This years Valentines Gift

Share your models and objects...
User avatar
Mike Hunter
Posts: 48
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2014 10:26 pm
Location: Western Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: This years Valentines Gift

Post by Mike Hunter » Fri Feb 06, 2015 10:18 pm

Just a quick update. Level 2 came out as the others have, needing lots of hand finishing to remove strings.
20150206_120823-cropped.jpg
Level 2
20150206_120823-cropped.jpg (84.67 KiB) Viewed 11295 times
However, the top level needs some fine tuning as the very top, which is supposed to be circular, came out a bit lopsided. I was there when it was printed and slowed the feed down 40%, but no luck. I'm going to modify the S3D process and run it again tomorrow.
20150206_154534-cropped.jpg
The top Level
20150206_154534-cropped.jpg (62.72 KiB) Viewed 11295 times
I can't convey enough how impressed I am with this machine. With the ability to print small cross sections as in this model, my mind is running wild with ideas.
20150206_154949-cropped.jpg
The pre-assembled Eiffel Tower
20150206_154949-cropped.jpg (105.39 KiB) Viewed 11295 times
Mike H.
Continually learning and discovering.

jsc
Posts: 1864
Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2014 4:00 am

Re: This years Valentines Gift

Post by jsc » Sat Feb 07, 2015 3:41 am

If it were me, I'd split the top spire at the last platform and just print the top with many skirt layers to form a shell to allow the thin bits to cool between layers.

What temperatures are you running at? I've found very little stringing at 225 for PLA with 1mm retraction at 3000 mm/min. Lower temperatures: less stringing, worse layer bonding, higher possibility of a clog if you drop too low. Higher temperatures: easier flow for fast print speeds, maybe better surface finish, increased stringing.

User avatar
Mike Hunter
Posts: 48
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2014 10:26 pm
Location: Western Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: This years Valentines Gift

Post by Mike Hunter » Sat Feb 07, 2015 4:42 pm

THANKS jsc.

At the moment I'm attempting to print using 3 different "processes" in S3D, each with parameters set for it's particular section. Just out of curiosity, what software do you use to modify or tweak .stl files? I have Solidworks 2014 and Rhino5 (90 day evaluation), the later being a better program to remove features such as the handrails around Level 2. Solidworks will do the job, but even on the "big" computer, it slows down to a crawl when working with .stl files and is prone to crashing.

The first attempt, shown in the previous post, was run at (extrud) 215c, (bed) 45c and speed of 1440 mm/min. Retraction was set to 1.40mm. Layer height at .1mm

Mike H.
Continually learning and discovering.

jsc
Posts: 1864
Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2014 4:00 am

Re: This years Valentines Gift

Post by jsc » Sat Feb 07, 2015 7:19 pm

For general purpose STL editing, meshmixer is pretty good, although the learning curve is pretty bad, the best "documentation" consists of trawling for youtube videos of people doing approximately the same things you want to do, and in the past has tended to crash fairly easily. I think that SolidWorks has some geometry recovery features when working with meshes (like STLs) that let it discern things like planes and arcs; that sounds pretty useful, but I'm not an expert with SolidWorks.

If you want to split a model along a plane, a simple trick is to drop part of the model below the bed using S3D's placement dialog (double click the model). Then make a copy, flip it over, and drop that down to the same split location. You will have to do some arithmetic based on the model z extents and origins.

Regarding stringing, 1.4mm and 215C should be sufficient to avoid any stringing. Have you changed your travel or retraction speed?

User avatar
Mike Hunter
Posts: 48
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2014 10:26 pm
Location: Western Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: This years Valentines Gift

Post by Mike Hunter » Thu Feb 12, 2015 5:26 pm

jsc wrote:If it were me, I'd split the top spire at the last platform and just print the top with many skirt layers to form a shell to allow the thin bits to cool between layers.

What temperatures are you running at? I've found very little stringing at 225 for PLA with 1mm retraction at 3000 mm/min. Lower temperatures: less stringing, worse layer bonding, higher possibility of a clog if you drop too low. Higher temperatures: easier flow for fast print speeds, maybe better surface finish, increased stringing.
Thanks for the suggestion jsc, I did indeed drop the top level down (in S3D) so as to print only the very top spire. As an added measure, I printed two spires, one 20mm behind the other. My thinking, as novice as it is when it comes to 3D printing, is that while the back spire is printing, the front spire is right under the 50mm fan getting all the cooling it can. I was thinking of adding a dwell between layers, but I didn't want the molten plastic staying in the hot end and clumping when it finally started flowing again (if that makes any sense). The twin prints seemed less problematic.

So now the printing is complete and I have just two days to deburr, assemble and mount the project. Don't you just love how time flies when your on vacation or have an important project to complete. Here's a pic of the tower on the base.

Mike H.
20150212_105739-cropped.jpg
Tower on Base
20150212_105739-cropped.jpg (53.13 KiB) Viewed 11251 times
Continually learning and discovering.

User avatar
insta
Posts: 2007
Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2014 3:59 am

Re: This years Valentines Gift

Post by insta » Thu Feb 12, 2015 5:27 pm

Mike Hunter wrote:
jsc wrote:If it were me, I'd split the top spire at the last platform and just print the top with many skirt layers to form a shell to allow the thin bits to cool between layers.

What temperatures are you running at? I've found very little stringing at 225 for PLA with 1mm retraction at 3000 mm/min. Lower temperatures: less stringing, worse layer bonding, higher possibility of a clog if you drop too low. Higher temperatures: easier flow for fast print speeds, maybe better surface finish, increased stringing.
Thanks for the suggestion jsc, I did indeed drop the top level down (in S3D) so as to print only the very top spire. As an added measure, I printed two spires, one 20mm behind the other. My thinking, as novice as it is when it comes to 3D printing, is that while the back spire is printing, the front spire is right under the 50mm fan getting all the cooling it can. I was thinking of adding a dwell between layers, but I didn't want the molten plastic staying in the hot end and clumping when it finally started flowing again (if that makes any sense). The twin prints seemed less problematic.

So now the printing is complete and I have just two days to deburr, assemble and mount the project. Don't you just love how time flies when your on vacation or have an important project to complete. Here's a pic of the tower on the base.

Mike H.
Considering how most novices to 3D printing ask if they can print parts like the thing is a replicator from Star Trek, I'd say you're a bit ahead of the curve here with your thinking. :mrgreen:
Custom 3D printing for you or your business -- quote [at] pingring.org

jsc
Posts: 1864
Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2014 4:00 am

Re: This years Valentines Gift

Post by jsc » Fri Feb 13, 2015 12:03 am

I agree, for a "novice", you're tackling a pretty advanced large scale print, with fine details, involved printing techniques, and some assembly required. Good job.

User avatar
Mike Hunter
Posts: 48
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2014 10:26 pm
Location: Western Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: This years Valentines Gift

Post by Mike Hunter » Fri Feb 13, 2015 5:11 pm

THANKS. Having the opportunity to draw from your experiences, as well as that of others, makes my transition to Additive Manufacturing much easier.

Mike H.
Continually learning and discovering.

User avatar
pyronaught
Posts: 684
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2014 8:24 pm

Re: This years Valentines Gift

Post by pyronaught » Tue Feb 17, 2015 4:33 pm

Jules wrote:That's incredible! :D (Bet she loves it.)

Just out of curiosity - what do you do with the unwanted bits from bad prints? Any way to reuse them? Turn them into ABS juice?
I give them to my 2 year old boy, who is very fascinated with the printer and thinks everything that comes off of it is some kind of toy.
Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted.

User avatar
Jules
Posts: 3144
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2015 1:36 am

Re: This years Valentines Gift

Post by Jules » Tue Feb 17, 2015 5:05 pm

I give them to my 2 year old boy, who is very fascinated with the printer and thinks everything that comes off of it is some kind of toy.
Lucky boy! (I'd have thought the same thing at that age!)

Post Reply