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2021/12/26 | 1,205 | 3,573 | <issue_start>username_0: I recently got a KP3S Kingroon 3D printer and have been trying to set it up.
After a couple of test prints, the Y-axis seems to only move in one direction. At first, I thought it was a motor issue, but when I go into the manual move directions for the Y-axis it seems that both inputs lead to the motor spinning in the same direction.
We have ruled out endstops as a possible issue. I think it might be a hardware issue but lack the skills to confirm the exact issue.
```
Send:17:40:57.724: @moveRel Y10.00
Send:17:40:57.724: N31 G1 Y10.00 F6000
Send:17:40:57.728: @updatePrinterState
Send:17:41:00.824: @moveRel Y-10.00
Send:17:41:00.824: N35 G1 Y0.00 F6000
Send:17:41:00.828: @updatePrinterState
Send:17:41:07.445: @moveRel Y10.00
Send:17:41:07.445: N43 G1 Y10.00 F6000
Send:17:41:07.449: @updatePrinterState
Send:17:41:09.482: @moveRel Y-10.00
Send:17:41:09.482: N46 G1 Y0.00 F6000
Send:17:41:09.486: @updatePrinterState
```
Even though it states that it is increasing and decreasing by 10 it only decreases by 10.
I have updated the firmware to Marlin. I tested switching X and Y inputs and believe the breakdown occurs at the Y input signal.
attached is a picture of the mother board.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/nhmP2.gif)
I am unsure of how to best fix this?<issue_comment>username_1: The question body has changed to rule out broken endstops. As a generic answer for steppers only going into a single direction, if an axis of a 3D printer only moves in one direction it usually implies that the end stop of that axis is triggered. If triggered, the firmware doesn’t allow the stepper to move to the direction of the end stop.
Check the end stop lever and cables. Optionally connect a USB cable and send the G-code [`M119`](https://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#M119:_Get_Endstop_Status) over a [terminal](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/10573/what-is-a-printer-console-terminal).
If the endstops are functioning correctly (reporting “open” or “triggered” corresponding to the state of the endstop), a Google search on the World Wide Web shows that people that had these exact problems had issues with the controller board, replacing the board helped their issue. If this is a recent purchase it is advised to contact the seller for support rather than fiddling with the board or the firmware.
In case the board has a spare unused stepper driver (not very unlikely if you have [this controller board](https://www.google.nl/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiX5PGlv4b1AhURDuwKHU5JBuQQFnoECBMQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fnl.aliexpress.com%2Fitem%2F1005001621822311.html&usg=AOvVaw1uT5ZgSK04dlnQvoBgHSKF)), the firmware could be altered to use the spare for Y movement. [E.g. `E1` could be used for `Y`.](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/5786/)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: The answer might just be replace the mother board.
If I understood everything correctly there are 5 things to check to break down the problem:
* the motor,
* the cable,
* the stepper connection,
* the software input, and
* the firmware.
Using Repetier I disproved that the software was broken. By switching the X stepper and Y stepper cables, the motor and connection cable were proven to work. By flashing new firmware it was shown that it was without question that the firmware was the issue.
The backup extractor (E1) is not operational on this board. So it is either the stepper of the mother board.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2021/12/27 | 843 | 3,131 | <issue_start>username_0: In Cura Slicer, is it possible to change the direction that the filament is laid down when making the top layer?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6AIdx.png)
For example, in the above picture the filiment is laid down at about 45 degrees to the X\Y axis. Can I make it 90 degrees?<issue_comment>username_1: Yes with a few tricks:
----------------------
You could turn the item by 45°, then all layers are turned to follow the local X and Y-axis of the body itself, but not the global X and Y of the printer - there'll be a 45° conversion between the items local coordinates and the printers global ones.
Or you could choose a different upper layer pattern, for example concentric, for the upper and lowermost layer.
If you want to define a specific zig-zag direction, you need to go advanced mode, click the gear and enable "Top/Bottom Line Direction". This now allows altering the direction by setting an angle different from 45°/135°. The setting however is ignored if you don't use Lines or ZigZag
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6P3X2.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/hk8Rm.png)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Based on the comment in username_1's answer, a custom solution might be possible using g-code, but would likely be quite tedious. I have a (retired) client whose career spanned more years than I've been alive. He traversed his development from manual machining through punched cards/paper tape and through CAD/CAM, but always created the g-code from the ground up.
One could, for example, locate a CAM program with which one is comfortable and set about defining tool paths and related configurations. Fusion 360 may have a slicer feature in the non-free portion; I've not pursued that aspect of the software.
One could also examine the g-code generated for a specific layer and make appropriate adjustments to the direction of travel, extrusion commands, speed, etc.
An [Instructable](https://www.instructables.com/Manual-Gcode-for-3d-Stamp-Create-Square/) exists which describes a method to create a hollow cube for 3D printing, but it's severely limited in scope, in my opinion. It has triggered another thought, to use the g-code generated for laser cutting/engraving as a foundation for the above noted manual creation.
For example, a g-code based laser (i.e., GRBL) could be commanded to cut lines spaced apart by the filament width when placed by the printer, often 0.4 mm approximately. LightBurn software (multi-platform, 30-day free trial, supports GRBL) would allow you to experiment creating the initial code, which would then require manual editing for temperatures and extrusion rates.
This would require substantial experimentation and substantial time and effort.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: Yes. Set "Top Surface Skin Layers" (roofing layers) to at least 1 and "Top Surface Skin Line Directions" to 0 or 90 as appropriate (instead of 45 and 135).
Upvotes: 2 |
2021/12/29 | 437 | 1,771 | <issue_start>username_0: Faulty endstop caused the printer (a traditional cartesian FDM) to try to move over the maximum axis limit at top, the noise has been atrocious, I don't see damages (apparently) but I'm wondering if this could have damaged something or the motors aren't strong enough to do any serious physical damage to mechanics of movement.
Could you clarify this?<issue_comment>username_1: It's highly unlikely this crash caused any physical or electrical damage to your printer. Printers are designed to be able to withstand an occasional crash as typically, no Axis Maximum endstops are installed. The 'atrocious' noise you describe hearing is the sound of the stepper motor having lost (or, in this case, repeatedly losing) steps. If you are worried, I would check that the X/Y Gantries are still in-tram and that the printer can still home itself without any problems.
If this was a Z-Max runout (ie, printer tried to move too high), I would also check that the Z carriage is still on the Z axis Leadscrews before attempting to home, because if the Z carriage is not on one or both of the leadscrews, It is possible for the machine to engage them at different heights, throwing the X gantry out of tram or worse if only one leadscrew manages to re-engage.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: The noise you heard was likely caused by the extruder keeping turning, resulting in the belt stretching enough to jump a tooth or more. I guess it was like "TRRRRR".
If the belt tension is properly set (not too tight), no damage can be caused. In fact, the belt should be loose enough so that such a mistake won't cause damages.
You could also reduce the current to the stepper motors in the future, to reduce even further the risk of damage.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/01/04 | 795 | 3,169 | <issue_start>username_0: I have had my Ender 3 Pro for about 2 years now and it has been working amazingly!
Since November it's struggling very much while printing. I am quite sure the problem lives on the extruder motor.
About 1 of 5 prints come out ok. The main problem is that the first 2-3 first layers are all good. But as the prints develop, under-extrusion problems come. It's not a clog, because I can push the filament and it flows smoothly. It's like the motor cannot push the filament to the feeding line.
Thing's I tried so far:
* Upgrading the extruder from plastic to aluminum (verified the tension, not too loose, not too tight)
* Changed hotend (PTFE, nozzle, block, etc)
* E-steps calibrated
* Tried switching MicroSD
* 3 different brands of filament
I noticed that the motor is getting pretty hot. I mean, you can't have your hand in there for more than a second. My theory is that this overheating softens the filament and it cannot feed. Is this possible? The aluminum extruder also gets pretty hot. There is no clicking sound or anything weird while printing, the first layers come out perfectly ok.<issue_comment>username_1: >
> I noticed that the motor is getting pretty hot.
>
>
>
That's not normal. Replacement motors are cheap and easy to find, so I'd swap out the motor before doing anything else. If the new one also heats up the same way, there might be a problem with the main board, but I'll bet a new motor will solve the problem.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: There are a few probable causes I can think of based on your description. That it only starts happening after the printer has been running for a bit makes me think it's a heat issue.
The first problem I'd check out is that extruder motor getting that hot. It should be warm, but not so hot it's uncomfortable to hold. Either the stepper is defective, or you have the current to it set too high. There is a small screw on the motherboard beside each motor driver that allows you to adjust the current to each stepper. Find a guide for your printer to adjust it properly. You'll likely need a multimeter to do it right.
The current being too high on the extruder could also cause the stepper driver (a chip on the mainboard) to overheat. When those overheat they go into thermal shutdown and will stop driving the extruder for a moment until they cool off enough to resume. If your printer has a fan for the mainboard, make sure that is functioning properly as well. Those chips *do* normally get hot enough they are uncomfortable to touch, so to check if that's the problem you'd need a thermometer and to check what model they are to see what their maximum operating temperature is.
If fixing that doesn't solve it, it could be the heatsink on your hotend is getting hot enough that filament starts melting there, you can get a clog that stops the extruder from pushing filament out properly, but still feels like it can be extruded by hand. Make sure the heatsink on the hotend has sufficient cooling. After a bit of printing try touching the top of the heatsink - if it's uncomfortable to touch, you have a problem there.
-
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2022/01/09 | 713 | 2,879 | <issue_start>username_0: I need to 3D print several composites. The constituent materials are photopolymer resins. The composites are very similar to a Rubik's cube. Considering it that way, each voxel (every small piece of the Rubik's cube) is either entirely printed by material A or B.
I have the binary files ready for the parts. More specifically speaking, I have 3D binary tensors corresponding to each composite topology. In my tensors, each of the elements represents a voxel, and their values (binary) indicate the material that should be assigned to that specific voxel. For instance, a 1 or 0 value located at the I, J, K position of the binary tensor simply means that in that composite, the voxel located at that I, J, K position should be printed with material A or B entirely.
I believe for 3D printing these composites, the [Stratasys Objet500 Connex3 printer](https://www.stratasys.com/3d-printers/objet-350-500-connex3) would be a good choice. However, I have no idea how to prepare my files for 3D printing the structures. If it was a CAD file, I could use slicer software, but I do not know how I can print the structures using these binary tensors. I would appreciate any help regarding this matter.<issue_comment>username_1: Stratasys industrial machines generally use proprietary software to prepare the print files for printing and don't use common slicers like Ultimaker Cura or Prusa-slicer.
The software that is suggested by the manufacturer for both arranging and preparing prints on their machines of the Objet type is [GrabCAD](https://grabcad.com/print), a free software. The project is owned by Stratasys, so it is pretty much on point to all of Stratasys' machine's capabilities.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: It appears that your question is directed to solving the problem of converting your file of parameters to a 3D printable form. I'm far from an OpenSCAD wizard, but I suspect that your parameters file could be read into a properly coded OpenSCAD document to create the necessary STL to be printed.
Your reference of I, J, K is better considered as X, Y, Z and requires an additional value to determine material A, B or nul. If your voxels are uniform size as I expect, the coding is likely not to be particularly complex (for more skilled individuals).
pseudocode:
```
read entry
translate by x, y, z
check for print material a
create voxel
repeat to EOF
export STL
```
repeat for material b
It's important to note that a typical STL file requires the object to be a fully manifold creation. If the STL appears, for example, as a QR code, some of the voxels will be floating and may not produce. This is also dependent on the printer selected, as an SLS printer would be able to produce such a design, which would fall apart once removed from the print chamber. These are aspects not covered in the question.
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/01/10 | 1,293 | 4,580 | <issue_start>username_0: I am currently printing PLA infused with 80% copper powder. So far I mainly used it because it looks and feels really nice and post-processing is almost limitless, however recently I have thought that metal-like filaments might actually be a good idea for gears (in case I don't want to use polycarbonate or carbon fiber PLA).
I have been researching about the material properties of copper-infused PLA and found a few studies about the "strength", however, those seem to have exclusively focussed on how much weight can be suspended on a hook where it showed pretty good results. The only other info I found was an unsourced "it is more brittle", however the objects I printed so far do not feel more brittle.
Does anyone have any experience with spur gears printed from copper-infused PLA? Are there any advantages over regular PLA? Any downsides (I could imagine higher abrasiveness is not really helpful)?<issue_comment>username_1: At a guess, copper really isn't that strong so you're likely to see minimal improvements, if any.
The PLA carrier plastic is still PLA, with a low melting point.
The copper won't "fuse" with the PLA, it will still be flakes of metal embedded in a tiny pocket inside of a plastic structure.
However this is all speculation, and your best option for an answer is to print some gears and methodically test them against plain PLA, and perhaps a metal gear if you can. Try and use identical setups/bearings/pressures and times.
Perhaps a high torque and a high-speed test, in both lubricated and unlubed, for PLA, copper-PLA, and a straight metal gear? That would be 12 tests in all and clear out all questions.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: With the right material, you could print the gear and then sinter it, resulting in actual metal gears. However, 80 % metal-filled PLA is at the lowest border to achieve this, and a lot of that technology is patented.
FilametTM
---------
FilametTM is a [Virtual Foundry](https://shop.thevirtualfoundry.com/) product that contains around **80-92 %** metal powder of 100-400 µm particle size, suspended in a carrier. The carrier material is supposedly PLA or at least functionally similar. The resulting filament is highly abrasive, requiring stainless steel1 to print more than short sections. The high metal content also gives the material a *memory* of its spooled-up shape. This demands extra special treatment during printing to prevent snapping the filament in the shape of a pre-heater to get it spooled off properly. The same company also offers similar products for ceramics. After printing, the models are burned-out and sintered in an oven at very high temperatures. This sintering is done in a crucible filled with carbon and alumina, burning out the PLA carrier while retaining the shape. Their material-making process is [patented](https://thevirtualfoundry.com/2019/11/21/the-virtual-foundry-wins-a-patent-for-the-process-used-to-produce-its-extrudable-plastic-infused-materials/) [(patent itself)](https://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2018/0193912.html) and covers all their metal, ceramic, and glass materials.
1 - or something even more hardy, like an [Olsson Ruby](https://web.archive.org/web/20210707122849/http://olssonruby.com/) by [3DVerkstan](https://3dverkstan.se/)
MetalXTM
--------
The MetalXTM system by [Markforged](https://markforged.com/) uses a special printer and proprietary *Bound Powder Metal Filament* that contains an unknown plastic binder. A lot of this machine and surrounding peripheries are [patented](https://markforged.com/patents) and information spare. Among others, their [method of creating composite filaments](https://patents.justia.com/patent/10076875) and their [binder material, support material & sintering process](https://patents.justia.com/patent/10377083) are only described in patents. From their advertisement I could deduce the following process: The MetalX printer prints the item with unknown print settings, resulting in a raw item containing metal and the binder. After wash-cleaning using a liquid known as OpteonTM SF79 [(Datasheet)](https://www.opteon.de/-/media/files/opteon/opteon-sf79-cleaning-fluid.pdf?rev=082d2f050b3440e8b47f8dd9b58324a9) to remove the specialty binder, the sintering happens in a free oven at 1300 °C, leaving behind a metal product. Free oven means here, that the printed part is not embedded in a filled crucible like with FilametTM.
---
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with either Virtual Foundry, Markforged, 3DVerkstan, any of their products or affiliates.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/01/10 | 3,064 | 12,460 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a bit of an odd request. I am studying the vulnerability of 3D printers and would like to know if there is a way to disable the limit switches on, for example, an Ender 3 in the G-code.
Ideally, the exploit would be used by plugging in the malicious code via SD card into the 3D printer. I have found ways to change the nozzle temp and things like that, however, nothing on the limit switches.
If I were the manufacturer, I wouldn't implement the function, so if it's not possible it will not be a surprise. If that's the case, what would be some other options for tearing this thing up?<issue_comment>username_1: Ethics and justification:
-------------------------
If you have physical access to the device you could just... physically damage the device. Running arbitrary G-code is just more complicated
Most printer farms have a strict no outside G-code policy for good reason. Because direct physical access to the printer does not provide any security.
This is also a problem for CNC Mills and other equipment. The firmware is not there to protect you. If you ask the system to put the spindle into XYZ\_POS, the device's job is to deliver your 300 dollar end mill into the part as expediently and directly as you have told it. It does not hold your hand.
As a result, it's probably best that **no one** run pre-compiled G-code. You should use an STL and generate your own G-code. Not only does it allow you to properly tune the print for your specific printer, but it prevents nasties from breaking your printer.
Do not test this on a system you do not own. You will face civil and criminal liability for any damages as a result of performing this on printers that are not your own. Additionally, I would question the value of your research provided that physical access to a device automatically makes it vulnerable; let alone running arbitrary code from an untrusted source.
To help your research: Most "secure" facilities prevent even touching a machine with external code. All code has to be generated on trusted and isolated machines by trusted persons. There is no guarantee that the "trusted" person can't manufacture a job that will crash their 300,000 dollar CNC mill and cause damage - but there are serious repercussions for doing so.
It's extremely difficult to "tear up" a printer by turning off the endstops.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can disable physical endstops with a simple command [`M121`](https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M121.html).
However, this only does so much.
With [`M121`](https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M121.html), the printer is only really vulnerable before it has been [home](https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/G028.html)d. Most printers will [auto home](https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/G028.html) when starting a print, or refuse to print until they are [homed](https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/G028.html). If issuing `M121` then arbitrarily trying to ram it past an endstop, it will continue until it counts steps to the [software endstop value](https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M211.html) `[XYZ]_MIN_POS` to `[XYZ]_MAX_POS`.
Older printers didn't have software endstops and would keep going until they were stopped or turned off. But this wouldn't *explicitly* cause damage as physical limitations would prevent it. Outside of old designs that do not physically limit the Z position - and crashing the nozzle into the printer.
Nowadays - the printer would crash into the axis limit and then stop because it would hit the software endstop (and funnily enough, be homed as a result - I have done this as an experiment on my own printers)
This would not damage the printer - just be annoying for a short time until it hits the software endstop.
You can however make it work like an older printer provided it does not have stall or crash sensing (like Prusas have by default) by issuing [`M211 S0`](https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M211.html).
This turns off the software endstops. And should allow it to continually try to reach the value programmed in the G-code. It should continue to count until it gets to XYZ\_POS then finally stop.
Will this cause damage? Maybe. If the Z-axis is high and it can physically push its way into the printbed hard enough it can cause damage to the hotend. However, generally, most printers are designed (these days) that the Z-axis cannot go too far into the print bed and cause (too much) damage. Modified printers can be vulnerable if they modify the bed but do not physically limit the Z-axis from going down too far. Additionally, when the printer [autohomes](https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/G028.html) on print it usually will set zero to the endstop before the payload can be run, giving a home and only allowing excursion to the axis positives. When this happens, no damage can really occur outside of overheating the steppers/drivers and possibly damaging belts.
There are also some firmware protections to help protect the end-user (e.g. Prusa Crash Detection) - depending on the printer these may need to be circumvented as well.
How you can really tear up a printer? If you have physical access to it - you have total control over it. Simply being physically near it is enough for you to just throw it out a window. It's arbitrary to try to run any code. But if you're trying to research how a threat actor can mess up someone's printer?
<NAME> made an excellent video on these vulnerabilities (specific to 3D printers) here:
In his video, he's speaking directly on the threat of running pre-formed G-code from public sources. (Something that you should not do - something that **no one** should do)
Conclusion:
-----------
In security, physical access to a system by an untrusted person or running untrusted code on a machine is not allowed.
For this vulnerability to be exploited, it requires a person to do things that they should not be doing - running generated G-code from an untrusted source. This includes from "friends" or even family.
I won't tell you how to "really tear up" a 3D printer as there are a plethora of horror stories out on the internet of printers catching fire let alone the threat of running some random code on your printer. How to do it is publicly available. You just have to figure it out yourself.
The lesson here is simple: **Just don't run pre-compiled G-code.**
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Potential threat?
-----------------
I can imagine that this is a potential threat for printers that are operated in an environment where there are lots of people using the printer where there is access to the SD card (e.g. schools, libraries or maker spaces). It would literally take a file on the SD card to be run the next time the printer boots to change settings through G-code. As you can imagine, it is quite easy to change the coordinates of the origin - this has been discussed in previous questions - but also speeds, endstop state and acceleration values for instance.
Would it destroy a printer?
---------------------------
Yes, it can. Lead screw motion is stronger than belts, the latter will just skip, but lead screws may do some serious damage depending on the printer construction (I've had my unintentional fair share of that). But, the most obvious problem is the time that is needed to fix the problem; re-calibrating and repairing.
Limited to malicious intent?
----------------------------
No, managing an Ultimaker 3 Extended for a staff association I can talk from experience that it doesn't take malicious code, or intent, to mess up a printer. Working from home due to COVID-19 measures (my work needs those who can work at home to stay at home, in order to allow those who operate machines and test equipment to go to work and comply with the x people per y square meter rules that the government laid out) I have been away from the UM3E to find it in a terrible state a year later. It appeared that there have been people, that had no experience in slicing, using the wrong type of materials for slicing with respect to that was loaded into the machine... (we operate non-Ultimaker materials, so the material is not recognized by the RFID reader). The printer is now under lock and key...
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Physical Access is worse
------------------------
If you really want to brick a printer, physical access allows to destroy any printer physically.
If you really want to mess it up only via a remote command later, you would not just run arbitrary G-code, you'd replace the firmware with one that *looks* and *feels* the same but contains neither [Thermal Runaway Protection](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/8466/what-is-thermal-runaway-protection) nor a Maxtemp. This way, the machine would just try to heat to arbitrary temperatures as commanded - making it possibly a fire hazard. In the worst case, installing bad Firmware is as simple as inserting a prepared SD and having the printer run a *firmware update* to your modified version!
You see, Physical Access means any malicious person can turn a printer into what accounts to a timebomb, but as [username_2](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/18722/8884) points out, it takes no malicious intent to mess up a printer - just being bad at maintaining or using it.
Network Access suffices
-----------------------
Let's for the sake of argument assume all we have is [remote terminal access](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/10573/what-is-a-printer-console-terminal) to the printer. No necessarily video feedback, just terminal access, for example via [Octoprint](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/octoprint). This is sufficient to send arbitrary G-code, and some combinations can be outright devastating - which is why remote print servers are usually password secured and should **never** be public access!
### With the right Terminal, Altering the EEPROM is easy
If you have remote access and can use a terminal that allows directly altering the EEPROM, changing fundamental values like the position of the endstops or the size of the printer quite easily. Repetier Host for example can do that, but usually uses a direct physical cable - which gets us back to *Physical Access is worse*.
### You worry about the wrong command
Now, the worst command that with bad intent is very likely to destroy printers is the [`M500`](https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M500.html) command to save altered values into the EEPROM. This can result in problems if G-code before the command contains code that changes basic settings that are not firmware locked.
For example, `M301` with nonsensical values can force very bad PID-setting that could result, depending on how they are set up, in massively overshooting the target temperature, regularly tripping Thermal Runaway Protection or just bad prints. With Particular bad settings and with disabled TRP, one might actually turn the printer into a fire-hazard.
Due to the problems `M500` (and `M301`) can cause, Prusaprinters/printables does not allow to upload any g-code that contains this command, but the best protection against this command is to **NEVER** run G-code that you didn't compile yourself.
Besides the `M500` and M301, even the totally normal group of `M201` to -`M203` can really mess up a printer in not necessarily a permanent fashion without `M500`... unless they are used to destroy the printer outright. Which can totally be done by setting ludicrous speeds and acceleration, then telling the printer that its printhead is at a height well above the bed (besides that it was just a few millimeters away) and slamming down with maximum force to pierce a hole into the bed. But as many of the feedrate commands (like M203) are used in normal prints, it's hard to spy such commands - and thus nigh impossible to spot beforehand.
Blocking Malicious G-code
-------------------------
Some companies, fearing accidental `M500` or other setting-altering commands, have disabled EEPROM. This however makes maintenance much harder, but prevents altering critical settings at all - they are now fixed in the firmware and have to be altered by recompiling and uploading an altered firmware. If done properly and combined with proper physical access control to the ability to upload firmware (e.g. sealed maintenance panel) can pretty much prevent malicious G-code to have any effect.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/01/16 | 1,209 | 4,735 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm running a stock Ender 5 pro with the filament that came with it, and using Creality Slicer 4.8.2, but I'm only able to get reliable bed adhesion if I increase the bed temperature from 50 to 60 °C for the bottom layer and decrease the print head speed by about 75 % from the default profile for the Ender 5.
The machine is absolutely stock, and is fresh out of the box except for bed levelling.
I used the default bed leveling print and that came out well, so I'm reasonably certain that it's not a bed leveling issue. The problem seems to be with models that I've made myself in blender and exported as STL files.
In all cases the raft that was generated by the Creality software has printed out perfectly, but the print has only partially gone down when it came to the model itself. <issue_comment>username_1: Assuming Creality's stock firmware still doesn't have Linear Advance enabled, there's a fairly hard requirement to go slow on the first layer. This is because, as the toolhead accelerates up to higher speed without advancing the extruder extra to compensate for the backpressure in the filament-path/nozzle, you'll have an interval of underextrusion, giving less contact area for the extruded material to cling to the bed at the same time there's added force pulling it in a direction parallel to the bed surface. This becomes less critical to adhesion starting with the second layer, since the new material is bonding to itself rather than just trying to stick to a bed.
Having the bed hot will help it stick better and maybe even help reduce the pressure at the nozzle by reducing the heat loss, so it might work around the problem. But in general, you don't want to be in a situation where a few degrees of temperature difference are the cutoff between a failed print and a successful one.
Anyway, do all the usual stuff to improve bed adhesion, and especially make sure your bed height is as close to perfect as you can get it, if you want moderately fast printing to work. But don't be surprised if you need to upgrade to a version of Marlin with Linear Advance (or to Klipper) to get successful high-speed first layers.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Looking at the image, the deposited filament lines do not connect. If we consider that you have the correct filament width in your slicer and the correct amount of steps per millimeter for the extruder or no problem with extruding is present, your initial bed to nozzle gap might be too large, level with a thinner piece of paper or subtract a few tenths, see [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/4746/) for redefining the Z-height. Alternatively use a slicer option called “Z offset setting”, see [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7265/).
>
> Why does the first layer only adhere to bed if I increase the temperature by 10 °C and drop the speed by 75 %
>
>
>
If the nozzle gap is a little too large, the filament doesn't get squished enough for proper adhesion. This is seen as non-connecting filament lines. It looks as if the nozzle is under-extruding, but if that has been checked, a larger initial gap has the same effect. If you increase bed and or hot end temperature and slow down, the filament gets time to adhere properly, even when the gap is larger.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: Your bed is too low - raise it by turning the knobs underneath.
The first layer should not look like strings sitting on the bed as per your photo. Instead it should be a wider strip that looks somewhat like an electronic circuit trace, or like someone has pushed wet paint out of a tube that is being wiped across the surface.
My method is to head the bed with "preheat" in the menu, and let it sit at printing temp for at least 5 minutes. This avoids the heater being at temp but the top of the glass bed being cool.
Then start your job. As the brim or skirt is printed, actively watch it in person and twiddle the height knobs a quarter turn at a time. You want the "end view" or cross sectional view of the printed filament to be like this:
```
_____<==>_____
```
and not like this
```
______0______
```
and definitely not like this
```
0
_______________
```
If the head starts scratching the bed, you've gone too far so lower the bed back down again (effectively raising the print head a little)
---
Here's a print in progress trying to show a better brim. Notice eachgstrand is ovalised and mushed down. That brim will come off in one piece afterward.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Vis5Z.jpg)
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2022/01/17 | 4,046 | 15,462 | <issue_start>username_0: Is there a machine (for hobbyists) that will make filament based on the type of plastic I put in. I will sort the plastic before I will put it in the machine.
I have seen the [filabot](http://filabot.com) but this uses only plastic from previous prints not plastic types Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE) or High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) (these are the #1 or #2 plastic types listed at [plasticoceans.org](https://plasticoceans.org/7-types-of-plastic/)).
To reiterate:
* I am asking if there is a machine that can turn a plastic bottle into usable filament.
* I want to know if there is a machine (currently on the market) that will make filament, based on the type of plastic I put in.
---
I *will* sort the plastic *before* I will put it in the machine... so,
```
sorted waste in ---> sorted filament out
```<issue_comment>username_1: The source of the plastic doesn't matter a lot.
What matters is the plastic's composition and chemistry and how well shredded it is.
Issues are:
* Is it a thermoplast that can be remelted?
* Is the working melt temperature range compatible with your printer and/or the filament forming machine?
* Is the plastic chemically compatible with the components of the machines and the print platform you are using in the 3d printer? (If it isn't, it either will stick when it shouldn't or won't stick when it should.)
* Is the plastic shredded enough for the filament reforming machine to use it?
* Is the flexibility of the remelted plastic suitable for 3d printing, or does it need volatile plasticizers added to make it soft enough to handle as filament?
Other factors may also be a problem. For example, PLA, TPU, and PETG are fairly temperature stable, but other plastics have high thermal expansion rates that can cause warping during 3d printing. There are a few ways to compensate for that however.
If the plastic is contaminated with other plastics or non-soluble inks or labels, this must be removed first, or the results may be weak or not melt evenly or leave debris in the extrusion nozzle.
Not only must the plastic be chemically compatible, but also there are tuning parameters such as temperature profiles, cooling speed, and extrusion speed that have to be calibrated to the plastic to get good filament.
If all of these things are OK then it might be possible to use a machine to reform plastic from any source into filament.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> I am asking if there is a machine that can turn a plastic bottle into usable filament.
>
>
>
I've seen several projects ([one example](https://hackaday.com/2021/06/29/petbot-turn-pet-bottles-into-filament/), and [another](https://youtu.be/Eecbdb0bQWQ)) where plastic bottles are sliced into long tapes, and the tape is then fed through an extruder. It's a somewhat simpler process than shredding bottles and then melting and extruding the shreds; since the tape is already a long strand, you're really just reforming it into a round filament suitable for use in a printer. Forming the tape from the bottle requires little more than a razor blade and a handful of hardware, and you can pull the tape through the extruder instead of forcing shreds through with a screw.
Some of the drawbacks are that the process can't use the top and bottom of the bottle, and getting consistent results still requires some automation. Also, the process as shown only creates filament from a single bottle, so the length of the filament is limited by the size of the bottle.
>
> I want to know if there is a machine (currently on the market) that will make filament, based on the type of plastic I put in.
>
>
>
The Filabot extruder that you mentioned will accept and extrude a wide variety of plastics, and the same should be true of any commercial or DIY extruder as long as it can get hot enough to melt the material you're supplying. Also, you can only extrude thermoplastic materials; thermoset materials won't work. By definition, thermoplastic materials are those that become soft and malleable when heated, while thermoset materials don't. So you can make filament from PLA, ABS, PET, PEEK, and many others. The material you supply might not always work well for FDM printing, though, or might work better in some printers than in others. For example, filament made from a PET soda bottle will be harder and more brittle than the PETG that's preferred for 3D printing, so you might have better luck using it in a printer with a direct extruder rather than one with a Bowden setup.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: There are 2 parameters you need to have good control over when printing any filament:
* Melting temperature
* Diameter
Of these, the melting temperature is directly correlated to the chemical composition of the polymer blend in the filament while diameter control is part of the manufacturing process.
And for 3D printing, we need to take a look at the usability of the material itself. For example, pure PET is not easy to print at all and as used in bottles might be unprintable. PETG (a glycol modified PET) on the other hand is much easier to print - and [most filaments sold under PET actually are PETG or PETT.](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7856/8884)
Troubles of recycling
=====================
The melting point of a *blend* of polymers is often difficult to gauge before doing experiments and in case of recycled material, there are problems with recreating the exact same blend when using small batches unless you use exactly one material as the base for your manufacturing. This brings us to the big problem: errors in the base material. These come in several types:
* Misidentification
* Contaminants
* Degradation
Let's address these piece by piece:
Misidentified base material
---------------------------
Misidentification is when you chuck material into the wrong bin and then process it as if it was the stuff the bin was for. For example, if you'd chuck a chunk of ABS into the PLA bin, your blend will not come out as PLA but as some kind of higher melting composite of the two. The exact details of the result depend on the mixture and how well you mix the processed raw material, but in effect, you just made [some kind of PLA+](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4982/what-is-pla-how-is-it-different-from-pla).
This can be overcome by testing and good training as well as knowing the base material well. For example, there is an Austrian company that takes back ski-shoes. Only the hard shells of a particular manufacturer (which used a red ABS) are shredded, pelletized, mixed with some virgin ABS and color for stability and uniformity, then turned into filament, and then printed into flutes.
Another ski-shoe manufacturer takes back their own shoes and recycles the shells back into the current manufacturing, but is silent on what their shells are made from but that they are a long-chain polymer.
When trying to differentiate between PET and PETG, you can not do that unless you do a chemical analysis of every bottle - which leads to a huge problem in reprocessing: PETG melts well before PET and clumps it up, acting as a contaminant (see [here](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7855/can-i-3d-print-a-pet-bottle) for more details)!
Contaminants
------------
Contaminants are a problem that comes with a bad base material. in general, there are two types of contaminants: Chemical and Physical.
Physical contaminants can be avoided by removing them before and after shredding. In the case of Skishoes (that's why I chose that example) is, you'd remove the soft shells and the metal latches, disposing of them in separate ways. Then the plastic shells are roughly sized up, cleaned, and dried before further processing. Most physical contaminants can result in partial clogging during filament production, resulting in an uneven filament. Uneven filament or such containing non-melting particles can result in print failure, for example from being stuck in the extruder or clogging of the nozzle.
Chemical contamination is arguably worse. PET bottles for example: what if the user before used to store chemicals in them that can't be separated from the polymer easily? In the best case, the contaminating raw material is removed, in the worst, it ends up in the stream. This introduced contaminated plastic ends up melting somewhat evenly into a larger portion of the recycled plastic, altering the properties in hard to predict ways. As a countermeasure in industrial PET recycling, the batches are huge and get well mixed before the new plastic product is made. By diluting the chemical contaminants on a vast batch, the effects of the contaminant are vastly reduced and evened out. This is also why even in the case of the recycled ABS-shoes-into-flutes, they mix in some degree of virgin ABS pellets - to buffer against chemical contamination.
Degradation
-----------
Not all polymers are suitable for recycling and some of them alter their properties depending on their surroundings. What actually happens depends on the material in question, but let's look at PLA as one example.
While PLA doesn't exactly *break down* in nature unless put into a high-temperature environment, prolonged UV exposure can bleach out the contained coloration and some blends do become more brittle, others do not encounter this. [Angus/Makers Muse](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqNfa_zExRU) had several prints exposed to the harsh Australian sun for up to several years and concluded the worst enemy of PLA over time is the UV light.
A different type of *degradation* can happen from the environment. The one side of this is cold embrittlement, which means parts become more brittle in cold. This had some experiments done on by [Stefan/CNC Kitchen](https://youtu.be/w0JVXvSSEWs). The other side of this is softening, for example by sitting in a hot car. Usually, this type of degradation is not lasting but could result in embedding contaminants into the mix by embedding them in the plastic, so see there.
Is it a good idea?
==================
Well, from an ecological standpoint, it certainly is a good idea to recycle plastic. But with all the troubles to get any good filament, will it be viable under all viewpoints? You certainly can't sell filament which is of very varying quality unless you make it dirt cheap. Also, all this machinery takes a lot of power and initial investment before you can produce your first spool - which means it might not be economical or profitable.
economical viability
====================
So, let's go back to the main question:
>
> [Is there] a machine that can turn a plastic bottle into usable filament? [...] [Is it] currently on the market?
>
>
>
Yes, you can certainly extrude plastic from bottles into filament shape, and the tools are out there - for a price. However, not all bottles might be useable due to the chemical composition and you will need to make larger batches to reduce chemical contamination.
On an industrial scale, the process consists of several steps: sorting, cleaning, shredding, pelletizing, mixing, extruding, and finally spooling the filament.
Of these, the steps of shredding, pelletizing, and the combo of extruding & spooling need dedicated machinery. Even if hobby projects exist that manage to do this with well-known polymer blends, e.g. recycling 3D prints, such is usually heavy industrial machinery. In hobby-grade machinery, quality control is often problematic, as filament diameter control is the crux, and the price tag to get even filament without readjusting the machine every few minutes is high.
The Shredder might be the cheapest part, only costing several thousand euros professionally and a couple of hundred in hobby grade. A proper pelletizing machine that turns the shreds into pellets for the filament extruder has a price tag of about 10 000 € and I have not yet found a hobbyist kit. A basic inquiry on the absolute minimum investment into a professional filament manufacturing stream without pelletizer came up with about 14 000 GBP (ca. 16 800 € / 19 000 USD) plus shipping, while hobbyist kits for only one of the two seem to come up with price tags between 500 and 3000 €.
This brings the minimum investment using hobby-grade machinery to roundabout 3000 € but without a pelletizer, while an industrial setup comes out starting at about 25 000 GBP (ca. 30 000 € / 34 000 USD).
### Cheaper options?
There are machines out there that turn PET bottles directly into filament by cutting them up directly before entering a filament formation system. This setup is called Pulltrusion, and it turns a plastic strip into an almost-cylindrical, folded-over filament.
While no industrial size machine of this is available, [Stefan/CNC Kitchen](https://youtu.be/N06FWr06iOI) just released a video investigating the device to manufacture such filament and then tested the print properties of such a filament. [Joshua/JRT3D](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsv9RMNQvMnIgBzMo57i7NA) operated the machine in question and manufactured the samples. The base machine is the PetBot engineered by [<NAME>](https://www.youtube.com/user/neskashev), which is commercially available for about 400 € assembled plus shipping and import taxes from Russia. Joshua also managed to re-engineer a similar machine using the same method from a 3D printer, so the price point for a self-made machine might be lower.
Each bottle weighs about 20 grams, but neither the mouth nor the bottom can be used, resulting in not 100% useability. The process also means, you can't get any deposit for the bottle back. Assuming an useable portion of about 50%, this would in Germany result in a price of 25 cents per 10 grams, so about 25 € per kilogram - which for PET filament would be quite competitive. Some bottles have larger useable portions than others, and others might not require a deposit, making these a very good price, to maybe even free filament.
Do note that the manufacturing path creates a filament that is not solid but contains a void, which is accounted for by increasing the flow multiplier, and it does require a higher temperature than PETG: with settings of 265 °C for the nozzle, 80 °C for the bed and a 130 % flow rate, 30 mm/s extrusion rate, Stefan could use an otherwise PETG profile to gain good results.
However, the higher base temperature requires an All-Metal hotend, which is part of why PET is hard to print with many machines. Other problems are the PET's crystallizing properties, which makes the melting properties at times hard to predict and can induce clogging. Also, Layer adhesion can be problematic.
The biggest problem is the tiny production size of each spool: even if one would manage 15 grams per bottle in filament, this means that one needs to change the spool 66 to 100 times more often, making larger prints nearly impossible unless one comes up with a good solution for splicing the short pieces.
### Final conclusion
While the tools are available, the price tag for a full recycling chain of raw material into filament, either as a hobby or industrially, can be kind of high. This means it might not be economical unless you can manufacture large batches *and* beat the price point of fresh filament.
However, with small batches and the proper tooling, it might be somewhat viable **depending** on bottle size and deposit system.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/01/22 | 889 | 3,641 | <issue_start>username_0: I have an ender 5, and I'm not certain that the bed is getting up to temperature. Or maybe I'm not understanding what it should be like when it gets up to temperature.
If I use an infrared thermometer, where should I aim it, and what should it be saying in comparison to what the screen on the printer says?
For example, if the screen says 50 degrees should the thermometer read 50 degrees, or should it read something different because that's an internal temperature or something not a surface temperature?
At the moment the bed seems "nicely warm" when the temperature on the display says that I should burn my hand if I touch it.<issue_comment>username_1: Sensor mounting
---------------
An Infrared Thermometer prefers a non-reflective surface to accurately read the temperature reliably - glass is reflective for Infrared light under many angles and can in the worst case result in measuring anything *but* what you want to measure. To that degree, a piece of paper tape (Painter's tape or Washi-tape works fine) can act as a mounted measuring point.
A contact temperature sensor can be mounted touching the plate in a location easily by putting it in contact using some tape.
Sensor positioning
------------------
However, do note that the temperature sensor of the printer is not mounted on the top of the build platform but at the heater element under it. This means two things:
There is a temperature differential between the heater (which would be quite hot but not scorching in an instant of touching it) under the aluminium bed, the top of the aluminium bed, and even more if correlated against the surface of your build platform.
On the other hand, to verify your sensor setting, you need to measure under the bed at the heating element or at the interface between the heater and the aluminium bed. For example, you could use a spot right next to the heater as your probing point. This is incidentally quite close to where the temperature sensor should be mounted anyway.
Bed temperature control
-----------------------
Depending on your setup, the temperature difference between heater and the build surface could be up to about 15 °C and I would deem that an acceptable number. In accounting for the wanted build surface temperature, one can adjust the set heater temperature accordingly, as shown in this experience I had:
On particularly a cold day in late 2021 the heating in the room was not gaining enough heating water from the central unit set to a lower setting than it ought to. As a result, the room was down from the usual temperature to a rather cold ca. 12 °C. On that day I had to increase the bed temperature by a couple of degrees to gain proper bed adhesion, but it fixed itself once I figured out to fix the setting on the central unit.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: The actual numerical reading doesn't really matter - as long as the first layer goes down, and stays down through the entire print.
I've noticed that the center of the bed is ~2 degrees C under the set temp, and the edges could be 15 degrees low.
So "verify by effect" - if the bed seems too cold and you're getting lifting, then raise the temp and use that new value. Write it on the side of the filament spool too.
---
If you're looking for a hardware solution, some of the IR cameras or camera add-ons for cellphones may be suitable.
FLIR is one such device - be aware they're not cheap! Some photos at <https://toms3d.org/2019/05/02/testing-5-different-heated-beds/>
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RqfkL.jpg)
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/01/31 | 531 | 2,135 | <issue_start>username_0: I've been repeatedly finding small fragments of extremely thin cured resin floating in the vat of my elegoo saturn resin printer.
They're maybe a couple of CM across and so thin that I can't measure them. Thinner than the thinnest Suran wrap by at least half. They're very delicate and flexible so they haven't caused any damage, but I don't know where they are coming from.
I've cleaned my vat between each print, and used new resin, but it's happened 3 time now so it looks like it's being generated when I do a print run rather than coming from an old bottle.
Is this a known issue?
**EDIT**
This seems to be forming on or around the skate that supports the model, and probably only during the forming of the bottom layers. Large skates seem to form thicker chunkier "bits" while small skates form thin skins.
Is it possible that this is some kind of light spill during the bottom layer only?
The rest of my models seem to come out perfectly, so whatever is happening does not seem to be happening on every single layer.
I ran my printer for about 10-15 layers without a vat in place, and couldn't see anything unusual with the naked eye.<issue_comment>username_1: If your prints are coming out OK and you do not see obvious failures, then it's most likely that your screen started leaking light. In general, LCD screens does not fully block UV light and some does get through even through "dark" pixels. With time it gets worse and more and more light is able to get through the screen. At some point, that parasitic light becomes enough to cure some resin over a longer printing time. And this is what you are seeing. The only solution to this is to replace your LCD screen with a new one.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Thats not good.
I've been having the same issues and my Photon Mono X is only 6 prints in from being new.
I was chalking it up to the newb way I was cleaning my FEP and the scratches that are letting light spread everywhere. I am changing my FEP today to see if that fixes the issue.
Upvotes: -1 |
2022/02/01 | 842 | 3,002 | <issue_start>username_0: This might be a dumb question, but can a 60 watt heater be used on a 40 watt unit?
Simply put, I was wrong in thinking that more power was simply stuffed into the same dimensions.
It extends about 5 millimeters beyond my heating block. Can it be used in general or will it lead to some consequences?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/sz0R4.jpg "Photo showing heating element protruding from heater block")<issue_comment>username_1: I'd expect the heater sticking out as pictured to cause problems -- the exposed part of the heater will tend to overheat (it's not conducting heat away into the heat block) and isn't protected by the thermistor and software PID acting as a smart thermostat.
It *might* be possible to install the heater in a more centered position, so less of it protrudes beyond the block, but this is likely to leave the wire end sticking out instead. I'd have to recommend either getting the correct heater, or upgrading your entire hot end to accommodate the larger heater (which involves also verifying the driver circuitry on your control board can handle 50% higher current, resetting your nozzle offsets so you don't print off the build surface on prints that run close to Ymin, and likely modifying or replacing your part cooling fan and/or its shroud).
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> Can a 60 W heater be used on a 40 W unit?
>
>
>
Yes, you can, I used various heater cartridges with different powers ranging from 40-80 W.
Where you need to look out for is that heating is not too fast that you get overshoots such that it triggers alarms, see [PID tuning 50 W cartridge in Marlin](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/13401/pid-tuning-50-w-cartridge-in-marlin). It is best to PID tune the hotend heater once you replaced it with a new cartridge.
>
> It extends about 5 millimeters beyond my heating block. Can it be used in general or will it lead to some consequences?
>
>
>
Try to center it better, do note that the heat is produced by a wound resistor wire, it usually doesn't extend all the way to the end of the heater cartridge.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/J01Z0.png)
*Image taken from [Vsec Temperature Sensor Manufacturer](https://www.vsec.top/whats-the-difference-between-cartridge-heaters-and-tubular-heaters/)*
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: One simple consequence is that you're going to have a hard time finding a sock that fits properly. If you cut one, or have one that has a hole where the heater protrudes, it will physically fit but then not do its job preventing radiative/convective heat loss and transfer to your printed part, or preventing stray material from sticking to the heater. You could make a custom one with molded RTV silicone, of course.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/02/04 | 499 | 1,766 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm new to 3D printing, but my printer supports Linear Advance. I heard that it offers improvements in print quality. I used [Marlin Linear Advance Pattern Generator](https://marlinfw.org/tools/lin_advance/k-factor.html) to generate a print with horizontal lines at a variety of k-values.
Which K-Value would be best from my below image?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/i8UAF.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: As a general answer to evaluate the effectiveness of the K-factor, when the K-factor Calibration Pattern generator output print is inconclusive (probably not in this case), printing a tower at various K-factor values might give you more insight, e.g. like:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/G8AWx.png)
To vary the K-factor with height, a similar procedure as in [How does one use a heat tower?](/a/7346/) can be followed to insert a new K-factor with [G-code `M900`](https://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#M900_Set_Linear_Advance_Scaling_Factors).
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Go with the sort of tower username_1 suggested and look for corner bulge/rounding. It's a lot more useful than the single-layer test pattern from the Marlin site, which I've found can be misleading.
With that said, just looking at your test print, I would go with the lowest K factor that gives acceptable-looking results, so around 0.5 or so. Overshooting is more likely to harm your print quality than undershooting, and will limit your print speed too. When I used the original bowden on my Ender 3, my calibrated K factor for PLA was 0.6, so I think this is in the range of what's expected.
Upvotes: 3 |
2022/02/04 | 479 | 1,886 | <issue_start>username_0: I have an Ender 3 pro. In my country electricity outage is an issue, though it comes back pretty instantaneously, when I hit the resume button on the Ender 3 pro after heating the hot end and the bed when the hot end lifts the Y-axis or X-axis shifts a little bit, I do not understand why as when there is no power outage the prints are just flawless.
I have also tried tightening everything but feels like the motors are having their own fun tilting an extra step for no reason. I have thrown away many prints because of this problem as I work in robotics and prototyping is a necessary thing for me and so is the accuracy.<issue_comment>username_1: Not sure on your exact firmware, but it could be that it is using a [M413 power loss recovery](https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M413.html) rather than a power loss interrupt pin. Possible you might be able to change this with your current firmware, but worst case you could install a new controller that does support this power loss interrupt pin.
Depending on the frequency and duration of your power outages it may be worth getting an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). With the heat bed off [this UPS](https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/B000FBK3QK) would run a full print easily. It would even handle a heat bed for shorter outages.
Where you work in robotics, you are probably electrically savvy enough to set your printer up on [direct DC battery power](https://youtu.be/5uUb-VnTzlU?t=625), which would be cheaper than a UPS of equivalent energy storage. If you need help going that route just post over on electrical engineering stack exchange with the power supply info.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: you'll need a UPS with EMI filter. I had this same issue and I opt to a regular desktop UPS and the problem was still there. So, I connected a EMI filter and it worked.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/02/09 | 1,228 | 4,350 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm using my printer for some baby toys. My last print was one of those [pillars for stacking rings](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3556006/files), base 5. The basic format includes a base and a pillar coming up perpendicularly in the middle. A box with a cylinder sticking out of it.
Settings:
* 0.3 mm layers,
* 5 layers of base/bottom/shell,
* 20 % gyroid infill,
* PLA,
* 80 mm/s,
* 210 °C, bed at 60 °C.
Three hours of printing later, I took it out of the printer, it feels *really* solid, all the surfaces are rigid, no compression or anything.
I hand it to my kid, she drops it and the pillar just detaches along the Z layer seam at the base.
Is there anything I can do, either model or printing-wise to reinforce it, aside from printing it horizontally with a bunch of supports?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/MefU6.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: If you don't object to using adhesive to assemble the model, consider that you can succeed with your objective by performing a plane cut in the vertical direction. This allows you to print the model in the strongest orientation without supports. It will also result in an internal set of faces due to duplication of (as-printed) bottom surfaces in the best orientation.
For plane cuts, Meshmixer (free) and Fusion 360 (hobbyist version, free) as well as other programs, will allow you to chop the part directly in half and export the individual pieces. I'm unfamiliar with the software for your printer, but it may also have the ability to cut a model in this manner.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: So you are printing at 80 mm/s speed \* 0.3 mm layer height \* something about 0.5 mm line width, which is about 12 mm3/s which is likely too much for many printers.
Try keeping linear speed at 60 mm/s and, if you have a 0.4 mm nozzle, never go above 0.24 mm layer thickness if you care about strength.
That will likely solve your problem.
If you want to go further, try to print [this test piece](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:35088) at 210-220-230 °C (if you notice the walls are not nice anymore, increase cooling). Change ONLY the temperature.
Try then to break them and see which one is the strongest. PLA can be quite strong but not at 210 °C, it's too low. I can tell you that you will likely need 220-225 °C to squeeze every possible strength from PLA.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: The problem, in this case, is in part the missing internal support at the change from the elevated cone to the base plate.
This could be helped with a geometry change - I personally would add a bevel in that area, which gives us a little wider area over which the pressure will be dissipated.
Another option would be to use an intersecting circular disk or hollow cylinder [that is set up to modify the infill to 100%.](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/6522/different-infill-in-the-same-part/6523#6523) This would transmit the force down to the base plate.
As [R.](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/11157/r-github-stop-helping-ice) correctly notes, changing from a 3D to a 2D infill also can increase the strength, as now the layer boundaries in the infill have about twice as much crossection.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: The other answers are good, but a big part of your problem is also the gyroid infill, which has very poor layer adhesion strength due to being a 3D infill pattern where there's very low surface area contact between consecutive layers of infill. This isue is amplified by the thick layer height, which makes the gyroid paths differ from layer to layer more than they would with thin layers. If you switch to a fully 2D pattern like triangles where the overlap between consecutive layers is 100%, it should be stronger.
If your extruder is strong and you're not pushing the limits of your printer's extrusion rate, this doesn't matter so much. But I found it was a big issue on the original ungeared extruder of my Ender 3 (before replacing that) when trying to print at anything above 30 mm/s or so. For example, printed M8 bolts came out looking fine, but immediatey snapped at the head when tightened - a failure mode very similar to what you're seeing. Switching to a better infill pattern mitigated it.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/02/09 | 314 | 1,146 | <issue_start>username_0: I am using a FORM LABS 3 printer with clear resin. After printing the model, I wash it with Isopropenyl and dry it. Then I cure it using Formlabs Form Cure for 5 minutes under 60 C°.
After curing the model, the clear print loses some of its transparency.
Is this normal? can it be avoided?<issue_comment>username_1: This happens to most resins and the amount of haziness is directly related to the type of resin. Not all clear resins do this mind you, but it has to do with the curing sprlectrum of light(natural sunlight cures do this way worse.)
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Clouding is a known issue with colored transparent resins, as is yellowing with clear resin.
Uncle Jessy did quite a good video explaining the issue and how to best avoid it.
The conclusion was that you should wash and dry them with as little UV exposure as possible (Drying them inside a box in a warm room rather than in direct sunlight), then coating them with Clear Coat lacquer or a similar product, then curing them.
[enter link description here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ya0DSVYXsE&t=5s)
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/02/11 | 515 | 2,054 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm working on a project using 3D printed parts, everything is working very nicely except for one part that needs a 3 mm x 1.2 mm diameter rod. I can print with PLA/PLA+ but such a thin object doesn't seem viable for 3D printing. Is it still possible or am I better off using a 1.2 mm metal dowel?
The bigger part (5 mm x 7 mm diameter) near the back isn't an issue, it's the small rod that I can't seem to print correctly
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JGkft.png "Part")<issue_comment>username_1: It would be impossible to print this standing with the rod straight up, and even if you got it to print the part would be very weak due to the thin cross-section of the rod aligning with the layers.
The only way to print this part and get a usable result is to print it in the orientation shown in the picture, with the rod part being horizontal. Because the layers will now have a much larger cross-sectional area, this not only makes the print much stronger but also prevents issues with the plastic not cooling off sufficiently between layers. Though this will still be a tricky print, because now you'll need lots of support material.
Using a metal rod is probably the better option. Another option is printing the rod lying flat on the bed, and gluing it in place later. This would avoid the issue with support material.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: If you insist on printing it entirely, I would suggest cutting the model in two halves through the centerline, printing them flat and gluing both parts together after printing. This will make sure the axial direction of the rod is in the XY plane, and doesn't require support.
However, the beauty of 3D printing is that it can be easily combined with other materials and techniques. In this case, you are far better off by printing the big cylinder with a hole in it and glueing a metal rod in. It is less trouble, stronger and possibly more functional since it will have a much better surface finish.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/02/13 | 423 | 1,628 | <issue_start>username_0: I have an Anycubic Chiron printer and use Ultimaker Cura for slicing. Recently I printed a simple clip, had no problems whatsoever.
I have since upgraded Cura to the latest version, and now the PLA will not stick to the build plate. The printer will make 3 passes whilst printing the brim, then it all collects into a ball. I have checked the level, all is OK, I have increased the temperatures, with the EO now at 225 °C (was 200 °C) and the bed at 75 °C (was 60 °C)
Does anyone know how much or what was changed by Ultimaker in the latest upgrade?<issue_comment>username_1: I don't think it's because of Cura. You can try if it still works with the older version.
Otherwise, clean your print bed with isopropanol before printing to remove residues or level again. Without pictures of the condition of the print bed or the first layer, it is difficult to help.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Have tried all the possible answers and found the older version of Cura works better with the Chiron. The printer is 3 months old, bed is cleaned after each print.
I then tried the new Cura version again but with glue for adhesion, that works. It seems that it is changing the bed temperature, and using a lower default. Have tried changing the bed temperature in the software before slicing, but found I have to manually set the temperature on the printer, I have been using the generic settings for the PLA, as the ones I have (E-DA) are not in the selection or in the market place. TPU and PETG are printing fine.
Will have to determine the optimum set-up and create my own defaults.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/02/15 | 2,105 | 7,695 | <issue_start>username_0: I have just bought a Creality CR-10 Smart 3D printer, and - as part of the rite of passage of newbies - I am struggling with getting a usable initial layer. Whilst trying to make sense of what I was seeing in the net and correlating it with what I was experiencing with my printer, I thought to check the printer's credentials (I had assumed it was a recent model). However, looking at the information on the LED screen, I see:
| | |
| --- | --- |
| Machine type | CR-10 Smart |
| Firmware version | HW 1.0.6 |
| Screen version | T18 |
| Hardware version | DWIN 4.3 |
Can anyone comment on whether this is recent or ancient? Is it a V1 or a V2?
As a software engineer of several decades standing, but a complete newbie to 3D printing, I'm suffering from culture shock, and I'm struggling to understand why my printer doesn't just work "out of the box" like my line printers do.
I find it particularly difficult sorting out the information about Creality's various CR-10\* models, partly because of the naming conventions, but chiefly because my CR-10 Smart doesn't look like any that I have seen referred to anywhere in the net. I was told that the CR-10 Smart had auto bed levelling (ABL) built in, but when I search for `CR-10S ABL` I only find stuff about add-ons like BLTouch, and nothing about the CR-10 Smart with built-in ABL.
Add into the mix the now traditional Internet problem that the date of web pages and whether they are still relevant is often unclear.
Then I found a Youtube video by [WillCaddy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4I8b5-71rk), which suggested that CR-10S printers with Creality firmware do not have ABL enabled, and that to get functioning ABL you had to install TH3D.
Is this true?
If anyone can help me with any of this, I would be very grateful. I am working my way slowly through <NAME>' excellent ["Teaching Tech" channel](https://teachingtechyt.github.io/), but I'm impatient...<issue_comment>username_1: Leveling ([actually scanning the surface](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/16605/5740)) can be done manually prior to executing a print job.
From the graphical interface you can command the Automatic Bed Leveling on the CR-10 Smart (Settings -> Level):
It appears that the print head is sensitive to the pressure the head (nozzle) exerts to the build surface.
The procedure start in the middle of the bed for you to determine the nozzle to touch the build surface. The printer will then proceed the scanning of the surface (25 point in the video1)). This procedure is done prior to printing a print job and stores the scanned surface into memory. Unless you hit the gantry, put extreme pressure on the build surface or move the printer to a different location, this scanned level should at least last for several prints. Alternatively, you could add G-code `G29` to your start G-code which will cause it to scan the surface before each print, see for details [Using auto-bed leveling, do I need to initiate G29 before every print?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/15952/using-auto-bed-leveling-do-i-need-to-initiate-g29-before-every-print).
So far, this is how it is supposed to work! Does it actually work?
According to [this review](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU7HMYiOTo8),
it clearly does not compensate for the surface geometry. The reviewer hints that this is "not optimized or not activated in the firmware".
>
> to get functioning ABL you had to install TH3D.
>
>
> Is this true?
>
>
>
So activating this requires a firmware update to become active. From a [notice by Creality](https://www.creality.com/blog-detail/cr-10-smart-firmware-notification) on this leveling issue:
>
> After receiving feedback from a number of users regarding the leveling capabilities of the CR-10 SMART 3d printer, Creality's product researchers quickly responded with an update to the CR-10 SMART firmware.Following are the Tips for better leveling.
>
> One-click upgrade to the latest firmware version v1.0.10.
>
>
>
it appears that it is fixed if you update to the [firmware version v1.0.10 released at 10 Sept., 2021](https://www.creality.com/download).
---
1) *It is not advised to do a 25 point scanning of the surface before each print, this takes about 3 minutes. These higher scanning grid points meshes are useful for once in a while scanning. The validity of the use of 25 point is also up for debate, the build surface is glass which is inherently flat due to its production process, less points may work as well to scan the print plane/mesh.*
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: @username_1 asked me to post this answer and accept it (see the comment above). I'll try to describe everything I did, most of which helped a little bit but didn't really solve the problem. Bear in mind that I'm a complete newbie to 3D printing.
1. Although I knew my printer was a Creality, I didn't know that a CR-10 Smart is not the same thing as a CR-10S. Mine is a CR-10 Smart.
2. I upgraded the firmware from 1.0.7 to 1.0.10. I managed to brick the computer entirely doing this, but I managed to fix it in the end. I found [this post](https://yarkspirifantasyart.com/cr-10-smart-how-to-update-the-firmware) particularly helpful whilst doing this.
3. I used OctoPrint's Bed Visualizer to update the mesh for my printer's ABL. The mesh is stored in EEPROM, so this doesn't have to be done often.
4. I didn't understand how OctoPrint's Bed Visualizer managed to produce the shape for the print plate that it did, so I checked the bolts under the glass plate, discovered they were loose, tightened them up, re-ran the mesh generation and got a considerably more plausible plate geometry.
5. I discovered that Creality Slicer (a variant of Cura) does not include `G29` or `M420 S1` in the G-code that it generates by default for the CR-10 Smart, so I added `M420 S1` to the printer's machine settings which tells it to use the mesh stored by Bed Visualizer.
6. I have been following [Teaching Tech's 3D Printer Calibration](https://teachingtechyt.github.io/index.html) and, after upgrading the firmware, I started setting up my first layer generation and got a reasonable result. At this point I thought the problem was solved.
7. I celebrated by printing a 3D Benchy, but that was a sobering experience and I returned to Teaching Tech.
8. The next step in Teaching Tech's 3D Printer Calibration that I tried was [temperature tuning](https://teachingtechyt.github.io/calibration.html#temp). That was a complete disaster, so I moved on to [retraction tuning](https://teachingtechyt.github.io/calibration.html#retraction), since the Benchy had lots of stringing. Retraction tuning was also disastrous, so I decided to stand back and think a bit.
9. For some reason I looked more closely at my printer's nozzle. For some reason, I assumed 0.4 mm was a kind of standard for a hot end nozzle, so I was using that in my settings, also because I thought my printer had a 0.4 mm nozzle. However, closer examination revealed that the nozzle is at least 1.0 mm, if not 1.5 mm. Not surprisingly, once I told the slicer the correct nozzle size, printing improved dramatically.
In the meantime, I believe that my basic problem was always the nozzle size, though – as you can see above – there were a number of other things that I corrected on the way.
So now @username_1 and I believe that the problem addressed in the title has been solved, and – in accordance with @username_1's wishes – I will accept my answer, though his input was instrumental in finding the solution.
I shall now devote myself to the rest of Teaching Tech's 3D Printer Calibration.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2022/02/15 | 1,070 | 3,862 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm trying to get good-quality thin wall prints with PLA on my Creality CR10s Pro V2 using Cura. After hours of calibration and testing, I'm getting quite good results. However, there is one issue I can't figure out. It seems that I'm getting uneven extrusion and blobs when the printer deaccelerates or accelerates. This issue causes problems with rounded corners on my test prints (see photos). In Cura, there is no retraction or anything in the arc, just accelerations. I have experimented with acceleration and jerk without success. I also tried to decrease the print speed from 50 mm/s to 20 mm/s, and it seems to have a minor positive effect. Anyone got any ideas on what values I need to change? Can this be a mechanical problem?
### General print settings:
* Temp: 210 °C
* Layer: 0.2 mm
* Infill: 0 %
* Retraction distance: 3 mm
* Retraction speed: 60 mm/s
* Cooling: 80 %
* Flow: 102.5 %
* Acceleration: 500 mm/s
* Jerk: 20 mm/s (Tried values from 5 to 20)
### Printed at 50 mm/s:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/OaIEh.jpg "Printed model with blobs printing errors")
### Printed at 20 mm/s:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/lNsIp.jpg "Printed model that has been printed slower but still has blobs printing errors")
### Cura:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/gFj1J.jpg "Screenshot of the rendered model in Cura")<issue_comment>username_1: If you haven't already, try rotating the object about the Z-axis to give a different orientation with respect to X and Y. May not correct the problem but if the effect changes it may shed some light on the cause.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: It could be that the pressure in your nozzle is too high. I would switch on Coasting in Cura and see what effect that has.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: Look at the gcode for those curves either manually in a text editor, or with a gcode analyzer tool (e.g. [gcode.ws](https://gcode.ws)) and see if there's anything strange about them. Cura is notorious for numeric instability problems with high resolution curves, where it will end up generating a few tiny moves (on the order of 0.005 mm) here and there that get truncated to zero motion on one axis and nonzero on the other (due to fixed rounding to 3 decimal places). To the printer firmware's motion planner, these look like sharp corners (because the angle changed severely from the last move), forcing it decelerate and re-accelerate.
The right fix for this is fixing Cura's numerical precision flaws. [@piezoid](https://github.com/Piezoid/CuraEngine) has a WIP branch doing this that might eventually push upstream to improve, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Short of that, there are a couple good workarounds:
* Check the "Maximum Resolution" and "Maximum Deviation" settings in Cura. You might have to unhide them if they're hidden. The defaults on modern Cura versions are 0.5 and 0.025 which tend to avoid the problem well, but older versions had bad values. (And of course, make sure you're using a recent version.)
* Lowering the resolution (having it use a coarser triangle mesh) exported from your CAD software tends to avoid the problem.
* Some people have reported success with the [Arc Welder plugin](https://marketplace.ultimaker.com/app/cura/plugins/fieldofview/ArcWelderPlugin), but I'm not sure this is a good idea, and it depends on your printer having firmware that accepts the arc motion commands.
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/02/20 | 521 | 2,043 | <issue_start>username_0: I tried printing something after 7 weeks of not using the printer (before it worked greatly) and I think it doesn't extrude properly (although I'm not sure about it).
When I tell the printer to extrude filament it works just fine, but during the print there seems to be a problem with it (see image below). When manually pushing the filament with some force, it works for a bit, but stops working after 1 minute.
I tried cleaning the gear, levelling and cleaning the bed with almost no success.
I'm using a Creality Ender 3 with a (golden) PLA filament.
This is how the print error looks like. The first layer should be completely filled.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/1RAIk.jpg "Failed first layer")
Note: I didn't change anything (neither the filament nor the software) and before it was printing fine with 200 °C.<issue_comment>username_1: I would first check that your nozzle temperature is correct for the PLA you are using. If it is correct, try increasing it 5-10 °C. I experienced an identical issue and found that it was an incorrect nozzle temperature.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: This has happened to me before. As suggested in another answer by @username_1 I would try to increase the nozzle temp. PLA usually requires around 190-210 °C however I have found this usually varies from PLA type. I would try using something like 230 °C as this seems to work for me.
Another issue could be with your slicer. It could mean that the slicer isn't correctly slicing the model and this is a result of it. I would try using a different slicer as well.
Finally, if this is a model developed by you or another person, there is a chance that it hasn't been exported correctly. If all else fails I would let the printer continue running.
From your image, it appears that it has only just started putting down the first layer. Sometimes my printer does this but goes and fills the holes in later on in the print.
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/02/20 | 516 | 2,153 | <issue_start>username_0: I want to use magnets to hold the lid of a box down tight enough to keep it relatively airtight (along with a rubber seal etc.), but I am not sure what strength of magnet to use, that will still allow it to be opened without causing damage either by having to be pried open or by crushing the print layers. I cannot seem to find any guide to how magnets are used for 3d printing at various strengths and I cannot afford to buy too many types that I am not then going to use.
Any help that you can provide will be greatly appreciated.<issue_comment>username_1: I had a similar experience using magnets to hold two plates together. Currently also building a device (3d-printed) that clamps together with magnets. For both of these scenarios, I typically start by looking at what size and force you need. I would look into maybe 3 options of different magnets to start with. It could be in the range of 0.6 lbs, 4lbs and 6lbs. Do you know how much the "opening force" would be? As in what would keep it opening? If its substantial, I could see more the 6lbs but this is a very very very rough estimate that honestly would be best supported with trying a few ranges of magnets first. Try McMasterCarr if you're in the US. They have affordable sized magnets that I've worked with, ranging from different sizes, thicknesses and magnetic forces.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: You can vary the “strength” of the magnet by making a membrane of 3D printed plastic in between the magnets. The strength of the attraction is something like a logarithmic relationship to distance- small changes in thickness of material in between the magnets have a large effect on how strong they stick to each other. You could dial in your print by buying strong rare earth magnets and experimenting with attenuating the strength with the membrane. Could even use sheets of paper to get the right feel, then measure the thickness of the stack.
If using an fdm printer, it could be helpful to insert the magnets with a pause in the printing, and print over the top, if there isn’t a good way to otherwise capture them.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2022/02/23 | 267 | 1,087 | <issue_start>username_0: I print a lot of stuff, and I was thinking I could get several magnetic bed-plates and when 1 print is done simply have my wife pull the plate off and stick on clean plate and start the print again.
But a friend of mine says that won't work. Because even if the plates are made by the same manufacturer you can't guarantee the bed will be level. 〰
Has anyone ever tried this?<issue_comment>username_1: Yes ,I was also facing the same problem couples of month ago and to solution I had buyed extra plates and **It works perfectly** . Go for the extra beds and buy only from the same manufacturer.
Hope your get your answer
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: It is a question of quality:
You better make sure that your plates are the same thickness evenly, and level very similarly. If that can be assured, they can be swapped easily.
In case you have a bed leveling sensor of some sort, you might include a whole bed-leveling cycle in front of every print and exchange between numerous beds, even of slightly variant thicknesses and with dings.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/02/23 | 659 | 2,343 | <issue_start>username_0: I picked up a roll of Overture matte black PLA, and the surface of both the filament and the printed object *feel like* paper. This made me wonder if it contains wood-based fibers like "wood PLA" does, and if so, whether it's abrasive and harmful to the nozzle. In the past I wouldn't have cared, but I'm using a CHT now and would like to avoid ruining it since it's expensive and I don't have spares sitting around.<issue_comment>username_1: You may be experiencing the feel of paper, which is typically a matte surface, when feel testing the printed item, as both would be matte. A search for your focus found one purchaser of this product (via Amazon) has [left an answer addressing this question](https://www.amazon.com/ask/questions/asin/B089S2QDHD/2/ref=ask_dp_iaw_ql_hza?isAnswered=true#question-Tx2BUDAMGRBE1M0). The answer is on the last page of Q/A and is accompanied by another answer suggesting the white filament is abrasive. One has to click "see 2 more answers" in order to locate the quoted answer.
His reply was that he has printed 8 spools and found no deterioration of his nozzle.
>
> Not any more than any other PLA. I've gone through 8 rolls of this PLA so
> far with no noticeable degradation of my nozzle. D. DAmico · September
> 30, 2021
>
>
>
My own suspicion is that the filament has a chemical additive to create the matte finish, rather than any particulate that might cause abrasion.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: At least one filament manufacturer, Protopasta, documents their ["matte fiber HTPLA"](https://www.proto-pasta.com/collections/all/products/high-performance-htpla-matte-fiber) as "containing plant fibers" but also documents that
>
> Matte Fiber does NOT require a wear resistant nozzle.
>
>
>
So I think fred\_dot\_u's suspicion that the finish is produced by a chemical additive is probably false; it looks like these finishes are created with something similar to wood, but softer than brass so that it's non-abrasive.
This also suggests that matte finish filaments (at least the ones that feel paper-like) might have additional benefits beyond cosmetic, such as the fibers helping to resist warping while the extruded material is cooling, which seems to match my experience using it (less sensitive to cooling performance than normal PLA).
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/02/26 | 784 | 2,553 | <issue_start>username_0: So I just got my first 3D printer the Ender 3 Pro. My nozzle is a bit too high (first image) and this is what happened after my first test print (second image).
I saved for a while to buy this and I’m really upset about this.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/x1wNg.jpg "Photo of Ender 3 Pro nozzle well above the build plate")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/SRbKI.jpg "Photo of a model printed halfway through with 'spaghetti'")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Gt4h1.jpg "Photo of a model printed halfway through with 'spaghetti' but from the side")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/QrEJo.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/D480L.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: Your Z-endstop assembly is clearly too high. Referring to your own first foto you see that the switch on the Z-endstop mount is nearly touching the bottom of the X-Z mounting.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GUPv9.png)
You need to adjust the whole mount by loosening the 2 hex key screws and lower the assembly (move in the direction of the blue arrow):
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fHmi1.png)
*[Source: Larry Wood via All3DP](https://m.all3dp.com/2/ender-3-pro-z-offset/)*
Before lowering the Z-endstop mount first screw in all the levelling/tramming screws under the build plate/heated bef a little and position the nozzle a little above the build plate; when the mount is fastened you can move the build plate up a little and tram the complete bed surface.
---
*[This All3D article](https://www.all3dp.com/2/ender-3-pro-z-offset/) describes the above in more detail, but the basics are covered above.*
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Flash the firmware. If that doesn't fix it then you have a defective printer assuming everything else in your question and comments is correct.
Upvotes: -1 |
2022/02/26 | 209 | 812 | <issue_start>username_0: On a PLA print where stringing has occurred, what is the best way to remove it during post processing?
Should I simply cut it with a hobby knife and sand the surface or are the better techniques to use?<issue_comment>username_1: Use a hobby knife with a chisel blade (straight edge perpendicular to handle, beveled on one side only).
Apply with beveled edge against workpiece. Raise the handle in small increments while stroking over the flaw until it is entirely removed. This provides pretty good control to prevent gouging.
Avoid sanding.
This method also works well for removing "ribs" caused by gaps in painter tape applied to print bed.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I pull them off by hand and then a few quick passes with a cigarette lighter works for me.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/02/27 | 459 | 1,478 | <issue_start>username_0: I'd like to force Klipper to perform power on (using `M80`) before homing. For this purpose I'm trying to override `G28`:
```
[gcode_macro G28]
rename_existing: G28_BASE
gcode:
M80
G28_BASE { rawparams }
```
But for some reason this does not work, I'm getting the following error:
```
G-Code macro rename of different types ('G28' vs 'G28_BASE')
```
Isn't `G28` overridable? Is there any other way to achieve the desired behavior?<issue_comment>username_1: Because of the way parameters work differently (`Sx` vs `NAME=x`) for gcode style commands vs Klipper extended ones, the rename has to be to the "same type" of command. `G28_BASE` does not fit the pattern to be considered a "gcode style" one. Use `G9028` or `G28.1` or something instead and it should work.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Besides using a different macro, it is also possible to use [[homing\_override]](https://www.klipper3d.org/Config_Reference.html#homing_override) which allows you to redefine the homing sequence.
You can write a simple homing\_override like (untested!)
```
[homing_override]
axes: xyz
gcode:
M80
G28
```
and you are done.
Be aware that this very simple override will home all axes every time homing is called: "G28 X0" will home also Y and Z. You can put checks to home only what is requested, see [here](https://github.com/zellneralex/klipper_config/blob/master/homing.cfg) but it become more involved.
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/02/28 | 968 | 3,565 | <issue_start>username_0: Other than unrolling it and measuring it, is there a method for telling how much filament is left on a spool, for example calculating a length bases on weight or number of turns left on the spook?
Is it possible to extract the amount of filament used from the printer's firmware?<issue_comment>username_1: If you have an empty spool of the same brand, you could weigh the empty spool and the one you're trying to "measure" to get an approximate weight of the remaining filament. Divide by the (presumably available from manufacturer) weight per meter to get a rough length in meters, if that's more useful to you than weight.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: If you are down to one layer of filament, count the number of loops left on the spool, and multiply by the circumference of the spool to get the length. ($ \pi \times diameter \times loops $)
This can work if you have more than one layer and know the core diameter and the outer diameter of the filament left, but there would be some integration and a lot of estimation.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Some filament vendors put a window to see the remaining spooled filament with a decal showing graduations to match how much is left based on the diameter visible. You could do the same as a printed (in the paper sense) insert you slip along the *inside* of any spool between the filament and outer wall. You just need to compute the relationship between diameter and amount of filament based on the filament diameter and the number of turns per layer. Or you could just copy the design from a vendor who does this and figure it will be close enough.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: If you use klipper you can use [this script](https://github.com/zellneralex/klipper_config/blob/master/printtime.cfg) (by zellneralex) to calculate the filament length used since the last manual reset. Obviously it works with a single spool, if you switch spools it doesn't work.
If you want to know how much filament is left in the spool, the exact formula based on inner radius of the spool $r\_{int}$ and outer radius of the spool when new $r\_{ext}$ and based on the current outer radius of the remaining filament $x$ should be:
$$ 100 \left( \frac{x-r\_{int}}{r\_{ext}-r\_{int}} \right)^2 $$
You can see that you get 100% when $x=r\_{ext}$ (spool is new) and 0% when $x=r\_{int}$.
It's a simple integration in $(x-x\_0)\,dx$.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: Besides using the window on a spool that estimates the amount of filament left, I've used large calipers to measure the diameter of an empty spool and the diameter of the filament left on the spool.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_6: I made an Excel spreadsheet that calculates this based on the spool dimensions. You can download it [here](http://www.brownsbrain.com/Length%20on%20Spool%20Public.xlsx).
There are products available that will keep track of the length of spools once you give it a starting length. The starting length could come from the spreadsheet.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_7: Why not use a database online with a filament consumption counter?
See this [link](https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1216011789/fdb-22-3d-printers-filament-consumption?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=FDB-22&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&organic_search_click=1).
You can create a database without buying counters. I have two printers an Ender and Mega Zero and 2 counters that automatically consume the selected filaments.
Very cool tool. I love it
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/03/04 | 1,732 | 6,232 | <issue_start>username_0: OK here's some background of the problem:
Symptoms:
* All retracts on the extruder produce a screeching noise. The extruder extrudes normally all other times.
* Any fast move on the Z-axis also produces a screeching noise and the Z-axis will move normally at all other times.
* This appears to happen regardless of any printing state whether the heaters are on or not it will still occur it even happens during the ABL process.
Specifications of the printer:
* Mainboard: MKS Gen L V2
* Drivers: TMC2209 UART
* Stepper motors: Stepperonline 17HS15-1504S 1.8 deg 1.5A
* Pulleys: GT2 16T
* Leadscrew: 2 mm pitch T8
* Hotend: E3D V6
OK so basically I performed an upgrade of my stepper drivers as well as the leadscrew and pulleys on my 3D printer which was originally a Tevo tornado and at the start of every print I would experience a loud screeching noise coming from the Z-axis and I originally identified it to be a single line in my G-code that would only trigger the screech if it was preceded by another line and by commenting out the first line I was able to start printing
Lines in question:
```
G1 X3 Y1 Z15 F9000 ; Move safe Z height to shear strings
G0 X1 Y1 Z0.2 F9000 ; Move in 1mm from edge and up [z] 0.2mm
```
However, while I was able to start printing, I soon found out that the extruder was doing the same thing with every retract it would create a loud screech and the filament wouldn't be retracted this caused heavy stringing as well as poor layer adhesion resulting in prints failing. I figured the problem was with the version of Marlin I was using so I attempted to use the latest bug fix. However, I was still experiencing the same problems. I attempted to see if the stepper current was the problem and after identifying that the stepper current was not the cause of the problem, I figured I needed to replace the stepper motors and after replacing the stepper motors the problem still remained. I figured the problem must be with Marlin so I attempted to use Klipper. However, I am still experiencing the same and now I can't even complete a mesh bed leveling as the movements that Klipper uses are triggering the loud screeching and causing the steppers to freeze up.
I am unsure as to what could be causing this as I think I've checked everything that could be causing it so I'm not quite sure how to proceed I've also made a video that should show the problem in action. So I guess I'm wondering what's my next troubleshooting step?
EDIT: Updates
I have tried changing the drivers back to TMC2208s there have been no changes on both Kilpper and Marlin.
I tried switching to an MKS Gen L V2.1 in case it was a mainboard problem. sill experiencing problems
Marlin Config
Configuration.H
<https://paste-bin.xyz/41662>
Configuration\_ADV.H
<https://paste-bin.xyz/41663>
Klipper Config
<https://paste-bin.xyz/41677>
Edit:
The only other thing I think I can try is running the TMC2209s in standalone mode<issue_comment>username_1: If you have an empty spool of the same brand, you could weigh the empty spool and the one you're trying to "measure" to get an approximate weight of the remaining filament. Divide by the (presumably available from manufacturer) weight per meter to get a rough length in meters, if that's more useful to you than weight.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: If you are down to one layer of filament, count the number of loops left on the spool, and multiply by the circumference of the spool to get the length. ($ \pi \times diameter \times loops $)
This can work if you have more than one layer and know the core diameter and the outer diameter of the filament left, but there would be some integration and a lot of estimation.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Some filament vendors put a window to see the remaining spooled filament with a decal showing graduations to match how much is left based on the diameter visible. You could do the same as a printed (in the paper sense) insert you slip along the *inside* of any spool between the filament and outer wall. You just need to compute the relationship between diameter and amount of filament based on the filament diameter and the number of turns per layer. Or you could just copy the design from a vendor who does this and figure it will be close enough.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: If you use klipper you can use [this script](https://github.com/zellneralex/klipper_config/blob/master/printtime.cfg) (by zellneralex) to calculate the filament length used since the last manual reset. Obviously it works with a single spool, if you switch spools it doesn't work.
If you want to know how much filament is left in the spool, the exact formula based on inner radius of the spool $r\_{int}$ and outer radius of the spool when new $r\_{ext}$ and based on the current outer radius of the remaining filament $x$ should be:
$$ 100 \left( \frac{x-r\_{int}}{r\_{ext}-r\_{int}} \right)^2 $$
You can see that you get 100% when $x=r\_{ext}$ (spool is new) and 0% when $x=r\_{int}$.
It's a simple integration in $(x-x\_0)\,dx$.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: Besides using the window on a spool that estimates the amount of filament left, I've used large calipers to measure the diameter of an empty spool and the diameter of the filament left on the spool.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_6: I made an Excel spreadsheet that calculates this based on the spool dimensions. You can download it [here](http://www.brownsbrain.com/Length%20on%20Spool%20Public.xlsx).
There are products available that will keep track of the length of spools once you give it a starting length. The starting length could come from the spreadsheet.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_7: Why not use a database online with a filament consumption counter?
See this [link](https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1216011789/fdb-22-3d-printers-filament-consumption?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=FDB-22&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&organic_search_click=1).
You can create a database without buying counters. I have two printers an Ender and Mega Zero and 2 counters that automatically consume the selected filaments.
Very cool tool. I love it
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/03/05 | 1,015 | 3,484 | <issue_start>username_0: I purchased a new 4.2.7 (256k) board for my Ender 5 Pro and added the CR Touch. I got everything connected and flashed the board with the "Ender-5 Pro- Marlin2.0.1 - V1.1.1 - ALT - TMC2235.bin" firmware from the creality.com/download > Accessory Firmware > CR Touch Firmware for 32-bit Motherboard > Ender-5 Pro.zip
**Problem:**
When told to Auto Home the Z-axis drops 5 mm then checks X-axis & Y-axis endstops = OK
But then the Z-axis drops another 3 mm and the CR Touch deploys > Retracts > deploys > Retracts and Faults out.
The instructions say to move the Z-axis to get the offset but it will only go down while the CR Touch is faulted (Stopped)
I've checked all wiring made sure the Z-axis endstop was disconnected. No help.
Thinking it was a board issue I wanted to check the normal, no CR Touch, functionality, so I flashed the Marlin2.0.1 V1.0.1 original versionTMC2225 "Marlin2.0.1 - V1.0.1 - Endstop - TMC2225.bin" firmware onto the board, and reconnected the Z-axis endstop. The printer worked like normal.
Not wanting to fail, I decided to try another firmware, so I decided to use TH3D\_Unified2\_CrealityV4X\_256K. I went through and set up everything using `CUSTOM_PROBE` settings. And wouldn't you know it... SAME Results as with the Creality "Ender-5 Pro- Marlin2.0.1 - V1.1.1 - ALT - TMC2235.bin" firmware.
Bed drops 5 mm at the start of Auto Home then drops another 3 mm after centering to deploy the CR Touch. The CR Touch deploys > Retracts > deploys > Retracts then Faults out. At no point does the bed ever try to go up.
The only other thing I can think of is that the CR Touch isn't working right. I thought it was supposed to deploy then the bed was to come up to it to detect it. Could the wiring "harness" for the CR Touch be incorrectly wired? (Wiring below)
Can someone help me with this one?
Do I have a bad Board?
Do I have a bad CR Touch?
Or am I just not getting a setting right somewhere?
---
CR Touch Wiring (Current) 5pin from factory --- Connectors can only be put in one way
@ Creality 4.2.7 Board --- From Left to Right
G = White | V = Black | IN = Yellow | G = Red | Out = Blue
@ Creality CR Touch --- From Left to Right with Creality logo facing you
Blue | Red | Yellow | Black | White<issue_comment>username_1: Comment this line “Z\_MIN\_PROBE\_USES\_Z\_MIN\_ENDSTOP\_PIN” (comment=// before the line). So you search for this line in the config file, comment it in order to disable it.
2nd step, uncomment “Z\_MIN\_PROBE\_ENDSTOP” so delete the // in front of the line.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: What you describe is very common behavior for a faulty sensor or bad wiring. I've had my fair share of knock-off BLTouch clones that show this exact behavior. When replaced by a genuine BLTouch sensor, the issues where gone. You might have gotten a defective sensor. You should write the vendor that it doesn't work and ask for a replacement.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: Make sure that you’ve changed the gcode in your slicer so that it uses the auto leveling. I forgot to do that when I installed a CR Touch on my Ender 3 and the behavior was similar to what you describe: the printer would deploy the CR Touch a couple times, and then just stop.
Adding a `G29` instruction to the gcode in Cura’s printer configuration (I put it after the `G28` instruction) will tell the printer to use the auto bed leveling. Once I did that, the printer started working as expected.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/03/06 | 1,481 | 5,533 | <issue_start>username_0: As the printer ages, the constant motion of the print head wears out the conductors inside the cable. Creating all sorts of fun debugging scenarios.
Is there such a thing as a bundled cable, with all the necessary wires, for the stepper motor (in the case of direct drives), hot end, thermistor, etc... and when one of the conductors wear out just replace the whole bundle?<issue_comment>username_1: Have you thought of using a ribbon cable? I have/ have had similar issues with a large print area CoreXY. I'm not sure if the ribbon cable can handle the motor current or heater current but pairing up wires may help. One other issue you may have is electrical interference if you have bed leveling that uses a servo command.
I'm going to try a ribbon cable on my next print head rewire.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: The many manufacturers create the printer configuration in nearly as many ways as there are models of printers. I've seen flat flexible cables used in a manner akin to cable chains, which allows the ribbon to roll back on itself in the return movement. Minimal flexing at the end connectors and an acceptable radius on the bend. My BCN3D Sigma R16 has a ribbon cable from a fixed location out to the head, which travels in both x and y direction preventing a roll-back/cable chain type of configuration but also maximizes the radius of the bend.
If you are considering a DIY printer build, your options are open, but if you have an existing unnamed printer, your modification has to remain within the constraints of the manufacturer.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: People have used parallel port cables (DB25) for a while. They are cheap enough and have enough pins for most uses.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6LaNG.jpg)
Obviously you will need to use multiple pins for the power hungry devices (heater, stepper motor). Parallel cables often use 28 AWG (0.08 mm^2) wires, which carry up to 1.5 A @ 30 °C temperature rise over ambient. It's quite a lot, so better stick to about 0.8 A/wire, which means one pin or better two are enough for each wire of the stepper motor. A 12 V/50 W heater draws 4.2 A and will likely need 5 pins per each wire, to be safe while a 24 V/50 W heater could work with two.
See some ratings [here](https://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm).
You can also use Ethernet cables, they are even cheaper and more widely available, but each cable has only 8 of them. The advantage is that they are usually 23-24 AWG (0.21-0.26 mm^2), unless you look for slim or flat cables, 30-32 AWG, so the heater will need fewer wires. However, they are all twisted pairs therefore you may be forced to use more wires than you need: for example, you may have an accelerometer which uses four data wires: TX, RX, clock, enable. You cannot twist RX and TX to avoid interference, and also clock should not be twisted with either RX or TX. You may need to be creative (TX/GND, RX/VCC, clocl/enable), but in general it's uncommon.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: You may be able to find replacement wiring harnesses from a good manufacturer that supplies replacement parts for its printers, or possibly a 3rd party replacement for very popular printers, but there is no standard for length, number and types of conductors, gauge of wire, and types of connectors for the ends.
For connectors, many 3D printers have settled on “JST” headers on the ends. There are several types and pitches that aren’t compatible so identification is important when finding a replacement. Here is a good resource on identifying the connector: <http://www.mattmillman.com/info/crimpconnectors/common-jst-connector-types/>
An alternative to finding the correct pre assembled wiring harness (not out of the question with the explosion of 3D printers and CNC machines) is salvaging the original plastic header and crimping new connectors on new wires. This sadly requires a special crimping tool, but it is a worthwhile purchase if you do electronics.
If the 3D printer uses a ribbon cable, it isn’t terribly hard to replace those, if they use the rectangular IDC connectors at the ends. You can cut the cable to length and punch down the connector in a vise.
Whatever the connector or type of cable, for the wire, the finer the strands of copper the better, as far as resisting breakage from constant movement. One good source of salvaged fine stranded wire is the cabling in wall warts (so long as 2 conductor works for you, say for a heat bed).
As others have noted, the bend radius of the wire has a lot to do with its longevity. Sharp kinks will do the harness in, especially at the printhead end. Strain relief is key, as is not nicking the wire where it is stripped. Most cables, in general electronics, seem to break at the ends.
In shopping for a printer, it’d be good to check the cabling doesn’t pull directly on the connectors when it moves, doesn’t kink it, especially if it has DIY mods done to the print head. For printers you already own, check the strain relief. Other than that, wait for it to break, rather than ripping it out just because you’re worried it may break. It isn’t hard to diagnose with the continuity tester on a multi-meter. In a repair you can always leave the old broken wires in there and add a couple new ones. Pay attention to wire gauge, as others have pointed out- fans, thermistors, other sensors can be small, hotends and steppers larger, heatbed largest.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/03/07 | 1,094 | 4,093 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a 12 V/30 A power supply. Will a RAMPS 1.4 shield burn if I use that power supply with it?<issue_comment>username_1: No, it won't burn if you use a power supply that put out 12 Volts and tolerates up to 30 Amps.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Yes you can connect that PSU to the RAMPS 1.4 shield, and no, it will not burn the shield under normal operation (too much and/or too high current draining peripherals attached or shorting of circuits).
It is not the PSU that determines how much current is being drawn from the PSU, it is the peripherals that determine this. The RAMPS 1.4 shield has (poly) fuses for 11 A and 5 A, so the maximum you can draw through the board is 16 A. You cannot draw more than 11 A for the heated bed, and 5 A for the hot end heater and the steppers combined. If your heated bed uses over 11 A or the rest over 5 A, the fuses will burn through cutting the circuit. These fuses are meant to protect your board from draining too much current.
Connecting a PSU with a higher current specification is perfectly fine as long as you do not exceed the board specifications with your peripherals.
In case your heated bed (which takes the majority of the power) requires over 11 A (which requires thick cables!), you need to use an [external MOSFET](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/5554/mosfet-as-a-safety-feature); this doesn't add a safety, it merely allows to use more current from your PSU to power the high demanding peripherals.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Voltage and current behave differently and it is important to remember two essential points:
* PSU voltage specifications ***should never be exceeded***, else the circuit will (most likely) be damaged, and;
* PSU current specifications ***can be exceeded***, without any risk to the circuit1.
So, if your circuit requires 12 V and 3 A, then the PSU must supply a maximum of 12 V, but current can be 5 A, 10 A or whatever.
It may help to think of it this way:
* Voltage will force its way into a circuit, and if you exceed the specified requirement of that circuit, then the circuit will be damaged, for sure;
* Current passively sits there and is is only taken by the circuit as it is required - if your power supply can provide 1000 A, but the circuit only needs 11 A, then the circuit will only take 11 A. The remaining 989 A will be ignored.
**Note**: There is one caveat, where the mismatching is reversed: If a PSU can only supply 5A, but the circuit requires 10 A, then the PSU *may* be damaged as the circuit attempts to draw more current than the PSU can provide.
---
### The water analogy
You can think of electricity as similar to water in a water tank, and a tap as being the outlet/socket/circuit:
* The higher the water tank is above the tap, the higher the water pressure - **this water pressure is analogous to voltage**. If the water pressure is excessively high, then the tap could fail, in the same way that a circuit will blow,
* The larger the tank, the more water there is that can be provided - **This capacity of the tank is analogous to the current**. You don't have to use, or drink, all of the water in the tank, but (often) it's nice to have an excess available, even though it might be wasteful or not particularly cost effective.
---
### Footnote
1 The only major downside to having an over rated PSU with respect to current, is that should the circuit that the PSU is supplying have a issue, such as a short circuit, then a lot more current will be drawn, than if the PSU wasn't so over rated. This could be dangerous, if, for example, you are touching part of that circuit. This is why the current rating of a PSU should closely match the current requirement of the circuit which the PSU is supplying.
Other considerations for using an over rated PSU could (arguably) include a longer life or increased reliability. This would be due to less stress being placed upon the PSU, if the current rating of the PSU is, for example 25 - 50 % greater than the current requirement of the circuit.
Upvotes: 3 |
2022/03/09 | 1,011 | 4,063 | <issue_start>username_0: In every 3D print that I have seen, the bed should be leveled (manually or with some sensor-based system) on multiple points, pretty annoying because often when you reach the perfect distance on a point another point should be adjusted again repeating the procedure multiple time to have perfect leveling on all points.
I'm wondering why height isn't just fixed with the optimal leveling.<issue_comment>username_1: The point of "leveling" (tramming) the bed is to make it:
1. square with the coordinate system of the printer so that it lies in a plane perpendicular to the direction of Z travel, and
2. a known distance from the nozzle tip at one point (and thus, due to (1), all points) in the plane at any given Z value.
In theory, if the machine were all preassembled and sufficiently/perfectly rigid, this could be done once at the factory and never need leveling again. However, even if that were possible, there's at least one factor that will throw you off: you're going to want to swap/replace nozzles, and they will not all be exactly the same length - especially if you use different nozzle diameters, styles, materials, from different manufacturers, etc. This is why, even with an ABL system, unless it performs probing using the nozzle tip itself, you always have to calibrate out the offset between the probe and the nozzle tip.
In practice, many machines (especially affordable ones) require final assembly by the consumer, which necessitates calibration. They also have parts which can warp or wear and require adjustment - especially POM V-roller wheels - which will then throw off the squareness of the bed with the rest of the frame.
If you find you're having to re-level often, something is wrong with your printer. You may have play in the Z-axis/gantry - on Ender 3 style printers with only one side driven, the undriven side tends to wander up/down unless you get everything tensioned perfectly, and this manifests as apparent loss of leveling. You may have [adjustment wheels working themselves loose](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Amc62eX9ok8) (watch the end to see final findings) that mess up your leveling (I've had good luck mitigating that with [this add-on](https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/115938-ender-3-bed-leveling-wheel-clips)). You may have an unreliable endstop switch (mine was acting up recently after years of use, and replacing it fixed the problem entirely).
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Why? To provide a 2D [plane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plane_(geometry)) of the build surface that is parallel to the nozzle at the whole print area (usually the X-Y plane). If not, this leads to problems in getting the first layer to adhere to the build surface (see the many questions on "leveling" on this and other sites).
Please note that for good quality printers the tramming is performed very seldomly. My CoreXY home built and my Ultimaker 3E are trammed once every few hundred prints! Usually as a result of misuse like in pulling of the print when it is still sticking too much to the plate. It is the quality of the printer and the handling of the user that determines how often this should be done, but it has to be done at least one time to establish that 2D plane.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: In addition to the answers above, you can have perfect levelling for one filament that doesn't work with another.
So for instance my normal PLA works perfectly at one bed level, yet if I change to the generic silk I have it won't adhere unless I change the bed height fractionally. The differences are tiny but are make or break changes.
Copper PLA filament is slightly different to both in terms of getting a nice first layer.
ABS also requires slightly tighter bed levelling on my printer.
So while I rarely change bed levelling, I do if I'm changing filament. But quite often I don't bother with the whole levelling thing, I just adjust the knobs while the skirt is printing.
This is from my experience, your mileage may differ.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/03/10 | 1,878 | 7,056 | <issue_start>username_0: There are numerous topics found on first layers that do not adhere properly causing prints to fail or cause print quality defects.
The advice is often to properly level or tram the build surface. How does one tram the build surface?<issue_comment>username_1: ### Definition of leveling
Tramming, often referred to as "leveling" in the 3D printer world ("tramming" and "leveling" is used interchangeably, but "tramming" is the correct nomenclature), is the process of creating a 2D [plane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plane_(geometry)) of the build surface that is parallel to the nozzle at the whole print area (usually the X-Y plane).
### Why tramming?
In order to adhere the hot filament from the nozzle it is essential that the distance between the nozzle and the build surface is as constant as possible. Increase of the gap may cause the filament to not be squished enough and it may be dragged instead of deposited or create an insufficient bond to cause problems later in the print job when e.g. shrinkage of the object comes in play.
### How to tram the surface?
To tram the build surface (a build surface comes in many shapes and forms, sheet of glass, bare aluminum plate, some sort of coated heated surface, etc.) most printers are equipped with at least three so-called "leveling screws". Why at least three? It takes a minimum of three screws to fixate a plane in space, more screws cause the bed to be over-defined or indeterminate, but with a flexible build surface it is quite common to have 4 screws although it is causing a [statically indeterminate system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statically_indeterminate). So, these screws need to be adjusted as such that the build surface if parallel to the nozzle.
First step is to home ([What is homing? What is the purpose of homing?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18453/what-is-homing-what-is-the-purpose-of-homing)) the printer, [homing](/questions/tagged/homing "show questions tagged 'homing'") from the [tag wiki](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/tags/homing/info) reads:
>
> The process of determining the location of a 3D printer nozzle in
> three dimensions using a reference point (home location) is referred to
> as "homing". Homing should occur before every print and involves
> bringing the X, Y and Z-Axis motors to pre-defined limit locations
> (usually these are endstops). Pre-recorded homing data offset values
> determine the position of the build plate origin with respect to the
> endstop locations.
>
>
>
Once homed (with G-code [`G28`](https://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#G28:_Move_to_Origin_.28Home.29) or through the graphical user interface of the printer display) , the origin (0, 0, 0) of the printer is known, from this origin you can determine the level. Note that the X and Y is usually correct (if not, see [How to center my prints on the build platform? (Re-calibrate homing offset)](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/6375/how-to-center-my-prints-on-the-build-platform-re-calibrate-homing-offset)) the Z offset depends on the height of the Z endstop and the leveling screws. For a surface that uses a sensor as endstop (see e.g. [Automatic Bed Leveling (ABL) with a sensor (BLTouch, inductive, capacitive), how does it work?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16604/automatic-bed-leveling-abl-with-a-sensor-bltouch-inductive-capacitive-how)) the offset is defined by G-code (`M851`) or through the user interface of the printer display. Note that automatic bed leveling (ABL) is not magic, you still need to provide a trammed bed that is as level as possible, the sensor merely scans the surface and adjusts for larger imperfections of the build surface. After homing, move the nozzle at a certain Z value to the corner of the origin, which is usually the front left) (0, 0, Z) or close to this corner (10, 10, Z), put a piece of paper (A4/Letter) on the build surface and lower the Z to 0 (or if you hit the build surface before you reach zero height, then lower the build surface) raise the build surface until you can feel the the paper drag slightly when pulled between the nozzle and build surface (alternatively you can use a feeler gauge, A4 paper is 0.08 to 0.11 mm thick, so a 0.1 mm gauge will do fine). To be sure that the carriage hasn't been moved by the tramming, issue a homing command and move to the corner to the right and repeat the process to crete a slight drag of the paper when pulled between the nozzle and build surface. Note that tramming this point may have influenced the first point. Now repeat the homing and moving (for corners back right and back left) to start over again at the front left corner and repeating the whole process at least one to two times. This iterative process will deliver a trammed bed, the bed should now be parallel to the nozzle.
### Trammed, but filament not adhering...
Once trammed the build surface should be parallel to the nozzle, if the distance (usually paper thickness) is too far or too close, adhesion or first layer deposition may fail or cause surface defects like [ripples](/q/7229). If not adhering the initial gap between the nozzle and the build surface (paper thickness) might be too big, making this smaller may help squish the filament more so that it adheres better to the build surface. Alternatively use an adhesive in between the build surface and the first layer, nowadays there are multiple dedicated sprays and liquids available, but some house hold product like wood glue, glue sticks and [hair sprays](/a/11183) could be used.
### Build surface cannot or is difficult to tram
When the build surface isn't perfectly flat, tramming is a challenge, or doesn't provide a 2D plane at a fixed distance of the nozzle. In such cases, scanning the build surface and adjusting during printing might help to get the filament to adhere properly; this process is called automatic bed leveling or ABL (see [Automatic Bed Leveling (ABL) with a sensor (BLTouch, inductive, capacitive), how does it work?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16604/automatic-bed-leveling-abl-with-a-sensor-bltouch-inductive-capacitive-how)). An alternative is UBL (see [What is ABL or UBL? Is this the same?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18451/what-is-abl-or-ubl-is-this-the-same)).
### Tramming frequently?
The frequency of tramming depends on the quality and (mis)use of the printer to maintain the 2D plane parallel to the nozzle. For good quality printers the tramming is performed very seldom.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: For fine tuning I get good results by loading a model of any object with a rectangular footprint and scaling it to a size close to the printer's limits.
With the skirt set to around 10 passes, start the print job, let the skirt print then kill the job.
Peel the skirt from the bed and measure its thickness near the leveling screw locations with digital calipers or a micrometer and adjust the leveling screws as indicated.
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/03/11 | 497 | 1,994 | <issue_start>username_0: I have an Ender 5 Pro with a flexible build plate (The factory default one).
There are multiple extremely thin tracks of melted PLA all over it. Too thin to easily peal off when cooled. Thin enough that you can run your finger over them and barely know that they are there.
What is the best way to clean them off other than simply brut forcing them with a scraper and risking damaging the surface.
Rubbing with IPA and a cloth isn't enough.
I have a plastic razor that's normally used for removing vinyl decal from vehicles without scratching the paint, would that be useful, or maybe just scrubbing for an hour with a nail brush?<issue_comment>username_1: TL;DR:
------
Print more PLA on top of them, and pull it off together.
Preparation
-----------
First, of course, clean it well with IPA. This will both ensure there's no oil or other material on top of the PLA that will prevent it from bonding well with new PLA, and start to work underneath it to get it loose.
Printing
--------
Then, print! Do a 2- or 3-layer square covering the whole buildplate if you need to, or just smaller ones in the affected areas. They should bond to whatever is there and pull it up when you peel them off.
Prevention
----------
To avoid this happening in the future, **fix your bed leveling**. The type of tracks that are nearly impossible to remove by themselves normally come from printing with the nozzle so low that the material is forced entirely between the texture irregularities of the build surface, with no significant layer on top, and this means your bed is at least a whole layer-height too high relative to the nozzle.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: If you can feel it with your finger, then you can scrape it off. Just be careful. Keep the scraper closer to horizontal and don't dig in. It doesn't really need much effort.
If you can't feel it with your finger then it doesn't matter. Just clean as normal and carry on printing over it.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/03/16 | 890 | 3,235 | <issue_start>username_0: I am looking for troubleshooting help on my printer. Recently the hot end just can muster the courage to go past about 70 °C.
The hardware - Ender 3V2 with a E3D V6 hot end. 24 volts
I changed the thermistor to a new one. Before heating, it registers an appropriate 10 °C in line with the bed temp sensor.
With the thermistor checked good, I looked at the heater element. It is reading 22 Ω. The documentation from E3D is not clear in what wattage heater I bought, but if it is a 30 W 24 V heater, it's on the high end of acceptable.
* A 24 V 30 W heater cartridge will read between 16.7 - 22.6 Ω.
* A 24 V 40 W heater cartridge will read between 12.3 - 15.1 Ω.
If anyone is able to confirm how to know what my heater wattage is supposed to be, LMK. Options are shown for blue wires, red wires, and yellow. I have yellow.
If the resistance is in spec, I checked if the voltage being supplied to the heater is correct. It is reading 23.6 V which seems good.
I have attempted to PID autotune in Pronterface which I had also done several times previously before the issue. If I try to target anything over 70 °C, the attempt to tune fails because it can't get hot enough. I can tune if I set the temp to 65 °C by comparison.
The temperature trace in Pronterface shows the temp rising quickly through the 30s, 40s, then plateauing and maxing out in the high 60s.
I am looking for advice on where to look next for trouble shooting. Seems odd to suddenly have such a low temperature limit capability that I can't root cause.<issue_comment>username_1: If you're using the same RTD for both tests you can rule that out as a source of the problem. At this point I'd suggest, A) thoroughly scrubbing all the machine parameters and software settings for something that's limiting temperature or duty cycle, and, B) buying or borrowing an O'scope to see what the board is really putting out. Connecting the heater to the bed heat pins will be limited to however high the bed heat can be set so may not tell you much. I don't know if it's possible to swap hot end and bed outputs in software. If so, I don't know how.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: There are several points to check to trouble shooting this issue but commonly there are a loose part.
1. The heating elements is loose, try to tight the cartridge to the aluminum block.
2. The Sensor temperature is not touching the aluminum block or is outside of its position. Maybe the heating element is correct but the sensor is not taking the right value.
If the temperature rises too slow and downs more quickly than normal is due the temperature sensor is out of it position.
Other issues:
The PWM control is over heated, so this will need to replace it or change the transistor (FET), however this is not a common problem.
The other one and more common that PWM over heated is the Power Source, as well like the PWM control the power source decreases his potencial on current supply. For me is easier replace the power source instead verify the PWM control.
Now I´ve done that for second time in 6 years of printing. How Can I deduce that the PWM is not overheated?, I have a cooling fan for all PWM controls on the RAMPS 1.4 Module.
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/03/18 | 741 | 2,666 | <issue_start>username_0: 1. Is it possible to 3D print multiple 0.1 mm high layers with a 0.4 mm diameter nozzle in FDM while ensuring fidelity to the set layer height? The raster width is set at 0.4 mm and I am not touching that. The part thickness is 3 mm, so 30 layers of 0.1 mm have to be deposited for the completion of the print job. My polymer is PLA.
2. If not, should I be using a 0.2 mm diameter nozzle for this purpose?
3. Can a 0.4 mm print nozzle print rasters with higher width (0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, etc.)?<issue_comment>username_1: The [general consensus for nozzle diameter versus layer height](https://blog.prusaprinters.org/everything-about-nozzles-with-a-different-diameter_8344/) is to limit the layer thickness to eighty percent of the nozzle diameter. For a 0.4 mm nozzle, one usually limits the layer to 0.3 mm. The printer on which the nozzle is installed will determine the minimum layer thickness, often a typical value of 0.10 mm. I have printed successfully to 0.10 mm layer thickness with a 0.40 mm nozzle.
The linked site says just about the same as above, but also provides useful information regarding appearance, speed, strength, etc.
With a "next size up" nozzle of 0.6 mm, you'd want to limit the layer height to 0.48 mm but you might get away with 0.50 mm layers as there is some wiggle woom.
For 0.8 mm nozzle, you can get your 0.60 mm layers as the max for that nozzle is 0.64 mm.
The article also references that one can print wider than nozzle dimensions by increasing the extrusion factor, which may go by other terms, depending on the slicer used.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: 1. Yes, absolutely. I believe the original sample file that came with the Ender 3 (0.4 mm nozzle) was sliced for 0.1 mm layer height. As long as your printer can get decently precise Z positioning at 0.1 mm increments, it should be able to do it.
2. I've never used smaller nozzles but they pose challenges that make them unattractive. It's hard to flow material through such a small opening, so you have to go slow and use narrow line widths. This may make sense for really small parts, but even then there are tradeoffs.
3. Yes, you can print lines wider than the nozzle, up to at least the width of the flat end of the nozzle, and with slightly reduced quality, even beyond that. Lost in Tech on YouTube has several videos showing his results doing this with very wide lines, up to nearly 2 mm if I recall. For 25% to 50% over the nozzle width, it's no problem at all, and a lot of people even recommend doing that. Wider lines improve overhang quality and part strength, but may compromise the ability to print fine detail.
Upvotes: 3 |
2022/03/21 | 863 | 3,388 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm working on a gadget a bit like a jewelry box. I want the lid on a hinge. Are 3d printed hinges robust enough for daily use long term? Perhaps with a metal pin?
I want to incorporate the hinge into the design but my thinking is that it would be a waste of time if the hinge will break as I'd need to reprint the whole gadget.<issue_comment>username_1: More detailed information would be valuable. A hinge the size of a soft drink can is going to be stronger than that of a pencil, generally speaking.
A substantial portion of determining the strength of a specific printed object relies on the layer orientation and of the material from which the object is printed.
Consider to examine others' creations on sites such as Thingiverse and PrusaPrinters to see how the result fare against your objectives. I've noted that the better designs will have substantial wall thickness to the barrel portion of the hinge. Additionally, if one can print the hinge with the cylinder axis oriented vertically, the layer lines will "encompass" the pivot. This provides the better strength characteristic of the layer.
The pin aspect is not as important when considering strength, although a 3D printed pin can be weak if printed vertically.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: The reliability of hinges depends on the design, the material, and the slice parameters. I've printed reliable hinges that snap together using somewhat flexible materials such as PETG and ABS. PLA will tend to crack eventually if remaining flexed. Pins can avoid flexing the hinge. You could also use screws to hold hinge pieces together. Gluing pieces of a small hinge together would be difficult to do without interfering with the movement of the hinge.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: You can make a print-in-place hinge as a horizontal cone with a 45-degree angle. The opposing face will be a similar conical hole with a 0.25 mm gap between the faces (or whatever your printer's tolerance needs to be).
The strength of this (as in the other answers) depends on the diameter of the hinge. The strength you need depends on how heavy the thing it holds up will be.
There are many parts on Thingiverse that use conical hinges like this if you need examples.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/5mEi1.png)
The above is a disassembled conical hinge from [thing:5143964 (sturdy infinity cube)](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5143964) which I split into parts and then arranged the hinged coupling next to the block it fits in. (Technically I suppose this is a frustrum. But things that come to a zero diameter pointy tip tend to not print well.)
There are 4 holes in the linkage, and the whole assembly is printed at once.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: Maker's Muse has [a video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JhjhgjchfM) on how to design hinged objects for printing. It's quite old and might be outdated with regard to materials, slicer functionality, etc. but I think it provides a good background on the topic and a source of ideas. One of the good tips is to look at the abundance of existing hinged designs on Thingiverse and other model sharing sites - that way you can study how they work and test print some before you spend time designing your own thing that might not work.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/03/25 | 1,680 | 6,362 | <issue_start>username_0: I have recently, in anticipation of printing carbon-fiber-reinforced nylon filament (Polymaker PA6-CF) on my Prusa i3 MK3S, built a filament drybox. It is made out of a large aluminum equipment enclosure which I had spare, every seam, rivet, hinge mount, foot screw, sealing lip, etc of which has been sealed with copious amounts of high-quality silicone sealant (this is condensation-curing silicone, so it does release a small amount of moisture as it cures, but it has been in here several days and is about as cured as it gets now). The lip around the edge of is clamped hard against a rubber sealing ring, which I have cleaned meticulously, when the lid of the box is closed and latched. In short, it is, by 3D printer drybox standards, unusually well-sealed.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/D7xhB.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/xJpod.jpg)
(yes, I know my silicone work is a mess, but let nobody say I missed a spot!)
For drying, I have poured two pounds of orange self-indicating silica gel, freshly regenerated, directly into the bottom of the box, exposing the maximum possible surface area (as opposed to having it in a container).
Humidity is monitored by a DHT22 temperature/humidity sensor, connected to an external microcontroller used for data reporting. The wire passthrough is a 1mm diameter hole in a custom 3D-printed passthrough (held in by a printed nut) with 3 pieces of magnet wire running through it, sealed with glue from both ends. I really doubt it's leaking through this either. The datasheet for this sensor indicates it should be accurate even at low humidities, and is accurate to +/- ~2.5% RH over most of its range and does not exceed +/- 5% anywhere. Per the datasheet, its accuracy should far-exceed that of the little battery-powered digital hygrometers many drybox builds seem to use.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/3ca5x.png)
Despite all of this, per the DHT22, it only reaches between 16.1 and 16.5% RH. As I understand it, a well-sealed drybox with well-exposed desiccant should be capable of better than this - I've seen sub-10% reported online. It's also worryingly close to the 20% maximum storage RH of the filament, per its TDS. What's going on here? My only real theories are:
* A lack of internal air circulation has resulted in stratification, with denser dry air close to the desiccant at the bottom and damper air at the top where the humidity sensor is located - this might be fixed with an internal circulation fan?
* My sensor is not as accurate as its datasheet claims
* The desiccant is somehow defective
* My expectations are unrealistic and 16% RH is normal and acceptable performance for such a drybox
Having tried most of the obvious things already (seal the box better, add more desiccant, increase desiccant surface area, let the box settle over days, install a high-quality sensor, ensure nothing inside the box is releasing absorbed moisture, seal the box even better), I'm beginning to expect it's the latter. Is it acceptable to remove my nylon from its sealed packaging and begin storing it in the drybox with this performance? Have others had success with nylon stored at 16% RH (as opposed to the sub-10% RH I've sometimes seen people talk about dryboxes reaching)? Are reported sub-10% readings for other dryboxes on the internet even accurate, or do the cheap little battery-powered hygrometers most DIY dryboxes use read inaccurately low at low humidities?<issue_comment>username_1: Alright, there were some good suggestion in the comments, and I gave them a look, but I think I solved this myself.
I think, after a lot more testing, that it was some combination of stratification and a faulty sensor. I managed to find four more DHT22s with which I could test the box, and found that the sensor I had been using consistently read ~16% RH where others would read 6-9%. Additionally, I did some tests with the sensor at different heights in the box, which were somewhat inconclusive, so I attached a fan to the sensor's power to circulate the air inside the box, to avoid stratification if that was occurring.
Across my three best-agreeing sensors, with the fan (which I'm still not certain provides a major benefit, but certainly makes sense if stratification is assumed to be a problem), I'm now seeing values that seem to be around 6% to 8% RH depending on the sensor (this amount of difference between them is to be expected per the datasheet, 6% vs 16% is not), much more in line with the performance I would expect from what I have seen online. Time to finally unwrap the nylon, I guess.
I won't mark this answer as the solution until I see this performance maintained and get good nylon prints out of it, but for now, I think this is probably most of the way to an answer.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Track humidity graph over days (one measurement every 3 hours is fine). Be careful that polling the sensor too often may warm it up and cause inaccuracies, the temperature dependence is quite strong. Also, you may need to poll twice at 5 s interval and discard the first reading if you want more accurate values.
If the increase in humidity over a month is linear, the sensor is ok and you have a small leak. If the increase follows a non-linear curve, then the sensor is not reliable.
But I can tell you already: the sensor is [not that much reliable](https://www.kandrsmith.org/RJS/Misc/Hygrometers/calib_many.html). Use a Bosch BME280, which is reliable. I use a Xiaomi temperature/humidity sensor and it is reliable down to 1% humidity, which I achieve after drying the silica. Then it goes linearly up to 10-12% in three months time, when I dry the silica again. I use an IKEA Samla box with foam tape between lid and box.
Also, the silica that way does not expose the max surface: make rather some pouches using kitchen paper and put them vertical, or the upper layers will shield the lower beads.
For info, you may already know it: nylon filament must be dried in the oven upon opening, it's not dry enough straight out of the factory. Also, a dry box will not suck out humidity in any reasonable time, so it's only useful to maintain dryness.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/03/26 | 1,308 | 5,310 | <issue_start>username_0: I've been trying to learn Blender as an additional tool for 3D printing (to prepare more organic or freeform models that don't lend themselves to a CAD style workflow I'm more used to), and one point of confusion I've hit is that Blender's default unit is *meters*, not millimeters. Apparently in older versions its default was an abstract unspecified "units" with metric-like base-10 grid, but no inherent association to physical scale, but now the default is "metric" with meters as the unit. I've found some tutorials [such as this one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI49VIcISaw) for switching to millimeters, but it requires making a number of changes that I'm not sure are in line with what folks consider "best practices" for "modeling for 3D printing with Blender".
Is there any consensus on the right way to do this? Are there reasons I should prefer to switch back to the abstract "units", and just treat them as millimeters, versus using "metric" but switching the base unit to "0.0001" (maybe numerical precision reasons?).
I know this question is only borderline on-topic, but I think it is relevant as I'm looking for what the prevailing practice *in communities using Blender as a tool for 3D printing*, not for opinions of a larger Blender community.<issue_comment>username_1: Make sure to set the scale properly for your use case!
------------------------------------------------------
In CAD, you define your measurement space in either Inch or in Millimeter units, and that is your grid. In blender, the native unit is the meter.
This can be easily converted in exporting (remember to set it to scale!), but it is best to just set the measurement scale to actually match what you design: if you want to design a 5 mm hole, set your scale to Millimeters and make sure you export in millimeters. If you want to design in meters (maybe you design a building), then work in meters, and set your export scale in the end so that 1 meter actually is represented as 1 meter - or rather as 1000 millimeters.
[The STL in the end will not know the difference](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7561/8884): it all is defined in scales of *unitary units*, and it doesn't even know if it was originally designed in meters, inch or angström. The typical slicer expects the unit to be either millimeters or inch, so any scaling of the exported model that does not result in units equivalent to 1 mm or 24.5 mm is bad procedure - converting between these two types is just scaling the model by 2450%.
Make sure to design closed manifolds made up of triangles!
----------------------------------------------------------
When working with blender, it is very easy to leave the item in a shape that contains multiple intersecting, non-manifold surfaces and areas of inverted surfaces. While *interecting shells* is not a problem (the slicers can handle those by unionizing the item), the intersection usually covers up the non-manifold areas, making them hard to spot.
As a result, before finalizing your project, I suggest follow this procedure:
* In Blender, turn on the visual for the normals of surfaces. If an area does not look like a hedgehog after that, the normals in that area are reversed and you need to flip the surfaces there or re-mesh it.
* Triangulate the surface using the triangulate modifier. This is to spot artifacts from conversion to STL early and be able to fix them: STL only knows triangles, while blender knows *bent* n-gons.
* Add a new object. A cube with side length 1.
* Do a test export to STL with scale 1, which also contains the 1-unit cube as an extra shell.
* Import the model into a software such as meshmixer, that has a command to separate shells.
* Separate the item to all shells. In Meshmixer this is in analyze, separate shells.
* After separating the shells, measure your 1-unit cube. If it is not 1 mm, calculate your scaling factor. It should be a multiple of 10.
* Next, you should check each shell for gaps or other errors. In meshmixer, the automatic analyze feature points to these areas with red, blue and magenta lines.
* Fix the marked errors in blender, then return to the test export. This time use the proper scaling factor. Repeat until no errors remain.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: It doesn't matter, you scale it in the slicer or elsewhere. You're not going to slice the STL file in Blender. You'll probably need to do more work to get things print ready outside blender anyway.
So when I use blender I don't even bother checking what units it's using. I don't use it for parts design or tech drawing.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_3: Being realistic, you only need to make sure that your on screen measurements and your export units are set correctly. That way whatever size you set on screen will be reflected in your print.
For example, I use the MeasureIt plugin to tell me the size on screen, and I set the scale to 0.004 and the units to MM, and when I export to an STL file I set the size to 4. That way Cura Slicer always prints to the exact right size.
You can use whatever scale you want so long as you use the equivalent when you export it. I just use this scale because it's the one used when exporting between Hexagon and DAZ Studio, so I did it as a force of habit.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/03/30 | 1,152 | 4,600 | <issue_start>username_0: I love the idea of the XYZ test cube to help diagnose my bad prints. I’m able to find online very common print issues however am looking for a resource that is more extensive. Often I run into a situation where my issue is not covered.
Would be great if there was a resource that had pictures of numerous bad or less than ideal XYZ prints with cause and fix for each. I’m thinking of more than 50 examples.
Does anyone know of such a resource?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/aogym.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: Make sure to set the scale properly for your use case!
------------------------------------------------------
In CAD, you define your measurement space in either Inch or in Millimeter units, and that is your grid. In blender, the native unit is the meter.
This can be easily converted in exporting (remember to set it to scale!), but it is best to just set the measurement scale to actually match what you design: if you want to design a 5 mm hole, set your scale to Millimeters and make sure you export in millimeters. If you want to design in meters (maybe you design a building), then work in meters, and set your export scale in the end so that 1 meter actually is represented as 1 meter - or rather as 1000 millimeters.
[The STL in the end will not know the difference](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7561/8884): it all is defined in scales of *unitary units*, and it doesn't even know if it was originally designed in meters, inch or angström. The typical slicer expects the unit to be either millimeters or inch, so any scaling of the exported model that does not result in units equivalent to 1 mm or 24.5 mm is bad procedure - converting between these two types is just scaling the model by 2450%.
Make sure to design closed manifolds made up of triangles!
----------------------------------------------------------
When working with blender, it is very easy to leave the item in a shape that contains multiple intersecting, non-manifold surfaces and areas of inverted surfaces. While *interecting shells* is not a problem (the slicers can handle those by unionizing the item), the intersection usually covers up the non-manifold areas, making them hard to spot.
As a result, before finalizing your project, I suggest follow this procedure:
* In Blender, turn on the visual for the normals of surfaces. If an area does not look like a hedgehog after that, the normals in that area are reversed and you need to flip the surfaces there or re-mesh it.
* Triangulate the surface using the triangulate modifier. This is to spot artifacts from conversion to STL early and be able to fix them: STL only knows triangles, while blender knows *bent* n-gons.
* Add a new object. A cube with side length 1.
* Do a test export to STL with scale 1, which also contains the 1-unit cube as an extra shell.
* Import the model into a software such as meshmixer, that has a command to separate shells.
* Separate the item to all shells. In Meshmixer this is in analyze, separate shells.
* After separating the shells, measure your 1-unit cube. If it is not 1 mm, calculate your scaling factor. It should be a multiple of 10.
* Next, you should check each shell for gaps or other errors. In meshmixer, the automatic analyze feature points to these areas with red, blue and magenta lines.
* Fix the marked errors in blender, then return to the test export. This time use the proper scaling factor. Repeat until no errors remain.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: It doesn't matter, you scale it in the slicer or elsewhere. You're not going to slice the STL file in Blender. You'll probably need to do more work to get things print ready outside blender anyway.
So when I use blender I don't even bother checking what units it's using. I don't use it for parts design or tech drawing.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_3: Being realistic, you only need to make sure that your on screen measurements and your export units are set correctly. That way whatever size you set on screen will be reflected in your print.
For example, I use the MeasureIt plugin to tell me the size on screen, and I set the scale to 0.004 and the units to MM, and when I export to an STL file I set the size to 4. That way Cura Slicer always prints to the exact right size.
You can use whatever scale you want so long as you use the equivalent when you export it. I just use this scale because it's the one used when exporting between Hexagon and DAZ Studio, so I did it as a force of habit.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/04/06 | 1,109 | 4,418 | <issue_start>username_0: Using cyanoacrylate to glue PLA parts sometimes leaves a white residue or haze near the glue locations. Is there an easy way to remove it?
I've tried water and alcohol swabs but after drying the haze remains.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/cw1pu.jpg "Photo showing white residue")<issue_comment>username_1: Make sure to set the scale properly for your use case!
------------------------------------------------------
In CAD, you define your measurement space in either Inch or in Millimeter units, and that is your grid. In blender, the native unit is the meter.
This can be easily converted in exporting (remember to set it to scale!), but it is best to just set the measurement scale to actually match what you design: if you want to design a 5 mm hole, set your scale to Millimeters and make sure you export in millimeters. If you want to design in meters (maybe you design a building), then work in meters, and set your export scale in the end so that 1 meter actually is represented as 1 meter - or rather as 1000 millimeters.
[The STL in the end will not know the difference](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7561/8884): it all is defined in scales of *unitary units*, and it doesn't even know if it was originally designed in meters, inch or angström. The typical slicer expects the unit to be either millimeters or inch, so any scaling of the exported model that does not result in units equivalent to 1 mm or 24.5 mm is bad procedure - converting between these two types is just scaling the model by 2450%.
Make sure to design closed manifolds made up of triangles!
----------------------------------------------------------
When working with blender, it is very easy to leave the item in a shape that contains multiple intersecting, non-manifold surfaces and areas of inverted surfaces. While *interecting shells* is not a problem (the slicers can handle those by unionizing the item), the intersection usually covers up the non-manifold areas, making them hard to spot.
As a result, before finalizing your project, I suggest follow this procedure:
* In Blender, turn on the visual for the normals of surfaces. If an area does not look like a hedgehog after that, the normals in that area are reversed and you need to flip the surfaces there or re-mesh it.
* Triangulate the surface using the triangulate modifier. This is to spot artifacts from conversion to STL early and be able to fix them: STL only knows triangles, while blender knows *bent* n-gons.
* Add a new object. A cube with side length 1.
* Do a test export to STL with scale 1, which also contains the 1-unit cube as an extra shell.
* Import the model into a software such as meshmixer, that has a command to separate shells.
* Separate the item to all shells. In Meshmixer this is in analyze, separate shells.
* After separating the shells, measure your 1-unit cube. If it is not 1 mm, calculate your scaling factor. It should be a multiple of 10.
* Next, you should check each shell for gaps or other errors. In meshmixer, the automatic analyze feature points to these areas with red, blue and magenta lines.
* Fix the marked errors in blender, then return to the test export. This time use the proper scaling factor. Repeat until no errors remain.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: It doesn't matter, you scale it in the slicer or elsewhere. You're not going to slice the STL file in Blender. You'll probably need to do more work to get things print ready outside blender anyway.
So when I use blender I don't even bother checking what units it's using. I don't use it for parts design or tech drawing.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_3: Being realistic, you only need to make sure that your on screen measurements and your export units are set correctly. That way whatever size you set on screen will be reflected in your print.
For example, I use the MeasureIt plugin to tell me the size on screen, and I set the scale to 0.004 and the units to MM, and when I export to an STL file I set the size to 4. That way Cura Slicer always prints to the exact right size.
You can use whatever scale you want so long as you use the equivalent when you export it. I just use this scale because it's the one used when exporting between Hexagon and DAZ Studio, so I did it as a force of habit.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/04/06 | 453 | 1,546 | <issue_start>username_0: I own a spool of PETG and I have been having major print quality issues: layer offsets, chunks of 3D print strewn across the buildplate and other things. I traced these effects to a single culprit: rough layers. I don't know how to fix this. I haven't had this issue at all with any of my other PETG filament colors. And the buildplate height is just where it needs to be, so why is this happening?
### Print settings
* Layer height: 0.23 mm
* Extruder: 235 °C
* Bed: 80 °C
* Retraction length: 6 mm
* Retraction extra restart length: 0.3 mm
* Z-Hop height: 0.25 mm
* Base print speed: 45 mm/s
* Extrusion ratio: 106 %<issue_comment>username_1: You are probably over extruding, this causes an excess amount of filament causing the mentioned problems. PETG is softer than PLA, so the extruder teeth grip deeper into the filament. This smaller diameter causes too much filament flow. Try to decrease the flow modifier for this spool of PETG.
Furthermore, your spool may have picked up some moisture, please dry the spool prior to use.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Go a little warmer. Maybe 242.
Also, that 6 mm retraction number looks okay if you have a Bowden setup, but it's way too high if you don't (1.5 is a better starting number).
Finally, there are those who disagree on this point, but I only change my extrusion from the default 100% when I notice issues on specific prints. Ultimately, the extra 6% extruded material has to go *somewhere*, and it's likely contributing to the roughness.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/04/08 | 1,335 | 5,242 | <issue_start>username_0: I am new at this and maybe my model is not the best, I adapted it for another one actually. Can you tell me why I can't get the holes printed? I already checked the faces and they are all in the correct orientation (I think)
What happens is that I start printing with the holes facing down and they are not printed at all. I never let it keep going for long but it seems to be completely filled inside.
You can check the file [here](https://ufile.io/9favbj6e).
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/lSvn0.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/b1PSD.png)<issue_comment>username_1: The overall appearance is that the normals are "normal," that you have no reversed facets, but there are discontinuities within the model that Meshmixer and Netfabb show as failure points. Windows 10 3DBuilder also attempts a repair which fills in the holes.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/L92T7.png)
The Meshmixer capture image shows red lines and points at the flaws in the model. Both above programs fill the faces, which works fine on the cylinder, but fills in the plane where the holes reside, as well as removes the internal holes/cylinders, preventing a simple plane cut repair.
Additional examination of the original model shows an internal cylinder formed axially on the end face red warning markers in the image above.
I used Rhino3D v6 to slip inside, select the cylinder and remove it. Because the cylinder is "inside" the overall model, there's no inside face and outside face, causing the software to glitch.
On the red line along the circumference of the cylinder, there's an internal disk/disc with an internal diameter to match the previously removed internal cylinder. As it also resides within the overall model, the same trouble applies: no true inside/outside surface for the software to comprehend.
Once these were removed, a problematic set of errors appeared. I'm working on that. Work completed. Windows 10 3DBuilder has a pretty amazing repair facility, once the deep stuff is cleaned away. The end result passes the Meshmixer Inspector test and I suspect will work for you. The cylinder appears to be 37 mm in diameter (about an inch and a half) which is rather tiny, but with the flaws repaired, will scale up just fine.
It loaded into Simplify3D slicer with no errors and appears will print nicely, although with support required along the beveled portion of the cylinder.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: The problem is internal geomoetry
=================================
The body you modeled consists of a non-manifold shell: There exists a fully enclosed shell on the inside of the item that tries to define an "outside" of the body. In the following picture, I have hidden part of the geometry to better show the problematic internal surfaces in orange:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/UWHWH.jpg)
Automatic processes such as Meshmixer or Windows 10 3D builder interpret such an internal, one-sided open cylinder as "This probably is missing a surface on both ends". This solution leads to two intersecting and manifold shells - [a cylinder overlapping the drilled holes and the body with the drilled holes](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/q/6230/8884) - which then promptly get treated with a boolean union... and voila! No more holes. Or even no more outer shell as the easiest solution is to just stitch that lower surface and discard the rest. This is what happens when Meshmixer does just that: you are left with the cone half and some inverted artifact areas.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/AshxK.png)
So the best solution is to ensure the parts don't contain such volumes encased by a non-manifold surface in the first place. Due to the nature of the part, in this case, it is rather simple: Simply removing the circle of vertices that spans up both the plane, as well as the cylinder, marked orange results in all internal surfaces getting removed. Note that due to the orange parts sharing (at least partially) vertices with the wanted outside, this has to be done manually. Would both surfaces share no vertex, a simple "separate shells" operation could result in a very quick way to remove offending structures.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/tEKZJ.png)
Without the internal geometry, the model gets interpreted correctly - the mere presence of such superfluous internal geometry makes the slicer believe that some surfaces are inverted or missing, and thus need to be inverted or stitched - and the solution to the slicing is... utter mess.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Vbix6.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kgC0I.png)
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2022/04/10 | 583 | 2,484 | <issue_start>username_0: This problem has been occurring for a while. On the top of round objects, you can see the individual layers. Maybe I just need a lower layer height.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/AQqhp.jpg "Photo of a 3D printed model with printing errors on the top")<issue_comment>username_1: At the top of curves layers will always be more visible because the layers are increasing offset from each other. Layer height will help with this, but if you really want it smooth you will need to do some post-processing.
Usually if possible I avoid having a top surface like that of any significant size. But when I do I either leave it and post process or add some little design elements to break it up a bit. So it's still there but not really noticeable.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: username_1 is absolutely right that you necessarily (without advanced non-planar slicing techniques that aren't available in production slicers) have a "stairstep" effect whenever you have a shallow angle top surface like that. However, it looks from your picture like you also have some *gaps* that are accentuating the problem and making your top surface non-watertight. This can be fixed.
Slicers (at least Cura) are fairly bad about figuring out where they have to put material under the very top layer to ensure that you have a solid wall of the desired thickness. Where the outer wall face is pointing almost-upward, you would need either a lot more outer perimeters than the shell thickness you want, because they're significantly offset from each other (often by as much or more than the whole 2D wall width) at each successive layer. Using excessively many walls will solve this, but wastes a lot of print time and material. Using more top layers is the easiest fix I know. I find that 5 top layers at 0.2 layer height pretty much always gives solid curved tops, even with spherical top shape. The only way that might fail is if you have really low infill and they all "sink in" rather than bonding properly.
Of course these gaps could also be caused by underextrusion or misplaced extrusion. Check instructions for enabling and calibrating Linear Advance/Pressure Advance on your printer for one of the big ingredients in fixing top gaps and related extrusion inaccuracy problems.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/04/11 | 1,406 | 5,386 | <issue_start>username_0: What are the real overhang limits? I see a lot online about 45 %, then up to 60 %, but I'm routinely doing them at up to 90 % for "shortish" distances and 80%+ for several centimeters at a time. I haven't tried to see how far I can do it, since I don't have filament to waste on that sort of thing.
It's making me wonder how believable all the YouTube and website experts are. Same thing with stringing, they all talk about it on Ender 3's but this print has been going for 25 hours and has maybe two tiny strings.
This is the second time I've printed this same STL with no supports.
* 0.2 mm layer height
* Ender 3 Pro
* Generic PLA
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/IqHWF.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: It is very difficult to determine a definitive number/value for the overhang angle, this is very dependent on the temperature, speed, material, nr. of walls amount of cooling fan percentage and the effectivity of the fan duct and your object geometry. Probably more settings are applicable.
You could find out what the specific values for you printer and your settings are by printing an overhang test, e.g. like [this one](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2656594):
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Xcypr.png "All In One 3D Printer test")
Such a test will give you definitive answers on the overhang angle for your specific slicer settings and machine capabilities.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: From my limited experience there is very little in the way of overhangs that won't print for a short distance. Depending what you're printing and what it's end use will be.
In this case it needs to be robust enough for daily use holding napkins and toothpicks and cutlery at a restaurant.
The model in the question printed for about 3 centimeters well over the threshold as shown in the picture and will print a bit more before joining the rest of the arm.
The overhang tests available online are in my opinion a waste of time. It would be very bad design to print something like them because if it's not joining anything it would be too fragile to be any use. Dropping it off a table accidently or breathing too hard near it might result in it snapping.
So if the distance is short anything up to about 80 - 85 % is possible. What happens is that the leading edge bends upwards a little bit after it prints. Then the next layer heats it soft and pushes it down and deposits on top of it (which then warps upwards) until it eventually reaches the join where the final warp is pushed down and joins nicely.
You can do all the fancy tests you want, but this is how it actually works in practice.
I find that post processing afterwards is minimal, less than if I'd used supports.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rO8hB.jpg)
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_3: "Real overhang limits" are hard to define. If you want *accurate extrusion*, such that precision parts fit together correctly or angled geometric surfaces that are supposed to be flat come out flat, each extrusion line must have at least some minimal portion of itself (probably including its center line) printed on top of and against existing material underneath that already has sufficient rigidity (both geometrically and in terms of cooling) not to deflect when printing against it. In this sense, the overhang angle is `arctan(lw * (1-k) / lh)` where `lh` is layer height, `lw` is line width (normally nozzle width), and `k` is the portion of overlap you demand. For example at 0.4 line width, 0.2 layer height, and 50% overlap, you get out exactly 45°.
If you just want the printed part to have basic structural integrity, things get a lot more fuzzy, and dependent on the geometry - particularly, the convexity/cocavity of any overhanging extrusions. Concave overhangs, like the inside of a spherical dome, will *quickly fail* as soon as you lose most or all of the overlap - expect them to hard-fail at `arctan(lw/lh)` (63° in 0.4/0.2 case) since the material will just be dragged inward around the curve with nothing to stick to. You might get a little bit more overhang if there's already a horizontally adjacent extrusion in the new layer for the material to stick to, but in my experience it will be unreliable.
Convex overhangs, on the other hand, can work out even when they're extreme. This is because the curvature of the toolhead path pulls the new material towards/against a region where it has existing material to bond to.
Keep in mind that layer height is a free parameter you can tune, that greatly increases the overhang available to you. Some slicers also have "adaptive layer height" settings to use thinner layers precisely in the layers that have severe overhangs. Line width is also a parameter you can tune, and increasing it works in your favor up to a point. But once you get to a point where the "wider than nozzle" line is attempted over thin air, it will fail badly, sagging down rather than expanding to the desired width, and not bonding to adjacent lines. So if you use wider lines to get better overhangs, you need to be very attentive not to go over angles that would place their centers off of the previous layer.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer] |
2022/04/15 | 2,238 | 9,119 | <issue_start>username_0: As an engineer I was initially interested in making parts. For example I designed and printed a better part for something which wasn't available locally, and even had a client who wanted 150 of them. But print time was 23 hours per part. and I didn't have full confidence in the robustness of the part. The layer lines are a big weakness and anything less than 3 mm is so flimsy that it's a waste of time. So robust performance parts are out. As are high tolerance ones. Build volume makes it even less useful. And the design compromises you have to make are difficult to justify if there are other ways.
Then with other network parts I thought of designing the vast majority needed other bits and pieces, screws, shafts, connectors in metal that I'd need to source and assemble. Enclosures were okay, but weak, and I can fabricate those stronger and faster in other ways.
So now I mainly just print to what I perceive to be 3D printings strengths and have almost given up on parts.
Has anyone had a different experience?<issue_comment>username_1: >
> Under what circumstances
>
>
>
When your part has internal geometry that would be difficult and expensive to reproduce using other methods. For example fishing lures which need internal water channels. Fittings or covers that would normally require several parts to be sealed together could be simplified to a single part and gasket.
When your part is a complex shape but has no need to be particularly robust because it doesn't come under stress.
When you need a part that you can design with a specific weight and shape you can control the weight with the infill percentage and other factors.
When your part is a niche one that goes with 3d printing strengths. Such as short term or single use items like name plates for conferences, key ring giveaways. Items of novelty value etc,.
When the part is not just functional, you may want a simple functionality in an ornate part for promotional, branding, or other reasons. I was tasked to create a container of certain dimensions. I could have done this a number of ways. But they also wanted their logo and a bunch of designs along a particular theme incorporated into it. Only with 3d printing was this able to be accomplished.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: A production run of parts is generally a bad idea. The 3d printed part works as a proof of concept, testing measurements and tolerances even if the printed part can never take the load/pressure of the proper part.
The costs are also significant - filament is ridiculously expensive for what it is, and the power costs of running the heaters for 23 hours per part add up too.
You can also rapidly iterate on a design without having to wait days/weeks for a fab shop to cast/machine/make it out of metals.
I find myself integrating 3d printed parts into a larger build using other items. Example, 8x printed blocks with holes sized to epoxy to metal tubes, then covered with stitched fabric held down by hook&loop to the frame. Buying those parts would be okay, if they existed to find in the first place.
---
If you're under time constraints for something and can't wait for the proper item to arrive from a supplier.
**Sometimes "good enough" is literally true.**
To paraphrase...
When it's after midnight and I need this part right now goshdangit!
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: >
> As an engineer I was initially interested in making parts.
>
>
>
First of all, a lot of people who need "parts" (I'll define that term as something playing a physical functional role in the operation of the thing it goes in or becomes a part of) are not engineers, and don't have routers, lathes, saws, drill presses, etc, available to them. A decent 3D printer is comparable in price to a couple small low-end power tools, but the range of what parts it can make is a lot broader, and it can make them with a lot less tool-use and safety expertise necessary.
But a 3D printer is also potentially a very useful tool here even if you are an engineer and even if you do have access to a large toolbox:
* When you need the part in quantities larger than one, but too few to make by injection molding or other mass production techniques, 3D printing is one of the few solutions that's not prohibitively labor intensive.
* Some types of parts are difficult to produce with techniques other than 3D printing due to geometry that's not conducive to molding or subtractive manufacture techniques.
>
> But print time was 23 hours per part.
>
>
>
3D printing has a reputation for being slow. It doesn't have to be that way. At present, unless you're willing to become an expert with the tool or spend a lot of money buying something high-end, you're probably stuck with it being slow. But this is changing.
>
> I didn't have full confidence in the robustness of the part. The layer lines are a big weakness and...
>
>
>
This is another area where the field has progress to be made. Weak layer adhesion and inconsistency of part strength are problems caused mostly by a mix of bad slicers, bad slicing setting defaults, and bad extruders. The first two can be mostly mitigated with some expertise using the slicer; the latter is a matter of spending more on the printer or knowing what to upgrade on a cheap printer and doing it.
>
> ...anything less than 3mm is so flimsy that it's a waste of time. So robust performance parts are out.
>
>
>
I use printed herringbone gears that are just 4 mm thick, with pitch of pi mm (making tooth thickness about half that), in my printer's extruder drive train, which is a fairly demanding application with momentary speeds up to about 4000 rpm. And that's without any "engineering" plastics, just basic materials like PLA and PETG.
Aside from that, I use a lot of other printed parts for less-stressed roles on my printer, and outside of my printer, I have printed housing for various electronics, custom fluid hose couplers, replacement door closer mounting brackets, replacement soft feet and end caps (TPU) for patio furniture, impact-protection phone and tablet cases (in TPU) for models where it's hard to obtain mass-prouced ones with necessary features or fit for where the items are being used, etc. I'm not sure what of this qualifies as "parts" to you, but I think most of it meets the definition I opened this answer with.
One particularly underappreciated class of parts I'd like to highlight here is soft parts made with TPU or other flexibles. TPU is extremely durable, and at hardness 95A or above can even be quite rigid when printed at 100% infill. It holds up really well under abrasion, exposure to weather, and exposure to oils etc.
>
> Build volume makes it even less useful
>
>
>
This is really dependent on the scale of things you're working with. 3D printed parts seem more appropriate to me at the scales where build volume is not a limiting factor. Most of the people I encounter using printers with large build volume are using them mostly to do whole plates of parts at a time (for example, parts for building printers) rather than single large parts.
When you do need large parts, however, 3D printing can still play an important role, producing jigs or molds to use with other tools and materials.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: Outside of hobbyist objects the only commercially useful use of 3D printing that I can think of is in support of prototyping new parts or products that will ultimately be produced by other methods. If an engineering team is developing something new that may require a few iterations to get form and fit perfected, 3D printing is a viable way to make changes relatively quickly as the design process progresses.
Things that support mass production methods such as molds, dies, jigs, CNC scripts, etc. are expensive and time consuming compared to 3D modeling and printing and typically must await a finalized design. Prototyping with 3D printed parts is a reasonably rapid way to get to that point with the assurance that a hold-it-in-your-hands prototype provides.
Another thought has occurred to me - geocaching containers. Geocaching - stashing things in odd places for others to find using published GPS coordinates, clues and hints - is a popular pastime and custom containers are always a welcome change from the usual pill bottles or food storage containers. I've made dozens for a friend who hides geocaches. I'm not entirely certain whether this market would be commercially viable but it's a big hobby. As I understand it there currently are over 1 million active geocaches in the US and probably tens of thousands of enthusiasts hiding them and/or seeking them out.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: I've only just started my journey in 3d printing, but I have a little hobbyist experience in other forms of "structural crafting". I can see a few ways you can use 3d printing to enhance other techniques - the main one being that a printed part can be used to make a mold, which you can then use to cast aluminum, bronze, or whatever else.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/04/18 | 606 | 2,310 | <issue_start>username_0: I want to print out a flat object without any support structure straight onto the build plate of my ender 5. It's going to be PLA and I need it to be thin enough to still be flexible.
I don't have a picture available, but imagine that I wanted to print out the Coke Cola and then wrap it around a bland soda can, so that the logo is raised up slightly?
Alternatively, what is the best layer height to use, and how many layers should I use?<issue_comment>username_1: With PLA you can just heat it to curve around the object. I've done this with up to 2mm. Real easy with 1mm.
I haven't tried thicker but assume it would work ok.
You'd have to glue it though to make it stick. My attempts were just to shape the prints, I didn't want them sticking so I shaped them around a glass bottle.
If you want it flexible in it's own right, then I suggest 2 \* 0.2mm layers. I have a large 2 layer print in front of me that bends easily.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/xFUUn.jpg)
This can be rolled up into a tube, but as soon as you let go it will return to flat.
1 layer is even more flexible but tears along the lines with a bit of effort. So if you want it really flexible I suggest you print 1 layer at slightly lower than normal nozzle height to really get the lines melded together. Or a bit hotter than normal.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: **1 layer, of whatever thickness your device can print.**
I did something like this to print letters for a flat sign. The letters were 1mm thick and didn't bend, but I'd accidentally printed quite a lot of brim lines which were a single layer thick, and they'd merged into each other.
The brim worked superbly as a "net" to hold the letters in place, so in theory you could print as little as one layer thick.
* Nozzle height will have to be exactly right to merge the lines together. There are no lines crossing-over on the next layer to help bond them all together.
* Let the print bed cool to ambient before removing it from the bed, to help keep the lines connected. Could take an hour or so.
* Use a wide flat scraper to pull job off bed - you might want to design in a "tab" that can be damaged while getting the tool started, and trimmed of later.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/04/19 | 624 | 2,535 | <issue_start>username_0: Questions like this are ***usually*** not allowed but since the price of a brass nozzle in Switzerland is 15.90 and the average price of a nozzle from Alibaba or AliExpress is less than 0.10, and nozzles are something you exchange frequently the issue becomes of such magnitude that we ***need*** to have a simple answer to the very straightforward question:
Do nozzles from China offer the same quality and results?<issue_comment>username_1: Up until this year, I used the cheap nozzles - the original that came with my Ender 3, and both the ones that were supposedly by Creality and appeared identical to it, and similarly cheap ones off Amazon. I never had any problem with them that I attributed to nozzle quality, but I went through them fairly quickly since they were so cheap, just swapping one out if it got a lot of buildup that was hard to clean off rather than bothering to clean it well. I would say they are perfectly usable.
However, if you're already used to paying more for a nozzle, I would **strongly** recommend ditching plain nozzles and going with the Bondtech CHT. The performance and quality improvement from it is **drastic**. It gives more improvement to flow than going from a standard size block to a volcano size block (see [Stefan's tests on CNC Kitchen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNJdv5bFGOg&ab_channel=CNCKitchen)), and a lot less backpressure, so you can get by with lower values for Pressure Advance/Linear Advance, which put less stress on the extruder and get more consistent extrusion. In terms of ratio of printing performance boost to price (not to mention ease of installation), it's probably the single best upgrade you can make to a printer. And while it's not a special durable material, it is coated, which makes it a little bit better than plain brass.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I use cheap brass nozzles through the "A" place and they are almost certainly Chinese.
When installing a new nozzle I use a drill bit in a pin vise in the large counter-drilled hole on the top side, pressing pretty hard to assure there are no drill chips in there, either loose or still attached. I follow that with a nozzle cleaning pin of the appropriate size, then a good blast of Dust-Off or the equivalent from the "W" place.
I get reasonable nozzle life and performance.
In my case nozzle replacement is nearly always from blockage, almost never from wear so I've never considered it worthwhile to use premium nozzles with better wear resistance.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/04/20 | 1,801 | 7,441 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm trying to figure out if it's worth buying a 3D printer or using an online printing service like e.g. [this one](https://treddy.it) in the long run. Anyone have any cost analysis?<issue_comment>username_1: It depends
==========
If it is worth to invest in a print made for you compared to getting a printer depends on the needs you have. Thee can be informed by the type of material you want to print and the requirements that has on you. Let me give you some examples when it is simply worth it to pay:
* A metal printer costs in the thousands: upper five-digit for the most baseline and [averaging in the low to mid-6-digit](https://all3dp.com/2/how-much-does-a-metal-3d-printer-cost/). Ordering a single or few printed pieces will be economical, and even ordering **many** parts will still be well below break-even, considering that the material sets you back by up to 600 \$ per kilo!
* A nylon powder printer [starts in the middle 4-digits but easily goes up to upper 5-digits and even middle 6 digits](https://all3dp.com/1/best-sls-3d-printer-desktop-industrial/). Ordering for a small-scale production this way still will be economical.
* Some specialty plastics need printers with very high-temperature chambers and hotends with extreme wear resistance. Such machinery can easily cost five digits, especially in large dimensions where it goes to six. Compared to purchasing price of the machine, ordering the part will be cheaper.
On the other hand, getting a printer gets cheaper once you:
* use it sufficiently, for example, to iteratively modify a designed part or produce a medium variety of parts.
* have the time and money to spare to learn and tweak your machine to do what you want.
* the amount of parts you want to make would cost you more to have ordered than a new printer, or a substantial portion thereof. For an FDM machine, the first useful machines can be priced as low as 150 \$, while 300 \$ gets you a somewhat capable Ender 3 v2 - which has developed into some kind of *standard unit* for printers.
Also note, that some printing services have limits on what they will produce. Commonly they will not provide services to manufacture tools or items that might violate local law or make it trivially to do so, for example copying keys or even manufacturing Keyblanks.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Just one experience from a few years ago. I needed a single, very small part to repair a game accessory. The repair clip stl file was available on Thingiverse. I went to a local commercial 3D printing service for a quote. The quoted price? $75!
I ordered my 3D printer a week later.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: I would think it depends on your future needs. If you will rarely need things printed then online is more convenient than buying a printer and doing the whole learning curve, storing materials etc,.
From what I have seen online, most people printing are not printing things they actually need.
If you want to produce things to sell, then you're better off doing it yourself.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: One of the biggest reasons to buy a 3D printer vs using a printing service is one of the biggest advantages 3D printing has over other manufacturing methods: **rapid prototyping**. If you operate a 3D printer you own to make parts you're designing yourself, you can really iterate a design in realtime, immediately measuring results (tolerances/fit, strength, working of mechanisms, etc.) and be printing the next version to test it a few minutes after the first one finishes. If part of the result you need is something you can visually evaluate during the print, you can even be working on the next iteration while the previous one prints. Most of the parts I do are small enough, and my printer fast enough, that during design iteration both myself and the printer stay busy pretty much 100% of the time.
If you're sending designs off to a printing service, you lose out on this aspect of 3D printing. If you don't get things exactly right the first time, you either have to do all the fixup with non-automated tools, or you're out a lot of money and have to wait for another order cycle all over.
This might of course make sense and be okay if you're really good at checking your work before sending it off, or if you're mostly ordering prints of things someone else already designed and tested previously.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: It is probably cheaper for a business to order 3D prints than to pay an employee to get up to speed, unless that business is doing new designs regularly. This is especially true if the parts need to look professional, or need to use challenging materials (like anything other than PLA, PETG, maybe TPU).
If the business does buy a 3D printer, it can be economical to get a more prosumer model, than to pay an employee to futz with a consumer printer to coax good print quality out of it, or spend additional time modifying it- a 300 dollar printer can turn into a 1500 dollar printer with enough things going wrong or needing to be upgraded.
When evaluating the true price of an in house 3D printed part to a business, it’s important to include employee time interacting with the machine and post processing: file prep, slicing software work, prepping bed, loading filament, preheating bed, watching the first layer go down. Oh wait, it got messed up? Start again. Once printing, time spent checking in on it, then time spent unloading filament, hand post processing (trimming a brim, removing goobers, zits, strings, drilling out precision holes). It is a hands on process, especially with consumer machines. Producing parts on the clock, I figure between 40 minutes (everything runs perfect) to two hours (Murphy’s law) of human interaction for a one-off part. Batches of more than one can be less, I had little clam shell enclosures done in batches of 6 come out to about 45 minutes of labor apiece to the company, ultimately (once 3D printer was dialed in).
Another factor of overhead is a 3D printer needs a space for it to live.
-Near ventilation if using noxious materials
-with enough table space to have a computer near it, and some hand tools, and a clear area to post process the parts
-away from employees bothered by the sound
-where it can be checked on easily
-where it doesn’t get cold in the winter, to the point where low ambient temperatures cause warping
Note, some of these space requirements can be sidestepped by printers with prosumer features: WiFi transfer of gcode to the machine (computer doesn’t need to be near printer), full insulated enclosures (cold ambient temperature resistance and less noise) with air filtration (may not need ventilation for fumes).
Business ownership of a 3D printer can be a waste if there isn’t someone on staff that is mechanically inclined and can use a CAD package. Without CAD skill prints are limited to what independent contractors design for the company (and who may themselves own their own 3D printer), or things that can be downloaded from the internet.
As an asset, it can be difficult to sell a 3D printer for anywhere near what it is worth, especially with aftermarket modifications. They are large and heavy and delicate so local sales are preferred over shipping, which severely restricts the market, especially outside urban areas.
Not a business? Time on your hands? Go for it.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/04/26 | 1,194 | 4,727 | <issue_start>username_0: In my previous research for mods for my Ender 3v2, I came across the topic of part cooling mods. The two most common are the Petsfang and Hero Me sets.
1. What are the pros and cons of third-party/DIY part cooling mods?
2. What benefit does having a third-party/DIY part cooling mod provide?<issue_comment>username_1: Part cooling is essential to print at any decent *vertical speed* (layers per second), which is critical if you do rapid prototyping of small parts or vase mode prints. This is because you can't (repeatedly) print on top of material that hasn't yet cooled enough to be rigid; if you do, after a few layers, you'll find nothing is in the right place and it's all a bunch of goo getting dragged around by the nozzle. In fact, if the part is small enough you might not be able to print it at all. That's because, while slicers have features to slow down to guarantee a minimum layer time for cooling purposes, if the hot nozzle sticks around in the vicinity of a tiny part the whole time, just the heat from the nozzle will keep it from properly solidifying.
The Ender 3 (and as far as I know, the v2 as well, along with just about every other Creality printer) has *pitiful* stock cooling. It's off-center from the nozzle, and aimed more at the nozzle itself rather than the part below it, so that it saps heat out of the hotend (making the heater work harder and reducing your max achievable flow) at the same time it's (barely) cooling the print. So upgrading it is desirable. But, as you've guessed, there are cons too.
1. Some, especially those utilizing the stock 4010 fan, *reduce airflow* by constricting the airway too much. The 4010 does not really have the power to compress the air much, so if the airway cross-sectional area decreases along the way, that will reduce flow. Does the increase in focus/delivery to the right place make up for the lost flow? Maybe.
2. Some *focus the air too narrowly* while increasing its pressure, delivering high-pressure air to a still molten point on the print. This can actually cause the extruded material to bend in the direction the air is pressing it before it cools enough to solidify, giving an inaccurate print.
3. Large fans and ducts add mass to the toolhead, which can increase ringing, especially if they're not sufficiently rigid.
4. Many of the cooling mods mount awkwardly to the toolhead in ways that interfere with the motion of the carriage, reducing total build volume.
5. If the cooling mod blows on/over the heater block, it can reduce melting performance and pour heat onto the part you're trying to cool. Most try to avoid doing this, but you may find you want additional insulation around the block if you use more powerful part cooling.
Some people will also tell you that "too much cooling" will harm your print quality, hurting layer adhesion, making the print warp, etc. I use a rather extreme cooling system and have not encountered such problems that can't be remedied with a slight increase to the nozzle temperature, yielding better overall quality and equal strength to what I would have gotten with lower fan. But I print just PLA, PETG, and TPU, so it's likely that this could be an issue with other materials like ABS or nylon. If so you can always reduce the fan speed.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Cooling duct design is not well understood by either the 3D printer OEMs (exceptions may apply) nor by the aftermarket cooling options or most of the homebrew designs.
The problem is the lack of the understanding in aerodynamic design. Note that the fans that we use to produce the cooling flows are pushing flow, they do not create a large pressure difference. So with not too much pressure difference you should avoid long ducts and sharp bends in the flow path, narrowing of duct annuli or (you should) narrowing the duct annuli when air is bled out.
Looking at many of the options available, it is clear that many of these design rules are not taken into account.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: The best 3D printed cooling solution actually is not used generally - and it can be rather loud. I am talking pretty much the very same setup one uses in a CNC-mill to spray or mist cooling liquid on the item. That's either flood cooling (with a full jet) or mist cooling (with a mist). Just, in this case, using air hoses and a compressor or air pump, it's best called "airblast".
In such a setup, all the ducts are extruded tubings, the nozzles are metal and the only 3D printed part is a holder for these parts. But how is this loud? It's often loud because this setup needs a compressor to run and push air through the air hoses. And compressors can be rather loud.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/04/26 | 996 | 3,698 | <issue_start>username_0: I need to print parts that fit together very well on the Longer LK5 Pro. However, after printing a Benchy, I noticed that whatever I print has a lot of imperfections. Is there any way I can fix this? All I know about the printing conditions was that I was printing at 230 °C nozzle temperature with 60 °C bed temperature. I was using PLA+. I was also printing the Benchy file that comes with the Longer LK5 printer. I tried tightening the Y-axis belt, that moves the bed, and the wheels on the bottom of the bed.
Here are pictures of my Benchy:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/K7a2T.jpg "Top View")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Cm7Jt.jpg "Left hand side view")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZYNXx.jpg "Bottom view")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/3KTtu.jpg "Right hand side view")<issue_comment>username_1: 230 is very hot for PLA+ and the pictures look like it's printing too hot for a start. It's hard to tell if there are other issues until that basic one has been cleared up. Where did you get the instructions for 230 degrees?
I suggest printing at 200 degrees or perhaps 210 degrees and then moving forwards from those results.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: [Looking up your printer](https://www.longer3d.com/products/lk5-pro-fdm-3d-printer), one thing I noticed is that it has power loss recovery. This feature writes to the SD card at the start of each new layer, stalling the print for at least a significant fraction of a second with the filament unretracted, which will make a nasty blob wherever the toolhead happens to be positioned. Absolutely turn this off. It's impossible to get quality prints with that feature on. If there's no menu option to turn it off, you'll have to rebuild the firmware or get alternate firmware from someone else.
It looks like you have moderate overextrusion. If the esteps were tuned, you probably adjusted them too much in the direction to increase extrusion and should reset to the factory setting and calibrate again, erring on the side of less extrusion rather than more.
There are a number of places (especially on the cabin) where some walls are inset relative to where the wall was supposed to be, and where it's present in other layers. This is almost surely a result of losing material to oozing in the interior of the model, as a result of "combing". See [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/11005/11157) for details.
On the hull (especially the bow), it looks like you might be experiencing the consequences of numerical precision bugs in Cura, which result in erroneous tiny segments that break up smooth traversal of curves, leaving blobs where the toolhead stutters. Watch during printing and see if the nozzle is stuttering (suddenly slowing down then speeding up again) along these curves. If so, make sure the Maximum Resolution and Maximum Deviation settings are 0.5 and 0.025 respectively. These are the modern Cura defaults that avoid the problem, but some profiles (and some older versions of Cura) have values that trigger the bugs.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Just got an LK5 and printed the included Benchy gcode. It looks pretty similar to the benchy in the pics with some of the blobs in the same location. Then I downloaded the benchy from Thingiverse and sliced it with the Longer 1.3 Slicer. Pretty good results from doing that but it took longer to print.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/04/28 | 1,069 | 4,242 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a very eccentric, weird, unusual and strange idea. I need some advice and serious professional help.
I'm interested in 3D printing in PLA a hollow complex structure with 0.2 thickness walls (Yes! That thin!). Fill it with very fine copper powder with a little borax powder thoroughly mixed. Use superglue to join halves or other shell pieces together, making sure the powder is very well compacted. Then in a separate container I want to make some thin plaster of Paris (calcium sulfate with a lot of water). Mix in it, some of my trimmed hair (about 5mm in length). No joke. Seriously. Please, I'm begging you with all my heart, hear me out! There's a very good useful reason for doing it. I then place the object (3D printed flimsy crappy shell filled with copper powder) in a DIY drywall box and pour in the plaster over the 3D printed shell object until the box is filled and object completely covered. Leave it to dry and completely solidify for a day. Then I bake the entire thing in a furnace making sure I'm over the copper melting temperature and voila! 3D printing in copper very complex intricate models with ease. Can it be that easy? Or am I deluding myself?
The hair purpose, after it will burn inside the plaster while in the furnace, is to create very thin tubules or air holes for water and gases to escape and to prevent cracking of the plaster under intense heat. I don't want to use hay because the straws are too thick. I have to use very thin organic straws. I just can't think of anything more accessible than my hair. Do you know of something even thinner and more accessible than human hair? Please let me know. I know it sounds and looks very odd, weird and strange. I'm opened to alternatives or other suggestions, otherwise I wouldn't be here making a fool of myself with such an insane ridiculous idea.
I was thinking to add some form of additional volume above the object, which is connected to the model by some thin hollow tube. All this volume (like an empty cube (shell) ) will also be filled with very fine copper powder providing additional melted copper to the model, in the case if the powder was not very well compacted inside the shell model.
Could this absurd ridiculous insane crazy idea work? I have never heard of anything like this. This is so bizarre and strange. It seems to be some form of odd mix of multiple techniques. But besides all this, will it work in the end? Will the plaster hold while some of it(depends on the model) will be inside molten copper? Or do I have to mix in the plaster, not just hair, but also some individual singular fine strands of steel wool?
I don't know who and where to ask such a thing. Am I in the right place? I don't know what this idea is, I don't know how to name it, I don't know how to ask or formulate this idea, I don't know how to google it or search it. I don't know anything. I really need some guidance, help and advice.<issue_comment>username_1: **I think this is just an overcomplicated lost-PLA (investment) casting.**
What you're asking for is to create an object, create a mold around it, and then burn out the object and replace it with metal. Traditionally this is done with wax, [and called lost-wax casting](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost-wax_casting), but the same can be done with anything that melts/burns away, including PLA.
Rather than worrying about burning hairs and pressure and compaction of metal powder, print a model, and use the correct kind of plaster (a search for "investment casting plaster" will get you going down the right path) to make your mold. Heat the metal powder in a crucible, instead of the mold itself, and pour it through the expansion/extra material tube you were talking about.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I don't see why it wouldn't work. It doesn't seem to be the optimal way but I haven't tried it.
Only thing that might be an issue is that PLA doesn't burn away clean (not for me anyway) which can leave defects in the product. But there are filaments specifically made for casting which apparently burn away with no residue.
This is assuming you can actually successfully print a complex object with walls that thin.
Upvotes: 1 [selected_answer] |
2022/04/28 | 512 | 1,949 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a semi-diy hotend setup on my MOOZ-2 (an obscure chinese printer). It requires that the total nozzle length (including threading) is longer than 15 mm. So far, I've been using Volcano nozzles because they're the only ones I can find that meet this requirement. However I believe this negatively impacts performance because they stick out way beyond the heater block (see picture below). Unfortunately, the next size I can find are MK8 or V6 nozzles which are 13 mm - too short! Are there any nozzle sizes in between that I could use?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/IN5df.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: **I think this is just an overcomplicated lost-PLA (investment) casting.**
What you're asking for is to create an object, create a mold around it, and then burn out the object and replace it with metal. Traditionally this is done with wax, [and called lost-wax casting](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost-wax_casting), but the same can be done with anything that melts/burns away, including PLA.
Rather than worrying about burning hairs and pressure and compaction of metal powder, print a model, and use the correct kind of plaster (a search for "investment casting plaster" will get you going down the right path) to make your mold. Heat the metal powder in a crucible, instead of the mold itself, and pour it through the expansion/extra material tube you were talking about.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I don't see why it wouldn't work. It doesn't seem to be the optimal way but I haven't tried it.
Only thing that might be an issue is that PLA doesn't burn away clean (not for me anyway) which can leave defects in the product. But there are filaments specifically made for casting which apparently burn away with no residue.
This is assuming you can actually successfully print a complex object with walls that thin.
Upvotes: 1 [selected_answer] |
2022/04/30 | 818 | 3,363 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a spool of PLA filament where the diameter is visibly inconsistent. So it will only print a meter or two and then start slipping instead of being fed into the nozzle. Is this still useful for anything or can it be salvaged somehow?
I can't return it, the shipping costs more than the spool.<issue_comment>username_1: In principle you can re-extrude it with a somewhat simpler machine/setup than making filament from scratch, but controlling the diameter is the hard part of making filament - as you can see from how the manufacturer of yours botched it.
I would first try insisting on a refund without returning the item unless they pay return shipping, and that they cover the original shipping cost. The product they delivered is not usable for the purpose it was advertised for.
As for salvaging it - if that's what you really want to do, or if you end up stuck with it - as long as it's not too wide to fit through the filament path to the nozzle, an extruder that's spring loaded can *probably* manage to push it reliably. You will of course have pulsating under- and over-extrusion which will make it largely unusable for serious parts that need to be dimensionally accurate, strong, or visually appealing, but there are lots of things without these requirements it might be useful for. If your printer isn't capable of handling it, you could perhaps sell or trade it to someone whose printer can handle it.
Getting more on the wild end of things, there are filament diameter sensors that can be integrated with your printer and firmware (I'm pretty sure Klipper supports this; not sure about Marlin and others) to measure the diameter and compensate extruder motor steps to keep the extruded volume per requested E-axis length constant. This would in theory make it possible to use the bad filament for serious prints.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Personally I store all my filament waste in tubs for the day a recycling/reuse solution offers itself. You can "compact" waste prints using hot air which also sticks the whispy pieces together. Someone will eventually come out with a "re-extruder" that simply cooks old filament and then produces a consistent 1.75mm or 3mm output. Cost is the limiting factor here, both in up-front equipment and ongoing electricity cost.
Plain unused filament is specified as a pin for a hinge in some designs. However that doesn't use very much.
It can also be used as string, but tends to break at the knot if tied tightly.
Filament could be platted into a rope, but that's going to be more decorative than useful.
Last thought, I've not tried it but filament has a low melting temperature compared to metals. You may be able to "cast" a 3D shape in a metal mold an a hot oven or with a gas torch or perhaps even in a fire. Fumes could be an issue, and you'd have to somehow stop the plastic from igniting.
I doubt it would be possible to cast a thin round cylinder; the top would be flat at best.
---
I happened to come across a "spring mandrel" at <https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:92266>
One could soften the poor filament and then wind it around a structure like that, and when cooled you have a low-pressure coil spring of a length and diameter you chose. Probably not that strong or robust, but worth a try if you need springs for other prints.
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/05/01 | 1,446 | 5,736 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm new to 3D printing, I have printed the cat that comes on the SD card on my Ender 3 and it's amazing the level of detail. After that, I tried to print another figure and I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I don't even know what to search for troubleshooting images because none of those seems similar to my problem.
I used Ultimaker Cura to generate the G-code, it's the same filament, good (I think) bed leveling with 50 °C and nozzle at 200 °C. Is something wrong with the printer? Or is it the configuration of my G-code and what parameters do I need to check?
The next images are:
1. my first cat (nice print)
2. what I want to print
3. what I actually print
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/yBTwS.jpg "3D printed cat model from SD card")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/qchXO.jpg "3D rendering of a skeletal monster model")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/t12Ce.jpg "Failed print of skeletal monster model")<issue_comment>username_1: There are two big areas of difference between the successful sample print and the model you're failing to print: geometry and how it's sliced.
First, geometry. The sample print *looks* detailed, but if you actually think about it, each cross section until you get to the ears at the very top is just a single, mostly smooth loop, whose shape differs very subtly from one layer to the next. (And indeed, when you get to the ears, it *doesn't* look good anymore - there's bad stringing from missing or wrong retraction.) This is the easiest type of object to 3D print, and there's a reason they chose it as the sample - it's hard to get wrong, and it looks nice.
The tabletop mini style figure, on the other hand, has *a lot* of (very small!) disconnected components in each cross section once you get past the base. Printing these accurately (or even successfully at all) requires your printer to be able to stop the extrusion, move the print head to a different location, and resume extrusion there, without losing material to oozing on the way or skipping/jamming when it restarts. This is perfectly doable to an Ender 3, but it requires good instructions from the slicer.
That's where we get to the next part of what's different: slicing. The sample print was sliced for you with Creality's preferred options to show off the printer's capabilities (and they didn't do a very good job at that - see the stringing at the top, which a properly sliced print on an Ender 3 should not have). Yours you sliced yourself, with whatever profile came with Cura. Even if the stock slicing profile they provide is fairly good, this is a really difficult print (see geometry above) and will require a good bit of work to figure out how to print it successfully. It probably needs some supports, and needs retraction tuned well, and probably needs combing limited.
I could go into details for how to go about finding the right options for this print, but I think you really need to start with something much simpler. I know I did the same kind of thing (looking for fancy models and trying them) when I first got my Ender 3, but it ended up being frustrating and took a lot longer to figure out what I was doing wrong than it would have if I started out with things like boring cylinders or calibration cubes. Start really simple. That way you can get to know how the slicer works, what options are available and how they affect what the printer does, and most importantly do an overall sanity check that it's slicing right for your printer. (Cura used to have a bug where it always wanted to reset to the wrong filament diameter, 2.85 rather than 1.75, which gave extremely underextruded prints, and parts of your failure look like that may be what happened, but I doubt it is since I think that behavior was fixed a couple years ago.)
In slicing and printing some simple test pieces, you'll probably find you have questions about what's not going the way you expect. Ask those. Then, once you get the problems worked out, start trying more elaborate prints, and ask more questions when you run into problems with them. After getting past very basic checks, a good next stage would be "nontrivial objects that don't need supports".
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: The Cura Ender 3 profile will not give you that print. It's a very safe profile. And that print was failing from the start long before it had any complexity to speak of.
So it's the printer or the filament. Hard to tell which without more detail. It looks like it was failing from the first layer. So do some research on what a first layer should look like and troubleshoot from there.
Also doublecheck you are using the right Cura profile for your filament type and machine.
I have to say, the cat print doesn't look very good either.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: That print is **not** possible on an FDM 3D printer. Period. Only a resin printer can pull off something as complicated as that. Perhaps a dual extruder with water-soluble support material will be able to pull it off, but even then you will have to scale the model up at least 2x, as the details are simply too small.
I'm a 3D printing veteran and I wouldn't even attempt something like that on an Ender 3. It's just not possible.
As for the first print, your retraction speed is too low. If that doesn't help remove the stringing, increase your retraction amount too.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/05/02 | 472 | 1,959 | <issue_start>username_0: I build and export my model using ZBrush and as STL files.
To fix the mesh for 3D print, I try to use 3D Builder which can automatically repair my parts.
As it saves as a single file, if I import all parts at once,
I import the files one by one, repair them, then save them as a new file.
After all the parts were repaired, I import all parts to see the result
but find some repaired parts' positions shifted.
How should I handle these issues?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/01xRd.png "Rendering of 3D model with parts shifted from original position")<issue_comment>username_1: It has moved the object to the ground as close as it could. This is generally best for 3D printing separate objects.
If you need them together, you can reposition them, or combine them.
Alternatively, change the 'Collision' and 'Intersect' settings until you get what you want.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: STL models as exported by software often include their origin in the origin of the design software. However, when using software to fix modeling errors, those origins are not always retained and thus when importing them into a different software their *center of mass* is taken as the new point of reference.
Slicers are notorious in that they ignore the included origin. Even *if* models contain an origin that would, when imported into 3D design environments result in the items lining up correctly, the slicing software will simply not care and take a *lowest point in the projected center of the object* as the coordinate for the item, as this is what is relevant for positioning in the software.
To mitigate that problem, it is best to export models that need to be *joined* after processing a boolean union on them.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2022/05/03 | 614 | 2,443 | <issue_start>username_0: I have an old notebook computer that works just fine, but the outside of the lid is badly damaged and needs to be replaced. The screen and wiring are fine, so I only need to replace the housing that is exposed to the outside world.
**What is the best filament for an impact-resistant printed housing?** Should I consider other options that may prevent damage to the internal components? Are there any alternatives with cosmetic benefits?
Edit:
Since I was asked, presume I may be willing to buy a new part to upgrade or accommodate a new filament type.<issue_comment>username_1: If you just cared about impact resistance of the housing itself, the clear choice would be TPU, which would be basically indestructible. However, the housing is there to protect what's inside - not only from impact, but from stresses (e.g. bending) that could break it. This means you need a material that both provides rigidity and avoids breaking easily itself.
If you were doing an old (90s or earlier) style laptop case that's a tank, I'd actually say yeah, go with TPU 95A or higher (98A or so if you could get it) and add some reinforcement ribs/stiffeners. This stuff can be quite rigid at 100% infill, and it will hold up fine to heat, abrasion, even most chemicals. But if this is a modern slim style case, a small amount of material needs to provide a lot of rigidity and that's not going to work.
PLA actually fares really well here in some ways - it's one of the most rigid printable materials, and very easy to get good bonding. If you check for example CNC Kitchen's strength tests, you'll find plain PLA usually coming out on top of most comparisons. However, PLA doesn't handle heat well, which might rule it out.
ASA, ABS, or PC is probably your best bet, but I don't have any experience with them so I'll leave the part about them as something for another answerer to write.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: For casings I use a combination of TPU and PETG or PLA. PETG shell gives it rigidity and TPU gives it a bit of impact protection. So corners and inside layers of TPU within a hard PETG or PLA shell (shell has no corners).
I haven't had a problem with either but obviously PLA won't withstand heat very well, so it depends on environment.
For a laptop case you'd maybe want to do it the other way around with the outside shell of TPU and inside layers of PETG for rigidity.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2022/05/03 | 949 | 3,702 | <issue_start>username_0: Bought a new printer. When this problem has happened anywhere from the third to the twentieth layer up. An excess of filament suddenly exits the nozzle, often pulling the print from the bed when the nozzle moves away. The only advice I've found so far is that the nozzle or hotend may have damage, but I didn't find any when removing them to examine them. I've tried a few different ranges of settings. Guidance would be appreciated.
I'm using a Creality Ender 3 with out-of-the-box equipment and slicing with the most recent Creality Print version. Settings are default (bed: 70 °C and hot end: 200 °C).
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4yjEx.jpg)
Here's what I get if I set everything to default, switch filament spool, and use a .gcode file that was sent in-box from the manufacturer. There was not really ever anything printed, since the blob was stuck to the nozzle and was dragged around in three dimensions until I stopped the printer.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Ucg06.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: More information would be useful, to narrow the possible causes, but consider to perform an extrusion step check. This involves marking the filament at the most convenient location. This would be at the top of the extruder on a direct drive system, at the removed bowden tube for a non-direct drive system or at the entrance to the bowden tube on the same time of system. Mark also a specific distance, often 10 mm or 100 mm and then command an extrusion of that distance.
Perform this with the extruder positioned a suitable distance from the bed, to avoid collection around the nozzle.
Compare the amount moved by the extruder with the marks created. This will determine if you have extruder step mismatch.
This requires a means to communicate with the printer, either via manually created g-code on the card or via appropriate software while connected to the printer via USB.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: That's not excessive Filament, it is "blobbing".
Blobbing happens in several cases, but the most common are:
* The printed filament is deposited too hot on other hot filament, resulting in the filament to get dragged behind and create a *bead* of molten plastic that hardens out as a long blob.
+ A typical reason for this would be to print a thin cylinder of a vers small diameter without forcing a break in between the layers. The best example I have for you is a 6mm outer diameter hollow cylinder with exactly 2 perimeters (one inner, one outer). If this is printed continuously, this item can be brought reliably to blob.
+ If the printhead crosses over already printed but not adhering filament on the bed, it can pick up that filament, gathering a blob at the nozzle by accumulation. That is most likely what happened on the photo.
* The model might be defective creating areas that induce blobbing.
* A bad slicer solution and settings can induce in blobbing.
I strongly suggest to use either PrusasSlicer (a Slic3r derivate) or Ultimaker Cura, from which Creality Print diverges. Note, 70 °C bed temperature for PLA is excessive -> 50 °C are more than enough usually.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: If I don't concentrate on the blob, but on the rest of the print of first posted image, it can be concluded that the initial distance of the nozzle to the bed is too large. This causes adhesion problems and buildup of material like a blob.
Dial in the correct nozzle to bed distance using a piece of paper and depending on the bed surface an adhesion product.
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/05/04 | 398 | 1,535 | <issue_start>username_0: Can the GT2 belts lengthen themselves if they are tentioned too much?
I had them tensioned quite a bit until I saw the [video](https://youtu.be/zoKmmT0a7jk) from "Lost in Tech". I then decided to reduce the tension, but the dimensional precision was all over the place. So my guess is, that the belts are too long now?<issue_comment>username_1: First of all there are two methods to achieve the belt be tensioned.
First method is when both ends of the belt hard attached. In this case if there is a fluctuation in the mechanical system then it will be absorbed by the belt itself. And in this case with big tension it will result in stretching over time with tension disappearing.
The second method is to use spring at one end. The spring will absorb all the fluctuations with little or no effect on the belt.
But I had really bad problems with GT2 PU belts (including steel reinforced), under big tension they degrade suddenly with big change in the geometry at some position. When removed they look twisted. Looks like some reinforcing wires slipped inside the PU body of the belt.
Once switched to rubber GT2 belts (fibreglass reinforced) I never had problems connected to the belts. I can tell that rubber GT2 belts have no noticeable change in the geometry over many years of constant use under high tension with the spring.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: As I've seen in todays video from <NAME>, he also says that these belts can lengthen over time:
(Link with time code)
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/05/04 | 557 | 2,157 | <issue_start>username_0: I recently broke the cooling fan on my Voxelab Aquila while doing some maintenance, and I'm in the middle of a multi piece print that I would like to finish soon. I found the fan replacement I need, but it's not going to arrive for over a week. I was wondering if it would be ok to print a few things with the broken fan, or if that would be bad for the motor or anything else.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8wC69.jpg)[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/C8Kvm.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: If the fan is the part cooling fan, you'll have reduced cooling on the part as it is printed. This isn't necessarily going to be a problem, although you may have irregularities in the print surface.
If the fan is the heat sink cooling fan, reduced cooling will be problematic. This could result in heat creep and clogging of the hot end.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: As long as your ambient temperature is not excessive and you're not using a very high bed temperature, you should be fine.
With insufficient cooling, there is a risk of heat creep - that is, of the heat from the melt zone working its way up to the area where the filament is supposed to be solid, potentially causing jams if it deforms and catches in crevices there. However, the hotend is made to operate in temperatures far above normal room temperature, e.g. in non-air-conditioned spaces, in enclosed chambers for printing ABS, etc.
Just keep the space you're printing in cool and go on printing while you wait for a new fan to arrive. Maybe reduce your bed temperature a bit if you usually use temperatures on the high end (over 50°C).
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: I think you'll get weird print artifacts and strange surface errors.
The fan is not balanced and will buzz. This added vibration could be seen as an effect in the finish.
Personally I'd suggest patience and wait for the replacement to arrive before continuing. Or scavenge a suitable fan from something else in the meantime.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/05/07 | 917 | 3,508 | <issue_start>username_0: Most of the guides I can find are just canned responses to specific questions. Instead I'm looking for something meant to teach good fundamental understanding and core needed skills. Beginner's guides are common in other hobbies but I am having trouble finding one for 3d printing.<issue_comment>username_1: Thera are plenty of such guides. But from necessity they deal with specifics, there are too many things to cover otherwise.
Multiple types of printers, multiple brands, multiple slicers, multiple ways of modelling etc,. With more all the time. Reading up on something that tells me how to model and slice in Freecad & Creality, when I'm using Blender & Cura is a waste of time.
Generic instructions that apply to everything are so vague as to be essentially useless. (Plenty of those online though)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Here's a brief outline I threw out in chat once. I'm marking this as a "community Wiki" answer so feel free to edit.
It is not a full Primer, so should date better than a Word6.0 manual.
---
Start by reading the instructions that came with your printer. There's a high chance that some assembly is required, and if you get something wrong then things may nor work right later. Some brands come complete, some are better than others in this regard. Take your time.
For most people, they spend the first couple of weeks failing prints for multiple reasons. For me it was bed levelling and getting the first layer-adhesion, and filament tension.
So work on getting the bed levelled, work out how much gluestick or tape your filament needs to work, and what temperatures work in your environment.
I use 210 °C on the hotend for PLA+ and 60 °C bed temp, though others get away with 190 °C on the hotend and 50 °C on the bed. My printer is in a garage though.
Try and print a 20 mm cube or a benchy.
After that, explore <http://thingiverse.com> or <http://thangs.com> looking for pre-made stuff that you would benefit from. Start small.
The Grab Toy Infinite is a great starter - it's very forgiving about tolerances, and kids like it. Expect rough handling to break it.
When you're happy printing other people's things, identify some needs of your own. In fact, make up a document / draught email / notepad of ideas of things to print. I add stuff to mine all the time.
When you've got a need that no one else can fill, you can start designing your own item and do the whole
```
idea --> ||: (re)design --> implement --> test --> curse :|| success!! loop.
```
Many people bang on about expensive fancy software, but you can make a perfectly adequate part using <http://tinkercad.com/> as a grounding.
For example, I had too many spare hacksaw blades and none of the "holders" I could buy were perfect, nor even close. Here's my output:
<https://www.tinkercad.com/things/9yQMmxRv4Lz-spare-hacksaw-blade-holder>
Like many things in making, expect to fail and learn and do it again.
Sometimes it looks like we buy printers to print things for the printers for printing things for the printers...repeat.
Look for needs in your life and design something to fill them. It's most satisfying.
There's a huge gap between Functional prints, which do a job, and pretty prints which are just to look nice.
Functional things are great - you can therefore justify the cost of more printer upgrades. LOOK AT ALL THE MONEY WE SAVED!
But overall enjoy yourself and the time you spend making things.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer] |
2022/05/08 | 951 | 3,643 | <issue_start>username_0: Looking to print a new part for a home appliance. There's going to need to be a new model created with the customizations made, but the model (after printing) will have to fit where the old part was. Is there any 3D modeling software that is better for this purpose? Will I just have to guess at proper proportions and hand-adjust the scaling of each dimension and angle through trial and error until a version fits?<issue_comment>username_1: Thera are plenty of such guides. But from necessity they deal with specifics, there are too many things to cover otherwise.
Multiple types of printers, multiple brands, multiple slicers, multiple ways of modelling etc,. With more all the time. Reading up on something that tells me how to model and slice in Freecad & Creality, when I'm using Blender & Cura is a waste of time.
Generic instructions that apply to everything are so vague as to be essentially useless. (Plenty of those online though)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Here's a brief outline I threw out in chat once. I'm marking this as a "community Wiki" answer so feel free to edit.
It is not a full Primer, so should date better than a Word6.0 manual.
---
Start by reading the instructions that came with your printer. There's a high chance that some assembly is required, and if you get something wrong then things may nor work right later. Some brands come complete, some are better than others in this regard. Take your time.
For most people, they spend the first couple of weeks failing prints for multiple reasons. For me it was bed levelling and getting the first layer-adhesion, and filament tension.
So work on getting the bed levelled, work out how much gluestick or tape your filament needs to work, and what temperatures work in your environment.
I use 210 °C on the hotend for PLA+ and 60 °C bed temp, though others get away with 190 °C on the hotend and 50 °C on the bed. My printer is in a garage though.
Try and print a 20 mm cube or a benchy.
After that, explore <http://thingiverse.com> or <http://thangs.com> looking for pre-made stuff that you would benefit from. Start small.
The Grab Toy Infinite is a great starter - it's very forgiving about tolerances, and kids like it. Expect rough handling to break it.
When you're happy printing other people's things, identify some needs of your own. In fact, make up a document / draught email / notepad of ideas of things to print. I add stuff to mine all the time.
When you've got a need that no one else can fill, you can start designing your own item and do the whole
```
idea --> ||: (re)design --> implement --> test --> curse :|| success!! loop.
```
Many people bang on about expensive fancy software, but you can make a perfectly adequate part using <http://tinkercad.com/> as a grounding.
For example, I had too many spare hacksaw blades and none of the "holders" I could buy were perfect, nor even close. Here's my output:
<https://www.tinkercad.com/things/9yQMmxRv4Lz-spare-hacksaw-blade-holder>
Like many things in making, expect to fail and learn and do it again.
Sometimes it looks like we buy printers to print things for the printers for printing things for the printers...repeat.
Look for needs in your life and design something to fill them. It's most satisfying.
There's a huge gap between Functional prints, which do a job, and pretty prints which are just to look nice.
Functional things are great - you can therefore justify the cost of more printer upgrades. LOOK AT ALL THE MONEY WE SAVED!
But overall enjoy yourself and the time you spend making things.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer] |
2022/05/10 | 1,079 | 4,174 | <issue_start>username_0: Should I be able to hand turn the stepper motor for the extruder of an Ender 3?
Trying to figure out why the motor isn’t turning on a new to me, never used, but out-of-warranty Ender 3.
Swapping controller cables I discovered the extruder port on the motherboard is dead, but even if I put it on the X axis and manually move the axis it makes the sound like it should move, but doesn’t actually move at all.
Trying to figure out if it’s seized or something. Doing a resistance test with a multimeter shows a resistance of 4 for either of the two pairs of wires. I am not sure what else to test.
I have a hard time believing I need a new control board and a new stepper motor, but maybe two things are broke.
Thanks for the help!
---
EDIT - Got the Extruder Working
-------------------------------
After the comments here mentioned that "Yes, it should be able to be moved by hand", curiosity got the better of me and I said, "Well, if its broken, let's see why".
I did the following:
1. I tried to turn the stepper motor by hand again, just to confirm I wasn't crazy from the day before when I tried it. It wouldn't budge.
2. I removed all four screws on the bottom of the stepper motor and attempted to pry things apart. While fiddling with it, I thought I saw the stepper motor turn.
3. Sure enough, I now tried to spin the stepper motor and it moved relatively easily.
4. I put the 4 screws back in place and validated I could still hand turn the motor. I could in fact do so.
5. I hooked the stepper motor back up to the X axis controller and told it to move, and sure enough now it moves and works!
6. Just as a sanity check, I then hooked it up to the extruder controller and it again wouldn't turn.
I'm going to try what @towe recommended to make sure the controller board is in fact fried, but I *think* I might JUST have a fried board and not a fried motor.<issue_comment>username_1: Yes - you should be able to turn the extruder by hand when it is unplugged and therefore not powered.
The V2 comes with a blue plastic knob for this purpose, it may be too small to turn the shaft by hand.
When powered and "steppers enabled" the motors need a lot more force to overcome, but even that can be done by hand or a machine crash.
If you can't turn the extruder at all, its probably toast. That you've tested other ports on the board is excellent problem solving.
Whatever damaged the motor has likely damaged the board too, or vise versa.
You likely need both parts replaced to get this printer working again. Could be expensive - you might want to compare cost of parts with cost of a new printer, remembering there may be other non-functional components still undiscovered.
Plausibly, with a dead extruder, you could slap a laser on this unit and make it a dedicated burner. The creality laser module is around $50 USD.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: username_1's answer is basically correct, but I disagree with the conclusion that it:
>
> Could be expensive - you might want to compare cost of parts with cost of a new printer, remembering there may be other non-functional components still undiscovered.
>
>
>
If you want to turn the Ender 3 into a decent printer, the controller board is one of the components you want to replace anyway, since it comes with either (old models) extremely loud and poorly performing A4988 stepper drivers or (newer models) TMC2208 stepper drivers hard-wired in a mode where they don't work well and malfunction if you enable Linear Advance (which is critical to getting decent prints on a bowden extruder system). Good boardsthat are exact fits for the housing and cable connectors, with TMC2209 steppers that lack the above problems, can be had for $35 or so.
If the motor is dead, that's a pain but not expensive to replace. Equivalent motors are available for $15 or so all over the place, or you could make the upgrade to a light-weight geared direct drive extruder with pancake stepper instead of the large NEMA 17 (which negates pretty much all of the disadvantages of direct drive and gives you a much better printer than you started with).
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/05/12 | 953 | 3,370 | <issue_start>username_0: I want to put relief text on curved surface but can't find way to do that in OpenSCAD. I'm aware it's possible to bend text in Blender and then `import stl`, but I don't like this workflow. I found sort of working solution but it's not perfect.
```
$fn=50;
module bend_text(caption, angle, text_height, text_width, text_depth, steps=10, k=1) {
dh = text_height / steps;
r = text_height / (angle * PI / 180);
h0 = - text_height / 2;
translate([0, 0, -r])
rotate([angle / 2, 0, 0])
for(i=[0:steps-1]) {
rotate([-i * angle/steps, 0, 0])
translate([0, -(dh * i + h0), r / k])
intersection() {
linear_extrude(text_depth)
text(caption, valign="center", halign="center");
translate([0, dh * i + h0, 0])
cube([text_width, dh, text_width], center=true);
}
}
}
bend_text("test", angle=90, text_height=9, text_width=30, text_depth=1, steps=10, k=1.1);
```
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/0zq1h.png)
Is there better way?<issue_comment>username_1: Yes - you should be able to turn the extruder by hand when it is unplugged and therefore not powered.
The V2 comes with a blue plastic knob for this purpose, it may be too small to turn the shaft by hand.
When powered and "steppers enabled" the motors need a lot more force to overcome, but even that can be done by hand or a machine crash.
If you can't turn the extruder at all, its probably toast. That you've tested other ports on the board is excellent problem solving.
Whatever damaged the motor has likely damaged the board too, or vise versa.
You likely need both parts replaced to get this printer working again. Could be expensive - you might want to compare cost of parts with cost of a new printer, remembering there may be other non-functional components still undiscovered.
Plausibly, with a dead extruder, you could slap a laser on this unit and make it a dedicated burner. The creality laser module is around $50 USD.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: username_1's answer is basically correct, but I disagree with the conclusion that it:
>
> Could be expensive - you might want to compare cost of parts with cost of a new printer, remembering there may be other non-functional components still undiscovered.
>
>
>
If you want to turn the Ender 3 into a decent printer, the controller board is one of the components you want to replace anyway, since it comes with either (old models) extremely loud and poorly performing A4988 stepper drivers or (newer models) TMC2208 stepper drivers hard-wired in a mode where they don't work well and malfunction if you enable Linear Advance (which is critical to getting decent prints on a bowden extruder system). Good boardsthat are exact fits for the housing and cable connectors, with TMC2209 steppers that lack the above problems, can be had for $35 or so.
If the motor is dead, that's a pain but not expensive to replace. Equivalent motors are available for $15 or so all over the place, or you could make the upgrade to a light-weight geared direct drive extruder with pancake stepper instead of the large NEMA 17 (which negates pretty much all of the disadvantages of direct drive and gives you a much better printer than you started with).
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/05/17 | 1,010 | 3,192 | <issue_start>username_0: **NEW UPDATE BELOW**
--------------------
---
I am having trouble finding the cause for this under-extrusion at start/end of each layer.
Something changes halfway into the print creating a visible seam at some specific layer height.
This also creates dimensional inaccuracy making my parts unusable.
The first layers are just fine - roundness deviation around 0.03 mm!
**Any ideas on which settings I should look into?**
**Settings**
Printer: Dremel 3D45 (newest firmware)
Slicer: Dremel DigiLab (also tried Cura Ultimaker 5.0)
Filament: [PET-G](https://www.dasfilament.de/filament-refill/petg-1-75-mm/305/petg-filament-1-75-mm-feuerrot-refill-800-g?c=57)
Printing Temperature: 250 °C
Initial Temperature: 240 °C
Final Temperature: 235 °C
Flow: 105 %
Retraction Distance: 1 mm (tried 3 - 1 mm)
Retraction Speed: 40 mm/s (tried 60 - 20 mm/s)
Prime Amount: 0.6 mm³ (tried 0 - 0.6)
Retraction Minimum Travel: 0
Retract at Layer Change: Off
Maximum Retraction Count: 90 (could this be a problem?)
Minimun Extrusion Distance Window: 1 mm
Print Speed: 35 mm/s
Wall Sprint Speed: 30 mm/s
Combing Mode: All
Fan Speed: 50 %
Seam: Shortest
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2oBBX.jpg "Photo of the top of a 3D printed model showing printing errors")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/lueum.jpg "Photo of the side of a 3D printed model showing printing errors")
---
**Update 18/05**
----------------
Fixed the seam by setting the alignment to random and changing retraction settings.
Remaining problem is the inaccuracy right next to the Y axis (see marked area on the pictures). Besides a hardware issue I cant think about any slicer setting which would adress this deviation.
Diameter X: 30.02 mm
Diameter Y: 30.04 mm
Diameter Marked: 29.90 mm
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZKcvO.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/VxHCQ.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: That's not under extrusion
==========================
That is the seam, and technically it is over extruding around it. You will find that if you turn the item, you have such a spot on every layer, actually with an inner and outer perimeter, you'll have two visible seams. The seam is where the extrusion line meets itself, and thus the extrusion has to stop.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: "Prime Amount" sounds like "extra prime on unretract", which *necessarily* deposits a blob of extra material at the location of unretract, including the Z seam. Setting this to zero should help reduce the problem. This setting is a hack to compensate for material loss to oozing during travel, but if you have oozing you should just fix that instead rather than chucking out a blob to make up for it.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/05/18 | 800 | 3,442 | <issue_start>username_0: When using a filament based printer, what operator behaviors increase the frequency at which a bed must be relevelled between prints?<issue_comment>username_1: The only ones I have found are.
Manually putting pressure on the bed when removing prints.
Removing the bed covering, eg a glass plate
Damaging the bed in some way. For example my bed has high spots on it (always has). This means that if I remove the glass plate I use and put it back, it sits slightly different. If I orient the glass a different way from prior it always needs levelling.
Changing filament types.
Changing cover types eg magnetic and glass are different thicknesses.
Changing first layer needs. Sometimes I need the first layer squished a bit depending what I'm doing.
Lastly on my Ender 3 Pro if the z-axis switch isn't screwed in tight enough it can slip down a fraction.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Mechanical interaction
======================
Operator induced regular actions
--------------------------------
When an operator reaches into the machine and operates something on the bed, this can induce errors that slowly accumulate. The most typical operation would be to remove something from the printbed, cleaning the printbed or swapping the printbed wholesale all can result in a slow but steady unleveling.
Regular leveling can counteract this. With good training, you might vet away with once in a dozen or less.
Maintenance of/work on the printhead
------------------------------------
During maintenance such as swapping nozzles, checking connections and cleaning the printhead, there is a very high chance that the printbed is touched due to the usually very cramped area one has to work in. For example, it is near impossible not to touch the printed when swapping nozzles on my Ender3, if I want to use my torque screwdriver. This is true even with the Z-Axis at the highest position, due to the dimensions of my torque screwdriver.
By virtue of the work on the printhead, the 0-level is usually thrown off anyway, and as such a relevel is **always** in order after any printhead maintenance more invasive than cleaning the fan ducts.
Avoiding nozzle swaps unless necessary can reduce the workload - it might be cheaper in the long term to have two machines with different setups than one machine where you swap the nozzle for each print - unless you charge for the accompanying work on the setup change.
Operator induced irregular actions
----------------------------------
There are cases where the operator did not plan to operate in the area of the printbed but actually might impact it by reckless or accidental action. In other words: accidents happen, tools drop onto the printbed and hands end there if an operator stumbles.
While releveling might not be *necessary* after all such accidental contacts, occasionally checking it and fixing it is good practice.
Mechanical failure
------------------
The way you test and maintain your Z-level is paramount in how often you need to validate the Z-level. If your springs are too strong and push the leveling knobs off on their own or your Z-sensor is mounted only weakly, then these create problems on their own.
Note that even in normal operation, the oscillation of the printer will make any bolt under stress that is not glued in place or jammed in tight loosen a little over time. This does include the bed leveling knobs.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/05/19 | 1,741 | 5,968 | <issue_start>username_0: I just upgraded the nozzle (to 1 mm) on an Ender 3v2 and want to make a test print. I added a new printer for the new nozzle size.... and can't find a setting for it. Some screenshots on the internet show a nozzle diameter setting in the machine settings, but I do not have that. (**Manage printers** > **Printers** > **Machine Settings** > **Extruder 1**). Obviously, this was the first place I looked, and I also looked in the sidebar several times.
I have Cura 4.11.0 and am using the Ender 3 profile.
I've seen arguments about it's no longer a valid setting because line width is more important, I've seen discussions that you need to install some mods to get to that variable, and I've seen people say to make a custom printer and then you can change the nozzle diameter. I've also seen lots of people asking for help, and sometimes even posting "Oh I found it" later, but no details on where the setting is, why it's missing, etc.
<https://old.reddit.com/r/ender3/comments/bw5d43/nozzle_diameter_settings_in_cura_40_missing/>
<https://community.ultimaker.com/topic/21438-suggestion-easy-change-nozzle-size/><issue_comment>username_1: This is for Cura 4.13.1 but it shouldn't be very different than 4.11.0. This is also for the standard Ender 3 profile; it is not necessary to create a new profile for a different nozzle.
In the main window, select your filament then a drop-down window will appear with the **Material** and **Nozzle Size**. Select **Nozzle Size** and pick the desired size from the drop-down menu.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> Where can I change the nozzle diameter in Cura?
>
>
>
The best way forward is to go back to the Creality Ender 3 print profile, if so, you can use [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/19401/). So, you can select the correct nozzle size instantly.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/q04bU.png "Ender 3 profile nozzle selection")
>
> Why is mine missing?
>
>
>
But, if you created a new printer profile, that option is not available. This is because that option is not available in custom print profiles. In order to use that option, the printer profile requires a variants configuration option; e.g. `"variants_name": "Nozzle Size"` for the Ender 3 profile and for Ultimaker printers that is `"variants_name": "Print core"` as they use a printer nozzle core concept. In order to use "variants", the printer profile needs to be aware that variants are available (from the Cura wiki as linked below):
>
>
> ```
> # Whether your machine has the possibility to choose different variants.
> # If this is set to "true", you will see the variant selection menu in Cura for your machine.
> # By variants, we meant nozzles. You can have some specific variant profiles defined in folder
> # "resources/variants". See files there as examples.
> "has_variants": true,
>
> ```
>
>
*For more information on generating custom Cura printer profiles look into [Cura wiki "Definition File Types and the Base Definition Files"](https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura/wiki/Definition-Files-Explained) and [Cura wiki "Adding new machine profiles to Cura"](https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura/wiki/Adding-new-machine-profiles-to-Cura).*
So if you're profile doesn't support variants we need to revisit:
>
> Where can I change the nozzle diameter in Cura?
>
>
>
The nozzle diameter is part of the printer configuration, but, linked to the **Line Width** property. You therefor can set the line width to 1 mm to achieve the same. With respect to the nozzle diameter, it is also found for the custom printer layout using the following: with reference to version 4.13.0, the nozzle diameter is set in the machine setup. From the main menu go to **Settings**->**Printer**->**Manage Printers...**. Now select your printer (and activate it to be able to) select **Machine Settings** and go to the extruder tab sheet to change the nozzle diameter (option **Nozzle size** under nozzle settings).
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/IYnKw.png "Cura printer preferences window")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/768Qj.png "Printer settings")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8bdgC.png "Extruder settings")
If you change the setting of the nozzle size you will see that this updates the option "**Line Width**" of the *Quality* group print settings to the same size. E.g. after changing the 0.4 mm nozzle value to 0.6 mm you will find the line width value updated:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/s3Fz0.png "Updated line width property")
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: To confirm the OP's issue using Cura 5.2.1 and 5.3 (4/13/2023), as opposed to 4.x, I am attempting to change nozzle size on Ender 3 Pro and this is not in the following menu:
`Manage Printers>Ender 3 Pro>Machine Settings>Extruder`
You can see on the left, I am using Cura version 5.2.1 (Mac OS 12.6 Monterrey)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/sGzG4.jpg "Cura version")
I was trying to create a profile for when I have the 1 mm Nozzle on there:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/I2CyB.png "Preferences - Profiles dialog")
I *was* able to find Nozzle Diameter in a different place and change it successfully:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/aJNU2.png "Nozzle diameter location")
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/05/20 | 863 | 3,523 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm looking for a way to slice up a 3D model and then get the profiles of each individual layer. I need to 2D print the different layers (with the layer height that I define) for a Styrofoam craft.
Thank you very much!<issue_comment>username_1: With OpenSCAD, you can `import` the STL file and apply `projection` with `cut=true` at successive Z-axis `translate` operations, and write out the result as SVG. This can all be automated from the command line to product a series of SVG files for your layers to "2D print".
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: I'm a fan of OpenSCAD and have used the method suggested in the first answer. For non-OpenSCAD users, another option exists, which I've also used.
PrusaSlicer is a free 3D printer slicing program. One can configure layer heights as desired for the material thickness, even though it's not likely one will find a printer with such values, except perhaps concrete 3D printers!
Once configured and sliced, the exported file (configured for a Prusa SL1 printer) is renamed to .ZIP and the files within extracted. The files of note are going to be PNG format, one file per layer.
The settings within the slicer software have to be "adjusted" for your creation.
In Print Settings tab, change the layer height to match your material thickness. Also in the Print Settings tab, turn off supports and turn off pad (left column selections).
In Material Settings tab, change the Initial layer height to match your overall layer thickness. Unchanged, it remains the default 0.05 mm, unlikely to match your building material.
On the Printer Settings tab, change the bed shape to match your objective plus a bit of spacing around the item. Change the max height appropriately.
Set the Display Width parameters to match your output. Excessively large values will result in small model segments in a large blank area. Set pixel values to desired resolution of the output image file. For example, 200 is equivalent to a typical inkjet printer resolution.
I performed all of the above steps for a simple cube, exported the file to the default .SL1 extension, renamed it to .ZIP and extracted to a folder. The folder contained a number of support files for the MSLA printer, but also a full list of the layer .PNG files. Depending on your system settings, you may be able to change the extension in the Save dialog to .ZIP.
If PNG is not a suitable format, one can convert them to SVG using Inkscape bitmap trace or similar software.
I recommend to create a model with some form of registration incorporated to the design. One can create and subtract a pair of cylinders, for example, that travels through each layer, allowing insertion of a dowel to more easily stack the slices for assembly.
One can add primitives within the slicer, but they fall to the bed and also cannot be subtracted, at least so far as my limited research has shown. I've used Fusion 360 and Meshmixer to create such modifications.
Another aspect of the slicer is the ability to hollow the model, which would provide for some interesting constructions as well as possibly easier alignment.
This should be a .GIF animation of the results of my testing on Astronaut Phil A Ment, 1 millimeter layer height:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ES8A3.gif)
stltopng conversion of original STL file of Phil:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/of3mZ.png)
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/05/21 | 1,185 | 4,661 | <issue_start>username_0: I recently had a print failure/crash, where the print stuck to the nozzle and forced molten filament back into the print head, fans, and heater block.
I changed the nozzle for a new 0.4mm same as existing. I shortened the bowden tube by ~8mm to remove some crispiness, and the push-lock connector on top of the print head, which was full of solidified PLA.
The hotend was scraped clean of PLA, and the wiring was inspected. The silicon sock was unhappy but I managed to get it to stay in place.
The part-cooling fan duct was deformed, but I have reshaped it as well as I could. The part-cooling air is probably slightly less than it was.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/7eDR7.jpg)
I'm printing some Gridfinity bins, and the base just isn't filling in completely and there is also more stringiness.
The sides are not joining up at all, and are just a series of separate strands. They do merge somewhat at the corners.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/J1Rrx.jpg)
My printer worked much better before the crash - what do I have to focus on to improve this?
All print jobs since the reassembly are lower in quality, with one in three showing these large "wire bundles" look but all of them are not as good as before-prints.<issue_comment>username_1: With OpenSCAD, you can `import` the STL file and apply `projection` with `cut=true` at successive Z-axis `translate` operations, and write out the result as SVG. This can all be automated from the command line to product a series of SVG files for your layers to "2D print".
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: I'm a fan of OpenSCAD and have used the method suggested in the first answer. For non-OpenSCAD users, another option exists, which I've also used.
PrusaSlicer is a free 3D printer slicing program. One can configure layer heights as desired for the material thickness, even though it's not likely one will find a printer with such values, except perhaps concrete 3D printers!
Once configured and sliced, the exported file (configured for a Prusa SL1 printer) is renamed to .ZIP and the files within extracted. The files of note are going to be PNG format, one file per layer.
The settings within the slicer software have to be "adjusted" for your creation.
In Print Settings tab, change the layer height to match your material thickness. Also in the Print Settings tab, turn off supports and turn off pad (left column selections).
In Material Settings tab, change the Initial layer height to match your overall layer thickness. Unchanged, it remains the default 0.05 mm, unlikely to match your building material.
On the Printer Settings tab, change the bed shape to match your objective plus a bit of spacing around the item. Change the max height appropriately.
Set the Display Width parameters to match your output. Excessively large values will result in small model segments in a large blank area. Set pixel values to desired resolution of the output image file. For example, 200 is equivalent to a typical inkjet printer resolution.
I performed all of the above steps for a simple cube, exported the file to the default .SL1 extension, renamed it to .ZIP and extracted to a folder. The folder contained a number of support files for the MSLA printer, but also a full list of the layer .PNG files. Depending on your system settings, you may be able to change the extension in the Save dialog to .ZIP.
If PNG is not a suitable format, one can convert them to SVG using Inkscape bitmap trace or similar software.
I recommend to create a model with some form of registration incorporated to the design. One can create and subtract a pair of cylinders, for example, that travels through each layer, allowing insertion of a dowel to more easily stack the slices for assembly.
One can add primitives within the slicer, but they fall to the bed and also cannot be subtracted, at least so far as my limited research has shown. I've used Fusion 360 and Meshmixer to create such modifications.
Another aspect of the slicer is the ability to hollow the model, which would provide for some interesting constructions as well as possibly easier alignment.
This should be a .GIF animation of the results of my testing on Astronaut Phil A Ment, 1 millimeter layer height:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ES8A3.gif)
stltopng conversion of original STL file of Phil:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/of3mZ.png)
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/05/21 | 2,268 | 6,075 | <issue_start>username_0: Ender 3 Pro, PLA, temps 200 °C and 60 °C.
I want to not heat the nozzle until after Auto Bed Leveling (CR Touch) is complete. I can do that in the start G-code, but by then, Cura has already heated the nozzle to the temp specified under material and filament starts oozing out during bed leveling. I'd rather set a variable to that value and call it with `M104` when I'm ready.
This is the start of Cura's g-code:
```
;FLAVOR:Marlin
;TIME:2888
;Filament used: 1.96332m
;Layer height: 0.2
;MINX:93.266
;MINY:10.195
;MINZ:0.2
;MAXX:126.734
;MAXY:210.658
;MAXZ:4.2
;Generated with Cura_SteamEngine 4.13.1
M140 S60
M105
M190 S60
M104 S200
M105
M109 S200
M82 ;absolute extrusion mode
; Ender 3 Custom Start G-code
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G28 ; Home all axes
G29 ; Auto Bed Level (CR Touch)
G1 Z2.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
G1 X0.1 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to start position
G1 X0.1 Y200.0 Z0.3 F1500.0 E15 ; Draw the first line
G1 X0.4 Y200.0 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to side a little
G1 X0.4 Y20 Z0.3 F1500.0 E30 ; Draw the second line
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
...
```
The lines right after "Generated with Cura\_SteamEngine" are the ones I'd like to change but I can't find them in the Cura app. I know that 60 °C and 200 °C are the temps defined for bed and nozzle. Cura inserts them as constants for the `M140` and `M104` commands. I'd like Cura to set variables to those values (like `{bed_temp} = 60`) so I can refer to that variable when I insert the `M140` command in my Custom Start G-code. Can that be done?
A related question was asked a few years ago and part of the start code example then was:
```
; Ender 3 Custom Start G-code
M104 S{material_print_temperature_layer_0} ; Set Extruder temperature
M140 S{material_bed_temperature_layer_0} ; Set Heat Bed temperature
G28 ; Home all axes
G29 ; BLTOUCH Mesh Generation
M190 S{material_bed_temperature_layer_0} ; Wait for Heat Bed temperature
M109 S{material_print_temperature_layer_0} ; Wait for Extruder temperature
```
The variable `{material_bed_temperature_layer_0}` was already set but I don't know where or how that was done.<issue_comment>username_1: Go to the `Settings` -> `Printers` menu from the top menu,
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/jmivX.png)
select your active printer (or `Activate` it) and manage your printer trough `Machine Settings`.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/L3CUC.png)
It will open the printer settings,
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rBjqg.png)
there you are able to change the lines you want in the `Start G-code` section.
Note the default Start G-code doesn't include heating up the bed and core, you need to add these after the `G29` in your case. Personally I use heat up bed and continue (`M140`), than heat up core and wait till temperature is reached (`M109`), then heat up and wait until bed temperature is reached (`M190`).
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: I've sorted this out. *IF* I include my own heating commands in my start G-Code, Cura knows to NOT add its own heating commands at the start of the G-Code file.
The variables I was referring to have dedicated names.
`material_print_temperature_layer_0` is the printing (extruder/nozzle) temp set under Material in Cura.
`material_bed_temperature_layer_0` is the build plate temp set under Material in Cura.
Cura substitutes the values of those variables for the variable names in the G-code file.
So to avoid filament ooze during auto bed leveling, I set the nozzle temp to 150 °C (hot, but lower than the defined printing temp and low enough to avoid ooze). I set the bed temp to its defined temp.
Then I auto-level the bed.
Then I heat the nozzle up to its defined printing temp and start the print job.
This is my Start G-code:
```
; Ender 3 Custom Start G-code
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G28 ; Home all axes
M104 S150 ; Set Extruder temperature for bed leveling
M140 S{material_bed_temperature_layer_0} ; Set Heat Bed temperature
M109 S150 ; Wait for Extruder temperature for bed leveling
M190 S{material_bed_temperature_layer_0} ; Wait for Heat Bed temperature
G29 ; Auto Bed Level (CR Touch)
M104 S{material_print_temperature_layer_0} ; Set Extruder temperature
M109 S{material_print_temperature_layer_0} ; Wait for Extruder temperature
G1 Z2.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
G1 X0.1 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to start position
G1 X0.1 Y200.0 Z0.3 F1500.0 E15 ; Draw the first line
G1 X0.4 Y200.0 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to side a little
G1 X0.4 Y20 Z0.3 F1500.0 E30 ; Draw the second line
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G1 Z2.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
G1 X5 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move over to prevent blob squish
```
And this is how Cura writes the G-code file:
```
;FLAVOR:Marlin
;TIME:2888
;Filament used: 1.96332m
;Layer height: 0.2
;MINX:93.266
;MINY:10.195
;MINZ:0.2
;MAXX:126.734
;MAXY:210.658
;MAXZ:4.2
;Generated with Cura_SteamEngine 4.13.1
M82 ;absolute extrusion mode
; Ender 3 Custom Start G-code
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G28 ; Home all axes
M104 S150 ; Set Extruder temperature for bed leveling
M140 S60 ; Set Heat Bed temperature
M109 S150 ; Wait for Extruder temperature for bed leveling
M190 S60 ; Wait for Heat Bed temperature
G29 ; Auto Bed Level (CR Touch)
M104 S200 ; Set Extruder temperature
M109 S200 ; Wait for Extruder temperature
G1 Z2.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
G1 X0.1 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to start position
G1 X0.1 Y200.0 Z0.3 F1500.0 E15 ; Draw the first line
G1 X0.4 Y200.0 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to side a little
G1 X0.4 Y20 Z0.3 F1500.0 E30 ; Draw the second line
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G1 Z2.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
G1 X5 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move over to prevent blob squish
G92 E0
...
```
I hope this helps someone with a similar question.
Cheers.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/05/25 | 313 | 1,409 | <issue_start>username_0: Are there SLA printable resins that can be printed with optical clarity and whose index of refraction make them potentially useful for optical applications? I would assume the surface may need polishing, and that's okay - I'm just asking whether the materials and process are otherwise suitable.<issue_comment>username_1: No, at least not at a consumer level. The layering created by the printing process would create imperfections, and clear resin frequently yellows if not cured properly and then protected form strong UV light. Resins that do not yellow tend to have a blue cast to them.
You would be better off using a commercial grade casting resin and a pressure chamber to remove bubbles. Even then it would be inferior to silicates for even basic lenses.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Clear Resin isn't clear everywhere
==================================
Any light-curing resin has a specific bandwidth to which it is totally opaque just to be able to cure. This is typically a blue color, but at this and adjacent wavelength, the lens will not allow light to pass through it, no matter if you can manage to get imperfections down.
Resins change color
===================
Then there is the problem of resins changing coloration. Most cast resins become yellow, and some go blue, but in either case, they do absorb some spectrum to appear as this color.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/05/25 | 444 | 1,798 | <issue_start>username_0: Printer: Elegoo Mars 3 LCD Resin printer
The letter height is about 3 mm.
I engraved a word (text) on the side of a cylinder (which is about 14 mm in diameter and 4 mm in height). I am not sure about the exact depth of the engraving (but should be about 0.5 mm but that's not important).
The text is easily readable and, at first glance, appears to have come out perfectly.
On second sight, however, the problem becomes obvious: The 3D printer didn't print the style of the font correctly (it's less **bold** than the font style chosen for the text and that's visible in Blender and Chitubox files).
Is that just what I have to accept or is there any way to improve on the result?<issue_comment>username_1: No, at least not at a consumer level. The layering created by the printing process would create imperfections, and clear resin frequently yellows if not cured properly and then protected form strong UV light. Resins that do not yellow tend to have a blue cast to them.
You would be better off using a commercial grade casting resin and a pressure chamber to remove bubbles. Even then it would be inferior to silicates for even basic lenses.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Clear Resin isn't clear everywhere
==================================
Any light-curing resin has a specific bandwidth to which it is totally opaque just to be able to cure. This is typically a blue color, but at this and adjacent wavelength, the lens will not allow light to pass through it, no matter if you can manage to get imperfections down.
Resins change color
===================
Then there is the problem of resins changing coloration. Most cast resins become yellow, and some go blue, but in either case, they do absorb some spectrum to appear as this color.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/05/27 | 1,255 | 4,253 | <issue_start>username_0: I have an Ender 3 Pro with the BTT SKR E3 V2.0 mini with Marlin firmware 2.0.8.2.x.
I am trying to print PETG, which requires decently high temperatures.
I initially replaced the stock board after a thermal runaway event that seemed to have damaged it. After installing the new board and getting all the settings dialed in (typically 260 °C hotend and 90 °C bed), it worked great for about 2 weeks until I got the thermal runaway event error again.
Here is what I have tried so far
* replaced the thermistor with [this](https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08YNX79H8?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1)
* replaced the heating cartridge with [this](https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01HGIMI2G?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details)
* replaced the hotend with [this](https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B09Y8VY5J8?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details) an all-metal one
* measured voltage coming from the power supply and coming out of the board going to heater cartridge (both ~24 V)
I PID tuned the printer using `M303 E0 S260 C10` and stored new PID values in EEPROM + firmware. A note, running this multiple times seemed to constantly increase the P and D values. I stuck with the initial values given (`kP 13.97 kI 0.84 kD 57.96`). I still continued to get thermal runaway events.
I then tested the heater cartridge and thermistor with my multimeter. The heater was 13.5 ohms which seems about right. I was unable to measure the thermistor value. Searching online shows I likely need a better multimeter to do so. It's possible it is bad, but I find that hard to believe considering this issue was happening prior to my replacing it.
[Example log](https://pastebin.com/Ykhqfpdc) of the failure happening. All I did was heat the printer up, leave it on for a bit, set it to cool down briefly, then tell it to heat up again. The printer was heated for ~5-8 minutes before this log starts.
Could this be the board again, or is there something else I'm missing?<issue_comment>username_1: >
> Recv: T:224.24 /**260.00** B:88.95 /**90.00** @:127 B@:127
>
>
>
You are trying to achieve too much!
===================================
The maximum rated temperature for an Ender3 is 260 °C, yes, but to achieve this you need to insulate the heater block with a silicon sock from losing heat to the surroundings and with some tinfoil from an airstream over it from the cooling fan. And even then, you are trying to work at the absolute maximum the printer can theoretically reach - which means it is above the temperature you can operate it while printing.
Likewise, you try to have the bed at 90 °C and that is too high to consistently reach with the heater installed.
To print at those elevated temperatures you need different gear:
* You absolutely need a heated chamber.
* You need a specialized hotend that does not suffer heatcreep and is rated to **at least** 275 °C
* The rest of the printer needs to be able to work at those elevated temperatures.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: I run a small print farm made up of Ender 3's with SKR Mini 2.0 boards. We print ASA, ABS, and Nylon with Nozzle temps of 245-260 °C and bed temps of 105 °C. This is all done without a heated enclosure. There is no reason for your Ender 3 to not be able to do this as well.
My first check would be the attachment of the thermistor to the heat block. Any chance this got dislodged and isn't taking accurate measurements? Does it have a good thermal connection to the heat block? I haven't seen this type of thermistor before. How does it connect to the hotend?
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: I'm fairly certain I have solved this issue, and it ended up having nothing to do with the printer and everything to do with what it was plugged into!
I had it on a smart outlet with some automations set up to kill the power if there was ever a fire. Unfortunately, the outlet I was using was only rated for 8A, while the Ender 3 Pro can draw up to 15 amps. When it was unable to draw more than 8A to heat the hotend, this likely caused the printer to think there was a problem, triggering the thermal runaway failsafe.
After moving it to an outlet with a higher amperage rating, I have had no more issues.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2022/05/28 | 1,559 | 6,712 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm new to 3D printing and I was wondering about the risks of leaving my printer to print overnight? I'm aware that if something goes wrong I'll wake up to spaghetti for breakfast but what are the other things like having the nozzle and bed heated that long? And, when it's done it just sits there on so what could that do to the screen? What if the printer runs into some physical problem and damages itself and/or the print? I'm not looking for answers to these questions specifically just feedback on what I should do when printing overnight.<issue_comment>username_1: Presuming that you're talking about an 8 hour period, your printer should be designed to run for 8 hours continuous anyway, so nothing will happen regarding the bed or screen that wouldn't happen with a normal print.
If the first few layers stick to the bed, it's likely that you're print will at least be partially completed. So even over night it won't be a full 8 hours of printing while failed. Maybe half that period.
If the problem is bed adhesion, or anything that doesn't effect the filament being supplied to the nozzle, then your only problem will be wasted filament and disposing of the spaghetti. No harm will come to your printer.
If the problem is a break in the filament or filament runout, or a blocked nozzle then you could have damage to the head of the nozzle from printing dry. If you're printing with PLA this isn't really something that you need to worry about too much as you can run a printer dry for several hours without any problems.
If you're printing with ABS or something that needs a hotter head then you could cause damage to it if it's allowed to run dry for an entire night. But again this isn't really something that you need to worry about unless it's running dry for 4 or 6 hours.
Simply checking in on it once in the night should be enough to prevent any problems.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I've done 4 day prints with no issues.
I just have my printer in a place where there is nothing that can catch fire in the unlikely event that it decides to start burning.
For the rest it's just like any other electrical appliance. Common sense like not having it where things can obstruct moving parts etc,.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: There are software solutions like "Spaghetti Detective" (recently renamed to "Obico") which can watch your print via a camera, and potentially stop the job if it looks bad.
Most of the time my print failures come early, in the form of poor bed adhesion - watch the job start for a while before leaving it.
I can also remote-check my cameras and stop the job if required, but that requires me to look.
The second most common failure is lifting from the base at any time in the print, so you have to keep an eye on it.
Filament feed issues are probably third on the common list of causes for problems, including running out.
I also have occasional issues where my Pi running Octoprint just looses connection to the printer, and it freezes in place with the bed/nozzle heaters on. This is just a waste of power, so a future plan is to wire the printer through a relay allowing me to power it on/off from octoprint's web page.
My longest print was ~30 hours - you have to learn to not touch it unless there's a good reason.
Finally, try and maintain the environmental conditions to be fairly constant. I have an enclosure even when printing plain PLA, becuase my printer's location is in a garage, and opening the main door allows the air temp to drop quickly. This would upset a running print until I surrounded it.
You can also make sure there's a smoke or heat detector in the room where the printer is, for added peace of mind.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: Assuming the printer is operating correctly, there are no lifetime/wear concerns from running it that long. Many-hours and even -days prints are normal usage, and print-farms run as businesses run these things basically 24/7 for months on end, modulo routine maintenance. Having the heaters on for 8 hours is really no big deal.
Of course, that's *assuming the printer is operating correctly*. If not, there are various things that can go wrong.
The worst possible is **thermal runaway**: the printer losing track of the bed or hotend temperature and running the heating element always-on until it melts the metal. This is a severe fire hazard. Printers with properly built firmware have thermal runaway protection to perform an emergency-stop and turn off heaters if they can't detect a reasonable temperature measurement response to operating the heater, but some popular machines have this feature intentionally turned off by the manufacturer. If you will be operating your printer unattended, absolutely make sure you test that thermal runaway protection is present and working (there should be good ways to simulate it and see that the safety is triggered).
Even with thermal runaway protection working, there is a very slight chance the power mosfet controlling a heater fails in a way that leaves it always-on, which the firmware cannot protect you against. For this reason you also want to have the printer away from flammable materials and may even want an active fire suppression system (there are "balls" you can hang above your printer that activate and release fire suppressant if it's on fire). This is a very low probability event - I've never heard of it happening - but I'm including it for completeness.
Now, the less severe stuff. As long as the first few layers go down well, it's unlikely your print will detach from the bed mid-print, but it can end up having (usually small) parts that warp upward and collide with the nozzle. This can cause lots of different types of problems:
* Dislodging the print from the bed
* Producing skipped stepper motor steps, which later can cause the print hed to collide against either end of its motion range due its logical position mismatching its new physical position.
* Breaking parts of the toolhead, like fan ducts, fans, bed probes, silicone socks, etc.
* Causing extruded material to be forced upward into the area around the hotend (e.g. between the sock and the heater block), producing a giant blob of plastic intertwined with toolhead parts and difficult or impossible to remove without damaging stuff.
Most of these things do not impose any major safety risk like fire, but they can do varying degrees of damage to the printer, requiring repair or at least maintenance. For example endstop collisions themselves usually don't damage anything but they might knock your frame out of square/alignment, requiring tinkering before the next print.
Upvotes: 3 |
2022/05/28 | 1,555 | 6,606 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm having a lot of issues leveling my printer and one failed print came out like this. Is there something wrong with the surface that I need a new bed? This happens to me quite often and I literally can't get it off.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/vOVeZ.jpg "Magnetic bed with filament still stuck to bed")<issue_comment>username_1: Presuming that you're talking about an 8 hour period, your printer should be designed to run for 8 hours continuous anyway, so nothing will happen regarding the bed or screen that wouldn't happen with a normal print.
If the first few layers stick to the bed, it's likely that you're print will at least be partially completed. So even over night it won't be a full 8 hours of printing while failed. Maybe half that period.
If the problem is bed adhesion, or anything that doesn't effect the filament being supplied to the nozzle, then your only problem will be wasted filament and disposing of the spaghetti. No harm will come to your printer.
If the problem is a break in the filament or filament runout, or a blocked nozzle then you could have damage to the head of the nozzle from printing dry. If you're printing with PLA this isn't really something that you need to worry about too much as you can run a printer dry for several hours without any problems.
If you're printing with ABS or something that needs a hotter head then you could cause damage to it if it's allowed to run dry for an entire night. But again this isn't really something that you need to worry about unless it's running dry for 4 or 6 hours.
Simply checking in on it once in the night should be enough to prevent any problems.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I've done 4 day prints with no issues.
I just have my printer in a place where there is nothing that can catch fire in the unlikely event that it decides to start burning.
For the rest it's just like any other electrical appliance. Common sense like not having it where things can obstruct moving parts etc,.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: There are software solutions like "Spaghetti Detective" (recently renamed to "Obico") which can watch your print via a camera, and potentially stop the job if it looks bad.
Most of the time my print failures come early, in the form of poor bed adhesion - watch the job start for a while before leaving it.
I can also remote-check my cameras and stop the job if required, but that requires me to look.
The second most common failure is lifting from the base at any time in the print, so you have to keep an eye on it.
Filament feed issues are probably third on the common list of causes for problems, including running out.
I also have occasional issues where my Pi running Octoprint just looses connection to the printer, and it freezes in place with the bed/nozzle heaters on. This is just a waste of power, so a future plan is to wire the printer through a relay allowing me to power it on/off from octoprint's web page.
My longest print was ~30 hours - you have to learn to not touch it unless there's a good reason.
Finally, try and maintain the environmental conditions to be fairly constant. I have an enclosure even when printing plain PLA, becuase my printer's location is in a garage, and opening the main door allows the air temp to drop quickly. This would upset a running print until I surrounded it.
You can also make sure there's a smoke or heat detector in the room where the printer is, for added peace of mind.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: Assuming the printer is operating correctly, there are no lifetime/wear concerns from running it that long. Many-hours and even -days prints are normal usage, and print-farms run as businesses run these things basically 24/7 for months on end, modulo routine maintenance. Having the heaters on for 8 hours is really no big deal.
Of course, that's *assuming the printer is operating correctly*. If not, there are various things that can go wrong.
The worst possible is **thermal runaway**: the printer losing track of the bed or hotend temperature and running the heating element always-on until it melts the metal. This is a severe fire hazard. Printers with properly built firmware have thermal runaway protection to perform an emergency-stop and turn off heaters if they can't detect a reasonable temperature measurement response to operating the heater, but some popular machines have this feature intentionally turned off by the manufacturer. If you will be operating your printer unattended, absolutely make sure you test that thermal runaway protection is present and working (there should be good ways to simulate it and see that the safety is triggered).
Even with thermal runaway protection working, there is a very slight chance the power mosfet controlling a heater fails in a way that leaves it always-on, which the firmware cannot protect you against. For this reason you also want to have the printer away from flammable materials and may even want an active fire suppression system (there are "balls" you can hang above your printer that activate and release fire suppressant if it's on fire). This is a very low probability event - I've never heard of it happening - but I'm including it for completeness.
Now, the less severe stuff. As long as the first few layers go down well, it's unlikely your print will detach from the bed mid-print, but it can end up having (usually small) parts that warp upward and collide with the nozzle. This can cause lots of different types of problems:
* Dislodging the print from the bed
* Producing skipped stepper motor steps, which later can cause the print hed to collide against either end of its motion range due its logical position mismatching its new physical position.
* Breaking parts of the toolhead, like fan ducts, fans, bed probes, silicone socks, etc.
* Causing extruded material to be forced upward into the area around the hotend (e.g. between the sock and the heater block), producing a giant blob of plastic intertwined with toolhead parts and difficult or impossible to remove without damaging stuff.
Most of these things do not impose any major safety risk like fire, but they can do varying degrees of damage to the printer, requiring repair or at least maintenance. For example endstop collisions themselves usually don't damage anything but they might knock your frame out of square/alignment, requiring tinkering before the next print.
Upvotes: 3 |
2022/05/30 | 1,813 | 7,317 | <issue_start>username_0: I've tried printing in vase mode (or "spiralise outer contour" in Cura) and while the floor looks fine, the vertical sides look "saggy"
I'm using a 0.4 mm nozzle, with eSUN PLA+ at 218 °C and a bed temp of 60 °C. This combination works fine for normal printing. Layer height is 0.28 mm (Low Quality mode in Cura) with a line width of 0.4 mm
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/KVFyS.png)
Image is backlit by a monitor to show the laciness in the walls.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8EnEB.png)
The original model was a 1x1x6 Gridfinity bin that uses less plastic than the original.
<https://thangs.com/designer/LittleHobbyShop/3d-model/%23gridfinity%20Vase%20Mode%20Single%20Box-65828>
---
Is this insufficient cooling, or too fast a print speed letting the filament sag under gravity before it cools? Or is a 0.4 mm nozzle too small?
This reminds me of brickwork where the mortar is too wet. The bits that work right look fine, but all four sides have bad parts.
What's the trick to vase mode printing?<issue_comment>username_1: Presuming that you're talking about an 8 hour period, your printer should be designed to run for 8 hours continuous anyway, so nothing will happen regarding the bed or screen that wouldn't happen with a normal print.
If the first few layers stick to the bed, it's likely that you're print will at least be partially completed. So even over night it won't be a full 8 hours of printing while failed. Maybe half that period.
If the problem is bed adhesion, or anything that doesn't effect the filament being supplied to the nozzle, then your only problem will be wasted filament and disposing of the spaghetti. No harm will come to your printer.
If the problem is a break in the filament or filament runout, or a blocked nozzle then you could have damage to the head of the nozzle from printing dry. If you're printing with PLA this isn't really something that you need to worry about too much as you can run a printer dry for several hours without any problems.
If you're printing with ABS or something that needs a hotter head then you could cause damage to it if it's allowed to run dry for an entire night. But again this isn't really something that you need to worry about unless it's running dry for 4 or 6 hours.
Simply checking in on it once in the night should be enough to prevent any problems.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I've done 4 day prints with no issues.
I just have my printer in a place where there is nothing that can catch fire in the unlikely event that it decides to start burning.
For the rest it's just like any other electrical appliance. Common sense like not having it where things can obstruct moving parts etc,.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: There are software solutions like "Spaghetti Detective" (recently renamed to "Obico") which can watch your print via a camera, and potentially stop the job if it looks bad.
Most of the time my print failures come early, in the form of poor bed adhesion - watch the job start for a while before leaving it.
I can also remote-check my cameras and stop the job if required, but that requires me to look.
The second most common failure is lifting from the base at any time in the print, so you have to keep an eye on it.
Filament feed issues are probably third on the common list of causes for problems, including running out.
I also have occasional issues where my Pi running Octoprint just looses connection to the printer, and it freezes in place with the bed/nozzle heaters on. This is just a waste of power, so a future plan is to wire the printer through a relay allowing me to power it on/off from octoprint's web page.
My longest print was ~30 hours - you have to learn to not touch it unless there's a good reason.
Finally, try and maintain the environmental conditions to be fairly constant. I have an enclosure even when printing plain PLA, becuase my printer's location is in a garage, and opening the main door allows the air temp to drop quickly. This would upset a running print until I surrounded it.
You can also make sure there's a smoke or heat detector in the room where the printer is, for added peace of mind.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: Assuming the printer is operating correctly, there are no lifetime/wear concerns from running it that long. Many-hours and even -days prints are normal usage, and print-farms run as businesses run these things basically 24/7 for months on end, modulo routine maintenance. Having the heaters on for 8 hours is really no big deal.
Of course, that's *assuming the printer is operating correctly*. If not, there are various things that can go wrong.
The worst possible is **thermal runaway**: the printer losing track of the bed or hotend temperature and running the heating element always-on until it melts the metal. This is a severe fire hazard. Printers with properly built firmware have thermal runaway protection to perform an emergency-stop and turn off heaters if they can't detect a reasonable temperature measurement response to operating the heater, but some popular machines have this feature intentionally turned off by the manufacturer. If you will be operating your printer unattended, absolutely make sure you test that thermal runaway protection is present and working (there should be good ways to simulate it and see that the safety is triggered).
Even with thermal runaway protection working, there is a very slight chance the power mosfet controlling a heater fails in a way that leaves it always-on, which the firmware cannot protect you against. For this reason you also want to have the printer away from flammable materials and may even want an active fire suppression system (there are "balls" you can hang above your printer that activate and release fire suppressant if it's on fire). This is a very low probability event - I've never heard of it happening - but I'm including it for completeness.
Now, the less severe stuff. As long as the first few layers go down well, it's unlikely your print will detach from the bed mid-print, but it can end up having (usually small) parts that warp upward and collide with the nozzle. This can cause lots of different types of problems:
* Dislodging the print from the bed
* Producing skipped stepper motor steps, which later can cause the print hed to collide against either end of its motion range due its logical position mismatching its new physical position.
* Breaking parts of the toolhead, like fan ducts, fans, bed probes, silicone socks, etc.
* Causing extruded material to be forced upward into the area around the hotend (e.g. between the sock and the heater block), producing a giant blob of plastic intertwined with toolhead parts and difficult or impossible to remove without damaging stuff.
Most of these things do not impose any major safety risk like fire, but they can do varying degrees of damage to the printer, requiring repair or at least maintenance. For example endstop collisions themselves usually don't damage anything but they might knock your frame out of square/alignment, requiring tinkering before the next print.
Upvotes: 3 |
2022/06/01 | 563 | 2,235 | <issue_start>username_0: I run a non-profit designed to expose high school students to 3D printing and entrepreneurship. The concept is based on pop-up shop-style sales of 3D printed trinkets, toys, artifacts, etc.
Can I legally sell models we print from the many open source and publicly available museum collections that are available on the internet? Example - a 3D scan of Rodin's "The Thinker" or the British Museum's publically available .stl of the Rosetta stone.
It is my understanding that these artifacts are in the public domain as they are much older than 1930 though the .stl scans may not be?
Keep in mind I am a fully licensed 501c3 non-profit organization.
Wondering if there are any good places to find fully licensed models that we could sell without having to worry about copyright infringement.<issue_comment>username_1: Just read the license that comes with the STL. Most I have seen prohibit commercial use without permission.
>
> good places to find fully licensed models that we could sell without having to worry about copyright infringement.
>
>
>
Draw them yourself and there's no issues. Or buy the commercial licenses.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Not all museum pieces are out of copyright!
===========================================
Let's start with a general primer: an Artwork is out of copyright if it was made by someone that died more than about 70 years ago. For items created by companies a different rule applies.
When the copyright on an artwork lapses, anyone can reproduce it.
However, not all items in museums are out of copyright: <NAME> died in 1917 and thus is *free game*, but <NAME> only died in 1970, so her works will only be out of copyright in 2040 or later!
STLs are all under copyright!
-----------------------------
However, the STLs are **not** the artwork, they are a separate artwork that was made by someone that most likely is very much still alive - or at least are still in the protection period.
To use the STL you thus need to acquire a license **from the author of the STL.** Most freely available STLs are with a license that is "Non commercial" and bans commercial use, so you need to inquire about a commercial license.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/06/03 | 598 | 2,043 | <issue_start>username_0: I am currently adding a fillet to the base of an object (the plane that's touching the bed) and I was curious if the radius of the filet contributed to any mis-prints. I've had luck so far but was wondering if the intensity of the radius had mattered.
I am using the Ender3 Pro.
---
*I may do some test prints and see for myself and provide an answer to share experience .*<issue_comment>username_1: >
> wondering if the intensity of the radius had mattered.
>
>
>
Yes it does if it's an overhang.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: You can print a fillet without support as support material causes other issues like problems with removing supports and ugly scarring on you print. However, a fillet will cause an overhang when you slice the object
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/mXpkz.png)
and may result into poor results as well, see e.g. this:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/hxKxd.png)
If your design allows it you should better use a chamfer than a fillet for the base of the print object.
A chamfer prints better than a fillet because a fillet creates an overhang (see indicated area on the left part of the image below.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fiFxU.png)
*Image from [3DVerkstan](https://support.3dverkstan.se/article/38-designing-for-3d-printing#:%7E:text=It%27s%20important%20that%20you%20use,printer%20will%20handle%20very%20nicely.)*
A chamfer, which normally is a 45° straight cut-off, doesn't create an overhang and, as such, prints better. If you still want a fillet, you could start with a chamfer of which you fillet the top, see the right part of the image above.
A chamfer with the height of the first and second layer is generally a good idea to reduce the slightly over “squished” first layer issues that create a lip around the base of the part.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer] |
2022/06/04 | 954 | 3,687 | <issue_start>username_0: I recently bought a Creality Ender 3 V2. I have heard that it is best to use a raft when printing. I have tried to use a raft a few different times using PLA, with different settings each time. When I try to peel the raft off of the print, it will snap around the bottom of the print. Are there any recommended slicer settings or printer tips to help this?<issue_comment>username_1: Have a look at the distance of your nozzle / leveling of your bed. I experienced difficulties removing my prints when the nozzle is to close to the bed. Furthermore try different bed temperatures when removing the print.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> I have heard that it is best to use a raft
>
>
>
Actually, it is not best to use a raft, a raft is an aid that can best be used in special cases, e.g. for filaments that shrink reasonably (PLA is not such a filament).
A raft always caused a rough bottom of your print and is frequently difficult to remove. A raft is an aid for adhesion if your print object geometry or choice of filament requires you to use it, but as far as printing PLA, a raft is generally not needed. You need to spend some time to level the bed properly and dial in the best nozzle to bed distance (the thickness of a sheet of plain printing paper like A4 or US Letter will work fine).
There are usually options available in slicer software to control the distance between the raft and the first layer of the print object. It is also reported that inserting a wait time to solidify/cool the raft is beneficial for creating less strong bonds between the raft and the print object.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: Rafts fuse with models because the filament gets overheated. To avoid this, keep the temperature in the room between between 23 and 28 °C. Malfunctioning extruder fans, a heater & thermocouple, extruder printed circuit board (PCB), extruder cable, and motherboard can be also to blame.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_4: I haven't run into this kind of issue, but I've found some tips that might help.
1. HAVE SOME PATIENCE
You have waited several hours for the print, but you have to wait a little more until the model is completely cool. After some cooling, the model may come off by itself. As the plastic cools, it hardens, losing the tackiness needed for the layers to adhere.
2. CLEAN THE PLATFORM
This may not help with current printing, but if your platform is clogged with old adhesive, then it's probably time to clean it out. Future prints may not adhere as firmly. If the print is still stuck, run [it](https://www.craftyhangouts.com/best-3d-printer-for-beginners/#product3) under a stream of hot (not boiling) water and carefully use a spatula to remove any adhesive on the surface.
After printing, make sure the platform is clean and inspect the surface of the steel. If there are indentations, turn the glass over and use the smooth side. If both sides show signs of pitting, replace the glass.
3. PUT IT INTO THE OVEN
There are times when hot water doesn't help if you have a glass or other heat-resistant surface with no plastic or electronics and you can take it off the printer, and put it in the oven. Set the temperature to 100º and then use a spatula to see if you can remove the model. If it does not work, increase the temperature to 120º, leave for five minutes and try again. Raise the temperature until you remove the model.
4. DO NOT USE CHEAP PLASTIC
In many cases, cheap plastic is a false economy.
5. MAKE SOME HOLES
By creating several holes in the surface of the print base, you can avoid sticking caused by too much surface contact.
Hope these tips help you :)
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/06/06 | 1,014 | 3,913 | <issue_start>username_0: I recently ripped a piece off of a nitro RC car I have. Seeing as I cannot find a direct replacement at the moment, I modeled it and it seems easy to 3d print.
My main concern is how heat resistant the replacement will be - this is a combined structural/exhaust heat deflector piece.
I've previously known about 30-40% steel infused PLA, but looking at the reviews/overviews everyone states there is no structural advantage to steel/metal infused PLA.
That being said, are there any benefits at all, aside from styling? Temperature resistance, conductivity, stiffness, toughness?<issue_comment>username_1: Have a look at the distance of your nozzle / leveling of your bed. I experienced difficulties removing my prints when the nozzle is to close to the bed. Furthermore try different bed temperatures when removing the print.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> I have heard that it is best to use a raft
>
>
>
Actually, it is not best to use a raft, a raft is an aid that can best be used in special cases, e.g. for filaments that shrink reasonably (PLA is not such a filament).
A raft always caused a rough bottom of your print and is frequently difficult to remove. A raft is an aid for adhesion if your print object geometry or choice of filament requires you to use it, but as far as printing PLA, a raft is generally not needed. You need to spend some time to level the bed properly and dial in the best nozzle to bed distance (the thickness of a sheet of plain printing paper like A4 or US Letter will work fine).
There are usually options available in slicer software to control the distance between the raft and the first layer of the print object. It is also reported that inserting a wait time to solidify/cool the raft is beneficial for creating less strong bonds between the raft and the print object.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: Rafts fuse with models because the filament gets overheated. To avoid this, keep the temperature in the room between between 23 and 28 °C. Malfunctioning extruder fans, a heater & thermocouple, extruder printed circuit board (PCB), extruder cable, and motherboard can be also to blame.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_4: I haven't run into this kind of issue, but I've found some tips that might help.
1. HAVE SOME PATIENCE
You have waited several hours for the print, but you have to wait a little more until the model is completely cool. After some cooling, the model may come off by itself. As the plastic cools, it hardens, losing the tackiness needed for the layers to adhere.
2. CLEAN THE PLATFORM
This may not help with current printing, but if your platform is clogged with old adhesive, then it's probably time to clean it out. Future prints may not adhere as firmly. If the print is still stuck, run [it](https://www.craftyhangouts.com/best-3d-printer-for-beginners/#product3) under a stream of hot (not boiling) water and carefully use a spatula to remove any adhesive on the surface.
After printing, make sure the platform is clean and inspect the surface of the steel. If there are indentations, turn the glass over and use the smooth side. If both sides show signs of pitting, replace the glass.
3. PUT IT INTO THE OVEN
There are times when hot water doesn't help if you have a glass or other heat-resistant surface with no plastic or electronics and you can take it off the printer, and put it in the oven. Set the temperature to 100º and then use a spatula to see if you can remove the model. If it does not work, increase the temperature to 120º, leave for five minutes and try again. Raise the temperature until you remove the model.
4. DO NOT USE CHEAP PLASTIC
In many cases, cheap plastic is a false economy.
5. MAKE SOME HOLES
By creating several holes in the surface of the print base, you can avoid sticking caused by too much surface contact.
Hope these tips help you :)
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/06/06 | 1,562 | 6,053 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm pretty new to 3D printing, got my printer about 5 days ago and spent most of my time with it.
First off, it is an Ender 3 Pro with everything stock, haven't made any upgrades except I run it with OctoPrint from a Raspberry Pi Zero but I have determined that's not the source of the problem as it's well within 80 % idle on its CPU.
The issue I'm experiencing is that the extruder starts slipping at some point along the print. It's not the clicky type of slipping that appears to be the common issue but rather it's just spinning and grinding on the filament which is remaining stationary. When this happens the printer continues on about its business as it's unaware that filament is not coming out. I move the Z-axis up, squeeze the extruder lever and try to push on the filament which is not budging, which made me think I had a clogged nozzle. I was surprised as it's a brand new printer but the internet says that nozzles clog up so I disassembled and cleaned it just to find that it happens again on my very next print. I noticed that when I pull or push on the filament by hand while squeezing the extruder lever - relieving pressure from the gear, it is quite hard to do so, even partly impossible as my fingers start to slip, I have to squeeze extremely hard or use pliers. I pulled the filament out using quite a bit of force, then snapped off the piece that was already in the tubing and inserted fresh filament which slid very easily through the white tubing to the hot end and when reaching it by pushing very gently I start to see filament coming out as opposed to pushing really hard and barely anything coming out previously. If I do that and return the Z-axis to its position then resume the print it continues until that happens again.
My bed is leveled as best as I can, I downloaded the bed leveling G-codes that help a lot to achieve good adhesion, my prints look pretty much perfect, smooth lines very pleasing to the look and touch, until what I mentioned above happens.
I don't understand what could be the reason that my filament would just bind up like that and snipping it off and inserting a new piece there's no sign of the issue whatsoever.
Notes for what it's worth:
* I'm using cheap black PLA 1.75 mm
* Hotend temperature 200 °C
* Bed temperature 60 °C
* Printing speed 50 mm/s
* The extruder pulley (white wheel with the bearing) bolt is not tightened to the end as recommended on the internet
* The spring bolt on the extruder is not tightened also, as I see there are marks on the filament that went past the extruder wheel, anyway I tried tightening it for the sake of it and it didn't help
* My extruder arm is not cracked
* The gear (brass wheel) doesn't seem to be damaged<issue_comment>username_1: Have a look at the distance of your nozzle / leveling of your bed. I experienced difficulties removing my prints when the nozzle is to close to the bed. Furthermore try different bed temperatures when removing the print.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> I have heard that it is best to use a raft
>
>
>
Actually, it is not best to use a raft, a raft is an aid that can best be used in special cases, e.g. for filaments that shrink reasonably (PLA is not such a filament).
A raft always caused a rough bottom of your print and is frequently difficult to remove. A raft is an aid for adhesion if your print object geometry or choice of filament requires you to use it, but as far as printing PLA, a raft is generally not needed. You need to spend some time to level the bed properly and dial in the best nozzle to bed distance (the thickness of a sheet of plain printing paper like A4 or US Letter will work fine).
There are usually options available in slicer software to control the distance between the raft and the first layer of the print object. It is also reported that inserting a wait time to solidify/cool the raft is beneficial for creating less strong bonds between the raft and the print object.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: Rafts fuse with models because the filament gets overheated. To avoid this, keep the temperature in the room between between 23 and 28 °C. Malfunctioning extruder fans, a heater & thermocouple, extruder printed circuit board (PCB), extruder cable, and motherboard can be also to blame.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_4: I haven't run into this kind of issue, but I've found some tips that might help.
1. HAVE SOME PATIENCE
You have waited several hours for the print, but you have to wait a little more until the model is completely cool. After some cooling, the model may come off by itself. As the plastic cools, it hardens, losing the tackiness needed for the layers to adhere.
2. CLEAN THE PLATFORM
This may not help with current printing, but if your platform is clogged with old adhesive, then it's probably time to clean it out. Future prints may not adhere as firmly. If the print is still stuck, run [it](https://www.craftyhangouts.com/best-3d-printer-for-beginners/#product3) under a stream of hot (not boiling) water and carefully use a spatula to remove any adhesive on the surface.
After printing, make sure the platform is clean and inspect the surface of the steel. If there are indentations, turn the glass over and use the smooth side. If both sides show signs of pitting, replace the glass.
3. PUT IT INTO THE OVEN
There are times when hot water doesn't help if you have a glass or other heat-resistant surface with no plastic or electronics and you can take it off the printer, and put it in the oven. Set the temperature to 100º and then use a spatula to see if you can remove the model. If it does not work, increase the temperature to 120º, leave for five minutes and try again. Raise the temperature until you remove the model.
4. DO NOT USE CHEAP PLASTIC
In many cases, cheap plastic is a false economy.
5. MAKE SOME HOLES
By creating several holes in the surface of the print base, you can avoid sticking caused by too much surface contact.
Hope these tips help you :)
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/06/11 | 445 | 1,417 | <issue_start>username_0: I recently burnt out one of the MOSFETS on my RAMPS 1.4 board on my Sintron Kossel clone so have upgraded it to a RAMPS 1.6.
Now my printer seems to only print 50 % of the intended size.
After the machine homes it only comes down about 50 % of the distance and so starts printing in mid air.
I thought it might have been the driver steps? The DRV 8825 drivers are 32 steps instead of 16. I changed this value in the firmware but it didn't make any difference.
Any suggestions?<issue_comment>username_1: Data from Firmware is not written into EEPROM on its own after updating your firmware. You need to send a `M502` to "seed" the firmware numbers as that is restoring the "default" settings in it. If you are unsure what is currently the EEPROM setting, use `M503` first.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: If you changed you stepper drivers here's a list to check:
1. Microstepping Jumpers
2. In Marlin Configuration.h:
* `X_DRIVER_TYPE`, `Y_DRIVER_TYPE`, `Z_DRIVER_TYPE` and
`E0_DRIVER_TYPE`
* `DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT`
* `INVERT_X_DIR`, `INVERT_Y_DIR`, `INVERT_Z_DIR` and `INVERT_E0_DIR`
3. In Marlin Configuration\_adv.h:
* `MINIMUM_STEPPER_POST_DIR_DELAY`, `MINIMUM_STEPPER_PRE_DIR_DELAY`, `MINIMUM_STEPPER_PULSE`, `MAXIMUM_STEPPER_RATE`
* Other driver-specific constants
4. EEPROM settings stored on the control board (use `M503` to read current settings).
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/06/12 | 673 | 2,691 | <issue_start>username_0: I printed a G1/8 thread in PLA where I can connect a compressor to have a small pressure container. Even though all measurements are correct and it screws in fine, it still leaks air.
Is there a way to make 3D prints airtight?<issue_comment>username_1: Yes.
The issue is, that there are small gaps between the layers. But you can coat the print in an airtight material. While epoxy and similar materials work very well, they are somewhat too viscous and take a long time to cure.
My special recipe for coating PLA prints with a fast-curing airtight thin layer is:
1. Dissolve 1 g Paraloid B-72 in 20 ml acetone.
2. Dip or otherwise evenly coat the print and dry at room temperature for 10-20 minutes.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: In theory, yes you can without any additional materials. But it requires a very high level of perfection for your 3D printer's output.
"Gaps between layers" are not the issue. There is no "gap" between the extrusion at layer N and an identical-path extrusion at layer N+1 if layer N+1 is extruded correctly and remelts the surface of layer N sufficiently to bond everywhere. There are *grooves* between layers from the extrusions not having perfectly rectangular cross-section and rather slighty rounded edges, but these are not "gaps".
Where gaps do come in to play is from inconsistent extrusion. If at any point the printer fails to resume extrusion where it's supposed to, or extrudes slightly less material than it's supposed to, there's a possibility that the complete remelt/bonding described above does not happen. It's also possible that grooves *turn into gaps* under high pressure, by providing a surface where the pressure can act like a wedge to separate weakly-bonded layers.
Also involved here are issues with the filament quality. If the filament contains air pockets or has absorbed moisture, there will be tiny bubbles bursting in the extrusions, making a potential path for air to pass through.
I have not succeeded in producing an air-tight container, especially not at high pressure, but I have made test containers for a vacuum that take several minutes to return to ambient atmospheric pressure after the pump is removed. This was using PLA with a non-high-temperature-capable hotend. I'm planning on revisiting this at some point with the temperature cranked way up (now with all-metal) with PLA and other materials to see if there's any practical viability to the theoretical possibility of getting it right.
Short of that, username_1's answer to use an airtight coating is a great option if you can deal with the dimensional changes or compensate for them in designing your parts.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/06/12 | 2,054 | 7,798 | <issue_start>username_0: This is a continuation of [this question](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/19523/filament-not-being-extruded) where comments and answers were extremely helpful in diagnosing the issue, which I am still unable to solve.
I determined I have the problem shown in figure 3 on [this question](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/15629/what-are-ways-to-avoid-heat-creep). How I confirmed that is I started a print and monitored it closely. As soon as the filament stopped coming out I paused the print and pulled out the filament - it looked like this:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/OO4oZ.png "Photo of filament with different sized diameter after being pulled from hotend")
I snipped the expanded part off and re-inserted the filament back in, hit resume print and it continued printing normally, except it had skipped a layer or two.
What I understand is there can be a few reasons for this problem:
1. Filament moving too fast and not being able to melt at the nozzle
2. Too much heat in the radiator block causes the filament to soften up and unable to be pushed by the incoming filament.
To combat case 1 I reduced the speed of the print using the knob down to 80 % which already felt like it is too slow, but that didn't seem to make a difference. I also tried printing at speeds of 85 %, 90 %, and 95 % as well and the problem occurred in all of them. So this leads me to believe that speed is probably not the issue.
I read that there could also be another thing causing case 1 and that is over-extrusion. To verify this I did the 100 mm extrusion test where I marked 0 mm and 100 mm and extruded 100 mm manually in steps of 0.1 mm. It took a while but eventually in the end I determined that it is under-extruding at 95 mm actual filament extruded which means there is less filament being pushed which should actually be working against the jam. I pulled the filament out after the test to see what it looks like and this was it:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/bCDQp.png "Photo of filament with significantly different sized diameter")
Nevertheless, I adjusted my E-steps from 93 to 99 and repeated the 100 mm test again which this time was about 1 mm off (99 mm actual filament extruded) but I guess my markings could be off too so it should be good enough. I again checked the filament and it still had an expansion on the end.
At this point, I'm assuming that there is no issue with my extruder and print speed, so I'm on to case 2.
I tried printing at 180 °C but that had no effect.
I also tried printing without heating the bed as I read that could affect the cooling of the radiator as the fan will be blowing hot air, but that also didn't help and the filament seized.
I took the fan cover off and set the nozzle to 200 °C. After a few minutes, I measured the surface temperatures on the cooling block/radiator using a multimeter which showed 47 °C on the top-most fin and 65 °C on the bottom-most. I also tried reducing the nozzle to 180 °C and took measurements again which were pretty much the same with about a degree or 2 off. Ok so maybe something is fishy here because in [this video](https://youtu.be/ItJTrTX6HJw?t=308) you can see the temperatures he's reading are in the 35-40s range.
Just to confirm this was the problem I took quite a large home fan and directed it such that the stream is hitting the radiator from about 5 cm (this is while the hot end fan is not mounted with the screws but hanging on the side, which was also blowing at the radiator). I waited a couple of minutes and measured the temperatures again which this time showed 35 °C on the top and 50 °C on the bottom. That was as low as I could get it and the house fan was pretty strong. I extruded another 100 mm manually and this is what the filament looked like afterward:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/g12ZN.png "Photo of filament with a blob of filament a the end after being pulled from the hotend")
It still had a blob on the end and I'm pretty confident given more time it would clog up again.
Honestly, at this point, I feel like I've put way too much time and effort into resolving this issue and that is frustrating me as I fail to see any results.
I'm even more confused by the fact that I have had a couple of 3h prints go flawless, then out of the blue, it starts doing this problem. Sometimes it doesn't happen, sometimes it happens 3-5 times per print. I had an 8h print which went very well until the last 30 min when it clogged, thankfully I was around and I did the snipping procedure so the print finished but it is visible where it skipped a bunch of layers and has a weak spot.
It is quite annoying to have to babysit the printer like that and I'm really reaching out to anyone who'd be able to help me.<issue_comment>username_1: Yes.
The issue is, that there are small gaps between the layers. But you can coat the print in an airtight material. While epoxy and similar materials work very well, they are somewhat too viscous and take a long time to cure.
My special recipe for coating PLA prints with a fast-curing airtight thin layer is:
1. Dissolve 1 g Paraloid B-72 in 20 ml acetone.
2. Dip or otherwise evenly coat the print and dry at room temperature for 10-20 minutes.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: In theory, yes you can without any additional materials. But it requires a very high level of perfection for your 3D printer's output.
"Gaps between layers" are not the issue. There is no "gap" between the extrusion at layer N and an identical-path extrusion at layer N+1 if layer N+1 is extruded correctly and remelts the surface of layer N sufficiently to bond everywhere. There are *grooves* between layers from the extrusions not having perfectly rectangular cross-section and rather slighty rounded edges, but these are not "gaps".
Where gaps do come in to play is from inconsistent extrusion. If at any point the printer fails to resume extrusion where it's supposed to, or extrudes slightly less material than it's supposed to, there's a possibility that the complete remelt/bonding described above does not happen. It's also possible that grooves *turn into gaps* under high pressure, by providing a surface where the pressure can act like a wedge to separate weakly-bonded layers.
Also involved here are issues with the filament quality. If the filament contains air pockets or has absorbed moisture, there will be tiny bubbles bursting in the extrusions, making a potential path for air to pass through.
I have not succeeded in producing an air-tight container, especially not at high pressure, but I have made test containers for a vacuum that take several minutes to return to ambient atmospheric pressure after the pump is removed. This was using PLA with a non-high-temperature-capable hotend. I'm planning on revisiting this at some point with the temperature cranked way up (now with all-metal) with PLA and other materials to see if there's any practical viability to the theoretical possibility of getting it right.
Short of that, username_1's answer to use an airtight coating is a great option if you can deal with the dimensional changes or compensate for them in designing your parts.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/06/13 | 919 | 3,635 | <issue_start>username_0: I am trying to create a two-piece snap-fit or joint using a 3D printer (Resin). After that, I plan to coat the joint with a conductive spray and create an electrical connection when the two pieces are joined together.
**Has this been done before? Are certain types of joint mechanism recommended?**
I will probably use carbon spray because it is cheaper than others. However, after the spray dries it can start to flake and thin, so I might need a couple of rounds of coating or something else. Any tips are appreciated.
However, more importantly is the joint mechanism - this is what I had in mind:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6t3Ef.png "Plastic ball joint example")
The signal would be a DC current only, in the µA range and the targeted resistance would be less than 20 Ω.
Can this work? If not, what are my alternatives?<issue_comment>username_1: [Electroforming](https://www.instructables.com/Copper-Electroforming-on-3d-Printed-PLAABS-Objects/) is the process of applying a conductive paint to a non-conductive surface. Once dry, the object is subjected to a process similar to electroplating, in that molecules of a conductive, more durable metal are bonded to the conductive paint, which is bonded to the 3D printed part.
Typical metals would be nickel, which is quite conductive, as well as copper, known for conductivity. One could be somewhat absurd and perform the same process with silver and gold. The absurdity is related to the expense of those materials.
The link covers using copper, but I believe that nickel would be more durable.
Your joint selection is more related to the strength of the design and contact surface area and may be better suited for a more detailed separate question.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ypefi.png)
As usual, image from linked site.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: For your task you basically have several options:
1. **Electroforming** (see @fred\_dot\_u answer). Pros: high electrical conductivity due to actual metal layer; very low friction between polished metal layers. Cons: the process is quite dirty and requires additional materials and processing, plus some skill to produce results of appropriate quality.
2. **Conductive filament** (e.h. [PLA from Makerbot](https://www.makerbot.com/3d-printers/materials/method-pla/)). Pros: direct printing of any form. Cons: high price, probably tricky to print with, high current resistance.
3. **Sliding electrical connections** (e.g. as in brushed motors or magnetic USB charging cables). Pros: when properly executed will be very durable and probably could even reuse parts from existing markets (brushed motors use this trick for very long time). Cons: requires additional engineering and redesign of your existing parts.
4. **Wireless connection** (e.g. parts use radio/Bluetooth/WiFi for communicating). Pros: independent functionality of each 'limb'. Cons: independent power sources required for each limb; complex communication means.
5. **Optical signalling**. Pros: no electrical connections; depending on your use-case might fall in-between *wireless connection* (without the need of additional power source) and *sliding/magnetic connections*. Cons: requires skills and tools to work with fiberoptics, which is totally different story.
Depending on your resources, requirements, skills and time you would chose one of above. You may also find some alternative solutions from engineering world.
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/06/15 | 1,140 | 4,387 | <issue_start>username_0: The object on the right is a basic C channel, the outer surface should be smooth but the first ~5 mm of filament is missing after every layer change. In this example, the missing filament is reasonably consistent and extreme. The object on the left (from the same print) has a seam where the filament is also missing but it was not a layer change so it is only missing 1-2 mm.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/mepw9.jpg)
But when printing a benchy the gap is not as large and has different lengths. The other side of the Benchy looks great, this side has all of the seams on it.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/5UIwH.jpg)
Details
* Anet A6 direct drive
* Marlin firmware with the latest Octoprint
* Heated enclosure, glass bed @ 60 °C
* eSun PLA, have used many cheaper brands all with the same issue
* Printing at 210 °C but have tested 180-220 °C
When printing an army of Benchys, I thought this was a retraction issue and test all sorts of settings with small increments but did not fix the issue. It was after printing this C channel that the issue was more clearly highlighted.
Things that I have attempted to resolve this
* Geomerty calerbration
* Extruder calerbration
* Filament temperature range tests
* Retraction distance and speed towers
* Retraction distance and temperature towers
* Disabling retraction (worth a short) - Disabling retraction during only Z hop (did nothing)
* Different version of Cura
* Different filament brands
Can not seem to figure out what the issue here is and have run out of ideas on what to do next.<issue_comment>username_1: [Electroforming](https://www.instructables.com/Copper-Electroforming-on-3d-Printed-PLAABS-Objects/) is the process of applying a conductive paint to a non-conductive surface. Once dry, the object is subjected to a process similar to electroplating, in that molecules of a conductive, more durable metal are bonded to the conductive paint, which is bonded to the 3D printed part.
Typical metals would be nickel, which is quite conductive, as well as copper, known for conductivity. One could be somewhat absurd and perform the same process with silver and gold. The absurdity is related to the expense of those materials.
The link covers using copper, but I believe that nickel would be more durable.
Your joint selection is more related to the strength of the design and contact surface area and may be better suited for a more detailed separate question.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ypefi.png)
As usual, image from linked site.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: For your task you basically have several options:
1. **Electroforming** (see @fred\_dot\_u answer). Pros: high electrical conductivity due to actual metal layer; very low friction between polished metal layers. Cons: the process is quite dirty and requires additional materials and processing, plus some skill to produce results of appropriate quality.
2. **Conductive filament** (e.h. [PLA from Makerbot](https://www.makerbot.com/3d-printers/materials/method-pla/)). Pros: direct printing of any form. Cons: high price, probably tricky to print with, high current resistance.
3. **Sliding electrical connections** (e.g. as in brushed motors or magnetic USB charging cables). Pros: when properly executed will be very durable and probably could even reuse parts from existing markets (brushed motors use this trick for very long time). Cons: requires additional engineering and redesign of your existing parts.
4. **Wireless connection** (e.g. parts use radio/Bluetooth/WiFi for communicating). Pros: independent functionality of each 'limb'. Cons: independent power sources required for each limb; complex communication means.
5. **Optical signalling**. Pros: no electrical connections; depending on your use-case might fall in-between *wireless connection* (without the need of additional power source) and *sliding/magnetic connections*. Cons: requires skills and tools to work with fiberoptics, which is totally different story.
Depending on your resources, requirements, skills and time you would chose one of above. You may also find some alternative solutions from engineering world.
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/06/17 | 1,247 | 4,431 | <issue_start>username_0: I have an [all-metal V6 hotend clone](https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GD8LCFO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) that has worked in the past, but recently will clog very easily.
I've tried the following to address it:
* Clean/replace the nozzle (0.4 or 0.5 mm, nozzle is hot-tightened)
* Ensure nozzle is tightened against the heat-break tube, not the heater block
* Adjust nozzle temperature higher/lower (190 °C to 230°C)
* Recalibrate extruder steps/mm
* Improve cold-end cooling with a 40mm fan (also, a 40 mm blower directly aimed at the fins did not help)
* Try different filaments, from different brands (all 1.75 mm PLA)
* Adjust slicer settings (speed, line width, layer thickness is usually ~0.2 mm) and even tried different slicers
* Reduce/eliminate retractions
* Replaced stock Ender 5 Bowden extruder with dual-gear setup for higher grip
* Replaced the thermistor (wire was getting worn from disassembling/reassembling)
Some things I've noticed:
* Prints tend to work fine for a while (~30 min to 1 hour or so), then the extruder is suddenly unable to push filament through the Bowden tube and begins to grind/click. There is very little to no period of reduced flow. It simply stops flowing completely.
* I am unable to push the filament through by hand to clear the clog, but pulling the filament out and trimming the end works
* The very end of the filament is the only place with any signs of being molten, well within the nozzle length itself
* Pushing and pulling the filament in the hot-end by hand works for very small retractions, but can instantly result in a clog if pulled too far back (a few mm)
* So far I have not seen particles / black buildup / other gunk that would explain the clogs
* Letting the filament sit in the hot-end for a few seconds is enough to make it much harder to extrude by hand until enough filament is pushed through to clear what's melted (sitting too long will make it clog), but there are still no signs of heat-creep beyond the nozzle length.
* I can always easily pull the filament out by hand after it jams (while still hot)
Examples of what the filament end looked like when a clog formed:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4g6yC.jpg "Filament 1")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/DXiBb.jpg "Filament 4")
Since the melted material is so short I don't think it's heat-creep. Maybe it's the (very cheap) nozzles themselves having inconsistent dimensions? Not being able to retract a few mm and re-extrude by hand seems pretty odd. I have ordered official E3D nozzles to try in case they are the culprit.
Any thoughts on what else it could be?
**Edit**: I had commented with the new nozzle being a solution, but unfortunately I spoke too soon. Using the E3D nozzle helped for prints that maintain a high enough flow-rate, but when printing small parts and/or multiple parts it seems that the flow rate becomes low enough to overheat the filament and clog (even with reduced print temp to 190 °C).
**Update**: While using the new nozzle and improving cold-end cooling with a blower aimed directly at the cold-end fins did help delay the clogging a little, it did not prevent it. It seems unrealistic to say that this is traditional heat-creep since the fins were cold to the touch and the length of deformed, clogged filament is even shorter than before (<5 mm).<issue_comment>username_1: Since I have been unable to find a way to fix the E3D V6 clone hotend I have instead replaced it with a Creality Mk 8 that I had on-hand, which has so far worked flawlessly.
I am assuming that the improved performance is related to the use of a shorter nozzle and/or the Bowden tube butting directly against the nozzle instead of interfacing with an all-metal heat-break. Those seem to be the biggest differences between the two designs.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I had issues with my all metal hot-end where I got heat creep. I ended up doing e-steps, PID tune, and ensuring my speed wasn't too slow either. Is your printer in an enclosure? I found that mine being in an enclosure caused the hotend to not cool sufficiently, so I had to lower the hot bed temp by 10 degrees and that seems to have resolved my issue for heat creep. I also have the Hero Me fan housing which improves airflow.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/06/22 | 542 | 2,084 | <issue_start>username_0: I just acquired a new Creality Ender 5 Pro. It was assembled very easily. Today I tried my first print - the Dog demo that came on the MicroSD just to see how it worked. It is a 2.5 hour print.
While I was preheating there was a thermal runaway error while I was feeding the filament up through the tube. I restarted the machine and began the print. The error repeated 6 more times during the print. Each time I reset the machine by cycling the power (there were no instructions for a reset) and I was able to resume the printing.
I have been sitting here while this thing goes so as to be able to restart if necessary. It will be a real drag when I try to print anything larger. I feel as though I cannot leave the machine alone.
The bed seems to hold steady at 45 °C. The nozzle is set to 200 °C (the default on the display) for PLA. It seems to lag a bit sometimes going as low as 196 °C. I suspect this is normal as it is being fed cold filament. When I restart almost immediately, the nozzle starts with a temp of about 140 °C and takes a few minutes to get hot enough to resume the print.
What is going on?<issue_comment>username_1: Since I have been unable to find a way to fix the E3D V6 clone hotend I have instead replaced it with a Creality Mk 8 that I had on-hand, which has so far worked flawlessly.
I am assuming that the improved performance is related to the use of a shorter nozzle and/or the Bowden tube butting directly against the nozzle instead of interfacing with an all-metal heat-break. Those seem to be the biggest differences between the two designs.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I had issues with my all metal hot-end where I got heat creep. I ended up doing e-steps, PID tune, and ensuring my speed wasn't too slow either. Is your printer in an enclosure? I found that mine being in an enclosure caused the hotend to not cool sufficiently, so I had to lower the hot bed temp by 10 degrees and that seems to have resolved my issue for heat creep. I also have the Hero Me fan housing which improves airflow.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/06/30 | 482 | 1,591 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm trying to set up a Creality Sprite Extruder on my Ender 3 Pro without using the kit (installing the extruder alone).
I can see [here](https://store.creality.com/products/sprite-extruder-pro-kit-300%E2%84%83-printing?official-website-top=&spm=..product_0f7e137a-4505-43ca-958f-022f372863a0.products_display_1.1) that the extruder operates at 1.4VDC and 0.8A.
I'm using TMC2208 and Klipper. How can I set my extruder's driver up so that the provided voltage is 1.4V? Is it the same as setting the VRef to 1.4V?
Can it be done in the Klipper config (I have UART set up) or does it need to be done on the trimpot?
Thanks<issue_comment>username_1: Since I have been unable to find a way to fix the E3D V6 clone hotend I have instead replaced it with a Creality Mk 8 that I had on-hand, which has so far worked flawlessly.
I am assuming that the improved performance is related to the use of a shorter nozzle and/or the Bowden tube butting directly against the nozzle instead of interfacing with an all-metal heat-break. Those seem to be the biggest differences between the two designs.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I had issues with my all metal hot-end where I got heat creep. I ended up doing e-steps, PID tune, and ensuring my speed wasn't too slow either. Is your printer in an enclosure? I found that mine being in an enclosure caused the hotend to not cool sufficiently, so I had to lower the hot bed temp by 10 degrees and that seems to have resolved my issue for heat creep. I also have the Hero Me fan housing which improves airflow.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/07/02 | 1,713 | 5,774 | <issue_start>username_0: I bought an Ender 3 recently and it has the 4.2.2 Creality board. Then I bought a BLTouch to upgrade it with bed leveling. It turns out that the BLTouch now comes with a standard 5-pin connector instead of the separate wires that all the tutorials talk about. How do I install the thing?<issue_comment>username_1: The BLTouch now comes with a standard 5-pin connector.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Ov5bV.png)
and that connector is supported on the board that seems to be shipping with Ender 3s these days, the Creality 4.2.2 board (Notice it's in the bottom right and says BL\_T next to it)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fVU6W.jpg)
This is intended to make installing things easier. Since I also had a new hotend I was installing, I needed to go the route of configuring my own firmware. If you don't need that, you can be lazy and snag the pre-built firmware from Creality's website [here](https://www.creality.com/pages/download-ender-3).
If you, like me, go the route of building your own firmware, there's a lot of steps, and I'm sharing the results of 2 days of effort. To do this, you get to become a software developer for the next few minutes. Follow along carefully, as any misstep could be really really annoying.
1. Download the latest [Marlin](https://marlinfw.org) firmware. Creality already uses Marlin as a base for their firmware, so this is going to be the best choice.
2. Marlin is not preconfigured for your Ender 3, but we can snag the example configurations for an Ender 3 from the Marlin Configuration repository. I went ahead and found you the version for the Ender 3 with a 4.2.2 board [here](https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Configurations/tree/import-2.1.x/config/examples/Creality/Ender-3/CrealityV422). You're going to want to download all of the files in that directory.
3. Unzip the Marlin firmware to a folder, and in that folder you'll see ANOTHER folder named Marlin. You'll want to copy your configuration files downloaded in STEP 2 into that inner Marlin folder.
4. Now we need [Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/) (told you you get to be a developer). Once you open it, you'll need to install an extension Marlin made for VSCode to allow you to easily build your firmware. The instructions on installing Auto Build Marlin are found [here](https://marlinfw.org/docs/basics/auto_build_marlin.html).
5. Now you have a neat little button in VSCode to do stuff with Marlin.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/hJbkU.png)
But wait! We're not ready to click that yet. First we need to modify those configuration files you downloaded.
6. First let's update the `Configuration.h` file. There are a lot of important settings here, many you should change, and many that are nice to change, but I'm only going to list the ones that are absolutely necessary to get the BLTouch working.
1. you need to comment out the `Z_MIN_PROBE_USES_Z_MIN_ENDSTOP_PIN` setting, because the your BLTouch is using a different pin.
2. So that we don't lose our Z Homing, we need to then uncomment the setting for `USE_PROBE_FOR_Z_HOMING`.
3. And here's the one that I only found on the [Creality forums with a lucky search](https://forums.creality3dofficial.com/community/ender-3-series/bl-touch-problems-w-4-2-2/). You need to uncomment `Z_MIN_PROBE_PIN` and set it to `PB1` which is your BLTouch's connection point.
4. Naturally, you'll need to uncomment the setting for `BLTOUCH`.
5. You'll want to adjust the `NOZZLE_TO_PROBE_OFFSET` to account for the position the BLTouch mounts in. The standard bracket should match close the values I have set below. Notice I didn't set the Z value at all. You should do that on the printer by hand.
6. If you're going to use the BLTouch, you should configure some sort of auto bed leveling. I picked UBL so I uncommented the setting: `AUTO_BED_LEVELING_UBL`
7. Since you're doing auto bed leveling, you need to turn it on, which you do by uncommenting the setting `ENABLE_LEVELING_AFTER_G28`
8. Consider Nice-To-Have values, like `Z_SAFE_HOMING`, `LCD_BED_LEVELING`, `PREHEAT_BEFORE_LEVELING`, `INDIVIDUAL_AXIS_HOMING_MENU` or `PROBE_OFFSET_WIZARD` in `Configuration_adv.h`
```
// #define Z_MIN_PROBE_USES_Z_MIN_ENDSTOP_PIN
// Force the use of the probe for Z-axis homing
#define USE_PROBE_FOR_Z_HOMING
...
#define Z_MIN_PROBE_PIN PB1 // Pin 32 is the RAMPS default
...
#define BLTOUCH
...
#define NOZZLE_TO_PROBE_OFFSET { -44, -9, 0}
...
#define AUTO_BED_LEVELING_UBL
...
#define ENABLE_LEVELING_AFTER_G28
```
7. Finally, you're ready to build. Click on the "Auto Marlin Build" extension, then click "Show ABM Panel".
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/QMiHM.png)
Marlin should have figured out that you're trying to build for an Ender 3. I honestly don't know what the different environments are for, but the first one seems to work just fine.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/tftdU.png)
8. Once the build completes, there will be a link which will open the folder where the build is. You'll want to get the SD card from your Ender 3 and copy the `.bin` file from that folder onto the root of the SD card. Then stick the SD card in your Ender 3 and power it up and you should see your new Marlin Firmware start up. Then you can start configuring your BLTouch for auto bed leveling.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Don't forget to add
```
M420 S0
```
after the `G28` command in the G-code, else you have to level bed before every print.
Upvotes: 2 |
2022/07/06 | 418 | 1,715 | <issue_start>username_0: I am on the hunt for CAD packages which can perform some level of slicing as an inherent model feature, instead of either exporting to STL and then importing into the slicer (a la OnShape) or directly opening the slicer from within the software (a la Fusion 360). I would like this because I want to model directly for the print instead of having to go through an iterative process where certain tools cannot be used to their fullest extent.
For instance, it's very easy for me to print a model, measure it to quantify shrink, and then backport required changes into my CAD model. However, this is not ideal as it prevents me from analyzing the model before print. (For instance, using the CAD software to calculate mass, C.G., moment of inertia, or doing mechanical and thermal analysis on the printed shape, not the modeled solid.)
In a perfect world, I'd have the ability to run Cura as an operation on the model. The resulting CAD would then include the infill structures as well as any required modifications to the original part, e.g. a discrepancy between the desired height and the printed height or a wall width vs the nozzle width.
Is there anything out there which fits the bill? I know nothing is perfect, but anything right now would be a big step forward.<issue_comment>username_1: Blender has a CNC slicer plugin, it's not exactly what you're asking for but it can perform some of the tasks that you're asking for.
[CNC slicer for Blender](https://sourceforge.net/projects/cnc-slicer-blender-plugin/)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Microsoft 3d builder will do it. It's far from the best CAD or Printing software though. Works very well for what it is.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/07/08 | 571 | 1,951 | <issue_start>username_0: Is there any known site where you can input your 3D printer's information and it will show you all G-code files uploaded to that site and would have a download button? If not, it's not a huge deal. It's just that I can't find my computer, therefore can't use a slicer.<issue_comment>username_1: Perhaps go to your printers manufacturers or resellers site. They may have g-code. I got some g-code files along with my printer. So I assume they must be available somewhere.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: This is generally not a good idea. Your slicing needs to be reasonably tuned to your specific printer. You’re going to have a hard time finding files to start with, and you may have a very bad time if it’s set up for a material different from yours.
So, frame challenge: don’t do that.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Uncontrolled G-code can be a (medium) security risk.
----------------------------------------------------
As we already elaborated [here](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/18725/8884). In general, [you shouldn't use G-code from a website](https://youtu.be/RKdsp2vrmag), unless you really know what you do.
Prusaprinters/printables.com
----------------------------
Printables.com, formerly Prusaprinters, allows uploading G-code that does not contain commands that can alter settings. This blocks the `M50x` [family](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/11440/8884) (esp. [M500](https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M500.html), [M501](https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M501.html), [M502](https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M502.html)) and several other codes (M509, M400, M304, M303, M30) that are easily weaponized to destroy or at least alter printers. By disallowing these commands, *some* damage can be mitigated, but not all: The site does **not** detect G-code that would for example ram your hotend into the bed - and most printers don't have crash detection to stop *that*.
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/07/12 | 661 | 2,337 | <issue_start>username_0: In Creality slicer, which settings would you change to reduce the amount of surface area from the supporting structure that makes contact with overhangs on the model you are printing.
For example, if you are printing the object pictured below, and the green area is the support structure, and the red area is the overhang that requires supporting, how would you decrease the amount of green that touched the red?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/WyX7Q.jpg)
I'm asking about dialing back the surface area contact on "any" style of support, not choosing between different styles of support<issue_comment>username_1: Perhaps go to your printers manufacturers or resellers site. They may have g-code. I got some g-code files along with my printer. So I assume they must be available somewhere.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: This is generally not a good idea. Your slicing needs to be reasonably tuned to your specific printer. You’re going to have a hard time finding files to start with, and you may have a very bad time if it’s set up for a material different from yours.
So, frame challenge: don’t do that.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Uncontrolled G-code can be a (medium) security risk.
----------------------------------------------------
As we already elaborated [here](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/18725/8884). In general, [you shouldn't use G-code from a website](https://youtu.be/RKdsp2vrmag), unless you really know what you do.
Prusaprinters/printables.com
----------------------------
Printables.com, formerly Prusaprinters, allows uploading G-code that does not contain commands that can alter settings. This blocks the `M50x` [family](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/11440/8884) (esp. [M500](https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M500.html), [M501](https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M501.html), [M502](https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M502.html)) and several other codes (M509, M400, M304, M303, M30) that are easily weaponized to destroy or at least alter printers. By disallowing these commands, *some* damage can be mitigated, but not all: The site does **not** detect G-code that would for example ram your hotend into the bed - and most printers don't have crash detection to stop *that*.
Upvotes: 1 |
2022/07/14 | 2,899 | 10,631 | <issue_start>username_0: To start with, as stated in the title, I am very new to 3D printing.
We're a toy/boardgame shop and we're experimenting with 3D printing because it could open up a huge market for us. To this end, I'm asked to try to get this off the ground, but also for me it's a big experiment.
General Information
-------------------
**Printer:** Craftbot Plus
**Slicer:** CraftwarePro (1.1.4.368)
**Filament:** PLA - 1.75 mm
**Designed in:** Tinkercad
Problem
-------
I designed a puzzle box in Tinkercad. Here are some images of the design:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/VA4j3.png "Screenshot of puzzle box designed in Tinkercad")
I've printed it twice, but both have some problems. I made some pictures, hopefully showing the flaws clearly.
#### Print 1
This print actually came out pretty ok, but not the quality I'm looking for.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/xeFkM.jpg "Photo 1 of a printed model #1 with printing errors on bottom layer")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/cOst8.jpg "Photo 2 of a printed model #1 with printing errors on bottom layer")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/UxaPx.jpg "Photo 3 of a printed model #1 with printing errors on bottom layer")
#### Print 2
For some reason, this one came out way worse in my opinion. I didn't change any settings. The reason why I made this second print is that there are some design flaws in the first print.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/x35Wf.jpg "Photo 1 of a printed model #2 with printing errors")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/lq7Cx.jpg "Photo 2 of a printed model #2 with printing errors")
As you might be able to tell, this one has some more severe problems, like the prolapse on one of the corners of the lid and some threads that just seem to be broken off here and there.
Question
--------
My question is basically, what is likely to be the problem, and how should I solve them. Are there some settings on the printer, or in the slicer that needs to be changed? Or could it be something with the design, for example, would it be better to have the lids laying down on the bed, instead of standing up as I have them in the design right now?
Also, here and there seem to be threads of plastic where I think there should not be any.
What have I found myself
------------------------
Since I'm very new to this, I wasn't really sure what to search/look for. I know it's expected to do some research yourself before posting any question, but I really didn't have a clue where to start.
Though, while typing in the question, 2 suggestions showed up:
#### Suggestion 1
[I have bad print quality, what should I do?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/13433/i-have-bad-print-quality-what-should-i-do)
I'm not sure this looks like any of my problem areas, but somewhat similar.
### Suggestion 2
[Bad quality at horizontal faces](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/13856/bad-quality-at-horizontal-faces)
This looks very much similar to how some of my areas look. Is the problem described in this post indeed the same as mine, based on the pictures?
#### Conclusion
In both posts, *"Under Extrusion"* is mentioned this is probably something to look into?
Some personal observations
--------------------------
There are 2 things I noticed myself, maybe some conclusions can be made from this:
1. Something else I'm noticing while heating up the extruder is that plastic already leaks out in a very thin thread before it actually starts printing.
2. When the print is done, I notice thin threads of plastic between the different objects (Like a spiderweb), this probably has something to do with point 1.
3. When the printer is starting, I notice that the very first threads of plastic are not a fluent string, but sometimes get interrupted, as if no plastic is coming out of the extruder for a short moment.
Conclusion
----------
Hopefully, I provided every information that is required to answer this question properly. I'm looking forward to any offered assistance.
In case any additional information is required, I'm happy to give this next time I'm at the office.
*P.S. I had to remove 6 links (pictures) to get to my maximum of 8*<issue_comment>username_1: There are several issue at hand here, first you have an adhesion problem.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2CU9L.png)
This print shows that the print (as it is printed upright) has come loose during printing and lifted up. Such a print should have been printed as it is now laying on your table. You will then also get far better quality of printed holes. So, second is print orientation on the build plate.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/MvN6n.png)
This shows another example of adhesion problems, but it also shows that you initial distance between the nozzle and the bed is slightly too large. The paper method usually works fine, but you can use feeler gauges. Alternatively use a specific 3D print adhesion spray (3DLAC, Magigoo, DimaFix) or alternatively some [hairsprays](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/11183/) or [glue sticks](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/15282/).
Third, design. Just a tip, I see that your design uses some sort of a pin:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6UKxk.png)
you should avoid thin pole/spike like prints. These are difficult to print and usually very weak. Think of an alternative, an embedded shaft or a bolt is usually a much better solution.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/HZ2Cq.png)
Fourth, this shows that there was no filament printed, it could be that the spool had extra resistance or the filament was entangled. Check your filament spool.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/xQlzr.png)
Fifth, this shows that you have a retraction problem, the filament pressure is still too large when the head moves to the next coordinates, it then oozes until the pressure has been released. Changing retraction speed or distance may help.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: **Adhesion**
Try raising your bed temperature a couple of degrees at a time. Presumably your filament has some "suggested temperatures" on the spool, but they sometimes only give a hotend's temp. For PLA some people get good results with a 50 degree C bed, I find nothing less than 60 degrees C. Esun's rec seems to be 60-80 for the bed.
For the hotend my esun PLA+ suggests 205-225 and I print at 218.
Depending on the environment, draughts can upset things and trigger lifting. If the printer is in a place where there are winds/breezes, or airconditioning that cycles on and off, the temperature fluctuations can start lifting. Try putting your printer somewhere that there is no wind and air conditions are static. I have a curtain around mine, and some people use enclosures made from popup laundry baskets or similar. Doesn't have to be fancy.
You can try things with light layers of water-soluble gluestick on the bed, which works for me. Others have had success in laying blue painter's tape on the bed but I found the heat made the adhesive a hot mess.
**Orientation**
That pin will never work - 3D printing has layers and items are always weak along the layers. So that part is a poor candidate for 3D printing.
Instead, buy a large assortment box of M3 nuts and bolts. These work much better than thin printed parts.
Also, that large lid should be printed laying flat on its back. Even the action of the bed moving around could be creating enough breeze to cool that part quickly and cause shrinkage.
**Design**
That dovetail at the foot of the box, as printed it will have a layer line right across the base. Since that looks like the most economical way to print this part, you might consider making the dovetail a lot wider, and it may need a slight draught angle added to help the lid engage smoothly.
The lid might spin around the pin and whack the dovetail clean off too - perhaps the two sidewalls should be raised so the lid only slides off in one direction?
**Lack of filament**
Holes in a printed part are a kind of under-extrusion, and mean there's not enough plastic at that time. If your roll of filament is under friction then the printer may not be able to pull it in fast enough.
Also if the hotend isn't hot enough it may not be melting quick enough for your print speed, or there may be clogs in the nozzle from contaminations in the filament.
**Suggestion**
Start by levelling the bed, and then print one item in your set. Use a "brim" to improve adhesion, and it will be done first. As your printer starts the job, watch it closely and manually adjust the bed on the fly.
Imagine these as side-views:
\_\_\_\_ **\_\_** \_\_\_\_\_ Nozzle is way too low, you're scratching the bed
\_\_\_\_ **\_\_** \_\_\_\_ Nozzle is too low, so drop the bed down a bit. The filament should have colour.
\_\_\_\_ **\_\_** \_\_\_\_ This is about right.
\_\_\_\_ **o** \_\_\_\_\_ Nozzle is a bit too high
\_\_\_\_ **O** \_\_\_\_\_ Nozzle is a lot too high
\_\_\_\_ **O** \_\_\_\_\_ Filament is floating in the air which is sub-optimal
Ideally you want to feel the printed filament line as a flattened line stuck to the bed, and not a round string lying on the print bed. It should almost feel like the edges of a sticker.
Of course, the printer is moving all the time. Do not get in its way, and if you do block the motion in any direction then the print will likely be ruined.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/07/16 | 2,348 | 9,485 | <issue_start>username_0: Lately I've been having a lot of trouble with printing overhangs in TPU. The failures are very geometry/toolpath dependent, entirely reproducible in their location (same gcode gives same failures each time it's printed), and seem to occur where there is a convex (model-inward) curve over an overhang of more than 40° or so. My original test case for this was frog model with more severe overhang, but I since made a simplified conical overhang test piece at only 50° that's faster to reprint and shows the issue:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2Ny6d.jpg)
The frog print on the left is pretty much a complete failure. The one on the right is mostly a success, but shows some moderate flaws around one side (left, as viewed) and the front of the belly, and even slight flaws (hard to see in pic) around the other side of the belly. It was done using some of the mitigations described below.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Ei5Lh.jpg)
The test piece on the left is nearly perfect. The other two show varying degrees of the overhang problem I'm experiencing, and make it easier to see what exactly is happening than with the frog. The extrusion seems to bunch up, then get stretched out too thin, in an oscillating pattern that builds up and shifts with each layer.
I've tried printing overhangs significantly slower and reducing speed and acceleration quite a bit on the outer walls and even on the inner walls too, and none of that seems to help. Nor does increasing the number of walls or the wall line thickness help. However a number of things do seem to help, and it takes two or more of these in combination to get a mostly acceptable result at 0.2 mm layer height:
* Increasing flow to a level where the extruded mass is the expected amount (this makes wall dimensions excess so I usually don't do it)
* Taking the infill up to 20% or higher and using an infill pattern where the infill meets the walls frequently (gyroid 20% or more seems best; I'm trying not to do this because I want to final objects to be more flexible in some cases)
* Increasing Klipper square corner velocity to 30+ so that the entire approximated curves are traversed at constant speed with no acceleration/deceleration
* Increasing Klipper PA smooth time window from 10ms to 40ms
Generally I'm able to choose some subset of the above that works, but it ends up being a matter of per-model trial-and-error, wasting lots of time and materials if the settings don't work, so I'd like to figure out what's really going on here so I can make predictions about what will work and ideally get a base configuration that "always" works. Also, I still don't have this working at thinner layer heights, which I'd like to be able to use for better detail, as TPU is flow-bound not motion-bound and I could in theory print much higher detail at the same speed with thinner layers.
My best guess at the root cause so far is that the overhanging walls simply do not have enough rigidity to avoid being displaced by the toolhead attempting to extrude against them, so any oscillation of the toolhead velocity or extrusion pressure causes them to deform in the pattern of the oscillation. Does this seem plausible, and if so, what might some other possible mitigations be?
For completeness, my printer is a heavily modified Ender 3 with (remote) direct drive extruder and fairly extreme cooling, but turning the cooling way down or even off (assuming sufficient layer time for passive cooling) does not seem to affect the behavior here significantly. So I think the question is mostly printer-agnostic and is really a matter of material behavior and slicing.<issue_comment>username_1: As best I can tell, the root cause really is that the affected walls are insufficiently rigid to build upon. In the frog model where even the "good" print was not perfect, the gyroid infill in that region, even when dense, was running parallel to the wall such that it did not lend as much rigidity as it otherwise would. The commonality between all the mitigations I looked at so far was that they either improve the rigidity of the wall or decrease the forces on the wall that might displace it when trying to print on top of it.
I'm going to focus on increasing the rigidity, because decreasing forces does not sound like it can be done *consistently, independent of model geometry*, at least not without going really slow and having fans extremely low or off. (Even though fan did not seem to be relevant to my test model, it absolutely will be if the model geometry happens to act as a fan duct.)
First of all, with sloped outer surfaces, the thickness of material making up the surface is not the wall thickness (0.8 mm with two 0.4 mm walls), because you have to measure it perpendicular to the surface. At 45°, for example, it's scaled down by the square root of two (so about 71%), and gets worse as the angle gets more severe. Even 95A TPU is extremely flimsy at that sort of thickness.
The slic3r family (including PrusaSlicer, SuperSlicer) has an option to mitigate this called "ensure vertical shell thickness". Cura, which I'm using, doesn't, but you can ensure the same thing by increasing the number of "bottom layers" (or "top layers" for an inward-leaning surface, but those are much less difficult to print because the infill supports them) and ensuring that skin preshrink ("Skin Removal Width") is not set so high as to remove the "bottom layers" that come into existence along outward sloped walls. The default of full wall width will remove it for all but the most severe overhangs, defeating the purpose, so it needs to be set lower. I use a setting of 0.39 mm, just below the line width, already for unrelated reasons, and that worked fine.
Now, on top of that, Cura defaults to printing one wall around skin ("Extra Skin Wall Count"), meaning most of the skin added as "bottom layers" would come out as a loop, rather than zigzag line fill. This is great when you want to print rigid materials fast, but also defeats the purpose, as an extra extrusion path alongside the 2 TPU walls already there does almost nothing to make them more rigid. You actually want the zigzag fill, alternating directions with each layer, as it adds *a lot* of rigidity you otherwise can't get with TPU. So "Extra Skin Wall Count" should be set to 0 here.
After making these changes, and using 5 bottom layers, I'm able to get successful prints of my test piece and the frog test with no other mitigations as long as I have the fan limited (using 30%, but my 30% is probably stronger than most printers' 100%, so likely not an issue for most folks). Using heavier flow further improves wall rigidity and makes it likely that fan doesn't matter, but it doesn't seem to be necessary. Using heavier infill is also not necessary; I can get nice squishy parts with only 10% gyroid.
One nice feature modern Cura has is separate settings for "bottom layers" and "initial bottom layers", so I can keep the latter lower and not waste material building on the bed surface while still getting strong diagonal walls and bottoms over supports.
TL;DR
=====
Strengthen sloped walls by doing the following:
* Increase number of bottom layers to at least 4 or 5
* Ensure skin removal isn't removing skin along overhanging walls (reduce to below 0.4 mm)
* Disable extra skin outlines
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: The root cause was a badly worn nozzle.
The problem described in this question gradually became more and more severe and began affecting PLA and PET prints with thin layers too. Eventually I traced it to the CHT nozzle, by swapping in a 50¢ plain brass nozzle, and found someone with otherwise very similar extrusion system to test on their CHT and confirm that the prints giving me problems came out fine for them. Replacing my CHT with a new one has now made it all better. My old one was roughly 0.16 mm shorter (by difference in Z offset) presumably from wear, and to look at the orifice, it was probably nearly 0.8 mm wide. If so, it was like trying to print 0.4 mm lines with an 0.8 mm nozzle, which is expected to fail moderately to badly, especially on overhangs. And this explains why increasing flow (or, as I later tried and had success with, using wider line widths) partly succeeded.
I did still have a minor variant of the problem with TPU after switching to the new nozzle, before recalibrating pressure advance, which I'd calibrated down somewhat before (due to less pressure with an excessively wide orifice). After recalibrating, the problem seems to be entirely gone.
I still don't want to discount the factors I found before. It seems very plausible that this could come back whenever TPU is being printed without a firm surface to extrude against. In my case, the primary mechanism of that seems to have been a nozzle whose opening was excessively wide from wear, but the same should still happen if the wall is wobbling from lack of reinforcement.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I fixed my overhangs by increasing the nozzle temp. You need to heat it up enough that the elasticity is lost which makes it misbehave on overhangs and curl up.
Upvotes: 0 |
2022/07/17 | 746 | 2,635 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm a beginner in 3d printing, so please bear with me.
I downloaded a zip with about 100 STL files. I now want to pick one or two to print. The names of the stl files are not very helpful so I need to look at them to find the ones I want. I can open all of them one by one using Cura, or Tinkercad, but that is a very slow and long process with so many files. Ideally I would like to have an overview of all the files in little previews so that I can get an idea what they are to narrow down which files I need to open to inspect the details.
Is there a program with which I can do something like that? I'm on Linux, but tips about Windows/Mac software would also help since I can use it to search for Linux alternatives to that software. All tips are welcome!<issue_comment>username_1: Cura's probably your best bet. You can select several STL files and it will open them all, (memory allowing) then try to place them for printing. If they can't fit on your print bed the items get placed off to the side. Clicking on the object will show its name in the lower-left, so you can go rename the file to be more representative.
Tinkercad can only import one item at a time, and tops out at 25 Mbytes.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: If you are on Linux, and a little capable in programming or scripting, a very handy tool is [OpenSCAD](https://openscad.org/). It can even be used from the command line from a shell.
You can load in STL files and offset them in a graphical view or loop through a list.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Using the search terms, "linux stl viewer," a number of results appear. One of the more promising programs, for Mac, Windows and Linux appears to be [fast stl viewer](https://github.com/fstl-app/fstl), aka fstl. Image from linked site. Instructions included on the linked site to make fstl the default viewer for STL files.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4jJl1.png)
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: ```
#!/bin/sh
if [ ! -d thumb ] ; then
mkdir thumb
fi
for e in stl STL ; do
for i in *.$e ; do
j=`basename "$i" .$e`
if [ ! -f thumb/"$j".png -o "$i" -nt thumb/"$j".png ] ; then
echo $j
echo "import(\"$i\");" > x.scad
openscad -o thumb/"$j".png --imgsize=100,100 x.scad
fi
done
done
rm -f x.scad
```
Quick and dirty script I've used to maintain a thumbnail directory.
It uses OpenScad to generate the default view for a part; not always the best view, but for most parts, this is sufficient. Once you have the thumbnails, use gthumb or something to view them.
Upvotes: 3 |
2022/07/17 | 1,646 | 6,264 | <issue_start>username_0: I've just bought my first 3D printer (Malyan M200 V2). For the most part, it's been really good and I've had no issues, apart from when printing the first few layers the printer doesn't seem to extrude enough material and doesn't form the correct shape. Whether it's a circle, rectangle, or anything else. So for example I've printed the below part.
The raft prints perfectly:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/XXKQh.jpg "Photo of a printed raft")
Then when it starts the first few layers of the actual print it extrudes a bit of material which then hangs from the nozzle and is dragged about the surface of the raft before stopping as more material is extruded. So when the print finishes the first layer looks messy like the one below:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/p2uoq.jpg "Photo of the first layer of a printed model showing printing errors")
But everything after the first few layers is perfect for example the top of the same print:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/A71OY.jpg "Photo of the layers after the first of a printed model that doesn't showing any errors")
I've tried adjusting the temperature of the nozzle and the print bed neither has made a difference. The bed is level I've double-checked that. Trying to find the issue online keeps bringing me back to temperature or bed levelling.
I'm using this [PrimaValue PLA Filament](https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01N5SVFJS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
The leaflet in the box recommends printing at 210 °C, I've tried 210, 215, and 220 °C.
The print bed I've been keeping at 60 °C which seems to have been working but I've tried printing down to 45 °C on the print bed and the same issue occurs. I'm not sure what an ideal temperature is for PLA, I've seen some posts saying that a heated bed isn't needed for PLA and others saying that it should be heated to between 50-70 °C (my printer only heats up to 60 °C).
I've looked at some of the settings in Cura and there are various settings for things like initial speed and first/last layer speed which sound like they might help but I don't know anything about them. I have tried slowing down the print but again I just watched it happen more slowly, albeit that did help some as that's when I've realised it doesn't appear to be pushing out enough material on the first few layers. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.<issue_comment>username_1: In Cura, you can indeed set the height of the first layer separate from the subsequent layers. So if the first layer is printing nicely, that's a good sign. That's usually the place prints fail. There are a few settings, but here are a few things to just double check:
* Is your nozzle set to the right size
* Is your raft layer height and regular layer height wildly different? Try setting them to the same, or if same, try making them different. There may be a 'raft top thickness' that's wrong for the nozzle size, (try 0.2 for a 0.4 mm nozzle)
* Layer height of your regular layers should be no greater than 80% of the nozzle width
* Print cooling (on), but initial fan speed (0)
* Supports: try printing with, or without. Look at Enable Support Interface (or disable it)
* Try just disabling your raft and see if it gets past the danger point. that will indicate if there's something misaligned with your Z.
* Check your axis rollers too! from this question, [First 3 mm prints poorly, then fine after that](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/q/8022/4762)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: PLA doesn't need a raft.
Try printing without a raft. If you print with a raft because of adhesion problems, solve those first. A raft is only needed for filaments that shrink a lot and/or are printing at very high temperatures.
If you want a raft, check the distance between raft and print object and know that a raft never gives a smooth bottom. This is because in order to prevent fusion of the print object to the raft a distance between the raft and the print object is accounted for. A property that controls the distance between the raft and the print object is called `Raft Air Gap` in Ultimaker Cura. Default for my setup this is 0.3 mm which I find rather large.
For example (not raft, but support with a solid top layer, which is quite similar to a raft), I have used support structures with a roof to support large flat overhanging areas that where printed at 0.2 mm distance, this gave relatively good surface quality and barely no fusion to the print.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: It seems to me that the problem is over extrusion. Those temperatures might be a little high for this PLA. In my settings I usually put it on 200 or 205 °C (when printing faster). But the real problem might be a wrong extrusion multiplier for the first layers or a mixed with temperature, low speed, or no retraction.
My advice:
1. Try a little bit lower temperature
2. Try reducing the first layers extrusion multiplier
3. Try increasing the retraction a little bit
For the problem of not extruding plastic at the beginning, you should print a purge line (as Ender 3 does) or print a skirt (instead of a raft, that you might not need). This problem is very normal and is easily fixed.
The bed temperature is correct for PLA (60 °C).
Maybe, only maybe, your nozzle is a little bit high. It should squash the plastic on over extrusion, which I think is not happening in your setup. My advice for this is to use a paper sheet and fold it once.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: Hi Thanks for all the suggestions. I've been experimenting with various prints using some of the different settings and it appears that I needed to increase the initial layer height. Now the first layers are printing as they should.
Upvotes: 1 [selected_answer] |
2022/07/18 | 1,426 | 5,354 | <issue_start>username_0: I've created a little enclosure for a project in sketchup
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/m8AB9.png)
I then exported the .STL
When I open it in Creality slicer 4.8 or Cura 5.0 It looks like this
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/uD4eb.png)
I thought that the red was "overhang that needs support" (but can also mean a shell?)
Hoever, that's not the irritating part. That would be the grey in the middle where the "hole" should be.
When I slice it, it looks like this:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ew0yy.png)
I didn't notice this before I started printing and 4 hours into the print I noticed that it was just completely ignoring the window and was considering it as a part of the base.
Why is it doing this and how can I fix it?
I've tried editing the original sketchup model a number of times, but I keep getting the same result.
I read the question and answer at [Empty space in model is getting filled](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/5068/empty-space-in-model-is-getting-filled) but I'm not 100% sure that this is the solution I'm looking for.
The slicer, knows enough to see that the hole should be there, as it is rendering in a shaded area. It feels like there is a setting or some such that is "print the shaded area" with a checkbox (on or off) - and if that setting is there, someone please tell me where to find it!
I've also tried importing the STL into other programs (like fusion 360) and RE-exporting the STL, but the issue persists.
---
*Please note that [this question](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/13352/sketchup-designed-block-with-hole-printed-solid-in-cura) seems to be similar to mine, however, there isn't an accepted answer. The one provided below is actually a much better answer.*<issue_comment>username_1: In Cura, you can indeed set the height of the first layer separate from the subsequent layers. So if the first layer is printing nicely, that's a good sign. That's usually the place prints fail. There are a few settings, but here are a few things to just double check:
* Is your nozzle set to the right size
* Is your raft layer height and regular layer height wildly different? Try setting them to the same, or if same, try making them different. There may be a 'raft top thickness' that's wrong for the nozzle size, (try 0.2 for a 0.4 mm nozzle)
* Layer height of your regular layers should be no greater than 80% of the nozzle width
* Print cooling (on), but initial fan speed (0)
* Supports: try printing with, or without. Look at Enable Support Interface (or disable it)
* Try just disabling your raft and see if it gets past the danger point. that will indicate if there's something misaligned with your Z.
* Check your axis rollers too! from this question, [First 3 mm prints poorly, then fine after that](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/q/8022/4762)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: PLA doesn't need a raft.
Try printing without a raft. If you print with a raft because of adhesion problems, solve those first. A raft is only needed for filaments that shrink a lot and/or are printing at very high temperatures.
If you want a raft, check the distance between raft and print object and know that a raft never gives a smooth bottom. This is because in order to prevent fusion of the print object to the raft a distance between the raft and the print object is accounted for. A property that controls the distance between the raft and the print object is called `Raft Air Gap` in Ultimaker Cura. Default for my setup this is 0.3 mm which I find rather large.
For example (not raft, but support with a solid top layer, which is quite similar to a raft), I have used support structures with a roof to support large flat overhanging areas that where printed at 0.2 mm distance, this gave relatively good surface quality and barely no fusion to the print.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: It seems to me that the problem is over extrusion. Those temperatures might be a little high for this PLA. In my settings I usually put it on 200 or 205 °C (when printing faster). But the real problem might be a wrong extrusion multiplier for the first layers or a mixed with temperature, low speed, or no retraction.
My advice:
1. Try a little bit lower temperature
2. Try reducing the first layers extrusion multiplier
3. Try increasing the retraction a little bit
For the problem of not extruding plastic at the beginning, you should print a purge line (as Ender 3 does) or print a skirt (instead of a raft, that you might not need). This problem is very normal and is easily fixed.
The bed temperature is correct for PLA (60 °C).
Maybe, only maybe, your nozzle is a little bit high. It should squash the plastic on over extrusion, which I think is not happening in your setup. My advice for this is to use a paper sheet and fold it once.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: Hi Thanks for all the suggestions. I've been experimenting with various prints using some of the different settings and it appears that I needed to increase the initial layer height. Now the first layers are printing as they should.
Upvotes: 1 [selected_answer] |
2022/07/19 | 601 | 1,986 | <issue_start>username_0: The print is a collapsible sword I'm using as a test. Everything seems fine on the outside, but inside it seems the segment parts of the sword inside the hilt are fusing together at the seam lines causing them to stick together.
**Model**: <https://thangs.com/designer/3dprintingworld/3d-model/Collapsing%20Katana-22696>
**Finished Print** (looks fine)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/DZa3o.jpg)
**Concentric blade pieces** (fuse marks that I sheared off and broke to get out)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/peViY.jpg)
**Seams on exterior of hilt look great**
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2dxXC.jpg)
**Print settings/info**
**Printer**: Prusa MK3S+
**Slicer**: PrusaSlicer 2.5.0a3
**Settings preset**: 0.15 mm QUALITY
**Filament**: Prusa PLA
**Nozzle temp**: 205 °C (default is 215 °C, but lower eases stringing and has never been a problem for many past prints)
**Nozzle size**: 0.4 mm
**Full config**: <https://pastebin.com/ECa6KkYK><issue_comment>username_1: You did well to decrease the temperature. You could go even lower to 200°C
As you noticed, You really have a little bit of stringing between the elements. That's what binds the parts together. Many times when you print only a single part this will be no problem. With many nested parts, you retraction really has to be set to optimal values.
Try increasing the retraction distance in the slicer.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: After some trial and error I found that the issue was stringing due to excess moisture in the filament from being stored outside of a sealed low-humidity container for long periods.
After placing it in a heated dehydrator for 2 days, my next print had low stringing and did not bond interlaced parts together significantly.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer] |
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