Datasets:

---

bigcode

/

stack-exchange-preferences-20230914-clean-anonymization

like 5

Follow

BigCode 1.2k

[ { "answer_id": 4033, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Continuing a failed print has nothing to do with automatic bed leveling. It has everything to do with knowing which line failed, repositioning to resume from that point, and resuming from that line of code." }, { "answer_id": 19365, "author": "Taeleus", "author_id": 21285, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/21285", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "So like resuming any print, if you've already done the work to find the layer you failed at, edited the G-code to start from that layer. But now you feel stuck because to start a print you need to home your printer right? And homing with a BLTouch makes it probe the center of your bed... which happens to be where your print is at. IF you're on Klipper, you can put something like this here:\n\n```\n[homing_override]\nset_position_z:0\ngcode:\n G90\n G1 Z10 F600\n G28 X Y\n #G1 X161 Y125 F6000 ;old bed center\n G1 X245 Y215 F6000 ;far right corner of the bed. You may have to adjust your X and Y for your BLTouch location as mine is on a Hero Me hotend\n G28 Z\n G1 Z100 F24000 ; move Z-axis up so hotend doesn't hit the print when zeroing. Adjust this as needed to clear your print from where it failed\n G1 X0 Y0 F24000\n\n```\n\nAnd from there, the printer should Home and you can start your partial G-code from here. IF YOU HAVE KLIPPER. Make sure to remove any purge lines or stuff like that from your Start Print code." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4032", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4408/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4055, "author": "Brad", "author_id": 7104, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7104", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I have only tried 2 different printers. I started with an Up plus printer and it was good to get started. After a few years you really want more control. I did a lot of research and ended up buying the Extrabot. It is based on the ultimaker however the guy that puts them together upgrades the motors and a few other parts to really make them work with multiple filament.\n\nYou have control over all the settings so using exotic filaments is a viable option." }, { "answer_id": 4058, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "At work we have a Stratasys Polyjet. It prints using UV cured gel; so, it is kind of a cross between FDM and SLA. I have not used it personally, it is mostly used byt the ME group. The parts I have seen that it produces are VERY good and it support different materials and even multiple materials. They have a lot of different product levels so they can support different price points. The only complaint I have heard is the material cost.\n\nIt can print some amazing stuff[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/F7BDg.jpg)\n\nHere is a nice video <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMMJnn_gHWw>" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4042", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7077/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4045, "author": "ON5MF Jurgen", "author_id": 6812, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6812", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I use a product called [3DLAC](http://www.3dlac.com/index.php/en/) but I suppose it's regular hairspray. Makes my PLA stick to the heated bed like a charm. After cooling down the print can be removed from the bed with ease.\n\nOnly today, after a few thousand prints the glass bed of my printer broke. But I suppose this is because we didn't have enough patience to let the bed cool down to room temperature before removing the printed piece." }, { "answer_id": 4050, "author": "hilo90mhz", "author_id": 7081, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7081", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "If you can upgrade your bed to a magnetic bed with spring steel top all the problems of breaking parts loose go away, the method is you take the spring steel plate off the magnets and twist it gently to allow your part to break loose.\n\nThere is a commercial product going under the name [MagHold](https://3dprintermods.com/home/9-maghold-model-c-for-ff-dreamer-and-compatible-printers.html). I am not affiliated with them but really like the idea and have it on three of my printers, works great. \n\nFor best results overall I recommend PEI material on top of the spring steel plate. the PEI works great for PLA at 50°C and PETG at 80°C. And you can still break both materials loose easily by twisting the plate. No damage to the sides of your parts from prying." }, { "answer_id": 4054, "author": "Brad", "author_id": 7104, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7104", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I already spent time reading up on this and quickly worked out there is a lot of useless products out there. Sure they may work however it adds a massive cost to your print. \n\nWhat I have found works best for heated glass beds is Glue stick, nice and cheap, lasts a long time and has never let me down. Bed temperature is also very important to get right however out of all the products I have tried, Glue Stick works the best." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4044", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4052, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Here is a great article on the subject, [How to make your own filament by recycling old 3D prints | Part 1](https://www.3dhubs.com/talk/thread/how-make-your-own-filament-recycling-old-3d-prints-part-1).\n\nAt $20/kg for new material, it is going to be hard for recycling to break even; but, if the cost is not your concern, there are some options.\n\nHere is another creative option that I just saw... Cue amazing electric guitar riff:\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4Ur4H.jpg)\n\n* Guitar Picks (and jewelry)\n\nHere is the video: [Failed Print Recycling Revisited // Guitar Picks, Earrings, and More](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42c8go9A7HQ)." }, { "answer_id": 4062, "author": "Brad", "author_id": 7104, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7104", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I ended up buying a little handheld 3D pen. It comes in handy when printing models that require assembly. You can use the leftover filament in the 3D pen. If you don't have a 3D pen, you can use a soldering iron (as long as you can control the temp) to weld items together. I works well for part repairs and assembly.\n\nThe 3D pens is also handy for quick simple prints, as mentioned above. A guitar pick is a good idea and very easy to make with the 3D pen. \n\nAs for making your own filament, there are a couple of machines I would recommend looking into.\n\nFirst you will need something to prep the material. This [shredder](http://filamaker.eu/product/harddrive-destroyer/) will help.\n\nTo make your own filament, here are a couple of options\n\n1. [DIY](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:145500)\n2. [Off the shelf](http://d3dinnovations.com/filafab/)\n\nRegarding Injection Molding, I have never done it, however found some [good info](https://www.rtpcompany.com/technical-info/molding-guidelines/pla-compounds/) on molding PLA." }, { "answer_id": 5820, "author": "Hugh", "author_id": 10529, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/10529", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "<https://preciousplastic.com/> Is a fantastic project that promotes plastic recycling into useful objects. They offer free blueprints, videos on how to build the recycling equipment, and offer suggestions on what to make of your recycled goods.\n\nPersonally, I am looking into making garden bricks or paver stones. I have not found the ideal temperatures or heating methods just yet." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4049", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7091/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4081, "author": "Mark Walker", "author_id": 305, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/305", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "As you note, the estimates are usually optimistic because they're calculated without knowing the printer's actual acceleration as well as communication overhead time losses, etc. However, many estimation algorithms put in a bit of a fudge factor to approximate a typical printer or to approximate startup time. I think in this case, you're just on the wrong side of the fudge factor." }, { "answer_id": 4240, "author": "Brison", "author_id": 7477, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7477", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Estimating time for any CNC based machines are measured in this formula:\n\n*The length of pulses that machine travels x The feedrate of the pulse itself*\n\nIt gives you the time for whole movements. If you're familiar with NC codes, information of any movement is listed in a single line, having its own `feedrate`, that's what we call pulses.\n\nAs machines are not ideal, some delay occurs between pulses, approximately *1 or 2 ms* according to machine type. That's what is not measured in the formula.\n\nIf you were able to measure that `delay time` and multiply it in `number of pulses`, by adding it in the `estimated time` found by machine, you could find a much more definite estimated time, for your process." }, { "answer_id": 4440, "author": "Tim Kuipers", "author_id": 7956, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7956", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "If you properly define your own machine with a `delta_wasp.def.json` file you can fill in the acceleration and jerk settings of your printer, so that Cura will use the correct values for print time estimation.\n\nFor example, take a look at [how the Ultimaker 2 is defined.](https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura/blob/master/resources/definitions/ultimaker2.def.json)\n\nExposing these settings to the Custom FDM Printer wizard hasn't been implemented (yet)." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4066", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7089/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4081, "author": "Mark Walker", "author_id": 305, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/305", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "As you note, the estimates are usually optimistic because they're calculated without knowing the printer's actual acceleration as well as communication overhead time losses, etc. However, many estimation algorithms put in a bit of a fudge factor to approximate a typical printer or to approximate startup time. I think in this case, you're just on the wrong side of the fudge factor." }, { "answer_id": 4240, "author": "Brison", "author_id": 7477, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7477", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Estimating time for any CNC based machines are measured in this formula:\n\n*The length of pulses that machine travels x The feedrate of the pulse itself*\n\nIt gives you the time for whole movements. If you're familiar with NC codes, information of any movement is listed in a single line, having its own `feedrate`, that's what we call pulses.\n\nAs machines are not ideal, some delay occurs between pulses, approximately *1 or 2 ms* according to machine type. That's what is not measured in the formula.\n\nIf you were able to measure that `delay time` and multiply it in `number of pulses`, by adding it in the `estimated time` found by machine, you could find a much more definite estimated time, for your process." }, { "answer_id": 4440, "author": "Tim Kuipers", "author_id": 7956, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7956", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "If you properly define your own machine with a `delta_wasp.def.json` file you can fill in the acceleration and jerk settings of your printer, so that Cura will use the correct values for print time estimation.\n\nFor example, take a look at [how the Ultimaker 2 is defined.](https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura/blob/master/resources/definitions/ultimaker2.def.json)\n\nExposing these settings to the Custom FDM Printer wizard hasn't been implemented (yet)." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4071", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7126/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4077, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Just heat the nut with a soldering iron to seat it into place (after the print). I've done this many times myself.\n\nEDIT: Try a bit of acetone, to allow the ABS near the nut to reflow." }, { "answer_id": 4079, "author": "Tom van der Zanden", "author_id": 26, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/26", "pm_score": 4, "selected": true, "text": "One good option would be to - if possible - change the design, so the nut is inserted from the opposite side, so that the bolt just pulls it in tighter rather than pulling it out.\n\nAnother option would be to instead of using a nut, use a [brass threaded insert](https://www.matterhackers.com/articles/fasteners-for-3d-printing). These are like nuts, except they have ridges that are specifically aimed at locking it inside the plastic." }, { "answer_id": 4085, "author": "Greenonline", "author_id": 4762, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4762", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Instead of super glue, you could try a two part epoxy resin (any brand should do, i.e. [Bison Kombi Power](https://www.bison.nl/nl/product.1259) or [JB Weld](https://www.jbweld.com/products/j-b-weld-twin-tube)). This may take longer to dry, than the super glue, but *should* be much stronger, and deal with torsion forces better1.\n\nOr, you could try red (not blue) Loctite. However, the epoxy resin would probably be stronger.\n\n---\n\n1 This is admittedly an opinionated reference, but from [Epoxy or super glue, which is stronger?](https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/epoxy-or-super-glue-which-is-stronger.1201543/)\n\n> \n> depending on the surface, [epoxy] can be superior. Epoxies are generally a must if the surfaces are porous\n> \n> \n> \n\nand \n\n> \n> Epoxy is superior to CA. CA is nearly always misapplied. Epoxy has a higher tolerance to misapplication thus is much less likely to fail under such circumstances. I've used Belzona epoxies to repair parts on various aircraft and spacecraft where welding would be inappropriate! Belzona epoxy is without a doubt the best there is. Too bad you cannot purchase it in Home Depot.\n> \n> \n> The closest thing you can get though is PC-7.\n> \n> \n>" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4076", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7138/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4086, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "Yes, measures which decrease the chance of a fire are a good idea.\n\nIn a DIY project, such a fuse is indeed a good idea. I use a printer/software/firmware package which monitors the temperature and fails open (removing current) if readings are out of range; however, there is also hardware protection (a thermal snap switch) just in case the other precautions fail." }, { "answer_id": 4087, "author": "Tom van der Zanden", "author_id": 26, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/26", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "Whether you should use a thermal fuse or not depends on what other safety measures you've taken. You can't look at the safety features of a printer in isolation, you need to look at what other measures are in place.\n\nThe main fire hazard in printers is unfortunately (still) the fact that some manufacturers use underrated connectors on their boards, and that some users put bare wires in screw terminals or use inadequate torque when tightening terminals. As the wire works itself loose, it starts arcing and burning the connector. A thermal fuse does not help in this situation (unless you place thermal fuses near all of the connectors, which is impractical). Instead:\n\n* Properly tighten screw terminals, check them, and consider using proper wire termination (crimp lugs).\n* Use strain relief on wires. Make sure wires don't rub against anything, and guide them so they do not bend in a tight radius. Since the extruder (or print bed) is constantly moving, those wires are subject to fatigue.\n* Make sure connectors (especially those for the heated bed) are rated for the current running through them, and solder wires directly to the board if necessary.\n\nUsing a regular fuse may protect against wires shorting against each other should their insulation be damaged. Fuses are usually already integrated into the main board.\n\nMost firmwares include some variant of *thermal runaway protection*, a feature that monitors the heaters and shuts the printer down if it notices something gone wrong. This protects against:\n\n* The thermistor coming loose/reading incorrect values/etc...\n\nbut not against:\n\n* Bugs in the firmware itself\n* Failure of the MOSFET\n\nMost printers use MOSFETs to switch power to the heating element. Unfortunately, when MOSFETs fail, they usually fail *closed* (i.e. conducting). This means that, even if the firmware detects something has gone wrong, it won't be able to do anything about it. Solid State Relays (TRIACs) can fail in the same way.\n\nTo protect against this, mounting a thermal fuse (or resettable bimetallic switch\\*) on the heated bed may be a good idea. However, thermal fuses with ratings up to the operating temperature of a hotend do not appear to be available so this is not an option.\n\nAttaching the fuse physically to the part it is monitoring is the most reliable, but for instance with the hotend (if you wanted to protect it all) this might not be feasible to the high temperatures involved so you'd have to settle with monitoring the air temperature close by.\n\nAlso consider *thermal balancing*. A thermal fuse is unnecessary if the component can not overheat to begin with. For instance, most MK2 heated beds struggle getting up to even 100C, so even with a shorted MOSFET they present no danger. However, if you have a powerful high wattage (mains-powered) heated bed, you should *definitely* install thermal protection.\n\nE3D supplies their hot ends with 25W, 30W and 40W heaters. The 25W heater is the safer choice, since it limits the maximum temperature the hot end can get to, while with the 40W heater you can reach higher temperatures (and reach them faster). Barring a very unlikely scenario in which simultaneously (1) the power supply fails and starts supplying excessive voltage and (2) the MOSFET and/or firmware fails, a heater that is sized appropriately to the load it is driving can never pose any danger.\n\nI don't think it's common to install thermal fuses on steppers, stepper drives or the power supply (which should have its own protection). For every possible location to place a thermal fuse, you can probably think up a failure mode in which that fuse would save the day, but at a certain point it just becomes overkill. The stepper drivers would likely burn out well before the steppers would get hot enough to pose a threat, and overheating of the stepper driver would probably (violently) destroy it but afterwards it should not pose any threat.\n\nAxial v.s. radial does not matter, just use whatever is convenient for your situation.\n\n\\* Note that some bimetallic switches short one of the leads to the (metal)\n case when tripped, which poses a danger, especially with mains-powered heaters." }, { "answer_id": 4141, "author": "Ecnerwal", "author_id": 6853, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6853", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "IMHO - if you seek hands-off unattended fire safety you'd be looking at something a bit more specific to that job than measuring or limiting the temperature of printer components. That's great, as far as it goes, when it works, but it's not anything like a complete solution. Cutting off the electrical supply won't put out a fire that has progressed to burning plastic, etc. Reasonable over-current protection for a start. Contain the printer inside a metal cabinet or cementboard-lined closet (a non-flammable enclosure), add a heat and/or smoke detector in the top of that enclosure, and rig that to not only cut off power to the printer, but (given things have gone far enough wrong to set that off) also set off an extinguishing means (the effectiveness of which will be enhanced by an enclosure.)\n\nA little bit of looking finds (for predictably high prices, sorry) that there are, indeed, fire extinguishers with a \"sprinker-head\" valve attached for this type of \"spot suppression\" job that would cover the \"set off an extinguisher\" part of the job without need of any power. You'd still want a heat detector that would shut off the electrical supply to the printer in the event of abnormally high temperatures in the enclosure, and you might want a smoke detector doing the same. \n\nThis is probably representative of about 0% of actual installations at present, but it would be a good way to reduce the risk in the event of a serious malfunction. Presumably the current distribution of risk looks a lot like the maker stating: \n\n> \n> \"the recommendation is, when printing, to watch the 3D printer at all\n> times and never leave a print unattended.\"\n> \n> \n> \n\nAnd then the user choosing not to do so, putting the responsibility for any bad result on the user as not following the maker's recommendation, however impractical." }, { "answer_id": 6780, "author": "cmm", "author_id": 2082, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/2082", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "I have a Thing-O-Matic which included a thermal fuse above the heat break.\n\nFor my home-brew printer (a large delta machine) I have a smoke alarm and a fire alarm mounted under the top of the print volume. These are wired together and give me a NO and NC dry contact. My plan is to connect this to a power kill circuit. I haven't found a good way to flood the entire machine, including the electronics, with CO2 gas or another extinguisher when the alarm sounds.\n\nI've added some additional information on parts purchasable on DigiKey:\nThe [first](https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/cantherm/SDF-DF152S/317-1136-ND/1014765) is a 10 A, 152 C thermal fuse rated for line voltage. This would be appropriate for bonding to a heated bed.\nThe [second](https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/littelfuse-inc/RTP200HR010SA/RTP200HR010SA-ND/5410412) is rated to trip at 260 C.\nBoth of these are less than $1.50 each." }, { "answer_id": 10258, "author": "Michael D", "author_id": 16752, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/16752", "pm_score": -1, "selected": false, "text": "I haven't found a good way to flood the entire machine, including the electronics, with CO2 gas or another extinguisher when the alarm sounds.\n\nA servo or some other actuator attached to a fire extinguisher, and then attach it to a thermocouple or some other sensor. Maybe a knockoff Arduino, which the small ones are 2 bucks a pop. Since Arduinos are open source, you aren't pirating anything, so clear conscience." }, { "answer_id": 10263, "author": "user77232", "author_id": 12857, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/12857", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Yes, you should use a thermal fuse. But only to protect the board itself from an overheating condition. PTC fuses however; is a no.\n\nThe PTC resettable fuse after it trips the first time, doesn't return to it's former low impedence state for a long time. Sometimes hours, sometimes days, sometimes years. As it maintains its higher resistance even though the system is not in an over heated state, the fuse will trip faster the next time. This could lead to false positives during print or other operation. \n\n> \n> The resetting will often not take place even if the fault alone has\n> been removed with the power still flowing as the operating current may\n> be above the holding current of the PPTC. The device may not return to\n> its original resistance value; it will most likely stabilize at a\n> significantly higher resistance (up to 4 times initial value). It\n> could take hours, days, weeks or even years for the device to return\n> to a resistance value similar to its original value, if at all.\n> \n> \n> \n\n<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resettable_fuse>\n\nCurrently, I am investigating the use of a hall effect current sensor and some circuitry. Based on the duration and magnitude of the current, a small capacitor is charged. When a threshold is reached (as determined by a voltage comparitor), the power is withdrawn to let the capacitor discharge (and the heating element cool). This *should* keep the heating element from reaching a temp above a configurable maximum." }, { "answer_id": 10292, "author": "Robert", "author_id": 16786, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/16786", "pm_score": -1, "selected": false, "text": "I'm going to set this up for my printer: [3D Printer Safety Shutdown - Smoke Detector](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2148191)\n\n> \n> [![3D Printer Safety Shutdown - Smoke Detector - Photo](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8uhbM.jpg \"3D Printer Safety Shutdown - Smoke Detector- Photo\")](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8uhbM.jpg \"3D Printer Safety Shutdown - Smoke Detector- Photo\")\n> \n> \n> [![3D Printer Safety Shutdown - Smoke Detector - Diagram](https://i.stack.imgur.com/nk1BG.jpg \"3D Printer Safety Shutdown - Smoke Detector - Diagram\")](https://i.stack.imgur.com/nk1BG.jpg \"3D Printer Safety Shutdown - Smoke Detector - Diagram\")\n> \n> \n> \n\nLooks like a great solution for preventing fires." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4084", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4762/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4097, "author": "Greenonline", "author_id": 4762, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4762", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "As you are an experienced developer, these links should help:\n\nThis is a related question, but for Ubuntu [How to build CuraEngine?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/1309/how-to-build-curaengine)\n\nWikipedia has an informative page on [Cura](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cura_(software)), which lists the Github development pages:\n\n> \n> * [Cura Github development page](https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura)\n> * [Cura Github legacy (pre-Ultimaker) development page](https://github.com/daid/LegacyCura)\n> * [Cura slicing engine Github development page](https://github.com/Ultimaker/CuraEngine)\n> \n> \n> \n\nReading the development pages is a good place to start. The [Cura Github development page](https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura) does contain resources for Windows.\n\nThe top level Ultimaker [Github page](https://github.com/Ultimaker) contains links to all of the relevant repositories, amongst other useful resources, including:\n\n> \n> * [CuraEngine](https://github.com/Ultimaker/CuraEngine) - CuraEngine is a powerful, fast and robust engine for processing 3D models into 3D printing instruction for Ultimaker\n> and other GCode based 3D printers. It is part of the larger open\n> source project called \"Cura\".\n> * [Cura](https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura) - 3D printer / slicing GUI built on top of the Uranium framework\n> * [cura-build](http://cura-build) - Build scripts for Cura\n> \n> \n> \n\n---\n\nWith respect to Python, I, myself, am slowly making my way through this Python tutorial, [Python Code Academy](https://www.codecademy.com/en/courses/introduction-to-python-6WeG3/0/1). However, there are a many other good Python tutorials out there, the best resource is probably [Python.org](https://www.python.org/). \n\nOne thing to note is that Python 2.x and 3.x are markedly different (see [Should I use Python 2 or Python 3 for my development activity?](https://wiki.python.org/moin/Python2orPython3)). [What should I learn as a beginner: Python 2 OR Python 3?](http://learntocodewith.me/programming/python/python-2-vs-python-3/) is also an interesting read." }, { "answer_id": 4098, "author": "mbmcavoy", "author_id": 5704, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5704", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "The repository's README.md includes a section titled \"Build Scripts\", with a link to another repository: <https://github.com/Ultimaker/cura-build>\n\nThis includes dependencies and instructions for building Cura on Windows." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4092", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4104, "author": "Darius Curt", "author_id": 7182, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7182", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "Try lowering your Z height a bit more for the first layer if you find yourself having bed adhesion problems. What brand of filament are you using? Did you try using some other brands?" }, { "answer_id": 4105, "author": "Greenonline", "author_id": 4762, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4762", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "With respect to the filament lifting off, and/or not adhering correctly, on the first layer, see [Filament lifts from the hot bed while printing](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4018/filament-lifts-from-the-hot-bed-while-printing)... in particular, you may need to clean the bed, calibrate the leveling and the nozzle height (see [my answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4018/filament-lifts-from-the-hot-bed-while-printing#answer-4021)).\n\nThe fact that the prints are fine, after 10 or so layers, could be to do with the heat - at the higher layers the print is warm and no warping occurs, but below that, maybe the print bed is acting as a heat sink and making the filament cool too quickly - hence the distortion. Are you using a heated bed? If not, then maybe consider installing one.\n\nNot sure about the bubbles: how do your store your filament? The bubbles could be due to water, which expands as it gets hot, thereby causing the filament to bubble. It is best to store your filament in an air tight container, to prevent it collecting moisture and dust from the air." }, { "answer_id": 4323, "author": "Tooniis", "author_id": 7362, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7362", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "My Anet A8 has a concave bed, which is a defect. Check if yours has the same defect by putting a long ruler on its edge on the bed and look for a gap between it and the bed in the middle. If you find a gap then it is concave. The best solution is to put a piece of glass on the bed instead of blue tape, because glass is very flat. It will also help a lot with bed adhesion. I highly recommend this mod." }, { "answer_id": 7408, "author": "vittorio88", "author_id": 13462, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/13462", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "When I first started printing with the anet A8, I also had trash first layers. \n\nI tried (almost) everything:\n\n1. Leveling the bed maniacally several times (all the screws in the\nframe need to be very tight)\n2. Varying bed temperature and nozzle\ntemperature at all possible combinations.\n3. Adding blue masking tape\n\nNothing would significantly improve my first layer, except for **HAIRSPRAY**.\n\nAfter discovering this secret, I went back and un-varied everything. I tried with and without tape, at high and low temperatures. With-out the hairspray it never stuck well. With the hairspray it stuck perfectly every time. A small spray is sufficient.\n\nAfter you are done making a mess, use nail polish remover ( acetone ) to properly clean everything.\n\nIf you are doubting your G-code, get a pre-generated one for the A8. The ones that came on the SD card should print very well, nothing like the image you showed of the 1st layer." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4103", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7180/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4118, "author": "Greenonline", "author_id": 4762, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4762", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "The answer really depends on what you are using it for. Is it for dissolving ABS? A [quick google search](https://www.google.com/search?q=accetone%20substitute) should show you what you want.\n\nThe thread, [Could you recommend me a suitable alternative to acetone as solvent?](https://www.researchgate.net/post/Could_you_recommend_me_a_suitable_alternative_to_acetone_as_solvent), has a good many points that are worth considering:\n\nFor example, you may need to consider the *Polarity Index*\n\n> \n> [Burdick & Jackson solvents](http://macro.lsu.edu/howto/solvents/Polarity%20index.htm) are arranged in order of increasing\n> polarity index, a relative measure of the degree of interaction of the\n> solvent with various polar test solutes.\n> \n> \n> \n\nIf you are using it to dissolve a polymer other than ABS, then the family/class of polymer may need to be considered:\n\n> \n> Apart from your desired solvent qualities (non-flammability and low boiling point), the choice will be totally dependent on the family/ class which the polymer  belongs. Based on the principal that 'like dissolves like, the attached document will provide you with good ideas on which solvent to use when a particular repeating unit of the polymer is involved. \n> \n> \n> \n\nButanone is a possibility:\n\n> \n> One alternative is butanone (button-2-one) - this is similar to acetone, but has a much higher boiling point. It is often used for alkylations etc. It has a boiling point of 79-80°C compared to 56°C of acetone. \n> \n> \n> \n\nor NMP:\n\n> \n> N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) can be used. It is a polar aprotic solvent and dissolves many polymers. It has high boiling point ( >200 degree centigrade)  It is soluble in water and easy to dispose which is a great advantage during work up of reactions. \n> \n> \n> \n\nHowever, some other alternative chemicals are listed here (from [Any good alternative to Acetone](https://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,6,266290,271485)?:\n\n* Butyl alcohol\n* methyl isobutyl keytone (MIBK)\n* denatured alcohol\n* MEK (methyl,ethyl,ketone), i.e. Kleen-Strip MEK Alternative\n* Ethyl Acetate\n\nSome branded items, from [Alternatives to Acetone](https://www.hunker.com/12552932/alternatives-to-acetone):\n\n> \n> * Surfasolve\n> \n> \n> \n> > \n> > Surfasolve is a 100 percent biodegradable acetone replacement that removes adhesives, degreases tools and works as a resin solvent.\n> > Surfasolve is a non-regulated product.\n> > \n> > \n> > \n> \n> \n> * Bio-Solv\n> \n> \n> \n> > \n> > Bio-Solv is an acetone replacement that is 100 percent biodegradable. It is not deemed a hazmat, so shipping will not cost\n> > you more. This acetone alternative is not listed on California\n> > Proposition 65, a law passed in 1986 to keep substances that cause\n> > cancer and birth defects out of drinking water. Nevertheless, you want\n> > to use Bio-Solv in a well-ventilated area because of an unpleasant\n> > odor. It is not, however, a hazardous air pollutant. Bio-Solv is not\n> > petroleum based.\n> > \n> > \n> > \n> \n> \n> * Replacetone\n> \n> \n> \n> > \n> > Replacetone is another acetone alternative. It is nonflammable and nonvolatile. It can be used as an acetone or MEK (methyl ethyl ketone,\n> > an industrial solvent) replacement that is biodegradable. Both\n> > Replacetone and Bio-Solv are referred to as green acetone.\n> > \n> > \n> > \n> \n> \n> * Methyl Acetate\n> \n> \n> \n> > \n> > Methyl acetate is offered as an acetone replacement. Manufactured by the Eastman Chemical Company, it is utilized in industrial\n> > applications. It is biodegradable, volatile organic compound exempt\n> > and non-HAP (hazardous air pollutant)\n> > \n> > \n> > \n> \n> \n> \n\n### Important note\n\nHowever, *some of these items may also be banned in your country*, so check first. As you do not say which country that you are from, it is not possible to qualify this statement.\n\nIt is worth remembering that some of these substances are *not* as safe as acetone, and *the fumes may be more toxic*, so they should always be used in *well ventilated spaces*." }, { "answer_id": 4121, "author": "khaverim", "author_id": 1601, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/1601", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "I have used DCM (dichloromethane, or ethylene dichloride) to dissolve ABS (or cold-weld/glue parts together).\n\nFrom [ABS wikipedia page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylonitrile_butadiene_styrene): \n\n> \n> **ABS polymers** are resistant to aqueous acids, alkalis, concentrated\n> hydrochloric and phosphoric acids, alcohols and animal, vegetable and\n> mineral oils, but they are swollen by glacial acetic acid, carbon\n> tetrachloride and aromatic hydrocarbons and **are attacked by\n> concentrated sulfuric and nitric acids. They are soluble in esters,\n> ketones, ethylene dichloride and acetone**.\n> \n> \n>" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4117", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7195/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4126, "author": "Dustin Wheeler", "author_id": 102, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/102", "pm_score": 4, "selected": true, "text": "I've had great success printing with HIPS (high-impact polystyrene) as a support for both PLA and ABS. Most sites recommend it for use with ABS because the materials melt at similar temperatures and work best with heated beds, but I've had good luck using it as a support material with PLA on a bed at 60°C. It doesn't stick as well to PLA as it does to ABS, so supports tend to peel away very readily. The downside is that, if you need the support to anchor your print at all, it doesn’t really stick well enough to accomplish this task. For that, you must pair HIPS with ABS. \n\nWhen you print with ABS or have complicated interwoven support structures, HIPS can be dissolved with D-limonene, a citrus based cleaner sold under various names like Citrisolv (others exist), or with dipentene (a mixture of L and D-limonene that doesn't smell as pleasant). \n\nRegarding cost: I've found HIPS to be slightly more expensive than PLA/ABS, but only 1.5x the cost, not 4x like PVA. Additionally, it isn't hydroscopic in the same way as PVA so it lasts longer out of the package. Since you're using it as support, you also tend to use far less filament than you do for the main print (sparse support structures as opposed to solid print structures). \n\nWater-soluble alternatives: There are a few proprietary blends of polymers sold by the big commercial printer manufacturers (3DSystems, Stratasys) that only work in their machines… these are generally soluble in basic solutions (water + sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate). These are usually very expensive and you'd have to rewind the filament on a spool, as they come in cartridges made for specific printers. You'd also have to experiment with the right build conditions and solution blends to remove the material afterward. Airwolf has a support material called [Hydrofill](https://airwolf3d.com/shop/water-soluble-support-3d-print/) that purports to be soluble in plain water… I'm not sure how this is different from standard PVA, though I assume it *is* different. Hopefully more companies will work on developing water-soluble options to help us keep the 3D printing world full of renewable, less-environmentally-harmful options for filaments (both print and support). \n\nUpdate:\n-------\n\nUltimaker now has a material called [Ultimaker Breakaway](https://ultimaker.com/en/products/materials/breakaway). After using it for a few models, it works remarkably well, allowing me, for the first time, to print **nice** rounded surfaces on the bases of my prints. It really does just break away from the surface, much like HIPS but without the lack of adhesion problems between HIPS and PLA." }, { "answer_id": 6564, "author": "BrianH", "author_id": 12547, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/12547", "pm_score": -1, "selected": false, "text": "While I haven't used PVA yet, think of it this way, it may be 4x the cost but you use significantly less material for support structures even if you have a lot of support." }, { "answer_id": 6590, "author": "Mark", "author_id": 48, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/48", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I haven't tried this myself, but the recommended way I've seen for dealing with the high cost of PVA is to print the support structure in ABS, PLA, or something else cheap, and print only the interface area (the top of the support where it meets the model) in PVA." }, { "answer_id": 9985, "author": "cmm", "author_id": 2082, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/2082", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I believe this is on-topic because it describes my experience using PVA in a Prosi i3m3-MMU2 machine.\n\nMy experience has not been good. I started with a new spool, and dried it between attempts.\n\nThe problems may be specific to the Prosi MMU2 printing process, but some are intrinsic in PVA, or at least the PVA filament I've been trying, PrimaSelect PVA+ ([link](https://www.3dprima.com/filaments/special-filament-1-75mm/primaselect-pva-1-75mm-500-g-natural/a-21893/) is for reference only. I have no skin in this game.) Aspects that may carry forward to non-MMU2 machines include: \n\n1. filament is very stringy,\n2. filament is friable, and crumbles into the drive gear,\n3. filament does not adhere to a PEI bed. I had to use Aqua Net hair spray.\n4. filament does not stick well to itself. Stacks of support will have internal defects, which may affect the desired print.\n5. filament is very hygroscopic. With the MANY manual interventions needed with the MMU2, it may help to bake the filament in the middle of a multi-day print.\n\nPerhaps unique to the Prosi i3m3-MMU2 machine, these lead to some specific problems:\n\n1. the filament may be smaller diameter than 1.75, and it is sometimes\nnot detected by the filament-presence detectors. This not only leads to failures, but it may also lead to large blobs of filament extruded into the purge towers, which leads to \"crashes\" and compounds the next problem. This may also be because I have too much tension between the drive gears -- something to check.\n2. the purge towers are weak where layers of the PVA overlay each other. Purge towers may break during printing, which ruins the print.\n3. the MMU2 filament drive gears are frequently fouled by PVA filament bits. I haven't found, though, that cleaning them reduces feed problems.\n4. the MMU2 system feeds filament through PTFE tubing. Over time, perhaps with humidity, the friction of the filament passing through the tubes increases, which makes the feed problems worse.\n\nThis is not a negative review of the filament itself, or of the Prosi i3m3-MMU2. I may be doing something wrong, and would love to know better. I am quite happy with the MMU2, and have tuned it so that it works very well with PLA filament. This is the result of launching into soluble support, which is a feature I strongly hope to use reliably.\n\nI am still exploring alternatives." }, { "answer_id": 9986, "author": "R.. GitHub STOP HELPING ICE", "author_id": 11157, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/11157", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Not sure if frame challenge is on-topic here, but have you tried using different support options in your slicer? In Cura, I've found the experimental support tree mode both reduces the material usage a lot and gives supports that are easier to remove, at least for geometric (vs \"organic\", where it's sometimes good and sometimes bad) models. Turning off walls for normal (non-tree) support (infill and roofing only) and/or using a thinner line width than your nozzle can also help with removal but whether it provides sufficient support depends a lot on your model's geometry." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4120", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/1601/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4143, "author": "Greenonline", "author_id": 4762, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4762", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "### TL;DR\n\nThe settings that you seem to need can be found here: [Print One At a time settings? CURA](https://www.thingiverse.com/groups/i3/topic:6818):\n\n> \n> You actually can!\n> \n> \n> Providing that none of your object is too tall (taller than the Gantry\n> clearance). Also the objects cannot be too close from each other (when\n> you activate the option and move objects on the bed, you see a gray\n> box around them showing this limit).\n> \n> \n> The reason you cannot use it at the moment is probably because you\n> didn't filled the printer head size parameters (Menu \"Machine ->\n> Machine Settings...\"). You will have to measure them, but on mine\n> (Australian clone of the i3) I use those values and it works fine:\n> \n> \n> * Head size toward X min: 30\n> * Head size toward Y min: 70\n> * Head size toward X max: 60\n> * Head size toward Y max: 50\n> * Printer gantry height: 35\n> \n> \n> Those are \"conservative\" values (a little bigger than the actual\n> values). It means I'm losing a little bed space, but I prefer that to\n> the risk of having the print head knocking out previous prints if one\n> of the measurements is too low :o).\n> \n> \n> PS: The option will automatically disable itself if some object\n> dimension are too big to avoid collisions\n> \n> \n> \n\nTo be fair, the rest of the thread is people debating whether you can successfully achieve *sequential printing*, or not, with the Wanhao Duplicator I3. \n\nHowever, the setting above seem to be the settings that you are looking for. Apart from *Head size toward X max*, they also correlate, pretty much, to the settings that you have already determined. As the poster notes, their settings are, somewhat, on the conservative side, which would explain the difference.\n\n---\n\n### Extra detail\n\nIf this is so that you can achieve *sequential printing*1, then this may not be suitable for your printer, unfortunately. Sequential printing works best for printers with a long nozzle with nothing (fans, X-axis gantry, etc.) around it, for example a delta printer with a low hanging nozzle would be ideal. Your printer type has a wide head with attachments, as well as an X-axis gantry, and so the clearance is less than that of an (ideal) delta.\n\nSee [WanHao Duplicator i3 Printer Head Size Settings for Cura](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/wanhao-printer-3d/giqKBkZAjBM) for more details.\n\nIf you wish to go ahead and still try it, then from the [same link](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/wanhao-printer-3d/giqKBkZAjBM):\n\n> \n> The way to measure is lower the nozzle to the bed.\n> \n> \n> Then measure the space taken up around the nozzle by the heater block, fans, mounting, the motor, and finally, the distance between the X axis rods and the bed \"WHEN the nozzle is touching the bed\".\n> \n> \n> That gives you some idea of the clearance you have where an ALREADY printed object can exist on the bed and NOT get slammed into the gantry or moving head when printing a second sequential part.\n> \n> \n> Just a visual with a moving bed printer and it's not promising.\n> Not impossible, but in a 200mm square build area, you might really only get 4 objects at a time in the 4 quadrants.\n> \n> \n> Even that is height limited because the gantry will slam into it at a certain height.\n> \n> \n> Maybe some weird staggering pattern.\n> \n> \n> \n\nAlso, of use, for obtaining your own measurements, from [Ultimaker - Cura 14.07 Printer Head Size](https://ultimaker.com/en/community/7451-cura-1407-printer-head-size):\n\n> \n> If I'm not mistaken all measurements are taken from the nozzle tip. So, for the first one, measure the size of your head from the nozzle tip towards the direction in X to where your machine homes.\n> \n> \n> \n\nand\n\n> \n> There's a tooltip when you mouse over these settings which describes what they mean.\n> \n> \n> Gantry height is the vertical clearance between the build plate and your x-y gantry (on the Ultimaker, these are the 6mm shafts which hold the head).\n> \n> \n> If you print two objects - one after another - then the first object must be shorter in height than the gantry height. Otherwise, the gantry would crash into the first part while printing the second part.\n> \n> \n> \n\nIn more detail, paying attention to the placing of the objects can aid with any issues that you have with a low gantry:\n\n> \n> If you place multiple parts in a diagonal line across the build-plate so the gantry and head never intersects earlier parts after printing them, you can set the gantry height to an artificially high value, to ignore it, without problems.\n> \n> \n> I place pieces along a diagonal from right-front to left-rear, to avoid conflict when the head homes after finishing the print. I can fit 3 to 4 small but tall pieces on the build plate that way for sequential printing.\n> \n> \n> \n\nThe purpose of these *Printer head size* settings is to enable Cura to determine the order in which the objects are printed:\n\n> \n> ... none of those settings are important as long as you only print one STL file at a time. It's when you want to print multiple objects \"one at a time\" that these numbers have a purpose - it allows Cura to figure out which order to print them in and if it can do them one at a time or if it has to print them all at once.\n> \n> \n> \n\n---\n\n### Footnote\n\n1 *Sequential Printing* is where one object is *completely* printed, before moving on to the next object, instead of the usual method of printing all objects *simultaneously* one layer at a time. This method can give superior quality prints, but not always. The main advantage appears to be reduced \"stringing\" of filament between objects, and a cleaner surface finish, due to reduced print head movement between objects. The process is detailed in [Multi-part printing](https://www.simplify3d.com/support/articles/multi-part-printing/)." }, { "answer_id": 18784, "author": "GeekinTX", "author_id": 32792, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/32792", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Like the OP, I'm confused by this as well. I figured I'd need measurements from the center of the nozzle to the left, right, front, and back of the print head, as well as a height from the print surface to the gantry while the head was homed. I've carefully measured, but things aren't going quite as I expected. In trying to understand this, I see examples like the one here:\n\n* Head size toward X min: 30\n* Head size toward Y min: 70\n* Head size toward X max: 60\n* Head size toward Y max: 50\n\nHow is 70 a minimum and 50 a maximum? What do these numbers really mean?\n\nAlso, I see the shading in the slicer (presumably one is a shadow, the middle one is a minimum, and the darker one is a maximum?) and changing my values don't affect these shadows in the way I'd expect." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4129", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7223/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4134, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "What infill are you using? How flexible do you need the object to be?\n\nI suggest two or three top and bottom layers, and a second or third solid perimeter as well.\n\nThe slicer has to determine if a particular path is part of an external perimeter or a top layer, so adding one to each should give a better result.\n\nThinner layers and a fan cooling the deposited material both help with overhangs like this." }, { "answer_id": 4138, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "This seems to be a recurring problem with Slic3r.\n\nSlic3r appears to have problems with perimeters that are not attached to infill. I suspect that it is getting confused on what is the inside and what is the outside. I know that seems a bit silly; but as you slice an object with indentations (like the bunny's face) then the perimeter can cease to be a simple closed shape and it gets confused. If you use a viewer to step through the gcode layers around the place it starts having problems you may be able to see what is going wrong.\n\nHere are a couple of examples of why I say this is a recurring problem with slic3r. I also recall seeing a video that showed the problem but I can't remember where. That was one of the reasons I don't use slic3r.\n\n* [Reported on Sic3r Git in 2012](https://github.com/alexrj/Slic3r/issues/748) - Can't tell for sure if this was ever fixed\n* [Infill Perimeter issue in 2015](http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?340,512947)\n\nHere are three options that may work\n\n1. Use a different slicer for this specific condition. Every product is going to have vulnerabilities - this may be one of slic3r's.\n2. Increase the perimeter and top and bottom layer thicknesses. Making them thick enough it will bridge the problem areas. Use a gcode viewer to inspect that area to see if it fixed the problem. That way you don't waste material on another fail. It sounds like you may have already tried this but you didn't like that it made the model stiffer.\n3. Repair the STL file using an application like [Meshmixer](http://www.meshmixer.com/). Maybe you will have to get the file close then tweak it where it doesn't. Here is good article from [PinShape](https://pinshape.com/) [repairing and STL file](https://pinshape.com/blog/how-to-repair-your-stl-files/).\n\nGood luck, hope this helps." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4133", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7237/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4145, "author": "fred_dot_u", "author_id": 854, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/854", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "The photograph and your description indicate that the drive gear is eating the filament because the filament has stopped moving. The least likely problem would be that something is jammed at the spool or between the spool and the entry to the drive mechanism.\n\nThe more likely problem is that your nozzle is clogged. It is simple to determine if that is the case. If you have a direct drive mechanism (not a bowden tube type), remove all the filament and release the wheel or bearing that presses the filament against the hobbed pulley, which is the part connected to the motor or driven gear if you have a geared mechanism.\n\nHeat the nozzle up to correct temperature for PLA and attempt to push filament through the nozzle. If it does not move, your nozzle is clogged and has to be cleared.\n\nA nozzle clog can be caused by a too-low temperature or a too-high temperature resulting in burned material becoming jammed in the nozzle.\n\nIf you have a 0.40 nozzle, find that size of nozzle tool or use a 0.40 mm drill bit and carefully push and turn it into the nozzle.\n\nAlso consider to use nylon cleaning method. This involves heating the nozzle to the correct temperature for melting nylon filament, forcing it into the hot end, then allowing it to cool. Reheating it while pulling on the filament will remove some of the debris. Eventually, it will pass through the nozzle and will also pull out clean, with no debris on the end of the filament. It is suggested to research \"nylon cleaning method\" to learn correct temperatures.\n\nI have used the nylon cleaning method and have removed debris from overheated filament in the past. I have been able to shine a bright light from below and see the open nozzle after completing the process.\n\nThe above steps are identical for bowden type systems and require to remove the bowden tube to access the hot end more effectively. The tube can be removed from either the hot end or the drive end, but force is more effectively applied if the tube is removed from the hot end." }, { "answer_id": 5109, "author": "KS Birdi", "author_id": 9348, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/9348", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "I had a clogged filament. I heated up to 240 C, and pushed a wire up through the nozzle. It took some effort, and much patience is expected. I left the wire inside, as it helped soften the PLA. Then I pushed the filament by hand from top. After some efforts, the needle moved, indicating the movement of the PLA clog. Once the PLA starts pushing the clogged area, some material comes out the nozzle. Keep pushing and after some hours of effort all is flowing fine! The idea was to transport heat to the clogged PLA by using the needle (from the nozzle end). But it certainly requires patience!" }, { "answer_id": 5112, "author": "TECTEC3 Studios", "author_id": 7019, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7019", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "It looks like your nozzle is jammed, since the filament is being chewed. You can fix this by heating the extruder up to around 220 C ( or just about 15 degrees above the recommended printing temp for your filament), then attempting to push some filament through the extruder. If this doesn't work, use a small wire and push it through the nozzle a few times, then run some filament through it." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4144", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/1201/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4156, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 5, "selected": true, "text": "Servos do have several advantages; but, they are more expensive and more difficult to control.\n\nGenerally, a servo motor is a DC motor but with an encoder to provide position feedback. A circuit (can be a computer) then compares the actual position (from the encoder) against the commanded position and uses the error to determine how much power to put to the motor (usually by PWM). \n\nSome of the advantages of servos:\n\n1. The encoders on the motor often have thousands of counts per revolution so they are accurate.\n2. They are a great choice for controlling a large mass. When beginning a motion, the control loop can detect that more power is required when the encoder does not respond as fast as expected thus putting more power to the motor. This will them automatically reduce as the motor reaches speed and no longer needs the acceleration torque. Also, the servo loop can also apply reverse torque when trying to slow down the large mass to limit overshot.\n\nSome of the disadvantages of servos:\n\n1. The DC Motors used for servos reach peak power at thousands of RPM. That means to use them on a printer you will need to gear them down. This adds to the expense.\n2. You need electronics to PWM the power to the DC Motor and to close the servo loop (usually at least 1 KHz). This can require a lot of the CPU. Probably would be more than a Melzi could do since it is already maxed out.\n3. The servo loop tuning can cause the motor to buzz when it is holding position on an unloaded axis. This could cause print issues.\n\nI know you have likely seen cheap servos out there often called \"hobby servos\". These are often used in RC. These use a creative trick that allows them to use a cheap potentiometer to create an inexpensive control loop. The limit to this \"trick\" is that it CAN NOT rotate a full 360°; thus, it CAN NOT run a continuous axis. Yes, I know there are hobby servos out there that are called continuous rotation servos; but, they do that by disconnecting the potentiometer. In that case they are no longer servos. This is just a way to use the same control interface to control a standard DC motor and the motors are not accurate.\n\nStepper motors on the other hand:\n\n1. Are really cheap;\n2. Don't require complicated drive circuits or control loops;\n3. Love to hold position without a load.\n\nTheir downside is that their rotational accuracy is limited by the physical poles of the motor. This can be improved using micro-stepping; but, there are limits. Also, it is difficult (often impractical) to determine if the motor missed a step. That can usually be handled by just making sure that the load on the motor is always well below the step torque. This often involves managing the motor acceleration.\n\nIn summary, servos are great for some applications; but, for low cost situations like 3D printing, steppers are hard to beat. It is likely servos needed for milling CNCs because the cutting head is much more massive than an extruder or laser and the servo control loop is needed to provide accurate motion for the higher mass." }, { "answer_id": 4212, "author": "morevitamins", "author_id": 7420, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7420", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Servo is best when you primarily provide an exact position to go to, sounds like a human arm isn't it? However, number of positions is sometimes overwhelming.\n\nThink about a painting, is it easier to draw point by point or just throwing the pencil relatively with instincts? That is why you need less computing when using stepper motors because they just step locally without worrying about the overall painting. Having said that, it is more costly for a stepper motor to travel far distances because it has to think about its every step." }, { "answer_id": 4262, "author": "user7517", "author_id": 7517, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7517", "pm_score": -1, "selected": false, "text": "Servo for spindle to control rotation speed of cutting bit.\nStepper to control movement and tool position.\nAll CNC machines." }, { "answer_id": 4273, "author": "beak90", "author_id": 7547, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7547", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "The main reason why stepper motors are used is their low price. Small stepper motors (NEMA 17 and smaller) are powerful enough for 3D printers because the mass is so small. These motors generally require a maximum of 2 amps of current. 2 amps is small enough that control chips with all the circuitry and drive electronics can be manufactured as an integrated unit. The most common chips in 3D printers are the Allegro line of chips. Since they are so common, the price per chip is extremely low.\n\nServo motors could have a similar fully integrated chip, but the issue is servos need to be tuned for their specific application. A servo needs to be tuned separately for each axis of each model of a 3D printer (or other CNC device). This makes servos much more difficult to use for hobbyists in particular. If a servo is not tuned properly, it could oscillate dramatically or respond to inputs too slowly. The interface for tuning would probably be a serial interface, which would increase the cost and complexity dramatically.\n\nAdditionally, servo motors require an encoder of some type. Often it is an optical encoder, but there are also magnetic encoders and capacitive encoders. The cost of the encoder is essentially constant no matter how powerful the motor is, so when you have a small motor, the cost of the encoder is significant. High resolution magnetic encoders are $3 each in bulk. That would add a lot of cost to the motor, not including the other more expensive drive electronics. Optical encoders can be cheaper; I'm not sure of the specific pricing on those.\n\nIgnoring cost, servo motors with high resolution encoders would definitely be better for 3D printers. I think we will likely see some higher end consumer printers with servos come onto the market soon. Servos would eliminate missed steps, potentially increase acceleration and maximum speed (depending on the size), and would reduce vibrations if properly tuned.\n\nThe answer given by markshancock brings up good points too, but I wanted to elaborate on the cost issue." }, { "answer_id": 4276, "author": "David", "author_id": 7554, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7554", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "The basic difference between a traditional stepper and a servo-based system is the type of motor and how it is controlled. Steppers typically use 50 to 100 pole brushless motors while typical servo motors have only 4 to 12 poles." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4154", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7294/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4162, "author": "Greenonline", "author_id": 4762, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4762", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "It could be a hardware fault. \n\nFirst check, and compare, the control board connections to the motors of the three axes. You don't state it in your question but, presumably, the X and Y axes move correctly? If so, then compare the connections for the Z-axis motors with the connections for the motors of the axes that work as expected.\n\nIf they are correct then the problem is likely to be with the firmware.\n\nHave you...\n\n* homed the Z-axis yet?\n* installed the endstops?\n\nFrom [X Y Z axis only move one direction?](https://makerware.thingiverse.com/groups/prusa-i3/topic:7370):\n\n> \n> Using Marlin? Before you do a `G28` homing the axes will only move\n> towards the endstops. But also check your endstops with `M119` to make\n> sure they are triggered at the right time. On older Marlin, you may\n> need to set `DISABLE_MAX_ENDSTOPS` (on a machine that has no max\n> endstops). Newer Marlin uses `USE_XMIN_PLUG`, etc., to specifically\n> set which endstops are connected. If the switches show the opposite\n> state (off when triggered) then set the\n> `[XYZ]_(MIN|MAX)_ENDSTOP_INVERTING` flags, as needed.\n> \n> \n> \n\nLikewise, from [Building a Prusa I3 3D Printer](http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Prusa-i3-3D-Printer/):\n\n> \n> You will probably also find the motor will turn only in one direction. This is normal for now as we don't have end-stops installed and haven't homed the axis - so the software doesn't know how far it can go in one direction or the other.\n> \n> \n> \n\n---\n\nAs Metk states in his [comment](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4158/prusa-i3-z-axis-only-goes-down-even-on-up-command#comment5758_4162), the P802M uses a Melzi board. From [Github: Repetier-Firmware/boards/Zonestar P802M/](https://github.com/repetier/Repetier-Firmware/tree/master/boards/Zonestar%20P802M):\n\n> \n> There are some printers sold under different names like 'Zonestar\n> P802M', 'Prusa i3 P802M DIY kit', 'Anet A8-B', etc, which have LCD\n> 20x4 with 5 keys controller connected to Melzi V2.0 board via 10 wires\n> cable. Keys are connected to a single analog input using resistive\n> divider.\n> \n> \n>" }, { "answer_id": 4171, "author": "Avshalom Mizrahi", "author_id": 7296, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7296", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Thank you guys, it took me a while but it was a faulty cable, \nOne stepper motor worked but the other did not. But, apparently, both have to work for even one to turn. \n\nThe cable had one wire isolation still in place, so there was no connection from the board to the stepper. \n\nI also had another cable with the wires connected in the wrong order, as well. \n\nBottom line - it is working. And printing well. \n\nNow it seems like I have problem with the z-sensor (stopped working after a few hours of printing). But I'll figure it out tomorrow. \n\nThank you for your help." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4158", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7296/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4168, "author": "Carl Witthoft", "author_id": 2191, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/2191", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "That looks like you've got the \"brim\" set to a very wide value. I know you said it's not explained by skirts --which, as Greenonline pointed out, is not the same as a brim--, but you didn't post that setting. At the same time, make sure you don't have a 'raft' set up. \n\nOne other possibility is that your source file actually contains a very large first layer. Try looking at the STL file in Meshlab or Meshmixer to see what's actually there." }, { "answer_id": 4170, "author": "Viktor Hedefalk", "author_id": 7312, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7312", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "I had mistakenly left the setting \"one at a time\" in print sequence. This meaning the printhead needs a lot of room since it will go back and forth in z.\n\nCura allocates this extra space even if there's only one object." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4164", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7312/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4168, "author": "Carl Witthoft", "author_id": 2191, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/2191", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "That looks like you've got the \"brim\" set to a very wide value. I know you said it's not explained by skirts --which, as Greenonline pointed out, is not the same as a brim--, but you didn't post that setting. At the same time, make sure you don't have a 'raft' set up. \n\nOne other possibility is that your source file actually contains a very large first layer. Try looking at the STL file in Meshlab or Meshmixer to see what's actually there." }, { "answer_id": 4170, "author": "Viktor Hedefalk", "author_id": 7312, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7312", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "I had mistakenly left the setting \"one at a time\" in print sequence. This meaning the printhead needs a lot of room since it will go back and forth in z.\n\nCura allocates this extra space even if there's only one object." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4165", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7313/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4680, "author": "Robert Nelson", "author_id": 8579, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8579", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "It appears that at a certain point, you're running into issues with the extrusion being a bit too viscous / melted causing it to over-deposit or string (fail to retract completely). It also looks like this issue gradually gets worse as you go. This really feels like nozzle over-heating to me.\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/S7dKu.jpg)[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/piGYz.jpg)\n\nMy troubleshooting steps would go like this:\n\n1. **Make sure my cooling it set correctly and fan is working properly.** The nozzle doesn't adjust its temp for changes in extrusion speed. At times the printer has to rely on the cooling to get the extrusion leaving the nozzle to an ideal deposition temp, which is far lower than the temperate of the nozzle.\n2. Check my tool paths to make sure I'm not starting to return to the same X/Y position too immediately when I reach certain layers, not allowing the previous layer to fully solidify. **Consider tweaking the slicer or printing at a lower temperate.**\n3. Check if there's a lot of variance in print speeds for different tasks (shell, infill, etc). It can be hard for some printers to maintain the right temp for the extrusion about to be deposited if the speed changes too rapidly. If your printer has been heating extrusion rapidly for quick movements and then the speed slows way down, it can struggle to keep the subsequent slow filament from getting overcooked, as it can't instantly cool the nozzle even with proper cooling. **Bring the various extrusion speeds closer together.**" }, { "answer_id": 4686, "author": "TECTEC3 Studios", "author_id": 7019, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7019", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Try using 20 mm/s and 3.9 mm for your retraction and that should help. Also, what is your fan speed at?" }, { "answer_id": 11500, "author": "Avishka Dambawinna", "author_id": 16256, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/16256", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "It seems your printing temperature is too high. If there's a tiny space between the nozzle and the Teflon tube, high printing temperature will lead to a partial clog. And this will lead to under extrusion. Try lowering printing temperatures and printing speed. And also check whether there's a gap between the Teflon tube and the nozzle." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4166", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6662/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4174, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I found two lists for the Kossel mini (the documents you referenced are for a mini, so that is what I am assuming you got). One as a [Google Doc](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1s_ekMab3iavE6ohXIHZImjlCRGyXr9UWbBqC8XOGF_M/pub?output=html) and one as an [order sheet](http://www.tridprinting.com/BOM/Kossel-Mini/) \n\nBoth seem to list all the fasteners.\n\nHere is a Sintron mini [carriage assembly](https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/SINTRON-Kossel-Mini-Prime-Line-Roller-Carriage-Wheel-696ZZ-Bearing-linear-rail-MGN12/114769_32427917085.html) and it lists the hardware included\n\nI found an ebay listing for the Sintron 2020 Rails. The recommended screws are M3x20mm and here is the infor on the required t-nuts.[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Hjohn.png)\n\nHappy building." }, { "answer_id": 4176, "author": "Greenonline", "author_id": 4762, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4762", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "After examining the guide ([Kossel mini instrution by sintron technology\\_v2](https://gr33nonline.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/kossel-mini-instrution-by-sintron-technology_v2.pdf)) and the printed parts kit, I came up with an 99.9% complete parts list. The lists relating to the effector and autoprobe mount maybe slightly incorrect:\n\n```\n##Parts List\n\n###Listed by Printer part/section:\n\n####Fasteners\n\n#####BOTTOM VERTEX (QUANTITY = 3)\n\nFor each:\n10 x M3 x 8 mm\n10 x M3 nut (T-nut)\n\n#####TOP VERTEX (QUANTITY = 3)\n\nFor each:\n5 x M3 x 8 mm\n5 x M3 nut (T-nut)\n\n1 x M3 x 35 mm\n1 x M3 nut\n1 x M3 washer\n\n#####IDLERS (QUANTITY = 3)\n\nFor each:\n1x M3 x 25 mm\n4x M3 Washers\n1 x M3 Nut\n2x F623ZZ\n\n#####MOTORS (QUANTITY = 3)\n\nFor each:\n2 x grub\n4 x M3 x 8 mm\n1 x 16T/20T GT2 pulley\n\n#####EFFECTOR\n\n6 x M3 nyloc nuts\n6 x M3 x 25 mm\n\n4 (5?) x M3 x 16 mm <<==, or\n2 (3?) x M3 x 16 mm <<==\n2 x M3 x 20 mm <<== For the auto probe, if mounting the autoprobe directly on to a collar, above the hotend, and not on to the flange on the Sintron PLA collar\n\n4 (5?) x M3 nuts <<==\n\n2 x M3 x 8 mm <<== fan mounted to Sintron PLA collar\n2 x M3 nuts <<==\n\n1 x PC4-M6\n\nNote: Some additional bolts are required for the mounting of the hotend. It is unclear what these are. See link.\n\n#####VERTICAL CARRIAGES (QUANTITY = 3)\n\nFor each:\n2 x M3 x 20 mm\n\n#####ROLLER CARRIAGES (QUANTITY = 3)\n\nFor each:\n2 x M3 x 10 mm\n1 x M3 x 25 mm\n3 x M3 nuts\n3 x M6 x 25 mm\n3 x M6 nut \n2 x M6 washer (optional)\n\n#####ENDSTOPS (QUANTITY = 3)\n\nFor each:\n1 x M3 x 8 mm <<==\n1 x M3 nut (T-nut)\n3 x M3 x 8 mm <<==\n3 x M3 nut\n\n#####SPOOL\n\n6 x 625-2RS Bearing (or 625zz)\n5 x M5 x 20 mm\n1 x M5 x 25 mm\n6 x M5 nut\n6 x M5 washer\n(or 7 x M5 washer – there is a discrepancy between the kit (7) and the manual (6))\n3 x M3 x 8 mm ?\n3 x M3 nut (T-nut)\n\n#####EXTRUDER\n\n1 x M3 x 40 mm\n1 x M3 x 8 mm\n1 x M3 x ?? mm <<==\n2 x M3 nut (T-nut)\n\n1 x PC4-01\n\n#####AUTOPROBE\n\nNote: This is optional\n\n2 x M2.5 x 12 mm\n1 x M2.5 x 12 mm\n2 x M3 x 8 mm <<== If mounting the autoprobe on to the flange of the Sintron PLA collar (if mounting directly on to a collar, above the hotend, then these are not required, and 2 x M3 x 20 mm replace 2 x M3 x 16 mm on the effector)\n2 x M3 nuts <<== If mounting the autoprobe on to the flange of the Sintron PLA collar (if mounting directly on to a collar, above the hotend, then these are not required)\n\nSafety Pin 2.5 mm\nSpring 23.5mm\n\nTerminal Block\n1.5mm Ablan key\n\nNote: Some additional bolts are required for the mounting of the autoprobe, as well as the hotend. It is unclear what these are.\n\n#####GLASS BED\n\n3 x M3 x 8 mm ?\n1 x M3 x 20 mm\n4 x M3 nut (T-nut)\n\n#####RAMPS\n\nNote: This is optional, as mounting on the top will interfere with the spool\n\n2 x M3 x 35 mm\n2 x M3 nuts\n2 x M3 nuts (T-nut)\n\n###Total Parts:\n\n####Fasteners\n\n#####BOLTS\n\nSize, Length, Quantity\nM3, 25, (1×3)+(6)+(1×3) = 3+6+3 = 12\nM3, 8, (10×3)+(5×3)+(4×3)+(4x3)+(3)+(1)+(2)+(3) = 30+15+12+12+3+1+2+3 = 78\nM3, 16, 5\nM3, 20, (2×3)+(1)+(2) = 6+1+2 = 9\nM3, 10, (2×3) = 6\nM3, 35, 3\nM3, 40, 1\nM6, 25, (3×3) = 9\nM5, 20, 5\nM5, 25, 1\nM2.5, 12, 3\n\n#####GRUB SCREWS\n\nSize, Quantity\n?, (2×3) = 6\n\n#####NUTS\n\nSize, Quantity\nM5, 6\nM6, (3×3) = 9\n—\nEITHER\n\nM3, (10×3)+(5×3)+(1x3)+(1×3)+(5+2)+(3×3)+(1×3)+(3×3)+(3)+(2)+(2)+(4) = 30+15+3+7+9+3+9+3+2+2+4 = 90\n\nOR\n\nM3, (1×3) + (1×3) + (5+2) + (3×3) + (3×3) + (2) = 3+7+9+9+2 = 33\nand\nM3 T-slot nut, (10×3) + (5×3) + (1×3) + (3) + (2) + (4) = 30+15+3+3+2+4 = 57\n—\n\n#####NYLOC NUTS\n\nSize, Quantity\nM3, 6\n\n#####WASHERS\n\nSize, Quantity\nM3, (1x3)+(4×3) = 15\nM6, (2×3) = 6\nM5, 6 (or 7)\n\n####Bearings\n\nSize, Quantity\nF623zz, 6\n625-2RS, 6\nOR\n625zz, 6\n\n####Printed Parts\n\nTBD\n\n####Structural\n\n3 x 2020 x 750/600 mm\n9 x 2020 x 360/240 mm\n\n####Electronics\n\n1 x Arduino Mega 2560\n1 x RAMPS 1.4\n5 x Stepper drivers\n3 x PCB mounted mechanical switch\n3 x Stepper motors\n1 x Extruder stepper\n\n####Belts\n\n3 x 16T/20T GT2 Puwcoy\nGT2 belt (5 meters)\n\n####Other Parts\n\nSafety Pin 2.5 mm\nSpring 23.5mm\nTerminal Block\n1.5mm Ablan key\n9 x Delrin wheels\n9 x 696zz bearings\n\n1 x PC4-M6\n1 x PC4-01\n\n###Uncertainties\n\nThe fasteners required for the following parts is, as yet, unclear\n\nEffector/Hotend mount\nAutoprobe mount\nAdditional Extruder holder screwpoint\n\n###Assumptions\n\nHotbed frame mounts (assumed to be M3 x 8 mm)\nSpool frame mounts (assumed to be M3 x 8 mm)\nEndstops (four M3 x 8 mm are used, not just one)\n\n```\n\nSee also [Kossel - Sintron parts list](https://gr33nonline.wordpress.com/2017/06/01/kossel-sintron-parts-list/).\n\n---\n\nI have a *partial* answer from the suppliers:\n\n> \n> Hi \n> \n> \n> Good Day !\n> \n> \n> thanks for your contact.\n> \n> \n> we use M3 bolts + T-nuts .\n> \n> \n> i suppose the problem is , you don't have T-nuts , right ?\n> \n> \n> T-nuts is used for 2020 extrusion.\n> \n> \n> with warm regards.\n> \n> \n> james\n> \n> \n> \n\nI replied for a clarification of the length required:\n\n> \n> Many thanks for the reply.\n> \n> \n> I have two types of 2020 extrusion, with differing profiles: one that\n> takes T-Nuts, and; one that takes regular hexagonal M5 nuts.\n> \n> \n> For the T-nut extrusion I have both M3 and M5 T-nuts.\n> \n> \n> However, the second type of 2020 extrusion takes regular M5 nuts.\n> Regular M3 nuts will not stay in place, unless I can find some M3 nuts\n> with a larger outer diameter, greater than 7 mm.\n> \n> \n> With respect to the M3 bolts, what are the lengths required? Are two\n> lengths used? One length to secure the endstop switch and holder to\n> the 2020 extrusion, and then another length to secure the remaining\n> three holes? Looking at the diagram in your build guide, it seems as\n> if only one bolt is used to secure the endstop switch and holder to\n> the frame, is that correct? Are any other bolts used to secure the PCB\n> mounted switch the the endstop holders.\n> \n> \n> I thank you in advance.\n> \n> \n> Best regards\n> \n> \n> \n\nI followed this up with a second email\n\n> \n> Hi again Jumez,\n> \n> \n> Following on from my previous reply.\n> \n> \n> Firstly, I have found that flanged M3 nuts will work perfectly, in the\n> extrusion that will not accept T-Nuts.\n> \n> \n> Secondly, what I really am looking for is a list of the lengths (and\n> dimensions) of the bolts used throughout the Sintron build. In\n> particular the endstop bolts. Rather than having to iteratively deduce\n> each bolt, a list of the bolts used would be very handy.\n> \n> \n> I thank you again in advance for your kind consideration.\n> \n> \n> Best regards,\n> \n> \n> \n\nI received a second reply from Sintron\n\n> \n> Hello Friend.\n> \n> \n> for endstop . it's M3\\*8mm . \n> \n> \n> i am collecting the list of them for you soon.\n> \n> \n> thanks.\n> \n> \n> james\n> \n> \n> \n\n---" }, { "answer_id": 4178, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "For the M3 t-nuts, could you use this [printed solution](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1573410).\nYou are just attaching a PCB; so, it you wouldn't need that much strength.\n\nAnother excuse to use your 3D printer. ;)" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4173", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4762/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4179, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "I am not sure what the hardware config is for the **Tevo Tarantula**\n\nMake sure your `configuration.h` file is setup for your hardware.\nThe extruder defines are describe in [Conditional\\_LCD.h](https://github.com/JimBrown/MarlinTarantula/blob/bugfix-1.1.x/Marlin/Conditionals_LCD.h)\n\nIt looks like the [configuration.h file](https://github.com/JimBrown/MarlinTarantula/blob/bugfix-1.1.x/Marlin/Configuration.h) on GitHub is configured for a single extruder.\n\nFor example, if you have 2 hotends; but, \"HOTENDS=2\" is not set then the I/O will not be configured for the 2nd hotend. I just looked at the code and if `HOTENDS == 1` then the `MOSFET_D_PIN` will be used to control FAN1 (which sounds very similar to what you are describing that you are seeing).\n\n```\n #if HOTENDS == 1\n #define FAN1_PIN MOSFET_D_PIN\n #else\n #define HEATER_1_PIN MOSFET_D_PIN\n #endif\n\n```" }, { "answer_id": 4198, "author": "Greenonline", "author_id": 4762, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4762", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "So, following on from [Metk's answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4177/dual-extruder-setup-in-marlin/4179#4179), in [line 298](https://github.com/JimBrown/MarlinTarantula/blob/bugfix-1.1.x/Marlin/Conditionals_LCD.h#L298) of [Conditional\\_LCD.h](https://github.com/JimBrown/MarlinTarantula/blob/bugfix-1.1.x/Marlin/Conditionals_LCD.h), you would need to change:\n\n```\n#define HOTENDS 1\n\n```\n\nto\n\n```\n#define HOTENDS 2\n\n```" }, { "answer_id": 4407, "author": "Jason", "author_id": 7843, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7843", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "I had a similar problem, my documentation was wrong and the heater & thermistor were wired in backwards. Maybe recheck your wiring and even try reversing the temp sensor on your board." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4177", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7332/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4191, "author": "Sean Houlihane", "author_id": 4927, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4927", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "You could experiment with the 'cleaning' part of the startup gcode shown [here](http://reprap.org/wiki/Start_GCode_routines)\n\n```\nG1 X100 Y0 F4000 ; move half way along the front edge\nG1 Z1 ; move nozzle close to bed\nM109 S200 ; heat nozzle to 200 degC and wait until reached\nG4 P10000 ; wait 10 seconds for nozzle length to stabilize\nG1 E10 ; extrude 10 mm of filament\nG1 z15 F12000 E5 ; move 15 mm up, fast, while extruding 5mm\nG92 E0 ; reset extruder\n\n```\n\nI'm not completely persuaded that it helps a lot, but the idea is to fill the extruder (with some pressure from the bed at a 1mm gap) right before starting the skirt. Typically, I still find the first line of skirt may be quite blobby, but a 2nd line of skirt seems much better. Obviously you need the bed alignment right too. A raft seems to have enough 'extra' extrusion to mask these issues a little bit.\n\nLater reflection suggests that these introductory G-code snippets (I've now started using the PRUSA one of a line along the edge of the bed) risk problems with flexible filament, so it might be best to err on the side of conservative for the extrude volume rather than assume that more is better here.\n\nYou can find other similar solutions in this question: [Writing G-code : swiping at start of print](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/6355/writing-g-code-swiping-at-start-of-print/6357?s=2|10.4629#6357)" }, { "answer_id": 4192, "author": "Ecnerwal", "author_id": 6853, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6853", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "When I started work on mine, the bed leveling and radius (Delta-only issue) were horrid, and my erstwhile assistant was fond of using a LOT of glue stick, which sort-of made things work, though in many cases with no first layer extrusion.\n\nAs I sorted things out, I found an apparent bug (Repetier Host (Mac) and Marlin 1.1.0-RC8 firmware - not sure which side the apparent bug is on, really, but I'd guess Repetier) where setting the first layer by percent lead to no extrusion, and setting an actual width/height it extruded. I also got the bed level and radius sorted so the first layer settings actually applied to most of the print area, rather than being wrong for most of it. \n\nFinally, we sorted out some temperature issues (wrong thermistor type setting) and then found a fairly large discrepancy between the heater block and the nozzle (screwed into it) temperature. I now lay down the first layer (PLA) at a purported 240°C, based on a number of trials at different temperatures (which might change with a different batch of filament, I guess) and the rest at a purported 215°C. I set the first layer width to double the height so it's really laying down some plastic. An excessively LOW first layer height also causes problems (as there's very little plastic coming out if the layer is very low, even if you set the width wide.)\n\nMy bed is not heated and is plain glass, but I now get reasonable sticking with a *very* thin layer of gluestick (I put a dab on and rub it around with a little bit of water - it's barely visible.) With a coated heated bed that sticks to rafts, I think you'll just need to work on your first layer settings (including a level bed) and should not need to worry about glue at all." }, { "answer_id": 4194, "author": "Alejandro Escontrela", "author_id": 7376, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7376", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "While using rafts with PLA is a good idea due to warping, PETG is a material that requires very little build plate adhesion.\n\nWhen I printed with PLA, I would normally use a two layer raft with a 0.3 mm air gap. With PETG, however, I only need a skirt. I recommend calibrating your extruder height so that when you slide a piece of paper underneath, you feel a gentle tug. While 0.2 mm is enough for printing PLA with rafts, 0.1-0.15 mm has worked well for me in terms of distance from the extruder nozzle to the heat bed. \n\nAlso, would you mind sharing your extruder and heat bed temperatures? Ive found that although PETG *will* melt at the same temperature as PLA, it tends to drag behind the extruder nozzle if the temperature is below ~240°C. \n\nOne final note: Even though most PETG distributors specify that a heated build plate is not required, a heated bed helps my prints stick better. I run a 60°C heat bed which seems to make my prints smoother in the end." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4180", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7350/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4186, "author": "fred_dot_u", "author_id": 854, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/854", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Consider to create a test print using the settings you've presented in the sliced output rendering. It could be something as small as a 4 or 5 mm tall cross section, enough to get clear of the bed and establish a stable base. You may find that your goal is achieved.\n\nAlso consider that a common nozzle diameter is 0.4 mm and with an extrusion multiplier, you may not reach a clean integer combination. That is to say, a 0.4 mm nozzle and a 1.05 extrusion factor results in (theoretically) a build thickness of 0.42 mm. Take two of those and you have 0.84, but three of them are 1.26 mm.\n\nYou can increase number of wall thicknesses or reduce them as needed to avoid infill or the attempt by the printer to create infill. It may be necessary to adjust your model parameters to achieve a clean combination.\n\nI know that Slic3r supports concentric infill, which will effectively trace the walls rather than turn them into zig-zag shapes. On a base layer, having such a pattern may make for a weaker layer, but you can adjust so many things in that respect that you should be able to accomplish your objective.\n\nExperimentation is useful in a situation such as this. What Slic3r shows you isn't necessarily what will hit the bed." }, { "answer_id": 4189, "author": "Tooniis", "author_id": 7362, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7362", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "I found a great solution!\n\nIn Cura, there is a setting under **Shell** called **Horizontal Expansion**. What this does is it controls the distance between the two perimeters. A negative value in this field will make them come closer together, thus removing the gap between them.\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/tRWQU.png)\n\nI found that -0.1 is the perfect value for 1 mm thick walls like the ones in my design. So I set it to -0.1, then set the infill to 100% because in some spots the thickness is a little bit more than 1 mm, so the infill closes the gaps in those places. Here is the result:\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/nZ7fD.png)\n\nYou can see the perimeters are now sticking to each other and there is no gap between them. The result estimated weight is 71 g, which is a quite good reduction from the estimated 92 g when not using horizontal expansion." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4185", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7362/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4816, "author": "KDM", "author_id": 6217, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6217", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "Try winding the Z axis all the up and down a few times using the front panel controls. Does it still go out of alignment? Is it out of alignment at the top? Does it come back into alignment when you wind it back down?\n\nThe principle is: if you have a dodgy motor drive chip, or a mechanical fault, it will skip some steps on the way up and the two motors will be out of synch. Then, on the way back down, it will skip an (approximately equal) number of steps and the motors will return to something resembling similar places." }, { "answer_id": 4818, "author": "ZuOverture", "author_id": 8847, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8847", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "My guess is your Z guides are not strictly parallel because there's no instruction how to install X guides correctly. When you install X guides, you can easily make horizontal distance between two Z-mounts either too small or too large, which puts extra stress on one of the Z motors. Move your extruder to home position, measure distance between bottom ends of Z threaded rods and between top ends, and try to adjust right Z-mount position on X guides so that these two distances become equal. Use hammer, but be accurate with plastic." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4207", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7405/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4210, "author": "Ecnerwal", "author_id": 6853, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6853", "pm_score": 4, "selected": true, "text": "Hard to say for sure - my whole printer is cheap parts bought as a kit in China by a Chinese student who abandoned it in the US (I resurrected it after it was abandoned.) It includes all the parts you list, and I think we finally sorted out what the thermistor actually is so the temperatures are more accurate now.\n\nIt prints. \n\nCould it print better? - Probably, but at some point replacing all the various cheap parts starts to look foolish .vs. just build a new printer with better parts all around, leaving the original functional. I doubt I've ever met a \"E3D V6\" and I'd have to google it to see what sort of paragon of printing it's supposed to be. The only thing I'm actually considering replacing is the nozzle itself, partly because I'm just guessing what size it is (mostly based on the way it prints when set to various sizes.) I'm also contemplating adding some sort of insulation for the heater block, having squnched some aluminum foil around it as a first stop-gap.\n\nLikewise, if your concern is with burrs, etc. a degree of fettling by you can sort that sort of thing out, if you know to do it and how to do it (i.e. you need to be somewhat mechanically ept.) But of course \"parts from China\" are not a monolithic entity - there are good parts and bad parts that both come from China - given the state of internet sales, you may well have (unknown to you) the choice of parts that passed quality control, parts that failed quality control, and parts that quality control never looked at (some of which might pass, some of which might fail), from the same production facility, available to you from various vendors at various price points. And then there are many different production facilities as well.\n\nProduction in the US or Europe is no magic bullet either - competing with imports on price is difficult, so one hopes that superior quality is on offer, but it may or may not actually be from a given vendor, or a given batch of parts." }, { "answer_id": 6235, "author": "0scar", "author_id": 5740, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5740", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "*Sorry for digging up the topic, but I'd like to share my experience with cheap Chinese parts obtained from those obvious auction sites.*\n\n---\n\nFor my [Hypercube Evolution](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2254103) I have ordered all parts from Chinese suppliers except for the Aluminium extrusion profiles. This includes belts, screws, nuts, electric cables, printer board, steppers and drivers, hotend parts, you name it. \n\nI do not own, or have ever owned, an official E3D hotend, so I cannot compare the clone E3D hotends to the official directly. However, I do own an Ultimaker 3 Extended (UM3E) that I manage for a group of printing enthusiasts to promote building your own printer and produce spare parts that are not sold commercially or sold at ridiculous prices. The quality of the products produced by the UM3E are very good, as expected from this quality brand, so I can compare the products from my own printer with the ones from the UM3E. \n\nIt is often said **by others** that the prints I have created with my HyperCube Evolution are at least as good as the products produced on the UM3E, or sometimes even better. In that respect, it is very hard to see any differences in the products. The UM3E is known for the simplicity of use and it's relative low need to tinker to get or keep it working, but my own creation does not require a lot of tinkering either. E.g. I have never had any clogs (several kilometers of 2.85 mm filament printed) while I use a relative high retraction length (the same as on the UM3E as default in Cura). In this respect I have never had the need to upgrade to an official E3D hotend, and most likely will never do need to.\n\nSo **to answer your question** if it is possible to build a hotend, using separate parts, sourced from China, to achieve a high quality print (while maintaining a low need for tinkering), I can vouch **that it is indeed possible**.\n\n---\n\n*Sidemark:\nNote that if you source your materials locally, e.g. local webshops, you probably also end up with imported Chinese parts! (usually **at much higher costs**; but at least they **arrive sooner**!)*" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4209", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4762/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4217, "author": "Greenonline", "author_id": 4762, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4762", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "This sounds similar to [Prusa i3 Z axis only goes down (even on up command)](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4158/prusa-i3-z-axis-only-goes-down-even-on-up-command) and [My Prusa i3's z-axis will only go up](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4090/my-prusa-i3s-z-axis-will-only-go-up). Please check the answers to those questions.\n\nThe usual cause of your problem is that you need to:\n\n* install/configure the end stops, and;\n* home the Z-axis.\n\nYou say that you have already installed ad configured the end stops. Have you homed it yet, though?\n\nHowever, check your wiring first as it could just be a simple case of a loose or misplaced connection.\n\nAlso, something else to consider, if your stepper is making a grunting noise, and trying to move but can not, then maybe your stepper driver is *not supplying enough current*, or maybe *too much*. See [my answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/3134/extruder-stepper-motor-problem-what-can-be-wrong/3136#3136) to [Extruder stepper motor problem, what can be wrong?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/3134/extruder-stepper-motor-problem-what-can-be-wrong/). Yes, the answer is for an extruder, but all steppers drivers can suffer the same mis-configuration." }, { "answer_id": 4219, "author": "Axel Johansson", "author_id": 7431, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7431", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "If the carriage is moving in one direction but not the other is seems like a stepper driver problem to me. Or possibly a electrical contact problem as the stepper drvers have one pin each (pin DIR) to control the direction of the stepper. \n\nHave you tried to change the drivers on your RAMPS 1.4? I suggest you temporarily change the stepper driver with an axis you know functions." }, { "answer_id": 4238, "author": "Stefan", "author_id": 7436, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7436", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "UPDATE: Turns out to have been a faulty RAMPS. Replaced the card and made NO changes; z-axis is now behaving properly. Thank you all." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4216", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7436/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4221, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "For ABS, if you are using an air filter, you do NOT want ventilation, because ABS prints are better quality if the ambient temperature is up at 50°C (or even warmer), and ventilation will reduce your chamber temperature. Whatever has been helping for noise cancelling now should work in the future." }, { "answer_id": 4222, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "**Make sure and pay attention to safety.** \n\nI have heard of more than one report of a RepRap printer going up in flames. On example of that is if the thermistor fails, or gets disconnected, and the controller puts the bed, or extruder, into thermal runaway.\n\nMake you make the enclosure out of a non-combustible material, so you don't add any fuel to the fire." }, { "answer_id": 4223, "author": "Greenonline", "author_id": 4762, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4762", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Sort of related, see the answers to:\n\n* [Commercially available 3D printer fume and UFP extractor](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/3771/commercially-available-3d-printer-fume-and-ufp-extractor), and;\n* [What are the best air filtration options for enclosures?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/513/what-are-the-best-air-filtration-options-for-enclosures)\n\nAddressing your points in turn:\n\n* **Ventilation** - Probably not, as you want to keep the print warm. However, when printing with filaments where well ventilated conditions are recommended1, to prevent the build up of noxious fumes, from ABS for example, you would need (active) filtration, see [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/3771/commercially-available-3d-printer-fume-and-ufp-extractor/4125#4125).\n* **Filament Placement** - I have seen printers fully enclosed, including the filament. However, there is the potential issue, especially if using PLA, that if the temperature inside the enclosure reaches temperatures approaching those of a closed car, on a hot day, then the PLA filament could become damaged/melt, and not roll of the spool correctly. In that case, you could place the reel on to of the enclosure and feed it through a (small) hole in the top. Feeding it through the side, *could* add additional resistance to it being pulled from the reel, depending upon placement.\n* **Noise cancellation** - Line the enclosure with *non-flammable* foam, or some other *non-flammable* noise cancelling lining\n* **Material** - As Metk states in [his answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4220/enclosure-things-to-pay-attention-to#answer-4222), be extra careful of thermal runaway, as 3D printers run hot, and an enclosed printer, even hotter. Wood is the sort of material you probably *want to avoid*. Whilst it is cheap, and would probably work fine in most situations, in the case of an emergency (read, *fire*), then you are merely providing additional combustable material. It would be advisable to stick with an aluminium frame (non-combustable) and glass (non-combustable and insulating).\n\nAdditonal Points:\n\n* **Electronics** - You may want to consider placing the electronics (i.e. controller board) outside the enclosure, as the RAMPS board generally likes to be kept as cool as possible (especially the stepper drivers).\n* **Display/Control** - Along with the electronics, it could be a good idea to also place the LCD display, and conjoint control panel, outside the enclosure, so as to provide ease of access. You don't really want to have to keep removing/opening the enclosure to change a minor setting.\n* **Access** - Do you want a *lift-off* type enclosure, or have an access door? The latter is certainly more user friendly, or convenient.\n* **Sturdiness** - Do you want a light weight (flimsy?) enclosure, or a heavier, more robust, enclosure?\n* **Safety** - An air-tight fire box could be worth considering.\n\nNote: After having stated that wood is not the best idea, it seems that IKEA tables are sometimes used, by stacking two on top of each other: [New IKEA hack lets you create a 3D printer enclosure for cheap](http://www.3ders.org/articles/20150726-new-ikea-hack-lets-you-create-a-3d-printer-enclosure-for-cheap.html)\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/WYd4q.png)\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/lBkWI.jpg)\n\nA safer bet is this delta printer enclosure, which is, essentially, a larger delta frame, made from aluminium extrusion and acrylic, enclosing a smaller delta printer:\n[4 Simple Steps to Build Your Own 3D Printer Enclosure](https://pinshape.com/blog/build-your-own-3d-printer-enclosure/)\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/0g4gg.jpg)\n\nFor an example of a cheap, yet extremely flammable enclosure, made from plastic sheeting and piping, see [How to build an enclosure for your 3D printer](https://www.matterhackers.com/news/how-to-build-a-3d-printer-enclosure)\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/o87Je.png)\n\n---\n\n1 See Davo's [comment](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4220/enclosure-things-to-pay-attention-to/4223#comment5920_4221)." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4220", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7440/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4226, "author": "Greenonline", "author_id": 4762, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4762", "pm_score": 4, "selected": true, "text": "**NOTE**: This is not from personal experience, but I thought it was worth mentioning:\n\n### Microsoft\n\nYou've probably seen this already - I am not a fan at all of M$, but... [Microsoft Plus Raspberry Pi Equals Network 3D Printer](https://all3dp.com/microsoft-network-3d-printer/).\n\nHere is another link to the same, [Network 3D Printer with Windows 10 IoT Core](https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/iot/docs/3dprintserver), but, unfortunately, your printer is apparently *not* supported.\n\n### OctoPi\n\nHowever, closed source M$ seem to be playing catch up, whilst the Open Source [OctoPi](https://octopi.octoprint.org/) has been about for a while, indeed there have been a [few questions on SE 3D Printing](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/search?q=octopi) about it. From the blurb:\n\n> \n> OctoPi is a [Raspberry Pi](http://www.raspberrypi.org/) distribution for 3d printers. Out of the box it includes:\n> \n> \n> * the [OctoPrint](http://octoprint.org/) host software including all its dependencies and preconfigured with webcam and slicing support,\n> * [mjpg-streamer](https://github.com/jacksonliam/mjpg-streamer) for live viewing of prints and timelapse video creation with support for USB webcams and the Raspberry Pi camera and\n> * [CuraEngine 15.04](https://github.com/Ultimaker/CuraEngine) for direct slicing on your Raspberry Pi.\n> \n> \n> \n\nSee [How to Install and Set Up Octopi for Remote Raspberry Pi 3D Printer Control with Octoprint](https://makerhacks.com/octoprint-raspberrypi-3dprinter/).\n\nA few of its features:\n\n* It also supports monitoring via a camera.\n* The G-code is sent over the serial to the printer.\n* You can use OctoPi to control multiple printers as well, as it isn't particularly resource intensive, see [Control Multiple 3D Printers Using A Single Raspberry Pi and Octoprint](http://blog.patshead.com/2016/02/control-multiple-3d-printers-using-a-single-raspberry-pi-with-octoprint.html)].\n* You can [configure access control](https://github.com/foosel/OctoPrint/wiki/Configuring-Access-Control) for multiple users, or for a better presented version, see [Access control](http://docs.octoprint.org/en/master/features/accesscontrol.html).\n\n---\n\nAs an aside, you could put Pronterface on the Pi too: [How to Install Pronterface on Raspberry Pi - Instructables](http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Control-a-3D-Printer-Via-Raspbery-Pi2/). I wasn't aware of this." }, { "answer_id": 6366, "author": "Sean Houlihane", "author_id": 4927, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4927", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "OctoPi works well. Network access out of the box was tricky for me (my router was using channel 13 so the script based config didn't work). \n\nI have octopi send me PushBullet notifications of print progress (which might be handy for sharing). This is handy since it can traverse firewalls more easily than me connecting direct to my Pi from outside my home network.\n\nI'm single user, but it does things like let you upload g-code from a PC, and then action a print later (using any browser). I've not had any problems with stability, although using the serial port does increase the processor loading of the printer a little (so theoretically might have an impact on print quality). My R-Pi 3 onboard wifi did die, but it was replaced with a USB one, and all still works.\n\nThere are lots of plugins for octoprint, including some for cloud access to the printer I think, and development seems quite active." }, { "answer_id": 6370, "author": "0scar", "author_id": 5740, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5740", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "This has been converted from comment to answer. It adds some extra information to the [answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/6366/5740) of [@SeanHoulihane](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4927/sean-houlihane).\n\nI'm running OctoPrint on a Raspberry Pi (RPi) 2B for about 1.5 years, I only had to switch to another Pi because the copper processor heatsink fell off and caused a short circuit destroying the network communication, but never had a problem with instability for instance. New RPi 2B is running like a charm. \n\nNote that OctoPrint it highly customizable, you have lots of plugins to choose from and you can change/add things yourself. E.g. you can add menu items in the GUI of OctoPrint. This can be used to run shell scripts that control the [GPIO](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General-purpose_input/output) of the RPi. With these scripts you can e.g. switch the mains voltage on and off, the annoying extruder fan on/off and e.g. LED lighting. \n\nWith plugins I have custom G-codes that enable or disable the extruder fan by injecting G-code scripts with specific, self defined, G-code commands like e.g. OCTO100, OCTO110 (to respectively enable or disable the fan, see some details [here](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/5812/5740))." }, { "answer_id": 7123, "author": "James ben", "author_id": 13144, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/13144", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "You can use Windows IoT Core to do it, see - \n\n<https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/iot/docs/3dprintserver>" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4224", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4404, "author": "bardiir", "author_id": 6982, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6982", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "This is easily explained - it's the stepper motors getting powered up. Stepper motors even if not moving are constantly powered up and actively hold the position they are in exactly at the stepping point where they are.\n\nIf you power down the machine or if the board disables the stepper drivers to save energy or because the power is offline then the stepper motors can get in between steps. When powering on then the movement is quite noticeable on some cheaper motors where the inrushing current can kick the motor over multiple steps before it locks down into position.\n\nYou can test this, try to move one of the axis manually by hand (not too fast to not damage the board by providing it too much current) if the printer is powered of it does move pretty easily. Then power the printer on, it should still move pretty easily by hand. Now execute one move command on the axis via the printer board. Afterwards you should not be able to move the axis by hand anymore (or at least not without unnecessarily excessive force)." }, { "answer_id": 4526, "author": "cmm", "author_id": 2082, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/2082", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I don't know details of your printer, the motor drivers, the firmware, or the wiring harness. I only have looked photos at the ANET-A8.\n\nYour question has ruled out a complex-axis movement caused by auto-leveling.\n\nPrinters that are not based on simple cartesian actuators, such as delta or core-xy machines use multiple actuators to make what results in a simple, single axis head movement. Your printer is not based on one of these mechanisms, but if the printer were temporarily misconfigured, it may move unexpectedly.\n\nOn the hardware side, some stepper drivers work with \"step\" and \"direction\" inputs. If there is a problem with signal integrity on these signals as referenced to the stepper driver's ground, you may be introducing an unintended step pulse. Stepper drivers typically use pulse-width-modulation (PWM) to set the power through each of the two motor windings (coils), and generate noise that depends on too many factors to list. Check that you have a direct ground wire from the stepper drivers to the controller board. If the drivers are integral with the controller board, one would hope the PCB was well designed.\n\nIt is possible the motion is caused by some force causing unpowered stepper motors to move, although most unpowered motors will still have a bit of detent torque resisting motion. This would require that Z-axis movement was causing some force on the other axes. For the ANET-A8, the filament could apply side-to-side force to the extruder when moved up or down, but it is difficult to see how it could cause front-to-back movement of the bed. \n\nYour code may allow you to set the idle motor current as well as the active current. If so, you could try setting the idle current at, say, 80% of the idle current. Your motors will be hotter when idle, but should not overheat." }, { "answer_id": 4658, "author": "Sean Houlihane", "author_id": 4927, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4927", "pm_score": 2, "selected": true, "text": "My best guess based on the answers and comments so far is that there is a minor firmware bug and some poorly initialised state. This occurs at start-up, or after a print has finished, but only once (till presumably the idle state is reached again).\n\nSee the image below, captured after the power went off during a print. Heated the extruder, and did Z -10, got this. Both x and Y moved, but in about a 10:1 ratio. The length of the track is about 10mm. Interestingly, during this movement, there was no Z movement.\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2L8d3.jpg)" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4225", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4927/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4572, "author": "Markus Appel", "author_id": 4285, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4285", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "I'd suggest you change the Flow (%).\n\nIt is usually at 100%, but can be adjusted.\nI'd suggest printing at 80%, and adjusting from there.\n\nLayer height, printing speed or other configurations always change the Extrusion Rate with it, because for example higher layers always require more material extruded at the same printing speed.\n\nHow it is done with your specific software, I cannot tell." }, { "answer_id": 4574, "author": "Fernando Baltazar", "author_id": 4454, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4454", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "Well, for a 0.6 wall thickness using a 0.6 nozzle you should have one line for the whole wall. But I´m seeing in your prints walls of 0.1 and 0.4 as infill, Why?\nI´m using simplify3D and I can see the results about walls and infill prior to send to the printer. On this kind of parts avoid infill and give priority to walls.\n\nSo the main problem with your gcode is that wall thickness, is too much difference between the filament extrusion 0.6 vs 0.1 this is 16.6% of the printing flow, so you need to set print flow to 16.6% or 20%, not 80%. \nYou must need to use retraction to avoid blobs and set a lower temperature.\n\nI saw this video to control Coast issues, but is explained how to set settings on Simplify3D; I hope you can visualize your issues before printing.\n<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWpdGY0V-gM>" }, { "answer_id": 4679, "author": "darth pixel", "author_id": 1211, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/1211", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "if something strange appears after few layers/some time it's usually the issue of overheating steppers\n\nif this is the case i suggest to \n\n* tune up Z stepper current\n* add cooling fan which blows on your steppers\n\nsee also: [this](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/2701/kossel-accumulates-error-along-z-axis/2705#2705) and [this](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/899/why-is-my-print-displacing-along-the-y-axis-by-2-3-cm/903#903)" }, { "answer_id": 5733, "author": "PR90", "author_id": 10340, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/10340", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "Although this reply is pretty late, there are some issues I would like to point out:\n\n1. In the cup.gcode file there seems to be an issue with the layer height. The height for the second layer is larger than the third layer!\n2. If you see that the cup prints good on one side (also thicker on one side), this is a good indication of a bed leveling issue. Although you indicate you did a full calibration, I would still re-check the bed leveling. The extruder head movement in the X-Y should be as closely parallel to the bed as possible.\n3. The cooling settings in your Simplify3D profile are low. I would bump up the fan speed to ensure that the strand being laid down is sufficiently cooled to prevent overheating from subsequent loops.\n4. Try slowing down the Z-axis speed. Stepping too quickly can cause skipped steps depending on the acceleration settings and mass/inertia of the head." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4227", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7451/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4237, "author": "Ecnerwal", "author_id": 6853, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6853", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "**Step Zero:** is always to check/adjust the bed level - if the height over the bed varies while putting down the first layer, it's hard to ever get first layer settings that work.\n\n**Step One:** is to adjust your first layer settings - height, temperature, extrusion width until you find a set that work for your setup (knowing that they may change somewhat when you change filament.) Some folks find more success with thin first layers, others with a thicker first layer to pump more plastic, still others use the same layer height but increase the width to pump more plastic, and others combine these approaches. Increasing the temperature is common, though in my case I found that the \"usual\" +5°C was not enough for the present setup.\n\nYou can change one setting at a time and have an idea of what works better or worse in each case, or you can change lots of settings and hope you get lucky. I prefer the tedious approach, it's less maddening.\n\nAre you using any surface treatment on the bed? A bit of gluestick or hairspray may help you stick." }, { "answer_id": 4239, "author": "Carl Witthoft", "author_id": 2191, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/2191", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "I would ramp back on both temperatures. My personal \"sweet point\" is closer to 50° bed and 195° hotend for PLA. Typically the problem of extruded material getting stuck to the hotend occurs because the extruded material is not adhering well to the bed. In your case it may simply be, as Ecnerwal suggests, nonoptimal Z-height adjustment. Or it may be that the PLA isn't cooling quickly enough to adhere well, and thus is being \"dragged\" along with the extruded feed." }, { "answer_id": 4246, "author": "TECTEC3 Studios", "author_id": 7019, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7019", "pm_score": -1, "selected": false, "text": "Try lowering your first layer temp to 205°C, and apply a gluestick to the bed before you print anything. By lowering the temp, this allows th plastic to cool faster, and doesn't risk the plastic sticking to the nozzle as much. Applying the glue stick will help the print to stick to the buildplate better, lowering the risk of it getting stuck to the nozzle. You might also want to try using a raft, as this will provide more surface area for the print to stick to the bed with, and lower the chances of it attaching to the nozzle." }, { "answer_id": 4363, "author": "Jesse Hammil", "author_id": 7466, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7466", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "The solution was moving to a glass bed with AquaNet for adhesion, and discovered a partial clog that was causing under extrusion." }, { "answer_id": 4391, "author": "ViliusK", "author_id": 7805, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7805", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "Check if you have fan turned on for 1st layers. **Cooling fan must be turned off for initial layers**. That's a mistake I've made." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4236", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7466/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 5580, "author": "Kemal SENYILMAZ", "author_id": 10079, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/10079", "pm_score": -1, "selected": false, "text": "The problem is in the code.\nPlease use these:\n\n```\n// The size of the print bed\n#define X_BED_SIZE 220\n#define Y_BED_SIZE 220\n\n// Travel limits (mm) after homing, corresponding to endstop positions.\n#define X_MIN_POS 5\n#define Y_MIN_POS 0\n#define Z_MIN_POS 0\n#define X_MAX_POS X_BED_SIZE\n#define Y_MAX_POS Y_BED_SIZE\n#define Z_MAX_POS 240\n\n```\n\nYour problem will be ok." }, { "answer_id": 6874, "author": "0scar", "author_id": 5740, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5740", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "---\n\n*None of the answers address your question to solve it! The only sensible contribution comes from a comment of [@TomvanderZanden](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/26/tom-van-der-zanden).*\n\n---\n\nFor the sensor to stay *within* the limits of the bed (considering the offset of the sensor and the size of the hotend carriage) you need to define where the sensor (plus carriage) may go to (to keep the sensor also on the bed, you also need to define the [sensor limits](/q/8153/)). The suggested constants are important in defining the size of the bed and the build volume, but changing them does in fact do not solve your problem. Your problem is that you need to address where the sensor may probe within that specified volume i.e. the sensor probing area.\n\nI use ABL (Auto Bel Leveling) on my Anet A8 using a left-front mounted sensor at position (`x = -26 mm`; `y = -40 mm` seen from the nozzle center). In order to have the sensor on the bed area without running into the limits of the carriage, you have to calculate (yourself!) what the dimension of the auto bed leveling area is. This is because the sensor is off set from the nozzle. If the sensor reaches for the whole bed, you need extra space on the axis. To explain this, if your **sensor is at the left front**, as in my case, the amount of extra space you have **left on the right side** of the X carriage will determine how far the carriage may go and thus limits the right probe position. If there is no extra space on the carriage (the safest assumption) you just need to add the sensor offset to the maximum bed size (what the nozzle can reach). E.g. my probe X offset is `-26 mm`. The maximum probe distance is therefore `-26 mm + 220 mm = 194 mm`.\n\nThis means that you need to set the following constants (amongst the settings to enable ABL; the probe and the type of leveling...) in the configuration.h of your Marlin Firmware installation:\n\n```\n#define X_PROBE_OFFSET_FROM_EXTRUDER -26 // X offset: -left +right [of the nozzle]\n#define Y_PROBE_OFFSET_FROM_EXTRUDER -40 // Y offset: -front +behind [the nozzle]\n\n// Set the boundaries for probing (where the probe can reach).\n#define LEFT_PROBE_BED_POSITION (0 + 10) // 10\n#define RIGHT_PROBE_BED_POSITION (220 - 26 - 10) // 184\n#define BACK_PROBE_BED_POSITION (220 - 40 - 10) // 170\n#define FRONT_PROBE_BED_POSITION (0 + 10) // 10\n\n```\n\nFurthermore the settings you do mention need to be:\n\n```\n// The size of the print bed\n#define X_BED_SIZE 220\n#define Y_BED_SIZE 220\n\n// Travel limits (mm) after homing, corresponding to endstop positions.\n#define X_MIN_POS -33 // Distance from end switch to X = 0 of origin\n#define Y_MIN_POS -10 // Distance from end switch to Y = 0 of origin\n#define Z_MIN_POS 0\n#define X_MAX_POS X_BED_SIZE\n#define Y_MAX_POS Y_BED_SIZE\n#define Z_MAX_POS 240\n\n```\n\nThe `-33` and the `-10` define how much the nozzle needs to travel from the endstop position to the print origin! This is not necessary to change when using ABL with a sensor (unless you are using a different print head carriage with a different center of the nozzle). Why these values are `-33` and `-10` (or values close to this; e.g. for my printer they are `-36` and `-8`) is explained in [this answer](/a/6376/)." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4251", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7485/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4738, "author": "TextGeek", "author_id": 40, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/40", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "I'm not that fluent in G-code, but at [Modern Machine Shop: Understanding G27, G28, G29 and G30](https://www.mmsonline.com/columns/understanding-g27-g28-g29-and-g30) I found these descriptions of the `G28` and `G29` codes you added:\n\n* `G28`: For any axis letter addresses included in the G28 command, the machine first will move (at rapid) to an intermediate position in those axes. Then, it will rapid to the zero return position in the commanded axes.\n* `G29`: G29 is also a two-step command. First, it causes the machine to move (in the axes commanded) to the intermediate position used in the most recent `G28` command. Second, it causes the machine to move to the position included in the `G29` command.\n\nSo it sounds to me like you only need one of those two commands. It seems that the code you modified runs separately on startup, rather than for each separate print. I would first try your modification with each G command separately, so you can see exactly what the difference is on your hardware.\n\nI don't know my way around the code involved, but it looks like you'd need to make the modification in another place, such as just before whatever loop sends successive commands to the printer.\n\nHope that's helpful despite my limited fluency..." }, { "answer_id": 6738, "author": "Nikkoura", "author_id": 12752, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/12752", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Rather than modifying the firmware to handle this, have you considered a pre-processing script on your computer, greping for a `G29` in the G-code, then adding a `G28`/`G29` pair at the start of the file if no `G29` is found?" }, { "answer_id": 6740, "author": "Nikkoura", "author_id": 12752, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/12752", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "With Marlin 1.1.0, you can automatically run a G-Code file when powering on the printer with a SD card already present.\n\nAdd a file named `auto0.g` at the root of your card, containing the following G-Code:\n\n```\nG28 ;Auto-homing\nG29 ;Bed leveling\n\n```\n\nNormally the bed leveling map should be reused for all subsequent prints, until the printer is turned off.\n\nIt is possible to provide up to 10 files, from `auto0.g` to `auto9.g`." }, { "answer_id": 6743, "author": "Trish", "author_id": 8884, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8884", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Rather than placing the `G28` (Home) and `G29` (bed level) in the configuration, I would place it in the G-code generating slicer as pre-print code. This will automatically add this to the start of any G-code sliced, enforcing the homing and leveling whenever the G-code is run." }, { "answer_id": 6777, "author": "0scar", "author_id": 5740, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5740", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Another answer that does exactly what you want involves the use of a print server. A print server is an application that runs the instructions to the printer over a USB connection from another device, this can be your computer/laptop, or a dedicated [Raspberry Pi](https://www.raspberrypi.org/) (a small and affordable computer). One such application described here further is [OctoPrint](https://octoprint.org/) (this may very well be done with other applications, but this needs to be checked first!), this print server application allows integration of many third party plug-ins next to the extensive feature set it already has out-of-the-box. One such feature is `GCODE scripts` (intently spelled this way to match the option in the Octoprint settings menu); this screenshot shows some details:\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/FZIeq.png)\n\nAs can be seen from the image, there are specific \"events\" available to process G-code commands at specific event occurences like e.g. just before the print starts. You could use that envent to insert your leveling commands.\n\n---\n\nPlease note that in the image you will find strange G-code commands like `OCTO100` and `OCTO110` which is a feature of the plugin called \"GCODE System Commands\" which allows running shell scripts to schedule the fan. I just kill the power to the fan when the printer is idle to get rid of the noise when the printer is just idling, the fan is only needed when the hotend is at elevated temperature." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4256", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7505/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4260, "author": "ON5MF Jurgen", "author_id": 6812, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6812", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "One of the applications of 3d printing with wax is when making jewellery using the lost-wax casting process.\nI don't know if there are 'cheap' 3d printers for wax. One brand of 3d printers for wax is Solid-Scape." }, { "answer_id": 4261, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Yes, with the proper equipment.\n\nPrinting wax filament (at 51 seconds): <https://youtu.be/tibkVZB_n9c?t=51s>\n\nThere are also options for melting wax, filling a heated reservoir head, and printing with that. I recommend doing this with a cold ambient temperature, so that the wax solidifies quickly. There's no point in just printing a puddle. :)" }, { "answer_id": 4268, "author": "morevitamins", "author_id": 7420, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7420", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Should be easy to do it in low temperatures, also check for moldlay filament.\n\nWax is indeed useful for lost-wax casting method." }, { "answer_id": 4269, "author": "iFreilicht", "author_id": 7540, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7540", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Yes, you can. But no, you don't need to make your own filament for it, there is one called [Print2Cast](http://www.machinablewax.com/product.php?product=52) that you can buy for about 50$/kg.\n\nThis filament has the following recommended slicing settings:\n\n* **Extrusion temperature:** 140°C-150°C\n* **Bed temperature:** 80°-90°C\n* **Shells:** 2-3 (for most models)\n* **Print speed:** 20 to 70mm/s\n\nThere are, however, a few more things to look out for when printing with wax, as it is very soft.\n\nThe most important issue is the grip of the extruder wheel. See if other people have used your printer/extruder with flexible filaments. If they were successful in doing that, there's a high chance a wax print will succeed as well.\n\nBed adhesion might also be an issue. [MachinableWax.com](http://www.machinablewax.com/product.php?product=52) recommend 6 coats of hair spray on a glass bed, letting each of them dry before adding the next.\n\nCooling is also important, as with many filaments. You'll probably have to experiment with that a little as either too much or too little can ruin your print." }, { "answer_id": 8262, "author": "Todd heinz", "author_id": 14522, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/14522", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Just make a silicone mold of any of your prints and pour you wax in the silicone,you silicone putty is pretty cheap so is wax ,no need to break the bank as printers have become less expensive and can do a pretty good job" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4259", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7511/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4260, "author": "ON5MF Jurgen", "author_id": 6812, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6812", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "One of the applications of 3d printing with wax is when making jewellery using the lost-wax casting process.\nI don't know if there are 'cheap' 3d printers for wax. One brand of 3d printers for wax is Solid-Scape." }, { "answer_id": 4261, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Yes, with the proper equipment.\n\nPrinting wax filament (at 51 seconds): <https://youtu.be/tibkVZB_n9c?t=51s>\n\nThere are also options for melting wax, filling a heated reservoir head, and printing with that. I recommend doing this with a cold ambient temperature, so that the wax solidifies quickly. There's no point in just printing a puddle. :)" }, { "answer_id": 4268, "author": "morevitamins", "author_id": 7420, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7420", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Should be easy to do it in low temperatures, also check for moldlay filament.\n\nWax is indeed useful for lost-wax casting method." }, { "answer_id": 4269, "author": "iFreilicht", "author_id": 7540, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7540", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Yes, you can. But no, you don't need to make your own filament for it, there is one called [Print2Cast](http://www.machinablewax.com/product.php?product=52) that you can buy for about 50$/kg.\n\nThis filament has the following recommended slicing settings:\n\n* **Extrusion temperature:** 140°C-150°C\n* **Bed temperature:** 80°-90°C\n* **Shells:** 2-3 (for most models)\n* **Print speed:** 20 to 70mm/s\n\nThere are, however, a few more things to look out for when printing with wax, as it is very soft.\n\nThe most important issue is the grip of the extruder wheel. See if other people have used your printer/extruder with flexible filaments. If they were successful in doing that, there's a high chance a wax print will succeed as well.\n\nBed adhesion might also be an issue. [MachinableWax.com](http://www.machinablewax.com/product.php?product=52) recommend 6 coats of hair spray on a glass bed, letting each of them dry before adding the next.\n\nCooling is also important, as with many filaments. You'll probably have to experiment with that a little as either too much or too little can ruin your print." }, { "answer_id": 8262, "author": "Todd heinz", "author_id": 14522, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/14522", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Just make a silicone mold of any of your prints and pour you wax in the silicone,you silicone putty is pretty cheap so is wax ,no need to break the bank as printers have become less expensive and can do a pretty good job" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4267", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7536/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4260, "author": "ON5MF Jurgen", "author_id": 6812, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6812", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "One of the applications of 3d printing with wax is when making jewellery using the lost-wax casting process.\nI don't know if there are 'cheap' 3d printers for wax. One brand of 3d printers for wax is Solid-Scape." }, { "answer_id": 4261, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Yes, with the proper equipment.\n\nPrinting wax filament (at 51 seconds): <https://youtu.be/tibkVZB_n9c?t=51s>\n\nThere are also options for melting wax, filling a heated reservoir head, and printing with that. I recommend doing this with a cold ambient temperature, so that the wax solidifies quickly. There's no point in just printing a puddle. :)" }, { "answer_id": 4268, "author": "morevitamins", "author_id": 7420, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7420", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Should be easy to do it in low temperatures, also check for moldlay filament.\n\nWax is indeed useful for lost-wax casting method." }, { "answer_id": 4269, "author": "iFreilicht", "author_id": 7540, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7540", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Yes, you can. But no, you don't need to make your own filament for it, there is one called [Print2Cast](http://www.machinablewax.com/product.php?product=52) that you can buy for about 50$/kg.\n\nThis filament has the following recommended slicing settings:\n\n* **Extrusion temperature:** 140°C-150°C\n* **Bed temperature:** 80°-90°C\n* **Shells:** 2-3 (for most models)\n* **Print speed:** 20 to 70mm/s\n\nThere are, however, a few more things to look out for when printing with wax, as it is very soft.\n\nThe most important issue is the grip of the extruder wheel. See if other people have used your printer/extruder with flexible filaments. If they were successful in doing that, there's a high chance a wax print will succeed as well.\n\nBed adhesion might also be an issue. [MachinableWax.com](http://www.machinablewax.com/product.php?product=52) recommend 6 coats of hair spray on a glass bed, letting each of them dry before adding the next.\n\nCooling is also important, as with many filaments. You'll probably have to experiment with that a little as either too much or too little can ruin your print." }, { "answer_id": 8262, "author": "Todd heinz", "author_id": 14522, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/14522", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Just make a silicone mold of any of your prints and pour you wax in the silicone,you silicone putty is pretty cheap so is wax ,no need to break the bank as printers have become less expensive and can do a pretty good job" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4272", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7545/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4260, "author": "ON5MF Jurgen", "author_id": 6812, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6812", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "One of the applications of 3d printing with wax is when making jewellery using the lost-wax casting process.\nI don't know if there are 'cheap' 3d printers for wax. One brand of 3d printers for wax is Solid-Scape." }, { "answer_id": 4261, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Yes, with the proper equipment.\n\nPrinting wax filament (at 51 seconds): <https://youtu.be/tibkVZB_n9c?t=51s>\n\nThere are also options for melting wax, filling a heated reservoir head, and printing with that. I recommend doing this with a cold ambient temperature, so that the wax solidifies quickly. There's no point in just printing a puddle. :)" }, { "answer_id": 4268, "author": "morevitamins", "author_id": 7420, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7420", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Should be easy to do it in low temperatures, also check for moldlay filament.\n\nWax is indeed useful for lost-wax casting method." }, { "answer_id": 4269, "author": "iFreilicht", "author_id": 7540, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7540", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Yes, you can. But no, you don't need to make your own filament for it, there is one called [Print2Cast](http://www.machinablewax.com/product.php?product=52) that you can buy for about 50$/kg.\n\nThis filament has the following recommended slicing settings:\n\n* **Extrusion temperature:** 140°C-150°C\n* **Bed temperature:** 80°-90°C\n* **Shells:** 2-3 (for most models)\n* **Print speed:** 20 to 70mm/s\n\nThere are, however, a few more things to look out for when printing with wax, as it is very soft.\n\nThe most important issue is the grip of the extruder wheel. See if other people have used your printer/extruder with flexible filaments. If they were successful in doing that, there's a high chance a wax print will succeed as well.\n\nBed adhesion might also be an issue. [MachinableWax.com](http://www.machinablewax.com/product.php?product=52) recommend 6 coats of hair spray on a glass bed, letting each of them dry before adding the next.\n\nCooling is also important, as with many filaments. You'll probably have to experiment with that a little as either too much or too little can ruin your print." }, { "answer_id": 8262, "author": "Todd heinz", "author_id": 14522, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/14522", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Just make a silicone mold of any of your prints and pour you wax in the silicone,you silicone putty is pretty cheap so is wax ,no need to break the bank as printers have become less expensive and can do a pretty good job" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4286", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7223/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4289, "author": "Tom van der Zanden", "author_id": 26, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/26", "pm_score": 4, "selected": true, "text": "**Your nozzle is too far from your bed.** The first layer isn't squished down sufficiently, resulting in these gaps. If your first layer looks like this, you should cancel your print and adjust the bed. Alternatively, you can adjust the initial height of the Z-axis in G-code (for instance, `G0 Z-0.1` followed by `G92 Z0`, which should be appended to your start G-code).\n\nYou can also try increasing the first layer height or the first layer extrusion multiplier. If you increase the first layer height, you will probably still have to adjust the bed slightly to bring the nozzle closer, but the thicker your first layer the larger the window where you get a good first layer.\n\nIncreasing the extrusion multiplier will effectively stretch the first layer to be thicker (and thus the model will come out slightly too high) and thus isn't necessarily a good idea, though some people find that a slight increase (to for instance, 110%) makes the first layer slightly more forgiving (but this also increases adherence, making parts harder to remove - there is a very fine line between getting good first layers and having your prints stuck permanently to the bed)." }, { "answer_id": 4290, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "**@TomvanderZanden was correct**\n\n**My nozzle was too far from your bed** (sort of)\n\nSince my printer is manually leveled I have to use a sheet of paper to check each leveling point. This means the nozzle is about 0.1mm off the bed at home. In Cura, I had `Initial Layer Height=0.3mm` BUT this is supposed to be 0.3mm above the bed and my home will be already 0.1mm the bed; so, I really needed `Initial Layer Height=0.2mm`!\n\nAfter doing that, the first layer laid down really nicely and all the lines got properly smooshed together.\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/98POk.jpg)" }, { "answer_id": 20843, "author": "Fahad Mohammed", "author_id": 38027, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/38027", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "In my case, the build plate adhesion type was set to raft in the cura software settings which is why a base will be printed first before printing the object on it. Hence, the bottom of the printed object will look rough because it needs to be easily separable from the initially printed base. Build plate adhesion type should be set to brim, skirt or none, the bottom print should be smooth. That was what worked for me." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4288", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4292, "author": "fred_dot_u", "author_id": 854, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/854", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "One method is to use meshmixer to select the faces to be created in the second color and \"detach\" them without removing them from the model. Keeping the detached faces in place provides the appropriate alignment when brought into the slicer. When exporting the model for printing, check your preferences to ensure both segments are exported at the same time. The preferences (file) default to separate exports based on selection.\n\nSome manipulation will be required with the extracted segments, as typically one is removing a zero-thickness surface from a manifold object. The videos I've seen usually create an extrusion towards the inner body to create a dimensional model from the extracted skin.\n\nEven if you are not familiar with Meshmixer, there are a number of videos and tutorials explaining this feature. If you use the terms \"meshmixer dual extrusion\" you'll get loads of links in return. I narrowed it by adding \"Maker's Muse\" to the search, as his explanations are clearer than others.\n\nI know that Slic3r and Simplify3D will support the correct positioning when importing the model, other slicers may require additional research to accomplish this objective. My search also appears to indicate that Cura will support such processing.\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/hlUBu.jpg)\n\nThe rabbit in this image was being prepared for two colors. I've seen the video but cannot recall why this image was presented, as the other pieces were eventually incorporated during one print. It's possible this image represents a single color print, based on the supports, but it is indicative of a partial process during the creation of a dual extrusion print." }, { "answer_id": 4294, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "You can also preview the gcode rendering layer by layer (if your software allows this), and insert a toolchange command at the layer where you want to switch colors." }, { "answer_id": 4298, "author": "EvilTeach", "author_id": 1397, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/1397", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "With OpenScad i would take the stl, and cut half of it off, but subtracting a block. That result I would save to a.stl. Then i would move the block to the other side of the model and subtract that piece off. The result i would save as b.stl.\n\nMy slicer is RepG. It has an option for merging two stl files and printing them dual." }, { "answer_id": 4302, "author": "Tomer", "author_id": 7597, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7597", "pm_score": 2, "selected": true, "text": "After a bit tinkering, I finally managed to split the model to two STL files, then used Cura to print them each in its own color. I decided to post here the steps I followed, as simply as I could, hoping that it would help other beginners.\n\nThe procedure was quite simple, even though it took a while for me to figure it out:\n\nFollowing the advice of [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSCr0SnwA-Q), I used MeshMixer to edit the STL file I downloaded from thingiverse. I:\n\n1. Selected the areas I wanted to separate using the select tool (I had to change the tool \"radius\" so that it won't keep selecting unwanted faces of the model).\n2. In the same tool, I used the \"Separate\" command to create two objects from the one I had before. This showed the \"object explorer\" window.\n3. I clicked each of the parts in the object explorer window and exported them separately to STL files.\n\nThen, using Cura, I followed [this site](https://fbrc8.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000062763-Slicing-for-Dual-Extrusion), and performed the following:\n\n1. Loaded both models to Cura (order doesn't matter).\n2. Picked Print Core 1 for the first part and Core 2 for the second part.\n3. Selected both models (using the Shift key), then right-clicked and chose \"Merge Models\"\n4. Profit!" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4291", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7597/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4295, "author": "Ecnerwal", "author_id": 6853, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6853", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "You are extruding (rather, attempting to extrude) faster than the hotend/nozzle can melt & pump plastic. Eventually something's got to give, and it's usually the grip on the filament by the extruder gear (or the torque available is exceeded.)\n\nYou either need to limit the speed you extrude at, or change other print settings (temperature) to melt faster. You are not going 75% - you're trying to go more than 100% (in real terms of what the printer can actually do.)" }, { "answer_id": 4296, "author": "Howler", "author_id": 1566, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/1566", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "@Ecnerwal is right: that noise you hear is the extruder not being able to push the filament, and the stepper can't push any harder. When the extruder tries to push harder than it can, it gives up, and the \"spring\" tension it created in the filament forces it to go backwards a tiny bit. Then it tries again.\n\nPossible causes/fixes:\n\n* Temperature too low -- this makes the filament not liquid enough to push through the nozzle easily. For ABS, you should be in the 230-240 range.\n* Clogged nozzle -- take the nozzle off (while hot) and try heating it with a torch to burn out anything that might be in there.\n* Bad filament -- If the filament has contamination in it, or is too large to fit through the hot end in places (I.E. it gets up to 1.9mm instead of 1.75mm)\n* Stepper current too low -- I'm not sure if you can adjust the current that is sent to your stepper motors, but if it is too low, the stepper can not provide enough torque to push the filament through. I don't see the stepper drivers on the site, so I don't know if you can adjust them or not." }, { "answer_id": 4297, "author": "tbm0115", "author_id": 98, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/98", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "It could be a result of filament building up around the drive gear.\n\n* disassemble your extruder to expose the drive gear (the gear that drives the filament down to the heat element).\n* clean any filament build-up out of the the teeth.\n\nFilament can sometimes build up around the gear over time when the extruder temp is not high enough to efficiently melt the filament. This occurs more commonly with ABS I've noticed, probably partly due to its higher heat resistance. However, this affect is ultimately an issue of poor quality filament (aka cheap)." }, { "answer_id": 4356, "author": "Renoh", "author_id": 5514, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5514", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "A possible problem could be with the filament itself. If the filament is significantly out of round, then it's possible that the thinner radius of the filament is too small for the extruder and the gear can't get a good bite to push it through. \n\nI had a similar problem with a Monoprice Select v2 (Prusa i3 clone) and it turned out that my 1.75mm filament was an ellipse of 1.85mm x 1.60mm. I too only noticed it when the printer was running at higher speeds." }, { "answer_id": 8070, "author": "Ramazan Keskinoğlu", "author_id": 14357, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/14357", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "I had this problem since last week. It is definitely choked nuzzle. You have to clean your nozzle, some dirt, dust or too much burned Pla could restrict PLA flow, and exc. motor pushes it with tac tac sound. I have cleaned 2 hours ago and everything works perfectly." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4293", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7600/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4439, "author": "Tim Kuipers", "author_id": 7956, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7956", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "This problem is most commonly caused by infill speeds which are too high.\n\nInstead of printing lines, the filament is caught on one of the lines of the previous layer, leaves a blob there and only restarts extrusion when it hits the next line. Instead of extruding continuously the filament comes out in blobs at the locations where there's filament on the previous layer.\n\nYou can have good infill up to some layer and suddenly start getting this problem as of some layer. When the problem occurs the next layer is more likely to show the problem. It's snowballing." }, { "answer_id": 4522, "author": "Alex", "author_id": 8177, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8177", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I am using the same printer and stopped trying to upgrade to higher CURA. \n\nTo my knowledge the branding of the Wanhao Cura Edition is that this Cura knows the specific firmware of your printer and thus is able to do printer specific tasks like calculating printing times etc.\n\nI assume that copying the settings does only copy the settings and not the firmware info of your printer. If these settings however build on firmware info in the Cura wanhao edition, things could get messed up.\n\nI would try uninstalling Cura, make sure the folder with the settings is deleted, reinstall and set it up from scratch.\n\nIf your motivation for the upgrade is feature-richness, you could also take a look at [slic3r](http://slic3r.org/) instead." }, { "answer_id": 10239, "author": "edosoft", "author_id": 1882, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/1882", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "I am using the same printer (v1.2) with some upgrades and have been using the latest Ultimaker Cura (4.1) ever since they came out. For the first few prints I used an imported Ultimaker Cura profile, but after 3-4 bad prints I created a new profile from scratch, using a percentage for infill, with no problems at all." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4304", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6948/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4311, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "If you just want to build your own, get a kit. There are several out there. Most kits take from 1-5 days to complete depending on the kit.\n\nIf you want to design your own is quite a different story. The effort is totally dependent on how much you want to do yourself. My guess is the statement that you don't know the amount of effort indicates that you are probably not ready to design your own." }, { "answer_id": 4312, "author": "Greenonline", "author_id": 4762, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4762", "pm_score": 4, "selected": true, "text": "Building a 3-D printer is actually very easy, assuming that you are electronically and mechanically competent, and there are a whole bunch of websites devoted to doing just that. The principal of which would be the [RepRapWiki](http://reprap.org/wiki/Main_Page).\n\nThere are a number of different designs, mostly from a few basic designs:\n\n* Cartesian\n* Delta\n* Polar\n* Scara\n\nTake a look at [3D Printers Explained: Delta, Cartesian, Polar, Scara](https://all3dp.com/know-your-fdm-3d-printers-cartesian-delta-polar-and-scara/), for further details.\n\nI, personally, would suggest looking at the following 3D printer designs (although there are many more out there):\n\n* [Prusa i3](http://reprap.org/wiki/Prusa_i3) (arguably the most common/popular), or its derivative the [P3Steel](http://reprap.org/wiki/P3Steel)\n* [Wilson II](http://reprap.org/wiki/Category:Wilson_II)\n* [Kossel](http://reprap.org/wiki/Kossel)\n\nOn the web, i.e. eBay/Amazon, there are plenty of ready assembled versions, DIY kits, or you can source all of the individual parts yourself. I seriously recommend reading this question [What are the pros and cons of collecting parts yourself, versus getting a DIY kit and then modifying it?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/409/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-collecting-parts-yourself-versus-getting-a-diy-ki)\n\nI would strongly suggest that you do a *lot* of googling, and read around the subject for a couple of weeks: \n\n* Reading other peoples blogs;\n* Watching construction videos on YouTube to get a better understanding, and;\n* Going through the issues that other people have experienced whilst building there own printers\n\nDoing this will help you glean a greater understanding of what is required, and what to expect when building yours - as well as getting an understanding of the individual parts required and how they all fit together.\n\nSpending a fair bit of time on this site, SE 3D Printing, and slowly going through the questions and answers is also strongly recommended.\n\nBuilding your own printer is, ultimately, more rewarding that purchasing a ready built one. This is because, due to its nascent nature of 3D printing, the printer that you purchase *will*, most likely, go wrong, and you will need to fix it. If you have built it yourself then you *should* be able to easily understand what is wrong, and then be capable of repairing it yourself. It is somewhat similar to the situation when the automobile first became popular, back in the 20's/30's (?) - the driver was, usually, also a mechanically competent engineer (unless they were filthy rich and were able to afford to pay a dedicated mechanic to accompany them - which was also the case, in those days)." }, { "answer_id": 8005, "author": "TheNerdAlly", "author_id": 14247, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/14247", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Have you built a 3D printer before, or have much experience in electronics? Building your own printer is *usually* more expensive than purchasing a higher end low-grade consumer printer. \n\nThere are a few routes you can go.\n\n**Creality Ender 3** \nIt's a good starting 3D printer around 200ish. Just going to throw that out there first - as that is probably a far better route to think about when thinking about cost. It's decent out of the box. Mix it with Amazon Basics filament (roughly 20 a roll), cheap chinese filament (roughly 10-15 a roll), or if you live near a microcenter - Inland Filament (roughly 15 a roll) and you're set with minimal effort.\n\nNow... to answer your question - what TYPE of printer?\n\nFDM: That the plastic in the rolls - and by far the cheapest type of 3D printer (and the most common)\n\nSLA: That's the Resin Printers. This is far better quality (normally), but much harder to use, not really for those just getting into 3D printing. They are also far more costly. If you have the ability - this is the ones that start getting cheaper to make - but making a large resin printer is not easy at all. \n\nBio Printers: I do not suggest making this. In fact, you probably can't even easily buy them. From your scope of what you are looking for - doesn't seem much like what you want either. This is the type to make molds for cataracts, organs, other medical needs.\n\nThere are other various types of 3D printers, a lot of them actually, but these are three big ones. As I said, I'm going into a general overlook - if you want more info, I'd be glad to give you more in any of the topics.\n\n---\n\nSLA / DLP (both very similar)\n-----------------------------\n\nI'm going to assume you want to look between either SLA or FDM. SLA (Resin) can be extremely pricey, and the resin even moreso. They work by curing Resin via light. \n\nThe -cheapest- way to build an SLA printer is by a projector! If you happen to have one already, then this route can cost you 20ish +-, not including Resin.\n\nWhat you need: Projector(50-100+ or free), old DVD drive/ cd drive from a pc (5 from goodwill, free for most people who have old systems laying around), Nema 17 Motor(brand new 15ish - shopping around ebay I have gotten 5 for 15 before), Threaded rod (home depot - 3-5), Asquine (10ish), a glass vat (dollar store), and some form of a base - either a cleaned off blank circuit board - pegboard, or a few various other things that can be used, various screws, mounts, belts ect. You also need resin. Monoprice has some of the better priced resins at like 40-50 per vile. Amazon has some cheaper ones too. As you can see, the price is already starting to go up. \n\nMaking a SLA printer, the basic idea is that you are hooking up the projector to be controlled by the Asquine. The Asquine you are loading open source (freely available code online) for SLA printers. The Asquine will control the projector itself, using the light to cure the resin as the build plate moves. The threaded rod you attach to the Nema 17 motor to move the build plate up and down. The plate will need to dunk the bottom side into the glass vat - the projector actually cures your print upside down - connecting to the build plate! As the build plate moves up, it will pull your print up with it to. After building, you will need to finish curing your print - you take it and cure it in UV light, or just set it outside in sunlight for a few hours. SLA can get some super high quality prints. \n\nCheck out this tutorial. <http://www.buildyourownsla.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2768>\n\n---\n\nFDM\n---\n\nThis is the type I'm assuming you are thinking about - the type where the extruder (print head) moves, and the build plate sometimes moves, and is sometimes heated. You print with rolls of plastic. \n\nThere are a lot of open source designs out there, one of the most popular designs is the i3 style. This is the style of the Ender 3 that I recommended above. It might not be the -best- design, but it is certainly popular! The \"best\" is highly subjective though. \n\nFor this, you need to have some sort of building material. You can use anything from Legos, plywood, plexiglass, metal, ect. Although you can use just about anything to build with, metal via 2020 rods (50ish+) are going to be some of your better, more stable options. You need a build plate. You can go cheap and use an unheated metal plate, mirror, glass, table... really anything flat - plus the addition of some blue painters tape for adhesion. You need some way to have endstops - either endstop switches - which cost a few bucks a piece (let's say 10 for 4 switches), you will need a good handful of screws, bolts, nuts, t-slot nuts, brackets - you get the picture. This can be cheap to pricey quick. (let's say 20ish for random number). You will need (if building i3 style) two threaded rods (10) or if you are going xyz style 4 (20). You will need Nema 17 motors - i3 style 3-4 motors(15-80) - xyz 2-5 motors (10-100), an arduino board (can go cheap from 20 all the way to amazing boards such as the duet wifi 2 which is around 200), a PSU (get a good one here 12v at least 40amps - switchable psu), you need some mosfet boards 1 for your extruder and one for your bed if you are using a heated buildplate. Speaking of heated buildplates, if you use one don't make your own. It's safer to buy one and they can run cheap. You will also need a lot of wire, solder, shrink wrap... I'm sure you're getting the picture on that there. Basic microcontroller and electronics work tools and accessory parts there including various sensors and whatnot of the like. Extruder gear, you can build your own - but until you are really familiar with it, just go buy one. You can pick up an entire extruder assembly, off brand knock off for around 20.\n\nThe probably hands down best way to learn to build your own 3D printer is to get your hands dirty with a pre-built or a kit, start taking it apart, and really learning how they work rather than just following a guide to build your own. There is so many resources out there that are only 'half complete' or 'half correct' that without foundation knowledge - it becomes pretty easy to burn your house down. Not to mention, building your own is almost always more expensive than a kit." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4307", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7619/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4314, "author": "ON5MF Jurgen", "author_id": 6812, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6812", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "With the experience I have with my 3d printer you can make (almost) everything you can draw with it.\n\n0.6mm parts can be 3d printed but will not be very strong though.\n\nFor joining the 2 halves when they are so thin, I think the best solution is to glue them together. With the things I make for myself I mostly use small screws or small nuts and bolts but with 0.6mm parts I guess this wil not be possible." }, { "answer_id": 4317, "author": "Sean Houlihane", "author_id": 4927, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4927", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "Typically, for FDM, the resolution is different for height compared with the x-y plane.\n\nIn x-y, you will be constrained by the nozzle diameter (0.4mm is common), which effectively quantises your wall thickness (0.4, 0.8, 1.2 etc). These walls can be placed with maybe 0.05mm precision.\n\nIn Z, the constraint is to be less than the nozzle, so 0.12 or 0.2 mm is common.\n\nSo you can easily make a half which is around 1mm thick, with a 0.3mm high wall. You would want the majority of the wall width to be 0.8 or 1.2 mm at least, but you could probably arrange an overlap between the two parts to allow some tolerance and increase the glueing area.\n\nA flat print of only a single layer is possible, but it won't be as accurately dimensioned (due to bed-leveling accuracy). A single layer with a wall would work, but might be too flexible." }, { "answer_id": 4506, "author": "Kuba hasn't forgotten Monica", "author_id": 8131, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8131", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I print such parts by embedding the PCB directly in the print during the printing process: after the bottom part has been printed, there's a print pause gcode, the printer stops and beeps, I insert the PCB into a recess in the print, then the printer resumes when I press a button. I attach the bottom of the PCB to the print with a drop of a quick setting superglue so that it won't have a chance of getting loose and crashing into the nozzle as the next layer is printed. I use a 0.2mm nozzle to print SD card shells directly over PCB without any issue." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4310", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7620/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4319, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I did some research and the life of the resin and resin tray appears to be dependent on how you use it. For example, regarding the resin, 3dfacture states [\"We see almost unlimited shelf life of the resin as long as it is kept out of light\"](http://3dfacture.com/faq/).\n\nI know you asked about the tray and not the resin; but, the two are inter-coupled to the same fundamental issue. Their lifespan is highly operational dependent. If your printer operates in an environment that have very low ambient UV, the tray will have to be cleaned less because of less resin buildup and replacement and thus less wear. Other factors come into play as well regarding cleaning procedures, usage amount, etc.\n\nI think if you want a number you are going to have to run your own experiment in your own environment." }, { "answer_id": 4339, "author": "Shahin", "author_id": 5007, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5007", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "It depends on tray and resin type you are using.\n\n**PDMS**\n\nIf you are using PDMS (eg. sylgard 184) coating for your tray. (B9 and similar printers using this type of tray). \n\nLife of tray PDMS coating depends mainly on:\n\n* How long you print without breathing floor.\n* How reactive is your resin.\n\nYou could get 2 3 prints up to 15 20 prints.\n\nIt is suitable for printing delicate pieces.\n\n**FEP**\n\nLarge number of manufacturers using FEP.\n\nLife of tray largely depends on.\n\n* Thickness of FEP\n* Piece sizes and movement speed during early layers.\n\nUsually you could use same tray for couple of hundreds of prints. \nOptical quality is not comparable to other alternatives but without human error factor you could get almost unlimited prints. Delicate pieces require tough resin.\n\n**Teflon**\n\nIt is halfway between PDMS and FEP.\n\nThere are other tray alternatives:\n\n* Envision uses special glass you could print on average 50 prints.\n* Carbon 3D uses super expensive oxygen-permeable window." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4315", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7445/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4331, "author": "Ecnerwal", "author_id": 6853, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6853", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Kapton tape would be the logical material. It's unfortunate that your vendor did not supply that as a separate item, rather than sticking it to the \"cotton\" (I'm guessing not actually cotton, as things might get a bit scorching for cotton, so I'm assuming some type of ceramic fiber or the like.)" }, { "answer_id": 7031, "author": "MaybeLater", "author_id": 13097, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/13097", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Not quite the answer to the question but closely related, so I venture. I use ordinary wool thread to insulate the hot end. I just wrap it carefully so it is covered everywhere. Very low cost, very effective. Wool can handle even the hottest extrusion temperatures easily." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4326", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4436, "author": "mharter", "author_id": 3785, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/3785", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "It is possible that your selected layer height isn't compatible with the pitch of your leadscrew. I believe the reprap website has a layer height calculator based on the pitch of your lead screw. Just another option." }, { "answer_id": 10819, "author": "cmm", "author_id": 2082, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/2082", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "This looks as if there is a side-to-side force being generated as Z is changed. Ideally, the X or Y position is determined by the smooth rods, which should bear any force, not the threaded rod. The threaded rod should cause no motion except upward and downward.\n\nIf the rod is bent, but the rod is lightly constrained, then the top, being the free end, will draw a circle. The bottom is constrained by the motor. The middle is constrained by the nut, so the top would wander. If the threaded rod is perfectly straight, and the stepper motor axis and the nut are perfectly aligned, the top would spin without movement.\n\nIf the rod is bent and the nut is very tight, there may be a twisting force exerted by the nut, which could cause movement.\n\nEverything is a tradeoff between tightness and looseness, between precision components and the reality of alignment errors.\n\nYou asked if the shaft coupling is too tight. Maybe. Try removing everything except the motor, coupling, and the threaded rod. Does the rod fall exactly where the nut would be? If not, it isn't aligned correctly. Incorrect alignment can be mitigated by a flexible coupling. It looks like you are using a Lovejoy coupling with a plaster spider. Depending on how tightly the spider fits, a Lovejoy coupling can be tight or loose. I see a lot of machines with the one-piece coupling and a spiral-cut joining region. THis might be a good alternative, but they tend to take up more space than a lovejoy coupling.\n\nBecause Z-axis motion is pretty slow, it is unlikely to be a z-axis vibration issue. You may have changed the resonant frequencies enough to cause some other problem, but I don't think it is related to the problem in the photograph." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4329", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7646/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4334, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "There are lots of online sources for T-slot aluminum extrusions from [ebay](https://www.ebay.com/) to [McMaster](https://www.mcmaster.com/#t-slotted-framing/=18c9twv). If you want more options do a [Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?q=t-slot%20aluminum%20extrusion&rlz=1C1GNAM_enUS688US688&oq=t-slot%20a&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0l5.6487j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8). \n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/OSerK.jpg)" }, { "answer_id": 7407, "author": "vittorio88", "author_id": 13462, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/13462", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I highly recommend the Bosch Rexroth series of aluminum hardware.\n\nI also recommend RS components as a distributor for this material. They have local warehouses, and provide very fast shipping.\n\n[Here](https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/tubing-struts/4667219/) is the part you are looking for on their UK GB website. \n\n[Here](https://uk.rs-online.com/web/c/?sra=oss&r=t&searchTerm=bosch%20rexroth) is an assortment of compatible hardware.\n\nBy the way, RS components has a Ukraine website, where you may be able to order from a Ukraine warehouse for faster/cheaper shipping." }, { "answer_id": 8728, "author": "Jorge Gutierrez", "author_id": 10016, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/10016", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "Not precisely cheap, but if you look on aliExpress for *AM8 3D Printer Extrusion Metal Frame* you will find kits build precisely for moving Anet A8 to aluminium frame" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4330", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7648/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4333, "author": "Tom van der Zanden", "author_id": 26, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/26", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "No, this is not a limitation. You should be able to create a coiled tube in almost every 3D design software package. However, how to do this depends on the specific 3D design software in use.\n\nYou'd generally do so by creating a cross-sectional profile (i.e. a hollow circle) and then sweeping it along a helical path. Another option is to first create a spring/coil, and then hollow it out (some CAD packages have a tool/command for this, usually called \"shell\")." }, { "answer_id": 4335, "author": "EvilTeach", "author_id": 1397, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/1397", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/EWIOa.jpg)\n\n```\n// Openscad proof of concept\n$fn=90;\n\nlinear_extrude(height = 50, center = true, convexity = 10, twist = -1000)\ntranslate([10, 0, 0])\n\ndifference()\n{\n circle(r = 3);\n circle(r = 2);\n}\n\n```" }, { "answer_id": 4348, "author": "Mr. Meeseeks", "author_id": 7657, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7657", "pm_score": 4, "selected": true, "text": "I managed to do it in the end using AutoDesk 123D.\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/izeeR.png)\n\nDid it by making two coils of differing radius, then subtracting the smaller from the larger. I made each coil using the instructions found here:\n\nSo there we go...\n\nPrinted it out just now without supports - in the orientation shown - and it came out fine. Used a brim, though (don't want it rolling away!)" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4332", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7657/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4341, "author": "fred_dot_u", "author_id": 854, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/854", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "If you don't mind adding another tool to your toolbox, you can use a plug-in for Inkscape called [Inkscape OpenSCAD DXF Export](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:14221) that will convert your SVG drawing to appropriate code to import to [OpenSCAD](http://www.openscad.org/). Even if you aren't keen on learning OpenSCAD, once you have the code, press F5 for a preview, F6 for a rendering and then export the STL file.\n\nThe link on Thingiverse gives instructions how to add the plug-in (extension) to Inkscape, which is relatively simple. I've been using the extension for applicable projects with great success. Expect minor complications for closed paths within other paths, however. You may have to create separate STL files for those paths and use Boolean subtraction to remove the \"holes\" as needed.\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/NpFF2.jpg)\n\nThe extension is slightly counter-intuitive. Be sure to manually add the .scad extension to the file as it does not perform that task automatically.\n\nUPDATE: I have discovered that the above link is not the one I've been using. I'm leaving it in place as it may be useful to others to have the ability to create .DXF files from Inkscape. The correct one is called [Inkscape to OpenSCAD converter v6](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:25036) and works as described above.\n\nAs always, read and follow all label instructions. Do not operate heavy machinery after using this product.\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rHHru.jpg)" }, { "answer_id": 4344, "author": "Shahin", "author_id": 5007, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5007", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Free 3D printing program [NanoDLP](https://www.nanodlp.com) does support extruding single image frame to 3D object in required height. You can use Windows or Linux version of the program." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4340", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7674/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4377, "author": "Shahin", "author_id": 5007, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5007", "pm_score": 4, "selected": true, "text": "Prints could end up on tray for couple of reasons. \n\n* Vacuum force on early layers - Usually you should lose pieces on the center of platform\n\t+ Put holes or channels on platform\n\t+ Very slow speed on early layers\n\t+ Use smaller platform\n\t+ Use tilt mechanism\n\t+ Use larger support structures\n\t+ Use stickier platform - Anodized aluminum is specially good\n* Non-aligned platform - Pieces on side of platform end up on tray\n\t+ Align platform / tray\n* Low cure times - you could lose pieces around platform for DLP and whole platform for LCD ones\n* Resin related issues\n\t+ Resin designed for thinner layers - Decrease layer thickness\n\t+ Pigment settled down - Shake resin before use" }, { "answer_id": 6220, "author": "Michael Wooten", "author_id": 11171, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/11171", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I also had issues with the first layer sticking to the build plate and I did not want to sand the plate. As most people will mention you need to make sure that your plate is perfectly level and the z height is right (lots of friction on the paper). You also need the correct exposure times for your resin and the first few layers should get 60 seconds of exposure. **PRO TIP to improve bed adhesion:** apply a thin layer of resin to the build platform before you start to print. I have not any failed prints after I started coating the plate with resin. Also, I don't completely clean the plate between prints, I make sure it is still sticky. I hope this helps." }, { "answer_id": 13417, "author": "Kayline Pruett", "author_id": 20812, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/20812", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I had the same exact problems. Nothing would stick to the platform. One day I realized, that all of the failed prints would always start to fall off to one side, and all of the successful prints were all misformed and kinda diagonal. The platform was not level. \n\nAnother problem that I more recently had was that I left resin on the plate for a couple of months and it hardened which doesn't allow printing at all." }, { "answer_id": 13782, "author": "scriptfoo", "author_id": 19813, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/19813", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I have a plain smooth aluminium build plate and it seemed that nearly all problems with adhesion which I had were caused by the **plate not being cleaned well enough with IPA and a paper towel**, after removing (allegedly) the rests of the previous model with a metal scraper. The new model was peeling off only in places where the old model was previously attached. Now I clean the plate thoroughly, tightly pressing the towel, and there are no more peel-off problems with any typical resin. I have even reduced the typical exposure times of bottom layers because otherwise the model might be attached too strongly.\n\nThen, there are **special resins** which can be more difficult to work with. I have one resin for ultra-resistant prints which seems very sensitive to the plate alignment or other inaccuracies at lower temperatures. If I use that resin, I **warm the build plate up to about 35 °C (95 °F)** with a hairdryer and unless there is not a large alignment problem, the printouts stick very well. The built plate is, however, trapezoidal and rather massive, so that it keeps the temperature for a necessary period of time.\n\nThe sensitivity to plate alignment leads to another subject: **check the plate angles** if you didn't do so. The angles should be well adjusted by allowing the plate to rest slightly pressed to the calibration pad with the plate's screw loose before tightening it again and adjusting the height." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4353", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7445/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4377, "author": "Shahin", "author_id": 5007, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5007", "pm_score": 4, "selected": true, "text": "Prints could end up on tray for couple of reasons. \n\n* Vacuum force on early layers - Usually you should lose pieces on the center of platform\n\t+ Put holes or channels on platform\n\t+ Very slow speed on early layers\n\t+ Use smaller platform\n\t+ Use tilt mechanism\n\t+ Use larger support structures\n\t+ Use stickier platform - Anodized aluminum is specially good\n* Non-aligned platform - Pieces on side of platform end up on tray\n\t+ Align platform / tray\n* Low cure times - you could lose pieces around platform for DLP and whole platform for LCD ones\n* Resin related issues\n\t+ Resin designed for thinner layers - Decrease layer thickness\n\t+ Pigment settled down - Shake resin before use" }, { "answer_id": 6220, "author": "Michael Wooten", "author_id": 11171, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/11171", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I also had issues with the first layer sticking to the build plate and I did not want to sand the plate. As most people will mention you need to make sure that your plate is perfectly level and the z height is right (lots of friction on the paper). You also need the correct exposure times for your resin and the first few layers should get 60 seconds of exposure. **PRO TIP to improve bed adhesion:** apply a thin layer of resin to the build platform before you start to print. I have not any failed prints after I started coating the plate with resin. Also, I don't completely clean the plate between prints, I make sure it is still sticky. I hope this helps." }, { "answer_id": 13417, "author": "Kayline Pruett", "author_id": 20812, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/20812", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I had the same exact problems. Nothing would stick to the platform. One day I realized, that all of the failed prints would always start to fall off to one side, and all of the successful prints were all misformed and kinda diagonal. The platform was not level. \n\nAnother problem that I more recently had was that I left resin on the plate for a couple of months and it hardened which doesn't allow printing at all." }, { "answer_id": 13782, "author": "scriptfoo", "author_id": 19813, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/19813", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I have a plain smooth aluminium build plate and it seemed that nearly all problems with adhesion which I had were caused by the **plate not being cleaned well enough with IPA and a paper towel**, after removing (allegedly) the rests of the previous model with a metal scraper. The new model was peeling off only in places where the old model was previously attached. Now I clean the plate thoroughly, tightly pressing the towel, and there are no more peel-off problems with any typical resin. I have even reduced the typical exposure times of bottom layers because otherwise the model might be attached too strongly.\n\nThen, there are **special resins** which can be more difficult to work with. I have one resin for ultra-resistant prints which seems very sensitive to the plate alignment or other inaccuracies at lower temperatures. If I use that resin, I **warm the build plate up to about 35 °C (95 °F)** with a hairdryer and unless there is not a large alignment problem, the printouts stick very well. The built plate is, however, trapezoidal and rather massive, so that it keeps the temperature for a necessary period of time.\n\nThe sensitivity to plate alignment leads to another subject: **check the plate angles** if you didn't do so. The angles should be well adjusted by allowing the plate to rest slightly pressed to the calibration pad with the plate's screw loose before tightening it again and adjusting the height." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4355", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7734/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4362, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Select an STL that exhibits characteristics you want to test (bridging, resistance to various pressures) and print it with each material. Preferably, run the **same exact gcode**, only changing temperatures, so that you get an apples-to-apples comparison." }, { "answer_id": 4364, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "**Thulos Sanladerer has an excellent YouTube series called [Filaween](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDJMid0lOOYl8TZJV9xHznKFq5yA5ZTi2).**\n\nIn it he tests and compares filament using a pretty analytical approach. I think you would learn a lot from the tests he does. See what type of test most interests you and adapt them for your needs. Load your test into Cura and you can see how much filament they are going to use. If needed, trim them back a bit to fit your material limits.\n\nAlso make sure and also look at Thulos's new video [Filaween 2.0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlIFMy4vIeM&t=587s) where he goes over the filament testing strategies he will be using for this year's filament tests.\n\nIf you want to see his results, he has created a [HUGE Wall of Data](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1j9QazgoocuzHxg6qUXevq3dpAmmT2E87089FX6gRgWU/edit#gid=0) of all the filaments he tested:\n\n[![Data table](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JEWb6m.jpg \"Data table\")](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1j9QazgoocuzHxg6qUXevq3dpAmmT2E87089FX6gRgWU/edit#gid=0)" }, { "answer_id": 4369, "author": "Kallz", "author_id": 6760, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6760", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "There are some simple steps you can write your G-code for that.\n\n1. Filament should have accuracy of diameter 1.75 mm\n2. Write G-code into file for next test case and run on machine\n\n\t1. For continue extrusion 100mm at different feed rate **F50** `F100 F150 F200` up to the machine's maximum feedrate G-code for that\n\n\t```\n\tG91\n\tG92 E0\n\tG1 E100 F50\n\n\t```\n\t2. You have prime and suck parameter for your machine so test it. For example, prime and suck both are 4 mm and repeat last two line to continue testing\n\n\t```\n\tG91\n\tG92 E0\n\tG90\n\tG1 E5 F100\n\tG1 E1 F100\n\tG1 E5 F100\n\tG1 E1 F100\n\n\t```\n\t3. This test for continue extrude and wait for 2 sec and then extrude again, repeat following G-code again and again continue\n\n\t```\n\tG90\n\tG92 E0\n\tG1 E10 F100\n\tG4 P2\n\n\t```\n\t4. Test prime suck with delay\n\n\t```\n\tG92 E0\n\tG90\n\tG1 E5 F100\n\tG4 P2\n\tG1 E1 F100\n\tG4 P2\n\tG1 E5 F100\n\tG4 P2 \n\tG1 E1 F100 \n\n\t```\n\t5. Final is print\n\nIn all of the above tests filament should not getting jammed and, for new material, temperature also may be a problem - so first set temperature for a new material.\n\nBefore starting test cases, clean the nozzle." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4361", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/3953/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4378, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "**It definitely looks like under extrusion.** \n\n1. First thing I would check is the filament feeder to make sure it has\na good grip in the filament.\n2. After that I would do another print to see if the problem is repeatable.\n\nIf it doesn't repeat, it may have been \n\n* A temporarily clogged nozzle\n* The filament was undersized in that segment and the filament feeder lost its grip.\n* The extruder got to cold for some reason in that segment and the feeder couldn't push the material through the extruder fast enough.\n\nIf it does repeat:\n\n* Re-inspect the filament feeder\n* Try increasing the the extruder temp to say, 225.\n* Try turning off retraction to see if it is related to those settings." }, { "answer_id": 4392, "author": "bardiir", "author_id": 6982, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6982", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "This is very likely under extrusion caused by your feeder pressing down too hard onto the filament. If the feeder presses the filament very hard it then gets squished a bit, this is not causing much issues when you're only feeding in one direction as the drive gear is still pulling on fresh filament and shoving the squished part down at a steady rate. BUT once you got retractions things get awful as the squished filament then gets retracted and fed again at the same pace but due to the elongation at a smaller rate of material causing underextrusion.\n\nYou can either trade it in to some overextrusion by adjusting the extra length on restart setting, retract a shorter piece of filament (like only retract half a mm or something) or loosen the feeder so it doesn't squish down on the filament as hard." }, { "answer_id": 4406, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "If the problem occurs most when you are doing the most advance/retract cycles, the problem is likely with your advance/retract settings.\n\nHave you tried cutting each of them in half and executing the same gcode?" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4367", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7747/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4373, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "**Have you checked the supply voltage?** With everything turned on (steppers stepping, laser on, etc) you may be pulling too much current and the supply voltage is drooping. \n\nUse DVM to measure the DC voltage. Also you will need to check for supply ripple. \nFor that, either an oscilloscope or use DVM set for AC voltage." }, { "answer_id": 4384, "author": "Greenonline", "author_id": 4762, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4762", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "This is a stab in the dark but maybe the Arduino (clone or genuine) and RAMPS1.4 combination is not powerful enough to handle the calculations required to control the laser and printing simultaneously (although I can't really see why the additional processing to control a laser would be over taxing the processor. However your comment about slowing the printing seems to help alleviate the issue, does back up the hypothesis). I have read that the ATmega256, and lesser AVR microcontrollers, can be working at its limits, when controlling a 3D printer and having to deal with arcs, or something that requires complex calculations. \n\nSome printer control boards, such as the Smoothie, use different processors (ARM?) in order to supersede these issues. From [3D Printering: Electronics boards](http://hackaday.com/2013/09/06/3d-printering-electronics-boards/). \n\n> \n> The above boards use AVR microcontrollers. While they work for what they’re intended to do, there are a few limitations. Arcs and circles are a little weird to program, and using these boards for something other than a cartesian 3D printer – a CNC machine, or a laser cutter, for example – is a bit out of the ordinary. The Smoothie board is the solution to these problems.\n> \n> \n> \n\nSo, if you have discounted power issues, it could be due to computing power and it *may* be worth considering using a different, more powerful, controller?" }, { "answer_id": 4393, "author": "Tom van der Zanden", "author_id": 26, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/26", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "You should insert `M400` commands before each and every `M42` command. The reason is that `M42` skip the normal command queue. Each `M42` command is processed as soon as it is read, and may be executed well before the G-code (moves) preceding it have actually been executed. Inserting `M400` before `M42` will ensure that the printer finishes all moves before `M42` changes the pin state.\n\nThe long \"streaks\" you're seeing correspond to the printer processing a laser-on command too early, and the missed pulses correspond to processing a laser-off command too early." }, { "answer_id": 4409, "author": "Pomonaill220", "author_id": 7752, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7752", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Thank you all for your suggestions and help.\n\nIt appears that I was just running the printer too fast and slowing it down to about 10% of my original speed \"fixed\" my problem.\nI don't know where i got the rediculous speed from, but 1200 mm/min is WAY too fast.\nMore like 150 to maybe 200 mm/min is what it should have been.\n\nOh well.. comes under the heading \"pay attention\" I guess!" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4368", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7752/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4383, "author": "fred_dot_u", "author_id": 854, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/854", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "The aluminum plate is being heated by the heater element although I suspect the element does not encompass the entire area of the aluminum portion. There are going to be cooler spots on the aluminum but not enough to significantly affect the transfer to the glass.\n\nOnce you extend the glass, without a corresponding extension to the aluminum and/or heater element, you are ensuring cooler spots. The glass will be surrounded by air, and begin to conduct some of the heat, certainly, but will also radiate a substantial amount.\n\nIf you are printing with PLA, you may get away with doing this modification. Very little of the heat from the aluminum will reach the glass.\n\nA quick check shows the thermal conductivity of aluminum to be 205 W/m K compared to borosilicate glass at 1.2 W/m K in the range of temperature used for 3D printing. I did not research the rate of energy dissipation for the same range of temperatures, but if it's not too high (unlikely), it would still take forever for the unheated areas of glass to reach temperature.\n\nConsider your extension to be an unheated bed and print accordingly." }, { "answer_id": 4446, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "After Tted's answer, I realized there was a way to test out how much the temperature would drop by offsetting my current glass base to extend past the exge then using a [FLIR](http://www.flir.com) IR Camera to see what the effect would be.\n\nHere are the results:\n\nThe the glass plate does seem act a bit as an insulator causing the print surface to be about 1°C cooler. Here are two photos showing that.\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/KCCQZ.jpg)\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/pINUZ.jpg)\n\nAs Tted proposed, where the glass extends past the base, the temperature drops pretty quickly. It is still warmer than ambient; but is definitely not \"Hot\".\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4j7Cs.jpg)" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4380", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4456, "author": "Tom van der Zanden", "author_id": 26, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/26", "pm_score": 4, "selected": false, "text": "For the X/Y/Z axes, you can use `M92` to change the axis steps per unit to a negative value, which causes it to move in the opposite direction. I.e. if normally your X axis has 160 steps per mm, using `M92 X-160` will invert all of its movements.\n\nHowever, this is more of a hack than a real, intended solution. It would be better to (if you are concerned with the homing direction) change the configuration to have the printer home in the other direction. Unfortunately, this can only be done by changing the firmware and not through G-code.\n\nFor the extruder, I'm not aware of any method to invert its direction with G-code." }, { "answer_id": 21053, "author": "robertovm", "author_id": 38737, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/38737", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "You cannot use `M92 E-` on Marlin (anymore).\n\nThe right solution nowadays is taking the wires out of the plug of the stepper motor connector using a prying tool and switching them all totally the flipped way around. That way the motor gets the signals the other way round." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4381", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7772/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4386, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "First, regarding **\"Why do 3D Printers Suck?\"** - The answer is **They Don't!**\n\nEvery tool has its limitations and you need to work withing the limitations of the tool.\n\nSecond, there are **A LOT** of different types/technologies, manufacturers, and price points and all of these have specific limitations.\n\nI live in Tigard, OR and both my boys are in High School. Our High School has a pretty advanced Technologies Department. We have had a 3D printer for a several years and use it for printing parts for our after school programs (we have three FTC teams, one FRC team, and one (underwater) MATE team). This last year the school introduced a CAD class and added about 15-20 new Afina printers so that the students can print what they design.\n\nI talked to my sons (they have both used the printers) and they said the only problems they ran into were mistakes they made. Two examples of that are:\n\n* Printing with ABS and having it warp (probably bed temp)\n* Trying to print a design with too thin a wall\n\nI think there is a BIG opportunity for improvement here. Having a \"Slicing\" program that doesn't require tweaking and would warn of likely print problems would help A LOT. I like the idea of the new [PrusaControl](http://prusacontrol.org/). If this idea could be extended further as [Thomas Sanladerer suggested in his video review](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYqVhhM7XIc)\n\nI know the Head of Technologies Department (I help mentor several of the after school programs). He has been responsible for getting printers and I recall he was concerned about more high-level things:\n\n* Service, Maintenance and Repair\n* Fumes (this is a lot of printers in one place with students in the same room)\n* Network interface and driver compatibility with school computer/network standards.\n\nI believe there is another opportunity here. If you could provide some sort of a \"printer farm\" where the students could send their print to the \"farm\" and then have a highly visible indicator on the selected printer would their name/ID when their print starts. That way you can get more efficient use of the printers and the space they consume." }, { "answer_id": 4388, "author": "Ecnerwal", "author_id": 6853, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6853", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Among the open-source printer community there is a logically based, yet sometimes taken to inappropriate places desire to make printers \"self-replicating\" either fully, or more commonly \"other than a few purchased parts.\"\n\nIn some cases this appears to lead to questionable design choices when some other process or material might be more appropriate to the job at hand. \n\nOther than that (and sometimes influenced by it) the usual joys of getting the bed flat, the dimensions accurate, and figuring out the secret to getting the first layer to stick (with the sad realization that this may change somewhat with each new spool of filament - or even over the life of a spool of filament without taking extreme measures to keep it dry.) \n\nIn the \"sure, there probably are packages out there if you have wads of cash\" line would be structural analysis that takes into account the printing direction/layers and perhaps even optimizes that (though to optimize it, it would need some user input on what's most important, and that gets tricky with unsophisticated users...) or effectively a \"smart slicer\" that grasps where strength is needed and how to get it, without too much overkill. \n\nOn the reverse view, making something and having it break is HIGHLY educational (if treated that way) and that's nothing to sneeze at. But practically speaking I think we end up doing a lot of overkill to try to make sure that things don't break, with limited knowledge of the problems and limited tools available in the slicers.\n\nUnder pure pipe dreams (such as I understand the actual needs of the process) some type of easier recycling would be nice, as the various things needing to be sorted out lead to a LOT of scrap parts, at least at first.\n\nAnd moving from scrap to \"really annoying scrap\" - nozzle drool. It's not hands-off on most printers I'm familiar with (which isn't many.)" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4385", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7796/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4438, "author": "Tim Kuipers", "author_id": 7956, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7956", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "**GCode flavor**: the firmware your machine uses. Google tells me CR-10 uses Marlin, so you should select that. Volumetric Marlin is not very common.\n\nPrint Head Settings\n**X/Y min/max** define the bounding box of the area your print head takes up. Measure the distance from the centre of the nozzle to the left-most point of the print head and do the same for the right-most, front-most and back-most.\n\n**Gantry Height** is the distance from the tip of the nozzle to the lowest point of the gantry, which is the axle on which the print head is mounted.\n\nThese print head settings are only used for one-at-a-time printing." }, { "answer_id": 4540, "author": "Paul Krzywdik", "author_id": 8213, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8213", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "In addition to [this answer](/a/4438), the \"Machine Center is Zero\", should **not** be checked. It will begin the print in the current location of the Printing Head." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4395", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7817/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4413, "author": "bgiv", "author_id": 7873, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7873", "pm_score": 4, "selected": true, "text": "In my experience a print speed of 50-70mm/s is ideal. Even if you set the speed to 150mm/s the print head still changes directions often and rarely will have enough time to accelerate from 0->150 before changing direction again. \n\nSome more effective ways of speeding up prints is to adjust\n\n* Layer height\n* Infill percentage (15-25% for regular prints, more if they need to be more sound)\n* Supports\n* Number of shells, etc" }, { "answer_id": 4478, "author": "H. Medina", "author_id": 8066, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8066", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "I was using Cura's default settings for a Prusa I3 on my MonoPrice Select V2 (model #13860), and got horrible results frequently. Then I used the settings you list, and got very nice results. Compare the below images for the bottom layer of 4 benchys, with adhesion brim.\n\nI'm using PLA, 0.4mm nozzle, 60C for bed, 200C for extruder, 1.75mm filament from Hatchbox.\n\n**Default Cura Settings**\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/akAJu.jpg)\n\n**Listed Settings**\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Zg76A.jpg)\n\n**Settings breakdown**\n\n```\nSetting Cura default Recommended\nPrint Speed 60 50\nOuter Wall Speed 30 15\nInner Wall Speed 60 30\nTop/Bottom Speed 30 20\nTravel Speed 120 80\n\n```\n\n**Symptoms of my printer being told to print too fast:**\n\nMaterial would not adhere properly to the print bed, and would start making clumps. These would rest either on the bed, or on the nozzle itself. The ones on the bed would grow taller than layer height, making the next pass of the nozzle bump against it, further depositing material on it. The clumps on the nozzle would drop at other points, leaving stringing filament all over, and further compromising the next pass of the head.\n\nThis might seem like a bed adhesion problem, but the prints were *very* well attached to the bed; I had to apply a lot of force to remove a 15\\*15cm square from the bed.\n\nIncreasing the hot-end temperature seemed to help; at some point we were printing at 230C, well beyond Hatchbox' extrusion temperature range (range is listed as 180C-210C for this PLA batch).\n\nUltimately, reducing print speed to the settings listed helped us increase print quality back to acceptable levels." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4411", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7862/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4419, "author": "fred_dot_u", "author_id": 854, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/854", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "It appears that the upper part of your print contains less plastic than the lower. This would mean that as the printer begins to operate in that area, the previously deposited plastic has less time to cool.\n\nThe distortions are difficult to see from the distortions of the photograph, but I've experienced similar upper, smaller section failures.\n\nYou could consider to print more than one copy of the item on the bed, which will require the nozzle to move away from each layer, allowing more cooling time, or add a throw-away model. \n\nI've also added an ooze shield using Simplify3D to create a single wall around the part, providing the same cooling time concept.\n\nIf you try these options and still experience a problem, please consider editing your post with material used (PLA, ABS, PETG, etc) as well as temperatures and speeds used for this print.\n\nYour slicer is not likely the problem, but is often useful information. Printer name is sometimes helpful, but I think it's not critical in this circumstance.\n\nIt's also useful to orient the part in the photograph to match that of the print. It's apparent in this case that the top of the print is to the right and bottom is to the left. If that is not correct, please advise in edit." }, { "answer_id": 4420, "author": "tbm0115", "author_id": 98, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/98", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "This can be a product of poor overhang profiles and bridging. Issues with overhanging features can most easily be fixed by:\n\n* applying active cooling (for PLA)\n* slowing down your feedrate on outer shells\n* or adjusting some of the more advanced slicing settings related to bridging/overhanging such as:\n\t+ anchors\n\t+ widths\n\t+ feedrates\n\t+ active cooling speeds\n\t+ etc." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4418", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7900/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4422, "author": "Tom van der Zanden", "author_id": 26, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/26", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "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`.\n\nYour 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`.\n\nYou thus end up with a steps per mm value of `3200 / 33.93 = 94.31 steps/mm`.\n\nYou 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)." }, { "answer_id": 4433, "author": "onurozturk", "author_id": 7948, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7948", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Simplest way to calculate your extrusion is:\n\nSet your number of perimeters walls 1\ntop and bottom layer 0\ninfill 0%\nand print simple 20x20x20 cube \nlook at the wall thickness with caliper and compare your extrusion width value on your slicer software" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4421", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7901/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4422, "author": "Tom van der Zanden", "author_id": 26, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/26", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "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`.\n\nYour 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`.\n\nYou thus end up with a steps per mm value of `3200 / 33.93 = 94.31 steps/mm`.\n\nYou 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)." }, { "answer_id": 4433, "author": "onurozturk", "author_id": 7948, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7948", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Simplest way to calculate your extrusion is:\n\nSet your number of perimeters walls 1\ntop and bottom layer 0\ninfill 0%\nand print simple 20x20x20 cube \nlook at the wall thickness with caliper and compare your extrusion width value on your slicer software" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4429", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7933/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4434, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "It looks like [Ono](https://store.ono3d.net/) may fit what you are looking for.\nThey have several colors listed on their site.\n\nRed [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Em8Uu.jpg) Blue[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/encJ8.jpg)\n\nYellow[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/jJS6t.jpg) Black[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/lhsdQ.jpg)\n\nClear[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fwl5J.jpg) Creamy White [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/XGmSp.jpg)\n\nThey also have a flexible resin and a low temperature \"casting\" resin.\n\nIt is unclear if the resin is available now or if it is preorder." }, { "answer_id": 4435, "author": "mharter", "author_id": 3785, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/3785", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "ONO, as mentioned previously. But I do believe that resin will be rather expensive. Along the lines of $15 per 100ml. Since their resin sales are geared towards their printer (small, resin based printer that uses your smart phone as the light source) they sell smaller portions, as their printer can't hold all that much. Not quite sure if you can order larger quantities at a discount directly from them. But at this stage, they are rather difficult to get ahold of via internet communication. That may change if and when they fulfill their KS commitments." }, { "answer_id": 4583, "author": "Shahin", "author_id": 5007, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5007", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Daylight resin choice is extremely limited. And would not get much better at-least in short term. Majority of new LCD based 3D printers are using UV LED.\n\nCheckout Wanhao D7, Phrozen3d and other newly released 3D printers.\n\nI strongly advice you to checkout Ionel Ciobanuc progress on his printer.\n\nHe starts by making [the first LCD based 3D printer](https://hackaday.com/2016/11/18/3d-printering-smartphone-resin-printers-actually-work/ \"LCD 3D Printer\") actually works! to modify his printer to make it another [UV LCD 3D Printer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt1ysqoTTus&t=21s). \n\nFrom the progress it is very clear why everyone adding UV LED to their LCD 3D printers." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4432", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5317/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4458, "author": "Stepan Novikov", "author_id": 8008, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8008", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "From my experience with mk8 extruders lower than optimal nozzle temperature or clogged nozzle can lead to an extruder's stepper motor overheating and partial burning out of a stepper\n\nIt looks like “Echellim' heel” of mk8 extruders. I had to change 4 stepper motors for 2 3d printers with mk8 due to that\n\nFirst symptoms – skipped steps. You could also check a temperature of your stepper – next symptom is a high temperature of stepper motor after several hours of printing\n\nMy fix for this issue – adding cooling fans to stepper sides and top (3 fans). It significantly reduced overheating and hopefully a life of stepper\n\nAnother solution of this issue can be in using of a stepper motor with gearbox to increase torque on a filament gear, so no high torque needed from stepper itself\n\nAbout printing temperature, it depends on plastic which you are using\n\nI’m using ABS plastic with an optimal printing temperature from 230-260 Celsius degree. For my current plastic supplier optimal temp is about 255 Celsius degree\n\nTo check the optimal temperature for your plastic you can print one box in different temperatures depending on Z position and found the optimal temperature by the z position of surface with the best quality. You can find code samples how doing it [here](http://forums.designfutures.club/t/tutorial-calibrating-hot-end-temperature-abs-pla-hips-etc/84)\n\nIf a temperature is too high then this part of the box will be bloated, if it's too low - you can see the gaps. Here is the [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSOPsRiiOZk), which illustrating this for PLA\n\n**UPDATE:**\n\nThe issue was in the low temperature of printing. After calibration and setting temperature by calibration outcomes to 200 Celsius degree printer started working well\n\nHowever, please be aware of the fact that wrong printing temperature can not only decrease the quality of printed things, but also can lead to wear of your printer parts and even can break it" }, { "answer_id": 4462, "author": "Dream Developer", "author_id": 8018, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8018", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "From my experience with few printer, Sometime it's happen because of the filament. \nSolution-\nIf your printer have unload function or if you don't have that funstion select a printerable file and change temperature to 205-210 C and try to use long and thin hex key like this to push the filament out.\n-Make sure you extruder motor work accordingly to feed the nozzle. \n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/OrXhn.jpg)" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4457", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7595/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4461, "author": "bgiv", "author_id": 7873, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7873", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Personally for vibration reduction I use a large mouse pad I cut to size, but I'd imagine the carpet would perform just fine. I would also recommend enclosing your printer (this had the most profound effect for me) and upgrading your stepper drivers." }, { "answer_id": 4466, "author": "Sojtin", "author_id": 8040, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8040", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I have an Anet A8 and these vibration dampers do a great job:\n\n[Thingiverse: Vibration Damper for Anet A8](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2103227)\n\n[![Vibration Damper for Anet A8](https://i.stack.imgur.com/7BZHq.jpg \"Vibration Damper for Anet A8\")](https://i.stack.imgur.com/7BZHq.jpg \"Vibration Damper for Anet A8\")" }, { "answer_id": 4507, "author": "Shahin", "author_id": 5007, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5007", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Change DRV8825 / A49nn series on board stepper driver with Trinamics TM2100 ( in silentChop mode) will make your step motors almost silent. They are outstanding.\n\nBut there are couple of disadvantages:\n\n* There is chance of losing steps in slientChop (Would not effect print quality in my experience)\n* TMC2100 is 5-6x times more expensive than DRV8825\n* Require soldering and electronic knowledge\n* TMC2100 runs hotter" }, { "answer_id": 6678, "author": "typo", "author_id": 10684, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/10684", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "I use a **paving block with rubber feet** underneath it **on the floor**. It is very effective: The 3D printer is sitting right beside a door, and you can't hear it printing from the other side of the door.\n\nThe low-frequency sounds are definitely absorbed by the paving block. What you can hear now are only the hissing sounds, when the extruder glides along the rods.\n\nI wouldn't put the paving block on a table, though, or anything elevated, since that will only magnify the lever effect of the table legs and exacerbate vibrations." }, { "answer_id": 6679, "author": "amra", "author_id": 75, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/75", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "I do know about your budget, but I would suggest to buy a silent 3d printer like [Prusa i3 mk3](https://www.prusa3d.com/original-prusa-i3-mk3/) which is about $1k. If you decide to tinker your printer instead than take a look on other possibilities:\n\nTrinamic drivers\n================\n\nMost of the noise is created in motors.\n\nDefinitely switch to Trinamic stepper motor drivers. I have upgraded from Prusa i3 mk2 to mk3 last weekend and the noise reduction is significant, my estimate is 80-90%.\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/291oJ.jpg)\n\nTake a look on this [awesome blog post and video from Thomas Salanderer about the driver](https://toms3d.org/2017/12/09/tmc2130-guide/). Other good post is on [instructables](https://www.instructables.com/id/Upgrading-RAMPS-14-With-TMC2130-Stepper-Drivers/).\n\nI would not suggest soldering unless you are a skilled hacker.\nBetter option is switch to different board.\n\nPrusa i3 mk3 is using Einsy Rambo 1.1 for $120: <https://ultimachine.com/products/einsy-rambo-1-1>\nBut there you have to switch to 24V Power Supply Unit and you have to also switch to 24V heated bed.\n\nAnother solution is to use RAMPS and buy trinamic drivers separate (RAMPS doesn't solder drivers on the board).\n\nAdditional info about trinamic drivers: <https://shop.prusa3d.com/forum/hardware-firmware-and-software-help-f64/tmc2130-driver-infos-and-modifications-t15835.html>\n\nPad\n===\n\nUse a concrete paver as described in this youtube CNC Kitchen channel. It reduces noise by 20dB (not if you use trinamic drivers).\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Jndsw.jpg)\n\n* <https://www.cnckitchen.com/blog/reduce-your-3d-printing-noise-with-a-concrete-paver>\n* \n\nEnclosure\n=========\n\nAn enclosure should also help to reduce noise.\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/eMRNN.jpg)\n\nHow to build enclosure from Ikea table: <https://www.prusaprinters.org/cheap-simple-3d-printer-enclosure/>\n\nDampers\n=======\n\nDampers help you reduce noise. There are two types of dampers:\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/XQv5L.jpg)\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/vtY6Y.jpg)\n\n* Motor damper:\n* Printer dampers: <https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2103227> (thanks to Sojtin)\n\nVideo about silencing the Prusa i3 MK2 & Horrible Vibrations:" }, { "answer_id": 6681, "author": "Ezra", "author_id": 10659, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/10659", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I had a similar problem, the neighbour started to complain. I solved the problem by putting scourers under the table where my printer was placed on top of.\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ERtj6.jpg)\n\nThey are mildly effective, but very cheap. They were 7 cents a piece at my local supermarket." }, { "answer_id": 14144, "author": "FarO", "author_id": 2338, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/2338", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "If you hear it from a floor to the other the only thing to change is the base of the printer. Nothing else matters.\n\nCNC Kitchen performed measurements especially to avoid noise being transferred to other rooms, the result is that placing the printer not on elastic feet, but on a single slab of concrete which is placed on top of foam is the best solution and reduces the noise significantly." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4459", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7989/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4467, "author": "tbm0115", "author_id": 98, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/98", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I'll take a stab here, but my gut instinct is to say that a printed part will not sound the same as your original gourd resonator.\n\nI believe the acoustics rely on the hardness, shape, and size of the material. In which case, a gourd is a hard and often thin material (after gutting it). Typical 3D printing materials will have a minimum thickness which may get in the way of achieving the same shape of the gourd resonator and plastics are typically going to be softer in hardness than your gourd.\n\nSo, in short, I think if your try to replicate the resonator with 3D printing it will not sound the same. That may not be a bad thing, depending on what you're looking for.\n\nAlso, who's to say the resonator has to be shaped like that? 3D printers allow us to manufacture parts that have historically been impossible to make and many instruments that we use today were designed hundreds of years ago with far less advanced tools available. I say its worth trying a replica of the gourd and then exploring other shapes to print that may affect the tonality of your instrument." }, { "answer_id": 4468, "author": "Laurence", "author_id": 8042, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8042", "pm_score": 4, "selected": true, "text": "I can't answer this from a technical 3D printing angle. But, from a musical angle:\n\nWhere the body of an instrument has the primary function of enclosing a vibrating air column, the material has often been demonstrated to perhaps make a difference, but only a subtle one. As an example, a recent range of plastic trombones, although not first-class instruments, have proved extremely playable (and have the great advantage of being virtually indestructable). \n\nI suggest you try this. Play your instrument, dampening vibration of the cabaça with your hand or with a piece of cloth. Just damp the shell externally. Don't obstruct the hole or put anything inside. Now, fill the cabaça with cotton wool or similar. If the first makes little difference, you're probably good to go with a plastic cabaça. Of course, if the second makes little difference either, we might have to suspect that the cabaça is mainly decorative!\n\nYou could also experiment with alternative resonators of a similar size and capacity, available 'off the shelf', not worrying too much about a cosmetic match. They might sound even better!" }, { "answer_id": 4470, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "**Here is a [great answer](http://www.rheothing.com/2015/06/resonance-in-plastics-and-metals.html) to the underlying physics of resonance:**\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/vZ1qL.jpg)\n\n\"A object rings because it has acquired energy in a way that it resonates - it vibrates at a frequency and with enough energy to generate sound waves. As long as the object has sufficient energy, it will continue to ring. It cannot ring forever as the sound waves gradually reduce the amount of energy that the object has. But generating sound waves not the only way that an object can lose energy, One of the ways that plastics differ from metals is that plastics are better able than metals to dissipate energy internally. Any plastic object will show some amount of viscosity dampening since all polymeric materials have a non-zero loss modulus curve. Metals can also have internal dissipation mechanisms, but they are far less prevalent than in plastics.\" \n\nSo, we all know it, you can make plastic musical toys. They never resonate as well as metal, glass, or wood; but, they often can work. Here is an example of a [Trumpet](http://trombainstruments.com/) made out of **ABS!**\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GgQIe.jpg)\n\nThis plastic's magazine also makes it's pitch for using [plastics in musical instruments](http://www.plastics-themag.com/applications/let-there-be-music-with-plastics) (most of which is also **ABS**).\n\nThat said, if Qouyg's Modulus is the key (as the first comment said), **PLA** should be even better as [its' Qouyg's Modulus is a bit larger than ABS](http://www.engineersedge.com/plastic/materials_common_plastic.htm).\n\nAll that said, all the plastic bells I have seen are generally pretty quiet. Plastic has a habit of absorbing energy and thus not being a very good resonator. If you want to try, I think you are going to have to find a way to harden the plastic. Maybe Acetone treated PLA as [that seems to harden it](https://benchapman4.wordpress.com/2014/05/08/increasing-toughness-of-3d-printed-plastic-using-acetone-vapor/). Maybe try something simple like printing a plastic bell. If you can get that to ring, you are well on your well.\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/auugD.jpg)" }, { "answer_id": 4504, "author": "Kuba hasn't forgotten Monica", "author_id": 8131, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8131", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Of course. I've printed a 7 octave organ rank, so it's certainly possible. Organ pipes are quite special in that the material properties of the pipe play a secondary role in the tone, the primary role being played by the length and cross-section of the pipe, the elements surrounding the mouth of the pipe, and its other openings (end opening, and extra openings that sometimes are used to modify the overtones). It's also well understood how the pipe material properties affect the sound, so it's possible to design the printed pipe to mimic properties of either a wooden or a metal pipe, and anything in between.\n\nDepending on how big of a role the resonator's stiffness plays in the sound of the instrument, you might need to replicate some of mechanical properties of the Gourd shell - e.g. its stiffness - in the printed shape. Thus the inside of the print will have the shape of the inside of a Gourd, but the exterior may need to be much farther away, and then the infill percentage will play an important role, as well as the infill shape.\n\nThe shape of the interior of the gourd can be approximated by measuring some dimensions and sculpting an interior surface in a 3D modeler or CAD. Most likely a 3D scan is not necessary, unless you can get it done cheaply and with no fuss.\n\nYou will also need to print full-size instruments. So this will not be cheap in terms of material used and printer time. I would benchmark the printed instrument at 3 shell thicknesses: 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 inches, and 3 infill percentages: 20%, 35%, 50%. All with 3 perimeter layers, and cubic infill. The thick 1.5in shell with high infill will be the stiffest of them all." }, { "answer_id": 5156, "author": "Trish", "author_id": 8884, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8884", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "If an instrument sounds \"right\" has as much to do with how it is shaped as with how the material it is made of is layered - or not - as this changes it resonance. Let's take a few examples:\n\nMetal, cast resins & hard woods all are very dense and contain (little to) no hollow spaces to dampen their resonances. This makes them the classic choice for making instruments, as just the shape changes the tune now.\n\nBalsa wood is very very light and brittle, and it is very grainy, creating some hollowness inside the wood that should resonate, changing its resonance a lot.\n\nI don't exactly know how the gourd is in its composition, but for percussion perposes, 3D prints are more on hollow side than on the hard wood side for low infill. Very dense (35%+) prints can have similar properties to solid resin casts, but this depends on the type of filament and printer used.\n\n### Let's look for a compromise!\n\nFrom my own experience with musical instruments, there is a vougue of carbon fiber reinforced resin instruments in classics. In broad strokes, these were manucaftuered by casting resin over carbonfiber mats pressed in to a mold and then sanded and polished. In other terms, 3D printing of carbon fiber filament is around in the FDM scene, even if it highly abrasive and demands a nozzle like the ruby to print.\n\nWith the right interior design (that is, an almost hollow print that just contains struts that don't seperate cavities inside the print), a carbonfiber print could possibly be filled with resin and become a 3D-printed composite, granting a much closer sound to the gourd while providing extreme durability.\n\nHowever, such a design will take many hours of work before the first print can start. Atop that printing carbon fiber is a specialty thing not many print shops can do or do regularily. And finally, the postprocessing of filling the \"gourd shell\" with resin is a very delicate process, followed by coating inner and outer layer and then tuning... I estimate such a thing to be at least as pricy as several real gourds.\n\n### Addendum\n\nAfter some months and this question popping back up, I realised some more things that might be used in the design of this:\n\n* **Thin shell, armored up.** Think about this the following: Print a 2 or 3 shell thichk wall, that will be the most inner. Then reinforce it with resin and carbonfiber mats until the sound is right. This would allow to tune the gourd to some degree.\n* **Solid print, slidified.** You might take your model and print it solidly, yet in the design you could include tree like hollow spaces that are accessible from the outside. with a syringe. Pushing in resin via these holes would create veins of harder resin within the gourd, which might alter the tune and strengthen it.\n* **Postprocessing.** Ignoring the resin for a bit, you can also make a PLA gourd more stable by allowing it to cure in the oven for some time. I had some success baking it at about 100°C for about an hour. For mor information on how this changes the modulus of different materials, I suggest CNC Kitchen: [Thin Walls & PLA Annealing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td7n2XA4Uvk) and [Changes in annealed PLA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLrISrkg46g)" }, { "answer_id": 6226, "author": "Sean Duggan", "author_id": 8013, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8013", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Following up on this, the answer is, yes, this works quite well. I printed [this *cabaça* model](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2856128) from Thingiverse using PLA on a Lulzbot Mini and put it on my *berimbau* today to test it out. I can't make a direct comparison because the printed resonator is smaller than the gourd one that I own, but the sound is good. I am not certain whether it is actually cheaper (it used a fair amount of PLA because it's probably about a half-inch thick, and it took a few tries to get a good print due to it taking about 9 hours and needing to be monitored for the filament breaking), but it may be more accessible for people who can't ship a gourd in from Brazil. It is definitely more durable.\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Vupdy.jpg) (click to enlarge)\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/nJiTn.jpg) (click to enlarge)" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4460", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8013/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4477, "author": "Mikhail Z", "author_id": 3839, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/3839", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Main factors that control the process of the print bed selection are\n\n* weight: too thick plate increases inertial force, limiting maximum acceleration/jerk (decreased print speed)\n* stiffness: too thin plate will warp when heated or bend during calibration (decreased print quality/printer reliability)\n\nFor table sizes around 400x400mm I would think of 4mm plate, but it still can warp if heated unevenly.\n\nSometimes it makes sense to use a sandwich-type table: lower level is MDF, cork panel for heat insulation and thin (1.5-2mm) aluminum heated bed on top." }, { "answer_id": 10186, "author": "cmm", "author_id": 2082, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/2082", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I build an 18.5\" diameter delta printer. The bed was 3/8\" thick 6061 aluminum. It is plenty stiff, but it takes an hour to heat to 100°C. When I rebuild it, I'll probably drop down to 1/4\" and increase the heater from about 250 Watts to 750 Watts. That should heat the bed in 15 minutes, which is still a long time. Waiting for the bed to heat for ABS is one of the greatest frustrations with that machine.\n\nFor your machine, how much the 1/8\" plate bends will depend a great deal on which aluminum alloy and temper you use. From [OnlineMetals.com](https://www.onlinemetals.com/en/buy/aluminum-sheet?q=%3Aprice-asc%3AThickness%3A0.125%2522%3AAlloy%3A7075%3ATemper%3AT6%3AMaterial%3AAluminum%3AAlloy%3A6061&checkbox=on#), 6061-T6 and 7075-T6 are available. 7075 is slightly stiffer, but both should be good enough. 6061 is half the price." }, { "answer_id": 15930, "author": "Ek1212", "author_id": 27400, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/27400", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "I highly recommend aluminium tooling plates. They have a +/- 0.1 mm flatness tolerance on 1 meter. It's alloy 5083 offers a great stability. You can purchase such for example at aluminyumburada, which offers [custom cut piecees.](https://www.aluminyumburada.com/aluminum-cut-to-size). They have a minimum thickness of 5 mm, though the prices get lower the thicker the piece is." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4469", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4473, "author": "fred_dot_u", "author_id": 854, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/854", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "The calculations for your objective could be considered simple geometry, although the results in terms of formulae are a bit more complex than simple, but not by much.\n\nAccording to [Quora](https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-volume-of-the-largest-cube-that-can-be-fitted-inside-a-sphere-of-radius-R), the foundation for this goal is that the cube's eight vertices will be coincidental to the sphere's surface. If one desires to print a 3D object with this form, such an object may fail the requirement of being manifold, but may not, depending on the floating point operations of the software being used.\n\nI found a simplistic formula which provides the radius of the sphere given the length of the side of the cube.\n\n```\n$fn = 90;\nedge = 10;\ncube([edge, edge, edge], center = true);\nsphere_radius = sqrt((3 * pow((edge/2), 2)));\nsphere(sphere_radius);\n\n```\n\nThe above code is done in [OpenSCAD](https://openscad.org/), resulting in this image with the sphere made transparent for clarity:\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/MI7qz.png)\n\nTranslated into general English, it appears that one can take the edge length, divided by 2, then take the square of that result and triple it. Take the square root of that value and it becomes the radius of the sphere.\n\nThe above answer is courtesy of [Math Forum](https://web.archive.org/web/20171123112402/http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/62515.html) and is represented verbatim as such:\n\n```\n ____________________________\n D = \\| (L/2)^2 + (L/2)^2 + (L/2)^2\n\n```\n\nThe letter D in this case appears to be slightly misrepresented as diameter when it should be referred to as radius.\n\nAs part of this fun exercise, I also subtracted the cube from the sphere, slicing it in half for visibility, resulting in this image:\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/lAW9Z.png)" }, { "answer_id": 4480, "author": "markshancock", "author_id": 6417, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6417", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "So it depends a lot on what you want to do.\n\n1. If you want to mathematically calculate what cube fits in what size sphere, that is straight forward. The [diagonal for the cube](http://mathcentral.uregina.ca/qq/database/qq.09.04/brett1.html) has to fit into the diameter of the shere. For a cube with edge 'l' and a shpere with diamamer 'd' then  <= d.\n2. If you want to model a cube and a sphere in CAD (or one inside the other) you just do it. They are both primitives. Takes less than a minute.\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/HFqUZm.jpg)\n\n3. You can use a mesh in a design too. I would assume if you are wanting to use a mesh, the mesh must contain something other than just a smooth bowl or what the point of the mesh? Fusion 360 allows you to import a mesh and play with it just like that and combine it with model objects (just like the box).\n4. You can actually convert a mesh into a solid model if you want to too. Fusion 360 CAD has ways to help you convert that mesh to a sculpt. First create a sculpt object that represents the shape of the mesh object (like a sphere or a quadraball). Next import the mesh then collapse the model over the mesh (using it like a model to form a mold). You can then delett the mesh and use the molded sculpt." }, { "answer_id": 4482, "author": "mbmcavoy", "author_id": 5704, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5704", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "The answers by @markshancock and @fred-dot-u describe the process of creating a CAD primitive sphere and subtracting a cube; this is a trivial task in most any 3D CAD program. You could manually measure the mesh to determine its dimensions, and frankly, I would recommend this approach. (If you have a large task like converting 100,000 half-sphere meshes, I'd re-think the approach and go to the source that generated the meshes in the first place!)\n\nHowever, these don't address converting the mesh to a primitive, which is normally not possible for arbitrary meshes (therefore a CAD program will not have such a function), and much more difficult than simply measuring and re-creating.\n\nYou assert that your mesh file \"has the perfect shape of half a sphere\". A mesh is basically on a collection of vertices, joined by edges and faces. The vertices are defined by numeric coordinates, and in a computer will always have some rounding errors, and the linear edges and planar faces are most definitely not round. Therefore, it may be incredibly close, but it will most definitely not be perfect.\n\nIn this *very* particular case, the diameter of the sphere is the same as the diameter of the circular face of your half-sphere. You could plausibly write a simple program that would locate the maximum distance between any two vertices in your mesh and use that for the diameter. The midpoint of the line between those two points would be the center of the sphere. This should produce a good result but may not be \"exact\" depending on the details of the mesh.\n\nI won't try to explain how to create the actual program as that is not in the scope of 3D printing." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4471", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5874/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4474, "author": "fred_dot_u", "author_id": 854, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/854", "pm_score": 2, "selected": true, "text": "Generally speaking, the typical algorithm takes into account the slicer's speed settings for specific features of the build, such as infill, perimeters, top/bottom layers, etc. The distance traveled by the nozzle at a specific speed for each feature is also part of the equations involved. There are some rather vague portions of the nozzle movement based on acceleration and other factors which makes the calculations less accurate.\n\n> \n> How accurate is it?\n> \n> \n> \n\nNot too accurate. My experience with three different slicers is that it's never been within better than ten percent. I believe the various combinations of features of a build are not going to be identical from one model to the next, preventing even a ballpark figure to be created from previous builds." }, { "answer_id": 4476, "author": "Tom van der Zanden", "author_id": 26, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/26", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Much of the software used in 3D printing is open-source, and so are some slicers. Cura, for instance, does (or did, this source code is from an older branch) its print time estimation in [gcodeInterpreter.py](https://github.com/smorloc/Curation/blob/master/Cura/util/gcodeInterpreter.py).\n\nThe relevant portion of the source code is (simplified and with many lines removed for clarity):\n\n```\n totalMoveTimeMinute = 0.0\n pos = util3d.Vector3()\n\n for line in gcodeFile:\n G = self.getCodeInt(line, 'G')\n if G is not None:\n if G == 0 or G == 1: #Move\n x = self.getCodeFloat(line, 'X')\n y = self.getCodeFloat(line, 'Y')\n z = self.getCodeFloat(line, 'Z')\n e = self.getCodeFloat(line, 'E')\n f = self.getCodeFloat(line, 'F')\n oldPos = pos.copy()\n pos.x = x\n pos.y = y\n pos.z = z\n feedrate = f\n currentE = e\n\n totalMoveTimeMinute += (oldPos - pos).vsize() / feedRate\n\n```\n\nAs you can see, (this version of) Cura simply:\n\n* Loops over all the G-code instructions,\n* Computes the length of each move (in X/Y/Z) and divides that by the feedrate to get the time that move will take,\n* Sums this up over all the moves.\n\nand does not take into account:\n\n* Acceleration or deceleration. It assumes the printer is always operating at the maximum feedrate,\n* The length of filament extruded. The feedrate is the speed for the move in (X,Y,Z,E), but Cura only looks at (X,Y,Z).\n* The time it takes to heat up the print bed/hotend or homing/autoleveling,\n* The effects of the printer slowing down if moves can not be read (from USB/SD-card) sufficiently fast (though this would be rather hard to include in any estimate).\n\nThe accuracy of this estimate can be arbitrarily bad if the feedrate is set to some unrealistic value.\n\nNewer versions of Cura use a much more advanced time estimate method, and it can be found in [timeEstimate.cpp](https://github.com/Ultimaker/CuraEngine/blob/master/src/timeEstimate.cpp). It is much more complicated, and actually takes jerk/acceleration/deceleration into account. It is much more accurate.\n\nWe know *exactly* how 3D (open source) 3D printer firmwares work, so estimating print time is as easy as simulating execution of the G-code by your given firmware. There is no reason you can't get a really good estimation (if you take into account all of the intricacies of your given firmware's acceleration/deceleration techniques) but writing the code for it is rather involved." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4472", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5923/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4474, "author": "fred_dot_u", "author_id": 854, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/854", "pm_score": 2, "selected": true, "text": "Generally speaking, the typical algorithm takes into account the slicer's speed settings for specific features of the build, such as infill, perimeters, top/bottom layers, etc. The distance traveled by the nozzle at a specific speed for each feature is also part of the equations involved. There are some rather vague portions of the nozzle movement based on acceleration and other factors which makes the calculations less accurate.\n\n> \n> How accurate is it?\n> \n> \n> \n\nNot too accurate. My experience with three different slicers is that it's never been within better than ten percent. I believe the various combinations of features of a build are not going to be identical from one model to the next, preventing even a ballpark figure to be created from previous builds." }, { "answer_id": 4476, "author": "Tom van der Zanden", "author_id": 26, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/26", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Much of the software used in 3D printing is open-source, and so are some slicers. Cura, for instance, does (or did, this source code is from an older branch) its print time estimation in [gcodeInterpreter.py](https://github.com/smorloc/Curation/blob/master/Cura/util/gcodeInterpreter.py).\n\nThe relevant portion of the source code is (simplified and with many lines removed for clarity):\n\n```\n totalMoveTimeMinute = 0.0\n pos = util3d.Vector3()\n\n for line in gcodeFile:\n G = self.getCodeInt(line, 'G')\n if G is not None:\n if G == 0 or G == 1: #Move\n x = self.getCodeFloat(line, 'X')\n y = self.getCodeFloat(line, 'Y')\n z = self.getCodeFloat(line, 'Z')\n e = self.getCodeFloat(line, 'E')\n f = self.getCodeFloat(line, 'F')\n oldPos = pos.copy()\n pos.x = x\n pos.y = y\n pos.z = z\n feedrate = f\n currentE = e\n\n totalMoveTimeMinute += (oldPos - pos).vsize() / feedRate\n\n```\n\nAs you can see, (this version of) Cura simply:\n\n* Loops over all the G-code instructions,\n* Computes the length of each move (in X/Y/Z) and divides that by the feedrate to get the time that move will take,\n* Sums this up over all the moves.\n\nand does not take into account:\n\n* Acceleration or deceleration. It assumes the printer is always operating at the maximum feedrate,\n* The length of filament extruded. The feedrate is the speed for the move in (X,Y,Z,E), but Cura only looks at (X,Y,Z).\n* The time it takes to heat up the print bed/hotend or homing/autoleveling,\n* The effects of the printer slowing down if moves can not be read (from USB/SD-card) sufficiently fast (though this would be rather hard to include in any estimate).\n\nThe accuracy of this estimate can be arbitrarily bad if the feedrate is set to some unrealistic value.\n\nNewer versions of Cura use a much more advanced time estimate method, and it can be found in [timeEstimate.cpp](https://github.com/Ultimaker/CuraEngine/blob/master/src/timeEstimate.cpp). It is much more complicated, and actually takes jerk/acceleration/deceleration into account. It is much more accurate.\n\nWe know *exactly* how 3D (open source) 3D printer firmwares work, so estimating print time is as easy as simulating execution of the G-code by your given firmware. There is no reason you can't get a really good estimation (if you take into account all of the intricacies of your given firmware's acceleration/deceleration techniques) but writing the code for it is rather involved." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4484", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6851/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4488, "author": "EvilTeach", "author_id": 1397, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/1397", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I had a PLA print that would weaken and deform when sitting in the car on a hot day. I think you should try it with ABS." }, { "answer_id": 4502, "author": "eyashin", "author_id": 8128, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8128", "pm_score": 4, "selected": true, "text": "[EvilTeach's](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/4488/5740) answer is correct, ABS is a more reliable plastic for any kind of work which may get above what feels \"hot to the touch.\" \n\nJust to elaborate on the why: the property you're looking for in the thermoplastic (which will determine the continuous operating temperature) is **glass transition temperature**. This is the point at which the plastic begins to flow, and becomes deformable as EvilTeach described. PLA reaches this state at around **60 °C**, whereas ABS is around **105 °C**, just suiting your specifications. To go a bit further, polycarbonate offers a glass transition temperature of around 150 °C, and Ultem at 217 °C. So there's a thermoplastic for everyone, you just need to know what you're looking for!" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4487", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8103/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4494, "author": "cmm", "author_id": 2082, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/2082", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "I will take the question seriously, and consider reasons why Carbon 3D might choose to offer their technology through a yearly subscription, rather than building a product accessible to the consumer market. These reasons are speculation and do not reflect any specific knowledge about Carbon 3D, the details of their technology, or anything unique about their corporate mission.\n\n1) The mission of a company, especially in the beginning while competition makes it possible, to make as much money as possible. If the technology is unique and brings good value to a large enough set of interested customers, it can easily consume the full attention of a company to service those customers. The price those companies pay for access may be higher than others would pay because their derived value is higher.\n\n2) If a technology is new, and perhaps still somewhat immature, there may be very high support efforts and cost required. Through this time, the learning curve does it's job, the technology improves and matures, and the costs go down.\n\n3) If the technology is immature, and perhaps is evolving quickly, it could be to the advantage of a supplier to only offer the technology on a service rather than capital acquisition basis. It simplifies replacing components. \n\n4) If the technology is immature, selling the service may be easier than selling the hardware. It simplifies the acquisition process, and makes it easier for customer's to expand their usage since the supplier's capital is used to finance the machines instead of the customer's.\n\n5) Even with a mature, proven technology, it can be advantageous to maintain a higher price point. The game is optimizing the profit on volume times price. The point they operate at is influenced by their perception of the market.\n\n6) In the early adopter phase, it is critical that the customer experience be stellar. They may be limited in how rapidly they can scale in some critical dimension -- consumables supply chain, manufacturing capacity, trained installation technicians, local service offices, or many other limits. Anything going wrong makes for a bad customer experience.\n\nIt doesn't surprise me that they aren't going after the consumer market at this time.\n\nBut, I'm not in the CEO's office, and I don't see where his pain comes from. My purpose here is only to propose some plausible reasons why the company has not launched a consumer facing product." }, { "answer_id": 5096, "author": "fectin", "author_id": 6479, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6479", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "It looks like they have only one innovation: their resins. Everything else looks like standard SLA. \n\nAll the things Carbon 3D are pitching on their website are more about having a dedicated support team than some fancy printer, and that's what they're selling. \n\nAs to why they don't make a home version: why would they? It's *at best* a distraction from their core business." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4493", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6803/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4498, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "The best thing you can do for a large ABS print is to have an enclosure heated to 50C or better. For example, see [this](https://www.3dhubs.com/talk/thread/enclosed-vs-open-printers), [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/2ynb78/heated_build_enclosure_temperatures/?st=j6dk32oh&sh=2a550305), [this](http://www.shapingbits.com/3d-printing-guide/abs-3d-printing/), and other search results." }, { "answer_id": 4500, "author": "Travers", "author_id": 8124, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8124", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "increasing the temperature by 5 to 10° as well as, increasing the layer thickness to \"0.3\" or \"0.35\" may assist ,additionally increasing the flow rate of the filament, by a small margin at most 10%. These options should improve the quality of the print as they improve the layer adhesion, however none of these options will completely solve the problem.\n\nalternatively you can repair the current print. In order to do this you will need to use something cot such as a soldering iron with a variable temperature, to melt and rejoined the layers. similarly you can use a 3d pen to apply additional plastic across the sections of separation in order to repair it." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4496", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8114/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4510, "author": "Warren Masters", "author_id": 8162, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8162", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "A budget would make answering your question alot easier. Do you have any experience with cad/cam software? What are you wanting to do with it? There are many inexpensive 3d printers but your skill level in mechanics/machinery, electronics, programming etc will also help others choose a good option for you. For example, plug and play units are usually more expensive than build your own models. But if you don't have the skill to assemble it the savings wasn't worth it" }, { "answer_id": 4513, "author": "pasaba por aqui", "author_id": 8103, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8103", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "Short answer:\n\nAnet A8 in Ebay will be probably a kit \"do it yourself\". Something not easy for starters.\n\nI suggest you buy a cheap and ready to use one. A rebrand of Malyan M200 (Monoprice select mini in U.S., Prima Creator in Europe) or something similar.\n\n**Long answer:**\n\nTo select a printer take into account:\n\n* your experience in 3d printing\n* your experience in electronics and software.\n* your objective: learning, home user, professional?\n* if it will be used by children.\n* your budget\n* the kind of materials you plan to use: PLA only, mainly PLA and ABS, others. PLA only printers are usually a few cheaper because they do not have heat bed.\n* availability of support: official support, community size, market penetration.\n* build volume\n\nTaken into account previous criteria: \n\n* Anet A8 is usually a Prusa diy kit. As all these kits, it is more\nsuitable when there are experience in 3d and hardware/software.\n* If the answer to previous questions is \"no experience, home user, adults and childrens, medium badget, PLA&ABS, good support, small volume\", a printer as Malyan M200 can be a good choice.\n* A printer as Flashforge finder differs respect to the previous that it has no heated bed. That means it is more suitable for PLA only.\n* (addition of more cases is welcome)\n\nNOTE: This answer is a community wiki to promote multiple editions." }, { "answer_id": 4516, "author": "Ecnerwal", "author_id": 6853, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6853", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Which printer for a beginner depends far more on the beginner in question than the various printers available. \n\n* If you are comfortable assembling parts and figuring things out a number of options exist.\n* If you need a fully-built object, a number of options exist.\n* If you require lots of dedicated support, via phone or email, there\nare options.\n* If you can ask questions in a forum and get the answers you need (or\nfigure things out when you don't and post your answers for others to\nfind) there are options.\n\nIf you have special/esoteric printing needs, that puts constraints on - if you kinda vaguely want a 3-D plastic printer, but don't really know what you want to use it for the field is wide open." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4505", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8147/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4512, "author": "Tom van der Zanden", "author_id": 26, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/26", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "You should enable the \"brim\" functionality of your slicer. This adds additional perimeters to the first layer, expanding the base of the model. The larger surface area gives more adhesion." }, { "answer_id": 4523, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 2, "selected": true, "text": "Try heating your enclosure to 50C, as well as adding a brim." }, { "answer_id": 4566, "author": "Stephen Archer", "author_id": 8150, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8150", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "One thing that seemed to help is making sure the heated bed was 100C. I was able to do this on my Prosi by turning off the front fan (for the whole print). If I have both the fan on and the heated bed at 100C I get the \"Heatbed Thermal Runaway\" error.\n\nThis produced a print that was better but still a bit warped." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4508", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8150/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4628, "author": "ctag", "author_id": 1050, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/1050", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I've had similar experiences switching from PLA to PETG, and haven't gotten it fully figured out yet.\n\nFrom what I know so far, to reduce petg strings:\n\n* Increase retraction\n* Lower temperature" }, { "answer_id": 4742, "author": "Kotiq", "author_id": 8750, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8750", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "If you are using a printer that runs Marlin, you might consider upgrading to a version with Linear Advance. Once I started using Linear Advance, I reduced the stringing of PETG. \nAlso I was able to reduce the retraction amount without reducing the quality of the prints." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4520", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7223/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4528, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "If you want to print ABS at even one third of that scale, you will want a heated bed **and** a heated enclosure. Posts here (and my personal experience) support this; unfortunately, I can't find an impartial, non-anecdotal source to cite." }, { "answer_id": 4537, "author": "Luis Diaz", "author_id": 8203, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8203", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "The point of using a heated bed it's to keep the part within a certain range of temperature while printing.\n\nSo, it's all about thermodynamic. It will be easier to keep the part at the desired temperature if the contact surface with the hot environment is larger, so, it might reduce warping and other related problems.\n\nAnyway, it might be enough to have just the heated bed in contact with the part and not the whole environment to reduce the problems of abs printing. \n\nYou can check Tom3D's post, [3D printing with ABS: Hotter nozzle or hotter ambient? #Filaween](https://toms3d.org/2017/07/23/abs-hotter-nozzle-or-ambient/), and video, [YouTube - 3D printing with ABS: Hotter nozzle or hotter ambient? #Filaween](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBJk3URhXAo), it might help you choose what to do." }, { "answer_id": 4549, "author": "Ecnerwal", "author_id": 6853, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6853", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "With a well-insulated and well distributed (or perhaps well-mixed is a better term - even heating) enclosure you should have a veritable heated bed by dint of heating the enclosure (with the bed in it), unless the bed needs to be hotter than the enclosure. I think that would be bit more elaborate than \"a couple of heat guns\" and involve several fans to distribute and mix air continuously.\n\nBut - heated enclosures are not a freebie - everything inside the heated enclosure needs to be happy running at the sort of temperatures the enclosure is running at, and that can be hard on some electronic parts, shortening their lifetimes at least. Likewise, your calibration needs to be done on the hot enclosure - mechanical parts (particularly on a large scale printer) will change size due to the temperature.\n\nInsulation will both reduce your running cost (the more heat you keep, the less you have to add) and help keep the temperatures even, by slowing the cooling at the edges of the enclosure." }, { "answer_id": 4578, "author": "TextGeek", "author_id": 40, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/40", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I tend to agree with Davo, that you might want *both*. But I'd probably try the enclosure first. My printer is about 1200 by 400. I looked at options, and found some difficult trade-offs:\n\nFirst, the big heatbed approach: \n\n* as you know, getting a single heatbed that big will be expensive (and if it ever breaks or fails, you have to replace it all).\n* a big heatbed also draws far more power than a RAMPS board can switch, so you'll have to use the on-board control to control a power relay (solid state or mechanical).\n* a big heatbed will also waste a great deal of power when you're doing small things.\n\nSecond, the heated enclosure approach:\n\n* more costly to heat up at the beginning, but if insulated it may be cheaper for long prints (with a bed that large, your prints might take really long, too) because it can retain the heat better.\n* if you keep the air circulating inside, you'll get much more uniform heat, rather than hot first layers and cooler higher layers.\n* consider the effect of the heat on all the other components: motors, electronics, pre-heating the fibers, thinning any lubricants,....\n* you could save some heating cost and time by providing a way to shrink the space to be heated: perhaps just a partition you can insert when doing smaller prints. It wouldn't have to be nearly airtight to make a big difference.\n\nA third option is several small heatbeds:\n\n* this lets you turn on just the ones you need for any given print\n* still expensive, but cheaper than one big one, especially when any of them fails.\n* there will be uneven heat at the seams, but if you place the boards tight together I doubt it's enough to matter. You could also carefully trim the boards' edges to get the spacing closer to uniform.\n* temperature regulation will be tricky. If you want to support a temperature sensor for each board, you'll have to start hacking at the control software, because (as far as I can tell) there's no provision for multiple heaters. Probably easier to create a completely separate unit with a big power supply, and a simple thermostat for each of the beds, that you just set manually before starting a print.\n\nOverall, I think the heated enclosure may be best. I like the hair dryer idea or heat gun idea, of course you'll need a little extra circuitry to switch it, but you can use the usual software for temperature regulation by installing thermistor or thermocouple in the case (just be careful about circulating the air well enough to avoid \"hot spots\"). \n\nYou may want to add an extra cutoff to protect against runaway heating -- I had that happen once when a thermistor literally fell out of the mounting hole in the hotend. Something like <https://www.grainger.com/product/SUPCO-Thermostat-407L11>.\n\nLet us know how it turns out." }, { "answer_id": 4588, "author": "runner", "author_id": 8322, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8322", "pm_score": -1, "selected": false, "text": "If it is yours first DIY 3D printer try building smaller version first with just one silicone heat pad. 400x400 mm is good enough.\n\nFrom my experience:\n\n1. I used 500 W silicon heater with SSR (AC mains) and it heats as fast as hotend (on DC 12 V).\n2. I also recommend tooling plate (CNC machined Aluminum plate), it is better for heat transmission (Al) and it is more flat (machined to +-50 µm).\n3. You might consider thermal insulation under the silicone heater and also some foil on build plate itself - to minimize thermal losses. Cork might be useful for bottom. For top I use blue foil (in which it was originally wrapped).\n\nEnclosure I think it is also necessary, combined with heater, but then you must also have tubes for cooling of printed part, motors, fridge on hot end, etc.\n\nWord of caution:\nYou must realize that you will be probably using 1.0mm nozzle or even more, since on 1200x1200 mm you will just wait for weeks for part to complete.\nFor reference: I print on 340 mm diameter (delta) with 0.3 mm nozzle and works just fine. But if I use just 0.1 mm instead of 0.2 mm layers it takes more time, but at the end it looks fantastic. So in your case even layer height must be big to reduce printing time. So you can increase speed, but then there could emerge some artifacts on printed object and also consider heater on hot end, which might be lagging behind.\n\nThere are a lot of problems when you go this big and all are not even closely to be considered solved, but if you have time.." }, { "answer_id": 20670, "author": "Isaac Myers", "author_id": 37588, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/37588", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "The Stratasys Uprint is a professional ABS 3D printer and it does not use a heated bed. If you get the enclosure hot enough it should not matter if you have a heated bed." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4527", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8184/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4531, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I believe it is from the ABS falling into the gaps of your 10% infill. I print ABS with 35% honeycomb infill and I use five or more solid top layers at 240°C. Fewer, and it sags into (or exposes) the infill layers.\n\nI recommend more top layers and a higher infill percentage.\n\nI also recommend starting the cooling fan at 50% capacity or more, before starting the first solid top layer." }, { "answer_id": 4535, "author": "Diesel", "author_id": 5518, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5518", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "This looks a bit like you may have a level issue with your printer. I've had similar results when my nozzle isn't clean and my bed is slightly off level. When the nozzle isn't clean (inside and out) either the flow rate out is different than what you set it to be due to back pressure or there is material on the nozzle causing the nozzle to drag through the molten plastic. \n\nI also use a lower nozzle temperature, around 220-230°C. Printing with 10% infill is my standard setting with two shell layers, honeycomb fill or diamond fill." }, { "answer_id": 4547, "author": "cmm", "author_id": 2082, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/2082", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "Looking at the infill pattern visible through the tears in the top layer, it looks as if you have unreliable extrusion on the infill layers also.\n\nThe solid fill layer is lifted and torn, so it is unlikely that one or two more layers of solid fill will make the result better. In my experience, bumps lead to taller bumps and print failure.\n\nThese diagnostic steps have helped me:\n\n* Print a 3 layer solid fill version, the top surface should be smooth and free of bumps;\n* Print a single layer version, it should be smooth, well attached to the print bed, of even thickness, and a good surface for the next layer.\n\nGiven your results, I am suspicious that you may have one of these problems, which I've listed in the order of likelihood:\n\n1. Partially blocked nozzle\n2. Excessive drag from the filament supply, such as a spool with crossed filament which jams itself, preventing unwrapping;\n3. Extruder feed roller slipping (perhaps full of dust), often a side effect of 1 and 2;\n4. G-code error dropping the temperature;\n5. Bad heater or thermistor, perhaps intermittent short of the thermistor, causing under heating even though the \"average\" indicated temperature is correct.\n\nPrinting gliders is a cool application. It shows off the weight advantage extrusion 3-D printing can deliver. Nice." }, { "answer_id": 11423, "author": "FarO", "author_id": 2338, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/2338", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "First of all, don't specify the extrusion width, the slicing software does the calculation for the optimal value by itself: if you watch [this video](https://youtu.be/9YaJ0wSKKHA) about extrusion width and you cross the data with [this tweet](https://twitter.com/profsen/status/1187390019088113675?s=19) you will see that the standard value is already optimal.\n\nSecond, if you put the printer in a box for insulation you should redo the temperature calibration tower to find out which temperature produces the best results.\n\nOnce you do both you'll find the problem will disappear." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4530", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/7355/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4534, "author": "fred_dot_u", "author_id": 854, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/854", "pm_score": 2, "selected": true, "text": "Your environmental conditions will preclude finding a machine suitable for your purposes in the budget specified.\n\nHumidity is a problem with many material types, especially nylon, but also with PLA and ABS, the more common filaments used in 3D printing.\n\nYou can likely reject PLA for your mechanical needs, as it is brittle and weak compared to ABS. PLA releases virtually no gases of concern, while some find ABS fumes to be offensive and dangerous. \n\nThe humidity issue is forefront in your search. You may have to construct within the garage a chamber in which you would operate a portable or window air conditioner unit, to keep the humidity in check. If you can assign a different budget to such a construction, that will leave your printer funding intact and better able to address your goal.\n\nSelective Laser Sintering using nylon powder, also susceptible to humidity, which is sintered by a laser, hence the name, making very detailed and strong parts. The process is also self-supporting, allowing for fairly intricate parts. Once the machine is calibrated, the part accuracy can be quite good. Unfortunately, SLS machines are also out of the budget range you've noted.\n\nYou can use an external service to print the parts you design, at least at first, to get a better indication of how the various materials will work for you. Start with PLA, then move to ABS for a set of test parts, and even perhaps have some printed using SLS.\n\nIf you find, for example, that ABS will be strong enough, you might find an affordable 3D printer which will generate parts on your budget and timeline. For printing ABS, the warmer temperatures are to your advantage, but the humidity has to be properly addressed in any home/shop/garage installation." }, { "answer_id": 4548, "author": "cmm", "author_id": 2082, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/2082", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "There is more than one question here. Which touches three topics: the choice of appropriate 3D printing technique, the choice of materials, and control of any hazardous, noxious, or annoying out-gassing. \n\nIt is important to understand the limits of the 3D printing process you will choose. Each process has its own limits on repeatability and resolution of small features, such as gear teeth. A 10 pitch (teeth-per-inch) gear could print acceptably well with a low-cost printer, but the size of a 10-tooth gear would be 1/2\" diameter. This could be a small part, or a huge part, depending on the use. To print an 1/8\" diameter 10-tooth gear would require a 100 pitch gear likely would not, and would call for an optical process (laser sintering (SLS) or photo-polymerization (like the FormLabs Form 2)) or a dot-jetting process (such as the StrataSys Objet Connex machines). These are not in the budget you've suggested, but are available through service bureaus.\n\nAnswers here [another community question](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/3392/how-can-i-print-gears-using-very-high-resolution-material-like-nylon) give some hints for using a plastic-extrusion machine, and information about SLS.\n\nEach process has different environmental requirements, and impacts, but first should be to understand the requirements of the parts, based on those choose a process and material, and then mitigate the environmental factors." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4533", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8191/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4543, "author": "Luis Diaz", "author_id": 8203, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8203", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "I don't know if I understood your question properly. You using the mold to create a rubber stamp and then you use that to stamp over stuff? If so, you simply can use 3D printing to create the stamp, if not, my answer is rubbish. \n\nYou can use a flex material to create the stamp itself and then use some hard material to create the handle. Also, you can create a mold around the stamp and use resin to fill it and/or create a resin mold and then use that mold to create the stamps by filling the \"holes\" with more resin." }, { "answer_id": 4544, "author": "Tom van der Zanden", "author_id": 26, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/26", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "This would likely not work. ABS has a *glass transition* temperature of 105 °C. It doesn't have *a* melting point because it's amorphous. Rather, as you heat the part up, it gradually transitions from a solid to a viscous liquid, but there is no \"hard\" transition from solid to molten at one particular temperature.\n\nThe glass transition temperature, at 105 °C, is significantly lower than the 200 °C \"melting point\" of ABS you quoted. At 160 °C, while ABS would not be molten sufficiently for 3D printing, it definitely becomes flexible and would deform easily.\n\nI do not think it would hold its shape very well over the long period of time it has to spend in your vulcanizing machine, under high pressure and well above its glass transition temperature.\n\nThe surface of 3D printed objects also usually has a somewhat rough finish. If you wanted to make satisfactory stamps, you would probably need to spend a long time manually finishing the 3D printed master before making a mold from it." }, { "answer_id": 10648, "author": "Cem Kalyoncu", "author_id": 8651, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8651", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "PEI filament has glass transition temperature higher than or close to 200 C. It is difficult to print with as it is printed about 350 C and requires heated chamber reaching to 90 C." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4542", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8219/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4737, "author": "TextGeek", "author_id": 40, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/40", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "As @Mikhail Z commented, it does sound like the fuse may be bad.\n\nThe first thing to do is put an ohmmeter across the fuse (with power off!) -- if you get high resistance the fuse is definitely bad. However, if you get low resistance that does not prove the fuse is good -- see @Tom's comments below re. polyfuses in particular, and how to disconnect from the rest of the circuit.\n\nIf you don't get lucky testing a fuse in-line, remove it and put the ohmmeter on it in isolation. Whether good or bad, it's good to put in a fuse-holder or socket, so you never have to de-solder the fuse again. \n\nSome boards use auto-resetting fuses or circuit breakers, which might have more complicated ways of failing (you can always replace the part to be sure). I personally avoid auto-resetting for anything that supplies heaters; if there's a problem I want to intervene rather than letting it try again endlessly.\n\nSince the heaters and the motors are both down, it's a good bet it's the fuse or something very early (that is, \"near\" the power supply). If it were a single motor or single heater, then the output control (typically a solid-state relay, or perhaps the logic controlling it) would be a better bet. Though unlikely, it's possible for two or more such controls to fail at once, so don't rule that out *completely*.\n\nLet us know what you discover." }, { "answer_id": 4790, "author": "joshConway", "author_id": 8827, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8827", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "Its very likely the polyfuse is bad. In an ideal printer, given the heater cores and great deal of power, polyfuses are some of the worst things you can use. Polyfuses have a tendency to fail in \"interesting\" ways, especially around their trigger amperage. Fire is one of those failure modes.\n\nNot only that, but if this is a noname chinese RAMPS 1.4, then you're also looking at 1/2 oz pour (it should be 1 oz or more for power traces) for the circuit board and cheaping on everything possible. I've a few boards like this that are a firetrap, along with a badly poured PCB heated bed. In that case, I would consider getting a better controller. If that's outside of your budget there is another way to do this.\n\nUnsolder the polyfuses and put wire between them. Normally, this is **unprotecting** yourself. But we're going to fix that. Head to the local automotive shop and get yourself inline fuses (think of 2 wires with a fuse in a pill shaped device). You want a 5A and a 11A fuse. Or if you did the math and know better, get the fuses you calculated for. Now, make sure they're inline with the + side of the power.\n\nYou now have external fuses that you know are rated for the appropriate amperage, unlike polyfuses." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4551", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8231/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4559, "author": "Kiro", "author_id": 6938, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6938", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "When designing the object, you should make sure your object is completely enclosed (obviously). When printing, try increasing the print temperature so that the layers stick to each other well. The most important thing is the print temperature, because if the layers don't adhere to each other well, you will get a leak. The wall thickness of the object can be thin, as long as it isn't so thin that it has too little strength to hold anything. \n\nSome tips:\n\n* Printing in vase mode can save loads of time, otherwise the printer wastes time doing each layer separately.\n* Your nozzle should be 0.4 mm and up, otherwise the print will take forever." }, { "answer_id": 6400, "author": "Sean Houlihane", "author_id": 4927, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4927", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "I've found that a double-walled base seems to give better results than trying to make the base very thick. Any imperfections in the print, or cracking caused by removing the print can lead to leaks - but if there is layer/infill/layer, the result seems to turn out better for me.\n\nVase mode can be effective (although won't be easy to combine with the above unless you slice your model in several parts), and I've had success whilst using 100% vase mode for vases to hold water. This demonstrates that a single wall thickness is sufficient to achieve a watertight print." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4554", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/6778/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4627, "author": "ctag", "author_id": 1050, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/1050", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "I believe a point cloud is just a collection of points, while voxels - \"3D pixels\" - define location and a cube area. They seem to be pretty equivalent mathematically." }, { "answer_id": 4635, "author": "cmm", "author_id": 2082, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/2082", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "A point cloud is often derived by sampling. Each point represents an observation. Sometimes, a point cloud is turned into a surface by fitting triangles to the points in the form of an STL file.\n\nA raster is a 2D grid of pixels. It divides the area of an image into constant-sized little squares. Each of these squares has a value.\n\nA 3D raster is made of voxels. It divides 3-space into constant-sized little cubes. Each of these cubes has a value.\n\nPixels and voxels are rendering techniques. A point cloud is a sampling technique.\n\nThe Wikipedia article, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voxel>, is helpful.\n\nIn a real system the pixels may not be square or the voxels not strictly cubic, but in every system I've worked with, they do form a regular tiling of the plane for pixels, and fill 3d space for voxels." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4556", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5874/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4569, "author": "Luis Diaz", "author_id": 8203, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8203", "pm_score": 4, "selected": false, "text": "Send `M115` to the printer. This command is \n\n> \n> Request the Firmware Version and Capabilities of the current microcontroller.\n> \n> \n> \n\nResponse example:\n\n> \n> ok PROTOCOL\\_VERSION:0.1 FIRMWARE\\_NAME:FiveD FIRMWARE\\_URL:http%3A//reprap.org MACHINE\\_TYPE:Mendel EXTRUDER\\_COUNT:1\n> \n> \n> \n\nFor more info see here, [RepRapWiki- G-code - M115: Get Firmware Version and Capabilities](https://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#M115:_Get_Firmware_Version_and_Capabilities).\n\n---\n\n*Of course, this isn't guaranteed to tell the truth, just whatever your generic clone firmware had in its source code.*" }, { "answer_id": 15481, "author": "Trish", "author_id": 8884, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8884", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Startup\n=======\n\nUsually, when a printer starts up, the screen shows a boot-screen. This contains usually the firmware version, but not who or what the settings are.\n\nLCD: About Printer\n==================\n\nSome printers have an LCD main menu item that is \"About Printer\" or similar. It would one of the last items if enabled.\n\nIn Marlin it is disabled by default, and you'd need to uncomment `#define LCD_INFO_MENU` in `Configuration_adv.h`.\n\nTerminal\n========\n\nConnect a [terminal](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/10573/what-is-a-printer-console-terminal) and send [`M115`](https://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#M115:_Get_Firmware_Version_and_Capabilities). In most cases, this will tell you the current Firmware and version, as it is annotated in the firmware. This doesn't mean that those lines always were updated by who changed the files, but it is a good indication what was the basis for the installed firmware." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4568", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8265/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4579, "author": "Fernando Baltazar", "author_id": 4454, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4454", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "I´ve seen this in my Prusa due two parameters that may vary your results depending on climate if your printer has not a temperature chamber or having a mechanical issue too.\n\nLack of extrusion is due a cold filament which it can't reach the melting temperature due a fast extrusion feed; I mean in normal conditions we can print @70 mm/s with 195 °C but on wet or colder days is not possible so I need to slow down the speed (feed rate) with 10 % less than normal to get @60 mm/s or less until get a good flow with out modifying the G-code. If I try to print faster on normal conditions I will get the same lack of material due 195 °C is a low temperature (this is an example).\n\nIf I set the temperature 200 °C or 210 °C I will get a better flow and also print faster than @80 mm/s (not affected too much on climate on 100 % feed rate).\n\nFor first layer I´m using an speed of 40 mm/s to allow a good adhesion and Z height 90 % of layer height (0.22 typically or 0.18).\n\nMechanical side: The extruder is not feeding all the filament due a missing pression on the traction gear (filament slip)." }, { "answer_id": 10126, "author": "poopym", "author_id": 16629, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/16629", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "I had this problem also. After a few hours of troubleshooting and changing the extruder temp, printing speed, layer height, and infill density. I realized that I had set the PLA diameter at 2.85 mm when it was 1.75 mm. Changing that fixed all my problems." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4575", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5579/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4577, "author": "Luis Diaz", "author_id": 8203, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8203", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "First thing to check it's, What printer are you using? is FDM or SLA/SLS? Technology used is the great bottleneck to achieve the results that you want to. \n\nAlso, going cheap in 3D printing it's a way to get bad results. A good setup it's really important to get a great XY and Z resolution. \n\nFDM it's not able to achieve the same resolution as SLS/SLA has, but it's cheaper.\n\nIf you using FDM try reducing wall speed, that will increase the detail level. Using a smaller nozzle and lower layer settings will increase it as well.\n\nEDIT: Also, you need to check in the 3D model how the model is. If the details that you're looking for are not there, there is nothing else to do but start doing it by hand." }, { "answer_id": 4589, "author": "student.a", "author_id": 8327, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8327", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Perhaps with the scanned data you could import it into some sort of 3D modeling application such as Blender and add the pores either manually or with a modifier. See [Blender - modifiers](https://docs.blender.org/manual/ko/dev/modeling/modifiers/index.html)." }, { "answer_id": 6614, "author": "Trish", "author_id": 8884, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8884", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "As you told in a comment, you are using an FDM printer. Now... here's the problem:\n\nFDM can't do details this small with a standard nozzle. I do print occasionally an item that has a 0.2 mm circular depression in its wall. To show, I need to print with a 0.2 nozzle. So take note: smaller nozzle = smaller achieveable details. As a rule of thumb, the nozzle diameter is the smallest visible detail in XY and 2 layer thicknesses in Z. Remember, that some intricate details can become SUPER fragile.\n\nNext up is print time: The smaller the nozzle, the longer the print, as you need more movements to follow the now more complex outline and to achieve the same density of interior, more (but thinner) interior walls too.\n\nSo, FDM has two limitations:\n\n1. Nozzle size is limited downwards, limiting the achieveable details.\n2. Print time is the great unequalizer, as halving the nozzle diameter usually results in more than double the print time.\n\nBut fret not, there is a way out: Go even tinyer! Stereolothography and other resind based systems (DLP/SLA) are more time efficient when it comes to details and can manage even smaller details. Under some conditions (very fine powder and precise laser) SLS and DLSM might achieve the size, but nylon based prints don'T work under water while metal prints might not serve the purpose really.\n\nIn either case, **your print file needs to have the details you wants to print**: it makes no difference if your 3D scan does not include the pores what system you use - information not included can't be printed. Check your Slicer if the model has the surface you want." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4576", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8281/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 5712, "author": "jeremiah harless", "author_id": 10337, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/10337", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "If you are using Repetier the code to test the endstops is m119 I think. If your z stop is triggered, you may have to invert it in the config.h file. I had this same issue for days before i figured out the control board was reading the switch as normal close instead of normal open. Hope that helps!" }, { "answer_id": 5714, "author": "PR90", "author_id": 10340, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/10340", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Try sending a motion command manually, such as G1 X20 Z10, to eliminate any bugginess from the software interface as a reason for the Z not moving properly when commanded to. Next you could check the park location in Pronterface, perhaps the extruder head is sitting there waiting for the next command." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4602", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8360/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 5712, "author": "jeremiah harless", "author_id": 10337, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/10337", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "If you are using Repetier the code to test the endstops is m119 I think. If your z stop is triggered, you may have to invert it in the config.h file. I had this same issue for days before i figured out the control board was reading the switch as normal close instead of normal open. Hope that helps!" }, { "answer_id": 5714, "author": "PR90", "author_id": 10340, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/10340", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Try sending a motion command manually, such as G1 X20 Z10, to eliminate any bugginess from the software interface as a reason for the Z not moving properly when commanded to. Next you could check the park location in Pronterface, perhaps the extruder head is sitting there waiting for the next command." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4605", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8283/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4611, "author": "Luis Diaz", "author_id": 8203, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8203", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "Vase mode is what it is... As it prints one perimeter there is just one extrusion. Try increasing extrusion rate to see if that will fix the gaps. \n\nbut yes, printing without infill will do the job better than vase mode." }, { "answer_id": 5169, "author": "Ruth Rogers", "author_id": 9465, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/9465", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "Version 4 allows you to have multi-process vase mode prints -- do the vertical surfaces in vase mode, then switch over to normal mode for the horizontals. This lets you have the best of both worlds in the same print. :)" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4609", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8361/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4622, "author": "Granny", "author_id": 8283, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8283", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "This could be because your belts are either old or not tight enough. Try adjust or replacing the belts and try again." }, { "answer_id": 4625, "author": "Mikhail Z", "author_id": 3839, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/3839", "pm_score": 4, "selected": true, "text": "Possible causes for the printer not printing correct dimensions:\n\n* Incorrect number of steps/mm in firmware settings\n* Belts are not tight enough\n* Puwcoy slips on the shaft\n\nLooking at the picture, I would go for the first case, because distortion looks regular. Try checking microstep settings on your board, and settings in the firmware." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4619", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8018/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4641, "author": "Beny Benz", "author_id": 8172, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8172", "pm_score": 2, "selected": true, "text": "Answer for **\"2)\"**:\n--------------------\n\nThe default firmware seems to be Repetier. It also includes Bed leveling (see documentation):\n<https://www.repetier.com/documentation/repetier-firmware/z-probing/>\n\nMarlin includes the Auto Bed Leveling feature too. You need to enable it by editing the Configuration.h file.\n\nBed size settings are there aswell.\n\n\"stylesuxx\" made a video on how to get Marlin onto the Tevo:\n\nor you can take a look at their website:\n<http://marlinfw.org/docs/configuration/configuration.html#configuration.h>\n\nAutoleveling can be enabeled as well in this file. There is a good video from Thomas Sanladerer on Mesh Bed Leveling:\n\nIf you want some help with auto bed leveling it would be nice if you can include what kind of sensor you want to use (inductive, capacitive, microswitch...) and what your prefered type of bed leveling is (mesh 3x3, just z-leveling)..." }, { "answer_id": 6414, "author": "Michael", "author_id": 12354, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/12354", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "Tevo Tarantula i3 owners on FaceBook is where I got marlin 2.0. Other things I tried didn't work, but this is working fine if you just want to add auto bed leveling using the standard SN04 sensor." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4632", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8396/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4638, "author": "Fernando Baltazar", "author_id": 4454, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4454", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Well, you have two main issues:\n\n**1.-** Your calculation for stepping is a little wrong, for example your firmware indicates 2315.84 when you need 2321.70 (REMEMBER this is an example and is not accurate), So you will see a diference about 2.0mm along your printing. If your printing is bigger more diference you will get.\n\n**2.-** Misalignment, your printer is not angled correctly to 90° and also Z axe if has the same condition. with this uncalibrated parameter are you going to have pisa towers on every tall part. \nFor delta Printers this not apply\n\n**3.-** Tension. Your belts are a little weak; avoid weak tension band to eliminate something called backslash, of course this is for screw parts but is the same efect and even bigger. Also you will get an accurate dimension of the parts." }, { "answer_id": 4659, "author": "darth pixel", "author_id": 1211, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/1211", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "I bet your towers are not standing straight (vertical) or\nyour bed is not clearly horizontal\n\nI've recreated your picture with some assumptions (for example that your SW calculates properly and your steppers and motors act well).\n\nTake a look here:\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/O4lKx.png)\n\nIf you deliver your printer dimensions\n\n* tower height (from the base)\n* tower distance from the center\n* bed distance (height) from the base\n\nI can calculate what the inclination angle on all towers is, but, I suppose it's not really important.\n\nThe important thing is to set them straight/vertical (perpendicular to the bed).\n\nWe can see from the picture that tower A is the most inclined to the center or\nthe bed highest point is next to tower A (and I bet one of those or both cause the issue).\n\nAs an example, I've made some calculations based on imagined assuptions of the tower height\nhere are details:\n\n```\n towerH | inclination\n-----------+----------------\n 300 mm | 0.11°\n 400 mm | 0.08°\n 500 mm | 0.06°\n\n```\n\nIt seems to be quite small but in fact your differences in dimensions are also small!\n\nThe inclination of tower B is bigger as there is bigger difference in dimensions, so maybe the issue is more in bed \"horizontality\".\n\nIt would be good if you would check and measure these parameters.\n\nAs for the explanation why bed the inclination causes dimension distortion:\n\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4jfG1.png)\n\nThis is exaggerated but it's just to show the issue." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4637", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8443/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4649, "author": "darth pixel", "author_id": 1211, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/1211", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "Did you try to use different infill? Denser or less dense?\n\nYou can also try to reduce overlapping infil with outlines.\n\nTry to set 2 or 3 outer perimeters / outlines." }, { "answer_id": 4783, "author": "Senthil J Prakash", "author_id": 8676, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8676", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "When you are saving a CAD file to STL format to print, there are options on resolution. Coarse and Fove. Basically coarse would give that ribbed/flats effect.\n\nI am not sure what CAD package its created but normally all the CAD packages allow the user to specify the deviation about from a design curve.\n[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/AmEjO.png)" }, { "answer_id": 5022, "author": "cmm", "author_id": 2082, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/2082", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Any deviation from smoothness is caused by irregularity in the material feed, the motion, or both. In this case, I would suggest both.\n\nThe problem is that current 3D printer control firmware (If someone has a counter-example in the hobbiest space, please add it) prints in linear segments. This starts as @senthil-j-prakash shows in the conversion of the CAD object to an STL file. STL files are made of triangles, which are linear structures. There is no curvature in a triangle, only straight edges and flat faces. Making the triangles as small as possible helps, but it exacerbates the next problem.\n\nThe second problem is that each line segment is passed as a separate command to the control firmware. No matter if this is stored on an SD card, or transmitted through USB from the PC to the control firmware, each command defines a short, linear movement. In an ideal world, the printer would precisely reproduce each of this short, linear motions, which would flow smoothly from one to the next.\n\nUnfortunately, the \"flowing smoothly\" part is difficult to implement, and in some cases isn't actually what you want. If the angle between segments is sharp enough, you don't want to round the corner. When printing approximations to circles, however, one could move continuously, if the commands were sent enough ahead to analyze, and the firmware were clever enough to combine two segments into one smooth, curving motion.\n\nThis computation is very difficult to perform on an 8-bit microcontroller, and historically has not been done.\n\nI am using a 32-bit ARM microcontroller and the RepRap firmware, which also does not smoothly merge motion between two low-angle linear motions into one smoother motion.\n\nBut, it's not just merging two into one. One must merge a long series of short, linear moves into a long sequence of curved moves. We could be doing motion planning based on splines rather than segments.\n\nBut then, we need to cap how much the control processor may change the path because the slicing software needs to predict very closely where each extruded element will lie. Adjacent elements (additional perimeters and infill) must be placed to touch those elements for bonding and strength. if the control processor has moved an element too far, it could either not connect with, or interfere with, an element that is placed later.\n\nBut, enough of that rant about the technical difficulties.\n\nFor your particular machine, it is likely to be moving in fits and starts because of the short, linear commands. Anything you do that improves the print quality will help with the ribs, and make them look more like facets.\n\nCheck the belt tension, the backlash, and the stiffness of the whole machine. Try using slower speed and acceleration settings. If you are printing from a PC through USB or the network, try printing from an SD card. (If printing from an SD card, try printing over USB or the network).\n\nGood luck, and keep printing! Tell others of your experiences." }, { "answer_id": 5024, "author": "PiGuy88", "author_id": 8477, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8477", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Thank you all for your valuable input. I have come to find out that the issue was because of a host of movement related issues. \n\n1. Print speed is too fast. I have since reduced it.\n2. There were some firmware related settings that needed adjusting.\n\nI found after making the appropriate changes, my circular prints came out beautifully!" }, { "answer_id": 5180, "author": "Hacky", "author_id": 4708, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4708", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "If your flowrate is not that well controlled it may introduce the little bulges at every corner. \nIt helped my printer when I lowered the \"jerk\" value in the machine settings on the printer. \nThe \"jerk\" determines how fast it approaches and leaves a corner." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4643", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8477/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4997, "author": "Franco Cicero", "author_id": 9082, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/9082", "pm_score": -1, "selected": false, "text": "I think you don't have to use the Arduino. There´s an option in NanoDLP to control the z-axis through the Raspberry GPIO." }, { "answer_id": 5021, "author": "Seen Green", "author_id": 9115, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/9115", "pm_score": -1, "selected": false, "text": "Branco Lucora is completely correct there is an option to control your printer by using the GPIO of the Raspi. To do this you still need a stepper driver motor or some interface between the GPIO and the steppers/LED/etc.\n\nMore info here: <http://www.buildyourownsla.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3772>\n\nYou should really control the LEDs using a mosfet, or even a solid state relay and not just keep them on all the time. The lights should ideally switch on and off for each layer." }, { "answer_id": 7173, "author": "towe", "author_id": 13171, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/13171", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "I have no experience with either GRBL or DLP printers, but the\n\n```\nM7\nM8\nM9\n\n```\n\ncoolant control codes should be able to be sent by NanoDLP to GRBL. Those seem to allow for direct digital output.\nApparently you can set the pin you want them to use in the `cpu_map.h` file, with the standard being Analog Pins 3 and 4 for the M8 and M7 commands respectively.\n\n```\n// Define flood and mist coolant enable output pins. \n#define COOLANT_FLOOD_DDR DDRC \n#define COOLANT_FLOOD_PORT PORTC \n#define COOLANT_FLOOD_BIT 3 // Uno Analog Pin 3 \n#define COOLANT_MIST_DDR DDRC \n#define COOLANT_MIST_PORT PORTC \n#define COOLANT_MIST_BIT 4 // Uno Analog Pin 4 \n\n```\n\nHope this helps!\nSource: <https://github.com/gnea/grbl>" } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4646", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5317/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 5213, "author": "Ryan Conrad", "author_id": 9543, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/9543", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "*disclaimer*: I am the maintainer of the firmware that [you linked](https://github.com/camalot/alunar-prusa-i3-marlin-i3-firmware). \n\n---\n\nThe firmware will not improve your print quality. well, it may to some extent, but for the most part, it wont. \n\nThere is fine tuning involved that may be set for MY printer, but the values may need to be changed for you. Not to mention the physical tuning that I have done with my printer. Software is not the place to initially look for print quality improvements.\n\nSome examples:\n\nI printed anti-wobble caps for the Z-axis rods. Which improved the print drastically for me. As the print got higher, the quality got worse.\n\nI printed Z-stop improvements, so I could fine tune the Z-stop.\n\nI printed X & Y belt tensioners. Loose belts cause skipped steps which causes poor quality prints." }, { "answer_id": 6081, "author": "0scar", "author_id": 5740, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/5740", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "The Alunar firmware you linked is a fork from the main Marlin firmware. If the bed Y direction is reversed, usually the stepper is incorrectly placed (mirrored) this is seen frequently for the Anet A8 printer which is very similar to your printer. In your case the X direction is wrong, this is usually related to the wiring of the stepper, reversing the connector by 180 degrees should do the trick (hardware solution). As a software solution, changing direction is not difficult in Marlin based firmware; you just want to invert the stepper direction; the following section in the configuration.h file does that for you:\n\n```\n// Invert the stepper direction. Change (or reverse the motor connector) if an axis goes the wrong way.\n#define INVERT_X_DIR false\n#define INVERT_Y_DIR false\n#define INVERT_Z_DIR true\n\n```\n\nJust change `INVERT_X_DIR` to `true`.\n\nIf your home position is still not working for you, you should look into this section of the same configuration file:\n\n```\n// Travel limits (mm) after homing, corresponding to endstop positions.\n#define X_MIN_POS -33\n#define Y_MIN_POS -10\n#define Z_MIN_POS 0\n#define X_MAX_POS X_BED_SIZE\n#define Y_MAX_POS Y_BED_SIZE\n#define Z_MAX_POS 240\n\n```\n\nChange the `MIN_POS` positions as such that it starts at the corner of the bed. A more in depth bed center calibration tutorial can be found [here](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2280529).\n\n---\n\nP.S. Please **do not print** `anti-wobble caps for the Z-axis rods` (as mentioned in another answer), these are **not reducing the wobble**, in fact they cause problems. What happens if you constrain the top is that you get a [statically indeterminate construction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statically_indeterminate); forces and displacements are not predictable! Better solutions to eliminate Z-wobble are lifting devices that decouple X/Y movement from the threaded rod (eccentricity of the threaded rod) from the Z movement. Also fixate the threaded rod above the springy stepper-to-threaded-rod coupler." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4660", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8529/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4663, "author": "Davo", "author_id": 4922, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4922", "pm_score": 3, "selected": false, "text": "Elastomers do much better on direct-drive heads (pulled to the head by the motor) than on Bowden designs (where the material is pushed to the head by a motor). This is because the flexible TPU or TPE can bend in the guide tube, causing lag during advance/retract changes, and sometimes even bind up during delivery.\n\nLook for equipment which explicitly states that it is compatible with, and designed for, flexible filaments." }, { "answer_id": 8118, "author": "Cem Kalyoncu", "author_id": 8651, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8651", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "Flexible materials cause lot of issues if there is any space between extruder gear and PTFE tube. Since it is flexible it refuses to follow the path and starts bending around the opening. There are parts in Thingiverse that you can print to remove that distance. Additionally make sure that your extruder fan is working. After those two modifications, I was able to reliably print flexible filaments." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4661", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8018/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4665, "author": "Carl Witthoft", "author_id": 2191, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/2191", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "As comments suggest, a raft is not all that popular. Consider using a brim/skirt instead. I've had excellent luck with a 4-mm skirt, printing onto blue painter's tape. (Unless you consider it bad luck when I have a devil of a time getting some parts to release :-) ). Skirts are trivial to cut free from the object.\n\nIn a similar vein, if you run into trouble getting support structures to pop off the object cleanly, try to make them as thin-walled as possible." }, { "answer_id": 4697, "author": "Mikhail Z", "author_id": 3839, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/3839", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "I use raft almost always for ABS and PLA. My favorite setting for gap is somewhere between 0.11-0.13 mm both for 0.1 and 0.2 mm layer height.\n\nBy using 3-4 layers of raft I always get predictably good quality of a lower layer and not have any issues with removing prints from the surface which I had without using raft (especially with large or weak prints)" }, { "answer_id": 4782, "author": "user802599", "author_id": 1476, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/1476", "pm_score": 3, "selected": true, "text": "I have been able to get rafts that peel off by editing the g-code after the raft has finished and adding an M104 set temperature command telling my printer to cool the nozzle down to about 40 degrees and then another M104 command to tell the nozzle to heat back up again. This gives the raft enough time to cool and then the raft doesn't weld to the rest of the print. If you are using a heated bed I would suggest trying the M190 command and turning that off after the raft and then back on after the first layer as well." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4664", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/1188/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 4667, "author": "Mick", "author_id": 3953, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/3953", "pm_score": 2, "selected": true, "text": "I haven't tried printing anything like that, but one trick is to print the piece at an angle of 45°, so as to minimise the number of surfaces that are horizontal (or near horizontal.) You will still need some supports, but far less than if you just plonked it flat on the build plate. My only other recommendation would be to use a slicer that allows you to define custom supports, such as Simplify 3D or CraftWare (but still print the piece at an angle).\n\nYou might even be able to print it on a raft/brim with no supports. I've seen other 3D'ers pull this off." }, { "answer_id": 4668, "author": "Onno", "author_id": 4903, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/4903", "pm_score": 2, "selected": false, "text": "You can print it laying flat on the bed with supports. It will be very laborious to clean up, but it will probably work. supports usually are thin enough to strip away, but they leave marks which you need to cut off to get a clean result.\n\nYou can also buy a printer with dual extruders and then use dissolvable supports. That would probably be easier to clean up and provide a cleaner result.\n\nIf you're using PLA to print, you might get away with turning up the part cooling fan to the maximum level and hope for the best. Overhangs are very much prone to dropping though. I'm not sure if a stock MP Select mini will get the job done. You might want to consider an upgrade to the part cooling fan. You can look for fan duct related upgrades which allow you to mount bigger fans on [Thingiverse](http://www.thingiverse.com)\n\nWith PETG you can possibly get away with longer overhangs, as it cools quicker. However, PETG is much harder to print well, as it's much more prone to stringing, which can cause issues like artifacts and clogging.\n\nAll in all I'd start out with getting a good benchy before you start on engineering projects. This will make sure that you have your printer calibrated to perform for your chosen filament. Every brand and type has their own quirks and differences, so you'll have to fine tune your settings to get the best result.\n\nA CNC-like finish will not be easy to achieve. A CNC type finish will be unachievable without extensive post processing if you're using supports. In any case, getting a good finish requires some practice with finding the right settings for your filament.\n\nLiarb how to print and to get your printer dialled in to achieve the required result, which, in the case of it having to be CNC-like, is quite high-end. The fact you're laying down filament means that you'll be able to see lines, even at top quality. Maybe [this](https://www.simplify3d.com/support/print-quality-troubleshooting/) guide will help you get on your way.\n\nGetting a $1000 printer mainly inproves reliability of the print. The quality of the print is in the skill of dialling in the right settings in your slicer for a given filament choice, plus recognising the type of supports necessary. This takes practice to achieve." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4666", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8556/" ]

[ { "answer_id": 5196, "author": "joshkmartinez", "author_id": 9530, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/9530", "pm_score": 0, "selected": false, "text": "When saving assembly as part, do not use the save external faces option. Exterior components is best option to use to try an aviod these problems.\n\n*btw I dont have soldiworks, this is just some reseacrch I did*" }, { "answer_id": 5375, "author": "ZuOverture", "author_id": 8847, "author_profile": "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8847", "pm_score": 1, "selected": false, "text": "Solidworks has means for detection and eradication of these errors. If there's unwanted intersection, then you can either separate the parts or merge them (by saving assembly as a part). If you work with SLDPRTs, then use mating options correctly, avoid manual mating, make sure that the design of your components actually allows them to mate without intersections and you'll have no problems. If you work with parts that are loaded from STLs though, then you'll probably have a lot of these errors when trying to align parts. Solidworks can't work smoothly with STL models, alas, you'll need some other tool, MeshLab or something." } ]

[ "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4677", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com", "https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/8572/" ]