Safe to print this?

[joatrash 1]

So, I'm about to do the first print on my UM2 and decided to cobble together a bunch of test parts from props I have made before.

My question is: will this batch of parts print ok together?

http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/gallery/image/4022-curapic2/

I'm thinking that maybe the high cylindrical piece (it's from a Firefly prop) may have trouble printing since the walls are so thin and it's so high. It DOES have some supports inside and I'll be adding a border/lip to it but I wonder if it might be susceptible to the same effect as when printing other thin parts "alone".

Oh, and I'll be printing in Faberdashery Earl Grey...

Thoughts?

 

[IRobertI 521]

The tall cylindrical piece will print just fine. I'd be more worried about the part with gears, that looks iffy. Could you print the gears separately perhaps so that it can lie flat on the bed? Then you could probably rotate the "case" for the gear to a less challenging position.

I'd probably also rotate the piece that is to the left of the tall cylinder, it looks sorta like the slide of a gun, so that it stands tall and on an angle (it looks like it has a flat surface on the back that is angled a little bit). That way you wont need any support at all for it.

Difficult to say more as it's a bit hard to judge the pieces on the pic alone.

 

[mnis 11]

Hi joatrash

This is a complete set, you must select it in Cura and dismantle. Then you can select different objects from the set and position on the platform. I would print all the objects in sequence. Then you can better see what is possible. Some objects must be correctly rotated and rearranged. And some objects require support material. Since there is a lot of preparatory work to ensure that everything is possible.

But you can print almost anything. The correct question should be:

Will it look good in the end?

Markus

[joatrash 1]

The tall cylindrical piece will print just fine. I'd be more worried about the part with gears, that looks iffy. Could you print the gears separately perhaps so that it can lie flat on the bed? Then you could probably rotate the "case" for the gear to a less challenging position.

I'd probably also rotate the piece that is to the left of the tall cylinder, it looks sorta like the slide of a gun, so that it stands tall and on an angle (it looks like it has a flat surface on the back that is angled a little bit). That way you wont need any support at all for it.

Difficult to say more as it's a bit hard to judge the pieces on the pic alone.

Hi joatrash

This is a complete set, you must select it in Cura and dismantle. Then you can select different objects from the set and position on the platform. I would print all the objects in sequence. Then you can better see what is possible. Some objects must be correctly rotated and rearranged. And some objects require support material. Since there is a lot of preparatory work to ensure that everything is possible.

But you can print almost anything. The correct question should be:

Will it look good in the end?

Markus

Thanks for responding guys.

Hi joatrash

This is a complete set, you must select it in Cura and dismantle. Then you can select different objects from the set and position on the platform. I would print all the objects in sequence.

I've done a lot of reading on this type of printing and I've already tried to position all the parts optimally. This is mainly to see what happens. My main worry was really if the cylinder might loosen from the print bed and ruin things since it's so tall and has a very thin footprint (about a 1mm wall since it's hollow)...

I'd be more worried about the part with gears, that looks iffy. Could you print the gears separately perhaps so that it can lie flat on the bed? Then you could probably rotate the "case" for the gear to a less challenging position.

I'd probably also rotate the piece that is to the left of the tall cylinder, it looks sorta like the slide of a gun, so that it stands tall and on an angle (it looks like it has a flat surface on the back that is angled a little bit).

Yeah, I know the gears will be iffy but was modeled in one solid piece. Support was generated in MM. (I don't really care if it survives as long as it doesn't mess up the REST of the print. The part on the left, if you mean the lower piece in the first pic with a few supports on the side is actually partially hollow and has supports inside as well- however I rotate it it will have overhangs. (It's a mount for the upright cylinder, which is a laser scope.) Again, I don't care it it doesn't come out perfect as long as it doesn't mess up the whole tray.

 

[IRobertI 521]

Adding a brim will help with bed adhesion for the large tall cylinder.

Also, why not print the parts sequentially instead? That way, if one part fails, you wont ruin the entire print. Often it can also be faster since the head doesn't have to travel around as much.

This is the part I was talking about rotating. Rotate it so that the part that the arrow is pointing to is flat against the bed. I know you said it has internal structures but the outside should print fine in that orientation I think. A bit hard to tell the resulting angle from just a pic though of course.

 

[IRobertI 521]

Oh, and another thing. You need to stop worrying about failed prints I lost count on how many prints failed on me a couple of years ago

 

[joatrash 1]

Adding a brim will help with bed adhesion for the large tall cylinder.

Also, why not print the parts sequentially instead? That way, if one part fails, you wont ruin the entire print. Often it can also be faster since the head doesn't have to travel around as much.

This is the part I was talking about rotating. Rotate it so that the part that the arrow is pointing to is flat against the bed. I know you said it has internal structures but the outside should print fine in that orientation I think. A bit hard to tell the resulting angle from just a pic though of course.

Yes, I was planning on adding a brim. The piece you are talking about will probably still need supports- the angle you are pointing to is rather steep even though it doesn't show. (Might be an interesting experiment though.) Mainly wanted to print them all in one go to see the effects on different parts quicker without having to reset and since I'm going to have to do batch-printing in the future I may as well get started. (This is only about 1/3 of the parts in the total kit.)

Oh, and another thing. You need to stop worrying about failed prints I lost count on how many prints failed on me a couple of years ago

Yikes. Don't say that! The reason I got the UM2 was that it was supposedly the most stable of these extrusion-type printers and not as prone to failed prints. (If it ends up differently and I'm not getting predictable, reliable results in the next month or two I'm going to end up selling it and go back to using print services. I'm a propmaker, not a machine-tinkerer and I have no interest (or time) for experimenting to see what happens.)

 

[IRobertI 521]

I should have explained. By failed prints I don't mean that it's always the machine itself screwing up but rather the operator And also a "failed" print might refer to parts not fitting together as intended due to unforseen effects from shrinking or other variables that might not be apparent at first glance. Or perhaps parts that didn't become as strong as you thought. Or parts that didn't adhere well to the bed and came loose during printing. Or parts that got too hot and got deformed. Or parts that didn't print well in general. Or plastic that got stuck on the reel. Or plastic that ran out before the print was done. Or dust getting into the nozzle and clogging it. Or... you get the idea hehe.

 

[mnis 11]

Yes, exactly, the error often sits directly in front of the machine, and not so often in the machine. :mrgreen:

Some errors come from outside into the machine, for example Filaments. :shock:

We must first learn to be able to can associate all possible errors properly. Then we can try to use our acquired knowledge to eliminate possible sources of error. :cool:

If you have some time, then grab a bug you have solved, and tell us a bit about it. If you have more time, then please think about how you can make things better. :-P

Share these thoughts with us. So we can make things better for all of us. :cool:

Markus :oops:

 

[yellowshark 153]

Joatrash ,

I think it is important to understand 2 points about the technology you are using, i.e. FDM

 

 

1. 
   You need to closely assess each model you wish to print and decide on the best orientation of the model on the print bed i.e. that which best suits the way the printer works, its strengths and weaknesses (when I say printer I mean the FDM process method). It may even be easier/better to split the model and then glue together.
    
   Unlike the other mainstream 3D print methods, FDM does not lend itself well to supports, unless you have dual extruders; even then the current capability of the software slicers is pretty damn awful in managing the use of dual extruders – which I am sure will change in the coming year or two as more manufacturers develop dual extrusion from the ground up.
    
   Yes you can get away with single extrusion supports IF you are supporting internal unseen parts of the model, but not external faces – unless you are prepared to do a lot of post print finishing.
    
   

 

 

2. Good designers design not just to meet the client’s requirements but also to meet the needs of the manufacturing process employed. It is quite probable that if you download a model from the internet it will not have been designed for FDM, it may well have been designed for CNC machining or injection moulding.

I have just finished modifying a part for a client which comes from an assembly which was injection moulded and designed as such. During the modification design process I suggested a couple of minor changes that would make the job using FDM so much easier and the client was agreeable. As a result not only did he get the part in 24 hours he got it a lot cheaper.

If you do design your own 3D models then you need to ensure you really understand FDM and as much as you can take that into account. Sorry, I am not suggesting you do not, I am just trying to articulate the general point.

 

As a piece of hardware the Ultimaker is capable of producing excellent results but it is all the other aspects that you and we have to take responsibility for; it applies to any FDM printer.

 

[gr5 2,230]

I see you used meshmixer for supports and that's great but they should be of larger diameter - about twice what you did.

Also you used more support than necessary.

On a level shelf overhang of less than 2mm you don't need any support usually. Just try it.

On an overhang that is tilted more vertical than 45 degrees - well any crappy printer can handle that with no support. You can go much steeper - 60 degrees from vertical? No problem. 70? Surface getting a little rough maybe, 80 degrees? Um2 can still do it with .1mm layers but starting to look pretty crappy. 85-90 degrees? Well now you need some support if shelf is more than 2mm.