Makerbot Replicator Print Quality

[sebastianf 0]

This is not a dig at Makerbot :!:

I sent a model of one of my projects the local Maketbot reseller to have a sample printed. My line of work is injection mould design and related product design (so mostly thin-wall stuff) so printing toy rockets and the like is not really a good test.

I received the sample earlier this evening was quite shocked to honest. Its nowhere near is good as I expected. Obviously I don't expect it to be of moulded quality but this was quite poor. I have uploaded a screenshot of the model and a photo of the printed part. Note the circled areas in the screenshot.

Is this result normal?

 

[IRobertI 520]

I don't know if we have all that many Makerbot owners on this forum to answer that...

 

[sebastianf 0]

Yeah I'm very interested in opinions of non-MB users too...

 

[ian 32]

why dont you let us have the same print model and show you what an ultimaker can do ?? :-)

Ian :-)

 

[IRobertI 520]

Well, then I'd say no, that's not what you'd expect. Provided there's nothing wrong with the source file. Those little "nubs" that are sticking out will need support and I'm guessing the guy/gal who printed that for you didn't bother. I would put in support manually for those in your CAD software for best result.

It also looks like there's some kind of geometry sandwiched in the lower part of the model? That'll get tricky to print.

Posting the model would help.

 

[sebastianf 0]

Ok I'll have to get permission to post the model.

The sample doesn't look right to me though. Hopefully I'll soon be getting the sample from UP reseller. Curious to see how that will come out...

 

[mnis 11]

Hello Sebastian

But I think the following well:

No one at MakerBot has obviously trying to distort the result.

It is actually not clear whether in fact optimal settings were used for reproduction.

I also suspect that no one has made efforts to replicate this object as possible. There are simply too many factors to consider. Unfortunately, objects have to be adapted to the capabilities of a machine. I do not know any machine from MakerBot / Ultimaker / etc, which dissolves finely identical in all three dimensions.

It is not the first time that I see such patterns.

From basically good machines, terrible object pattern are sent. Perhaps the manufacturers simply lack trained personnel, an appropriate section, and or enough time.

I could put no conclusion from this result, which judges about the overall machine quality.

One conclusion I have, however: Some manufacturers believe it is sufficient to be able to build a good machine.

But it would be good to see how close our most experienced users come here to the original.

In parallel, I would like to see what the most experienced MakerBot users can do with their machines.

Markus

 

[anon4321 16]

Is it ABS or PLA?

 

[gr5 2,167]

Look at the objects posted here:

http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/467-post-your-latest-print/page-77#entry45603

Scroll through all 77 pages of 1700 posts...

 

[sebastianf 0]

Hello Sebastian

But I think the following well:

No one at MakerBot has obviously trying to distort the result.

It is actually not clear whether in fact optimal settings were used for reproduction.

I also suspect that no one has made efforts to replicate this object as possible. There are simply too many factors to consider. Unfortunately, objects have to be adapted to the capabilities of a machine. I do not know any machine from MakerBot / Ultimaker / etc, which dissolves finely identical in all three dimensions.

It is not the first time that I see such patterns.

From basically good machines, terrible object pattern are sent. Perhaps the manufacturers simply lack trained personnel, an appropriate section, and or enough time.

I could put no conclusion from this result, which judges about the overall machine quality.

One conclusion I have, however: Some manufacturers believe it is sufficient to be able to build a good machine.

But it would be good to see how close our most experienced users come here to the original.

In parallel, I would like to see what the most experienced MakerBot users can do with their machines.

Markus

I tend to agree. I don't that the reseller was the best at 3D printing. He was very helpful. He knew what he was talking about. perhaps though the practical side lacked some experience.

I think the part was also printed way too fast. Seriously I'm not that interested in speed... quality comes first.

My gut tells me it can do much better but lack of experience and time constraints made for a shoddy print.

 

[sebastianf 0]

Look at the objects posted here:

http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/467-post-your-latest-print/page-77&do=findComment&comment=45603

Scroll through all 77 pages of 1700 posts...

Going through the posts from the back. This terminator head is the only one so that shows the detail I'm looking for:

http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/467-post-your-

 

[skint 61]

Looks like a pretty complicated injection moulding too. But...the print looks poor, it could be much better.

 

[tommyph1208 55]

This is not a dig at Makerbot :!:

I sent a model of one of my projects the local Maketbot reseller to have a sample printed. My line of work is injection mould design and related product design (so mostly thin-wall stuff) so printing toy rockets and the like is not really a good test.

I received the sample earlier this evening was quite shocked to honest. Its nowhere near is good as I expected. Obviously I don't expect it to be of moulded quality but this was quite poor. I have uploaded a screenshot of the model and a photo of the printed part. Note the circled areas in the screenshot.

 

 

Is this result normal?

Normal, I don't know, but it is definitely not unseen to have prints of the detail level you are asking for come out something like that...

3D printing is NOT an "out of the box and everything will be dandy" kind of thing, and to print models like the one you have posted there in that sort of detail will require both experience and skill (the two go hand in hand really)...

Can it be printed better than shown in the picture? Definitely. Will it ever live up to your expectations...? Hard to say...

I'm wondering if you are maybe expecting a bit too much from the technology, a sort of "this could/will be the tool that will solve all my problems and headaches" approach...

In the end, its a machine that presses molten plastic through a 0.4 mm. hole that moves... There are limits to what it can do, and again, those limits are reached through a lot of tinkering...

 

[sebastianf 0]

... Obviously I don't expect it to be of moulded quality...

Normal, I don't know, but it is definitely not unseen to have prints of the detail level you are asking for come out something like that...

3D printing is NOT an "out of the box and everything will be dandy" kind of thing, and to print models like the one you have posted there in that sort of detail will require both experience and skill (the two go hand in hand really)...

Can it be printed better than shown in the picture? Definitely. Will it ever live up to your expectations...? Hard to say...

I'm wondering if you are maybe expecting a bit too much from the technology, a sort of "this could/will be the tool that will solve all my problems and headaches" approach...

In the end, its a machine that presses molten plastic through a 0.4 mm. hole that moves... There are limits to what it can do, and again, those limits are reached through a lot of tinkering...

[Daid 306]

Those bad parts on the MB print look like break-away support material which isn't removed yet. I could be wrong here.

However, I would have printed it without break away support. Still, some of those details look awfully small for FDM printing.

 

[jonnybischof 60]

There is definetly a lot that you can do to improve the quality of the piece you showed there.

First things first: If you upload your model (for example at youmagine.com), then we can tell you if there's something wrong with it.

For now: there's probably room for optimisation in the model. (There always is )

Then, it matters A LOT which settings you use to print. You can go fast, or high quality. Or anything in between. Some people achieve both at the same time - with a lot of tinkering and good experimenting. Everyone can achieve good quality just by printing slowly and doing a bit of tuning.

Next, it matters what filament you use. There are lots of good filaments, and there are even more bad filaments. You need a good quality filament to get a good quality print, period.

Then, you can modify your machine. The 0.4mm nozzle somewhat limits the resolution / surface quality of your prints. There are smaller diameter nozzles which can improve that. For the Ultimaker (Original) there are lots of hacks and mods that will increase your printing quality. The UM2 already is a good machine from stock - only little work is needed to achieve great results.

No doubt you can do better with a Replicator 2. Seems like your reseller wasn't very interested in delivering you a good sample.

It would be interesting to challenge both Replicator 2 and Ultimaker users to print a predefined model as good as they can and see who turns out winning

 

[sebastianf 0]

Those bad parts on the MB print look like break-away support material which isn't removed yet. I could be wrong here.

However, I would have printed it without break away support. Still, some of those details look awfully small for FDM printing.

It is. I've been sitting breaking it away with a knife but not all wants to come off.

It is a very tricky model; probably the most complex of what I usually work with. Still, I want to push the machines and see what it can do...

 

[takei-naodar 0]

So then post the model online and see what Ultimakers can do

Or just send 2-3 Volunteers the file. I would agree to print this and take some pics.

Btw the upper part in your picture is more or less very hard for any printer to print nicely if not impossible.... the lower part is not easy either....

 

[sebastianf 0]

So then post the model online and see what Ultimakers can do

Or just send 2-3 Volunteers the file. I would agree to print this and take some pics.

Btw the upper part in your picture is more or less very hard for any printer to print nicely if not impossible

I can't post it publicly but by all means pm me your email address and I'll send it to you.

 

[sebastianf 0]

To all that replied here: thank you so much for your input. I have decided to purchase a FlashForge Creator X. Its a good machine with dual extruder and most importantly a local reseller.

Thanks again. :smile:

 

[mnis 11]

I hope that was well thought out.

Actually, this machine can not meet your original requirements, I think.

Nevertheless, congratulations and have fun with it.

Markus

[skint 61]

Congratulations on the purchase