UMO is not printing all of the outer walls, please help I can't figure this out.

[miksa3d 0]

First I want to start by saying I have been working on this issue for 10 days and I still can't figure this out. First some information about me, yes I am new to 3D printing and designing 3D models so mostly I think that is what the issue is. I am trying to design and print a vaping mechanical box mod case. The battery sled I printed is perfect, the lid prints perfectly but the box not so much. I have some pictures of what is going on:

I am using Solidworks 2016, the holes are for the 510 connection, firing button and I still need to add more features. I have been trying to use Meshmixer, NetFabb Cloud Service for repairing models and I still get the same result. I have exported the STL file with incredible detail to create a file 130MB to as low as the triangle count can go. Honestly the best print I had was with the lowest STL settings. The pictures are of the print AFTER I used the NetFabb repair service. I understand I have a lot to learn and my issue is not printer related but I am assuming it is my 3D design itself as it is not watertight. I am just not experienced enough to fix it. I know the issue comes up on layer 44, I am still trying to figure out the Gcode, for some reason at the beginning of the cutouts it just will not print the wall.

In Cura I inspect with the X-Ray view and I have gone through every layer. It shows that it SHOULD be printing the wall where it is supposed to be. That's what really throws me off because Cura visibly shows it should be printing 100%. Here are my printer settings right now. I have been experimenting with various settings but this is what I am using with PLA:

Again I have been searching and experimenting for some time now and I am losing hope. Can someone point me in the right direction? I can even send you my file for the 3d parts I am having issues with. I want to get it fixed so it will print properly but I also want to learn how to fix it. Just every search I conduct on making watertight 3D models just point to the darn netfabb cloud service and it does not work. If it's a setting issue I think I have adjusted every setting and have printed 40 of these boxes with walls missing. If there is someone out there proficient and willing to teach I am all ears. Heck I would pay for lessons at this point, yes I am getting desperate. Thanks for any help!

[valcrow 144]

Are you sure your mesh is totally solid? I would specifically check the verticies around the hole to see if they are welded to the corresponding side verts. Overlapping, double or unwelded verts sometimes cause funky effects like these including solid fill layers for no apparent reason.

In your layer view in Cura, does it show this error?

If you scale up your object as large as possible, does this error still occur (in your layer view)?

[miksa3d 0]

Are you sure your mesh is totally solid? I would specifically check the verticies around the hole to see if they are welded to the corresponding side verts. Overlapping, double or unwelded verts sometimes cause funky effects like these including solid fill layers for no apparent reason.

In your layer view in Cura, does it show this error?

If you scale up your object as large as possible, does this error still occur (in your layer view)?

 

Thanks for the reply much appreciated. In Cura and Simply3d I checked the layers and in Slic3r as well, they all do not show these errors in the layer view. In Solidworks it was in the solid model folder, in Sketchup it shown as solid. I have to check my other computer but there is a 3d software that has a watertight check tool and it called it watertight. Now around the cutouts there are some really long triangles in the STL file, I need to get a picture of it and I wasn't sure if that is what would be causing the issue. It is just weird because none of the slicers represented this STL files as being a failure. In Sketchup I used Solid Inspector 2 and CleanUp3 and it called it watertight and still same type of issue. I will have to look really close to the mesh then. What's the best program to view mesh? Does our 3D STL files have to be surface triangular mesh or is there a way to convert it to tetrahedral volume mesh. Forgive any misspelling but that second mesh has way more smaller triangles and way more uniform in the QuickMesh program. I am just at a loss. I spoke with someone who is designing the same type of device and uses Sketchup and does not have the same issues. I will look into the triangles and see if they are any gaps. I can also upload the STL if you would like to view it. Heck I would be curious to have someone else print it to see if they have the same issues which would eliminate my printer being the issue. The person I was speaking with said he did nothing special besides using the pull tool on a circle he drew through the wall. Then before exporting used solid inspector and cleanup. Exactly what I did and it's just not working argh. Sorry for my frustration but not printing one thing successfully is very discouraging.

[reemaj3D 1]

Hi miksa3d,

I would definitely suggest that you upload the model if you're still having a problem that way someone can take a look at it and see what's causing the issue. Sometimes it could be an error in your file that you have missed. Especially SketchUp is not good with making watertight models. Anyways, I hope you are able to print your model.

[miksa3d 0]

Hi miksa3d,

I would definitely suggest that you upload the model if you're still having a problem that way someone can take a look at it and see what's causing the issue. Sometimes it could be an error in your file that you have missed. Especially SketchUp is not good with making watertight models. Anyways, I hope you are able to print your model.

 

I will have the file uploaded tonight, sorry for the delay I had a last minute business trip which is always fun. I have been really looking into the STL files and how the triangles are produced, I don't have my stl right now but it's very similar to this, even in solid works:

It's not very uniform and mine has a 2mm cutout on a 4mm wall with another cutout in the center that goes completely through. That's image 3 above. Anyways thanks again for the reply, I'll upload the STL, Solidworks file, and if you guys need any other formats let me know I'll upload it.

[miksa3d 0]

Here is the Solidworks 16' part file:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/edodou1wwieh0ui/Bokkusu_v0.202.SLDPRT?dl=0

Here is the STL file:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qeu21qa1hcmyc09/Bokkusu_v0.202.STL?dl=0

Here is another STL I created, still same issue:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1uoo4ipdod8p968/test_3.stl?dl=0

I was speaking with someone who makes these device enclosures and he was using sketchup and his items come out perfect. I've even downloaded good working files that print fine from him and I still get my line issue. I am starting to think there may be something with my machine lol. Could someone please tell me what's wrong with my files? Or could someone print out the first STL and see if they can reproduce the same issues I am having? If you can print with the same issue then at least I know I'm doing it wrong but if it prints out perfect... well then the machine is going flying across the room ha. Thanks again.

[rowiac 53]

miksa3d,

I opened your first .STL file, and the first thing I noticed is that it is tiny, only about 10mm in length.  From the pictures you posted, this looks to be scaled down to about 10%, so I scaled it up 10x (1000%) to make the length about 100mm..  Using the default "Low Quality" settings in Cura 2.1.3, I did not see any issues in layer view.

You might want to adjust your Cura settings, for example Material Diameter should be 2.85mm and I you may not need 50% in-fill.  Also your print speed seems slow.  I have had good luck with the default settings in Cura for PLA.  My not too experienced guess is that these settings are most likely not causing your problems, however.

For a part like this, I have had good luck using Sketchup, which you mentioned you have used.  SolidWorks is fine, but is probably overkill for a part like this.  Also I only have SolidWorks 2014, so I can't open your SWX2016 file to look at it.  I did, however, open the first STL file in Sketchup.  Again, the model was scaled down very small, so I scaled it up 10x.  I see a lot of unnecessary lines in the model that can be deleted.  You may have already seen these, but here are a couple of links describing how to make Sketchup models watertight for 3D printing:

Prepare Sketchup files for 3d printing

3d printing with Sketchup

When I group the model and check the entity info, it shows that it is not a solid, so there is a problem somewhere and the SolidInspector plugin is not able to fix it automatically.  You will need to zoom and look at all the vertices to make sure they are all connected.  The first thing I would do is delete as many extraneous lines as possible, and fill in any holes you find by drawing lines connecting points.

I saw an open area in the notch next to the hole where you were having some trouble.  This might be the cause, but it also could be a problem caused by the import into Sketchup. In any case, it will take a bit of work, but you should be able to clean up the model in Sketchup and see if that works for you.

I can post some pictures of what I'm talking about if you like, but it's getting late tonight and unfortunately I don't have the time right now.

Good luck.

[miksa3d 0]

Thanks for taking the time rowiac,

I mught have exported it in a different unit of measurement when I was experimenting, not sure why it's not scaling correctly sorry for that. The longest length is 108mm. I think I know what areas you are talking about one of them I found was in the S that created a hole for me. I'll have to look at the cutouts. Now maybe you can help me understand how to delete and edit the STL file. I guess I'm trying to understand how the STL file saves/exports. I use solid inspector 2 and cleanup 3. When I use the tools it shows everything being ok. My question is when it exports wouldn't it just generate those issues again? I guess the I'm confused on how it works, does it act like a random generation of the object or does it act more like a save or save as function, just saving the changes made? If that makes any sense but that's where I'm getting confused when I'm editing my stl files. I was looking at the biggest cutout, and when zoomed in I noticed that some of the triangles only showed up when I zoomed in very, very close meaning those triangles are super tiny. Could that also create confusion for the printer causing my issue? They are exactly where it won't print that outer wall. I tried deleting the line and it just made a hole. I'm trying to play withe it to see how I can modify the triangles so they intersect like they are if that may help. I'm going to redesign the whole thing in sketchup again tonight. I know sketchup isn't ideal for 3d printing but I have had better results being a novice. I will repost my stl when done. Heck does anyone live near Austin that wants to make some money teaching me how to 3d print and designing solid models? Ha I'm getting desperate. Again thanks a lot for taking the time to help me especially so late at night.

[rowiac 53]

I have used Sketchup for a while--mostly for home construction projects, for which it is pretty good  vs. mechanical assemblies with many details, for which SolidWorks is better.  Making Sketchup models work with 3D printing is new to me, though, since I only got my UMO+ a few weeks ago.  Things that you don't have to worry about if all you're creating is a model or drawing can become a big problem when printing.  I discovered this with a model I designed in Sketchup recently.  I sliced it in Cura, started the print job and walked away.  When I came back there was about 3/4 of model and a pile of spaghetti on top of it.  I looked at the layers in Cura and found that at one point the nozzle was attempting to print in the air, but it was not obvious to me as a novice.  Now I typically check to make sure the layers look the way I expect them before printing.

In that case I fixed the model by a combination of SolidInspector2 and hand editing the model to make it watertight.  Editing the model is not that hard once you understand how Sketchup works.  Your model is not very complex, except for the embossed text, which also appeared to have holes.  You should be able to fix it in Sketchup.

To form a surface in Sketchup you need to have at least 3 points/vertices with 3 connecting lines (a triangle).  You can make a surface with more than 3 points if the points/lines are all on the same plane.  That allows you to delete extra lines without creating a hole. If you deleted a line and the surface disappeared, you can either undo and try deleting a different line, or try adding a line (pencil tool) by snapping to points around the perimeter of the hole.  If you are lucky, you will add the line at the right points, and a surface will appear in the hole.  Sometimes you need to keep trying to find the missing line.  If the hole is not triangle shaped, you might need to add a line from point to point across the hole.  This would be the case if the points/lines forming the hole are not all on the same plane.  Once you've filled in the hole, you can try to delete other extra lines.

More important than removing extra lines, however, is to find and close any holes or gaps in the model.  Since you know where the problem printing areas are on the part, I would focus on those areas.  Using the move tool, sometimes you can drag a point to snap to another point to close a small gap.

Try not to get too frustrated.  This is all part of the learning process, which I have also been going through myself recently.