Buying 3D printer - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: sairfan1
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2018, 09:35:57 pm
content: Hi,Planning to buy a 3D printer, need advise what things i should consider to select one. my budget is around $500 to $700My general use will be printing box, and general things for electronic projects.Please share you experience thanks.

author: exe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2018, 09:55:15 pm
content: I'd say the only ready-to-go printer in this range I know is the latest Prusa.I don't really have it, but I have cr-10, the "best printer of 2017". I'll tell you what, I invested several months into cr-10 just to make it any usable. A lot of things were wrong, like fans are super-noisy, etc. I ended up replacing/upgrading a lot of parts on it. Like, the bed is not even, steppers are noisy, drivers occasionally cause defects on X and Y axes, heat bed is long to heat.... All problems are fixable, but is it worth it? (Yes, if you want to know more about 3d printing). The only good thing about cr-10 is, perhaps, build volume, it's huge.So, what I see on Prusa is it is much better built and designed and has much tighter QA: better mechanical parts (I think), better electronics, better software support (I had to buy Simplify 3d for another $150 because Cura didn't work properly, but can't say I tried all the other free slicers), removable flexible PEI bed on magnets, direct extruder, etc. Just a whole different class of technology.Other than Prusa, I'm not aware of any 3d printer that would be as advanced and in the same price league.PS: here is the link:https://shop.prusa3d.com/en/3d-printers/180-original-prusa-i3-mk3-kit.html. You can easily find more info and reviews on, e.g., youtube.

author: loveny
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 15, 2018, 11:00:03 pm
content: In that price range I second the Prusa MkIII kit, I bought one recently and it 'just works', very impressed with it. Process is very simple, design the part to get an stl file, process that through the Prusa slicer (which has preconfigured settings for most filament types) to get the gcode, then print.

author: jgalak
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 01:29:38 am
content: Another vote for the Prusa MkIII. It's my second printer and soooo much better than what I had before. Great printer out of box, excellent support, fantastic community.

author: exe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 06:52:54 am
content: Just one remark, 3d printing is a quite sophisticated topic. Even with a decent printer some calibration, fine-tuning and trouble-shooting occasionally necessary. There is a learning curve. In the beginning it may not print well due to suboptimal settings, or bad plastic or something. Quality comes with experience, better printers make it easier to achieve.

author: Pirateguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 07:06:37 am
content: i have no experience with these things, but i do plan to get one in the distant future and i discovered there are actuallyseveral approaches to 3d printing.as a miniature modelling guy i have a massive boner for this thing:check out the amazing detail!maybe not suited to your needs, but notice it is a completely different setup that uses resin instead of plasticand raises the model out of a bath of it instead of building it on a plane.and besides that i think there are 1 or more other approaches to 3d printing besides the typical plastic extruding way.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 07:21:15 am
content: It is true resin 3D printing can deliver excellent levels of detail - but it is a very different process.It's a lot messier and you have some materials involved that are a lot more hazardous. I also understand it is more expensive.FilamentFused deposition - the most common - is much easier.

author: exe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 07:26:32 am
content: Anycubic photon seems to be a good device, print quality is excellent. Just beware of the materials cost and small build volume. Also UV-cured resin needs some post-processing.Depending on your needs it can the only printer, or the second one to supplement a bigger brother.

author: Pirateguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 07:31:03 am
content: yeah i don't think the photon would be a good choice for printing enclosures and mechanical stuff,and to be clear i am not recommending it for that.i just wanted to point out there are multiple types of 3d printing, and it might be worth lookinginto the pros and cons of each.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 08:00:45 am
content: Quote from: sairfan1 on August 15, 2018, 09:35:57 pmIt's not gonna be a popular answer but we have a Flashforge Finder here at work for the student interns to play with, I was so impressed I recently bought one very cheap (eBay, sold as faulty as it'd been damaged in transit, repair was simple and took 30 seconds) and it's been really good out of the box, other than needing to clean the bed and having to realise that I need a raft for each print, it was absolutely trivial to get going.Another guy here at work had been tinkering with a 3D printer bought as a kit for several months and on the strength of seeing the Finder he went ahead and bought a Dreamer for a shade over £400 and seems to have given up on the kit.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 08:10:22 am
content: First decide what material you want to print.So far I have printed using PLA, nylon, SLA and brass. I haven't printed using paper, nor ceramics, nor titanium, nor gold/silver, nor...Be prepared to spend time fettling with the printer.And then consider using a professional fab service!

author: Discotech
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 01:20:09 pm
content: Prusa MK3 is pretty much the standard in that price range and will meet your needsAlthough if you're prepared to tinker and upgrade a $200 Ender 3 can be upgraded to compete with the Prusa, it just needs some time and willing to learn which I found a worthwhile experience and helped me get a better knowledge about 3d printers than buying a ready to go printer like the Mk3 would have

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 01:35:28 pm
content: If you want enclosures you probably don't need a 3D printer - 3D printed enclosures usually look terrible - designing around an off-the-shelf box will look orders of magnitude better.

author: Sudo_apt-get_install_yum
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 01:45:06 pm
content: I’ve worked a bit with 3D printers built a few!Id suggests getting a Prusa MK3 it’s a great FDM printer and has loads of community support and comes with "cutting edge" features.Most FDM 3D printers have reached the practical quality limit, so any printer will make a nice looking box for your projects. The difference between a 200$ 3D printer and a 700$ 3D printer is just pretty much how much tweaking/ time you’re willing to spend on the printer to get it working flawlessly.Avoid getting a SLA or SLS (I doubt you can find one in the price range but there are a few low cost ones) these printer will produce parts with amazing detail since they have few moving parts and harden the plastic with UV light (SLA) or a laser (SLS) but they aren’t very strong so not very good for enclosures, the material also costs a lot more than the spooled filament for FDM printers.If you’re looking for speed then a Delta printer probably would be something to consider, they have a lighter tool head so they can move faster. They are a bit more complicated to work on and generally have a smaller build plate.The printers I have a home and work are the following.Ultimaker 1-Its good and makes high quality prints, it’s a lot of fiddlingUltimaker 2-It’s much easier to work with and produces high quality prints, minimal fiddlingBCN Sigma-Works great and makes high quality prints, I don’t like it. You have to use their version of Cura, it’s not really a downside I just don’t like the printerForm 2-Incredible quality and super easy to work with, expensive plastic and it uses a lot of it because you have to print with 100% infillFlash forge finder (We have like 10 of them)-High quality prints, is easy to use. You’re locked to its slicer, has a small build plate and not heated bedRebuilt Da Vinci Pro 3in1-Produces pretty good prints and is "easy to use" put down way to many hours on it.My custom printer (Similar to an Ultimaker)-Would recommend, it’s served me wellHope this gave some more insight on 3D-printers the ones that I’ve mentioned above are mostly good printers and would recommend most of them. However I do think that the Prusa MK3 would be better both with feature and price.IF you have any more questions about the above mentioned printers I’d gladly answer them!

author: exe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 01:49:51 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on August 16, 2018, 01:35:28 pmI disagree, square flat surfaces 3d printers do quite well. This also gives flexibility, you can design it for your need, instead of taking standard boxes which are rarely a perfect fit. I attach keyboard enclosure made of PETG. It looks and feels quite cool. There are extrusion defects on the edge, gaps in filament, and layer shifts, but that's because my printer sucks (hello cr-10!), prusa would print it perfect. Even with defects it's not too bad (esp. after some finishing). Okay, may be I shouldn't have attached the pictures as it does look terriblePS took 10-12 hours to print it. FDM printers are not particularly fast.

author: Discotech
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 01:51:27 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on August 16, 2018, 01:35:28 pmSurely that's just opinion based ?Of course injection moulded plastic looks better than 3d printed but to say 3d printed looks terrible is just falsehttps://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2070417/makes/#makesThose enclosures for the famed LCR tester don't look at all bad and for the cost of filament probably work out cheaper than buying an injection moulded one

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 01:56:50 pm
content: Quote from: Discotech on August 16, 2018, 01:51:27 pmbut not remotely comparable to a proper enclosure - looks totally homemade.

author: exe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 01:57:14 pm
content: Quote from: Discotech on August 16, 2018, 01:51:27 pmI try to make front panel either the first layer (so it is very smooth and shiny like glass), or make it of vertical layers. Horizontal layers are often very visible and I don't like them. But that's my personal preference. My approach may need to print enclosure in multiple parts.

author: Discotech
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 02:12:20 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on August 16, 2018, 01:56:50 pmSurely the fact that you can design with CAD and print out custom prototype enclosures instantly far outweigh the negatives of any home made look your enclosure has, unless of course you know of affordable injection moulding for a single enclosure or can suggest a better alternative to 3d printing ?

author: exe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 02:19:07 pm
content: BTW, plastic can be sanded/painted/smoothed, so even bad-looking enclosure can be made much better.Yet, some practice needed to avoid that "amaturish" looking. Like, the onces I mentioned above, or, for example, crank temperature up for the last layer, reduce layer width, pick another type of plastic, different color, translucency, etc. So, I admin, it's not simple to make a good-looking enclosure. Most photos will show badly looking enclosures, but that's because people don't care, not because 3d printers cannot do it.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 02:24:49 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on August 16, 2018, 01:56:50 pmHave to agree, the Finder I have makes lovely 'things', I've been printing custom brackets (see pics) and adapters that just didn't exist until I designed them but there's no way it's up to a 'finished product' level of quality, it's excellent for prototyping.I do prefer a 'finished' look if I build something I'm going to keep around.

author: Sudo_apt-get_install_yum
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 02:27:02 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on August 16, 2018, 01:35:28 pmI got to disagree with that. Yeah it’s not going to look injection molded but it’s not going to look terrible. Sometime when I feel like something a bit fancier I use my Form 2 which makes real high quality prints. If a feel like making it’s a tad nicer I use FDM printer with fine layers and ABS filament and then dip the print in a vat of acetone, it becomes smooth and shiny almost identical to an injection molded part.A few years ago I did some work developing a low volume product. Instead of injection molding the parts we printed the end goal part (Master part) with a Form 2 and then treated it slightly to get a better finish. I then poured silicone around the master part and made silicone mold, this was then used to "injection mold" the parts. They were indistinguishable from professionally made ones.I’m not sure of the actual name but I mixed a few chemicals and pigment together, sucked out the air in a vacuum chamber and then injected the plastic into the mold while its was in vacuum and heated it to set the plastic.Yeah with a bit of work and know how you can get incredible nice parts that originated from a 3D printer!

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 02:43:12 pm
content: Quote from: Discotech on August 16, 2018, 02:12:20 pmDepends what you are trying to a achieve. If you're selling to anyone but hobbyists with low expectations, a 3D print will just look like a joke. There's a huge range of off-the-shelf cases, and even the cheapest will have a better looking surface finish than a 3D print.Obviously you need to start by selecting the enclosure and designing around it, rather than looking for a box to fit an existing PCB etc.

author: metrologist
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 06:13:43 pm
content: All talk about the printer, but that is useless without some design to print. How do folks actually create the design, particularly complex designs?Isn't that most significant aspect of this, and the most difficult hurdle?

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 06:20:13 pm
content: Quote from: metrologist on August 16, 2018, 06:13:43 pmI use Designspark 3D, took me a couple of hours to work out how to use it to the point I'm at now and I expect to get more proficient with practice, I've also used Fusion 360 which seems more capable than Designspark but may be overkill for my needs.

author: metrologist
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 06:26:57 pm
content: I checked there briefly, and another cloud. Do your designs become open source on the cloud? I'll probably try it anyway as I have a CNC mill that should be working.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 07:04:58 pm
content: Quote from: exe on August 16, 2018, 01:49:51 pmthat (picture) looks terrible. admit it, i own 3d printer and happily print whatever i desire, and then post processing however i think necessary to my satisfaction, esp weird shape or custom enclosure that is not available in off the shelf market or super expensive to get, but 3d printer only suitable for prototyping or a one-off. if you are thinking selling in mass a 12 hours print per unit, let alone polishing it, you are shooting yourself in the foot. for squared enclosure i still prefer buying off-the shelf, ebay or something and size my project to fit. there is a guy here selling his product in 3d printed "squared" box, lets see how long he will stand by the idea. anyway, ymmv.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 09:17:58 pm
content: Quote from: metrologist on August 16, 2018, 06:13:43 pmThat's a good point. The answer depends on what you are trying to create. The tools for creating a head as shoulders bust are different to those for creating a box.For creating a box, I'd use a declarative computer language where the various dimensions can be specified by parameters p assed to functions. See OpenSCAD for example.

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 12:56:57 am
content: Quote from: tggzzz on August 16, 2018, 09:17:58 pmMe too. (Although I'd say "OpenSCAD implements a declarative language for defining solid geometries"; it amounts to the same thing.)I'd really need a small, cheap, quiet, accurate 3D printer I could use for printing small mechanical structures in PLA.As an example, I've designed a camera dolly for a friend (for GoPros, or cellphone cameras; so palm-sized lightweight devices, not pro gear). The camera stand moves on a linear axis, with the camera holder rotating, both controlled by a small microcontroller reprogrammable via USB. I'd really want it to have a pan-tilt mount. The forces involved are really small, but I'd like to eliminate any backlash. To do so, I can easily pair cheap geared steppers. However, the stability and usability depends on size and final center of mass, and so practical experimentation is needed. I'm currently limited to wood sticks, Technic Legos, and hobby clays for modeling... When I know the type of the brackets, I can create them in OpenSCAD, obviously, and get them printed even in metal. But for the experimentation, a 3D printer would be nice.Unfortunately, I can't currently afford a good one (like Prusa i3 even in kit form), and I don't want to risk getting a cheapie that simply cannot produce dimensionally accurate prints. I don't mind spending time to fiddle with the device to calibrate and adjust its performance, though. (I do prefer the new Trinamic drivers, as they significantly reduce the stepper noise.)Any suggestions to this particular use case?

author: brucehoult
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 01:54:36 am
content: Quote from: Nominal Animal on August 17, 2018, 12:56:57 amThere's no such thing.If you can't afford a Prusa then you can't afford a practical and useul 3D printer. Even the Prusa is fiddly. For most people who just want something that works I'd recommend an Ultimaker 2 or 3. They cost much more.

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 02:58:27 am
content: Quote from: brucehoult on August 17, 2018, 01:54:36 amBecause the Prusa i3 (including MK3)design is GPL'd, there are many derivatives. I could get a Prusa i3 reprap derivative for under 250€ (which even I could afford), but who knows how good/accurate the hardware parts are?The Original Prusa i3 MK3 (from Prusa himself) would cost me ~ 800€ shipped. That is over my current spending limit. The reported occasional problems (frame parts needing machining to fix in particular) scare me, because I don't have access to a metal shop to fix any of them, and shipping the parts back and forth (to get them fixed under warranty) would cost quite a bit. If I had access to even a modest metal shop and dimensionally accurate aluminium extrusions, I'd have built a 3D printer to satisfy my needs ages ago already.The electronics, even the drivers and steppers I can replace, and I can (re)write the entire software stack if I need to; it's the mechanics I'd have to live with.I was hoping there would be practical experiences from those using/maintaining multiple printers, especially regarding the hardware side.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 08:26:10 am
content: Quote from: Sudo_apt-get_install_yum on August 16, 2018, 01:45:06 pmI'm not convinced you are locked to their slicer, there's at least one commercial offering that supports their machines and it seems there are a few open source/free packages that work too (I've not tried them yet, Flashprint works for me so far but I did look when I got the machine)Unless you know different?

author: exe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 08:33:43 am
content: Quote from: Nominal Animal on August 17, 2018, 02:58:27 amIt will be nowhere as good as Prusa without putting a lot of efforts, imho. Just quality electronics, direct extruder and a few other crucial parts will cost 250 alone.I saw people having good printing results using junk parts, but I wasn't able to achieve the same with my cr10 (I spent 3 or 4 months tuning it). Now my printer costs twice the original price, yet doesn't print well because controller board is not good. So, if I want to remove printing defects I need new brains (like duetwifi, but it costs 160euro), or I can spend another few weeks tuning firmware, playing with drivers' trimpots, etc trying to repair the original board. The funny thing is, after half a year of owning the 3d printer I printed just a few useful parts. The rest was calibration cubes, etc.So, my advice don't underestimate cost of your time. Now I'd pay three times more than what I paid originally for the printer just to get a decent device I could trust.

author: Eka
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 10:09:57 am
content: Quote from: metrologist on August 16, 2018, 06:13:43 pmI used OpenSCAD. You program your design rather than use a GUI to form it.

author: Sudo_apt-get_install_yum
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 10:37:23 am
content: Quote from: CJay on August 17, 2018, 08:26:10 amIt might be so, I think Simplify3D has support but I’m not sure. At least with the older flash forge you were locked but it’s probably changed by now.The slicer is good and works just fine, i just miss "advanced" features.I really like these printers, they print 24/7 and have been doing so for a year or two and are holding up just fine. Only thing we have had to replace is the nozzle but after several thousands of hours of printing it’s kind of expected from a brass nozzle.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 10:41:38 am
content: Quote from: exe on August 17, 2018, 08:33:43 ammy earlier comment on your printout crappiness was nothing to do with the lacking you mentioned above, you certainly dont need new printer brain unless it is a china mcu blob on a pcb, i suspect your printer brain will be some atmel avr cpu variant which i think adequate (prove me wrong). my printout is just as crappy as you are, same avr brain and self modified firmware, imho its just the nature of layer deposition mechanism that make its crappy (visible layer by layer on the finished product) and the dynamics of the motors (acceleration and decceleration commands) in the firmware will provide plenty of processing power for other stuffs and if you still think its lacking, try to print even slower, and i suspect the dynamics is coded as interrupt based mechanism inside the fw, so excuses such as lack processing power is moot as we should see lagging in GUI if that is the problem.please do show me the best OSHW/reprap printout using some GHz raspberry pi brain i suspect its will be just a little bit better if not as the same crapiness. there are more technological involvement (price) if we want a better print, heat chamber, sensories etc. thats what make $$$ unit apart from cheap OSHW unit. accept what it cant do and enjoy what it can. i agree dont waste your time too much on it, if you really concern, there are few used stratasys unit sold on ebay for fraction of the original price, get those, but then, it will not be guaranteed CNC moulding grade product output. yes i've seen the printout result of stratasys, they are still "layered visible based" product, just a little bit shiny due to better fusion inside the heat chamber.Quote from: Sudo_apt-get_install_yum on August 17, 2018, 10:37:23 amif the printer can accept standard gcode command/file, i believe any slicer producing descent gcode file can be used. i use KISSlicer that came with Repetier Host.

author: metrologist
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 11:02:32 am
content: This a very typical dead end experience. How to convert stl to gcode.stupid article stops half way, just gets the stl design into fusion and says good luck with the rest.https://support.bantamtools.com/hc/en-us/articles/115001671634-Converting-STL-Files-to-G-codethe best masheen in the world can't do anything if the idea can't get into just the right kind of machine language.So slicer is analogous to cam? always the wall.

author: exe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 11:05:03 am
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on August 17, 2018, 10:41:38 amSorry, but saying "better brains" I didn't mention lack of computational power. I meant the whole board. I did some research about seemingly random defects on my prints, I found other people have them as well. What else I found is one guy reported that replacing original board with duetwifi solved it. Rumors say the problem is in cheap drivers. Duetwifi has TMC2660 which are presumably much quiter and don't suffer from this.May there is not enough current to steppers, I dunno. I adjusted current pots so the printer does not produce horrible loud noise when driving steppers, while yet able to move them (looks like I have resonance problem as well). That's why I just want a controller board with good drivers -- to forget about noise and missing steps.PS I'm not really proficient in 3d printing, so whatever I write here can be wrong.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 11:22:25 am
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on August 17, 2018, 10:41:38 amQuote from: Sudo_apt-get_install_yum on August 17, 2018, 10:37:23 amI'm going to have to check when I get home but there seems to be an option to display advanced print options in Flashprint. I'm happy with the software and I'm not seeing any reason to change it but of course if there is better out there...I bought mine faulty from eBay and when it arrived the status display claimed it'd only got 7 hours printing on it so I'm really happy they last for thousands of hours.Quote from: Mechatrommer on August 17, 2018, 10:41:38 amI think the files the FLashprint utility uploads are .stl but I'm really not certain, I'll have to check later.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 11:33:04 am
content: Quote from: metrologist on August 17, 2018, 11:02:32 amthe link you provided is relevant only if you want to modify the model, you really need an answer that is relevant to your question... "How to convert stl to gcode" is a simple step as...https://www.repetier.com/perhaps with many other OSS softwares.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 12:13:40 pm
content: Quote from: Nominal Animal on August 17, 2018, 12:56:57 amPlease ignore the naysayers who can take a perfectly functional machine and fail to make it work.It's quite easy to start off with a basic machine like an Ender 3 and get good results - dimensional accuracy is basically a non-issue (always has been). You can certainly improve on a machine like that, especially noise-wise, but they do print just fine.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 12:50:47 pm
content: Quote from: CJay on August 17, 2018, 11:22:25 ami think it would be impractical to upload raw/native 3d format (stl) to printer and ask the printer to do realtime slicing to produce gcode that a machine mechanics can understand. its like sending jpg format to photo printer and ask the printer to decode and translate it into printhead's bitstream codes. i have a suspicion the spawn of cheap to not so cheap 3d printers (other than full engineering product like stratasys) throughout the globe including prusa inc was originating from OSS firmware such asmarlin firmware et al(developed back then based on earlier cnc machine motion planner i forgot the name is by some good people you can search the history or learn from the firmware source code) and from some RAMP board hardware, and later each brand name close the door for their custom tuned FW and circuit. we can tell by the familiar LCD2004 GUInterface. the original fw is reading gcode for printing. if you have the chance to save the output file to sd card or sniff your printer usb comm, it should looks something like this.Code:G92 E0G1 Z0.200 F7200.000G1 X35.655 Y-7.957 F7200.000G1 E2.00000 F1800.000G1 X35.728 Y-7.502 E2.01450 F2880.000G1 X35.961 Y-7.426 E2.02222G1 X36.929 Y-6.711 E2.06009G1 X37.044 Y-6.673 E2.06392G1 X45.189 Y-6.673 E2.32028those are gcode that a printer/cnc machine can understand. stl is just a bunch of vertices location of the model all over the place in 3d space. we'll need quite powerfull processor and memories to translate it to layer by layer bottom up polygons/motions in gcodes.

author: exe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 12:54:16 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on August 17, 2018, 12:50:47 pmI think slicing on printer is a bit impractical. I change slicing settings depending on filament, nozzle diameter, temperature, complexity of model, etc. So, the printer needs to be aware of that somehow (or user needs to specify the profile).PS octoprint can do automatic slicing and stl upload.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 01:16:44 pm
content: btw. fwiw i built my ownGCode Editor(which i received few decent donations from good people out there so i can buy stuffs cheaper in ebay) to edit vertices or positional commands in gcode graphically, because my 3d modelling SW is aging, it cant do modern NURBS (i think FreeCAD or Blender will do a better job on this), so i have to do modification in gcode. remember gcode is supposed to be an endpoint machine code, like CAM file we are not suppose to edit in there. not as in native 3d model data (like stl etc) that we are suppose to edit our model in 3D SW such as Fusion 360, SolidWork, Inventors etc or even OSS free FreeCAD or Blender. i think i'm the only soul (or few other? i dont know last time i checked its nowhere to be found, or not free) who insisted on the workflow (edit in gcode) and some other people have found use to it.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 01:17:14 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on August 17, 2018, 12:50:47 pmYeah, you're correct, I've just remoted into my machine at home and had a look at the backup of the internal SD card from the finder, it's full of .g and .gx files

author: Cherenkov11
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 02:42:22 pm
content: I do not have a lot of experience on 3D printing, but in a video of Marco Reps I met the Cetus3D and it looks pretty solid and reliable, so it could be an option.

author: metrologist
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 03:48:55 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on August 17, 2018, 01:16:44 pmOK, I will look at your software. I write G-code manually for my machine and have used Excel to help by using formulas to expand point coordinates and ultimately toolpaths. Or I have used scorchworks to create paths and modify the code for 3D milling.

author: sairfan1
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2018, 08:24:55 pm
content: anybody else used Cetus3D printer?

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2018, 03:05:26 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on August 16, 2018, 02:43:12 pmClearly you just don't get it so perhaps the joke is on you and you miss the point? Ease of Rapid prototyping and proof of concept with custom parts and or enclosures prior to looking at volume production it is one of the better options available.A tacky cheap enclosure can also look like a Hobby Project from the 70's and equally unprofessional IMO!Quote from: metrologist on August 16, 2018, 06:13:43 pmFusion 360 once you get into it is Free and powerful you just need to get over the 'Cloud and Autodesk' mental barrier.Enjoying the results and the ability to get from Pencil Sketch to Design to product quickly with a practical result for one offs and proof of concept.Currently tossing around a Prusa MK3 kits or some other sort of direct extruder printer for a second printer for flexibles and higher temperatures than my CR-10S offers.