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How to 3D print a shopping cart I need to find a way to design and build a real shopping cart for my project. I have not idea where to start from but I'm thinking maybe I can 3D print the shopping cart which will allow me to quickly iterate on the design. How could go about with 3D printing a project like this?
Please I will appreciate other suggestions better than 3D printing | If you need a real shopping cart, please think about actual requirements.
Carts are sturdy devices, build on very consistent frame, because they are meant to carry heavy loads. The built must be focused on good jonts and durable wheels, otherwise forces from load or streatching would quickly damage the construction. Some parts of frame are normally under strain, and a direction of load forces is not always downwards, therefore frame has to be robust.
Cheap additive manufacturing technologies of standard printers are not suitable to produce objects of this size in one piece. If to follow this idea, one chellange would be to design pieces of the print, which could be connected or glued into a ready cart. 3d prints have tendency to snap along layers of print, therefore frame would need to be carefuly built from parts designed to be printed horizontally, rather than vertically. Construction of wheels carrying the cart with assumed load could be not possible, because load forces could mangle them very quickly.
Only the amount of material needed to print the whole thing could exceed cost of the cart. And the same would be about more expensive printing techniques, like printing of metal. The shopping cart is a good example of thing which is not worth printing (at least in 2021).
BTW: Shopping carts have some plastic parts, and printing these could be indeed possible. I suppose they are only protectors, not a part of cart construction frame.
I would advice to look to get a ready cart. Check locally for used, worn out or reconditioned shopping cart for your project. Maybe even try to rent it somewhere. It would be much easier and quicker then trying to 3d print the cart, even if it is possible to do it within some reduced requirements. |
Mixing nozzle vs dual nozzle vs IDEX vs tool changer for pva and pla I am planning to build a 3D printer with dual extrusion. I want to use PVA with one of the extruders and the main material with the other one so color printing isn't important for me and I just want to use dual-material (mostly PLA and PVA). I want to know which of the types below should I use and also the pros and cons of each one, especially oozing and final print quality.
Dual extruder and dual nozzle (eg. E3D Chimera+)
Dual extruder and one mixing nozzle (eg. E3D Cyclops)
Dual extruder with 2 independent nozzles (2 stepper motors on the X-axis each one moving 1 E3D v6 individually)
Dual extruder and dual nozzle using a tool changer and a CoreXY setup (using a servo motor to lock the tool to carriage similar to the E3D tool changer) | I would advise against mixing nozzle - you would have many jams and clogs and you would have to use purge tower which in my opinion is not worth it. Thats scratching point 2.
Point 1. and 3. are similar to some extent. With both types you have to align the nozzles in all three axes. Crude aligning should be done by hardware and fine tuning done in software (too much difference in Z alignment could cause one nozzle hitting the printed part). Anyway, the aligning is pain and you will have to do many test prints to achieve sufficient results.
In my opinion, point 3. (also called Idex - independent dual extrusion, I believe) will give you best results, because while one nozzle is printing, the other one is parked on the side where it can ooze as along as you manage to wipe it when it is getting ready to print. You can use purge buckets. Also you have to home the extruders indepentently as well (one to right and one to left).
Point 1. will introduce a lot off oozing issues. You would have to use ooze shield, or other methods of wiping the other hotend, if you are comfortable with that.
As for connecting another axis to Ramps 1.4, the board has 5 stepper motor outputs (X, Y, Z, E0 and E1). Therefore there is no output for another X axis, since both E0 and E1 will be used. You have two options I can think of:
Creating your own stepper output and connecting it to auxiliary pins on the board (if you are using legacy stepper drivers, you need 2-3 pins - direction, step, (and motor enable)). That requires some basic knowledge of electrical devices and firmware. However, it is doable. Not easy for someone without sufficient knowledge, but not impossible either.
Or the other option is to buy an existing boar with 6 stepper motor outputs such as Bigtreetech SKR PRO. You still have to configure the firmware but it is much easier this time (it has been made/pre-made several times with tutorials).
I would suggest using Marlin firmware as it supports many configuration types and has very strong community - someone has likely solved your solution or can help you solve yours.
I would also suggest not using Ramps board with Arduino Mega2560. That board configuration is so old. 3D printers have moved on, whereas that board has stayed the same for 5 or so years. It is OK, perhaps good for tinkering, but there are far better options (such as the mentioned BTT SKR series boards).
Good luck with your design.
Note: I do not own a dual extrusion printer of any of the mentioned types. This is just my understanding of the theory and how I would do it, if I were to build a dual extrusion 3D printer. |
3d printing of which plastic out of polyurethane, e-glass, and PTFE is easiest? I am looking for a plastic which is transparent to radio waves. I want to place my transmitter in a cylinder. That cylinder would be placed in a big RC plane ( whose body is made up of cardboard). I want the plane to be both telemetry, and RC controlled. That cylinder should allow the signals, should be strong and light.
So which material would you suggest and is that material easy to do 3d print? | For the kind of application you are looking for, transparency to radio signal shouldn't really be an issue, so you are more or less free to choose whatever suits your taste better.
Looking at the 3d printed drone community, the 3 most common materials I see being used there are:
impact-resistent PLA
PETG
ABS
This order also match their "ease of use", with PLA being very easy to print even without heated bed, behaving well with glues in the assembly and being easy to paint on. The impact resistance of "though PLA" still doesn't match that of - say - ABS, but is typically considered "good enough" for anything but the propellers.
PETG is tougher. Print relatively easy (stringing and oozing being the typical problems) but it is known to be somewhat difficult to glue and paint. It is also quite dense, so - dimensions being the same - it will weight more than PLA.
Finally, ABS is a classic. It is strong, durable, easy to finish (with acetone) but it is the most finicky material to print with, requiring an enclosure and proper ventilation (the fumes being toxic). |
Anet E10 - Print above 270 °C or "maxtemp" error Hoping to determine the reason for my inability to print over ~270 °C on my Anet E10.
To date all operation has been fine. Attempting to move to a configuration that supports above 250 °C up to ~300 °C.
The control board is the default V1.5 with no changes purchased ~Aug 2019.
I use OctoPrint to interact with the printer.
When attempting to print with a temperature > 270 °C OctoPrint shows it is stopping with a "maxtemp" error. The same "maxtemp" error occurs if I just set the settings to 270 °C and let is sit there for a couple of minutes at most.
This occurs with or without the bed being heated.
I can print successfully at 260 °C with or without the bed being heated.
I have changed the thermistor to another 100k glass bead and a 100k within a canister. There where no changes in the ~270 °C "maxtemp" stoppage.
I have also changed the heater from what was there (30 W I believe) to two different new 40 W (resistance of about 4.1 Ω) without a change in the ~270 °C "maxtemp" stoppage.
The power supply seems not to be involved here since "maxtemp" stoppage occurs without the bed being heated.
I believe this is solely the reason that the control board has a "maxtemp" set at 275 °C. (but I don't know this since I can't find a statement that the V1.5 has this setting by default).
Is there something I am missing in this scenario? It seems I need to flash the board with settings that have maxtemp > 275 °C - say for my needs ~300 °C.
Regarding the hotend, I neglected to mention and should have, that I have upgraded it to a Micro Swiss in preparation to print over 250 °C. | Your firmware has set a limit of 270 °C, normally, (default Marlin configured value) this is 275 °C. It appears that the Anet E10 developers have edited the value if you cannot exceed the 270 °C setpoint.
The configuration file for Marlin firmware has the following maximum temperature limit set for the first hotend:
#define HEATER_0_MAXTEMP 275
You can change this yourself, but, you need to flash new firmware, making sure that you're using all the correct settings for this printer model.
As a general remark (for others reading this), you shouldn't simply increase the temperature without changing the hotend (unless it is capable of high temperature printing), if the default hotend is lined with a PTFE tube, the PTFE can form dangerous/toxic gasses at elevated temperatures above 270 °C. But, in your case, an all-metal Micro Swiss hotend is installed that doesn't have the PTFE liner.
Note that the Anet E10 configuration can be found in the Marlin configurations zip file. For the 2.0.7.2 version, the E10 already has the hotend temperature limit increased to 305 °C. |
Does the printing substrate have to be glass? If so, what size? I am new to 3D printing. I have just put together my own 3D printer with some help.
I was advised I shouldn't print directly onto the aluminium plate - I assume it's aluminium.
The manufacturer did give me a piece of matrix board (i.e. no cooper at all) to print on. Will this work well?
If glass is better, does it have to cover the entire bed? My bed is 275 mm deep by 220 mm wide. I'm struggling to find glass for it that will come within the next few days. The only custom cut was on eBay and it's going to take over a week to arrive. | Obviously being in a rush can limit your options, but here are a few thoughts:
Quick solutions:
Blue painters tape (as Carl mentioned) will work directly on your heated bed...assuming it's a flat piece of aluminum with the heating element under it. Your surface does need to be flat.
Acrylic plate will work but is best with no heat, or low heat. PLA sticks to it. It's easy to cut and easy to find at local hardware stores.
Scrap glass is fairly easy to find for free and it's not that hard to cut...or buy some at your local hardware store and have them cut it. Just be careful, it's sharp. You can sand the sharp edges (wet sandpaper) to make it safer. No, it doesn't have to cover the whole plate, but obviously covering the whole plate would normally be preferred.
Better (but not as fast) solutions:
Buy some custom tempered glass. I like One Day Glass because they're fast and very capable. Like Tom says, many many people print on glass because it's nice and flat and stiff. It's also easy to clean and holds up well. You can print on the bare glass with many materials or use various preparations like PVA (glue stick or white glue diluted with water are popular), hairspray, or others.
Touch Screen Glass: Some people like replacement glass for tablets or touch screens because it has a hardened scratch-resistant surface. I've not tried it, but if you can find one that is the right size, it might be worth a shot.
Specialty products: There are many many print bed products out there that promise an easier/better printing experience. I've used a few that are okay...definitely better than blue painters tape, but I much prefer my current favorite...
My current favorite is PEI. Use a 3M 468MP adhesive sheet (it handles the heat well) to stick a thin sheet PEI (also sold under brand name Ultem) on top of your glass plate. I got this idea from Lulzbot and it's what they use on all of their printers. It works beautifully. Common filaments stick to it while it's hot and release easily while it's cool. For other filaments I just use PVA like I would over glass. For material printing tips and settings that work well on PEI beds, check out Lulzbot's site. When it starts wearing out or getting scuffed up, I just sand it with fine sandpaper and I'm good to go for another hundred prints or so. |
Hotend drops to 175 ºC once extrusion starts (MINTEMP error reported) Hotend drops from 205 °C to 175 °C, and then the printer errors MINTEMP. How can I fix this? Fan is not starting yet.
#define DEFAULT_Kp 28.65
#define DEFAULT_Ki 2.80
#define DEFAULT_Kd 73.33
#define HEATER_0_MINTEMP 5
MINTEMP is 5 °C? It's impossible it's getting that cold. | Sudden drops in temperature curves like in your picture are usually missing readings on the thermosensor:
Disconnecting the sensor from the board registers as min-temp of the sensor while shorting out as max-temp, so it triggers the mintemp/maxtemp security protocol: shutdown.
One could disable mintemp/maxtemp protection, but that wouldn't solve the issue. The issue is usually the wiring of the sensor. To find the fault, put temperature on the sensor but keep the motors disabled. Watch the read temperature. Move the printhead manually and slowly. If it suddenly drops and throws the error, you might have a faulty lead close to the printhead. If not, you need to open the electronics box to check if the connection to the board is ok. In the worst case, you might need to exchange the whole temperature sensor. |
When dwelling G4, my printer is oozing, how can i stop that? Here is the sequence of my Gcode, printed in mid-air:
Print (E20)
Retract (E-20)
Dwell (G4 10,000)
Move away (E0)
Print (E20)
See the path on the printscreen below:
When the printer dwells it oozes. How can i stop that?
I am using a WASP 3MT, pellet extrustion, 3mm nozzle, Marlin firmware, Gcode done on Silkworm for Grasshopper.
Gcode around the dwell:
G1 F300 X-25 Y-25 Z30 E15.96
G92 E0
G1 F0 X-25 Y-25 Z30
G1 F1000 X-25 Y-25 Z36 E-89.42
G92 E0
G4 P10000
G1 F0 X-25 Y-25 Z36
G1 F1000 X-25 Y-25 Z32 E0
G92 E0 | Ooze is virtually unstoppable. This becomes apparent once you understand why an nozzle oozes. As the filament melts, its viscosity drops and the free flowing filament slowly makes it way out of the nozzle due to the action of gravity (and sometimes thermal expansion). If you make the throat air tight then you can use air pressure to keep the plastic from oozing out. Further you would have to immediately turn off the heat to the nozzle and cool the nozzle as fast as possible (possibly with a blower). Even if you retract the filament all the way out of the throat, there could still be some plastic left inside that will ooze out. |
What is the purpose of asterix (*) in Gcode? Doing some low level monitoring, the following sequence is sent to the printer:
N0 M106*36
N1 G28*18
N2 M107*39
This sequence just turns the fan on, homes the printer, then turns the fan off.
Question: What is the purpose of the asterix/star/(*) and the two succeeding digits on each line? | That is a checksum. It's added by the host software to the G-code, to allow some basic verification by the firmware that the G-code was transmitted unchanged. It doesn't change the meaning of the G-code, and what your sequence actually represents is just M106, G28, M107. The N0,N1,N2,... are line numbers, and the combination of line numbers and checksums is used to request a re-send of any lines that were corrupted during transmission. |
Marlin temperature sensor problem I have a RAMPS 1.4 and an Arduino Mega 2560. The problem is with 100k NTC thermistor. I've tested it with a multimeter, it results in ~122kΩ.
I am using Marlin 1.0.2 (latest stable). I am using an MK8 extruder and do not receive temperature readings from the thermo-sensor - no matter how I connect it. However, on APrinter firmware it works flawlessly.
In configuration.h, I have tried most of the options, but found "1" is the best one for me.
Executing m105 on Marlin, I get following result:
ok T:0.0 /0.0 B:0.0 /0.0 T0:0.0 /0.0 @:0 B@:0
On APrinter, the result is different:
ok B:-inf /nan T:25.2076 /nan
I have not connected bed thermistor yet.
pins.h
#define TEMP_0_PIN 1 // Extruder / Analog pin numbering
#define TEMP_BED_PIN 0 // Bed / Analog pin numbering
configuration.h
#define TEMP_SENSOR_0 1
#define TEMP_SENSOR_BED 1
...
#define MOTHERBOARD BOARD_RAMPS_13_EFB
After switching back and forth from Marlin to APrinter and back, Marlin stopped woking completely. I had configured the LCD (ReprapDiscount Smart Controller) and all the steppers were working. Right now, it does not even sends self test to Pronterface upon start/connection, or it hangs according to the log.
Pronterface output
Connecting...
start
Printer is now online.
echo:Marlin1.0.2
echo: Last Updated: Jul 25 2016 17:12:39 | Author: (Rustam Rahimgulov, default config)
Compiled: Jul 25 2016
echo: Free Memory: 3971 PlannerBufferBytes: 1232
echo:Hardcoded Default Settings Loaded
echo:Steps per unit:
echo: M92 X80.00 Y80.00 Z4000.00 E836.00
echo:Maximum feedrates (mm/s):
echo: M203 X500.00 Y500.00 Z2.00 E25.00
echo:Maximum Acceleration (mm/s2):
echo: M201 X9000 Y9000 Z100 E10000
echo:Acceleration: S=acceleration, T=retract acceleration
echo: M204 S300.00 T3000.00
echo:Advanced variables: S=Min feedrate (mm/s), T=Min travel feedrate (mm/s), B=minimum segment time (ms), X=maximum XY jerk (mm/s), Z=maximum Z jerk (mm/s), E=maximum E jerk (mm/s)
echo: M205 S0.00 T0.00 B20000 X20.00 Z0.40 E5.00
echo:Home offset (mm):
echo: M206 X0.00 Y0.00 Z0.00
echo:PID settings:
echo: M301 P22.20 I1.08 D114.00
start
echo:Marlin1.0.2
ec (nothing more here, output just ends) | In the actual Marlin Firmware all supported printer boards are listed within the file "boards.h". This file contains the following entries for the RAMPS 1.4:
#define BOARD_RAMPS_13_EFB 33 // RAMPS 1.3 / 1.4 (Power outputs: Extruder, Fan, Bed)
#define BOARD_RAMPS_13_EEB 34 // RAMPS 1.3 / 1.4 (Power outputs: Extruder0, Extruder1, Bed)
#define BOARD_RAMPS_13_EFF 35 // RAMPS 1.3 / 1.4 (Power outputs: Extruder, Fan, Fan)
#define BOARD_RAMPS_13_EEF 36 // RAMPS 1.3 / 1.4 (Power outputs: Extruder0, Extruder1, Fan)
The most common version may be the variant . In this case you have to set the value as the following lines show.
#ifndef MOTHERBOARD
#define MOTHERBOARD BOARD_RAMPS_13_EFB
#endif
Enable Display
#define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER
Ok, it's time to make the adjustments specific to your 3d printer. You might first check the setting for the amount of extruders at around line 58. Most 3d printer rookies may start with one extruder, so the default entry of '1' is quite sufficient.
// This defines the number of extruders
#define EXTRUDERS 1
At around line 70 you have to set up the thermistors connected to the RAMPS for the extruder and the heatbed. Depending on your hardware configuration you have to change the last value in the defines.
#define TEMP_SENSOR_0 -1
#define TEMP_SENSOR_1 -1
#define TEMP_SENSOR_2 0
#define TEMP_SENSOR_BED 0
The define for TEMP_SENSOR_0 determins which thermistor type is assembled at the hotend of extruder 1. This termistor has to be connected to the first sensor input (see also wiring schema). The thermistor for the heatbed has to be connected to the second sensor input. The thermistor type is configured with the define line of 'TEMP_SENSOR_BED'. If you use a thermistor of the type EPCOS B57560G104F (100K, Beta = 4036), you write the value '1' into the matching define. In case you have a thermistor with 100k and Beta = 3950, you have to set the value '60' in the corresponding define. So the defines will look e.g.:
For EPCOS (Beta = 4036) on hotend and heatbed:
#define TEMP_SENSOR_0 1
#define TEMP_SENSOR_1 -1
#define TEMP_SENSOR_2 0
#define TEMP_SENSOR_BED 1
For Beta = 3950 on hotend and heatbed:
#define TEMP_SENSOR_0 60
#define TEMP_SENSOR_1 -1
#define TEMP_SENSOR_2 0
#define TEMP_SENSOR_BED 60 |
24 V heated bed from -12 V and +12 V ATX power supply? As long as there's a MOSFET in between, can I supply 24 V bed/extruder heat from an ATX power supply using -12 V and +12 V and ignoring the common rail?
I assume so, I can't think of a reason why not, but want to check. | No, this is not possible with most ATX power supplies. While in principle you can get a 24V supply by combining the +12V and -12V supplies, the rails are not symmetric, and the negative 12V supply is usually designed for a much lower load than the positive supply. In the example in the following picture, there are two positive 12V rails, capable of sourcing respectively 12A and 15A each, but the -12V rail is only good for sinking 0.5A. If you tried doing what you're proposing, using this supply, you'd be limited to only 0.5A from your "24V" supply.
It is very unlikely that you'll find an ATX power supply with a negative 12V rail capable of sinking significant current since computers don't need such large amounts of current from their negative supplies.
There are also issues with using a MOSFET as you describe. I assume that by MOSFET you are referring to a complete board with various support components, and not just a bare MOSFET by itself. Usually these boards have optocouplers and thus they will probably work correctly, but using just a MOSFET by itself this would not work, as the gate needs to be driven below GND (namely: to below -12V plus the gate threshold) to turn the MOSFET off. |
How to remove firmware warning I'm operating my Prusa i3 MK3 through Octoprint. Basically, this means I can start prints from remote. However, there's the firmware version warning which requires me to press the knob and confirm that message.
I now found a line of G-Code in Printer Settings / Custom G-code which is probably doing this:
M115 U3.6.0 ; tell printer latest fw version
I'm not very familiar with G-Code yet, so before I remove that line, I wanted to know whether that's all I need to do or if there's something else to consider. | Removing that line will not affect your printer, except that it will get rid of the warning displayed on the screen.
I wanted to know [...] if there's something else to consider.
You should probably upgrade your firmware to the latest version to benefit from a couple of bugfixes and performance increases. |
What is the brand of this 3D printer? Could anyone help me to find out what is the brand name of this 3D printer?
I found this printer while playing Spider-Man on PS4 in the Lab | The printer on picture looks like LulzBot TAZ.
It could be some prototype or a self-made built or just inspired by it (as it is a digital rendition), because there is no sign of any branding on it. There are similar builds on Thingiverse. |
Replacement Nozzle options I was working on what should have been a simple nozzle clog, and due to my own clumsy handling it looks like I'll now need a completely new nozzle for my 8 month old printer. Fortunately they're not too expensive: $10 for a replacement direct from the vendor. Unfortunately, the vendor is out of stock.
So now I'm looking at alternatives. I believe I could get a 5-pack for $6. Wow. But I wonder: what's the quality gonna be like on those nozzles. Really... that's the question of the moment: what can I look for to be sure I'm not buying junk? Even if they are junk, at 1.20 each does it matter, or is the risk to more than the nozzle itself?
Also, while I'm here and since I'm gonna have to spend some money, what options can I look for in this area that could provide a meaningful upgrade for my printer? Is the cleaning kit worth the extra 5 bucks? What about brass vs copper vs hardened steel? If I only ever print PLA, is the all-metal hot-end for $10 worth the trouble? | With regards to the nozzle material, it boils down to two factors: thermal conductivity and wear resistance.
Brass and copper are better at conducting heat, but they have very low wear resistance: use them with abrasive filaments (PLA infused with metal, fiber glass or carbon fiber, as an example) and they won't last a roll. On the other end steel is not a good thermal conductor, and hardened steel is even worse, meaning the filament will get colder within the nozzle, possibly requiring a slower extrusion speed or a higher temperature, but they are quite resistant to wear.
There are other options, like the famous ruby nozzle, which is very wear resistant and, being made mostly of brass, provides a good thermal conductivity, but it's expensive.
Another factor is the shape of the nozzle: some have a very short tip, others a longer one and that also influences the thermal conductivity and the flow rate, but also take into consideration the long ones don't play very nice with very sticky filaments like PETG.
It is a matter of compromise between material, price and versatility, I don't think there is a single best choice.
Usually very cheap nozzles are not machined very accurately, meaning the hole might not be perfectly round or centered, but unless you require a high level of precision they can be considered "good enough": don't get me wrong, I'm not saying those are low importance factors, but you probably won't notice a great difference unless you are using very good filament and printing at high-res.
It will be very difficult for you to damage your printer using a non high quality nozzle, but replacing the nozzle incorrectly (no matter the nozzle quality) can cause damage to the heat block: try not to snap the nozzle thread like I did...
UPDATE
As pointed out in the comments, there are a couple of factors you might have to take into consideration when buying new nozzles: the nozzle body length (there are nozzles with a much longer threaded body, usually referenced as volcano) and nozzles with different thread sizes (M6 for the vast majority, some use M7, very few use a customized system). |
Print quality: possible Z wobble The printer I am using is an Artillery Sidewinder X1. In the photos attached you can see that I am having a lot of inconsistency between layers.
The problem has never gone away and I always thought it was Z wobble but now I'm not so sure it is because we have tightened everything up, making sure everything is stable and tight.
Is this Z wobble or is it something else. Could it be the filament? Does it have anything to do with the slicer settings? | No, this is not Z-wobble, Z-wobble is usually characterized by a repetitive distortion, from the supplied images this repetitive pattern is not observed. A Z-wobble pattern is typically caused by the lead screws, or the Z drive where carriage follows the X/Y motion of the lead screw nut.
A typical image of Z-wobble on a Benchy would look like:
Your print doesn't look that bad for a low-end 3D printer. |
Reducing amount of material Just started doing some design. First project was a replacement handle for my angle grinder, so basically a hollow cylinder. I want to reduce the amount of material used in the print. I could sit here and punch holes through the handle with a smaller cylinder, or some other shape etc., but is there an easier way to do this?
It must be a pretty common requirement, just like in the movies where the spies look at a photo and tell the tech to 'enhance ... enhance'. Ideally you could select a surface and overlay some sort of pattern to remove material. | Updated to match the improved question format.
There are a few ways to reduce material usage. First is what you have touched on. Which is to reduce the design by punching out holes, and removing all material that does not add anything to the structure. Even better is what you touched on, reducing it to the point where your print is more like a suspension bridge, where it is a the bare minimum scaffolding in a geometric pattern.
Most tools you will find for reduction are like this tutorial from Shapeways on Meshlab where you reduce the surface detail. It might be worth exploring these a bet, however probably not what you really need.
Next the more hard core cad tools such as solid works will allow you to preform Parametric optimizations and Topology Optimization.
Topology Optimization. seems to be your real winner
Now from the 3d printer standpoint we just simply tweak our slicer settings. There are entries for Infill. I usually print with 7% infill. AKA my print is 93% hollow inside. I then set a few solid shell layers. Think of solid shells as the skin. Usually that is enough to reduce my plastic usage. The only reason I don't make a part 100% hollow and a few solid skin / shell layers is that I need something to print on top of or if I need the part to be strong . Even low percent infill can be very strong if the correct geometric pattern is used (I.E. triangles).
Generally the reduced infill will be enough, unless you are making thousands of this item, though in that case you are probably not going to 3d print it anyways.
3dprintingforbeginners has a nice article on the relationship between infill, number of shells and part strength. A bit more information about the terminology (infill/shells/etc...) can be found on 3D printing blog. |
Using CAT6 cables for 3D printer motor / sensors / fans I'm considering using CAT6 cables to connect my printer's extruder assembly to the control board. They seem like an elegant solution, but I've read conflicting opinions online on whether or not this would be feasible.
I would like to know if CAT6 cables can handle the required current, whether I should be worried about electromagnetic interference or other problems, and how I should pair up the wires. Cable length would be 30cm max.
Here are the relevant parts:
E3D heater cartridge (2 wires)
E3D thermistor cartridge (2 wires)
30mm hotend fan (2 wires)
Z-axis auto-leveling probe (3 wires)
NEMA 17 extruder motor (4 wires)
50mm part cooling fan (2 wires)
[cable A] I imagine I would use one CAT6 cable for parts 1-4, which form a logical unit (and in the future I might combine them into a removable module). I've been given to understand that power for the fan can be spliced from the z-probe or heater cartridge, so 8 wires should be enough.
[cable B] I would use a second CAT6 cable for parts 5 and 6. There will be two spare wires, so I could potentially double the bandwidth for the motor. | The ampacity question is not completely answerable because CAT6 does not specify wire gauge, so the current limit will depend on the specific gauge you get. CAT6 can be anywhere from 22 AWG to 24 AWG, and depending on who you ask this can be good for as much as 7A or as little as 0.5A. Given that you will have a bunch of wires in a bundle, this may cause them to heat up more than if they were in free air. For the steppers (1-2A) a single wire should suffice, but for the heater (around 3-4A) you might want to double up.
EMI will likely not cause any problems regardless of how you wire things up. CAT6 cables have the wires twisted in pairs of 2. Some people recommend to take advantage of these pairs: the +12V and GND of the heater should use a pair, each of the two coils of the steppers should have their own separate pairs. The reasoning behind this is that with equal current flowing in opposite directions in each wire of the pair, the generated electromagnetic fields will cancel out.
Twisted pairs are usually used when dealing with multiple pairs of wires that are carrying high frequency signals that might affect each other. The main concern for crosstalk in this application is if the stepper motor might cause the endstop to be erroneously triggered, but this is only a concern during homing when the feedrate (and thus frequency of the signal) is low anyways. |
Methods for smoothing 3D objects How do I smooth 3D printed objects? What is the best / common method to do this? | Abrasive blasting is the only other method I can think of which you haven't said you don't want to try.
It is certainly the easiest method provided you have access to one.
Different forms of abrasive blasting include:
shot blasting (metal shot) - I suspect it would be far to abrasive but I've never tried it.
sandblasting - you have to be careful but this is basically sandpaper attached to a wand. I've used it with great success.
bead blasting - using plastic beads. It might actually be the best option but I've never tried it.
media blasting - usually uses ground up shells. Might work but I've never tried it. |
Getting wrong measurements on my Kossel Linear Plus after installing SKR 1.3 with Marlin 2.0 So I've switched the Trigorilla board in the printer with a SKR 1.3 with TMC2208 drivers and installed the latest Marlin 2.0, with a config based on this one. You can find the Configuration.h here, the only thing I changed in Configuration_adv.h was the pin of the hotend fan.
Now when let the printer autocalibrate the delta settings, it tells me that the height is 141.35 mm, instead of the actual ~300 mm and I had to set the radius to 78 mm, instead of the actual 115 mm so that it doesn't try to probe outside the bed.
What settings could I have set so horribly wrong that I get these results? | So the problem was that the TMC2208 were wired for UART mode, yet Marlin was configured for standalone, which apparently makes them work, but with completely wrong step sizes. Changing it in the configuration completely eliminated the problem |
Printing temperatures for ABS on a Flashforge Adventurer 3 I've recently acquired a Flashforge Adventurer 3 and am having difficulty printing with ABS. The initial layers seem to lay and stay pretty well, though after a few more moments, one side will peel up from the heated platform. I'd like to know if anyone has optimal and tested temperatures for the use of ABS on my printer for the nozzle and platform?
I've used FlashPrint for slicing my objects using the following options:
Supports: Disable,
Raft: enable,
Resolution: Standard,
Layer Heights: 0.18 mm,
First Layer Height: 0.27 mm,
Perimeter Shells: 2,
Top Solid Layers: 4,
Bottom Solid Layers: 3,
Fill Density: 15 %, Hexagon, Every 2 Layers,
Print Speed: 60 mm/s,
Travel Speed: 80 mm/s,
Extruder: 225 °C,
Platform: 70 °C,
Cooling Fan Controls: Automatic,
Nozzle Dia.: 0.4 mm | The most commonly used print temperature range for ABS is 220 to 240 °C with the major bulk around 230 °C. Some filaments are blended with inhibitors or PC, increasing their print temperature to up to 260 °C. Note that the color of the filament just as the brand can have an impact on the print temperature!
The most commonly used bed temperature for ABS start at least at 80 °C. MatterHackers suggest 85-90 °C.
If your bed is particularly bad at getting adhesion, you might want to clean the bed of residues and fingerprints and relevel the bed. If that is not enough and you use a glass bed, a slurry of ABS in Acetone could come in handy. If you have a glass bed, the slurry is pretty much the best option.
Print cooling is a bane on ABS - the stuff shrinks too fast if cooled, resulting in the parts breaking loose! |
Is PLA safe for masks? So in light of the in going pandemic, I have begun printing masks for my family and a few friends. As I was printing them the thought occurred to me, "Is PLA safe to be breathing off of?" So that is my question. Is PLA safe to breathe off of or does it need to be coated with, for example, a food grade epoxy?
I am using Matterhackers standard black PLA and a stock ender-3 printer.
Thank you for your time and stay safe! | PLA itself should be safe, at least chemically, but there's no guarantee that additives in a particular filament manufacturer's material are safe. From this standpoint it would be best to use an uncolored "natural" (comes out translucent but cloudy when printed) PLA from a manufacturer who documents that it has no added ingredients. It's also plausible (not saying this is necessarily the case) that there's fine particulate matter produced by heating or in the extruder gear that ends up on the surfaces.
However, in the bigger picture/XY-question, it's unlikely that printed masks provide safety against viral transmission. Especially with a rigid material like PLA, they're not going to make an air-tight fit with your face, and they're likely not air-tight themselves even if they do (due to imperfect extrusion, slight gaps between layers at least intermittently). This could perhaps be mitigated by using a separate edge material to make a tight fit with face, and sealing the print like you suggested. However, once you make it air-tight, it's unsafe for another reason: it's a suffocation hazard! Just because you insert a filter to breathe through doesn't mean that you're actually going to be able to breathe through it properly.
Naomi Wu a.k.a. Sexy Cyborg (well known for working with Creality, open source/OSHW compliance in China, and popularizing the Ender 3) has done a number of twitter threads on what the dangers are and why it's unsafe and irresponsible to be creating air-tight 3D-printed masks if you're not qualified for designing this type of device. Here is one. A highlight:
This results in CO2 buildup. After about 30 minutes your plastic mask, if actually airtight and strapped securely to your face will, before you can take it off, kill you- very peacefully. You'll just slump over and go to sleep, but you'll still be dead. |
Print ASA without enclosure Is it possible or recommended to print with ASA filament with printer that has no enclosure? I Know that ASA is better than ABS, but is it that better that enclosure is not needed? | According to MatterHackers, Simplify3D, and 3D Insider an enclosure is not necessary but highly recommended as ASA, like ABS, is susceptible to drafts and can warp. A heated bed is necessary (somewhere between 90-110 °C), and little-to-no cooling fan used. The enclosure helps ensure adhesion and a consistent temperature. ASA also has fumes and an enclosure can help contain unwanted smells.
MattHackers has a video (Step 4 in the link) on making an enclosure with some kind of plastic sheeting or trash bag (I didn't watch it). There are videos on YouTube on using cheap Ikea side tables and acrylic sheets to make an enclosure if you want a more permanent solution. |
What kind of silicone glue should I use to attach my thermsistors? I was watching a couple of videos about installing a Thermistor on the heat-bed and extruder of my Prusa i3; both videos mentioned that if I use either Sodium Silicate (Muffler & Tail Pipe Sealer) or Heat Resistant Silicone Glue to attach my Thermistors, I would be able to get a more accurate temperature reading.
Is there a particular kind or specification that is best for use in their the Heatbed or the Extruder? | The main requirement here is temperature resistance. A 3D printer extruder is very, very hot, and will easily exceed the ratings of many typical silicone glues in normal service or during a runaway event. (You should always plan for an eventual thermal runaway. They're alarmingly common with cheap kit printers.) Even high-temp glues will not survive the temperatures an extruder can reach at full power if the firmware locks up.
Muffler putty is popular for fixing thermistors because it's one of the few widely-available ways of attaching a thermistor that will easily withstand the heat. In fact, it will survive after the aluminum hot block melts. (Yes, that can happen.) But muffler putty is fairly brittle, and has a different coefficient of thermal expansion from aluminum, so there is some risk of the thermistor detaching over time. I really don't recommend puttying thermistors used in extruders -- many people do, but it's less robust and less secure for long-term use than the proper hardware fixing methods found in modern hot block designs like the E3Dv6. The temperature sensing is sufficiently fast and accurate simply by putting the thermistor into a pocket in the hot block, without any kind of potting around the glass bead.
High-temp RTV glues are very suitable for heated build plates. Pretty much any RTV (such as from your local automotive repair store) is fine if you just want to attach a thermistor to a plate. However, silicone heaters will require silicone adhesives. I've had good success with Dow Corning 736. |
Auto bed levelling with Rumba board - Servo not deploying Has anyone succeeded in installing the auto bed levelling on a Rumba board with Marlin firmware?
I have the last stable version 1.1.0 RC6.
I would appreciate some direction especially about:
How and which pin to activate for the servo?
How to test it with G-code before I move to settings of the probe sequence?
I have only installed the hardware for now (5 V servo) connected to Ext. 3 (EXP3):
Pin 2 (+5V);
Pin 4 (GND), and;
Pin 6 (PWM),
but I cannot move it with the G-code command M280 P0 S180. I have no idea where to put my hands on firmware to get this going. However my ultimate goal is to set the ABL. | For future reference.
My issue about the servo not moving was caused by a wiring mistake.
The Exp. 3 has 14 pins has per this diagram.
However when phisically looking at the board, what you see is this:
I took the first 2 pins on the right of such connector and the 3rd one of the first row thinking that I was connecting pins 2-4-5 of Exp. 3.
I was wrong, because the first 2 (1-2) pins are not part of Exp. 3.
The right way to connect the servo is as following:
Then use PWM1 (pin 5 Ext.3)
I decided to leave trace of this issue and the relevant solution for someone that may experience the same issue. |
Leapfrog Creatr HS stops mid print (extruders not clogged) I have tried to print a 3D model with Creatr HS from Leapfrog. This print failed twice. The 3D model is the same, .gcode the same. Surprisingly it failed at different stage. Please look at the pictures. You can see the place where extruder was when print stopped.
I checked the filament and extruders, it is NOT a problem here. Extruders are not clogged, filament is not tangled nor blocked. Stepper motors stopped working, anyway the display shows that print progresses.
I have created a ticket for this issue on Leapfrog support page, but had an answer that this printer is no longer supported.
Does anyone has an idea what could be the core of the problem?
EDIT
Today I have tried print again to observe and answer questions from the comments. Observations are:
- The process suddenly stops
- Hotend cools down (you can observe it on the picture below - I am using left extruder - as you can see it shows 24/0; 24 is actual hotend temp, 0 - wanted temperature )
- Display shows that print is progressing even faster than it would happen when everything is fine (maybe this is not important)
EDIT2
I have opened the printer to see what is happening inside. The electronics is divided into 2 PCBs. One is an 'heavy job workhorse' (drivers and some logics), the other is a Olimex A20-Olinuxino-Micro. The pendrive with .gcode is connected to this board as well as the display and control joystick (actually encoder).
One of the USB ports from Olinuxino is connected to 'workhorse' board. Next to the USB port here you can see Rx/Tx diodes.
Observations:
When the print is in active state, two Rx/Tx diodes located on workhorse PCB blinking occasionally (mainly when there is a print head direction change), what brings the suggestion, that the data comes from Olinuxino PCB. When the print stops, these two diodes are blinking rapidly. I am thinking that there is some problem with Olimex board (it is sending uncontrolled data or data is being send too quick).
Below you can see image of drivers board with Rx/Tx diodes continuously on. There is also another Rx/Tx pair and these are also both on.
I'm going to do some search on Olinuxino board/system.
EDIT 3
Finding: During board and temperature check I have found that the fan cooling bottom Olimex pcb is dead. I have took it out, connect to +24V and... no spinning.
I have replaced the fan to a new one. Also, I have created a 20mm box model for printing, sliced it and tried to print it. No success here. After 2 lines of print sudden stop and Rx/Tx blink. I have downloaded model of Marvin, sliced it and tried to print: all ok!
Also I want to know if the data is continuously fetched from USB or loaded to Olinuxino and then used to print. So, started the Marvin print, removed USB from Creatr HS and yes, the print continues until the end. I am thinking that the data must be stored in Olimex memory and then fetched and fed to drivers PCB. Question is: where in Olimex the data is stored? Is lack of fan (and possibly overheat) damaged it slightly? If this is stored in onboard NAND memory it could cause a problem after a long time - it has 100 000 write/erase cycles.
New board would be a solution, unfortunately Leapfrog ran out of them. Olimex is selling boards, will try to buy one. I hope that different revision will work. | I have solved the problem. After some investigation I have decided to connect directly to the drivers board. It needs to be disconnected from Olimex board and instead connected to the PC, then select 250kbps speed, COM port can be found through Device manager. I have used Repetier-Host in not Easy Mode and all possible messages turned on to see all possible messages. Then I prepared 20mm box to print and tried to print. After two lines voila! Error message:
12:35:32.401 : N187 M105*41
12:35:32.841 : Error:0
12:35:32.841 : : Extruder switched off. MINTEMP triggered !
12:35:32.924 : Error:Printer stopped due to errors.
Fix the error and use M999 to restart!. (Temperature is reset. Set it before restarting)
Now I went for quick search and learned that this can be caused by intermittent fault of thermistor or its wiring.
So, I disconnected thermistor from the PCB and checked its resistance: 170kohm. Now, when I moved the extruders on X axis there was a particular position when thermistor resistance went to infinity. There is a connector in head which went loose. After refitting the printer is behaving correctly.
Summary:
It is a shame, that the display on this machine does not present any feedback from the drivers board. Also, the PC connectivity on the rear of this printer does not bring any clear information (rear USB is first connected to the Olimex PCB and then to the drivers PCB, some information from drivers PCB are lost). BTW: Leapfrog drivers board is an Arduino based Marlin firmware. Info sent to serial connection after connectivity established is:
Leapfrog Firmware: 2.5
Model: CreatrHS
PROTOCOL_VERSION: 1.0
FIRMWARE_NAME:Marlin V1;
Extruder offset X: 15.23 Y: 0.02 |
Cura slicer, enforce Z move before layer change I am slicing with Cura and Slic3r and one important thing that I recently took my attention is that cura positions head in start point of the new layer and then lifts the nozzle. That caused my few printouts to fall as they collided with the nozzle.
Slic3r behavior is different: it raises the nozzle in last printed point and then moves to a new layer starting point (which for me is more obvious)
Is there a way to instruct Cura to lift nozzle before it goes to the starting point of a new layer? excluding Z-hops. | To lift the head to prevent the nozzle to tip over your print you could use an option called Z hop in Cura. Just enter `hop' in the search box on the right side to make those options magically appear (in a recent version of Cura, e.g. version 3.x.x).
Other than Z hop there is no default action, or series of commands, per layer to be specified before the start of the layer. There are 2 other ways to circumvent this:
The first is saving you G-code to file and open the file in an advanced text editor (e.g. Notepad++). With a (recorded) macro you can find the words ;LAYER:, which are inserted by Cura before each layer starts, and insert a pre-copied list of commands that set the movement in relative mode, move Z up 2 mm, set into absolute mode again. When the next layer starts the extruder goes to the layer start from a 2 mm rise.
Write a plugin for Cura to post-process (C:\Program Files\Ultimaker Cura x.x\plugins\PostProcessingPlugin\scripts) the G-code file to inject the code to Z hop before the start of every layer, or a plugin that adds a new option and/or category to the slicer settings sidebar of the GUI. |
Gizmo3D SLA + Monocure resins not curing I am working with a "Gizmo3D" type DLP resin printer, and using Monocure "General Grey" resin. I'm having some issues with getting this resin to cure to the build plate well enough to prevent it from "wandering" across during the print, without "cooking" the resin and distorting it.
Does anyone have experience using this family of resin that could suggest some of their process details? I am getting acceptable quality incremental print with 100 micron (0.1 mm) layer thickness and a resin temp of 25 °C but I am having issues with the layers of the model "peeling away" from the base layers that get put down on the build plate first. | I get best results from sun curing by putting it in water in the sun for 20-30 min.
I personally do not like Monocure Red one. I find the Nova3D prints better, has a lower oder, and cheaper. |
Baking old PLA spool Context
A while ago I bought a kit for a 3D printer, along with filament etc. however, after some weeks I ran into some mechanical problems and because I had a lot of other things to do at the time I put the project on hold.
Now, almost a year later, I thought I would continue the project. I've got all the mechanical pieces back to work right now, but I have some questions concerning the filament.
Main question
Firstly, I have a nearly full roll of PLA still, but it has been left in a dusty attic for almost a year. I read here that it could still be used if baked for a couple of hours at 50 degrees Celsius. Does anyone have experience with this? Can this be done in my regular oven that I also use for food without risk?
Secondly, there is still some PLA stuck in the printhead. As this may have taken up moisture I fear it might expand and damage the printhead. Is this possible? How could I remove it? | Oven drying PLA
Heating filament below the transition temperature of the filament should not be unsafe when using that oven later for cooking food. You need the temperature to stay under the glass transition temperature of PLA so that the filament doesn't deform. Depending on the PLA filament, you should use the very lowest temperature your oven will be able to handle. Temperatures around 40 ℃ to 50 ℃ would be fine to leave the filament in for periods of 3 to 6 hours. Even at this temp your PLA will soften anyways at elevated temperatures, oven drying PLA not necessarily will give you good results. It is therefore of prime importance to store at least PLA (and nylon) in airtight containers with bags of desiccants.
Stuck PLA
Moisture will not travel that far into the hotend, so changes are minimal that expanding filament has already damaged your hotend. Just heat up the nozzle and push the filament in by hand, put off the heat and pull the filament out fast. Heat up again and insert some fresh filament. Note that moisture in filament breaks the large polymer molecules, so even after drying you are left with brittle filament. Personally this has caused few of my prints to fail as the filament string broke a couple of times during prints (just snapped before the Ultimaker 3 extruder feeder); this was experienced with 2.85 mm filament on small diameter spools (about 20 cm in diameter). |
How to improve face that are printed on support? Is there anything I can do to improve the bottom side of surfaces that are printed on support?
I always try to rotate the model so that surfaces that need to look nice are on the sides or top, and, if possible I divide the model into smaller parts to minimize the amount of support.
But sometimes there is an object that has an irregular shape that need support no matter how I rotate it and can't be broken down into smaller objects with no support.
And then, after removing the support I get a very ugly ridged face that takes forever to sand.
To clarify, I'm not asking about making supports easier to remove, I don't have a problem with this, I'm talking about making the surface that touched the support better looking after removing the support.
Is there anything I can do to improve the look of the face that is printed on supports?
I'm using Cura to do the slicing and printing, I'm using the "lines" support type, my printer is the Robo3D R1+ | The basic answer to your question is to create better bridging or overhangs on your machine. Bridging is when you are printing between two solid pieces (like a bridge). Overhangs occur when printing off of a single solid piece and coming back. Most slicing engines allow extra settings for speed, fan power, etc for these parameters, just refer to this terminology.
A very common and simple solution in getting features to 3D print properly is to just slow down! If you're not a in a rush to get the part done, you bring down all of the feedrates in your slicing engine. MakerWare has mine at 90/150 mm/s for print and rapid. Typically I'll bring that down to about 50/90. My reasoning is the more time you give the plastic to cool, both while and after printing the layer, the more rigid that layer will be for the next one. When briding or overhanging, there will typically be a sagged area in the print. You can minimize this by providing the plastic more time to cool. Also keep in mind that printing on supports is still technically bridging (printing between two solid pieces).
Another thing to keep in mind is adhesion from one layer to the next matter just as much between the current layer and the previous as the current strand to the one next to it. So, in some cases, increasing your shell could possibly make it easier for the infill/roof/floor strands. |
FlashForge Finder turns off mid print and is unable to reset or update firmware I am new to 3D printing and am trying to get started with a FlashForge Finder. Unfortunately, the printer keeps shutting off mid print, and I am unable to find a cause. Here's what I have tried thus far:
System Settings
Factory Reset - When I attempt a factory reset, nothing happens (the menu closes, but usage stats & wifi do not get reset)
Firmware Update - Updating the firmware from the touchscreen immediately fails every time
Printing
I can start a new print, but the machine turns off after about ~10-15 minutes at temperature
The transformer on the power cable remains lit green even after the machine fails and turns off
I have tried printing multiple files from Thingiverse with no edits (an elephant and an owl)
Temperature is set to 220 °C
Observations
One of the times that the print failed, I noticed that the temperature had dropped to ~204 °C prior to failing. I don't know if that's normal behavior or not | Same problem occurred to me, now twice.
How much is the Finder's memory able/allowed to register?
After erasing all but the print job, things go smooth. |
Will I still be able to export my Fusion 360 models to other CAD packages after Autodesk's recent license changes come into effect? On 16 September 2020, Autodesk announced changes in the way that Fusion 360 can be used for non-commercial use with their Personal license. As a hobbyist, most of these changes will not affect me very much, since I do not use Fusion 360's advanced features. The most irksome will be only being allowed to have up to ten "documents" active at any one time, the rest having to be archived.
However, Autodesk are also restricting the number of file formats that you can export to. For example, the STEP file format will no longer be available with the Personal license. Will this mean that I will not be able to move my models to another CAD package, such as FreeCAD, once the changes come into effect (without first buying a commercial license)?
Autodesk: Changes to Fusion 360 for personal use
Edit: Good news. Autodesk have announced, on 25 September 2020, that the facility to export models to STEP files will be retained for the free-to-use, personal license. | Most of my answer is based off of what Autodesk has said and this video from Maker's Muse, which explains this topic in much more detail.
In summary, Autodesk is planning on restricting your ability to export any parametric file formats like .STEP or .IGES, leaving no useful CAD-specific files available for users with personal licenses.
I would recommend exporting everything you want to keep as .STEP right now just in case you do decide to switch programs later on, because you won't be able to switch after the changes go into effect.
I hope that helps.
EDIT: As Oscar has pointed out, .STEP exporting is now also part of the general consumer's license, and you can export to other CAD packages at any time. As far as I can tell, other parametric formats, notably .IGES, is still not available for consumers. This shouldn't pose too much of a problem.
I'm going to leave my original post intact for now. |
STL to STP CAD Conversion Does anyone know of a good way to convert a 3D print file, like STL, to STEP - a useable file format for plastic injection molding companies?
I have tried to convert the files through a couple of programs without success. The most requested file is a STP or STEP file. If there’s no easy way to convert it, which I don’t think there is, does anyone know someone good at re-creating CAD files? | a good way to convert a 3D print file like STL to STEP a useable file format for plastic injection molding companies
I don't know much about plastic injection molding companies, but I do manipulate a lot STEP, STL files and I do know that it is possible to achieve "a good way to convert […] STL to STEP file format […]". For the record, the manufacturing process isn't recorded within these files format (at least not yet) so you don't have to specify the final use.
However, this is a delicate process which isn't easy for beginners in CAD engineering.
As said before, the STL files is a tessellation of a surface with triangles, while STEP defines precisely the surface with curves. It's basically the difference between raster graphics and vector graphics: most fully automatic reconversions programs (such as Inkscape in case of images), would create something quite approximate to the real shape. Manual programs would require time and knowledge of the needed tools (Inkscape can do it too, in case of images).
For the record, asking for a STEP file to be a STL file is as easy as transforming a vector graphic to a raster graphic, it's a one-click transformation. What you are asking, the reversed, is complicated.
What will be done if you import a STL file to a standard CAD program, it will consider each triangle as a defined unique surface, and in most cases, the standard CAD program will have a lot of difficulties to handle the STL. It could then export it to a STEP file, but this will make a huge, incredibly heavy file difficult to handle (I've seen STEP files over 300 MB while the STL was less than 10 MB).
The good way to do so, is to go through a reverse engineering program that handles better these troubles. I don't know any being free, and they all require extensive experience, expansive licenses and a bunch of time generally. For instance, I know that Catia, SpaceClaim or 3-Matic are programs that work very well for your issue, but they are both very far from affordable or easy to handle if you aren't a CAD designer.
Another bad way would be to pass through a 100% automatic reconstruction/conversion to STEP, but it would make something not exactly accurate to the original part, and may not be of any use depending of your application.
My best advice for this would be to find someone or some enterprise that can practice the good way from your STL to have the STEP file you want. You should also very much specify for what use your file is, because as a design engineer I wouldn't generate the same STEP file depending of the use of each surface.
I hope this answer isn't too much a disappointment for you, I know it won't solve your problem but it can help you understand why it is such a hard problem. |
Finding the right material to print RC CAR cover My problem is that I have used a 3D printing machine from the University and found out that the cover for the car was not smooth even after using sanding paper and painting it.
What material would work best to print the cover of the Cyber truck. I want it to be light and smooth.
I have to print it from any online companies that have this service here in Germany. | I have 3D printed models which were then sanded using progressively finer grades of sandpaper, terminating with wet sanding using micromesh to 12000 grit. The result was smooth and shining without any coating applied.
If your original results were not acceptable, the process may have been flawed and should be re-considered for technique.
For your purposes, as a body for a radio controlled vehicle, you'll want to consider something that can manage an impact reasonably well. ABS is going to be less expensive and provide some energy absorption but will have layer lines that require sanding and finishing. Layer thickness plays a substantial part in providing for good results and a smooth finish. I used 0.100 mm layers to get optimum smoothness.
You could request your model to be created in nylon using the SLS method, but the surface will be granular and would also require sanding to accomplish a smooth finish.
SLA or MSLA resin printed models will provide a very smooth surface, but the material is brittle and may crack during "on-road" use. You may find a printing service which offers to create using a more flexible resin, but you'd have to request that or confirm the selection when placing the order. |
Problem with print bed height on Creality Ender 4 I am a novice to 3D printing and have encountered an issue that I cannot seem to solve. Hopefully someone here can point me in the right direction.
I have a Creality Ender 4 that I purchased a few months ago and up until about 4 weeks ago, it worked great. I had moved it from its original place and in doing so, something became amiss in the firmware as it would no longer heat up the print bed either manually or by sending print commands via USB. The SD card slots would also give errors when trying to print from an SD card. So, after doing some research, I ended up flashing the firmware in hopes that it would reset any of the hiccups I was having.
This both did, and did not, work. I tried MK4Duo, but apparently there was no support for my auto bed leveler and the bed was coming up and hitting the nozzle tip when I tried to print. I switched and uploaded Marlin 1.1.8 which seems to have solved the non-functionality of the auto leveler, but it has caused a new problem that I just can't solve.
Now, when I try to initiate a print, the bed will not raise high enough. It stops, either when I set Z to home, or try to print, at about one quarter of one inch from the tip of the nozzle. Of course, at this point when the print starts, the extruded filament just comes out in mid-air like toothpaste and curls up all over the bed. I can manually push the bed higher to the point it needs to start at, but it still drops too low when I try to print.
I am comfortable enough in using Arduino to try to correct the problem in the firmware (if it is a firmware problem), but I'm just not sure where I need to look or what I need to adjust. If someone would be kind enough to assist me in tracking down some possible places to look, or what might be causing this, I would be extremely grateful! I want to be able to print again! | Moving a printer would most likely affect the hardware rather that the software. Unless you have tinkered with the software over USB or loaded an unknown G-code file over SD card that has embedded G-code commands that change your settings.
The most likely solution is that the printer or parts of the printer shifted as such that the printer is not aligned anymore as it used to be. Re-calibrating the machine should fix that for you. |
Zortrax M200 skipping extruder My Zortrax M200 has a skipping extruder motor, I’ve checked the seating of all connections and 3 different (electronic ribbon) cables and still can’t fix the issue. The gear is clean and have tried fresh filament.
Does anyone have any possible thoughts on why this happens?
The extruded motor will move in the desired direction and then skip back.
Loading the filament is fine. Tried new nozzles, blockages checked, etc. | Every time I've had an extruder "skip", it was actually because some condition was causing excessive back-pressure. Either the hot end isn't hot enough, the nozzle is too close to the bed, or something has clogged the nozzle.
If there is a "skipping" noise, then this is almost certainly the problem. When a stepper can not advance, the magnetic field will continue to "step". After the rotor is behind the steps by 180 degrees of field phase (which might be only a fraction of a degree os stepper motor shaft rotation), the rotor will snap back to re-align with the magnetic field. The sudden movement of the rotor and the release of compression on the filament often makes a loud clicking or thumping noise. If you can see the gear, it will jump backward and then rotate slowly forward before jumping backward again.
To see if it is the drivers, try extruding with no filament, or if you can, try moving filament through the extruder. If it doesn't move at all, or doesn't move under light drag, it may be the driver, the wiring, or perhaps the motor. |
Are parentheses allowed within a G-code comment? I am wondering if this piece of G-code is valid:
G0 (Some comment (Its G0 command)) Y10 Z-5
I have tested this on my Chinese CNC machine and it strips out the comment and works flawlessly.
The machine processes this as G0Y10Z-5 which seems like the correct approach to me.
I have however never seen such comment in real CNC practise.
It would be nice if anyone is able to test it out on their CNC/3D Printer.
Many G-code simulators on the internet fail to process such a line in their parser so it makes me confused. I haven't found anything about it on RepRap Wiki or even Google. | This is not universally valid G-code, and how it is handled depends on the implementation. You can use this style of comment on some machines, but not all.
The way parsing used to be implemented in Marlin (a very common 3D printer firmware), it would work fine unless the comment string included a X, Y, Z, E or F character. The parser simply looks for the first occurrence of X/Y/Z/E/F and then tries to parse the bit of text appearing after that character into a number. If the string cannot be parsed as a number, it defaults to 0 instead. For example,
G0 (Some comment containing the character Y) Y10 Z-5
would be interpreted as G0 Y0 Z-5 and not as G0 Y10 Z-5, because ") " (the string appearing after the first occurrence of "Y") does not parse to any valid number. Your example happens to work fine because the comment string doesn't contain any special characters.
Marlin does support end-of-line comments, which should start with a semicolon and continue until the end of the line.
This is how it used to work in older Marlin versions. Newer Marlin versions have a more advanced parser, but it still would not play well with these parentheses-style comments. It is best to avoid them, as compatibility is not guaranteed. |
How to open .max files I'm new to this forum. I need help opening a .max file a friend sent me. The thing is, I dont have Alias Maya. Well, Alias Maya that works anyway.
Is there any other file openers that I can use? Or do I have to get Maya to open the file? I dont want to get download 1.3 Gb and discover that there is 15mb file opener. ;-)
Is there a file converter maybe? That converts .max to, maybe .obj?
Many thanks | You could try import it with blender. It's a free software which should be able to import the files.
First thing is to go the the File->User Preferences->Add Ons tab. In the Import-Export section, enable the 3DS Add-on.
After that you can export it to the desired format. Before exporting you must select the model/mesh you want to export. Otherwise nothing will be exported. The obj exporter is enabled by default in blender. |
What is the power consumption of the heatbed and hotend? What is the power consumption of your heatbed (size) and hotend (model)?
I want to verify that it is possible to use a battery to power them. | I have a Kill-A-Watt meter so I got a pretty good measurement for you with my Anet A6. Like Petar said each model is different but this should give you a idea. When heating both the nozzle and heat bed the printer consumes 160 W of power, once to temp it backs down to 9 W (it also uses 9 W when just "sitting doing nothing and is on"). When the nozzle and bed get down in temp it hits back up to 160 W. Basically it is never a consistent heating, it is on and off. Like a refrigerator.
When it comes to heating only the nozzle the printer uses 60 W (so 51 W is going to the nozzle for heating).
When it comes to heating only the bed the printer uses 142 W (133 W to the bed).
This is interesting because it would make sense the printer needs more than 160 W when 51 W is going for the nozzle and 142 W going to the bed, that makes 193 W. I make mention of this because that may suggest my power supply is not big enough and the printer could really use around 200 W.
As a little bonus when the printer is moving around (stepper motors are active) I find it using 35-40 W (or 26-31 W) to power the steppers.
So with all the said, is it possible to use a battery? Yes, you could. And to give a example a car battery should have 80 Amp-hours (or something like that, but we will go with it). With that battery you can get 960 Wh (Watt-hours) from the battery before it dies. Going with my printer using 160 W I will get 6 hours of printing time. But keep in mind as the battery is used the voltage will drop, so in the end the printer will be getting something like 10 V which I am sure will affect heating and overall performance.
Last thing I feel that needs to be said. If using a inverter to convert the 12 V battery to 110 V (or whatever voltage you use) a cheap one will not be healthy for the printer. Cheap inverters put out square waves instead of sines waves. Basically it will hurt the printer. You can learn more at this WEBSITE
"Update" on March 4
I read a comment that mentioned running right off the battery without a battery and then I thought of something that I did not think of before. And that would be protecting the battery itself
So I said you can run the printer off the battery. There was one issue that I had not thought of. And that was the voltage drop and the battery discharged. A battery usually does not have voltage-cut off to keep the battery from being overly discharged, and a printer does not have anything to measure voltage (why should it). So a simple hook up of a 3D printer to a battery is prone to drain the battery much lower than 10 V, which will greatly shorten a battery life-span. This can be prevented two ways.
A circuit between battery and 3D printer. There is plenty of circuits that can be bought as long as they cut power to printer at 10 V or something (for lead acid anyway) and can handle the amperage draw.
An inverter can also be used because this voltage cut off is already in them. But remember that square waves are bad for the printer. |
Anet A6 printer power on/off Just built my new Anet A6 and not seeing a power off button.
How do I power it down safely?
Am I missing something? | The Anet A6 does not have a power switch. To power the printer you need to put the power cord into the socket. To "safely power off" the printer you need to pull the plug from the socket. You can even pull the plug during usage when it appears to go wrong (e.g. when the nozzle is digging into the bed). The printer runs a continuous running program/instructions that can be interrupted at any time, it does not have to be shut down according to a certain procedure like computer operating systems that use a proper file system.
You can insert a power button in the power cord yourself for ease of use.
Furthermore, it is pretty common to replace the power cord for a computer power cord with a C13 plug and connect a C14 socket with power button (and an optional fuse) to the power supply unit:
Please note that it is very dangerous to mess with the mains voltage, so please be sure what you do or get help from someone that does. Use proper tools to crimp wire correctors to the leads.
If you are not able to do the rewiring of cables to put in a switch, plug the printer into a power strip with an integrated switch button. |
slic3r: Can I vary the infill percentage for different heights of my model? How can I vary the infill percentage for different layer heights of my model?
Context: The bottom part of my model needs about 20% infill. The geometry of the top part of the model (mostly cones of various sizes) prints well with 0% infill and is of course a lot faster to print if I can specify this. | Your question is very similar to Different infill in the same part and Using multiple infill types within one model [duplicate]. The difference is that you specifically ask for Slic3r and a variation in layer height infill percentage.
Actually this answer describes using "helper volumes" in Ultimaker Cura to set different properties for certain parts of the model (UPDATE: that answer now includes also Slic3r instructions), but it appears that this answer is very much applicable to Slic3r also. Please read this posting. Quoting from the reference:
Finally, I fired Slic3r up and loaded the main part, then clicked on
Settings... and then hit Load modifier... I loaded the new volume as a
modifier mesh and I applied 100% solid infill...
Secondly, this answer where 2 different infill percentage sliced models are manually combined at a certain height may also work for you (this is a perfect valid solution for Slic3r, but requires some editing skills).
Basically, although you request for a solution for a slicer other than already described in other questions, boils down to a similar answer, the only difference is the implementation in Slic3r is called differently.
To do this in Slic3r see this reference.
The blog describes the use of a simple volume (the green volume loaded from an STL file). After loading:
Right-clicking on the main part brought up the object settings menu.
From there, clicking "Load Modifier" and selecting the previously
saved model adds it to the part as a modifier.
The green "+" was selected and "Fill Density" was added to modifier
list and set to 100%.
This shows that the functionality in Slic3r is very similar to the functionality in Ultimaker Cura. |
What is "HDPLA", and why is it so hard to find out more about it? Googling 'HDPLA' has so far availed me very little.
http://3dinsider.com/what-is-pla/ indicates that /all/ modern PLA is 'high density' compared to 'the early days'. But a fellow at the local makerspace indicated that he was specifically using 'HDPLA', with [he claimed] markedly better properties than regular PLA in the final product.
A company named Florion claims to have some secret sauce they add to their PLA, and Maker Filament touts a high temp PLA; but neither seems to use the 'HD' prefix.
I haven't yet been able to track down the fellow to get any more specifics from him. There's no reel of the stuff sitting around so I can't look at its labeling for clues. He claimed to be fabbing lab fittings but I don't know the intended operating situation/requirements.
It's possible he meant something else, like HDPE, which would be quite inert and thus a good choice for lab fittings--but I'd like to think that if it was lab equipment he was making he'd get the name of the polymer right.
Comments, including any regarding the Florion or Maker Filament or any other 'high performance' PLAs, would be most welcome. | So, low-teck, old-style investigative work from my side.... I contacted a company selling HDPLA and they got back to me with the following reply.
We created HDPLA as an industrial PLA with special additives. As a result, our so called HDPLA has the advantages of ABS, but prints as easy as regular PLA. HDPLA has high impact, high strength and high heat deflection temperature (hdt). You can also print at high speed (max 140mm/s inhouse tests). HDPLA has is own high strength, but is even more strong after annealing. A heated bed is not necessary (50-60˚C recommended), and you can print with HDPLA with a 3D printer with open structure.
This is strikingly similar to the description of what 3Dprima calls "Prima SELECT PRO":
PrimaSelect™ PLA PRO ist the next generation of high performance PLA for demanding industrial applications. Designed to be able to print fast >120mm/s so you can save on production time. Very high heat resistance (95°C+) after annealing. Excellent mechanical properties combined with a matte surface finish that helps concealing the printed layers for optimum appearance.
While writing this answer I also found a page that escaped my googling until now, sating an additional property of "their" HDPLA: food safety.
With our HD PLA you have many more options. You can use this material in two ways. Choose the one you like best. You can use it as a normal PLA and get prints characterized by a very good adhesion between the layers and high precision. You can also make your prints acquire similar properties to that of ABS – better impact resistance and high temperature resistance. All you need is an oven. Yes, an oven! By annealing our HD PLA in an oven, in accordance with the manual, you will avoid all the inconveniences of printing with ABS, such as unpleasant odour or hazardous fumes. But these are not all the advantages of HD PLA. For the production of this material we have chosen raw materials that are approved for food contact in compliance with the EU directive and FDA regulations. HD PLA is also certified by RoHS.
So, it looks like HDPLA is not the shorthand of a polymer molecule, but rather a trade word indicating that the base PLA has been mixed with additives. Furthermore, the answer I got via mail seems to indicate that "HD" refers to the high Heat Deflection temperature of the filament (the heat deflection temperature is the temperature at which a polymer or plastic sample deforms under a specified load). |
Calculating the estimated print time of an already sliced file I started to write an application that calculates the estimated total print time from the G-code file for an already sliced model.
The program works and it's pretty accurate.
It works as follows:
It scans the entire G-code file to identify all of the movements
It calculates the time for each move by dividing segment distance by the speed in mm/s.
Let's assume this is the G-code:
G28 ; home all axes
G1 Z0.200 F5400.000
G1 X158.878 Y27.769 E6.65594 F900.000
This is the calculation it does:
totalTime = 0
# G28 ; home all axes
currentX = 0 mm
currentY = 0 mm
currentZ = 0 mm
# G1 Z0.200 F5400.000
newZ = 0.2 mm
mmPerSecond = 5400 / 60 = 90 mm/s
deltaZ = newZ - currentZ = 0.2 - 0 = 0.2 mm
segmentLength = deltaZ = 0.2 mm
moveTime = segmentLength / mmPerSecond = 0.2 / 90 = 0.002 s
totalTime = totalTime + moveTime = 0 + 0.002 = 0.002 s
# G1 X158.878 Y27.769 E6.65594 F900.000
newX = 158.878 mm
newY = 27.769 mm
mmPerSecond = 900 / 60 = 15 mm/s
deltaX = newX - currentX = 158.878 - 0 = 158.878 mm
deltaY = newY - currentY = 27.769 - 0 = 27.769 mm
segmentLength = square_root(deltaX² + deltaY²) = 161.287 mm
moveTime = deltaZ / mmPerSecond = 161.287 / 15 = 10.755 s
totalTime = totalTime + moveTime = 0.002 + 10.755 = 10.757 s
In this example, the print will take approximately 10.7 seconds.
More generally, the formula used is, for each movement:
moveTime = segmentLength / mmPerSecond
By summing up all the move times, we have the total estimated print time.
I've seen that some forums state that the 3D print time also depends on some settings on the 3D printer, especially Acceleration X, Acceleration Y, Acceleration Z, Jerk, and Z-Jerk.
I'd like to make it possible to use those values to more accurately calculate print time; however, I don't understand how those values affect the move time:
How should Acceleration and Jerk be considered; and, how do they speed up or slow down the print time?
How should I edit my formula in order to include Acceleration and Jerk in the print time calculation? | First of all, there are some nice open source analyzers written in JavaScript that you can use online, or read the source to, at https://www.gcodeanalyser.com/ and http://gcode.ws/. Their predictions don't fully match actual printer firmware, but they do a reasonably close job, and reading them would be informative.
Basically, the story behind acceleration and jerk is that you can't change the velocity (speed or direction) of the print head instantaneously. It takes time to speed up and slow down. Acceleration is the max rate at which the velocity of the print head can change. Jerk is something of a misnomer/hack, and is the max fake-instantaneous change in velocity allowed at the junction of two segments/curves. The point of jerk is to avoid choppy motion when moving along a curve made up of many segments by accelerating/decelerating at each tiny corner. Note that there are two sets of settings for both acceleration and jerk:
a maximum absolute value (3D vector length) that frequently changed as part of the gcode in order to use different acceleration profiles for print moves vs travel moves, walls vs infill, etc.
per-axis absolute values (standard 1D absolute value) for the limitations of the machine, that are usually set in the printer's settings or the start gcode profile for your printer and never changed.
Movement is constrained to always respect both sets of settings.
Printer firmware uses acceleration and jerk settings along with lookahead at upcoming motion commands to decide how to actually operate the motors. When it starts a motion, it has to accelerate up to the configured max velocity within the acceleration constraints. It also has to start slowing back down midway through unless it knows the next motion is going to continue in the exact same direction; how much it has to slow down depends on the difference in the vectors of motion. If the next motion is going to be in approximately the same direction, it may be able to avoid slowing down by using the jerk allowance to make an "instantaneous" change of velocity at the corner. Only if you have long (relative to speed) linear or approximately linear motions will you ever actually reach the requested speed.
So, to estimate print time, you need to model this. Keep track of print head velocity while processing/simulating the gcode, and for each motion command, compute velocity as a function of time using the acceleration limits (accelerating at the max rate they allow). You also need to figure out the final velocity you want to end the motion with in order to be able to start the next motion command, and a point to start decelerating if necessary to reach that. |
Ramps 1.4 1.8 stepper motor extrusion calculation I have Ramps 1.4 and would like to get answer on extrusion in Marlin firmware. I have NEMA 17 stepper motor 1.8 deg, set to 1/16 step. Mk7 direct drive.
38 teeth in extruder drive gear. I bought it from this website.
Here are my current settings:
#define DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT { 80,80, 4000, 180 }
#define DEFAULT_MAX_FEEDRATE { 500, 500, 3, 45 }
#define DEFAULT_MAX_ACCELERATION { 9000, 9000, 100, 300 }
I am using ABS 1.75 filament and a 0.4 nozzle. | According to the description, the drive gear you have has a 10.8mm diameter. This means that (in the ideal case) one full rotation of the drive gear will advance a length of filament equal to its circumference, which is pi x 10.8mm or approximately 33.93mm.
Your motor rotates 1.8 degrees per step, so it takes 360 / 1.8 = 200 steps for a full rotation. Since you are using 16x microstepping, this is multiplied to 200 x 16 = 3200 steps.
You thus end up with a steps per mm value of 3200 / 33.93 = 94.31 steps/mm.
You might need to calibrate this further, for instance by extruding a set length of filament (e.g. 100mm) and measuring how much is actually extruded, and then compensating the steps/mm value to get you closer to the desired 100mm. A simple way to measure this is to put a mark on your filament at 150mm from the extruder, and then (after extruding 100mm) measure how close the mark is to the extruder (which should be 50mm) However, this theoretically computed value should be a good starting point. Note that the speed you do this test at should be close to your normal printing speed, since extruding at a much higher (resp. lower) speed will falsely lead you to believe you are underextruding (resp. overextruding). |
photogrammetry with partially translucent objects I've captured a stationary spinning object in a computer game. It's semi translucent and there are stationary objects behind it.
As I expected it did not convert using Autodesk's remake. It gives no explanation other than 'Error'. I obviously can't paint the object. Are there any techniques in Photoshop that will let me manually fix the images to reduce the translucency?
Any other program that might produce a mesh from images? The game objects can't be extracted via any other program I've tried. | I found at least 2 online pages that'll create a 3D stl from an image, basically using intensity (brightness) to determine depth.
selva3d.com and embossify.com
I used it with success on a binary (black or white) image, at least. |
Does an enclosure need a roof to print ABS? I have an Ender 5 printer, which is a frame-based printer with no enclosure. However, I want to print ABS. Some experiments with a massive cardboard box have shown me I need an enclosure.
Because the printer has a box frame, fitting some perspex sheets will be easy. The bit that won't be easy is the top - the filament tube projects fairly high.
Will I need to cover the top for ABS though? I read somewhere that drafts are a killer for ABS, which perspex around the sides should prevent. I guess most of the heat from the heat bed will be lost out of the top, so will this be a problem for layer adhesion? | Sides without a top will help.
Sides with a top will help more.
Do you need either? That depends. How warm, how dry, how drafty is your printing room? |
Problems with ColorFabb XT: over extrusion I could really use some help here. I am trying to print with ColorFabb XT and have been having an overflow problem, which creates an accumulation of material on the nozzle tip creating stringing and depositing random chunks of material randomly throughout the print. When I get the nozzle to 250 °C, the filament flows heavily by itself.
I have upped the print speed, retraction speed and retraction distance and results are getting better, but the problem is still present and my concern is the values are getting relatively high.
I am using a CR-10S Pro and my settings are:
Print speed: 80 mm/s
Nozzle temp: 250 °C
Bed temp: 70 °C
Retraction speed: 50 mm/s
Retraction distance: 7.5 mm
I have managed to print some pieces that don't require much traveling since they are round and filament is deposited in a concentric pattern and also each layer didn't use a lot of material but whenever pieces have bigger cross sections and layers need to deposit more material or there is a minimum amount of travel needed, the problem becomes evident.
Any ideas?
Has anyone had experience with this material? | Level the bed and check your filament diameter.
Usually this occurs because the space between the nozzle and bed is greater than it should be for the material put out of the nozzle.
Such conditions can happen for a variety of reasons but usually it's an improper bed leveling.
Filament diameter vs what your slicer program thinks is the filament diameter is one of the easier ways to control material output after bed is level. (Sometimes I tell my slicer that the material is smaller than it really is to get it to output more)
Sometimes your z axis moves too much or you are using a layer height that your z axis could not handle. You may have to increase layer thickness.
Getting the temperatures into a point where it is not too hot and not too cold is also important. If the material is too cold, it won't stick. If too hot, it cools and shrinks by the time your new layer gets to it ( making it lower or warped out of place from where the new layer tries to stick ) Increasing bed temperatures is a good way to help counteract the shrinkage. |
How to join pieces automatically using interlocking or similar? I have a piece, which I need to cut into two different pieces, see image 1.
Image 1
Then I need to make interlocking joints or similar, see image 2.
Image 2
How can I do that automatically, using Solidworks or another program?
It's an *.STL file so I can easily manipulate all parts without any errors. | I'm not qualified to advise regarding Solidworks, but can suggest a process and concept from which you may be able to adapt to your software.
As you have the two pieces currently in STL form, it makes things only slightly more difficult. Consider to align them parametrically so the faces contact and the edges are coincidental. The block STL will appear as a single cube, in the example you've provided.
Create and place a mating cylinder piece in the desired position as you've shown in the second image. It is a common feature of many 3D modeling programs to be able to perform a subtraction of one part from another. It is equally common to be able to merge two parts into a single manifold part.
Save the file containing the three parts.
Select either block and the cylinder. You can delete or otherwise hide or deselect the unused block. Perform a subtraction on the remaining pair. Save this file under a different name.
Reload the three parts file.
Select the other block and cylinder, perform a union of the pair. Save this file under a different name.
Rather than saving the three parts in a file, one can frequently save the joined or subtracted part and perform an undo until the three parts return. This is a faster more convenient method.
I have performed the above steps in Meshmixer and know that it can be done in Blender, if one is skilled in these programs.
I've performed an internet search for "perform boolean subtraction solidworks" and found multiple results for this process. One link references the "cavity" feature for subtraction. I did not search for boolean union and leave this as an exercise for the reader.
Consider also to plan for this activity in the future by leaving the block intact, unsliced, place the cylinder, perform the boolean action, then slice it as desired. The sequence of saves and/or undo actions will be different from above, but may be easier than re-aligning a previously sliced "block" or item. |
How can I set the position in Pronterface? I'm in the process of building a 3D printer and have all the stepper motors wired up and the controller connected to the computer running pronterface.
I can move each axis and also send g-code to the printer.
Now how can I define the current position to be the 0/0/0 position?
I'd like to move the printer into a position where I think should be the zero position and define it as such in pronterface somehow. | G92 X0 Y0 Z0
tells the printer that the current position is (0,0,0). |
Subtract of two STL files in Slic3r software I have a question about Slic3r software.
I would like to subtract two parts. For example, I have an STL model, when I right click on the part, I can select Settings..., and in the Settings window, I can select modifier and I can select slab.with selecting proper thickness. Now we have two parts where one of them is inside of another. My problem is subtracting those two parts.
How can I subtract this part from another? | Given my limited familiarity with all the CAD tools that exist, I would fall back to something that I know does binary operations on volumes -- openScad.
One can create two objects, one from each of the two STL files, and subtract one from the other. One can also compute intersections, unions, and other operations.
There are probably other programs that also do this, but openScad allows for doing in programmatically, so that once you have it right, you can update the objects without needing to redo the finicky part of the operations.
slic3r may do this, but I haven't seen such features in my multi-year use of slic3r for slicing.
When in doubt, IMO it is better to script something. It is virtually never that I do something only once, especially in 3D printing where rapid prototype leads to rapid change and improvement. |
Randomly underextruding/overextruding small part on CR-10 I am printing fairly cheap, but highly rated, PLA and not sure whether this is underextrusion or overextrusion; but it just looks bumpy and not clean. My settings:
195 °C at 60 mm/s bed temp 50 °C
0.4 mm nozzle at 90 % extrusion
0.1 mm layer height
6 mm retraction at 60 mm/s with 0.50 mm coasting
I tried at 190 °C and it severely underextruded halfway through, but the outside looks much smoother; I also tried with and without coasting with no difference and tried adding -0.2 mm extra restart distance which didn't change much either. Could this be because I am just printing a rather small part (25 mm diameter)? I think this because I tried printing a much larger 100 mm diameter hemisphere just before, which printed perfectly using the exact same filament.
I've switched out to a new 0.4 mm nozzle, tried a 0.6 mm nozzle, but the only complete print I got had this rough and bumpy outside. It is printed in the orientation shown as removing support from those thin legs lead to them snapping.
I also had moderate stringing throughout, which I thought coasting and restart distance would fix.
Any ideas would be much appreciated.
Edit 12/04:
I have since reinstalled one of my all metal hotends, as I wasn't using them due to clogging issues, installed a brand new 0.4 mm nozzle, set the extrusion multiplier to 1.0 and disabled coasting. I also calibrated my e-steps, which means I needed to buy an arduino and burn new firmware.
Sadly I didn't print in between fixed, but these are the results I got.
The prints are much better but there is some pretty serious stringing and zits due to me needing to reduce the retraction distance for the hotend to 2 mm, as the 6 mm distance I was using before would make it clog; but since I'm using a bowden extruder it creates stringing. How could I go about fixing this? I feel like I'm playing a game of whack-a-mole. | The first one has major extrusion problems going on, possibly combined with issues caused by things you did to compensate for it or other issues. You should not see "bubbly" surfaces like that. There are a lot of things it could be, but my best guesses are wet filament, clogged nozzle or damage in the ptfe tube (if your printer uses one), and your 90% flow rate. If it was really printed "right after" the successful hemisphere that probably rules out wet filament and indicates a clog of some sort or your changes to settings.
Your retraction amount is probably good if you have a bowden printer but excessive and likely to clog with direct drive. Coasting and extra unretract are always wrong; they were a hack from a long time ago trying to simulate what linear advance feature in firmware does, but with a fixed hardcoded offset. Flow rate as low as 90% is also wrong unless your steps per mm were miscalculated. You can only go up/down by a few % without messing things up badly; there just isn't that much room for error. |
Resin printing on Voxelab Polaris I've recently got an Elegoo Mars-like resin printer which is called Voxelab Polaris. So far, I have a lot of success with it, but one piece is proving really tough to print and I'm hoping for advice!
These Settlers Of Catan tiles are natively about 90x97 mm.
It's too big to print flat on my 130x82x155 mm print bed, so I've been trying to print it at a variety of angles including vertically. When printed vertical, it tends to warp along the long axis, and when done at an angle including supports there's not enough landing area to stick it to the print bed.
I've tried printing two together back-to-back, but in Chitubox I can't find a way to add supports between two pieces on the bed (only from each piece to the bed).
Anyone got any insights about how I might print this in resin? | If you want to print flat, you could easily print all parts at 90 %: the bounding box dimensions now are 81.16 x 88 mm - and as a result, you can print some other parts flat next to it but not more than one tile at the same time. Remember to print all cities and roads at 90 % too. |
Photogrammetry using pure rotation? I have a set of 42 images made as a rotation around the object and it is failing to generate a model in Visual SFM. From what I can gather, the problem is that just doing a rotation is insufficient. There must photographs taken from above as well.
Is there any way to avoid the need for high angle shots, and just use rotational shots and still get a 3D model from Visual SFM? | This is not a problem specific to Visual SFM, but a general technical problem. The software cannot accurately determine the depth of the pieces which approach perpendicularity with the camera lens. The software uses those varying measurements and estimated angles to calculate the geometry. Check out the law of cosines. |
In the standard PC Cable Wire that goes from the wall outlet to the switching power supply, are they standard and what are the wire specifications? What are the specifications of the three wires inside a PC cable that is used to connect the switching power supply to a US AC outlet.
The positive, negative and ground appear to be the same gauge stranded cable, and I've heard that it can handle 10A, but beyond that I don't really know what the rest of the specifications for the wire are. | Very basically speaking, electricity works like this:
There's some source that delivers a certain voltage.
You have a device that operates at a certain voltage. The device voltage and supply voltage should always match. No, don't put that 120V US device in a 230V outlet in Europe.
The device does something. By doing something it draws current. Most devices also draw some current when not doing anything.
How much power your device draws is the product of these two values:voltage x current = power
So far, so good. In your case:
US AC outlet.
the voltage is 120V.
On this other question of yours you linked to this power
supply on amazon. Besides being available gift-wrapped, it
states the following feature:
You can choose the input voltage (110V/240V) by switch.
110V ≈ 120V, which means the device voltage matches your supply
voltage.
The supply can deliver 30A at 12V on the DC side which means 360W.
If it could transform the electricity ideally, without any
inefficiency, that would be 3A at 120V on the AC side. But your
supply is unlikely ideal. Wikipedia suggests 60-95% efficiency.
Let's be super pessimistic and assume 50%. That means half the power
that goes into the switch power supply is turned into heat. In order
to still get the 360W out, you have to insert 720W. That means
your device draws 6A on the AC side.
What does this all mean for your wire?
What wire size do you need for this supply?
Coincidentally, the above link to the amazon website showing your power supply also suggests the following PC ATX power supplies to me:
Sentey Power Supply 725 Watt
Sentey Power Supply 1000 Watt
Let's get this straight: You can buy a power supply for a PC and plug it into your outlet without even thinking about what a wire size is. You'd just plug and play. That PC power supply will potentially draw more current than the power supply of your 3D printer. A standard wire would be able to supply either one of the PC ATX power supplies linked above and would not have a problem delivering a lower current to the power supply of your 3D printer.
The switching supply doesn't have a plug like a PC ATX supply, but that on its own doesn't make it any less secure (if wired up properly). It's just less common for household appliances.
Ultimately, I'd like to avoid a fire, or damage to the house wiring.
That's a good and valid concern.
PC Power supplies deliver 12V and supply more than enough current (like the examples above). They are probably in use in your house already and did neither set it on fire nor damage the house wiring.
A switching mode power supply is just as secure and if bought from a known brand unlikely to do you any harm either if used properly and within its specifications.
Ultimately, this is not a question of secure electricity but a trade-off between secure electricity and the price to pay for it. The standard wire and it's specifications have little to do with this.
Personally, I also use a cheap switching power supply made in china for my printer. It's very noisy and I pull the plug when I leave it unattended. |
What type 3D printer is? I have found a video about Invisalign. I saw a 3D printer in the video but I did not understand its type. Can you help me? Do you share a brief piece of information about its type?
Below is the video on YouTube. | In the video, there is this still from 0:32:
The labeling is iPro 8000, which is a 3dSystems resin printer using SLA technology. |
Adequate default filament diameter for Anycubic Mega X Does anybody if the Anycube Mega X comes with a nozzle for 1.75 mm filaments or is it 2.85 mm?
I saw online that it works with 1.75 mm filaments but the Cura settings given by the manufacturer had 2.85 mm.
I should mention that using a 1.75 mm filament works BUT my designs have clear under-extrusion, which is very likely caused by having 2.85 mm in the settings. So at this moment, I am trying to gauge whether to change the settings to 1.75 mm or buying 2.85 mm filaments (this only works if the Mega X comes with the appropriate nozzle). | Reading all 49 pages of the manual was fruitless. I'm astonished that there is no reference to the filament diameter used in this printer.
From 3dJake's web site comes a confirmation that the printer uses 1.75 mm filament.
It's not a matter of changing a nozzle to use 2.85 mm filament, as the entire filament path is based, in this printer, on the 1.75 mm specification.
To find 3Djake's site, I used "anycubic mega x filament diameter" as the search terms. Many other links appeared, confirming the 1.75 mm filament size. |
Which type of extrusion problem? I'm a novice in 3D printing. I have a Lulzbot Kittaz 3D printer with a hexagonal hot end of 0.35 mm. I have printed a test subject, and while I was printing I encountered this extrusion problem. I'm using ABS with 230 °C hot end temperature and 85 °C bed temperature. What kind of problem is this and how should I rectify it?
I took this photo when the printer printed the first layer: | It looks like you are not extruding at the correct rate. I would check your slicer settings for nozzle and filament size. Also check and calibrate for your filament diameter.
It looks like you could be getting better adhesion too. Lulzbot recommends a 110C bed temperature. That might help. (lulzbot.com/store/filament/abs under specifications)
These are some good resources to troubleshoot prints,
RepRap
All3DP
Simplify3D |
What are the safest temperatures to heat different filaments to? I recently backed a 3D printer on Kickstarter, and I would like to 3D print parts for high-temperature applications. So I have two questions;
What's the highest temperature polycarbonate can be safely heated to without warping or releasing toxins?
If there's a filament with better temp-resistance I can print could you tell me? (If you know the highest temperature it could reach safely, that would be helpful too.)
My 3D printer will have a heated bed up to 100°C, and an extruder temp of up to 250°C. | Polycarbonate is heat-resistant up to ~120C. Above this temperature it will gradually become flexible and may irreversibly bend. It will not generate any toxic fumes all the way up to ignition temperature (630C), because it's fumes are not considered harmful. Note though, that with your temperature limit you may not be able to print with polycarbonate, or only do so at a very low speed.
According to the sheets of commercially available printable plastics, PC has the highest printing temperature and heat resistance among them, seconded by nylon. This refers to the FDM printers only. SLS printers may be able to use other materials, even metals like aluminum or titanium, so if you really wish to get temperature-resistant prints, you may look for workshops that have SLS printers and ask them. |
Thermal Stress Cracking During Heat-Up on Glass Heated Bed About two months ago, I added a heated bed to my custom 3D printer in order to print larger ABS parts for my research project. The heated bed (the PCB kind) was not new, but taken from an old printer I had built, but took apart. The bed worked well for a few weeks, but after one print finished, the glass bed above the heater PCB had shattered into several pieces (represented by bed 1 in the image below) and the nozzle was below the level of the bed (I believed it had lowered into the glass causing the breakage. I haven't determined what caused this motion, but it hasn't happened since). Notably, this print was using the heated bed at 90 °C. I chalked this up to a freak accident, and since it did not happen again, just replaced the glass and kept printing.
However, as soon as the heated bed was activated after the replacement, a small crack appeared on the glass and continued to lengthen as time progressed. I took off the glass as soon as possible and prevented it from fully breaking (see bed 2 in the image below. This bed was smaller as I didn't have access to a large enough piece of glass at the time).
At this point, I figured something more than an impact caused the glass to shatter. Since both cracks occurred when the bed was heating or cooling, I figured that thermal shock could potentially be the source of the cracking, and a quick google reinforced this idea. Due to the nature of both cracks (not being straight shards but meandering around the build plate and propagating slowly), they both appeared to have been caused, or at least propagated, by thermal effects.
To try to avoid future cracking, I took care in assembling the third bed. The heater PCB was attached tightly to the glass with Kapton tape and a thin layer of thermal paste was added as an interface layer to try to get an even contact and heat distribution throughout the glass plate. I made sure that the cardboard shims (which press the glass into the clips) were not too compressed, thinking that pressure in the middle of the glass plate from the shims may have accentuated the cracking by putting the top of the glass under tension.
But after a few cycles with this new bed, the same problem appeared (bed 3 below). This time, the cracking was as severe as the first case, but no impact occurred and I was not touching the bed. The bed was heating up to temperature (90 °C) when the cracking occurred. The strangest part is, the file set to print was one I had already printed successfully on the newest bed.
At this point I am at a loss and don't know what to do next. I don't want to make another bed just to have it crack in a few prints, but I need the bed in the near future. Any suggestions to mitigate this problem would be greatly appreciated.
Update (currently fixed)
I have replaced the bed with a borosilicate glass sheet, switched the heater to a stick-on 120V silicone heater (the same size as the bed), and added a PEI sheet on top. After about 2 months, it is working great and no cracks have formed. My best guess is that it was a combination of poor glass, possibly with small fractures on the edges already since I cut it myself, and the heater which was too small for the bed. Thanks for the suggestions! | The problem is in the design of your bed. Let's start from the basic setup of a glass bed:
The heater element is usually mounted to a metal carrier, which is both spreading the thermal energy over the bed, but also is the structural element that is leveled against the carriage. Atop that comes the glass print surface.
Now, once the heater element is turned on, the aluminium starts to expand and evens the distribution to the glass. As the glass has a much lower thermal expansion coefficient, it doesn't expand as fast. Because of this, the glass surface should never be glued to the bed or heater but held in position to the metal bed with a clip. This way the thermal and mechanical stress on the glass sheet is mitigated: The metal bed evens the heat transfer and the clip can move its position on the glass. |
Adding extra Z-offset to bed for PETG in Slic3r Having printed exclusively in PLA for the past year, I'm now looking at trying out PETG in order to print a set of spare parts for my new Prusa i3 mk3.
I have bought a roll of PETG from Rigid.ink and their recommendation is to leave an extra 0.2mm gap between the nozzle and bed.
Can I achieve this extra Z offset in gcode using Slic3r PE, or would I need to do it using Live Z Adjust on the printer? How would I go about doing this if so?
Or is there some other way of doing it, so whenever I select my PETG filament profile in Slic3r, the extra Z-offset gets added? | An extra gap of 0.2 mm on top of your existing gap seems rather illogical as the filament is not squished at the build plate anymore. Furthermore 0.2 mm plus something you already have will soon result in a gap over 75% of your nozzle diameter (including your first layer; note that 75% is considered to be the max for good adhesion). The filament will then drop down to the plate... Possible effects/results can be seen in this recent question.
Having printed about 8 kg's of PETG, I have never had to add an additional gap. I have printed on various machines; Prusa clone, Ultimaker 3E and self build CoreXY. I use a 0.2 to 0.25 mm first layer thickness (for a 0.4 mm nozzle) while printing on glass or directly onto the aluminium bed using a PVA based spray glue (3DLAC). Beds are always leveled with the nozzle to bed distance of a sheet A4 printing paper. I have zero adhesion problems.
I would recommend you to try print as you would normally do and, when that does not work, increase the first layer in your slicer slightly. Printing temperature/speed towers is also recommended to find the best settings for your brand of PETG.
Now to address your specific question how to change the offset in your slicer; an additional offset can be added into your start code script by adding a move to a certain height and redefining the zero Z level. This should be typically done after auto leveling of the bed (if used). So before the first layer is being printed you could add:
; start code contains homing, pre-heating, auto-leveling, nozzle priming, etc.
G1 Z0.2 F500 ; Go to the level of 0.2 mm + your paper thickness
G92 Z0 ; This redefines the zero Z level
You can create custom startcode profiles in Slic3r (requires setting the Printer Settings) and store them with a specific name so you can have different printer profiles. |
How to "paint" a mesh on a stl/obj I have almost 0 experience in 3d modeling and I'm looking for a simple way to color a model.
I want to replicate this paint job of a model.
I've tried Blender, tried Mudbox and I don't have the money for Mari which is the software being used in the video.
The issue with both is that it seems to take forever to try and paint them. It's a high-poly model with a bunch of vertices. Both programs seize up and hang and I'm forced to quit them.
How can I simply and efficiently color the model to get it ready for sandstone color printing? | If you've looked into using Blender, you would have discovered that that program is free. It is also one of the better suited programs available for the task you've selected.
It's possible that your search terms may not have provided the best results for your objective. The task you describe is known as UV mapping, also known as adding texture to mesh, adding texture to a model. The generic term "texture" can be confused, as many people would consider texture to be the feel of a surface. Rough, smooth, slippery, etc., do not apply here.
Texture in the 3D modeling world applies to a surface description specific to visibility. In your task, texture refers directly to color.
Consider to search using the above terms or follow this lead:
Add texture to model Blender
Doing so provided a few quite well written links. One of the first to appear is an Instructable.
The above Instructable also links to a video, which is also a good location for learning basics for Blender and texturing models.
The above search also results in finding an SE entry directly related to Blender:
StackExchange Blender texture Q/A
Consider that you can create a flat image using your preferred graphics editor, placing shapes and colors as needed and then "project" or paste or plaster or project that image on the surface of the model in a controlled manner. This would be easier and faster than attempting to color manually individual triangles of the model's mesh. The SE link summarizes this process, although additional research is indicated.
Practice with Blender on simplified models and you should be able to grasp the necessary skills in short order. |
Temperature offset on Wanhao Duplicator i3 Mini I'm trying to print with PLA on a new Wanhao Duplicator i3 Mini. In regular temperature settings (200-210°C) the printer underextrudes and the extruder motor skips, which led me to suspect low nozzle temperature. Increasing the temperature to 225°C indeed allows the printer to print normally without any problems.
What can be the cause for this? Is it a faulty temperature reading? What is the way to fix it? | It's very difficult to diagnose 3D printers without physical access to the machine, but here's a few possibilities that come to mind (several of those may contribute together to the problem).
The temperature reading is poorly calibrated or defective
This means that the actual temperature is lower than what displayed. You can verify this hypothesis by using an IR thermometer or replacing the probe (on some printers the heat probe on the bed is the same than the one on the hot end, so you don't need to buy a new part).
The batch/brand of filament you have has a higher melting point than expected
So: the filament is supposed needs to be extruded at 225°C, but the label (or simply your assumption from having used other spools of filament) says otherwise. Just use that temperature and be happy.
The teeth of the extruder gear are worn
Within limits, the hotter the molten plastic is, the runnier. This means that at 225°C it will be less viscous than at 210°C and will strain the extruder motor less. If the gear of your extruder has worn teeth that won't "bite" deep enough into the filament, they will eventually slip when reaching a certain torque. The teeth of an extruder wheel should feel well defined under your fingers, if you are in doubt about them not being sharp enough, then they probably aren't, as the feeling is quite distinctive. Replacement gears can be purchased online very cheaply. EDIT: re-reading your question I realised you wrote that the motor skips, so this and the following point may not be the case for you, even if sometimes - but not always - slippage makes a similar noise to skipping.
The spring of the extruder gear is weak
See above, but here the root cause of the slippage is the extruder gear not being pushed hard enough into the filament. This is caused by the extruder spring being too weak. Most printers have some mechanism to regulate the tension of the spring. A DIY method is that of adding a stack of washers (or a custom printed cylinder) at one end of the spring in order to "pre-tension" it. Otherwise again: spring replacements are extremely cheap.
Your part fan is blowing on the nozzle
The temperature probe measures temperature at some place in the heat block, not the nozzle. If your part fan is blowing too high, the flow of air may be cooling down the nozzle, instead of the extruder part. You most definitively want to avoid this by repositioning the fan or printing a custom fan deflector (the latter is a classic among mods). This is an easy-to-diagnose problem as most slicers allow you to turn the part fan off. |
Random hot-end temperature spikes I've been having issues with thermal runaways lately due to random temperature spikes on my Ender 3.
I figured it was out of calibration so I did a PID tune and still had issues. I then replaced the thermistor and I'm still having issues. I'm going to try replacing the heater element tonight.
However, if anyone has some suggestions, please let me know. | It looks like a sensor issue. Maybe a temporary resistance in a contact of the sensor circuit made the temperature look low to the controler, so it applies power to raise the temperature. When the contection recovers, the temperature is too high, so the controller lowers the power to restore the temperature. |
How to change "home" settings on Ender 3 I have just got an Ender 3, I got a friend to build it for me, as my hands are not great. Which means I don't know what bit does what.
My problem is when I click on home setting, my nozzle is in front of my base plate and below it.
I have watched every video I can find about the set up, but they all assume that bit is ok. I have changed the axis setting to put it on it but it doesn't save the settings and as soon as I hit home its off the base plate again. I don't want to go any further re-printing, so at the moment it's just an ornament.
What am I doing wrong? | This isn't a matter of settings but physical adjustment (the endstop switches). Having the head home slightly off the bed in the X and/or Y direction is a good thing, because it means the Z homing can't crash into the bed if the bed height is misadjusted. On my Ender 3, the X axis homes slightly into the bed, but the Y homes such that the nozzle tip is in front of the bed. Note that normally you don't try to print at X=0 or Y=0 anyway.
As for the Z homing, you have to adjust the bed height ("bed leveling") via the 4 wheels under the corners of the bed to bring it to the right height. If you can't get it below the nozzle with the wheels all the way tightened, your Z endstop switch must be installed incorrectly. The Ender 3's Z endstop bracket is supposed to fit against the corner of the aluminum extrusion just below it so that it doesn't need adjustment, but it's possible to mount it incorrectly higher. This is a bad idea because if it loosens it can move. It might also be possible to incorrectly install it lower, in which case it would be misaligned because the machine screws couldn't be tightened down all the way. This is also a bad idea. Make sure it's in the right place.
As for actual bed height adjustment/leveling, there are lots of good guides to that and I won't try to reproduce/improve on them here. The "sheet of paper" method is very good. |
Bowden setup keeps jamming between PTFE tube and heatsink I keep getting a jam where the PTFE tube meets the top of the v6 hot end. I have the PTFE tube all the away in but for some reason it gets a bulge at that spot and will stop printing. It happens with or without retraction. Any ideas? | Filament sometimes get stuck on the rim of the PTFE tubes inside the heat sink. Josef Prusa from Prusa Research has published a document on how you should chamfer the PTFE tubes for his printers:
Maybe chamfering your tubes works for you too. |
Marlin Firmware Manual Mesh Leveling Why am I seeing two different versions of the way to enable manual leveling?
One option says to enable:
#define manual_bed_leveling
#define mesh_bed_leveling
And the other says to enable:
#define probe_manually
#define LCD_bed_leveling
#define mesh_bed_leveling
How is it that they both work? One is from the official marlin github and the other is from a tutorial that is confirmed to work. | If you look into the most recent version of Marlin you will find in file Marlin/SanityCheck.h:
elif defined(MANUAL_BED_LEVELING)
#error "MANUAL_BED_LEVELING is now LCD_BED_LEVELING. Please update your configuration."
This implies that constant MANUAL_BED_LEVELING is obsolete. It is not found anywhere else except for the file linked above. So, no, the constants are not supposed to do exactly the same. Instead an error is shown on compiling to update your configuration to exclude the constant MANUAL_BED_LEVELING. |
Which are the strongest and most durable materials? I am working on a robotics project and need to print some gears. These will probably by under a LOT of pressure. Which material/filament should I choose so that the gears don't wear off easily?
PS: Newbie here...
EDIT:
According to my instuctor, it has to be some sort of plastic (not metal).
It also has to be lightweight... | So, as you say you want to materials for printing robotics parts. And as you have not given any budget constraint, I would give you a list of materials which would help you achieve the task, and you can choose amongst them accordingly.
Plastics: Basically used for building prototypes. Nylon Polyamide should be a choice for you.
Polyamide 3D printing is achieved through SLS 3D printing. It offers
strong and flexible prints. The upside of this material is that the
printing technology requires minimum preparation of the 3D file before
printing. There is no need for support. And it also offers the
possibility to create intricate shapes and moving part in just one go.
After the print the polyamide can be polished and dyed.
Metals: Metals like Brass, Alumunium and Steel should be a good choice.
But, if I were to achieve your task, I would select carbon fiber. some details about it:
Carbon fiber consists of 90% carbon atoms, each fiber is 10 times
thinner than a human hair. Carbon is especially prized for its lack of
combustibility and infusability but also by its incredible strength
(stronger than steel) and ability to create flexible structure, light
weight and corrosion resistance. Its melting temperature is 1500, this
heat there are only carbon. |
Snap-in clamp geometry I apologize if this is in the wrong section, but it seems relevant.
I am an absolute noob at 3D printing, but recently my need for a specific, small part intersected with access to a 3D printer at work (Zortrax M200), so I figured now was a good opportunity to get into printing.
I am designing a clamp for smaller can capacitors that will hold them upright from a mounting surface. I would like the capacitors to snap into the clamp, but I am struggling to find information on how wide the opening to the clamp should be. It clearly needs to be smaller than the diameter of the clamp, but I'm not sure how much smaller it can be without snapping the clamp arms.
Is there a rule of thumb or general guideline for this type of geometry? I am using Z-ULTRAT, which is some proprietary filament made by Zortrax. It seems to be similar to ABS in terms of strength properties, but stiffer.
I don't have an image at the moment, but I can provide one tomorrow when I have access to the part files. The best analog I can think of is a LEGO figure's hands.
Thanks.
Edit: Per requests for additional information:
I am not sure what is considered a "thin" wall; currently, the clamp walls are 2mm thick at the thinnest point (where the push-in opening is).
I would like the walls to be just flexible enough to allow the cap to be seated without breaking - it is more critical that the cap is not loose in the socket.
The clamp is not going to be subject to repeated stress cycles - by the time the cap needs replacing, it's likely I'll need to print a new clamp as well.
With my estimations for cooling, I do not expect the clamp to see temperatures above 100C.
Edit 2:
Based on the link in the comments below, I came up with the following design:
The little nubbins in the back fit into the "neck" at the bottom of the capacitor to provide some positive lock. 220 degrees of surround with 4mm thick arms - I think this should work. | I am sure someone much smarter will be able to point you towards datasheets and maths equations that will tell you exactly what you could/can't do, however, I would say it depends on a few things:
Material - some materials have more give/flexibility, others have less. Depending how hot you expect the caps/surrounding components to get may also influence choices.
Wall thickness - Are you just after a 'thin walled' print, or something more solid. Thinner walls tend to be more flexible.
Reusability - are you going to snap the cap in once or twice, or thousands of times?
I would hazard a guess that about 210-220 degrees of "surrounding" would be enough.
Can you try it and see? Or do you only have one shot? |
What is the difference between M420 S and M420 S1? I have been reading through the Marlin website about ABL (Auto Bed Leveling) and I see what appears to be conflicting information.
At https://marlinfw.org/docs/features/auto_bed_leveling.html it states that running G28 (Auto Home) will turn off ABL and that to reactivate it you need to insert the code M420 S1.
However at https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/G029-mbl.html it states:
G28 disables bed leveling. Follow with M420 S to turn leveling on, or
use RESTORE_LEVELING_AFTER_G28 to automatically keep leveling on after
G28
The latter is referring mostly to manual bed leveling, but in this section is referring to ABL.
So what is the difference between the S and the S1 options? | TL;DR
Short answer: "There is no difference!".
Long answer
G-code is parsed line by line. The parser in the firmware reads the command and the options (also called parameters) following it, comments are discarded.
Therefore, option S should be followed by a Boolean value 0 for False or 1 for True. Without a value it is undefined and should be reported as incorrect or treated as false (in my opinion). But, the developers have chosen differently. If a Boolean value is expected and the value is not given, the parameter is parsed as true. This has analogy with other software options or switches like e.g. used by Linux commands.
This means that for Marlin the G-code M420 S is exactly the same as M420 S1.
I've checked this with another command (this is not depending on the G-code command as there is a single parser processiong the G-codes and the following parameters); M211 where M211 S is exactly the same as M211 S1. |
Extruder/nozzle keeps clogging up I have an Adventurer 3 printer from Flashforge and every time I unclog it, it gets clogged up again. I’ve done about 6 or 7 prints with it. So after I unclog it, I load the filament and it comes out of the nozzle like it should but once I start a 3D print, it’s clogged again. The process of what I do to unclog it is by heating the nozzle up and then shove a small metal rod down the nozzle to push out the clogged filament. I do this several times until its all gone. I’ve read up on what I can do to prevent it but it doesn’t seem to work. What should I do? | I can see from the photo that filament melted and frozen thicker inside extruder. This is the problem and not the clogged extruder. This thick part produce a lot of friction and actually diameter grow until the print finally will stuck. Basically I had the same problem and I could guess that you are also using Bowden setup. The length of this built thicker part is actually corresponded to your retraction length setting in your slicer (the default value in Cura is unreasonably big like 6.5 millimetres). I solved the same problem by decreasing retraction settings to about 2-3 mm. Just try it and I am sure you will not have this problem again. |
Why does slic3r get an error "302 moved temporarily" when uploading to OctoPrint? I have configured slic3r's OctoPrint Upload section with the with hostname ("octopi") and port (80) of my OctoPrint server. The Test button indicates a successful connection.
But when I use "Send to Printer" I get an HTTP error 302.
How can I fix this? | Specific answer: use "octopi.local" rather than "octopi", since that will properly resolve to the correct Octopi IP Address.
More generally, investigating the network traffic on my network (AT&T Fiber Home) revealed these facts regarding the octopi server:
With a browser, the octopi can be accessed via either "octopi:80" or "octopi.local:80".
However, "octopi" actually talks to the network router, which sends a "302" message with the target name "octopi.local".
So, for the browser it seems either name is correct, but in actuality only "octopi.local" is the correct network name for the octopi system.
And these facts regarding the slic3r configuration:
slic3r does not process "302" messages, instead treating them as errors. This is OK, since a properly configured network won't be generating these.
the slic3r connection test is incomplete. It reports success because it receives an HTTP response, even though the response is a 302 rather than the version information that it is requesting.
So in this particular case, entering "octopi.local" instead of "octopi" corrected the error. If you receive a 302 error, you will need to research and verify the exact IP address or host name for the target Octopi system.
A future version of slic3r should probably report an error on the "test" button if it doesn't (a) get a proper 200 return code and (b) return the proper version information as slic3r is requesting. |
Are self intersecting meshes dirty from a 3D printing perspective? I have never much cared about self intersecting meshes when slicing with Cura. Geometry like the one below are often practical. I for instance add lots of rivets that self intersect with the base geometry:
Now I have switched printer, and am using Simplify3D instead. All of a sudden, I get lots of problems with these models. The intersection of the objects become hollow. Simplify3D has a setting to join the outer solid shell but it also fills holes (such as the center hole of a gear).
I make models to sell so this is a big deal for me.
EDIT: Also, they printed perfectly fine in formlabs "slicer". | Self intersecting meshes are considered dirty, yes. The reason you haven't had trouble before is probably that the software you were using was cleaning your mesh for you, behind the scenes.
Generally speaking, these meshes can be cleaned without too much trouble by software like netfabb (https://www.netfabb.com/) which has a nice free version that I use for basic cleaning of some of my meshes. A quick google on "netfabb free fix mesh" should turn up a tutorial or two.
If you're interested in learning more about an operation you can use to make this a single unified mesh, it's called a Boolean Union, and the blender project has a nice (open source, I think?) implementation of such: (https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/booleans.html) |
Print fails at perpendicular boundaries I recently changed the printhead on my DeltaMaker from stock to an E3D Lite6, and am struggling to get back to my original quality, reliability, and repeatability. I thought I had gotten the recipe pretty close to dialed in and tried a bigger print last night. It turned out pretty good in most respects except for where vertical structures rise up from the horizontal surface (and a retraction/stringing issue that I didn't think was but perhaps could be related).
The screw hole mounts seem well-designed to me:
No 90 degree transitions - I would think this would be the least of my problems. But last night they had serious problems:
I haven't seen a problem like that before. Extrusion rate seems basically perfect - why does it look like it just stopped extruding around the perimeters?
I'm using PLA filament and Simplify3D 3.1.0 slicing. Settings:
0.35 mm nozzle, 0.40 mm extrusion width, 1.05 extrusion multiplier
0.15 mm layer height, 3 top, 3 bottom layers, 2 perimeter shells (maybe should try 3?)
30% infill, 60% outline overlap, 110% infill extrusion width
Temp is 220°C (thermocouple wedged between nozzle and heater block reports about 206°C when thermistor says 220°C)
Print speed is 2700 mm/min (45 mm/s)
Has anyone seen this issue before?
UPDATE:
Increasing outline overlap from 60% to 90% almost fixes the problem (at least visually if not structurally) - there's just one small hole at the base of each structure. (I stopped the print a few layers after the problem layers do ignore the tops.)
Going to 99% (Simplify3D's max) would probably get rid of those last holes but I have to think that maxing out S3D's outline overlap setting to just barely make the print work means I haven't found or addressed the true root cause... | Since you said you don't have a cooling fan, try lowering the temperature on your print head to something like 205. The strings in the first and second picture also occur more often when the print temperature is too high as well.
The layer time gets really small at that transition, so make sure the print speed is slowing down while printing that part of the object and pausing in between those layers to allow for cooling.
It looks like the plastic is still molten and is being dragged around too me. |
Do spare throats or a heater blocks ever break? A question to those who have a 3D printer. Have you ever needed a spare throat or a heater block? Do they ever break?
I just bought some spare parts: heaters, thermistors, nozzles... However, I am not sure if buying throats and heater blocks make any sense. | Short answer
Yes
Long answer
Heater bocks
A heater block is destroyed if one of the following happens
Threads stripped
Bent or otherwise deformed
stripped grub screw
All of these can happen by handling the block with too much force when securing nozzles, thermosensors or heater cartridges.
Throats
Throats can be destroyed, especially e3D v6 throats with their neck down on the center can be simply turned and broken in two. Lined throats can be heated too much and the liner destroyed, which not always can be replaced, mandating a spare part. And you can strip the threads.
Another chance to damage the throat is by using very hard material nozzles - stainless steel comes to mind. Such a nozzle would not deform itself like brass when tightened against the throat and might lead to damage to the end of the throat if exchanged several times.
Conclusion
If you run several printers or change nozzles regularly for whatever reason, it is a very good idea to have at least a complete set of spare parts on hand to fix problems that might occur during work on the printer. I have a fully assembled spare hotend waiting for its day to shine in case my current one breaks... |
Running 12v on a 24v heater cartridge? Would I damage anything running 12v on a 24v cartridge heater? I know it wont reach a max temperature 300 degrees celsius? I am using the e3d hotend set up | Applying 12v to a 24v heater cartridge won't damage anything, but you may have severe issues reaching and maintaining your target temp. A standard E3D heater cartridge is 40w. When you run a 24v cartridge on 12v, you only get 10w of heater power. Here are some rough estimates on where your hot block heat goes:
Uninsulated hot block air losses: ~20w depending on airflow
Insulated hot block air losses: ~5w depending on airflow
Filament melt power at typical print speeds: 0.3-3w depending on filament and print speed
Heat conducted up the heat break: 1-3w maybe, hard to quantify
I've never heard of anyone using less than about 16w to print. (Two 8w power resistors.) 20w is the lowest vaguely normal hot end power. I think you'll struggle to print. |
3D850 stuck in the nozzle I am trying to use a 3D850 PLA filament which is supposed to work without any issues with any PLA printer. As a printer, I use Dagoma NEVA which is supposed to work with any PLA filament. I can print with the filament without any issue, but I encounter a problem when I need to swap the filament. Somehow 3D850 sticks within the nozzle and even when it's heated I have to push really hard with another filament to push the current filament out (usually when the nozzle is heated up I can just easily push a filament inside for it to come out of the nozzle).
Is there any special behavior of 3D850 that may cause it to stick inside of the nozzle? | My guess is that particular brand of PLA is changing state inside the nozzle as it cools. Quoting from the manufacturer's page,
Materio3D PLA uses the NatureWorks Ingeo 3D850 polymer, specially
engineered for 3D printing. It is tougher and stronger than standard
PLA and can be annealed for improved heat resistance and toughness!
If the residual material in the nozzle cools slowly enough (at the end of a print) to anneal, then by design it won't re-melt at the same temperature as the raw filament material. I would recommend changing your gcode so that the extruder hotend is held at temperature after a print completes, and making sure to clear the nozzle with an alternate type of filament before allowing the nozzle to cool.
quoting from another page,
To achieve a heat treat on a printed part, submerge in water (or bake
in oven) at 200F for up to 30 minutes.
notice that's Fahrenheit, well below extruder temperatures. |
Ender 3 Pro will not auto home correctly after mainboard & BLTouch upgrades I made two updates to my Ender 3 Pro: Silent Mainboard and BLTouch. My printer head is way out of sync now. After I Auto Home, it moves along the X-axis to the left, hits the stop switch & moves back to the right. It does not move at all on the Z-axis and remains 3 - 4" above the bed during and after Auto Homing.
Here's the detail :
I installed a Creality Ender 3 Pro New Upgrade Motherboard Silent Mainboard V4.2.7 with TMC2225 Driver Marlin 2.0.1 & bootloader pre-installed & then a Creality BLTouch 3D Printer Upgraded Auto Bed Leveling Sensor Kit (the kit that comes from Creality with everything you need to install). I imagine I attempted too many upgrades without verifying the printer worked properly when I did the first upgrade which was the mainboard?
I purchased this Ender 3 Pro back in April 2020. It was working great until I decided to make the upgrades. I assume it came with an 8-bit board but not 100% sure. The new board is 32-bit and not sure what that would negatively impact besides maybe the LCD screen which does work fine after the upgrade.
Here's a video of the printer attempting to Auto Home :
Note: Disregard the unhooked cable under the printer bed in the video. It is totally disconnected and leftover from the BLTouch install.
Here's how I did the upgrade :
First, I simply replaced the new mainboard, and with the mainboard cover and fan back in place, I powered the printer on. The only thing I did here was to verify that the printer would power up ok.
It powered up just fine. The nozzle head did not move I don't think when powered on.
Next, I followed the instructions for the BLTouch that came with the kit. I followed the instructions for the Creality V1 Mainboard 32-bit. Here, I upgraded the firmware via an SD card as suggested. The firmware I upgraded to is the Ender-3 Pro_4.2.7_BLTouch_Marlin2.0.1_V1.1.2_TMC2225.bin.
Finally, I powered on the printer with the BLTouch plugged in and new firmware installed. The BLTouch lights up and the touch sensor clicks out and in and few times.
Now, when I hit auto home the nozzle head moves like I described above & remains in a position that I can not attempt to print from. I attempted to follow step #6 Platform adjustment 32-bit, working through the screenshots in the instructions. This did not work.
If helpful, here are the positions of the nozzle head during the two upgrades :
Position of the print head before install: 3-4 inches above the bed and maybe a little off-center on the X-axis.
Position after install mainboard upgrade: remained the same as before. I just remember it powering on ok and then I turned it off / unplugged power to start installing the BLTouch.
Position after install of BLTouch: remained the same. BLTouch lights up and the sensor tip moved in and out as if it was checking something or verifying it was working.
I'm a bit lost on this issue. Any help will be greatly appreciated!
I'm using 3D4LYF's wiring scheme as I'm using the same set up I believe he is using. The two wires (white & black) on the red connector go in the Z-axis endstop port on the mainboard. For the three wires on the black connector I have: blue=Ground, red=V, yellow=IN that goes in the other 5 pin port on the mainboard. I rearranged the wiring from red/blue/yellow to blue/red/yellow as suggested by 3D4LYF again because I am using the BLTouch Creality Kit. Adding photos of 5-pin port and the connectors: | Resolved : connected the white & black wires to the 5 pin output on the board. This solved the homing issue. |
Temperature fluctuations, is it normal? I have an Anycubic i3 Mega-S and when I'm printing something (especially when it's hotter) the temperature increases and decreases by around 3 degrees during the print. Is this normal?
I was worried this is a loose thermistor and if it comes out during a print my house will probably catch fire! I have no idea how to tighten it though. | All printers will have some fluctuation and it's not a concern. This is similar to the fluctuation you'll see in your home temperature around the thermostat setting. There are a couple reasons. One is that the feedback loop (thermistor to control board to heater to extruder block) will always have some lag. Another is that most systems have built-in "hysteresis," i.e. set the "turn off heat" a couple degrees above the "turn on heat" thresholds. This avoids "chatter" from on to off right at the setpoint.
Some thermistors (e.g. my AnetA8 clone) can be held in place with a setscrew. If yours doesn't have a similar capability, use Kapton tape to hold it in. This tape is designed for high temperature operations so it won't age or collapse, and it has good holding strength. |
G29 Bed Level not doing anything on Marlin 2.0 I've just updated my Anet A8 with the blue bed level sensor to Marlin 2.0 .
Both pressing the Level Bed button on the display or using G29 after G28 in the G-code don't do anything.
G28 Homing works fine, but doesn't put the nozzle at the center like it did on Marlin 1.1.x, instead it puts the sensor at the center of the build plate.
G29 worked fine in my previous Marlin 1.1 config.
These are my config files:
Configuration.h
Configuration_adv.h | From the linked Configuration.h file the probe X, Y, Z probe offset is set by constant array:
#define NOZZLE_TO_PROBE_OFFSET { 75, -35 , 0 }
So, the sensor is mounted at the right-front (X+, Y- according to the Marlin configuration definition) when facing the printer.
This implies that the sensor is limited on the right and at the front.
The probing area used to be defined in Marlin 1.1.x in the Configuration.h file. However, Marlin 2.x requires edge offsets rather than absolute bed size constraints. From the Configuration_adv.h of linked file, the following probing limits are set:
#if PROBE_SELECTED && !IS_KINEMATIC
#define MIN_PROBE_EDGE_LEFT (75 + MIN_PROBE_EDGE)
#define MIN_PROBE_EDGE_RIGHT (X_BED_SIZE - MIN_PROBE_EDGE)
#define MIN_PROBE_EDGE_FRONT (MIN_PROBE_EDGE)
#define MIN_PROBE_EDGE_BACK (Y_BED_SIZE -35 - MIN_PROBE_EDGE)
#endif
This is incorrect, this is what you would do in Marlin 1.1.x. Note that this answer describes in detail how to set the bed probing limits. You need to specify the offset from the edge on each side, in schematics the probing area is defined as:
From your printer configuration, the probing limits should be set to:
#if PROBE_SELECTED && !IS_KINEMATIC
#define MIN_PROBE_EDGE_LEFT (75 + MIN_PROBE_EDGE)
#define MIN_PROBE_EDGE_RIGHT (MIN_PROBE_EDGE)
#define MIN_PROBE_EDGE_FRONT (MIN_PROBE_EDGE)
#define MIN_PROBE_EDGE_BACK (35 + MIN_PROBE_EDGE) ; Note that 35 is absolute(-35)!
#endif |
What is the best way to build a closed loop continuous rotation servo for 3D printer? So I was thinking of using a closed-loop motor in my 3D printer for better accuracy and high-speed printing without losing steps. I have analyzed options available including just tweaking stepper current and firmware changes to prevent step losses but I want to find the best way to do it with encoders. The problem is I need a pretty high resolution for a 3d printer and usually, high-resolution servo motors use potentiometers that are limited and not suitable for a 3d printer. I am thinking of building my own closed-loop continuous rotation servo using stepper/DC motors and encoders but I can't find any high-resolution encoder at a reasonable price. So is there any way to somehow use low-resolution encoders (like 36 pulse every full turn) or is there any encoder type that I can use for better accuracy at a reasonable price other than optical ones? Also is there any other solution for closed-loop systems at a reasonable price?
Note that I am aware that I may need to modify firmware or write my own code for motors and program them from scratch.
Note: You might consider this question Closed-loop stepper motors a possible duplicate but I have read that and my main problem is not being able to find any cheap high-resolution encoder for this purpose.
Also for some reason, I can't use products like BTT S42B closed-loop stepper drives, my only option is to build them myself.
TL;DR:
Is there any type of encoder with high resolution and cheap price for use in 3D printers? (I don't mean brand, I mean technology) | You can use a magnetic position encoder.
AS5048B High Resolution Position Sensor
14-bit rotary position sensor with digital angle (interface) and PWM output
14 bit means 16k steps/rotation. With a stepper which does 200 steps/rotation and 16x microstepping, you will need only 11 bit, so you have plenty of extra accuracy you can use to filter noise.
You may use AS5600 Positioning Sensor instead, which is 12 bits, since you don't need to track each microsteps in a closed loop, 4x is enough.
AS5600 in PWM mode does up to 920 Hz, AS5048 1 kHz. I'm not sure in I2C mode but surely more. Of course you have to take into account delay between measuring the position and transmission of the position. |
Make a nose cone in Fusion 360 I am new to Fusion 360 and I think I'm going straight to something complicated. Is there a way to make a nose cone for a model rocket? What tools would one you to accomplish this? | If you have a specific shape in mind and can create a sketch to represent that shape, you are halfway to your goal.
The concept is simple. Create a single line sketch that would represent the desired curve, starting from, in this example, the nose of the cone and traveling to the base. Create only one-half of the nose cone curve and maintain a "standard" axis reference, say, using the Y-axis as the rotation point.
The process is called revolve. Fusion 360 supports this action directly.
In the Sculpt workspace, choose Create Revolve.
Select the profile to revolve.
In the Revolve dialog:
Click Axis and then select the axis to revolve around.
Choose Full or Angle to specify whether the revolution is full or to a specific angle.
For Direction choose One Side, Two Side or Symmetrical.
For Symmetry, choose None or Circular.
The above text is taken directly from the link. The specific web site also includes a Flash video of the steps involved.
If thickness is required for your creation, consider to draw the sketch from the nose to the base, then use Offset or hand sketch in a parallel line that returns to the nose. Ensure the base segment is joined and that the nose segments are open and are aligned to the Y-axis.
As the sketch is revolved, the nose sections will "close" while the base creates the closure necessary to make a solid that is hollow within and open at the bottom.
Use The Google or your preferred search engine with the terms "Fusion 360 Revolve" to find many tutorials and videos with the same information presented in various ways. |
Titan extruder retraction noise I am experiencing some retraction noises with my Titan Extruder. At first the noise was more of a clicking noise, and the gear was skipping. I didn't feel any backlash with my finger but I still followed the official troubleshooting guide on backlash and the noise has changed to some sort of buzzing, with print quality noticeably improving.
I should mention I recently upgraded my stepper drivers to TMC2208, extruder set to 1.31V. May be too much but I know the extruder motor needs a whole lot of torque, either way it doesn't run too hot so I'm keeping that for now. (If anyone knows how warm should a motor feel during normal operation let me know.)
I have two videos of the noise before and the noise after. I can't tell where this noise is coming from, I have never heard weird motor noises before so I can't tell if it's still the extruder or if it's the motor. I can't tell if it's normal.
I tried feeding filament in and out with GCode to find out the feedrate at which the noise goes away, and I found that anything above F2200 makes it do this noise, otherwise it's a pretty normal noise.
Before:
After: | After several email exchanges with the customer support, I was not able to find an answer. It was stated that it may have been my assembly and/or extruder mount, but I'm strongly against that after so many times reassembling.
Gear backlash ended up becoming permanent.
I ended up switching over to something else with a more self-sufficient design and less variables. |
Ender 3 V2 under extrusion problems Every time I start a print, midway during printing, my printer starts to under extrude.
I tried lots of different models every time the problem occurs.
What should I do about this? | This is some kind of filament stuck in the hotend tube problem. Just like "heat creep" as mentioned above. PTFE pipes should be checked, all parts should be carefully cleaned. I also add checking the extruder (gears, tightness) to the list. The plastic extruder can structurally loosen or break over time. I switched to metal extruder a long time ago, but metal also breaks / loosens after a while. Finally I'm using a double gear extruder without any problem. And I replaced the stock pipes with more durable PTFE and "Pneumatic Fittings". Pneumatic fittings are also very important by the way. |
Building 3D printer: LM8UU bearing can't fit into I'm new to 3D printing and I'm learning how to build my own 3D printer.
I bought polymer LM8UU bearings and I'm trying to fit onto a rod of dimension: D8 mm * L300 mm. Sadly it doesn't fit, I was wondering if I would need to buy new rod?
If so, what size of diameter should be used? General guidelines I need to look out for are also appreciated? | Bearing on a shaft
An 8 mm (ID, Internal Diameter) bearing should always fit on an 8 mm (OD, Outer Diameter) shaft. If it does not fit, one of the 2 is of a different size. Please use a caliper to determine the size of both.
Bearing in a housing
If it is the outer size of the bearing, i.e. fitting in a printed carriage or a bearing housing (e.g. SCxxUU), you should be aware of the different sizes of polymer bearings. E.g. there are RJMP-01-xx and RJ4JP-01-xx types of polymer bearings (xx denotes the shaft diameter, e.g. 08 for 8 mm shafts).
For RJMP-01-xx bearings (not compatible with LMxxUU bearings):
// Parameters for RJMP-01-xx (shaft size xx, all dimensions in [mm])
// Designation d1 d2 B B1 s dn
//-------------------------------------------
// RJMP-01-08 8 16 25 16.2 1.1 15.2
For RJ4JP-01-xx bearings (compatible with LMxxUU bearings):
// Parameters for RJ4JP-01-xx (shaft size xx, all dimensions in [mm])
// Designation d1 d2 B B1 s dn
//-------------------------------------------
// RJ4JP-01-08 8 15 24 17.5 1.1 14.3
d1 is the inner diameter, d2 the outer diameter and B the length of the bearing
The RJ4JP-01-08 bearings are drop-in replacements for the LM8UU linear bearings. Note that the RJMP-01-08 have a larger outer diameter and do not fit into the regular bearing housings. The increased thickness gives the bearings more rigidity. |
Print gets worse with every layer - Ender 3 First of all, I'm still new to this 3D printing and I've bought myself a second hand Ender 3 with some mods done to it.
I've successfully printed with PLA in different colors but after a good first layer the print seems like it is skipping lines.
I've already tried to:
Change the nozzle
Set the bed level (like a million times)
Download calibration files (e.g calibration squares)
I have used Cura with the Ender 3 Pro profile:
I print in PLA at 200 °C
A print bed temperature of 60°C
Cooling fan at 100%
Layer height of 0.2 mm
Line width is 0.4 mm from a 0.4 mm nozzle
Printing Speed is set to 50 mm/s for walls and 25mm/s for infill
Retraction is 6.5 mm/off at 25mm/s
I really don't know how to fix it the bad quality. | Many questions on 3D Printing SE are answered, at least by me, not with a "this is the problem", but instead, this is how I would analyze it.
Looking at the picture you supplied, there is something strangely periodic about the under-extrusion in the top visible flat layer.
I don't think it is an X or Y axis problem. It is too low-frequency to be an extruder drive problem, such as a slippery drive hobbed gear. It seems too high frequency to be a filament feed problem, unless you are very close to the end of a spool with a small inner diameter. This is less likely because you have printed many things, and I would infer that you have seen this with full spools and empty ones.
The Ender 3 looks like a Bowden-fed printer. You are printing PLA, which should work well with Bowden.
Temperature variation could also cause this problem. If the nozzle were cooling and heating in an unstable control cycle, where the nozzle is cooler you would find under extrusion and even non-extrusion. This looks compatible with the results.
What could cause thermal problems?
Not delivering energy to the heater, perhaps because of a bad
connection, or perhaps because of an intermittent heater cartridge
Not sensing the temperature correctly, perhaps because of a shorting thermister
Thermal control look is out of tune, which I consider unlikely since you haven't messed with it, and in my experience that is pretty forgiving
Not conducting heat from the heater to the nozzle, which is unlikely
If you have an infrared thermometer, put a piece of masking tape on the heater (to get a consistent IR emissivity) and monitor the temperature. Is it cooler when under extruding? It might only be a few degrees different, but that could be enough if you are right on the transition temperature.
If the temperature is stable, you might try printing 10 degrees hotter, just to see. Some variation is normal, and you might be on the edge.
It is possible you have a filament that widely varies in diameter, but for that strong an effect, you would have noticed that the filament was thinner in some places than others.
My best suggestion is to look at temperature.
Further Reflection
It is also possible that you have something dragging on the filament spool. I don't like it as a solution, but it is consistent with printing a lot (at the beginning of spools) and then encountering this problem. A problem feeding, although I discounted it in my earlier answer, could could produce a periodic underextrusion if the drag on the spool changes. If the problem was one-time, then it may have been bad winding in the spool so that once per revolution it requires some extra tug to unwind the filament. That tug would reduce the torque available to press the filament through the working side of the printer. There might be extruder jumps (pops, clicks, etc.) coming from the extruder as it skipped steps. |
Ridges and stepping in my prints I'm having a problem where every few layers seems to be offset slightly, creating a stepping effect. The images below should be smooth along the sides, but having this ridge type effect. My question is how do I calibrate the printer to print smoothly?
I’m using a Hictop Prusa I3. I’ve recently installed an updated version of Marlin and have been tinkering with the configuration to make it match as close to the original config that was originally installed.
Printer: Prusa I3 (Hictop)
Marlin: 1.1.9
Filament: 1.75 PLA
Slicer: Ultimaker Cura
Layer height: .16 mm
Extruder: 190 °C
Bed: 60 °C
Speed: 30 mm/s
Line width: 0.8 mm
Cooling fan: 30%
Below are a few examples of what I mean by ridges and stepping | From the picture, this doesn't look like an X or Y axis problem. I wonder if it is a problem with the Z-axis positioning?
I don't have any specific suggestions, but I would start by, with the printer off and cold, manually turning the Z-axis motor(s) to assure that the movements are smooth and without any binding. If the movement is smooth, then with the printer powered on, try some Z-axis movements, up and down, both listening and feeling for excessive vibration or jerkiness.
What may be happening is that the Z movement is binding for several layers and causing the flexure in the Z-axis to bend upward, permitting some plastic to extrude but forcing it into a wide bulge. When the Z axis finally snaps upward, the build layer is too far below the nozzle, so the plastic does not bulge outward and necks down until it builds a base again. This repeats.
It could be an electrical problem with the Z-axis drive rather than a mechanical sticking or interference, but you will feel that, too, by doing slow Z-axis movements and watching carefully, listening for irregularity, and feeling for any jerk or stutter. |
Which is the best 3D printer to print bodies scanned? I want to print people's bodies scanned (or get 'minimes', see the Figure 1). And I watched that the printer 'project 660' is very good to do this (Figure 1). But, the price of that printer is really expensive, roughly $60'000. And If you want to get a 'minime' printed by that printer, the cost is $230 for a model of 10cm. For me that price is expensive too.
Does anyone know what printer I could use in order to print 'minimes' with:
Good resolution, or details of the person's face (for a model of 10cm) and a good smooth surface of the model printed (Figure 1).
Ability to print complex models such as bodies (Figure 1) without problem.
Inexpensive: less than $150 per 'minime'.
An option to print in color.
Thanks.
Figure 1: Models printed | I do not think there exists a printer that meets your requirements. "Cheap"/hobbyist printers roughly fall into two categories:
FDM: does not meet your requirement for sufficient detail and smooth surfaces in the face (and can not print in color).
SLA: meets your requirement for detail in the face but can not print in color. If you are willing to drop the color requirement, this would be a good choice.
There are some hobbyist projects to do full color printing, but they are in a rather early stage. One option is colorpod that can be used to convert an FDM printer (such as the Ultimaker, but the principle works with any printer) however it is in a rather early stage of development and not very reliable yet. Another option is Plan B but that is a DIY project and not available for purchase (and is not very mature either).
That leaves you with the commercial color options. You've already ruled out the 3D systems/projet machines. Another (slightly cheaper) commercial option is MCOR IRIS but it also runs in the tens of thousands. While researching this question I stumbled upon 3D Pandoras but it seems a relatively new company so it may turn out to be a literal Pandora's box (they mention "most affordable filaments" as one of the advantages of their printer even though it doesn't use filament at all) - and prices are not listed on their website. |
New thermistor isolation, how? We are trying to repair an Ultimaker Original+. One problem is a missing resistor isolation. The Ultimaker Original+ prints with up to 260 Degree Celcius.
Which kind of isolation products are suitable to resist the heat and are fitting on the thin wires of the thermistor? | The most common choice for insulating thermistors is glass fiber sleeving. It tolerates very high temperatures, and is commonly rated for up to 600 °C.
Teflon is also used but has a rather low upper limit on its working temperature; it shouldn't be used at temperatures exceeding 260 °C - which rules it out for your purpose. |
Wanhao Duplicator i3 Mk2 Firmware Update I have a Wanhao Duplicator i3 Plus Mk2. Its auto-leveling never worked properly since I bought it a year or two ago. I decided to upgrade the firmware to try and solve this problem. Unfortunately, I did not know I had a Mk2 when I started this process (I'm a photographer, it is only a Mk2 when it says so on the Camera housing which is seemingly not the case here, you needed to be fortunate to know it is a Mk2 if it has a Z probe). As such, I uploaded the wrong motherboard and LCD firmware (for i3 Plus not i3 Plus Mk2). When I switched on and tried to level, it started driving the nozzle into the bed which in retrospect is to be expected as the firmware is looking for a switch, not a probe. Once I realised what the problem was, I uploaded the Mk2 firmware but it seems uploading the non-Mk2 firmware has confused something somewhere so I can't get it to even be a printer anymore. The LCD is all mixed up with menus over one another and the printer does not react to anything. I tried to format the LCD with the image and procedure on Wanhao's site but this merely seems to exacerbate the problem.
Can anyone please guide me on how to start fresh and get the printer and LCD firmware restored so at least I have something resembling a printer again. The Wanhao customer support has been all but helpful and I've abandoned that channel as they simply email me the same firmware I already downloaded and used to get into this mess. | My problem was resolved with the help of comments above.
A quick Google search shows that there are multiple issues with updating to new firmware for printer and LCD (these are separate firmwares!). Useful links are this one and this one which have support for the MkII....
Try to disconnect the display if you go down the Arduino route and see if you get it running while connected to serial (USB) and Pronterface for instance. When pursuing the Arduino route, be sure to send M502 and M500 after the flash to the printer to get the values from the firmware and overwrite the current stuff in the EEPROM.
I downloaded the Mk2 firmware from here and then used the normal Wanhao procedure to update both the motherboard and LCD and this left me with a working printer afterwards. Why the firmware downloaded from Wanhao's own site does not work is a mystery. |
Efficient and easy way to thermally insulate the heat block of the hotend? Sparked by this question, I wanted to discuss the most efficient and also the easiest ways of thermally insulating the heat block of the hotend.
I have seen Kapton tape insulations as done here with a very conclusive resumee about its usefulness.
In the links of the named article, a method with insulating material from a heatbed is described, however without giving quantitative results.
Additionally, I know that in the guys over in the german reprap forum produce their own silicon covers for the heater block. As I understand there is a large spread between people's reports, from 'almost negligible' as insulator (but helpful for other things) to very useful. No quantification, though. Also, these seem to come with a certain amount of effort to produce.
Are there additional solutions and/or comparisons between solutions? | The "quick and dirty" approach is to just slap a bunch of Kapton tape on there. The more the better! (Until you need to dismantle for maintenance, anyway.)
I find pre-cut ceramic tape + kapton tape "blankets" to be easy and effective. E3Dv6 and Replicator 1/2 style hot blocks should be compatible. Or you can cut your own using a sharp hobby knife.
http://www.fargo3dprinting.com/products/makerbot-replicator-2-ceramic-insulation-tape/
The main downside is that they don't insulate two sides of the hot block. But covering the top and bottom provides much of the practical benefit, and you can always add a few more wraps of Kapton tape to cover up the rest of the surfaces.
Another good option that has recently started to become popular is fiberglass heat shield tape. It has a silicone adhesive, woven fiberglass mat, and shiny aluminum surface. (The reflective surface reduces heat radiation.) It's often used in automotive applications around mufflers and the like. You can cut it up into little rectangles for each side of the hot block, or wrap the block similar to Kapton.
https://shop.raffle.ch/shop/insulation_material/
Main issue is quality -- not all brands have adhesive that will hold up to high temp printing. It may smell when initially "burned in" due to the adhesive cooking a bit. I also find that you need a couple layers to get as much insulation as the ceramic+kapton blanket when there's a lot of airflow around the hot block. |
Removing test print from magnetic flexible paper coated build plate I have a Monoprice MP10 with magnetic flexible paper coated build plate and I have just tried printing bed level test which is, of necessity, very thin on the build plate.
Watching the item print, I saw that the bed level was obviously way way off at the back left corner and down the left side. I was printing with PLA. There was no point in letting the print continue so I stopped it, let the build plate cool down and tried to remove the print.
The bottom line and right hand side came off cleanly but the top left corner and all down the left side stuck firmly. As it was so thin a layer there is no chance of getting something underneath an edge without damaging the paper surface. I tried acetone but this had no effect other than turning the surface white and thin cracks appearing in the paper surface. Wiped down with alcohol which toned down the white but was no help in getting the thin layer of PLA off.
I tried reheating surface, no joy. Does anyone have a foolproof way of getting this off as soap and water don't work either? | You could try freezing your bed with cooling spray around the print and then wait some seconds and try peel it off.
I had the problem once on my PEI sheet and it did help. I used this spray: Spray
But make sure you don't break any electric parts on your printer. |
Shifted Layers on Replicator 2 A few weeks ago a shift between layers in the y-direction (from the front to the back of the printer) of my Makerbot Replicator 2 appeared.
All prints have some small shifts between layers, but if the extruder has to move large distances (e.g. when I print the same object near the front and near the back of the print bed), they can reach up to 2 cm or so. In those cases the extruder seem to move the wrong distance towards the back, resulting in a shifted layer, and then moves about the same distance towards the front. Therefore objects at the front of the bed often are shifted less than at the back. Here's an example of some small shifts in the 3D benchy (printed near the front of the bed). They are particularly obvious in the hull and in the supports of the cabin:
I've tightened the pulleys, lubricated the rods, restored the device to factory settings and made sure the connectors are plugged in properly, but the problems persist. I also have the impression that the locations of the shifted layers are quite reproducible.
From what I understand problems such as these along the x-axis, are generally caused by broken cables, which are pressed upon as the extruder moves. However, the pulley for the y-axis doesn't move, so it seems unlikely that the cable is the cause.
Any help is very much appreciated! | Its not possible to say without seeing the physical machine but I would assume its a mechanical problem. Perhaps the belt or a gear is worn out missing some piece so it slips sometimes. Or the gear its a little loose on its axle. When machine is off you can move the extruder by hand and try to feel if it does so smoothly.
I would not think its electrical but first thing to do is to detach all cables and put them back, because its easy to do. Second is the dismount stepper motor and check that its gear is attached firmly. If there is a bad cable then flexing and pulling it slightly might escalate the problem so that its always broken, which can be a good thing since intermittent problems are so hard to find.
If its the stepper motor driver electronics then a new driver board is needed, last thing to try unless you have two machines and can borrow a part.
I emailed makerbot support once about another problem, I did get some advice that way. |
Slicer reports 1000s of errors not seen in Cura; Render is missing big chunks Brand new to Slic3r, I've been using Cura for a while, so not sure is happening. I tried to load this Knight model into Slic3er (v1.2.9 running on OS X), and it's reporting "Manifold: auto-repaired (11430 errors)", and the model looks incomplete. Hovering the model with the mouse shows more details:
Preview mode shows supports holding up the head, so I don't think it's just a screen rendering issue. But I loaded this same model into Cura earlier today, and it worked just fine; I've printed the resulting GCode. So I believe the model is fine. I wanted to print using Slic3r and compare the results.
Is this a known issue with certain types of models? Not sure what to try next. | Cura and Slic3r are very different programs. You will not get the exact same print between the two. I find that of late slic3r will try to fill holes when older versions do not. So even versions will not behave the same. I will say I have less issues with simplify 3d, but the price is very high.
Following. When this happens I attempt to repair the model. There is obviously some unresolved issues in the model. I use Netfabb which has been exported to this online tool.
Really though. I would ask for my money back ;-) |
Unable to install auto-bed levelling sensor into my Anet A8 I've been trying to install an inductive sensor for auto-bed levelling into my Anet A8 and I'm having a few issues.
I have been using the wiring diagram provided by Solid Ground Electronics in one of his videos (Cheap 3D Printer - Anet A8: Upgrades, Experience & Thoughts), which I decided to follow as it still uses the Z limit switch, in case the inductive sensor fails to work.
The sensor seems to work when I power the printer on, the red LED is constantly on and when it comes into contact with metal, the LED turns brighter (as shown in the photos).
However, when I set it to auto-home, the Z axis does not move down like it usually does (until it hits the switch), but it moves up a bit. Although when I auto-homed the printer with a piece of metal under the sensor, the Z axis moved down, like it should do. So the sensor is acting in an opposite way to what it needs to.
I believe that it's been wired up correctly with a 10k ohm resistor connected to the base of the transistor and the signal wire of the probe. However the NPN transistor shown in the diagram is '2N4401' and the one I used is 'PN2222A', but I believe this should have no difference in the function of the transistor (only the voltages it can handle).
I initially thought that as the NPN transistor is slightly different, perhaps the polarity of emitter and collector is incorrect, so I switched them around but the problem still occurs.
I would thoroughly appreciate it if anyone can help! | The sensor is working correctly, but the signal is inverted.
Take the obvious solution: invert the endstop from being normally open to normally closed or vice-versa in your firmware.
If you still want to use your existing limit switch in parallel with the sensor (as shown in the video), you will need to switch that one over as well (usually limit switches have 3 contact points, one common, one NC, one NO, so you'd need to move the wire from the NC contact to NO or vice-versa). |
Trying to flash Davinci XYZ 1.0, nothing but black bars I get nothing but black bars and "Unknown USB Device" from Windows 10. This is after a failed flash that was otherwise going directly according to plan.
This Davinci has been nothing but frustration for me, and I'm really tired of fruitless Google-Fu.
Much of what I see pretty much says it's bricked; attempting to jump the jp1 jumper any further does me no good.
Is there anything I can do to actually move forward, or are we in soldering-iron territory now? | I had this occur on my MakerBot Replicator Dual after I tried repairing a blown voltage regulator. If you refer to the previous link to my SE question, pay attention to the comments of Ryan's answer where it is explained that (in my case at least) the main processor was damaged and therefore couldn't properly load the firmware. The machine was able to load just enough to initialize the chip on the LCD screen, but since the main boards processor was blown, couldn't load the firmware to send commands to the screen and continue the boot sequence.
I'm not certain that you're encountering the same EXACT issue, but you have all of the same side effects that I did. Basically, if you're not pro with electronics, your board is bricked. Otherwise, you might be able to salvage the board by replacing the processor, but there's no guarantee that something else isn't wrong or that the new processor was installed correctly. |
Which 3D printer controller should I use? I recently build a 3D printer from scratch and was using an Arduino Mega + RAMPS 1.4 to control it. A few weeks in I installed a heated bed to help my prints stick to the surface. The bed I bought was an Anet bed found on Amazon, I'm told they are prone to causing fires.
About a week after I installed the bed, my the MOSFET on my RAMPS overheated and began to smoke. I could no longer perform without heating up too hot and smoking, so I bought another RAMPS 1.4 to replace it. The same thing happened and I returned it...
After doing some research and finding out the connectors and MOSFETs on the RAMPS 1.4 are typically undersized, I decided to upgrade to avoid the problem and go with a RAMPS 1.6 instead, which was supposed to better handle the current flow. After about a week of using the RAMPS 1.6, the power connection began to smoke and caught fire(Not the MOSFETs like the RAMPS 1.4, the incoming power connector). I attempted to remove the connector and resolder the wires, I couldn't get it to work. At this point I'm looking for advice on which controller to go with. I don't want to buy another RAMPS out of fear of the same thing happening, but I am also wondering if buying a different heated bed would fix the problem. So any recommendations on where to go from here? I've look at a few boards but one thing is some of them can only control 1 Z stepper driver, while my setup has Z. | Controller boards
Please note (this is not to bash) that RAMPS shields are not the top of the line printer controller boards, investing in a more modern printer board platform (preferably not a clone of a known board), e.g. a 32-bit board might be a better solution.
Any board with at least four stepper drivers should be sufficient (you can use the two Z steppers in parallel or in series), some boards even offer two Z stepper output connectors controlled by a single stepper, e.g.:
No worries if the board doesn't have two Z stepper connectors, you can buy dual stepper breakout boards, e.g. a parallel solution:
Alternatively, an extra stepper driver can drive the extra Z stepper; this requires a board with at least 5 stepper drivers then, the Z2 stepper would then be connected to the E1 extruder driver. The firmware needs to be aware of using 2 stepper drivers, so in Marlin (depending on the version) set Z_DUAL_STEPPER_DRIVERS or assign a value to NUM_Z_STEPPER_DRIVERS .
Anet heatbed
The Anet heatbed is notoriously known for fire accidents/burning caused by the underrated connectors (the connector itself is not rated for 10 A!), also the connector should require proper strain relief. The best solution is to solder the heat bed wires directly to the backside of the connector (which is what I did on my old Anet A8 printer, I used multiple pins soldered together, both the outer 2 pins on either side), an example from the web (downside is that they only used a single pin) shows this principle (with solution for cable/soldering stress relief using a tie-wrap):
A final notice for connecting heatbeds is to use proper cables; silicone cables of proper gauge (silicone wires are very flexible, e.g. AWG 14) should be used. Also, never solder the ends and put them under screw connectors on the printer board, instead, use ferrules or proper sized fork terminal connectors.
MOSFET Band Aid
In case the MOSFETs on your boards are underrated, you can use external MOSFET boards to relieve the shield/printer board from the high currents. Note that the bed requires the most current (about 10 A), for the hotend this will not be required, the current draw is much lower, the onboard MOSFETs are rated for those loads. |
Run custom code between g-code commands? I would like to be able to add custom commands/script to be executed during a print.
For example I would like to write some software to take a picture check the print hasn't moved off the bead between layers.
Does anyone know if any of the available software/firmware allows custom scripts or calling back to the computer before continuing printing?
I am happy to build/buy a new printer if anyone knows a control board that has this sort of feature. | A solution I use involves a 3d print server. I have defined shell scripts that address the GPIO ports of the Raspberry Pi that runs OctoPrint. OctoPrint is a 3d print server that can be accessed over your home network.
From the OctoPrint homepage:
OctoPrint is the snappy web interface for your 3D printer that allows
you to control and monitor all aspects of your printer and print jobs,
right from your browser.
This print server application allows for specification of custom Gcode commands (linked to system commands for instance; note this is a plug-in called "GCODE Systems Commands", see image below).
As an example, e.g. OCTO100 is scheduled to run fan_on.sh shell script. This script in its turn drives a relay to switch the annoying extruder cooling fan that is always on when the printer is powered. These codes can then be used throughout your sliced file to do stuff you want (e.g. by using the TweakAtZ plugin of Cura). E.g. my extruder fan will stay on several minutes before it is scheduled off after a successful print through OCTO110 which in itself runs the script fan_off.sh.
The scripts from the figure could be setup to schedule to do something, e.g. fan_on.sh controls a relay using port 22 of the GPIO of the Raspberry PI:
#!/bin/bash
gpio export 22 out
gpio -g write 22 0
So to disable the fan you would need fan_off.sh to be:
#!/bin/bash
gpio export 22 out
gpio -g write 22 1 |
Z-min always open when using BLtouch and Marlin 2.0 I recently added a Creality BLTouch v3.1 to my Ender 3 which has a MKS Base v 1.6 motherboard and is running Marlin 2.0, but the Z-min never triggers.
I have made sure that the BLTouch unit lights up, uses the provided mount for the Ender 3 to get proper placement and is connected to the Z-min pins. Additionally, I have followed multiple youtube videos for connecting/setting the right parameters for the sensor. However, I haven't found the right combo.
I have tried both BLTouch and Creality BLTouch, different pin number assignments (other than the standard Z-min pin), but the status doesn't change with or without the sensor pushed in. Looking for suggestions on settings to apply, or if anyone has had this issue.
See pictures below:
Connection to motherboard, tried using the other pin on the z min, and switching the black/white wires to see if they we're connecting wrong.
BLTouch depressed which lights up as expected.
BLTouch not illuminated when open. | In order to use a BLTouch probe (or clone probe) you need to configure the firmware to know that a servo operated Z endstop is being used.
From the referenced files that are used for building the firmware you are running can be found in the configuration.h that:
/**
* The BLTouch probe uses a Hall effect sensor and emulates a servo.
*/
//#define BLTOUCH
When using a servo port operated probe (position of the servo corresponds to a certain action) such as the BLTouch, 3DTouch, etc. you need to configure using it as such:
/**
* The BLTouch probe uses a Hall effect sensor and emulates a servo.
*/
#define BLTOUCH
Furthermore, you need to be sure to connect the cables of the touch probe according to the pin arrangement as defined for you controller board.
E.g. #define Z_MIN_PROBE_USES_Z_MIN_ENDSTOP_PIN could be used to re-use the Z-min endstop connector on the board.
Note that when using a touch probe (which is a sophisticated sensor with it's own onboardmicro-processor with dedicated firmware), you cannot use M119, the endstop status from the touch sensor cannot be read from the output of the command. According to "Marlin documentation", The BLTOUCH probe only sends a brief pulse, so “TRIGGERED” indicates the probe is in error state.. |
3D Molecular Printers Are there commercially available molecular 3D printers that can create catalytic structures like Zeolites, if not are there any research efforts underway in such field? | The link I mentioned from popular mechanics is the state of molecular 3d printing. So yes the printer does exist and can do some really impressive things. However as the article states it is limited to what it can create right now. The technology sounds really interesting. However it might be a bit out of our knowledge as it doesn't seem to be widely available passed the scientific academia world.
This link here talks about reactionware for Chemical Syntheses as well as a TED talk about it |
X carriage "vibrates" on small segments Following the question I asked here: Replace X axis motor with different model
I have a problem with my new motor. My X-axis is now moved by a 17HS3401S motor, instead of a 42SHD0217-24B motor.
On small segments, like when I need to print an arc with a lot of small straight lines, my printhead "vibrates" instead of having a smooth movement. It seems it stops for a very short amount of time before trying to move again. On longer travels there is no problem.
Do you know if it's because of the motor, or because of something else? (Vref not set properly maybe?) | The overall torque, and thus the incremental torque is less with your new stepper, this may result in less smooth operation because of moving the weight of the carriage (e.g. when you have a direct extruder mounted on the X carriage).
You could be facing skipping steps, resulting in less accurate prints. Maybe the Vref has not been adjusted correctly, or the stepper is just not working for your application. |
Replace X axis motor with different model Last week, my X-axis stepper motor died. It was a 42SHD0217-24B model. I ordered the same online, but the vendor made a "mistake" and sent me the 17HS3401S model.
I know these motors use a different voltage, so I adjusted the screw on the stepper driver and managed to get a smooth rotation with the new model. I know that these 2 motors have a rotation of 1.8° per step.
My questions are the following:
Since they have the same rotation angle per step, I shouldn't have to calibrate the new model, right? (I'll use the original wheel)
Did the vendor send me a motor with inferior performances?
Will my performances degrade if I use the new motor? (Lecture on motors appreciated). By that I mean: will my top moving speed be affected? Will the motor miss more steps at high speed? | Since they have the same rotation angle per step, I shouldn't have to calibrate the new model, right? (I'll use the original wheel)
Yes, you do not have to change anything, other than the Vref of the stepper driver.
Did the vendor send me a motor with inferior performances?
Yes, the one you received has a lower height, so smaller coils and smaller permanent magnets; basically lower torque.
Will my performances degrade if I use the new motor?
That depends on the loading of the carriage of the X-axis, it could if it is heavy; you now have less torque available to move the carriage. But, this type is frequently found in 3D printer kits and should work. |
Cura projecting floating print onto build plate during slicing I'm trying to do a multifilament print on my single extruder machine. So I separated out the models based on filament, and imported the parts into Cura. I ensured that "Automatically drop models to build plate" was disabled and in the "Prepare" phase that seems to work. However, when I slice the model it gets pushed back down to the build plate as can be seen in the picture below. Any recommendations? Do I just need to write a script to go in and shift the z location? | I've been playing with this and came up with a solution, so I thought I would share in case anyone else had this issue in the future. In Ultimaker Cura I enabled supports and z-hopping before I sliced the part, then I ran this Python function to remove the supports and get the extruder setup.
import re
def float_part(file):
printString = ';LAYER:'
partString = ';(.*?).stl'
with open( file , 'r') as content_file:
content = content_file.read()
printArea = re.search( printString , content ).span(0)[0]
partArea = re.search( partString , content ).span(0)[0]
uncommentedLine = partArea - re.search( '\n.*?(?<!;)\n' , content[ partArea:printArea:-1 ] ).span(0)[0]
lastExtrusion = uncommentedLine - re.search( 'E' , content[ uncommentedLine:printArea:-1 ] ).span(0)[0]
secondLastExtrusion = lastExtrusion - re.search( 'E' , content[ lastExtrusion-1:printArea:-1 ] ).span(0)[0]
lastExtrusionAmount = float(re.search( '\d+(\.\d+)?', content[lastExtrusion:] ).group(0))
secondLastExtrusionAmount = float(re.search( '\d+(\.\d+)?', content[secondLastExtrusion:] ).group(0))
ResetCommand = '\nG92 E' + str(lastExtrusionAmount) + '\n'
with open( file , 'w') as content_file:
content_file.write( content[0:printArea] + ResetCommand + content[uncommentedLine:] ) |