A few tips for getting better prints

[IRobertI 521]

So I've been writing a little bit again and figured I'd share it with you guys. This isn't an end all, be all guide for good prints, not even close. Considering how many variables are involved it never could be IMHO. But I think it could be of at least some help to some of you out there who are getting started with 3D printing.

Consider these as tips, not absolute truths

http://support.3dverkstan.se/article/30-getting-better-prints

 

[Nicolinux 288]

Hey Robert,

Again very useful write-up. You should link it in your signature too.

 

[chrisr 18]

So I've been writing a little bit again and figured I'd share it with you guys. This isn't an end all, be all guide for good prints, not even close. Considering how many variables are involved it never could be IMHO. But I think it could be of at least some help to some of you out there who are getting started with 3D printing.

Consider these as tips, not absolute truths

http://support.3dverkstan.se/article/30-getting-better-prints

 

Extremely useful guides. Downloaded and printed out for reference. Perhaps they could be made into "stickies" ?

 

[aroth 1]

http://support.3dverkstan.se/article/30-getting-better-prints -> If you wanted to you could use the printer on its side or even upside down.

 

Pics or it didn't happen .

 

[ultiarjan 1,223]

Robert, again a very nice job !!!

 

With some of the current available sources put toghether the needed info is getting more and more complete, it almost reads like a book

 

 

Chapter1 > introduction

 

https://www.ultimaker.com/spree/uploads/36/original/Ultimaker_2_User_Manual_V1.08.pdf

 

chapter2 > printing

 

http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/7467-a-few-tips-for-getting-better-prints/?p=69766

 

chapter3 > troubleshooting

 

http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/6574-a-visual-ultimaker-troubleshooting-guide/?p=60739

 

chapter4 > maintenance & repair

 

https://github.com/Ultimaker/Ultimaker2/blob/master/um2%20assembly%20manual%20V1.1%20_english.pdf

 

addendum > alphabetical list of terminology explained

 

TBD

 

With regards to maintenance & repair it could be helpfull to have a few specific guides for stuff like cleaning the nozzle, replacing the teflon part etc...

 

Would it be a good idea to pin a list like above to the "WELCOME" part of this forum ?

 

 

A few remarks on the printing guide;

- could be an idea to explain a bit more on removing the print from the glass (to leave it a bit longer for cooling after the machine tells you the cooling is done)

-why do you (just like the user manual) tell people to use glue?, think you could mention that for many materials you can print perfect on just the clean glass.

 

[IRobertI 521]

Thanks for the input. We do have a guide for the Atomic and I made a quick description of removing heater/temperature sensor but adding similar guides for other operations is not a bad idea at all. Besides what you already mentioned, is there something in particular you would like to see? Oh and of course Ultimaker has the complete assembly manual on the website that can be used as well.

As for the glue. I guess it's mostly just a "safety" thing. With it adhesion is rarely an issue, without it it can be. But you're right, since this is a guide to getting better prints a more perfect bottom surface (no patterns from glue) without glue could be a good idea to add.

 

[tinydancer 0]

For someone who just got their first printer last week, this is a godsend. Thank you so much Robert!

 

[solid-print-3d 30]

I came across some good advice the other day for getting better at anything (including printing)

practice, practice,practice,practice,practice,practice,practice,practice,practice,practice

After all the practice I've put in... I'd have to say it's not bad advice

 

[gr5 2,224]

Nice guide! I just pinned this topic.

 

[LePaul 331]

Great topic and link

I've been dusting off my Ultimaker....i was laid off 3 weeks ago so while I await calls from Interviews and so on...I thought I would get back into printing

One topic that I continue to find interesting is temperature. I think the sweet spot for my printer seems to be 210 but I want to keep bringing that down. I have that stringing-temperature picture gr5 posted a while back and I think 190 was the best result temp....at least with the silver PLA I ought from Ultimaker

 

[IRobertI 521]

Yes, temperature is a fickle beast. It depends on so many factors; print speed (or rather, volume/sec to account for layer height as well), filament colour, filament batch, filament manufacturer, variations in temperature sensors, moisture content etc. It's impossible to give a definitive answer.

 

[LePaul 331]

Yes, temperature is a fickle beast. It depends on so many factors; print speed (or rather, volume/sec to account for layer height as well), filament colour, filament batch, filament manufacturer, variations in temperature sensors, moisture content etc. It's impossible to give a definitive answer.

 

True, I just tried a print at 190 and the PLA wouldn't stick, so I notched up the heat and tried again...212 was the magic number on this print (a small cat statue) Once I got the first few layers down, I eased it back to 208 and going to see how that works. I know the bed is level and fresh blue tape. Used the paper method...adjust bed til there is friction between print head and paper. I'll let you know in 2 hours

 

[gr5 2,224]

There is a rather sudden change in stickiness at a given temperature so I like to make sure I'm at least 10C above that point. The key thing is to get the PLA to flow into the cracks of the blue tape. Heating the blue tape with a hair dryer for 1 or 2 minutes means you can print the bottom layer cooler but I prefer just printing the bottom layer at say 230C and then lower to 190C for the second (carefully - don't want it to overshoot to 180C).

 

[jack9595 0]

Thank you Looking to buy a Ultimaker so this is very useful

 

[ccw1984 1]

Just reading about the fan speed and just wanted to point out that this:

"By default cura will slowly ramp up the speed of the cooling fans until they reach full blast at a height of 5mm. This isn't bad per say but we prefer to start the fan up a bit sooner. A setting of 1mm seems to work well."

might not be the case for newer versions of Cura. Mine started with the "Fan full on at height (mm)" at 0.5.

 

[IRobertI 521]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll make a note of that in the text. Also, "per say"? Jeebus... I must've been tired when writing that

 

[aviphysics 9]

In the guide you mentioned that in principle you could print upside down. I wonder if there could possibly be an advantage to that. Just imagine a printer that was on a gimbal, so that it could be rotated during the printing of bridges and overhangs yo reduce sagging.

[gr5 2,224]

Ultimaker in the past would hang a printer upside down by a rope at their booth while it was printing. I've printed with the machine on it's side before. Doesn't seem to help overhangs at all :( but it might help bridging I suppose if you printed on it's side such that the "strings" were vertical.

 

[Titus 170]

I didn't notice any difference in pyramids in this case;

 

 

[t1nkerbell 0]

Thanks so much for your guide! I've learned so much from it.

[fparie 0]

Hi, I know I'm chiming in late but just wanted to share that turning a printer over is not as straight forward as it seems.