qid int64 1 2.78M | question stringlengths 2 66.6k | answers list | date stringlengths 10 10 | metadata list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
33 | There is a 3D desktop printer [RepRap](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RepRap_project) which can print most of its own components.
Assuming each printed printer will print the next one and so on. Are there any limitation how many times this can be achieved?
For example somebody printed for me printer and I do the same for my friends and they do the same for theirs. Can this go forever (since 3D model stays the same), or there are any serious side-effects/disadvantages of doing that continuously? | [
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"text": "As long as you maintain each printer and keep a proper calibration, go for it, this is what they were designed to do, ... | 2016/01/12 | [
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35 | On a number of occasions I've broken small plastic parts that are nearly impossible to replace but could easily be 3-D printed. The latest such mishap is the volume knob on the factory-installed radio on my car.
I have little experience in 3D printing, and would like to be able to replace these parts with something very close to the original. Spending hours measuring and designing a replacement part that should be $5 isn't really an option. I need something to scan the broken pieces in 3D and somehow just seal up the seam where it's broken.
Is there a scanning/printing/software system to do this that doesn't require a lot of 3D design experience? | [
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"text": "The easiest way is as you currently do: model the pieces by hand, using (digital) calipers to measure them.\n\... | 2016/01/12 | [
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38 | I have a few kg of 3 mm filament when I only have use for 1.75 mm.
How can I make 1.75 mm from 3 mm filament? | [
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"text": "The best option is to find somebody in need of 3 mm filament and trade them for it (either in exchange for 1.7... | 2016/01/12 | [
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48 | I am printing a print using PLA on a Prusa i3 printer and an MK8 extruder, at 210 degrees celsius, 60 mm/sec, sliced with slic3r. The print consists of a base, with 4 tower-like projections that then join with a near-vertical overhang slope that isn't posing a problem for my printer.
However, even before the overhang begins, I am getting large amounts of strings as the extruder head jumps between the four towers in the print, leading to a "spiderweb" effect between them. How can I deal with these strings, and are they a warning that there might be something amiss with my printer, or possible other failures in other parts of the print? | [
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"answer_id": 52,
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"text": "Stringing is often a result of too-high a temperature, or insufficient retraction. When there is highly liquid filament ... | 2016/01/12 | [
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54 | I want to print a model of an animal cell.
What I have so far: I managed to use different colors to print out the different parts of the cell.
My question is: what is the best way to connect plastic 3d printed parts?
Glue? Melted plastic? I need it to have a strong connection and not very visible when used well, and preferable dries fast. | [
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"text": "For ABS print, I recommend [acetone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetone). It is not a glue, but it will dissolve the p... | 2016/01/12 | [
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59 | Is it possible to re-use ABS or PLA filament material from printed parts?
If so, what is the techniques to reform it? | [
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"text": "There are a few options.\n\n1. Machines are available which grind the used plastic into fine pieces, melt it down, and... | 2016/01/12 | [
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61 | I print ABS on a LulzBot Taz 5 and frequently have issues with the corners of objects lifting off the bed.
My extruder is at 230 °C and the bed is at 90 °C for the first layer and 100 °C for the rest of the layers.
I have experimented with using ABS slurry (ABS + acetone) on the bed for increased adhesion, building a foam enclosure for the printer, and varying the fan speed. I have noticed the problem is more common the taller the parts are and the sharper the corner is.
Adding ABS slurry helped for smaller parts (less than an inch tall) but with my more recent larger parts the adhesion to the bed was so good that the corners of the part lifting actually peeled the PEI tape off of the bed.
I have tried using both a skirt and a brim with no change. The skirt stays on the bed, the brim gets pulled up with the corner. | [
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"text": "The solution I prefer to prevent ABS withdrawal is using [Blue tape](http://reprap.org/wiki/BlueTape) on the bed, and the... | 2016/01/12 | [
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65 | Taken from the [answer provided by @EricJohnson](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/60/47),
When should I use a raft, and when should I use a brim? What advantages does each have over the other?
Raft
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rOghM.jpg)
Bcit
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/9MnlZ.jpg) | [
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"text": "A raft helps when the part has few points of contact with the print bed, and doesn't therefore adhere well at points w... | 2016/01/12 | [
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78 | I made a test print for a small gear (~ 1.5 inches in diameter) a few months ago, with a hole through the center. On the first try, the filament (ABS) fused to the print bed, meaning that I had to spend ten minutes scraping off material to loosen it. One solution to this is to use painter's tape spread across the print bed.
This yielded a good print during the next run. The problem with this method was that some of the tape subsequently fused to the backside of the gear; it was so tight that I had to discard the prototype. Multiple varieties of tape made no difference.
Is there a way to continue using this tape without having it fuse to the filament? | [
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"text": "This can highly depend on the slicer you are using. Some software such as Makerware and Slic3r allow you to adjust the set... | 2016/01/12 | [
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81 | Acetone can be used to smooth ABS prints. What safety precautions should be taken during its use? | [
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"text": "There are a few main safety precautions you should consider.\n\n* **[Make sure the area is well-ventilated.](http://sin... | 2016/01/12 | [
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83 | I would like to print multiple parts continuously (non-interactively), so
I can leave the printer alone for a longer time. So after finish, parts could be moved somehow out from the printing area, so the next can start.
Are there any methods of achieving that with standard desktop printers without having to use multiple printers? | [
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"text": "The only thing I can think of off hand is an old mod for the early MakerBot machines. It first was released for the Thing... | 2016/01/12 | [
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84 | For standard ABS and PLA filament, most distributors recommend storing the filament in an airtight bag. Does not doing this actually make print quality worse? I have left mine in the open for a year and have had no noticeable problems. | [
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"text": "**Humidity may be the problem.**\n\n[Humidity tends to degrade filament, making it weaker.](http://3dprint.com/68083/a... | 2016/01/12 | [
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91 | I want to fabricate a sample holder and shadow masks to use in vacuum chambers. The type of printing material is not important to me PLA/ABS/PC-ABS/nylon).
I'm worried that 3d printed objects (FDM) would degas under high vacuum. Is that an actual concern? | [
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"text": "Almost all of the FDM materials outgas even at normal atmospheric pressure, and, in fact, most plastics outgas. Furth... | 2016/01/12 | [
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107 | I have a 3d printer that uses ABS filament. The software I use will generate vertical supports for my objects before printing that can be easily broken off after they have been used during print to hold sharp angles up that would normally fall.
After breaking off the stints, the print is far from smooth. Is there a material that is best suited for "sanding" down prints without damaging the print? | [
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"text": "I use normal wet/dry sandpaper and it works just fine. If I remember correctly, I usually start with 220 and then wo... | 2016/01/13 | [
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109 | I'm going to 3D print a part that needs to meet certain strength requirements, due to its usages. I know how strong a particular plastic (eg. comrpessive/tensile/shear strength) is when dealt with in a solid chunk, but not when it is 3D printed. What is a good way to estimate the change? | [
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"text": "I use normal wet/dry sandpaper and it works just fine. If I remember correctly, I usually start with 220 and then wo... | 2016/01/13 | [
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132 | When you add a raft in Slic3r, the first layer of the raft prints at the first layer speed. After the raft is finished, the first layer of the print prints at the standard speed. How can I make the first layer of the actual print slow down to the first layer speed? | [
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"text": "You shouldn't need to. The purpose of a slower first layer is to help with need adhesion. With a raft the first layer ... | 2016/01/13 | [
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134 | Assuming you have a high quality printer with a fast processor, will you see a noticeable improvement by upgrading from 16X/32X microstepping drivers to 64X/128X microstepping drivers? (e.g. smoother surface finish). In what ways do they perform differently from the more common 16X or 32X stepper drivers. I'm thinking the RAPS128, Silencioso, and Trinamic drivers vs the DRV8825, A4988 and A4988. | [
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"text": "Prints benefit from higher microstepping in two ways:\n\n**Noise level**\n\nUsing microstepping reduces noise... | 2016/01/13 | [
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140 | I've had my printer for almost a year now.
Is there something I should be doing to maintain the motors? | [
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147 | What materials which are [commonly used in 3D printing](http://www.shapeways.com/materials/), are food-safe?
Are there any certifications/grading process for such materials, which can help me with my cross-checking and selection?
---
I have been using an [FDM printer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fused_deposition_modeling). | [
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149 | Suddenly, my printer has started producing prints that have a very pronounced layering. Normally, the alignment between layers is very good, and the prints look very smooth. Suddenly, the prints have become much worse and the layers are misaligned with respect to each other.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/MgWVx.png)
The part on the left is my "normal" quality, while the part on the right show the deterioration. Here is another picture (in which the good part is on the right):
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/c1I5Q.png)
The parts are both printed with 0.1mm layer height, and identical slicer settings/filament. I am printing on a custom-built FDM printer; the mechanism is roughly similar to that of an Ultimaker. | [
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150 | I am working on a robotics project and need to print some gears. These will probably by under a LOT of pressure. Which material/filament should I choose so that the gears don't wear off easily?
PS: Newbie here...
**EDIT:**
According to my instuctor, it has to be some sort of plastic (not metal).
It also has to be lightweight... | [
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"text": "So, as you say you want to materials for printing robotics parts. And as you have not given any budget constraint, I wo... | 2016/01/13 | [
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156 | I am currently working on parts for a custom prosthesis.
My main concern at the moment is to find biocompatible materials that can be 3D printed from a UP or a Reprap.
The piece would need to be in contact with the skin for extended periods of time, probably around 17 hours a day on average.
The main concerns I have are:
* Skin reactions caused by prolonged contact
* Skin reactions and bruising caused by friction
* Degradation of the materials due to prolonged exposure to skin secretions and sweat
* Risks of toxicity in the compounds generated by the aforementioned material degradation
**Which materials can you recommend?**
**Any extensive data (from testing) would be greatly appreciated.** | [
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"text": "There are printers designed for medical use, and the manufacturers supply them with varying levels of [certification ... | 2016/01/13 | [
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162 | I'm interested in finding online APIs where you could perform a call to some third party service with some print preparation request with my model (i.e. "heal a model" or "set up support") and get in return GCODE file I can send to a 3D printer.
My input will be :
* The 3d model (obj, stl)
* My printer (makerbot, ultimaker, whatever) or a printer profile
* A printing profile
This is opposed to all the classical 3D printing processes we have right now. Currently when printing in a 3D printer you would need to go through these phases:
1. Create/Download a model
2. Prepare the model for printing with some 3rd party desktop software
3. Export the model as gcode
4. Save the file to some flash drive
5. Plug the flash drive into the printer
6. Print the model with the printer interface
I would like to know if this process can be simplified to a point where you can just print your model directly from your web browser without going through all these steps.
I know I'm over simplifying things here, but I would still want to see if solutions like I suggested exist?
Thanks | [
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171 | I would like to print edible cookies or ornamentation for a cake.
Is printing with edible materials achievable by standard thermoplastic-like 3D desktop printer? Or you need to buy a special printer to do that? | [
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"text": "You can, but that doesn't mean it's very easy.\n\nYou don't have to buy a special printer, but you need a special ex... | 2016/01/13 | [
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181 | I would like to print fancy plastic cutlery sets or plastic glasses.
Is it safe to do it? Or bad for your health, if so, why? | [
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"text": "Having performed a quick search through all the resources at the FDA Food Contact Substance resource, I cannot find P... | 2016/01/13 | [
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182 | In my slicing software (Slic3r) some of the vertices/walls of my model seem to have disappeared, so that the inside of the model - which should be solid - is visible, while the surface appears as a thin shell.
Why does this happen? Is it still safe to export the model for printing? | [
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"text": "Some STLs aren't exported properly from the CAD software.\n\nUse a repair tool or service like <https://modelrepair.azu... | 2016/01/13 | [
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191 | I'm interested in designing & 3D printing as a hobby (e.g. printing chess sets, small toys for family etc.)
Conducting a Google search has brought up a range of small, cheap printers, but beyond that I don't know how to differentiate them.
E.g. selling points include:
* "liquid light-sensitive resin"
* "partially assembled" with "very few parts and minor configuration"
* "Wi-Fi enabled"
My question is, **which features are going to benefit a small-scale, new enthusiast to 3D printing?**
PS. The software I intend to use is Windows 10 3D design
PPS. I'm not a graphic designer by any means, just a new enthusiast. | [
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198 | I'm reading about wiring up the electronic components to my Prosi i3 using an Arduino Mega 2650 and Ramps 1.4.
I have step sticks, a heated bed, and a [Switching Power Supply 12v Dc 30a 360w](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B007KG0ZYI) (more details on that later when I can add which ones to the post).
I've heard that if you wire it wrong and plug it in, you can do anything from starting a fire to burning out your boards.
What are some tips of things to check before plugging it in? Are there any common mistakes that I can avoid? | [
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199 | Printer: FDM printer (FDM == Fusion Deposition Modelling).
Raw Material: Thermoplastics.
How do I do multicolor printing? What changes should I make to the printing process/to the raw material used?
(Answer in the context of printing a basic 3X3 Rubix cube)
---
Bonus: What are the best practises while doing multi-colour printing? (<-- This is opinion based and/or broad, so pl add an answer to this point as an extra to your answers if you can. It would greatly help people getting started/practising with multi-colour printing) | [
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203 | I have noticed that [Slic3r](http://slic3r.org/) offers a speed setting called "[auto speed](http://slic3r.org/blog/new-stable-1.2.9)" meant to give a constant filament pressure at the extruder, which I believe could eliminate filament grinding issues at higher printing speeds.
According to the tooltip in Slic3r, auto speed is calculated from two parameters:
* Maximum speed
* Maximum volumetric speed
Maximum speed speaks for itself, but how can I calculate the maximum volumetric speed of my print? | [
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204 | I upgraded to an Mk9 dual extruder, and it came with thermocouples installed instead of the thermistors I had before.
No matter what I did with the thermocouples, the indicated temperature jumped around by as much as 30C or more. In short, after several weeks of fiddling I never got the thermocouples to work well, and replaced them with thermistors, which have been fine.
So my question is: what is required to get thermocouples to give reliable, consistent, accurate readings? Are they just incredibly touchy?
Some things I tried include:
* Of course, one must add circuitry (typically a thermocouple amplifier board such as <http://wiki.ultimaker.com/Thermocouple_Sensor_Board_v1>), to convert the tiny voltage differences to larger differences usable with Arduino or similar analog inputs.
* Place those boards close to the thermocouples, but far enough that they are at pretty stable temperature themselves.
* Have absolutely no wire extensions of splices, changes of wire types (material), etc.
* Avoid doing repeated measurements too fast.
* I replaced a thermocouple board with 5V through a potentiometer to the analog input pin, to rule out problems in the Arduino, pin configurations, or software, and got stable readings.
* I checked for shorts-to-ground from the heater block, both sides of the thermocouples, the heater itself, etc. None found.
* The thermocouple wires are surrounded by a braided shield (not common or shorted to either thermocouple wire); I tried grounding that at either end and at both ends, to the heat block, the printer frame, the power-supply ground, and the RAMPS board ground. These had various effects (sometimes large), but I couldn't find any configuration that made the readings stable (much less accurate!).
Anything I'm missing?
Thanks!
Skepe | [
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208 | I'm considering buying [this package](http://reprapworld.com/?products_details&products_id/783/cPath/1680), the Kossel, as my first 3D printer.
It's not the cheapest model, but apparently a high resolution and stable, which is what I'm after.
The question is, what is the life expectancy of this printer, given the component list?
Assuming the printer is constructed properly and properly taken care of, but used once or twice a week for several hours.
Is it possible to make an estimate of how many years this particular printer could be used before it starts showing signs of wear?
**Parts list:**
1x Complete set of platics for Kossel Mini (PLA)
1x Kossel mini Extrusion set
1x traxxas (set of 12)
1x Carbon Tube (kossel printing arms) Set of 6
3x Square slider (40cm)
1x Megatronics v3.0 - Kossel kit
1x Heated Bed glass round 17cm diameter (Borosilicate)
1x Kapton heater mat round 16cm diameter
1x Power supply 12V (240/115V / 20A MAX)
3x Aluminum Pulley GT2
5x Timing belt 1m x 6mm (GT2)
1x E3D v6 - HotEnd Full Kit - 1.75mm
1x Hobbed bolt v1.1
1x Brass drive gear (Qare's compatible)
6x Bearing 623ZZ
125x (1 pcs) Screw M3X8 Philips
125x (1 pcs) Washer M3 normal
125x (1 pcs) Nut M3 normal
6x (1 pcs) Screw M3X16 Philips
12x (1 pcs) Screw M3X25 Philips
6x (1 pcs) Screw M3X20 Philips
10x PTFE tubing, 2inner/4outer diameter (10cm)
1x Bowden setup - J head comp. plug set (1.75mm)
1x E3D v6 - Threaded Bowden Coupling - 1.75mm
2x (1 pcs) Screw M3X40 Philips
6x (1 pcs) Screw M2X16 Philips
1x Power cable 1.8m
6x M4 Threaded rod - Custom length | [
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209 | A fellow maker has tried printing a 3D model in clear PLA (<5% infill, 1 or 2 perimeters), burying it most of the way into casting sand, and then pouring molten aluminum. This melts and burns the PLA, and the aluminum takes the space that the printed model used to take.
There's plenty of room for improvement in his process, but I'm asking about what he can do in terms of the 3D printing process to make his prints more casting-friendly.
What print settings are (generally) best for use in this sort of casting?
What materials, if any, would work better than unpigmented PLA? (Must be a material that a typical thermoplastic FDM printer can handle.)
Any other tips or considerations? | [
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"text": "I believe casting typically uses a wax for the positive when using casting sand. So, I would suggest using [wax filament... | 2016/01/13 | [
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210 | How do I determine how much an individual print costs?
I'd like an answer including support material, failed prints, and (ideally) wear and tear / printer maintenance costs.
To clarify, I'm not asking how to *predict* the cost before printing, but rather how to calculate the actual cost after printing. Though predicting the cost beforehand is useful as well. | [
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"text": "For [FDM](http://3dprintingfromscratch.com/common/types-of-3d-printers-or-3d-printing-technologies-overview/#fdm) printing... | 2016/01/13 | [
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211 | I would like to make custom cake molds.
I've asked about this in a few stores that specialize in cooking equipment, they said this wasn't possible.
I wonder if 3D printing makes it possible. It would require a material that is food-safe, as per [Which are the food-safe materials and how do I recognize them?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/147/which-are-the-food-safe-materials-and-how-do-i-recognize-them)
However, there are two extra conditions:
* The material must be able to withstand the heat of an oven or microwave, and not mix with the dough.
* It should not be too difficult to remove the cake from the mold after it is ready.
The first condition is where this question is a little different from [Can you use PLA material with food and drinks?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/181/can-you-use-pla-material-with-food-and-drinks) - that question is about cutlery and glasses, not about things that go into the oven or microwave.
Is there a material that can be used for this purpose? | [
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212 | When the print head changes direction, the printer must accelerate and decelerate the print head. When calibrated correctly, the printer is able to do this quickly and without causing the printer to shake too much, without drastically slowing down the print process.
If I set it too high, my printer shakes violently, especially during infill. If I set it too low, print times are doubled or tripled.
What process can I follow to determine (or how can I calculate) the fastest acceleration value my printer can use without causing problems in my print?
I'd prefer a process I can follow over a formula I can plug values into, especially if the formula includes magic numbers. | [
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214 | Using a thermoplastic MDF printer with a 0.4mm extruder nozzle, I frequently have trouble with the nozzle getting clogged.
I am not sure what's causing the clog, but my guesses are dust and/or burnt filament (from leaving the hot end on without extruding).
What can I do to prevent, or at least minimize, the extruder nozzle getting clogged?
Bonus question: What other common causes of clogs are there? (ie what should I watch out for besides dust and leaving the hot end on?) | [
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215 | I've occasionally had issues with excess filament residue getting stuck to the print bed. [There are ways to prevent this](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/78/how-can-i-stop-my-print-bed-tape-from-sticking-to-the-filament), but sometimes even these precautions aren't enough. Over time, residue can build up. I've observed this in some printers, though not others.
Are there any techniques to best clean print beds? In the past, I've used various typical cleaning supplies, with different degrees of success. However, I don't know if this will lead to damage to the printer over time.
The printer I'm using has a glass print bed, which I occasionally partially cover with blue painter's tape during printing. | [
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216 | My thermoplastic FDM printer has a heated bed and uses glass as the printing surface. Sometimes the glass will chip or break entirely when I'm removing my print. This happens most often when the print has a large area in contact with the glass.
What can I do to keep this from happening? | [
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223 | For a science project, I'm 3D-printing some custom pipes and tubes to regulate the flow of gas (a combination of ethyl alcohol and water vapor) through an apparatus. They need to be pretty small, as the entire experiment is designed on a small scale. I'd also like the use a little filament as possible.
How thin can I make the walls of these pipes and tubes before either they collapse or gas leaks out? I know that's possibly an engineering issue, but I'd also need to take resolution into consideration. Ideally, the pipes would be about two centimeters in diameter, possibly a little larger or a little smaller in some parts. I'd most likely use ABS, but PLA is my backup in case there's some unforeseen reaction between the gas and the pipes.
The printer I'm using is an FDM printer, a version of the MakerBot Replicator. | [
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233 | I often switch my print material, i.e. ABS / PLA / Wood / Flex,
How can I best clean out my extruder between them to ensure I don't contaminate my next print? | [
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239 | After multiple jams from bulging filaments on two spools I'm getting frustrated. One, right before a job was done.
Is there something I can do to prevent these bulges in filaments from ruining jobs?
What can I do to prevent this from happening in the future before it's a disaster?
He's a picture of one I found using google.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6UvLW.jpg) | [
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241 | I have a strange issue with my heated bed. It has been working well for a long time, but recently it has developed an issue where the temperature reported by the thermistor will occasionally jump by around 10 degrees.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/aMRF7.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/7CMAV.png)
My setup is a 600W, 240V silicone heater mat, with integrated 100k thermistor, that is switched with a solid state relay. The mat is fixed to a 4mm thick aluminium plate. It seems unlikely that these fluctuations are due to bad PID tuning since the reported temperature changes much more quickly than is physically possible.
I've checked the wiring, tried using a different thermistor port and making sure the connector was properly plugged in, but to no avail. The fluctuations are brief enough that they don't cause any problems when printing, but I'm worried about the issue getting worse.
I have a RAMBo board 1.1b, and I've tried using both the integrated 5V SMPS supply and an external USB supply.
The issue is not limited to the start of printing, the temperature reported can be stable for a long time before the issue pops up. The issue also occurs during cooldown (further confirming that PID has nothing to do with it):
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ilKXA.png)
In fact, the issue seems slightly more common during heat up and cool down, but is not limited to these times.
I would like to know what might be causing this issue, and if there's a way to solve it without replacing the thermistor (which would be a pain, since it's integrated into the heater mat). | [
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250 | I am designing a part that has to clamp around a 11mm bushing, and due to other design constraints, it has to be printed with a semicircle-shaped overhang:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/LcLSm.png)
This is proving very challenging to print. Two copies of this part have to clamp tightly around the bushing in all directions. Support material is rather hard to remove from the very top of the arc (where the overhang angle is the highest) and I often end up removing just too little of the support material (so the part doesn't fit around the bushing) or too much (and the bushing can wobble around).
Is there any way I can modify the design of this part (bearing in mind that it absolutely has to be printed in this orientation) to make it more tolerant of my inaccuracy when removing supports, or is there perhaps some way to manually design supports that are easier to remove (Simplify3D and Cura both don't quite cut it)? | [
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253 | I'm thinking of recycling some filament from a couple of recently failed prints. I can reuse them in the future for basic prototypes, so I'm not concerned with whatever weird mixture of colors come out (they are of a few different colors).
The thing is, I have both PLA and ABS, in small quantities. I originally intended to simply use each one separately, but it occurred to me that they could be mixed.
If I recycle PLA and ABS together into one strand of filament, will there be any negative side effects (e.g. reduced strength)? | [
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256 | I am operating a laser sintering machine, using polyamide 2200 powder (with a grain size of approximately 50 micrometers). During a print, a lot of powder goes unsintered and can theoretically be reused. However, using purely recycled powder degrades print quality to an unacceptable level.
Mixing a little used powder into a larger amount of fresh powder seems to work well though. What is the greatest ratio of used to fresh powder that still gives good results, and is there anything I can do (pre- postprocessing) to allow more powder to be reused? | [
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258 | Usually it will either will rip the tape, or break the print somehow. Currently using ABS on a taped glass bed with a layer of hairspray for adhesion. | [
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259 | Let's say I print a part out of ABS and wait for it to cool. I could theoretically do this with several copies of the same printer, modified to use print beds of different compositions.
Will the material a bed is made out of affect how long it takes a part to cool? | [
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264 | Why do we have two standard filament sizes, 1.75 mm and 3 mm? Does it really make a difference when printing? Or is the 1.75 mm just for smaller printers?
In what situations should I be using 1.75 mm?
When should I be using 3 mm? | [
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269 | As an extension from [this](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/264/when-to-use-1-75mm-vs-3mm-filament) question, is there any reason that you would not be able to use 1.75 mm filament in a printer that takes 3mm filament? I know you would have to change the filament size in the slicing of prints but would there be any other problems?
Also, would using 1.75 mm filament be possible if the nozzle diameter was greater than 1.75 mm but less than 3 mm? | [
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271 | I've been printing for a week now on my new printer and have been getting great results, including great adhesion. However, most of my prints have had a fairly small footprint.
Now, I'm stepping up the types of items I'm printing, and I've started to run into a problem. Long, thin parts are starting to lift off the bed, especially at the edges of the bed.
I've read [the question dealing with this issue with ABS](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/61/why-do-the-corners-of-my-abs-object-lift-off-the-bed) and realize some (most) could apply to me. However, I'm printing entirely in PLA on a non-heated bed.
My question is: What is the best way to go about troubleshooting this problem? In which order should I attempt fixes to narrow down the problem most quickly?
Printer: Monoprice Maker Architect 3D (Very similar to Makerbot)
Material: PLA
Heated Bed: No
Bed Material: Something similar to BuildTak on top of an acrylic bed. (The sheet of material came unlabeled with the printer and I haven't been able to track down exactly what it is.) | [
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279 | With [fdm](/questions/tagged/fdm "show questions tagged 'fdm'") printers, the 3D object that should be printed can be positioned anywhere in the build volume. But it's only practical to place it on the bottom, because otherwise support material would be necessary.
stereolithography has the same problem. Even though the photopolymer can be cured at any position in the build volume, the result would drift away if it was not held in place by support material.
The powderbed based printers (either powder+binder or any of the laser/electron beam sintering/melting variants) do not have this problem, because they continuously fill the entire build volume with powder. The support material that other printing technologies require is part of the powder based printing anyway. It would be possible to pack the build volume with many prints and print them in one go.
Given that the machines are relatively expensive, it would be economical to increase the throughput. A company that does use such printers heavily could wait a certain amount of time until a few print queued up that fit together in the build volume and only then start the process. Do people do this? | [
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284 | There must be a trick to doing a good job of applying Kapton tape on a printer bed plate…
We built a Bukobot and even with a great deal of care ended up with bubbles under the tape and occasional overlaps. I'd appreciate any pointers. | [
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293 | E3D hotends use a thermistor whose legs are insulated with glass fiber sleeving and clamped down with a screw and washer:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/IAJDy.jpg)
This solution enables the printing of high temperature materials, but it's a bit fragile and after reassembling the hotend a couple of times, the screw will have thoroughly mangled the thermistor's legs and sleeving.
Some knockoff E3D hotends use a (horrible) solution where the thermistor is just loose in its respective hole, and kapton taped to the heater cartridge wires which holds it in place:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/xMsxq.png)
This solution seems kind of ad-hoc, and I'm worried about the thermistor coming loose. One advantage is that it can be reassembled arbitrarily often, since just pulling out the heater cartridge also pulls out the thermistor without damaging it. Note that the picture shows PTFE sleeving which restricts the temperature, but you could easily use fibreglass in this situation as well.
Another solution is the stud thermistor:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ER2gr.jpg)
It screws into the hole that is normally used for the clamping screw. Unfortunately you're limited to around 250C because of the epoxy used in the stud. I've also found that the epoxy fails after a while (regardless of temperature) and the thermistor isn't locked in place any more (it still works, by virtue of being constrained by the heater cartridge wires as in the previous solution but that's not ideal).
Are there any solutions, compatible with genuine E3D hotends, that:
* are not limited in temperature by epoxy or PTFE,
* can withstand being disassembled and reassembled better than the standard fiberglass sleeving,
* is a bit less hokey than a kapton taping the thermistor's wires to the heater cartridge and hoping that holds it in place? | [
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296 | From what I understand, when you hook up the [Switching Power Supply 12v Dc 30a 360w](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B007KG0ZYI) to the wall outlet, you have to be **very careful**; careful not to get the wires mixed up; careful not to have anyone or anything touch the leads (in fact the first proper project I intend to print out will be [a casing to fit around the switching power supply](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:31659)), or just order one from someone.
Now there are three wires that go into the US wall of particular concern, and these wires come out of a standard PC cable with the female end cut off, and they hook the power supply. Like the external casing, these three wires are also insulated, and when you take the insulation off the bare wires and connect it to the power supply, you have to use Electrical connectors of some sort to connect them to the power supply's screw leads.
I bought some electrical connectors just for this purpose, but I'm not entirely certain they will be good for this purpose, so I thought I'd check here first.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RTAFs.jpg)
There are specifications on the back:
```
╬──────────────────╬──────────────────────╬─────────────╬───────────╬
╬ ╬ AWG ╬ Wire Size ╬ Stud Size ╬
╬──────────────────╬──────────────────────╬─────────────╬───────────╬
╬ Spade Terminals ╬
╬──────────────────╬──────────────────────╬─────────────╬───────────╬
╬ YF1.25-35 (red) ╬ 22-16 ╬ 0.5-1.5 ╬ 3.7 ╬
╬──────────────────╬──────────────────────╬─────────────╬───────────╬
╬ Ring Terminals ╬
╬──────────────────╬──────────────────────╬─────────────╬───────────╬
╬ YF1.25-4 (red) ╬ 22-16 ╬ .5-1.5 ╬ 4.3 ╬
╬──────────────────╬──────────────────────╬─────────────╬───────────╬
╬ Butt Splice ╬
╬──────────────────╬──────────────────────╬─────────────╬───────────╬
╬ BF-1.2SS (red) ╬ 22-16 ╬ .5-1.5 ╬ n/a ╬
╬──────────────────╬──────────────────────╬─────────────╬───────────╬
```
Not sure if I should use ring or spade terminals, and I don't know what wire size to use; and I don't know what wire grade is inside a standard PC power cord or even if these are safe connectors to use for this. | [
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303 | [This article](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/1115.html) states that 3D printing has been accomplished in outer space, on the International Space Station.
I'm curious as to how this works differently from 3D printing on Earth. Are there any extra measures that needed to be taken to ensure that the filament would be correctly extruded onto the print bed, or during other steps? | [
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319 | Are there any techniques for getting a smooth finish for parts printed with co-polyester (PET) filaments? More specifically, I am looking for an alternative that does not roughen the look of the part - such as using sandpaper - but rather works like acetone baths for ABS.
In particular, I want to treat ColorFabb's XT filament made from the [Eastman Amphora™ 3D polymer](http://www.eastman.com/Markets/3D_Printing/Pages/Products.aspx) ([datasheet](http://ws.eastman.com/ProductCatalogApps/PageControllers/ProdDatasheet_PC.aspx?Product=71100831&sCategoryName=Generic)). This is also the polymer is also used in:
* ColorFabb [nGen and XT](http://colorfabb.com/co-polyesters)
* Taulman3D n-vent
* TripTech Athiri 1800
* 3DXTech 3DXNano | [
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"text": "I've found a [chart](http://www.plasticsintl.com/plastics_chemical_resistence_chart.html) which covers several plastics a... | 2016/01/18 | [
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321 | Common 3D printers (read "cheap") may be used to print masks for PCBs (printed-circuit boards) which use PTH (through-hole) components.
But can they be used to print PCBs which use SMD components? I'd like to make boards at least for Arduino-like SMD chips. | [
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322 | When designing parts that should either fit with external objects or other printed parts, what measures can one take to ensure that the dimensions of the final print are accurate and fit the other object?
To my knowledge, you at least have two options to account for printer inaccuracy and shrinkage:
* Adjust the space around joints in your CAD model
* Adjust dimensional offsets in your slicer software
Are there any good workflows one can use to design and print 3D-models accurately without resorting to trial and error? | [
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331 | I upgraded to a dual Mk9 extruder, and quickly discovered how critical it is to get the ends of both nozzles exactly level with each other -- that is, equally distant from the build plate at all times. Otherwise the lower one will crash against the plastic just extruded by the higher one.
So, what's a good procedure for getting the nozzles accurately level? About all I've figure out is to move the heads down close to Z=0, and then run X and Y back and forth and eyeball and adjust; then move even closer to Z=0 and repeat. Is there a better / more efficient way? | [
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"text": "1. Make sure that the **bed is level**. As the saying goes, a level bed is next to godliness or something like that. ... | 2016/01/19 | [
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341 | I just received this printer and while it seems to talk to Makerbot Desktop software I'm not sure if I should be trying to update the firmware.
The printer comes with firmware v7.2 and while Makerbot Desktop offers an upgrade to v7.5 I'm not sure if it's a good idea with this non-Makerbot branded printer.
I've also seen information on upgrading this printer to Sailfish v7.5, is this the same thing as Makerbot firmware v7.5? | [
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343 | When I use Cura with the Pronterface UI it sometime just stops printing.
When it stops the printer just stops, the UI looks like it's still printing but nothing is moving in the printer, also, trying to control the printer from the UI does nothing.
It always stops early in the printing process, usually during the auto-leveling process or while printing the skirt, the latest it happened was during the first solid layer of a raft.
Usually closing the printing window and re-opening it solves the problem but not always, this never happened to me with the basic UI, I couldn't find any settings that makes the problem better or worse, it just happens randomly.
Anyone knows how to stop that from happening?
My printer is a Robo 3D R1+
**Update**
After installing a screen on my printer I discovered Pronterface is sending a "Wait for user" G Code to the printer.
Because this changes the question too much and invalidates the existing answer I've asked a new question at [What makes Pronterface wait for user?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/518/what-makes-pronterface-wait-for-user) | [
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344 | I'm in the process of building a 3D printer and have all the stepper motors wired up and the controller connected to the computer running pronterface.
I can move each axis and also send g-code to the printer.
Now **how can I define the current position to be the 0/0/0 position?**
I'd like to move the printer into a position where I think should be the zero position and define it as such in pronterface somehow. | [
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"text": "> \n> G92 X0 Y0 Z0\n> \n> \n> \n\ntells the printer that the current position is (0,0,0)."
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358 | I found a story about someone [3D-printing equipment for their Lego minifig](http://www.fablabamersfoort.nl/en/node/534), using an Ultimaker. (Article is in Dutch, but accompanied by photographs).
I noticed that what they made weren't the actual connecting bricks, but the tools used by the minifig. And that even so, some filing and a dremel were needed afterwards to make them fit properly.
I'm told that to make something connect properly with real Lego, the machine needs to be tuned very precisely.
So, what resolution is needed to print bricks that will connect with normal Lego bricks? | [
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361 | I was just shopping for filament, and saw some glowing claims about PETG being as easy to work with as PLA, but as strong as ABS, and less brittle. Anyone know if that's actually true, or what the tradeoffs are? | [
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"text": "PETG is great stuff to work with. It is stronger than ABS also. It prints slower than ABS and PLA. The formulas va... | 2016/01/21 | [
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365 | [Stereolithography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereolithography) produces parts by projecting ultraviolet light on the top of a vat of liquid photopolymer, causing it to harden. [CLIP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous_Liquid_Interface_Production) produces parts by projecting ultraviolet light through the bottom of a vat of liquid photopolymer, causing it to harden. This seems like a minor difference, yet CLIP is reportedly much faster (I've seen numbers as high as 100x). Why is this? | [
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"text": "It's important to understand what specifically is being compared. **CLIP is much faster than bottom-up technologie... | 2016/01/21 | [
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369 | In Cura, I can edit my .ini profile settings as needed, for example, when I change filament or models. It's annoying to have to edit the profile on another computer and update it on my Pi just to change the infill, etc. I've searched <http://plugins.octoprint.org/> and can't find any plugins that do this. | [
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"text": "As far as I know, this is currently not possible."
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371 | [E3D-Online](https://e3d-online.com/blogs/news/are-abrasives-killing-your-nozzle) and [Make Magazine](http://makezine.com/2015/09/11/carbon-fiber-filament-ruins-nozzles/) have written about the potential damage printing carbon fiber and glow in the dark filaments can do to your printer's nozzle.
What I can't seem to find is what clues or warning signs to be on the look out for if your nozzle has taken a significant amount of wear. I've printed a few hundred grams of glow filament personally and have not noticed any change in print quality.
E3D says you may have "unpredictable erratic printing" with a worn nozzle. Can anyone explain or provide examples of what this actually means and when a replacement is necessary? | [
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380 | I need to do some post processing of my 3D-printed models that includes adding some holes. For each of PLA, ABS, PETG and other 3D-printing materials:
In what ways is drilling a hole in a model made from that material like or unlike drilling wood? Is it worth getting special "plastic drilling bits" that cost tons of money or can I use regular high speed drill bits? Do these plastics have grain that they will split on when drilled into, and if so, what are ways to avoid such splitting? Are higher speeds better, or lower speeds, or should I only use a finger-twirled bit holder?
Are some 3D-printing materials easier to drill than others?
What other methods also work for creating a hole in the different types of plastics? | [
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383 | On one of the nozzles on my printer, the filament comes out at a 45 degree angle. It seems that this causes problems with adhesion to the bed and overall quality.
* What caused this problem?
* How do I fix it?
* How do I prevent it from
happening in the future? | [
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386 | I"m considering making my own filament, with a device like the one at <http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:380987>. Partly because it's another machine to build, which is cool, but also to save money on filament.
Has anyone here tried to make their own filament? My main questions are:
* Is the quality comparable to typical off-the-shelf filaments? Put another way, with reasonable tuning can one produce filament that's good enough to use without a lot of frustration?
* Does it require a lot of attention to tuning, monitoring, or other details (which make it less worthwhile / more time-consuming)? Warning of pitfalls to avoid is also welcome.
* Are there useful things one can do this way, that are hard to achieve with off-the-shelf filaments? For example, unusual materials; better control of diameter, density, etc; or mixing one's own colors? | [
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388 | When installing and using a new hotend for the first time, which steps of action should be taken before. This will probably be more applicable to chinese clones than to authentic products (is the statement true?): **Should a certain cleaning procedure be carried out** (removing swarf/shavings for example)? **Should mechanical precision be controlled and if necessary improved** (de-edging and nozzle size are two things I could think of)?
I know the topic [How should I clean my extruder when changing materials?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/233/how-should-i-clean-my-extruder-when-changing-materials), which is a nice addon read, but I am concerned about brand-new extruders. | [
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389 | What are the specifications of the three wires inside a PC cable that is used to connect the switching power supply to a US AC outlet.
The positive, negative and ground appear to be the same gauge stranded cable, and I've heard that it can handle 10A, but beyond that I don't really know what the rest of the specifications for the wire are. | [
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394 | If I need to test out some of the components of a RAMPS 1.4 based 3D Printer, can I only plug some of them into the board (not all of them) and test them out?
I'd like to test out the NEMA 17 motors without testing the heated bed or extruder. Is this safe and why? | [
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"text": "Yes, you can. By leaving components unplugged you would simply have some pins powered that are not in use. But ... | 2016/01/26 | [
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402 | This is in with [my other question about components](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/394/when-building-a-ramps-1-4-based-printer-can-i-safely-plugin-just-some-of-the-co) and the [other question about electricity](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/389/in-the-standard-pc-cable-wire-that-goes-from-the-wall-outlet-to-the-switching-po); how can I check to see how many amps are being pulled? Can I check a component at a time to make sure I'm not going over the limit, and then just add them all in together once I've summed the amps to make sure it's safe to hook everything up. The amps shouldn't change right?
What settings should my multimeter be set to? And to check how much it's pulling, do I just put the multimeter's leads on the green terminals on RAMPS 1.4? | [
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403 | There is a little circuit board, or breadboard or something [in the diagram of the wiring for the i3](http://reprap.org/wiki/Prusa_i3_Rework_Electronics_and_wiring#Wiring).
And it's mentioned that the z-axis motors need to be [wired in parallel](http://reprap.org/wiki/Prusa_i3_Rework_Electronics_and_wiring#Motors_wiring) but beyond that they don't give you much detail about parts or how the wires go in.
Can someone provide me with some more detail on this? | [
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"text": "In the diagram, they do show the wires connecting together, which is right. You can accomplish that just about any way y... | 2016/01/26 | [
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409 | I'm thinking about buliding my own 3D printer from scratch.
Is it better to buy a starter DIY kit and try to build your printer around it, or to order separate parts for printer, and then to combine a printer? | [
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"text": "From a general point of view, there are a few things to consider.\n\n**If you buy a kit**:\n\nPros:\n\n* You get... | 2016/01/27 | [
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413 | How do I smooth 3D printed objects? What is the best / common method to do this? | [
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421 | I have seen lots of printers that print chocolate using a syringe with molten chocolate. But, even cooler, would it be possible to print chocolate using some kind of feed system for **continuous** chocolate printing, so large objects and for a prolonged time, not only lasting the content of one syringe with molten chocolate ?
Things to consider are IMO:
* How to keep the chocolate long enough in a molten, viscous state
enough to print ?
* Chocolate needs a tempering temperature, which
means it needs to be around 32-37 degrees celsius, else it doesn't
shine but gets a dull look (or turns white after a while).
* Chocolate
is food, so you need foodsave equipment in the whole chain that is in
contact with the chocolate.
Maybe a peristaltic pump that keeps pumping the molten chocolate to the extruder, which might be a valve that can be open/closed from G-code ? | [
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"text": "Update: I found a nice article about chocolate printing: <https://all3dp.com/2/chocolate-3d-printer-all-you-need-to-know/>\... | 2016/01/31 | [
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423 | I recently found out carbon fiber and glow in the dark PLA can damage the printer nozzle, now I'm suspicious of all the "exotic" filaments.
So, does wood filament cause damage to the nozzle? (under normal use, or at least what someone who only used PLA/ABS before would consider normal use)
Let's assume a normal quality brass nozzle - not some cheap stuff that didn't even came in the correct size to begin with and not some premium reinforeced nozzle - and reasonable quality filament. | [
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"text": "If you haven't been to their site before, you should check out the forums on 3DHubs. There's a lot of how-to's. A quick ... | 2016/02/01 | [
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442 | In general 3D printers are compact and smaller than RP machines. That's ok. But, what's the difference? 3D printers can be used as RP machine too. | [
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445 | I'd like to customize and modify some parts on Thingiverse, beyond just simple scaling for 3D printing.
I've been looking for some tools that convert the STL files into something that is easily edited, but so far all that I've found are really buggy and crash frequently as soon as one loads a reasonably complex model.
Are there any free open source software tools that people can recommend that handle STL importing and editing? If not FOSS, what about just "free or nearly free for hobbyists, ed, non-commercial? | [
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450 | I have a Robo 3D. However A while ago, the print bed was fractured, and now it has a long crack cutting it in half. The bed still works because it is held together, by the screws holding the bed to the tracks. So I want to continue using it, because it still is fairly good, the heating element works fine, and a replacement bed is 80$, and I am unsure if the one sold on the RoBo 3D website will be compatible with my printer as I don't have the R1, but a version before that.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/b4osS.jpg)
So my question is:
How can I best align the two glass fragments, to provide as flat a print surface as possible, and two how to best hold these two pieces in place, or if it would be best to invest in a new print bed?
EDIT:
Here is a image of the heating element as well to explain the situation with how it is attached[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4yr34.jpg)
EDIT:
The RoBo 3D team have said that I just need to upgrade my y-axis with a object on thingiverse and then buy their new build plate. So I am going to experiment with a glass replacement, and if that fails to succeed then I will go along with their suggestion, and buy the upgrade. Thanks everyone for their help. | [
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454 | I'm using Cura as my slicing/printing software and I just started using the BuildTak printing surface.
The BuildTak is damaged by pushing a hot nozzle into it and my printer's (Robo3D R1+) autoleveling feature works by pushing the nozzle into the build surface.
Is there a way to configure Cura so that it runs the Z probe first, then heat up the nozzle?
My first sheet of BuildTak already has 10 small holes in it (at the homing position and at the 9 leveling touch points) | [
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456 | I am wondering how people that use standalone 3D printers (printers that have the ability to print autonomously from SD Card) feed in filament, prime the printhead and/or change filaments without a laptop ?
Do the printers have a menu to arrange all these tasks ?
I often only see the options to preheat the head to a certain temperature, but not to load/unload filament, extrude a small amount etc.
I understand this differs from printer to printer, but still am wondering about this. | [
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458 | I'm thinking of another extruder on my printer, and I'm curious about this one....
Is it necessary to have both hot ends on same height? Why yes / why not? (if there is not) | [
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461 | I have searched the internet and found various 3D printers with different advantages and materials which they can print - some even multi color.
However, I cannot seem to find a printer that can print multiple material with different properties; for instance, simultaneously printing PLA and metal. Is there currently such a printer available or in development? | [
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470 | Is there a good method or tool to level the bed of 3D printers? I find myself making small adjustments a lot and it's mostly just trial-and-error. A normal bubble level is of limited help and trying to figure out if the head is the thickness of a sheet of paper from the bed in all corners is beyond the capability of my vision. | [
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475 | Occasionally, while printing, my *y* axis will slip and the layer will, from that point forward, be shifted, ruining the print.
What might be the causes of an axis slipping? I have tried cooling the motor which seemed to have been getting warm, and the belts are not too tight.
This does not happen with every print, and seems to be an intermittent problem.
My printer is a MendelMax RepRap, and the *y* axis is my moving bed. | [
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"text": "From what I've experienced, there could be three potential reasons.\n\n1. Your belt(s) could be loose. Simply loosen you... | 2016/02/04 | [
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502 | From what I understand, it takes a really long time for the heated bed to heat up using an MK2a heated bed. I've heard some people suggest that using [Polyisocyanurate (PIR) foam](http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?4,584582) (insulation that takes quite a bit of heat to catch on fire) can be used under the headed bed to make it heat up faster.
Now of course there are other methods for doing this too, for instance using a larger power supply, but at this point I'd rather just use the parts that I have without re-soldering many of the components on the RAMPS board.
I was wondering what a proper way to attach this to the bed would be for instance, should the springs go on the bottom or on the top of the bed? Do I need some extra parts? Are there any other considerations for doing this? | [
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505 | Wnass is always level, easy to clean, easy to work with.
Aluminium allows for the addition of automatic bed leveling with an inductive sensor and distributes heat a little more evenly.
When printing mostly ABS and PLA, which one is better? | [
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507 | I currently print with a .4mm nozzle on my extruder, and my prints seem to come out fairly accurate; would I see much of a difference if I went to a .3mm?
What are the pros and cons of larger and smaller nozzle sizes? | [
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513 | **Given the emissions that 3d printing gives off (ABS = styrene and other chemicals, PLA give some off, etc), what options are there to filter the air in the enclosure other than venting the air out of a window?**
More information on the chemicals 3d printing emit:
* <http://built-envi.com/portfolio/ultrafine-particle-emissions-from-3d-printers/>
It looks like activated carbon filters would be a strong performer for ABS (styrene) and PLA (lactide):
* <https://www.sentryair.com/activated-carbon-filter.htm>
**Are there better filtering materials or processes for filtering the air in an enclosure?**
Here's an example filter setup:
* This fan mount: <https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:780001>
* 60mm fans and this filter: [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XNI5SY4](https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/B00XNI5SY4)
* And sandwich the filter on the fan using this fan grill: <https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:11906> | [
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514 | Some electronics come as a single PCB. They have CPU and everything on just one board.
Other electronics are a shield for an Arduino. So these are always two boards. The Arduino and the other PCB.
You probably don't want to exchange the Arduino unless it is broken. Does it break that often or are the two boards just the predecessors of the one board solution?
What are the benefits/downsides to having one/two boards? | [
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522 | My printer has an auto-leveling feature that works by touching the build plate with the tip of the nozzle.
I started using a BuildTak surface and BuildTak is damaged when you push a hot nozzle into it.
So I edited the start G-code to run the auto-leveling before heating up the hotend
But ABS doesn't stick to the build surface unless I pre-heat the hotend and wait about a minute.
So now I'm looking for a G-code command to put at the end of the start G-code that will make the printer wait a minute before printing
The sequence I'm looking for is:
* Heat up the bed
* Auto level
* Raise the hotend a little bit so it doesn't touch the build plate
* Heat up the hotend
* *Wait a minute (that's the only part that is missing, everything else works)*
* Start printing
Any way to insert a delay into the G-code?
I'm using Cura to slice/print, my printer is Robo3D R1+ | [
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540 | I just added a fan to my printer because very small layers seem to come out very badly. For example, the 5mm PLA cube that's the top level of the test shape shown below. Watching closely, I can see that the newly-extruded fiber is pushing the previous layer(s?) around pretty freely. And when the object is finished, the little top cube is bulging, rounded, and still soft to the touch.
The 2nd-to-top level of the object is also quite small and quick, but often comes out nicely (if anything, it was better before I added the fan).
The fan is a squirrel-cage with about a 2.5cm square outlet, pointing at the nozzle from about 5cm away, running full speed. The extruder is a Mk9 from <http://www.makergeeks.com/duexretopr.html>.
I also tried telling pronterface to wait if a level was too brief, but that setting seems not to do anything.
What else can I try? It seems like this is a not-enough-cooling problem, but perhaps something else too?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rKDz8.png) | [
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542 | Most electronics use micro-controllers like an AVR, but I'm seeing ARM chips in new electronics. ARM chips are said to be more powerful, but in what areas related to 3D printing could this help? What are the features that the AVR struggles with and where an ARM could be better?
High Speed movement? Delta printers? Graphic display?
And is the AVR really the limitation there? | [
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554 | I want to upload some of my works to [Thingiverse](http://www.thingiverse.com/) without making my real name public (displaying it on the profile page).
I think it is OK to register my name to the site unless the make it public, and it is required by the terms to provide truthful and accurate information.
I tried creating an account on the site, but I deleted it because I couldn't find the way to hide my name (set another one) from the profile page in a short time.
I see some accounts that doesn't seem showing their real name (for example, their name on profile equals to their account ID, or at least not in two parts: first and last name as required on registration), so I guess this is archivable.
examples:
* <http://www.thingiverse.com/Darkcheops/about>
* <http://www.thingiverse.com/ruaridh/about>
* <https://www.thingiverse.com/Torleif/about>
How can I set my name for profile page on Thingiverse after registration and logging in? | [
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573 | everyone.
I'm a relative newcomer to 3D printing, so I don't know what constitutes an unacceptably bad spool of filament.
About 1/6 of the way into a roll of PETG (and maybe 4 hours into a 6-hour print), an over/under wrap brought things to a screeching halt. I aborted the print, then snipped the filament and started unspooling it, looking for more cross-wraps. I found a ton of them, along with a ton of kinks.
I stopped about 1/3 of the way into the spool, still finding kinks and cross-wraps, and said to heck with it. The only way to use it would have been to run the entire length onto another spool, carefully avoiding cross-wraps, and hope the kinks wouldn't affect the print quality.
I complained to the supplier but never even got a reply, so now I'm wondering if this is just one of those things I can expect from time to time. Any thoughts & opinions would be much appreciated.
Cheers,
Glasseyed | [
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"text": "Filament should come off of the roll without overlapping itself. That being said depending on what you paid for it w... | 2016/02/13 | [
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582 | **I was wondering if this printer(daVinci 1.0) had the ability to print very small objects, like insects, coins, or small nuts. (About the size of 1 -2 cubic centimeters)**
[Here](http://us.xyzprinting.com/us_en/Product/da-Vinci-1.0-AiO) is a link to the printer on the website.
The reason I ask is someone asked me if it was able to, but I have not been able to access the actual 3-D printer for use at this time, just manuals which I have looked through.
**So if the 3-D printer was able to print small objects, would a novice be able to do such a thing?**
Please let me know if any additional details are needed. | [
{
"answer_id": 583,
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"text": "1) If we're talking about FFF/FDM printers:\n\nAccuracy of the electronics and motors allows it, yes.\nBut how FDM pr... | 2016/02/15 | [
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