5. 3D Scanning and printing¶
Assignments and Assessment this week¶
Group assignment:¶
- Test the design rules for your 3D printer(s)
- Document your work on the group work page and reflect on your individual page what you learned about characteristics of your printer(s)
Individual assignment:¶
- Design, document and 3D print an object (small, few cm3, limited by printer time) that could not be easily made subtractively
- 3D scan an object (and optionally print it)
Learning outcomes¶
- Identify the advantages and limitations of 3D printing
- Apply design methods and production processes to show your understanding of 3D printing.
- Demonstrate how scanning technology can be used to digitize object(s)
Have you answered these questions?¶
- Linked to the group assignment page
- Explained what you learned from testing the 3D printers
- Documented how you designed and 3D printed your object and explained why it could not be easily made subtractively
- Documented how you scanned an object
- Included your original design files for 3D printing
- Included your hero shots
Group Assignment¶
Here is a group assignment page
Research¶
This week, I learned about 3D scanning and how to use the lab’s 3D printers. We use the Bambu lab A1 and Bambu lab A1 mini by Bambu lab. They don’t come with AMS, so frequent color changes are quite difficult, but doable. I’ve used a variety of printers, but the Bambu was incredibly easy to set up and beginner-friendly. It also has almost everything you need for Bambu Lab Wiki and Bambu Lab Academy.
The 3D printers I mainly use are:¶
The RepRap was a derivative of the first printer I encountered as a student.
From there, I used the PRN3D before graduating, and then the Skeleton 3D : Evolved after graduating, using it to 3D print parts myself.
I still use it today, modified for a sturdy frame. Back then, I used the Cura slicer and PRINTRUN(pronterface) to operate and print. I was thrilled when I was able to print from an SD card. Also, due to its mechanical properties, I mostly printed with ABS, which resulted in many failures. Prints would deform and destroy the glass bed, or the motor driver unit on the controller board would burst into flames…
My company uses research funds to purchase and operate DLP(Digital Light Processing)Anycubic photon mono and FFF(Fused Filament Fabrication)Anycubic Chiron printers by Anycubic. I learned here that post-processing using photon mono can be a hassle. However, it is very suitable for transparent prints and high-resolution prints. photon mono use slicer soft is chitubox
The Bambu A1mini, a new printer in the lab, was so easy to use and the high print quality it offers in this format that I impulsively bought one with my bonus.
I love the A1mini!
I printed some of my assignments on this A1mini.
Filament¶
This week I used PLA filament Here is a table summarizing the temperature differences and things to be careful of when printing depending on the material.
| Material (Full Name) | Nozzle Temp (HED) | Bed Temp (BED) | Drying (Oven) | Glass Transition (Tg) | Annealing | Print Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA* (Polylactic Acid) | 190-230°C | 35-65°C | 50°C, 8h | 50-60°C | 50-60°C, 6-12h | < 300 mm/s | - |
| PETG* (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol) | 220-260°C | 50-80°C | 65°C, 8h | 70-80°C | - | - | - |
| TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) | 210-240°C | 30-50°C | 70°C, 8h | 60°C | - | 30-80 mm/s | Seal w/ desiccant, Use Brim, Hardened/SS Nozzle |
| PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol) | 190-250°C | 35-60°C | 80°C, 12h | - | - | < 200 mm/s | Seal w/ desiccant |
| ABS* (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) | 220-280°C | 85-110°C | 80°C, 8h | 105°C | 80-90°C, 6-12h | < 300 mm/s | Enclosure, Use Brim, VOCs |
| ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate) | 240-280°C | 80-110°C | 80°C, 8h | 105°C | 80-90°C, 6-12h | < 300 mm/s | Enclosure, Use Brim, VOCs |
| PC (Polycarbonate) | 250-290°C | 90-120°C | 80°C, 8h | - | 85-100°C, 6-12h | < 300 mm/s | Seal w/ desiccant, Enclosure, Use Brim |
| PA (Polyamide / Nylon) | 240-300°C | 60-120°C | 80°C, 8-12h | - | 90-130°C, 6-12h | - | Seal w/ desiccant, Enclosure, Hardened Nozzle, VOCs |
| PP (Polypropylene) | 220-240°C | 100-120°C | - | - | - | - | - |
| CF (Carbon Fiber Reinforced) | 220-280°C | 60-110°C | - | - | - | - | Nozzle > 0.6mm recommended |
The A1 Mini has four nozzle sizes: 0.2mm, 0.4mm, 0.6mm, and 0.8mm.
I use 0.4mm nozzle
STL (Stereolithography) 3MF (3D Manufacturing Format) G-code (Geometric Code)
I use STL File
Care Instructions: Warm Water and Detergent: We recommend cleaning the build plate with warm water and dish soap. This helps maintain the integrity of the coating, which is essential for proper print adhesion and long-term use. Organic solvents like IPA are not recommended, as they do not effectively clean the surface and may leave behind contaminants that can lead to print failures and poor adhesion.
Subtractive Manufacturing and Additive Manufacturing¶
Additive manufacturing is a method that can only be achieved with a 3D printer. This method creates shapes by adding material. It is effective for creating perfectly enclosed spaces, objects with many irregularities like hedgehogs, and shapes that cannot be assembled later by single-piece molding. The opposite is additive manufacturing, which involves cutting objects using lathes and milling machines. While many of these objects are straight, angular, or cylindrical, areas that cannot be physically machined are physically impossible to cut.
This time, we modeled and printed a bending hinge. The additive feature is that the protrusions hook together to prevent them from separating, creating a shape that can only be produced by single-piece molding. The gap was based on the clearance we measured in a group project with KOSI. The narrowest point was 0.25 mm, creating a mountain-shaped opening. The spacing between the flat surfaces of the cylinders was 0.4mm, the same width as the nozzle. Previous experience had shown that the narrowest point was about half the nozzle width, but based on the results, I decided to leave a margin of 0.05mm.
By Group Assignment¶
Just the right spacing for 3D prints vertical:0.4(nozzle sizes) Horizontal 0.25(herf of nozzle sizes)
but I test the Group Assignment model clearance by 0.2mm-0.3mm
Data for hinge 3d
Fusion file Hinge.f3d 1
STL file Hinge.stl File 2
Makerworld Shere Bambu studio print shere 3
I saved this in STL format, opened it in BambuStudio, and printed it.
To see if the movement would change depending on the print orientation, I printed each piece, changing the print direction vertically and horizontally.
Photo in progress
Consideration¶
The prints with the hinge printed horizontally worked without any issues, but the ones printed vertically had a slightly awkward movement; while it did move, it seemed like the fit was too tight. I suspect that printing vertically would cause the clearance to be blocked by loose filament due to gravity, making it difficult to move.
3D Scanning¶
Revoscan¶
I was able to scan using a 3D scanner called Revopoint MIRACO, which I borrowed from the lab.
An important point is that black is difficult to read with the standard settings, so I had to check the box for “Read Black” before it could be read.
I installed Revo Scan 5 on my PC and imported the scanned data. It can be sent not only via USB but also via Wi-Fi if you configure Wi-Fi. After importing, I corrected the point cloud, meshed it, filled in any holes, and exported it as an STL file. At this point, the editing is almost complete, making it easier to add a base in CAD. If further editing is required, using a tool like Mesh Mixer may be easier.
I printed this model with a base attached using Fujion. *This model was printed as it was the best result of an experiment to see if I could 3D scan myself. A tip: fix the camera in a high place (such as on top of a staircase), rotate it around as quickly as possible at a speed that the 3D scanner can recognize, and then stop scanning. Kudomi arrived later and properly scanned it. This resulted in better-quality data.
Scaniverse¶
After I got home, I remembered that I could also do 3D scanning with my iPhone 15 Pro. The app is called Scaniverse, and it was used at null²(by Yoichi Ochiai), the Osaka Expo last year, along with the app to create your own avatar. It’s free to use, and you can select STL from STL sharing and output the data. This was a 20-minute scan of the basement hall of the Kamakura Chamber of Commerce and Industry (designed by Motoo Take), the presentation venue for FabQuest two years ago, and it even managed to properly scan the distinctive wall reliefs featuring ancient characters. I’m planning to try it out on something smaller next time.