3D Scanning and Printing

 

Part 1: 3D Printing

The Machine

The 3d Printer used in this assignement is the Makerbot Replicator plus, the manufacturer website, the manual. some noteable features of the printer are as follows:

• The machine uses 1.75 diameter filament.
• Can print PLA and ABS.
• Doesn't feature a heated bed.
• Have auto bed levelling.
• Have a single printing head.



Part1 a: 3D printing Group Assignement

The goal is to test the 3D printer cababilities and find out what its limits are, for this task I made the choice to use a 3D Benchy file with different settings in the slicer program and see how they differ to find the limitiations of the printer and the most useful settings in the slicer software. the model was downloaded from Thingiverse and here is a page listing the benchy's parameters.



The Makerbot is one of the simplest to use 3d printers, the software is easy to navigate and doen't overwhelm the user with options. work flow for using the printer is as follows:

• On  a PC, open the "Makerbot Print" software, inside the software import the model you wans to slice.
• Modify the settings if you need to.
• On the lower right corner in the software, press "Export", If the printer is connected to the PC you can send the file directly, otherwise save to a usb memory stick then insert it into the printer.
• Using the printer knob, press in to select "Print", choose your file from the list.
• The printer will go through its calibration first, it will set the origin point, level the bed and heat up the nozzle, you may get an error about not having a smart extruder, select 'continu anyway'.
• The printer should start printing after it finishes calibration, once the print is done remove from the bed.

 

First open Makerbot print, import the stl of the Benchy. for the first 'Control' print I went with the standard Draft setting, then exported to usb device. the Control print was made with the following parameters:

• 0.2mm Layer height.
• 10% infill
• 150mm/s travel speed.



 

For the second one I changed the layer height from 0.2mm to 1.4mm.



 

Test three, I reset the layer height to 0.2mm and changed infill from 10% to 05%.

 



Test four, I reset the infiill to 10% and changed the travel speed from 150mm/s to 300mm/s.

 

 

With all the files loaded on the USB, I Plugged it into the printer and navigated to the files.

after a short calibration, the printing starts.



94% done



Final touches.



Finished.



All the samples, with their parameters.



 

Looking at the Control sample, there is some stringing between the boat's door frames, visible overhang artifact at the arches in the door frame, no visible gaps. the reading in the back is not readable due to the big layer height of 0.2mm.



 

At 0.14mm layer height the boat have more details as can be seen on the boat's roof, the control sample have bigger ridges while the 0.14mm sample more smaller ridges giving it a sharper look but at the cost of more material and time.





The 05% infill sample showed gaps on the floor of the boat, therefore I conclude it's not recomended to go below 10% infill.





For the travel speed samples, there was no visible difference between the 150mm/s and the 300mm/s, both prints took the same time of 1 hour and 27 minutes, I conclude that using a speed higher than 150mm/s will not reduce print time.

 

Summery



Control	10.87g	1h27m	0.2mm layer height, 10% infill, 150mm travel speed.
0.14mm Layer height	11.05g	1h59m	Sharper, more detailed
05% infill	10.48g	1h25m	Gabs in the floor of the print.
300mm/s travel time	10.87g	1h27m	Same as control