© Harold Timmis 2021
H. TimmisPractical Arduino Engineeringhttps://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-6852-0_4

4. 3D Printing

Harold Timmis1  
(1)
Jacksonville, FL, USA
 

Alright! It is now time to learn a bit about a very cool engineering tool called a 3D printer. We will start with a look at what 3D printing is and what type of 3D printing this book will focus on, which is Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). After that, we will investigate the tools needed by anyone who wants to use a 3D printer. Then I will discuss the various parts and upgrades a printer can have to allow for faster printing times, easy printing setup, and better print quality. Then we will discuss what a slicer is and the various slicers available on the market. Once we have all that knowledge, we can focus on troubleshooting common issues with 3D printers and prints. Finally, we will update and print the keychain we made in Chapter 3. This chapter will be filled with tons of information; you don’t need to memorize it, but you can use this as a reference when using your 3D printer in the future.

What Is 3D Printing

Well, you can think of Fused Filament Fabrication as a hot glue gun with an XYZ table. The extruder will lay down plastic onto the build plate in the X and Y coordinates in a 2D fashion, but then when the first layer has completed, the Z axis will move up a predetermined amount, and another 2D layer will go on top of the previous 2D layer; this will continue until the model is completed, and a 3D object will be the final product. You can also use many types of 3D filament. This book will mainly focus on using PLA plastic as it is easy to get and very easy to use. The only real downside to PLA is it is not very heat resistant, so don’t leave the parts in your car on a hot day. See Figure 4-1.
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Figure 4-1

FDM printer with its axes labeled

Types of 3D Printers

There are many types of 3D printers, but I want to talk about two main types of 3D printing for hobbyists; they are FFF and SLA.
  • FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) : As stated earlier, this is a process that takes plastic filament and places molten plastic onto a build plate, and when it is finished with that layer, it then melts plastic onto the previous layer, and over time (sometimes hours or days) a completed 3D model is created. FFF printing is great for printing tools, fixtures, and toys, especially when real high resolution is not needed. Normally, you can print at 50 microns with a good FFF printer. See Figure 4-2.

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Figure 4-2

Example of an FDM printer

  • SLA (Stereolithography ): This is a process that includes a vat of photochemical (chemicals that harden with light) and a galvanometer. The galvanometer has a laser that uses two mirrors to move around the resin and hardens it over time. Then the Z moves up (like on an FDM printer), and the process starts all over again until you have a 3D model. The 3D model comes up out of the resin and will be printed upside down. An SLA printer is great at fit check assemblies, high-definition models, and anything with high amounts of detail. SLA printers have a very high resolution, usually around 10 microns. See Figure 4-3.

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Figure 4-3

Example of an SLA printer

We will go into more depth of what is required to doing FFF printing, but for SLA printing I would suggest looking at Formlabs white paper on the subject at this web address: https://formlabs.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-stereolithography-sla-3d-printing/.

For FFF printers, there are also a variety of filament feeding styles; they are direct drive (what this book will focus on) and Bowden style of feeding filament. Direct drive as its name states will push filament directly from the extruder to the cold break. Bowden extruder assemblies will normally be on the back side of the printer, and the cold break and hot end will be on the gantry; this is ideal for speed, but some filaments do not work well with this style of filament feeding. These are the main two types; there is also the Wade style extruder, but it is not used as often.

Now we can talk about the various tools you will need in order to 3D print successfully.

Tools of the Trade

On the journey of becoming a 3D printing guru, you will need many tools; some of the more common tools are as follows.

Needle-nose pliers : Great for removing support material and other excess of plastic the 3D model does not need. See Figure 4-4.
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Figure 4-4

Needle-nose pliers

  • Paint spatula : Great for taking 3D models off the build plate. See Figure 4-5.

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Figure 4-5

Paint spatula

  • Wire cutters: Again, these can help you take off support material. See Figure 4-6.

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Figure 4-6

Wire cutters

  • Allen wrenches : These are a must as you will need to maintain your 3D printer which almost always use hex cap screws. See Figure 4-7.

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Figure 4-7

Allen wrenches both SI and metric sets

  • Tweezers : Great for cleaning plastic off the extruder’s nozzle. See Figure 4-8.

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Figure 4-8

Few types of tweezers

  • X-Acto knife : This is a must-have tool when you are cleaning up 3D prints, but be careful. See Figure 4-9.

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Figure 4-9

X-Acto knife. BE CAREFUL; these are very sharp

  • Calipers : This tool is used to measure the parts coming off the printer as well as debugging some common issues a printer might have. See Figure 4-10.

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Figure 4-10

Digital calipers

These tools should get you started on the right foot when it comes to 3D printing. In the next section, we will discuss the most important parts of a 3D printer.

Parts of a 3D Printer

A 3D printer has many parts; I would like to go over the key components. These components make up most of the functionality of the printer; they are the hot end, cold break, extruder assembly, gantry, and control board.
  • Hot end: This component has a heater cartridge and a thermistor attached to an aluminum block that has a nozzle at the bottom. This is where plastic is melted and placed on the build plate. Common issues with this include plastic seeping out of the top of the nozzle or at the top of the aluminum block because the nozzle or the block has not been tighten down. See Figure 4-11 for an example of a hot end.

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Figure 4-11

Hot end with silicone cover

  • Cold block: This part of the extruder allows pressure to build up in the hot end, so you never run out of plastic. It does this by acting as a heat sink and drawing out the heat that may creep up from the hot end. One key issue that you can run into is heat creep; this is when heat from the hot end softens the plastic too much in the cold block, and a jam occurs. See Figure 4-12.

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Figure 4-12

Cold block

  • Extruder assembly : The extruder assembly draws plastic in from a spool of plastic filament that is either 1.75mm or 3mm. It does this by using a hob gear and a pully under tension; plastic is fed between these two parts and fed into the cold break. The hob gear is normally mounted to a stepper motor that feeds the plastic filament at a set rate (steps/mm). Common issues with the extruder assembly are jams; sometimes, the hob gear can get plastic bit in its teeth, and because of this, plastic will slip. Also, when loading the plastic, you can sometimes miss the hole to the cold break, and no plastic will ever make it to the hot end. See Figure 4-13.

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Figure 4-13

E3D brand extruder assembly

  • Gantry : With some printers, the X and Y axes move on the same apparatus, and the Z moves up and down on an acme screw or a ball screw. Other printers have the X and Z axes mounted together, and the build plate moves along the Y axis. Both styles of machine work well; I personally like the former to the latter, but it is up to you to decide which style of printer is right for you. Common issues with the gantry include screws loosening due to vibrations, axes getting jackknifed or misaligned, very noisy due to lack of lubrication, and/or motor driver being set to high/low on its reference voltage. See Figure 4-14.

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Figure 4-14

FT5 gantry X, Y, and Z axes

  • Control board : This is the brain of the 3D printer; it controls all aspects of the printer. There are a few components on here of note. For starters, the motor drivers are located here; the MOSFETs that control both the build plate and hot end heaters are here, and all the sensors used to home the printer are on the control board as well. Common issues with the control board are: the voltage reference on the motor drivers is not dialed in all the way, loose thermistor wires can cause thermal runaway, and noisy (electrically noisy) power supply can cause your printer to restart at inopportune times. See Figure 4-15.

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Figure 4-15

Duet Wifi 2 control board

  • Build plate: This is where the print will be created. The most important thing to know about it is whether it is heated and the build envelope. It is also important to note the different materials used on a build plate. For example, the image in Figure 4-16 shows a mirror being used as a build plate. Other materials that are used for 3D printing build plates are borosilicate glass, aluminum, and PEI. See Figure 4-16.

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Figure 4-16

Build plate, with heated bed

Now that we have a basic understanding of the various components of a 3D printer, we can move on to the software side of things. The software we are going to talk about is very important as it will convert an STL file into G-code.

What Is a Slicer

A slicer is a program that takes a 3D image normally and an STL file (stereolithography file); this file is then converted into layers (slices) of the 3D object. The slicer also contains all kinds of settings that you can use to make your print quality better, print speed faster, and so on. For this book, I will be using Simplify3D; this application does cost 150 USD, but it is worth it in the long run. I also recommend Cura as it is a free slicer and has a ton of settings as well. Let’s get started by talking about these two slicers in a little more detail.

Different Slicing Programs

  • Cura: As stated earlier, it is a free software from Ultimaker that a community of hobbyists, makers, and engineers update on a regular basis, which is nice because you normally get a lot of new features with each release. Now, that being said, Cura offers a lot of features in the magnitude of 100s of settings, so it can be a bit overwhelming, but there is also a lot of forums that you can go to, to get help. Visit https://community.ultimaker.com/forum/107-ultimaker-software/ for any help with Cura, or if your printer has a forum, I would suggest visiting that forum as well.

  • Simplify3D: Unlike Cura, Simplify3D is not freeware and costs about 150 USD, but I think it is worth it for one key feature which is it allows you to add and remove support structures (we will go over this in the next section). It also has a forum and regular releases; it works well with most printers, and there are some that have full libraries of material profiles that you can use. The next section will cover everything you need in order to get started with Simplify3D.

Simplify3D

For this book, I will be using Simplify3D; you can use any slicer you would like, but I prefer Simplify3D because it is really easy to use and has some great functionality. First off, I want to explain all the function of the main screen. Then I will go into details of the various settings that you may or may not use when using Simplify3D. Finally, I will import the 3D model we made in the previous chapter to demonstrate the preview mode on Simplify3D. So, let’s get started with the Simplify3D’s main screen.

The Main Screen

In Figure 4-17, you will see an illustration of the main screen of Simplify3D. This screen has many buttons, drop-down menus, selection boxes, and so on. I want to go over each of these, so you have a better understanding of the software when we use it later in this chapter as well as in chapters to come.
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Figure 4-17

Main Simplify3D screen

  1. 1.

    Models selection box: This is where you add your STL file to Simplify3D. You can drag and drop your files into this box, or you can use the “Import” button; once you do that, the part will be added to the build area. You can also use the “Remove” button if you want to remove a model from the build area.

     
  2. 2.

    Processes selection box: This is where all the processes for the various plastics go. They are created by clicking the “Add” button and deleted by clicking the “Delete” button. The next section will have a more in-depth look at the various settings in these processes.

     
  3. 3.

    Build area: This is where the 3D model will be viewed; you can manipulate the position of the 3D object by double-clicking it and changing the rotation on the X, Y, and Z plane. This menu will also allow you to change the scale and position. If you have a part that is too large for the build area, Simplify3D will tell you, and you can adjust the 3D object accordingly (but only upon inserting the 3D model, not when you scale a model already on the build area).

     
  4. 4.
    Side bar: This bar has several functions; they are
    • Normal selection: This will allow you to select the various models in the build area.

    • Translate models: Move a model in X, Y, and Z directions.

    • Scale models: Make a model larger or smaller in all directions.

    • Rotate models: Allow you to rotate a model.

    • Default view: This will take you to the home view.

    • Top view: Rotates the view to the top.

    • Front view: Rotates the view to the front.

    • Side view: Rotates the view to the side.

    • Coordinate axes: Toggles the X, Y, and Z coordinate image.

    • Solid model: Toggles the solid models on and off.

    • Wireframe: Toggles the wireframe of the model.

    • Show normals: Will toggle the normal on a 3D model.

    • Cross-section view: Very important function; it can be used to see cross-sections of the 3D model in the X, Y, and Z directions. Useful when you want to see support material within the 3D model.

    • Machine control panel: Here, you can control your printer over a USB cable. Very useful if you need to debug a problem.

    • Support generation: This is a great function; it allows you to add or remove support structures, and it also allows you to change the density of support structure.

     

In the next section, we will discuss common settings needed in order to create the best print possible.

Common Settings

Click the “Add” button on the main screen under the processes selection box (see Figure 4-18). You may be in the basic setting menu. To get into the advanced menu, click the “Show Advanced” button, and you will see a lot of new settings.
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Figure 4-18

Click the Show Advanced button for more functions

  1. 1.
    Tab 1: Extruder (see Figure 4-19)
    • Extruder List: This is where you will select which extruder you want these settings to apply to. If you only have a single extruder, only the primary extruder will be available.

    • Nozzle Diameter: This is the diameter of the nozzle at the end of the extruder.

    • Retraction Distance: How much plastic to suck back into the extruder.

    • Retraction Vertical Lift: The nozzle will lift up when a retraction occurs. This is very useful when you are printing multiple parts, so the nozzle will not hit other parts.

    • Retraction Speed: How fast the extruder will retract.

     
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Figure 4-19

Extruder tab

  1. 2.
    Tab 2: Layer (see Figure 4-20)
    • Primary Extruder: Select the extruder that these settings apply to.

    • Primary Layer Height: Layer height for the z axis.

    • Top Solid Layers: How many top solid layers to print.

    • Bottom Solid Layers: How many solid layers to print.

    • Outline/Perimeter Shells: How many perimeters to print. Good for making bosses for threaded inserts or screws.

    • Single outline corkscrew printing mode (vase mode): Increment the Z axis so that the print will be seamless. Note that this will mean there is no infill.

    • First Layer Speed: Slow down or speed up the first layer by a certain percentage.

     
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Figure 4-20

Layer tab

  1. 3.
    Tab 3: Additions (see Figure 4-21)
    • Use Skirt/Brim: This will purge some plastic at the beginning of the print. It will outline the entire print. Normally, this is set to two or three outlines. If you set the “Skirt Offset from Part” to zero, it will create a brim which is useful for keeping a print from warping.

    • Use Raft: Raft is very useful when you need to keep a print from warping. Normally, I don’t like to use them, and if you have a well-leveled build plate, you should not need to use a raft.

     
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Figure 4-21

Additions tab

  1. 4.
    Tab 4: Infill (see Figure 4-22)
    • Infill Extruder: Extruder that will be used for infilling the part.

    • Internal Fill Pattern: What fill pattern will be used. For now, rectilinear will be used.

    • External Fill Pattern: This is the pattern that will be used for the top and bottom fill.

    • Interior Fill Percentage: The amount of plastic infill used on the interior of the print.

     
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Figure 4-22

Infill tab

  1. 5.
    Tab 5: Support (see Figure 4-23)
    • Generate Support Material: Toggle whether to add support material to a print.

    • Support Extruder: Which extruder will be used to print the support material.

    • Support Infill Percentage: How dense the support material will be.

     
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Figure 4-23

Support tab

  1. 6.
    Tab 6: Temperature (see Figure 4-24)
    • Temperature Controller List: List of heaters on the 3D printer. Select one and update the settings for it.

    • Temperature Identifier: Identifies the temperature controller.

    • Temperature Controller Type: Select whether the type of heater is for an extruder or heated build plate.

    • Per-Layer Temperature Setpoint List: Displays the various temperature setpoints and which layer it will set.

    • Layer Number: What layer number you want the temperature to change.

    • Setpoint: What temperature you want to set.

     
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Figure 4-24

Temperature tab

  1. 7.
    Tab 7: Cooling (see Figure 4-25)
    • Per-Layer Fan Speed List: Displays what percentage the cooling fan will be set and at what layer

    • Layer Number: Layer number to set the percentage of the cooling fan speed

    • Fan Speed: The percentage to set the cooling fan speed

     
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Figure 4-25

Cooling tab

  1. 8.
    Tab 8: G-Code (see Figure 4-26)
    • Build Volume: You can adjust the build volume of your printer if the configuration assistant had the incorrect build volume or you have updated the printer’s build envelope.

     
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Figure 4-26

G-Code tab

  1. 9.
    Tab 9: Scripts (see Figure 4-27)
    • Starting Script: This script will run at the very beginning of the print. Useful for setting up auto leveling or purging plastic.

    • Ending Script: This script will run at the end of the print. Useful for turning off hot ends and moving the extruder to the home position.

     
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Figure 4-27

Scripts tab

  1. 10.
    Tab 10: Speeds (see Figure 4-28)
    • Defaulting Printing Speed: Initial speed used for all printing movements.

    • Outline Underspeed: Speed that the outline of the print is printed at.

    • Solid Infill Underspeed: The infills print speed.

    • X/Y Axis Movement Speed: How fast the extruder will move when it is not printing.

    • Z Axis Movement Speed: Speed of the Z axis movement.

    • Adjust Printing Speed for Layers below: Very useful when you have small features of parts that need a bit more cooldown between layers.

     
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Figure 4-28

Speed tab

  1. 11.
    Tab 11: Other (see Figure 4-29)
    • Filament Diameter: For most printers set to a value close to 1.75mm, it is best to check the filament with calipers to get an average of the filament diameter and then update this setting.

     
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Figure 4-29

Other tab

  1. 12.
    Tab 12: Advanced (see Figure 4-30)
    • Start Printing at Height: The height that the current process will begin at.

    • Stop Printing at Height: The height that the current process will end at.

    • Only Retract when Crossing Open Spaces: Will retract when extruder is moving from one part to another.

     
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Figure 4-30

Advanced tab

Troubleshooting

Alright, let’s get started with a simple 3D model, and then we will move to a more complex 3D model (don’t worry; it won’t be too complex). Go ahead and open Fusion 360 so we can create our first sketch.

Over/Under Extrusion

If you have an over extrusion, it means you have too much plastic being pushed out of the nozzle. If you have an under extrusion, you will notice gaps in the print. You may want to first check the Extrusion Multiplier in the Extruder tab of settings. See Figure 4-31.
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Figure 4-31

Adjust the Extrusion Multiplier to increase or decrease the flow of plastic

If that does not help, you may want to make sure the filament is consistent ~1.75mm; if it is not correct, make sure the Filament Diameter setting in the “Other” tab of the processes window is updated to the correct value. See Figure 4-32.
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Figure 4-32

Check the filament in three areas, average the value, and update the Filament Diameter property

For under extrusion, you may also want to make sure your thermistor is calibrated properly. If, for example, the thermistor is reading 220C and the heater cartridge is only getting to 180C, you may notice gaps in the print due to the printer not being able to push plastic out as smoothly as it should be. You can make sure this is not the issue by taking a laser temp gun and checking the hot end for consistency.

If none of those are working for you, you may need to adjust the steps/mm in the firmware of the printer. This is an advanced task, so I would make sure none of the other adjustments won’t fix the problem before attempting this.
  1. 1.

    Find the steps/mm perimeter in the firmware for your printer, change the value, and upload the firmware to your printer. See Figure 4-33.

     
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Figure 4-33

Update steps/mm value of the extruder motor

  1. 2.

    Decrease this value (because you are over extruding or increase the value if the printer is under extruding) and recompile and upload into your printer.

     
  2. 3.

    Mark a distance of 100mm on the filament going into the extruder. See Figure 4-34.

     
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Figure 4-34

Put a mark at 100mm

  1. 4.

    Extrude 100mm of material using the machine control panel (also, make sure your extruder is heated up; otherwise, the extruder will not extrude); you will also need to have the printer connected to your computer for this process. See Figure 4-35.

     
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Figure 4-35

Open the machine control panel to control your printer

  1. 5.

    If the 100mm mark is above or below the entrance into the extruder, then you will need to adjust the steps/mm setting again. See Figures 4-36, 4-37, and 4-38.

     
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Figure 4-36

This is what you want to see

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Figure 4-37

If you see this, decrease the value of the steps/mm

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Figure 4-38

If you see this, increase the value of the steps/mm

Ghosting

Ghosting is when you see outlines of the print on the exterior of the print; for example, you may see outlines of holes next to a physical hole in your print. See Figure 4-39. The most important setting to adjust here would be the speed at which you are printing.
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Figure 4-39

Ghosting example

Parts Do Not Stay on Build Plate

The first thing to do is to make sure your build plate is true/level to the extruder’s nozzle. Normally, this means moving the nozzle to the Z Offset (or 0) and using a piece of paper at each side and then finally in the center. You want to make it to where the paper just barely drags on the nozzle at all points. To do this, you adjust the thumb screws under the build plate to either lift the build plate or lower the build plate. Today’s printers normally have automatic bed leveling, and I would highly recommend the BLTouch as it works great on all build plates. There are also tons of videos on how to level a build plate; if you are having issues leveling your build plate, I recommend going to the companion YouTube channel for this book and watching the “Build Plate Leveling Tutorial.”

If that does not work, I would recommend adjusting your Z Offset. Again, this will be a firmware update on most printers. I would recommend going to the companion YouTube channel for this book and watching the “Z Offset Adjustment Tutorial.”

Finally, if you are still having issues, make sure you have a nice even amount of Elmer’s “Disappearing Purple” glue on the build plate.

Our First Print

So here we are ready to try our first print. The first thing you will want to do is set your printer up in Simplify3D. To do this, you can go through the “Configuration Assistant” in the Help ➤ Configuration Assistant; this will bring up a menu that will have you select your printer, and it should automatically create a profile for your printer. 10 to 1 that your printer will work even if it is not on the list as it is probably a copy of another printer, for example, the Wanhao Duplicator 4S is a remake of the MakerBot Replicator 2X and the FlashForge Creator. Next, we will need to open Fusion 360 and load our project from the previous chapter. See Figure 4-40.
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Figure 4-40

Open the Fusion 360 project from Chapter 3

  1. 1.

    Go to the Tools ➤ MAKE drop-down menu and select “3D Print.” See Figure 4-41.

     
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Figure 4-41

Select the 3D Print function

  1. 2.

    Select the 3D object you want printed. See Figure 4-42.

     
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Figure 4-42

Select the model you want converted to an STL

  1. 3.

    If “Send to 3D Print Utility” checkbox is selected, remove the check. See Figure 4-43.

     
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Figure 4-43

Deselect the “Send to 3D Print Utility” and click OK

  1. 4.

    Click “OK” and select where you want the STL to go. See Figure 4-43.

     
  2. 5.

    Go back to Simplify3D and click the “Import” button. See Figure 4-44.

     
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Figure 4-44

Go back to Simplify3D and click the “Import” button

  1. 6.

    Find the STL file you just created, select it, and then click the “Open” button. See Figure 4-45.

     
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Figure 4-45

Select the STL file that was created by Fusion 360

  1. 7.

    You will notice that the tag will be put on its side; this is suboptimal since there is an overhang. To fix this, press Ctrl-L and select the bottom of the tag; this will put the bottom of the tag to the top of the build plate which is a much more efficient orientation for this part to be printed in. See Figure 4-46.

     
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Figure 4-46

Orient the part in this position using the Ctrl-L quick key

  1. 8.

    Now select or create a new process. For the first process, use the following settings. I would also recommend searching Google for your printer’s profiles as there is a good chance someone has already made a profile for the particular printer you have; remember not all printers are the same, and my settings may not work for your printer. See Figures 4-47 through 4-51.

     
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Figure 4-47

Add a “Skirt/Brim” to the print to purge some plastic

../images/271483_2_En_4_Chapter/271483_2_En_4_Fig48_HTML.jpg
Figure 4-48

15% is more than enough for this part

../images/271483_2_En_4_Chapter/271483_2_En_4_Fig49_HTML.jpg
Figure 4-49

Support tab (just remove the “Generate Support Material” check)

../images/271483_2_En_4_Chapter/271483_2_En_4_Fig50_HTML.jpg
Figure 4-50

Make sure the temps are correct for your printer

../images/271483_2_En_4_Chapter/271483_2_En_4_Fig51_HTML.jpg
Figure 4-51

65mm/s work very well for most printers

  1. 9.

    Now that you have the process sorted out, you will need to click the “Prepare to Print!” button which you will then need to select the process you want to use for this print. See Figure 4-52.

     
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Figure 4-52

Click the “Prepare to Print!” button and select the process and click OK

  1. 10.

    Next will be sent to the Print Preview mode. The Print Preview mode is very important as you can use the Layer Range to Show ➤ Max slider to show you what your print will look like just by sliding it back and forth. You can also use the “Play/Pause” button to run through the print at an accelerated speed. You may also notice small dots on your print; these are retraction points. On the left side of the window, you will notice several checkboxes; these control what you are seeing on the build plate, for example, the retraction points. See Figure 4-53.

     
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Figure 4-53

Print Preview functions

  1. 11.

    Finally, you will need to create the G-code your printer will use to create the 3D object. Click the “Save Toolpaths to Disk” button and save the file to your computer or an SD card. See Figure 4-54.

     
../images/271483_2_En_4_Chapter/271483_2_En_4_Fig54_HTML.png
Figure 4-54

When ready, click the “Save Toolpaths to Disk” button

  1. 12.

    You will also need to make sure your printer is mechanically configured, meaning the build plate is level, there is plastic loaded into the extruder, and the build plate is ready to have plastic extruded onto it (see the “Parts Do Not Stay on Build Plate” section of this chapter for more information).

     
  2. 13.

    Then you will need to follow your printer’s instructions on how to start the print from an SD card or over Wifi if your printer is wireless. This print should be quick between 2 and 10 minutes; once it is done, use the paint spatula to take the print off the build plate. See Figure 4-55.

     
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Figure 4-55

Finished print

Before we get to the summary of this chapter, I just want to say that this chapter had a ton of information, and there is still a lot more about 3D printing that I want to go through before the end of this book. 3D printing has a lot to it, and one chapter would not do 3D printing justice. So, let’s review what we have learned in this chapter.

Summary

Alright, another chapter bites the dust. This chapter had a ton of material, so feel free to go over it again. Let’s take a look at the summary of this chapter:
  • Learned about the different types of 3D printers

  • Discovered new tools that will help when 3D printing

  • Learned about the different parts of a 3D printer

  • Talked about what a slicer is

  • Went over a lot of the functions in Simplify3D

  • Went over a few troubleshooting tips when 3D printing

  • Learned how to create a process in Simplify3D

  • Printed our first object

Exercise

  1. 1.

    You may have noticed the print came out a bit smaller than you may want a keychain to be. How could you modify this with either Fusion 360 or Simplify3D to make it larger?

     
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