How to configure cura parameters to print eiffel tower?

[zhonghello 0]

Dears

Anyone knows the better parameter settings for cura to print eiffel tower?

how to set shell thickness, fill, retraction, speed...

Below link is the stl model

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:22051

 

[gr5 2,189]

um original or um2?

I printed a large version of this tower. In 3 pieces because I printed one about 16 inches tall (twice the height of the UM volume).

It was the hardest print I ever did.

I guess the first thing you need to decide is scale. Print it with different scales and look at the smallest parts and see which will be printed and which won't. The smallest thing is the railing at the top of the lower section of the tower. If you don't scale the tower up enough the supports won't be printed but the top of the railing *will* be printed in mid air. That's a problem. So pick a scale.

As far as settings are concerned there was a lot of curling up of the overhang parts and the head was hitting the print pretty damn hard. I had to get the parts to stick to the bed very strongly such that I could lift the entire printer by one leg of the tower. Also it is extremely important to have the fan(s) at 100% to minimize curling. Also this part has mega retraction. So if you don't have zero stringing on your existing parts you might want to dial in your retraction settings. The retraction distance changes depending on how loose your bowden is - how much it wiggles up and down at the print head if you lift it.

Also I used meshmixer supports. for the arches only. Very thick supports - I think 8mm diameter. With lots of branching.

The bottom 3rd of the tower was the hardest part for me. It took 2 tries and second try it failed about 20 hours in due to a clogged nozzle and I was able to continue it the next day successfully.

 

[gr5 2,189]

Print it with different scales

 

I mean "slice it at different scales" and then look at it in layer view.

 

[zhonghello 0]

Hello gr5,

Very appreciated for sharing your experience in printing the tower.

I use UM2 to print such thing and the cura version is 14.06.

As you said, the scale is very critical. Firstly ,I try to print without scaling up and I found it difficult to finish the first arche.

Then I scaled the model up to 1.5 times, that is about 7.1 inches tall, and I can print the tower to the second arche.

But it is difficult to continue~

Now, I will try it again by scaling up the model more and with 100% fan speed~

BTW, you said "In 3 pieces" , what does that mean? detach the model with 3 seperated parts?

 

[mikk36 0]

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:32825

 

[taberhsmith 0]

HI,

I'm in the middle of doing this four-part print myself. My UM2 made it half-way up the arches and clogged.

I'm wondering how I can figure out the height where it clogged and restart the print where it is. Is there a tutorial or post that describes how to restart a print like gr5 mentioned above?

Thanks,

T

 

[gr5 2,189]

continuing resuming rescuing failed print

First you need to use pronterface to find the exact layer to continue on. Pronterface is here:

http://koti.kapsi.fi/~kliment/printrun/

read all gr5 posts here:

http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/4213-ideas-for-recovering-failed-prints/?p=34788

post #9 here has specific code change example for um2 (ultigcode):

http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/5269-um%C2%B2-printing-more-than-24-hours-non-stop/?p=46704

 

 

[gr5 2,189]

Most important: DON'T LET THE GLASS BED COOL!!! Once it does the part will probably pop off the bed and there is no way to continue. Then read above posting.