The aim of this week assignment is to design and produce something with a digital fabrication process (incorporating computer-aided design and manufacturing) and including everything necessary to reproduce it.

Content:

Machines used:

  • 3D printer.
  • Laser cutter.

Softwares used:

  • PrusaControl.
  • Fusion360.

Useful resources:

Design files:


Introduction:

For wildcard week I have tried 3D printing on fabric for the first time. I have explored many techniques and uses of printing on fabric to come up with the best for my final project requirements. Printing on fabric has many possibilities that can be applied for different needs.

For this week assignment I have tried printing on two types of fabrics, which are nylon and cotton. I tried on three printers, which are Prusa MK2, MakerBot 5th Generation, and Ultimaker 2+. I used PLA for printing.


17.1. First try

As a first try, I chose to 3D print on nylon fabric using Prusa MK2 3D printer with PLA filament. First, I cut a piece of fabric that is a little smaller than the printable area (3D printer bed size), which is 210x200 mm.

NoSpecificationItem
1FabricNylon
23D PrinterPrusa MK2
3FilamentPLA

Prusa MK2 printer: prusa

As a beginning, I tried printing something from the internet. The printing file I used is a 1mm snap design from this great instructable. There are male and female snaps .stl design file; I chose only male for my firt try. You can download it from here.

Later, I did the slicing using PrusaContorl and generate the g-code for printing. For details, refer to 3D Scanning and Printing group assignment page.

To prepare the 3D printer, first I loaded the filament (PLA), then I heated up the printer bed and the nozzle. I imported the design g-code using an SD card.

Loading filament: loading

After preparing the piece of fabric for printing, I have used a masking tape to fix the fabric on the printer bed. First I tape one side, then I stretch the fabric a little bit while taping the opposite side. For the other two sides, I repeat the same process and make sure that the fabric is slightly taut. Finally, satrt printing.

Masking tape: masking_tape

While the 3D printer doing the first layer, the nylon fabric was burned due to the high temperature of the filament. Also, it cut the fabric in the area of printing. After that I stopped the printer and removed the fabric.

Final result: nylon


17.2. Second try

Later, I tried printing on a thicker fabric that can resist the high temperature of the filament. I chose to print on cotton fabric, so I prepared a piece of this fabric and sticked it on the 3D printer bed using a masking tape as explained in the first try.

Howerver, this time I have used Ultimaker 2+ printer and print both male and female snaps .stl design files. You can download male and female snaps from here.

NoSpecificationItem
1FabricCotton
23D PrinterUltimaker 2+
3FilamentPLA

This time the fabric didn't burn from the filament and the result was acceptable. However, there were some lines of filament sticked on the fabric in the area between the snaps where the nozzle was moving to print the three snaps. Later, I removed this lines manually.

secondtry

The snaps can be closed as showing in the following picture by pressing the male snaps inside the female ones. However, the male snaps didn't stick well on the fabric and fell down easily.

snaps


17.3. Third try

To stick the printnig filament on fabric very well, I used another technique this time. I have used Fusion360 to design a mesh of circles of 4mm diameter and sent it to the laser cutter to create a mesh cut on the fabric. The mesh cut should covered the base area of my 3D design. Later, I have exported the mesh design as .dxf file. You can download the dxf file from here and the Fusion360 editable design file from here.

Circular_Pattern

I run multiple laser cutting tests on the same fabric that I want to print my design on with different machine settings. Based on the results shown below, the second test (power 20, speed 200) was the best one as it didn't burn the fabric and it gave sharp and neat round cut. Therefore, I have used the second test settings (power 20, speed 200).

Laser cutting: laser Laser cutter tests: tests

The design I printed this time is done by me for my final project. It's an encloser for my project circuit. You can download the design file from here. Refer to my final project page for slicing settings.

Later, I have printed the first few layers of my 3D design file. Then I stopped the printer and sticked the fabric well on the 3D printer bed using a masking tape as explained in the first try. And finally, I resumed the printing.

NoSpecificationItem
1FabricCotton
23D PrinterPrusa MK2
3FilamentPLA


3D printing on fabric:

Final result:


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