Week 05 — 3D Scanning and Printing

1. Checklist

✅ Documented the group assignment link
✅ Designed a printable object that is not easily made subtractively
✅ Prepared and printed the same object with different technologies and materials
✅ Compared print parameters such as layer height, infill, speed, and detail
✅ Scanned a real object in 3D
✅ Included screenshots, process images, and downloadable STL files

2. Group Assignment

For the group assignment, the lab tested the design rules of the available 3D printers. This included observing the behavior of the machines with different geometries, supports, and dimensional conditions in order to understand their practical limitations and capabilities.

Open Group Assignment

3. Individual Assignment

For the individual assignment, I designed a small train in Autodesk Inventor and printed it using different additive manufacturing workflows. The same geometry was tested in FDM and resin printing to compare material behavior, print time, weight, surface finish, and level of detail. This object is suitable for 3D printing because it contains rounded shapes, small features, and supports-based geometries that would not be as direct to produce subtractively at this small scale.

3D train model used for printing — Train model used as the base geometry for all printing tests.

Second view of the 3D train model — Additional view of the train model used for the printing process.

First STL print of the train — Printed train obtained from the STL model.

Second STL print of the train — Additional printed result of the train STL model.

Download Train STL Download Train IPT

4. 3D Model Preparation

The train model was created in Autodesk Inventor and then exported as an STL file. The dimensions were adjusted to approximately 4 cm in length, keeping the rest of the geometry proportional to the original design. This scale made the comparison between printers, materials, and print settings more practical.

Design intention: the model includes curved and small external features that benefit from additive manufacturing, especially when comparing support strategies and detail reproduction.

5. 3D Printing Process

The same train model was printed in four different conditions: two prints on the Ultimaker S5, one print on the Bambu Lab X1E, and one print on the Formlabs 4 resin printer. This allowed a direct comparison between material type, layer height, infill, speed, and final quality.

5.1 Ultimaker S5 — PLA

Printer: Ultimaker S5
Material: PLA
Layer height: 0.2 mm
Infill: 15%
Supports: Tree supports
Scale: train length approx. 4 cm

This first print was used as the lightweight FDM reference. With 15% infill and 0.2 mm layer height, the print maintained a good balance between material use, print time, and visible detail.

Ultimaker Cura PLA setup — Ultimaker Cura setup with PLA, 0.2 mm layer height, 15% infill, and tree supports.

Ultimaker S5 printing PLA — Printing process on the Ultimaker S5.

PLA printed train result — Finished PLA print.

PLA print on scale — Final PLA part measured on a scale.

5.2 Ultimaker S5 — ABS

Printer: Ultimaker S5
Material: ABS
Layer height: 0.3 mm
Infill: 100%
Supports: Tree supports
Scale: same dimensions as the first print

In this second print, the objective was to compare a denser and heavier part. With 100% infill, the model becomes solid and more resistant, while the 0.3 mm layer height reduces visible resolution compared to the finer settings.

Ultimaker Cura ABS setup — Ultimaker Cura setup with ABS, 0.3 mm layer height, and 100% infill.

Ultimaker S5 printing ABS — Printing process with ABS on the Ultimaker S5.

ABS printed train result — Finished ABS print.

ABS print on scale — Final ABS part measured on a scale.

5.3 Bambu Lab X1E — PLA

Printer: Bambu Lab X1E
Material: PLA
Layer height: 0.2 mm
Infill: 15%
Supports: Tree supports
Scale: same train dimensions

This print kept settings similar to the first Ultimaker PLA test, allowing a cleaner comparison focused on machine behavior and print speed. The Bambu system stands out for faster execution while preserving a good overall print quality.

Bambu Studio setup with PLA, 0.2 mm layer height, 15% infill, and tree supports.

Bambu Lab printing process — Printing process on the Bambu Lab X1E.

Bambu printed train result — Finished Bambu Lab PLA print.

Bambu print on scale — Final Bambu Lab part measured on a scale.

5.4 Formlabs 4 — White Resin

Printer: Formlabs 4
Material: White resin
Layer height: 0.05 mm
Part type: Solid
Supports: Reduced support size with mini bases
Post-processing: Wash 10 min + Cure 5 min

The resin print was used to evaluate fine detail and surface quality. Compared to FDM, this process offers much higher precision in small features and a cleaner surface finish, although it requires washing and curing steps after printing.

PreForm resin setup — PreForm setup showing resin print configuration and support preparation.

Formlabs printing process — Printing process on the Formlabs 4.

Wash process — Part cleaning in the wash station.

Cure process — Part curing after washing.

Final resin print — Resin print after all post-processing steps.

Resin print on scale — Final resin part measured on a scale.

6. Printing Comparison

Machine / Material	Main settings	Quick observation
Ultimaker S5 / PLA	0.2 mm, 15% infill, tree supports	Lighter part, balanced print quality, practical for fast prototyping.
Ultimaker S5 / ABS	0.3 mm, 100% infill, tree supports	Heavier and denser part, lower visible resolution due to thicker layers.
Bambu Lab X1E / PLA	0.2 mm, 15% infill, tree supports	Good quality with faster printing behavior.
Formlabs 4 / Resin	0.05 mm, solid, reduced supports	Highest detail and best surface finish, but requires wash and cure.

Comparison of all printed parts — Comparison of the two Ultimaker prints, the Bambu print, the resin print, and the printed scan.

Printers used in this assignment — Set of printers used during this assignment.

15% infill produces a lighter part and uses less material.
100% infill produces a heavier and more solid part.
0.2 mm layers provide a better balance between quality and time.
0.3 mm layers reduce detail but can simplify the print process.
Bambu Lab improves speed noticeably.
Resin printing gives the best small-detail definition.

7. Important Printing Rules

Before printing, it is important to consider several design and process rules that directly affect print quality, dimensional accuracy, material usage, and final reliability. The following guidelines summarize the most relevant factors I considered during this assignment.

Rule / Parameter	Why it matters	Typical consideration
Supports	Prevent collapse in overhangs and suspended regions	Use tree or standard supports depending on geometry
Model orientation	Affects surface finish, strength, and amount of supports	Rotate the part to reduce unsupported areas
Layer height	Controls print resolution and print time	0.2 mm is balanced, 0.05 mm gives much finer detail
Infill percentage	Defines weight, rigidity, and material consumption	15% for lightweight parts, 100% for solid parts
Printing temperature	Influences adhesion and material flow	Must match the selected material profile
Print speed	Higher speeds reduce time but can reduce quality	Fast for prototypes, lower for better detail
Tolerances	Important for assemblies and fitting parts	Leave enough clearance between moving or mating parts
Warping	Can deform the base of the print, especially in ABS	Use proper bed adhesion and thermal control
Bed adhesion	Prevents the model from lifting during printing	Use brim, raft, or correct bed settings if needed
Post-processing	Required especially in resin workflows	Wash and cure steps are necessary after resin printing

Common Materials

Material	Main advantage	Main limitation	Typical use
PLA	Easy to print and dimensionally stable	Lower heat resistance	Prototypes and general-purpose prints
ABS	More resistant and durable	More sensitive to warping	Stronger functional parts
TPU	Flexible material	More difficult to print accurately	Flexible components and soft parts
Resin	Very high detail and smooth finish	Needs post-processing and careful handling	Detailed models and high-quality small parts

8. 3D Scanning

For the scanning process, I used the Creality CR-Scan Otter 3D Scanner Kit. The scanned subject was a bust of a person. To capture the bust properly, the subject remained seated on a rotating chair while the scanner operator moved around the subject and adjusted the capture process using the Creality software.

Download Scanned STL

Scanning workflow

Prepare the scanning area with stable light and enough space to move around the subject.
Keep the scanned person as still as possible to avoid distortions in the captured mesh.
Use the Creality software to monitor the live scan and complete the surface coverage.
Review the captured mesh before trimming and exporting the final model.
Clean and crop the final result so the exported bust is easier to use later.

Scanning software stage 1 — Initial scan capture inside the Creality software.

Scanning software stage 2 — Software view during the geometry acquisition process.

Scanning software stage 3 — Final software preview before trimming and exporting.

Physical scanning process 1 — Physical scanning setup showing the subject and scanning workflow.

Physical scanning process 2 — Additional view of the scanning process from the operator side.

Physical scanning process 3 — Scanning environment and subject positioning during capture.

Printed version of the scanned bust as a final physical result.

9. Quick Notes on Scanning

Good lighting helps the scanner maintain more stable tracking.
An open area makes it easier to move around the subject during capture.
The subject should remain still so the final mesh does not deform.
Scanning is useful for reverse engineering, documentation, and reproducing existing forms.

10. Conclusions

3D printing makes it possible to produce geometries that would be difficult or inefficient to fabricate with subtractive processes at small scale.
Comparing multiple machines and materials is very useful for understanding how layer height, infill, speed, and material type affect the final result.
PLA is practical for fast prototyping, ABS produces denser and stronger parts, and resin provides the highest detail and surface quality.
Design rules such as orientation, support strategy, tolerance, and warping prevention are essential to obtain reliable prints.
3D scanning complements additive manufacturing because it allows the capture of real objects for reproduction, documentation, or reverse engineering.
Post-processing is a critical part of resin printing, since washing and curing directly affect the final quality of the part.
This assignment helped build a clearer understanding of how to choose the right process depending on detail, speed, strength, and application needs.