Week 5 - 3D Scanning and Printing: Richard and David¶
Group Assignment¶
For this week, our assignment as a group was to test the design rules for our 3D printer (a Original Prusa MINI+ printer).
Work Distribution¶
| People | Description | Richard, David | Printing of First Torture Test on Prusa |
| Richard, David | Documentation |
| Richard, David | File preparations |
| Richard | Printer Troubleshooting |
| Richard | Term Definitions |
| David | File Procurement |
| David | Second Torture Test on Prusa |
| David | Benchy |
| David | Torture Test on Resin Printer |
Term Definitions¶
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Layer Height | Thickness of each print layer; lower heights yield finer resolution. |
| Supports | Temporary structures for stabilizing overhangs, removed post-printing. |
| Infill | Internal print structure; higher percentages increase strength and material use. |
| Bed Adhesion | Methods to ensure first layer adherence, like heated beds or adhesives. |
| Raft | Base layer for improving bed adhesion and leveling. |
| Brim | Thin perimeter layer to enhance base adhesion. |
| Skirt | Outline printed around the object for extruder priming. |
| Extruder | Feeds and melts filament for deposition. |
| Nozzle | Extrudes melted filament; size affects print resolution and speed. |
| Build Plate | Surface for print construction, often heated for better adhesion. |
Characterization¶
First Torture Test on Prusa 3D Printer¶
We first downloaded a 3D printer torture test file from Thingiverse and sent it to PrusaSlicer.
At this point, we ran into some issues in sending our job to the printer. The 3D printer was not recognizing our files when we plugged in a USB drive, despite the drive working on multiple computers that we used for testing. We managed to find a workaround by uploading the print to Octoprint which allowed us to remotely connect and control our 3D printers via a local network connection. We then ran the job.
The printer overall performed surprisingly well on all the tests. It had some trouble with the thin, tall pillars but the general shape is still recognizable. Notably, the printer flawlessly executed the overhang test, printing up to 80 degrees from the last support point.
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Second Torture Test on Prusa 3D Printer¶
Because the first torture test executed perfectly, I conducted another one that I found on thingiverse so that we could find the limit of the Prusa printers (you can find it using this link). I downloaded it, imported it into PrusaSlicer, sliced it, and exported the g-code.
I put the file into EngProj, downloaded it on a compatible computer, uploaded it onto OctoPrint, and printed it.
This print only failed on the ball overhung on the arch. This is just because this area had nothing to support it, so there was no way for this type of printer to print this.
Benchy¶
In addition to the conventional torture tests, I also conducted a Benchy print, which is a sort of boat that includes a large variety of printing styles, such as curves, overhangs, and holes. I used the same process as the previous two torture tests to print this. Much like the first torture test, this one executed perfectly, displaying the capability of the Prusa Printers.
Resin Printer Torture Test¶
The resin printers operate differently than either the Prusa printers or the Bambu printers. For each layer of the print, the resin printer cures resin using UV light in order to solidify it onto the bottom of an upside down platform. Although this process takes significantly longer, it makes for a much more durable print and is more likely to be an accurate represntation of the desired design. For my test, I chose a double helix I found off of Thingiverse, as this would st ress the bridging and stabilizing ability of the printer. With the help of Mr. Budzechowski, I followed this workflow to slice and send the design to a resin printer. From there, I washed off the bed of the printer with alcohol, and began the print. Below is what the printer looked like while printing the design.
After the more than 9 hour long print, I carefully removed the bed from the printer and put it into the washer designated for the resin printers for 20 minutes. After this, I prodded the design from the base of the bed, which proved harder than expected because I was worried I would break the print. Finally, I put the print into the curing machine for 60 minutes. Below is the a picture of the print after pulling it out of the washer.
File Downloads¶
Our group’s files for this week can be downloaded here.