[Drawing your own supports]

I have also been messing around with Simplify 3D, and the support option is my favorite, i usually manually add them in using about 2-3 mm thickness so they're not too tough, although the print is always a bit messier with them. Another option is to use autocad or solidworks and add supports to whatever object your working with, I would like to try and make a fine tip touching my print and a more thicker base to allow easy clean up but we will see what happens.

[New to 3D Printing and Looking for some help/advice]

I recently purchased the Ultimaker 2 Extended for my office to print out prototype parts before sending them to production. Our prints have been so-so and I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction, I may be doing something wrong with settings or something. While watching the printer i noticed it is moving quite fast when performing travel movements and it looked like filament was being improperly placed so i slowed down some speed settings. I have provided a picture of my settings as a reference. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks-

John

[New to the 3D Printing World, Looking for help.]

Print it with the holes facing down on the bed. You will still need supports for the inside, though. You can cut it into more pieces to avoid supports altogether, such as making the tube on piece, and print that vertically.

It's a tricky part, though. You might want to design it differently to make it easier to print.

Im going to try to print the part the way you suggested and i'll upload the result. Thank you for the assistance.

[New to the 3D Printing World, Looking for help.]

Print it with the holes facing down on the bed. You will still need supports for the inside, though. You can cut it into more pieces to avoid supports altogether, such as making the tube on piece, and print that vertically.

It's a tricky part, though. You might want to design it differently to make it easier to print.

Okay now I see what you mean, this is just a prototype before sending the part out for production so im sure this will work, and i agree with the part being tricky, quite a pain actually.

[New to the 3D Printing World, Looking for help.]

That's just how one would expect it to look like, since that area is where the supports were.

If you need all the surfaces to look clean, the number one rule is do not use supports. Split your model into two or more parts to avoid using supports, add locating holes on all mating surfaces, print separately and assemble, popping some filament into the locating holes. Use superglue as an adhesive.

If you upload your model I will show you what I mean.

Here is a link to my dropbox with the .stl file..

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yjkixzqcy79qpee/PORT.STL?dl=0

[New to the 3D Printing World, Looking for help.]

That's just how one would expect it to look like, since that area is where the supports were.

If you need all the surfaces to look clean, the number one rule is do not use supports. Split your model into two or more parts to avoid using supports, add locating holes on all mating surfaces, print separately and assemble, popping some filament into the locating holes. Use superglue as an adhesive.

If you upload your model I will show you what I mean.

Yea I've been tinkering with some settings as well, the speed the extruder travels when making infills, does that pertain to quality as well? while i watch it, it seems it misses a bit when extruding filament. Not sure if that is supposed to be like that since its just supports that are being made. Would you like me upload the .stl file as well?

[New to the 3D Printing World, Looking for help.]

So we have had our Ultimaker 2 Extended about a week now, it has blown everyone away out of the box but after a few prints things are working out the way we would like. Sometimes prints are amazing, like the test Ultimaker Robot was nice, a few horrible overhang edges but otherwise well done. Now we are moving into prototypes for work and some edges and faces are just looking horrible. If anyone has any idea as to what I might be doing wrong please feel free to let me know, I would greatly appreciate any help received. I have attached some pictures to get a better understanding of the issue.

The Top side of the part looks great, the sides are smooth and not too much stringing, but the bottom just looks like garbage.

[What software for beginner]

Google Sketch Up is pretty easy to use (reminds me of microsoft paint). Its pretty much place an object pull it out and boom you have a 3D object. If your more into autocad programs like me i would use solidworks, I use it all the time and its by far my favorite program for making 3d objects.

[Examples of truly practical/useful prints?]

We just purchased the Ultimaker 2 Extended for work and we mostly use it to produce prototype parts before mass production. These Printers are amazing and everyone in the office is always circled around.