-mm at a similar speed). Graphic display isn't a particularly taxing thing to do at *low* speeds--high speeds or weird interfaces might require a bit more power or a dedicated interrupt. The times when ARM might be important are for more math-heavy and especially floating-point-heavy setups such as delta, where every move requires many floating-point and trig operations, and navigation in menus on a 16MHz AVR (atmega2560) [is described as](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/242/marlin-menu-navigation-slow-while-printing#comment294_242) "painfully slow", but Marlin does succeed in printing meaningful results on delta-style printers. Clearly, an ARM core that is either faster at performing soft floating-point, or supports hardfloat (hardware that does floating point operations very efficiently) will see a benefit for such processes. Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: Generally, microcontrollers such as the AVR are single core / single threaded - so while working in a while loop to run the motor controller, you might be lacking resources to do anything else, like navigate a menu efficiently. Many ARM processors now a days are multi core / multi threaded, meaning that you can have one thread working your print, while another is free for whatever else the user may want to do. i.e. Any AVR processor running a local webserver to allow remote access to the printer would be painfully basic, where ARM would generally allow for much more flexibility. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: AVR processor has sufficient performance for standard printing. But it lacks performance for * delta printers (see [hexafraction answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/545/75)) * display menu (it's terribly slow on my RepRap printer which uses ATmega2560) * web interface (ethernet) Comparison of technical specs should be self explaining. This particular ARM CPU is at least 10x faster opposite to ATmega2560: CPU [ARM-Cortex M3 LPC1769](http://www.nxp.com/products/microcontrollers-and-processors/arm-processors/lpc-cortex-m-mcus/lpc-cortex-m3/lpc1700-series/512kb-flash-64kb-sram-ethernet-usb-lqfp100-package:LPC1769FBD100) (used in [Smoothieboard](http://smoothieware.org/smoothieboard)) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * CPU: [Cortex-M3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARM_Cortex-M3), 1 core * architecture: ARMv7-M (32-bit) * frequency: 96-120 Mhz * memory + Flash: 512 kB + RAM: 64 kB Microcontroller [ATmega2560](http://www.atmel.com/devices/atmega2560.aspx) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- * architecture: 8-bit * frequency: 16 MHz * memory + flash Memory 256 KB of which 8 KB used by bootloader + SRAM: 8 KB + EEPROM: 4 KB Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: 3D printer controllers have to do a lot of stuff very, very fast. Performing kinematics and dynamics calculations while sending many thousands of precisely-synchronized step pulses per second is *really, really hard*. The 8bit AVR line of microcontrollers used in older 3D printer controllers is basically a late-1990s era Mr Coffee processor. They are completely, utterly maxed out on processor time just executing basic printing functions in simple (eg Cartesian) printers, and adding additional calculation load will bog them down and cause slowdowns, stuttering, pausing, and so on. "But my 8bit printer works fine," you say. No, it doesn't. Your print performance is limited by it, whether you realize it or not. Slicers now automatically hide a lot of the firmware's performance shortcomings from you. For example, the standard practice of greatly slowing down print speeds on perimeters is largely a result of 8bit processors having inadequate resources for two things: 1. Performing centripetal acceleration calculations for curves across multiple gcode segments 2. Keeping up with gcode transmission/processing and motion planning for gcode with lots of very small segments, such as in organic models or smooth arcs When presented with a series of very small segments in a smooth arc or complex curve, the 8bit firmware will likely choke on the required command processing rate and introduce stuttering to the print. These incredibly brief pauses allow residual pressure in the extruder to push out some extra plastic, making a little zit on the print. So most slicers automatically decimate curves and output gcode with reduced resolution to lighten the load on the firmware. Problem solved, right? But there's another issue -- the GRBL motion control algorithms underlying all the major open source 3D printer controllers were designed with lots of shortcuts and hacks to allow 8bit processors to execute fast enough. For example, the basic algorithm only looks at the speed or velocity change at the corner between two segments, and uses that to decide when to decelerate/accelerate along the direction of motion. It does not calculate or consider centripetal/radial acceleration whatsoever. This is a really effective hack when printing boxy, low-res models, but it fails miserably on smooth curves with lots of little segments. The firmware does not detect any appreciable velocity change at the corner of any two nearly-linear segments within the faceted curve, and thus does not slow down for the curve. So complex geometry is effectively printed at constant velocity, with no acceleration. Printing complex perimeters unaccelerated means the commanded feedrate must be very low to get good quality. Most printers are limited to about 40mm/s or less on complex perimeters, despite being able to run perhaps 80-120mm/s on low-complexity infill before hitting other speed limits. Between the command processing rate limits and motion planner shortcomings required by low power processors, print speeds must be much lower in practice than is strictly required by the physics and printer hardware. This all comes from 8bit processors. The workarounds and best practices to deal with this problem are so deeply baked into the toolchains and ecosystem that very few people realize there is even a problem. But it's a real limit that can be overcome: a high-speed processor running a more rigorous motion planner could generate higher average print speeds with *better* print quality. That said, the ARM-based firmwares are only slowly moving towards more advanced motion planners. This is a big development area right now that is actually driving an upcoming shift away from low-end ARMs like the Cortex M3 towards even faster processors. It's actually not all that hard to max out an 84 MHz Arduino Due by piling on a bunch of firmware features. The use of 8bit processors also makes printers LOUDER. The biggest consumer of processor time in a typical 8bit printer is the stepper interrupt that fires the step pulses to make the motors move. It is quite typical for >60% of all clock cycles on an Atmega AVR to go to firing step pulses. Because this occurs as an interrupt, other processing tasks that the printer must perform -- like acceleration calculations and heater control -- get squeezed into the brief spaces between stepper interrupt events. Without careful firmware design, the step pulses will completely "crowd out" other functionality like LCD display updates and acceleration calculations. In order to allow higher motion rates without using all the processor resources, 8bit firmwares have a mode called "step doubling" that fires two (or four, or eight) step pulses per stepper interrupt so that half (or a quarter, or an eighth) as many stepper interrupts can be used to produce the same motion speed. This practice de-bottlenecks the processor, but it causes rougher and louder motor motion because the step pulses are fired in bursts rather than a constant frequency. In effect, the microstepping level of the motor is functionally dropped to a coarser mode when the stepper interrupt fires double or quad steps. So the motors get louder, less precise, and in extreme cases may have problems with resonance. An interesting side effect is that if you switch a Marlin-based printer from 1/16 microstepping to 1/32 microstepping, and keep the same print speeds, the firmware will simply start step-doubling, dropping your effective microstepping level right back down to 1/16. ARM-based firmwares also use step doubling, but the allowable step rates are typically ~8 times higher before double/quad stepping is used. That can mean higher speeds and/or smoother motion. Another issue with 8bit AVRs is the lack of hardware floating point and need to spend many clock cycles on high-precision calculations or handling very large numbers. Delta kinematics, auto-leveling functions, calculating moves with extremely high step counts for large printers, and other advanced functionality all take a **lot** of clock cycles on an 8bit processor. Poor firmware design or carelessly adding a feature that requires a few extra square roots and trig functions can completely bog down the processor. This kind of feature creep and code bloat has seriously impacted Marlin's performance over time as people ask more and more of the old AVR. In comparison, a 32bit processor doesn't just have a faster clock and more clock cycles, it is also able to do much more complex math in fewer clock cycles, because it has dedicated hardware functionality that takes care of many of the steps an 8bit processor must do in software. Do 8bit processors work? Sure, they work surprisingly well for what they are and what we ask of them. But they unquestionably limit the performance and features of modern 3D printers. Even today's current generation of 32bit processors is already being maxed out by high speed printers and math-heavy features. The 8bit processor is already two generations behind what would qualify as a "modern" 3D printer controller. Upvotes: 6 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_5: AVR processors are 8 bit - thus they can only fetch data from memory 8 bits at a time - while an ARM is 32 bit and can fetch data 32 bits at a time. Position resolution requires a 24 bit value minimum - this means the AVR takes 3 data fetches for the position - whereas the ARM takes 1 data fetch. Worse still, AVR processors internally divide the clock by 3, so that a 40 MHz AVR is running at 13.3 MHz typically, while an ARM is 1 clock cycle per bus transaction and instruction processing - this includes a 32 bit by 32 bit multiple in 1 clock cycle. The memory map on ARM processors is 32 bit wide or 4 GB while 8 bit processors only have an address bus of 16 bits or 64 KB - which means that bank switching comes into play on any program over 64 KB - this takes instructions and time to be done - while with the ARM this is not an issue. The cost aspects is about the same as AVRs - it just requires redesigned firmware. As for FPGAs: * They cost the same or more than the processor * They are fast, specialized, devices and can be configured for specialized task * They have additional cost factors: + lots more decoupling caps are needed because of the speed of the circuits in the FPGA. + Require additional power supplies, and ground planes and power plans - which tends to mean (and require) a minimum of a 4 layer board, or possibly 6 layers, which adds to the cost of the electronics The result of adding a FPGA to a AVR will cost a lot more than going to a more powerful ARM processor. Upvotes: 1

2016/02/11

<issue_start>username_0: I want to upload some of my works to [Thingiverse](http://www.thingiverse.com/) without making my real name public (displaying it on the profile page). I think it is OK to register my name to the site unless the make it public, and it is required by the terms to provide truthful and accurate information. I tried creating an account on the site, but I deleted it because I couldn't find the way to hide my name (set another one) from the profile page in a short time. I see some accounts that doesn't seem showing their real name (for example, their name on profile equals to their account ID, or at least not in two parts: first and last name as required on registration), so I guess this is archivable. examples: * <http://www.thingiverse.com/Darkcheops/about> * <http://www.thingiverse.com/ruaridh/about> * <https://www.thingiverse.com/Torleif/about> How can I set my name for profile page on Thingiverse after registration and logging in?<issue_comment>username_1: You can put whatever name you want in when you make an account - You decide what your name is, people go by pseudonyms in 'real life' all the time, this is perfectly acceptable. There are actually very few places where you have a legal obligation to provide your name as it appears on your birth certificate. Opening a Thingiverse account is not one of them. To answer the other part of your question, yes, it is possible to change the name displayed after you have created your account. I would be surprised if they bother to actually keep an archive of past names though. Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: To change your displayed name (as opposed to username) in Thingiverse: 1. Go to your profile page 2. Click "Edit Profile" on the info column on the left 3. At the top, next to "Thingiverse Settings" is another link/tab called "Makerbot Settings". Click that. 4. Change the First Name and Last Name fields, and save. Note that neither First nor Last Name is required; if neither is provided, your username will be displayed in place of your display name. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]

2016/02/13

<issue_start>username_0: everyone. I'm a relative newcomer to 3D printing, so I don't know what constitutes an unacceptably bad spool of filament. About 1/6 of the way into a roll of PETG (and maybe 4 hours into a 6-hour print), an over/under wrap brought things to a screeching halt. I aborted the print, then snipped the filament and started unspooling it, looking for more cross-wraps. I found a ton of them, along with a ton of kinks. I stopped about 1/3 of the way into the spool, still finding kinks and cross-wraps, and said to heck with it. The only way to use it would have been to run the entire length onto another spool, carefully avoiding cross-wraps, and hope the kinks wouldn't affect the print quality. I complained to the supplier but never even got a reply, so now I'm wondering if this is just one of those things I can expect from time to time. Any thoughts & opinions would be much appreciated. Cheers, Glasseyed<issue_comment>username_1: Filament should come off of the roll without overlapping itself. That being said depending on what you paid for it would determine if you should complain. Normally you get what you pay for. If you paid \$10 for it, I would think that is why it was so cheap, but if you paid >\$25 it should be nice stuff. Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Sorry to say it, but MOST wrap-unders are caused by end-users releasing the free end of the filament when handling the spool. It is mathematically impossible to introduce a knot during initial spooling, and all the reputable filament vendors these days have pretty careful free-end control when the spool is taken off the spooler and sent to packaging. Where you may get knots straight from the filament vendor is if they're respooling very carelessly and let go of the free end. You should only see this with very cheap filament. So, it's possible that your vendor messed up, but you should probably rule out your own handling practices first. It's not hard to prevent losing the free end. The nicer spool styles these days have holes on the side-flanges for securing the free end during handling/storage. Or you can print one of many, many filament clip designs from Thingiverse or your favorite model site. If you're very careful with handling and still get knots, switch suppliers. Anyone sloppy enough to repeatedly mis-handle new spools is likely also using extremely cheap material, and there have been a lot of anecdotal reports of very nasty industrial chemicals being mixed into the colorants of low-cost filament. Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Knot happens when you loosen the filament yourself and then leave it like that or try to manually re-spool it. To avoid this kind of situation as well as the curly filament coming off the spool and getting tangled there, try to not loosen it and also build or print a "spool guide" for your 3d printer: <http://www.thingiverse.com/search/page:1?q=filament+spool+guide&sa=> Upvotes: 0

2016/02/15

<issue_start>username_0: **I was wondering if this printer(daVinci 1.0) had the ability to print very small objects, like insects, coins, or small nuts. (About the size of 1 -2 cubic centimeters)** [Here](http://us.xyzprinting.com/us_en/Product/da-Vinci-1.0-AiO) is a link to the printer on the website. The reason I ask is someone asked me if it was able to, but I have not been able to access the actual 3-D printer for use at this time, just manuals which I have looked through. **So if the 3-D printer was able to print small objects, would a novice be able to do such a thing?** Please let me know if any additional details are needed.<issue_comment>username_1: 1) If we're talking about FFF/FDM printers: Accuracy of the electronics and motors allows it, yes. But how FDM printers work it might be very hard to lay down layers of molten plastic so small as to preserve little details in the X and Y axis, not much of a problem doing 20 micron layer height though (Z resolution). Check this answer to find out what the X and Y resolution is and what it depends on: <https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/509/381> You'll need both a small enough nozzle, as well as somehow cool the plastic because since the printed objects are so tiny the nozzle keeps contact with the surface surrounding it and heats it longer, which might melt the whole object or even char it. I've seen very few people do tiny prints with success. And the smallest nozzles I know are 250 micron. Not trying to dscourage you, just letting you know. If it was easy to do I think more people would be doing it and more companies would be advertising their printers as capable of such a thing So you'll have around 20 micron Z resolution and around maybe 200 in the X/Y. If that's enough for you, then you could try. Calibrating it all won't be easy, tiniest backlash will be noticeable. 2) It's a lot easier with curing resin 3d printers (SLA or DLP). Most of them actually have trouble printing larger objects, ironically (trouble sticking to the bed and cracking of the 3d print). Even here badly calibrated lasers would prevent you from doing this and even many Form 1 users have reported their lasers being assembled poorly resulting in poor beam profile. Size of the laser beam profile (aka laser "spot size") is what determines the X/Y resolution for SLA 3d printers. With the Form 2 its 140 micron, unless you'll get a badly calibrated printer. For DLP printers it's easier, it's the resolution of the DLP projector divided from the size of the print area. Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Strictly by looking at the technical specifications of an FDM printer, there are a few things to note regarding the *maximum print quality* you can expect to achieve: * The **minimum layer height** - here given to be *0.1 mm* * The **nozzle diameter** - here given to be *0.4 mm* ### Minimum layer height: On a finished print, the minimum layer height will affect how visible the horisontal lines of the print will be. Printing at a lower layer height can dramatically increase the smoothness of the finished part, while equally increasing the printing time - among several other things. A minimum layer height of 0.1 mm is fairly common for low-cost desktop FDM printers. ### Nozzle diameter: Just like the layer height defines the vertical resolution of a print, the nozzle diameter defines the sharpness of horizontal features of a print. When printing with a large nozzle diameter, all sharp edges and corners of the model will have a slight roundness to them: the larger the nozzle diameter, the more rounded sharp corners will be, and vice versa. You might think of it as making a detailed drawing with a blunt pencil. A nozzle diameter of 0.4 mm can perhaps be considered the standard for desktop FDM printers today, and will allow you to print "fairly accurate" parts. ### Will the daVinci work for you? Since I've never worked with the daVinci printer before, I cannot make a statement on it's user friendliness, or actual performance. In general, if you intend to use it to print fragile, complex models such as insects, I believe a resin based printer might be more right for you, since they typically will allow for much higher reproduction of details than FDM printers. Printing solid/compact structures like coins and nuts, on the other hand, can typically be handled by a well calibrated FDM printer. Upvotes: 3