Week 5 - 3D Scanning and Printing: Connor and Landon¶
Design Rules/Characteristics
This week’s task was to characterize the design rules for our lab’s 3D printer, including overhang, bridging, diameter, supports, infill, and more.
Prusa Mini¶
All-in-One Torture Test¶
In order to test these design characteristics with the Prusa Mini 3D printer, we used the design found here to perform a torture test, which means to print a model that tests various capabilities and restrictions of a 3D printer.
Torture Test 3D model:
Using the Prusa Mini 3D printer, we printed out the toture test to analyze the different capacities of it.
The printed torture test.
Properties¶
Overhang Test: This test consisted of creating an arching shape with increasingly more horizontal degree measurements as the arch gets higher. The printer was able to fully 3D print the overhang test with no problems in the print. For the test going up in degree measurements of 10, it was able to go to the maximum (80 degrees). For the test going up in 15 degree measurements, it was also able to go to the maximum (75 degrees).
Bridging Test: The bridging test consisted of making two legs for the bridge, and then the legs are connected with a bridge going over them. The printer printed the entirety of the bridging test with no problems. It was able to make a bridge in any size from 2 to 25 mm.
Diameter Test: This test creates hollow cylinders of decreasing size, with a 0.5mm wall for each cylinder. All of the cylinders printed successfully, and there was no bridging in any of the sizes.
Hole Test: The hole test measured how the printer handled creating sequentially smaller circle holes and rectangular holes. It handled the creation of all of them quite well.
Vertical Pillars: There were three vertical pillars (going up and down), with their respective lengths being 10, 20, and 30 mm long. We noticed that, likely due to how thin it was, that there were some uneven parts where they were slightly indented inwards. There was also a fair amount of filament that was stringed between each of the pillars, which was probably caused by their close proximity.
Benchy¶
We also decided to print a 3DBenchy to further test the capabilities of the Prusa Mini. We used the file that was automatically loaded onto the printer upon installation, but the download for the file can be found here.
The Benchy came out essentially perfectly, so the printer passed several tests such as an overhang test, a curved surface test, fine details, and holes. Overall, the Benchy was a good way to test various aspects of a 3D printer at once.
Resin 3D Printer: Overhang Test¶
For this process, we used the Formlabs resin 3D printer to create an overhang test using a file given on the schedule website for this week. With the guidance of Mr. Budzichowski, we followed this workflow. The workflow stated roughly the following:
1) Load the file into the Formlabs and change the settings to the following: * Resin: Durable V2 * Layer Thickness: 0.100 mm * Print Setting: Default * All other settings should stay defaults
2) Ensure that the printer is properly connected to the software using one’s preferred method.
3) Verify the model’s printability model on the right side of the screen.
4) Change the Model Name in the bottom right if necessary, and select “Upload Print” in the bottom, then “Upload Job” in the menu that appears.
The overhang model in the software with the correct settings based on the previous steps.
5) Clean off the build plate in the printer if needed and start the print.
6) Once the print has finished, use a scraper and gloves to remove the resin and place it into the alcohol bath.
7) While that process continues, use alcohol and paper towels while wearing gloves to clean off the base plate and insert it back into the printer, making sure that the latch clicks.
8) Once the cleaning process is over, place the print into the UV light curer, settings should be set to 60-degrees Celcius and 60 minutes.
9) Remove the resin from the curer and make sure all other things that require maintenance are cleaned.
The resin printer (left), the alcohol bath (middle), and the UV curer (right).
The interiors of the alcohol bath and UV light .
After following the above steps, we printed out the resin model for the overhang test. Resin printers print upside down, which functionally invalidated the concept of a overhang test. Nevertheless, the print was successful and we were able to follow the different cleaning steps to finish this task.
The resin in the machine after printing.
The resin once cleaned and done.
The resin print came out fairly well, but the cleaning process may have been messed up in some way, as Mr. Budzichowski informed me that it should not have been as shiny as it was. There was an additional issue with part of the further out overhangs somewhat peeling off, which was odd due to the nature of resin printers, that is, the print upside down.
The small issue with the resin print.