Knowledge Exchange - 3D Printing Settings

[Moritz 1]

Is it a pain for you to spend a lot of time for experimenting on print settings until you find the best combination? This is exactly what I experienced.

For this reason, I want to collect the knowledge and experiences of the community to make 3D printing easier for each other. We started to build up a database for printer models, filament types and filament provider. The target is to share the results with you and make 3d printing easier! Therefore, I need further insights about your experiences. If you like the idea and if you are interested in the best practices from other users, it would be great if you help to grow by sharing your experiences in return. It takes you 1-2 minutes (per setting combination - printer model, filament type, filament provider) to fill out the survey and make a big contribution to the printing community.

link.

Thanks for helping to build up this database!

Edited May 30, 2017 by SandervG

[ultiarjan 1,223]

the link does not work .....

and a question, how do you filter on quality? you try to find common denominators between entries? need a minimum number of entries per machine material combination? or just accept every entry?

Can you explain a bit more on how this is intended to work?

[SandervG 1,521]

@ultiarjan, the link should work now.

[neotko 1,417]

Wouldn't it be more time efficient to just be able to save a full settings file on cura (not current half & half decaffeinated mode). ?

I mean, that's what I do for my settings on s3d, save the profile.

For me is a no go since it settings are much more complex than just speed/temp.

For example, for filaflex to print at 60-70mm/s 0.2 layer isn't just temperature + speed.

Is also, negative retraction distance after a retraction, use a bearings spool holder to avoid filament flexing from spool to extruder and using a zge directdrive. Also a number of settings for one object or for many on the bed, all changes since one need to compensate the amount of filament lost from moving from a to b and the combing also must be controlled to avoid bad looking surfaces.

I could write down some of this, but nothing can be as precise as a full profile export with the correct settings for each scenario. And I have 4 different scenarios for 3 different speeds. 12 profiles total for 1 filament and color. Everything chanes from color mint to purple of filaflex due density on the filament vs tension on the drivegears.

Also, other think to add, extruder tension, not all filaments work with the max/middle setting.

[Moritz 1]

the link does not work .....

and a question, how do you filter on quality? you try to find common denominators between entries? need a minimum number of entries per machine material combination?  or just accept every entry?

Can you explain a bit more on how this is intended to work?

Hi ultiarjan,

thanks for your reply. Just as you said, with an increasing number of entries per combination the validity of the information will increase.

However, I am convinced that already one user experience in combination with the recommended settings from the filament provider can add value for someone who did'nt use the filament before.

This should help to store the experiences from users at a centralized place instead of having them distributed to a large number of communities, forums, and threads.

[Moritz 1]

Wouldn't it be more time efficient to just be able to save a full settings file on cura (not current half & half decaffeinated mode). ?

I mean, that's what I do for my settings on s3d, save the profile.

For me is a no go since it settings are much more complex than just speed/temp.

For example, for filaflex to print at 60-70mm/s 0.2 layer isn't just temperature + speed.

Is also, negative retraction distance after a retraction, use a bearings spool holder to avoid filament flexing from spool to extruder and using a zge directdrive. Also a number of settings for one object or for many on the bed, all changes since one need to compensate the amount of filament lost from moving from a to b and the combing also must be controlled to avoid bad looking surfaces.

I could write down some of this, but nothing can be as precise as a full profile export with the correct settings for each scenario. And I have 4 different scenarios for 3 different speeds. 12 profiles total for 1 filament and color. Everything chanes from color mint to purple of filaflex due density on the filament vs tension on the drivegears.

Also, other think to add, extruder tension, not all filaments work with the max/middle setting.

Hi neotko

Thanks very much for your comment. You are absolutely right that these questions are not comparable with the information that a slicer like quora can provide. This is not the target - at least not at the moment. However, I figured out that a structured database with the most important experiences from other users would deliver great value for a big part of the printing community, even if the settings are not transferable in a slicer right now. The factors taken into account (nozzle temperature etc.) are limited, otherwise it would be a huge effort for the user to share it. I am still trying to find the sweet spot of how to provide valuable information and keep the effort for the user as small as possible. I appreciate every kind of help in order to achieve this.

Thanks for your input!

[amedee 349]

This is coming back on a regular basis, I can't remember how many times I have seen this come and go...

One well active in that area is Filaments.directory -- at least data is well structured.

I don't see real added value in what you propose compared to that one.

Also, I am very skeptical on the real usability of that. Settings in 3D printing are a matter of compromise: do you want it strong, nice, quick? do you have overhangs? Are the parts small or big? It make a huge difference in the settings depending on what you print and the intended usage -- not to speak about your printer kinematics, nozzle, ...

Best place to start is looking at the filament datasheet on the producer's site and tweak it for your own usage (And keep the number of different filaments you are using relatively contained )

Edited May 29, 2017 by Guest

[ultiarjan 1,223]

I had a quick look at the survey. Do you really expect people to do the survey for every printer/material/layer-height etc etc combination? I don't think a lot of people will spend there time on it in this format.

I would at least like a more tabular input option and the ability to enter more combinations at once. Also it would be good IMHO to provide people with one clear page containing ALL required info in one view iso the multipage setup.

Further i feel it would help elaborating a bit more on what you will do with the data, when you ask people to collaborate. Will the gathered data be open available for everyone? will you use it commercially?

[Moritz 1]

I had a quick look at the survey. Do you really expect people to do the survey for every printer/material/layer-height etc etc combination?  I don't think a lot of people will spend there time on it in this format.

I would at least like a more tabular input option and the ability to enter more combinations at once. Also it would be good IMHO to provide people with one clear page containing ALL required info in one view iso the multipage setup.

Further i feel it would help elaborating a bit more on what you will do with the data, when you ask people to collaborate.  Will the gathered data be open available for everyone? will you use it commercially?

Thanks very much!

This is really helpful. I will implement some changes!

[Moritz 1]

I had a quick look at the survey. Do you really expect people to do the survey for every printer/material/layer-height etc etc combination?  I don't think a lot of people will spend there time on it in this format.

I would at least like a more tabular input option and the ability to enter more combinations at once. Also it would be good IMHO to provide people with one clear page containing ALL required info in one view iso the multipage setup.

Further i feel it would help elaborating a bit more on what you will do with the data, when you ask people to collaborate.  Will the gathered data be open available for everyone? will you use it commercially?

What do you think about this:

http://www.surveyanalytics.com/t/AI6avZOT56

[ultiarjan 1,223]

A one page input is indeed much better, but you missed addressing the main point. People will not put time and effort in sharing there data when they have hardly a clue what the receiving party will do with it.

If people want to make the effort, and most wont, they are far more likely to do it on an excising platform like filaments directory as @amedee already pointed out.