Questions tagged [print-material]

Print-material, in comparison to the tag 'material', helps to specify that the question is concerned with the material the print itself is made from. This includes 'filament' as a subgroup but also SLS polymers for example.

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Adjust shape dimension in UGS G-code software

I am quite new to CNC. May I ask how to reduce the length per pixel for the entire triangle? I want the template length, height, and every dimension to be reduced by 10 times, which means the height ...
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2 answers
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Fail to upload G-code with UGS Plotter Software

Referring to a circle shape G-code online generator for my 2D printer at here, in which I created a 100 mm circle. I downloaded the G-code from the website and try to open it with UGS plotter but it ...
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How much weaker does PETG become when it absorbs as much moisture as it can hold?

How much weaker does a PETG part become when it absorbs as much moisture as it can hold?
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Green residues are present on all my prints, and the adhesion is pretty bad

It has been three weeks since I first tried to solve this problem. Here's the video. I cleaned the hotend yesterday, as it was fully clogged and full of plastic. My heatsink seems to be attached good. ...
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1 answer
399 views

Are 3D prints safe to touch right after printing?

Are 3D prints safe to touch right after printing? If not should I do some kind of curing (like in resin printing) when my prints are done or wash them with alcohol or something Note: I am talking ...
6 votes
1 answer
153 views

Editing a G-code file for different material

I had a model I had originally printed in PLA, and then lost the STL... but I still have the G-code. Now I want to print it in PET-G. Do I need to do anything other than update the numbers on the M104 ...
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2 answers
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What is this behaviour called and how do I fix this?

I am printing Eryone 1.75 mm PET on my Kobra Max printer with 80°C bed and 230°C. I am experiencing this: Is this "over-extrusion" and "stringing"? And how do I avoid this?
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1 answer
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Is real PETG softened/degraded by acetone?

I can't seem to find any reliable answer to this question. My understanding was always that PETG should be solvent-resistant, including to acetone, but parts printed from the various "PETG" ...
4 votes
3 answers
311 views

Which material can be used to print a drop protector?

I would like to print a custom version of something akin to this rugged case that was originally created using injection molding: The outside consists of a material that is a bit softer than the main ...
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1 answer
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How is the Prusa typical orange surface created?

Photos exist where the orange controller of Prusa printers is shown. In most photos, it looks as if the surface is somewhat rough. Here is such a photo: It sparkles a bit, so I would assume that it's ...
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3 votes
2 answers
144 views

Material to use inside ultrasonic cleaner

I am trying to create a couple of holders for my ultrasonic cleaners. They are supposed to be used for parts that don't fit in the holder that came with the cleaners. I was wondering what material is ...
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118 views

What filament to use for outdoor high humidity, temperature, and payload?

I wanted to build a 4-wheel ground robot vehicle with a payload of 25 kg for outdoor use, but I wanted to make the frame/chassis using a 3D printer. The outside temperature ranges between 30 °C-35 °C ...
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Does Silk PLA really contains elastomers as additives?

I have heard many times that silk PLA is PLA with some unspecified elastomers in it, but without any reliable reference to confirm this statement. If it contains elastomers it should be more flexible ...
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3 answers
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Root cause fix for TPU overhang failures

Lately I've been having a lot of trouble with printing overhangs in TPU. The failures are very geometry/toolpath dependent, entirely reproducible in their location (same gcode gives same failures each ...
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2 answers
56 views

Is there printable optical-grade resin?

Are there SLA printable resins that can be printed with optical clarity and whose index of refraction make them potentially useful for optical applications? I would assume the surface may need ...
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What happens if you try to print with UV resin that's well past it's use by date?

I've got a bottle of UV resin that got left at the back of draw and forgotten about. It's probably 6 months out of its advertized use by date. What is likely to happen if I try to print with it? It's ...
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What polymers are used in 3D printed Alumide?

Does anyone know what polymers are used in 3D printed Alumide? I know it has Al and nylon, but does it have anything else? NASA has a database of materials that out gas and I'd like to see if Alumide ...
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Does 3D printed Alumide out gas after printing?

Does 3D printed Alumide outgas or is it inert? I.e. If I printed a box with it and stored paper in that box for 100 years would the paper become damaged by out gassing? I noticed that NASA has a list ...
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7 answers
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Is there a method for telling how much filament is left on a spool?

Other than unrolling it and measuring it, is there a method for telling how much filament is left on a spool, for example calculating a length bases on weight or number of turns left on the spook? Is ...
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Are "matte PLA" filaments abrasive?

I picked up a roll of Overture matte black PLA, and the surface of both the filament and the printed object feel like paper. This made me wonder if it contains wood-based fibers like "wood PLA&...
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2 answers
125 views

Copper-infused PLA for spur gears

I am currently printing PLA infused with 80% copper powder. So far I mainly used it because it looks and feels really nice and post-processing is almost limitless, however recently I have thought that ...
4 votes
2 answers
743 views

Does the color of a filament effect its physical properties?

When choosing which filament to use for a particular print does the color of the filament have any impact on it's performance, or is it purely a cosmetic choice? For example, are there any side-by-...
2 votes
2 answers
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Material for printing electric device prototype

We are in a stage of creating a prototype of some IoT device with some electric boards and sensors. The device will be connected to the power and the boards inside might be warm a bit. What material ...
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7 votes
5 answers
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Improving durability of a printed propeller

I am currently working through various different iterations ofccreating a propeller for a model ICE (nitro engine). So far I have managed to disintegrate each of them eventually. I have been ...
2 votes
1 answer
90 views

Proper material for a drilling master plate

I've developed a master plate for my hobby woodwork (approx. 40x40x40 mm, see the figure). Its goal is to allow a straight angle while drilling 40 mm parallel bars. Four vertical holes are used to fix ...
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2 votes
2 answers
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How do I determine the glass transition of filament from its sales listing information?

I need to print some items that will go in my car, which sits in direct sun a good portion of the day and almost certainly exceeds 50 °C inside during the summer months (I've had PLA prints sag quite ...
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6 votes
4 answers
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Good filament/s for heat resistance in cars

I have designed a cupholder for my center console in my truck with PETG. I was hoping it wouldn't deform and it didn't for a while but we got some high temperatures the past few days (around 32-38 °C ...
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4 votes
2 answers
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PLA filament becomes brittle inside PTFE tube

I know that it's said the PLA becomes brittle when kept in a humid environment, but my case is slightly weirder: I have rolls of 1.75 mm PLA that I bought years ago and they are fine. But if I leave ...
1 vote
1 answer
218 views

PC-ABS poor layer adhesion

I recently started printing Polymaker's PC-ABS blend on my modified Ender 3 v2. The print quality is good but the layer adhesion is pretty bad. The layers aren't delaminating while printing but I can ...
1 vote
1 answer
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3D printing ESD safe/high temp parts

I am trying to develop a process to print fixtures/jigs that can withstand a convection oven temperature of 165 °C. The tricky thing is that these parts have to be considered ESD safe (surface ...
2 votes
2 answers
757 views

Printing material for methanol tank

I am trying to print a tank to be used with my RC engine. The material that I have to use needs to have the following properties: It needs to be possible to seal the final print so that it is not ...
3 votes
1 answer
111 views

Problems with ColorFabb XT: over extrusion

I could really use some help here. I am trying to print with ColorFabb XT and have been having an overflow problem, which creates an accumulation of material on the nozzle tip creating stringing and ...
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1 vote
4 answers
185 views

3D print a paint roller

I was thinking about this question and thought of maybe printing a pattern-drawing roller painter. The question is: is it possible to print with an ink absorbing material that could make a paint ...
2 votes
3 answers
2k views

How do filament properties change after printing? (In relation to water absorbtion)

I have PLA and PETG filament. I hear that 3D filament absorbs water and causes problems when printing but after printing they can be used with water and they are water proof. So my question is why is ...
3 votes
4 answers
329 views

Are there FDM epoxy/resin printers?

After seeing a question about FDM printing of temperature-resistant parts, high-temperature 2-part epoxy came to mind. Are there any (experimental or production) FDM extruders for laying viscous, fast-...
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1 answer
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PMMA print distortion and inconsistencies

I am working on refining my PMMA printing process and I am trying to print as close as possible to the theoretical 100 % density of the material. I am making good progress and am slowing increasing ...
1 vote
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Question about viewing molecular structure of 3D printed objects

I'm writing a research paper about the implications of additive manufacturing for space travel. As a part of this paper, I'm going to illustrate some of the drawbacks of 3D printed objects such as how ...
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1 answer
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Are there differences in filament consumption between ABS and PLA

I have been printing the same model once with Verbatim PLA and once with an ABS material from Switzerland. For both I was using two brand new 1 kg spools of filament. I was printing both at the same ...
1 vote
3 answers
243 views

Can PLA carry sound coming from a loud speaker?

My goal is to have a speaker inside a PLA casing to produce a nice hearable sound from a submersible item. I intended to produce that sound from a Piezo buzzer stuck on a membrane held tight in hollow ...
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3 votes
3 answers
2k views

Design connection to motor shaft for printed gear

I am currently trying to print a gear with the possibility to connect it to the shaft of a DC motor. The following picture best describes what the shaft of the motor looks like by showing the hole ...
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2 answers
93 views

Is there any commercial supplier of 3D printed parts made from acrylic (PMMA)?

I was surprised to learn that, AFAICT, neither Protolabs, Xometry, or Shapeways* can supply 3D printed parts from acrylic. Is anyone aware of a commercial source of 3D printed parts made from acrylic ...
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3D printing source material and superglue

I've seen there are several different types of source material for 3D printing. My question is: Which of those would hold up under regular Loctite superglue or plastic model glue? I'm asking because I ...
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How to find pure PLA filament?

Prompted by discussion in comments of a recent question whether PLA is suitable for parts that need to be in contact with acetone, I did some casual experiments and found that my clear/"natural&...
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881 views

Are there white filaments, that are not so translucent?

I find that white filaments are quite translucent and printing 5 layers of white filament onto 2 layers of black filament (at 0.2 mm layers, the white layers being 100% infilled and the underlying ...
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3 votes
3 answers
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Can any filament be used in with any 3D printer?

I recently heard that the 3D printing lab at my college can do fused-deposition with ABS and PLA, but I would like to use TPU, for greater flexibility. Is it possible to feed a TPU filament into the ...
6 votes
2 answers
4k views

Why does PETG require slower speed?

PLA has a heat capacity of 1.8-2.1 J/g-K, while PETG 1.1-1.3 J/g-K. This means that each gram of PLA needs more energy to heat up. I assume no "melting latent energy", since we talk about ...
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1 answer
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Why laser is not used to melt/soften material in polyjet?

Polyjet uses UV light to cure UV curable plastic material. I was wondering as to why laser light can't be used to soften/melt just any plastic material instead of using UV light to cure only UV ...
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3 votes
2 answers
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Linear advance calibration technique

Marlin has a Linear Advance calibration pattern generator, but I find it's hard to use because: It only prints the initial layer on the bed, where bed irregularities interfere with accurate reading ...
1 vote
2 answers
780 views

What filament material is safe to use as in-wall housing (US)?

Which type of filament material(s) is safe to use as an in-wall box for regular, 120v wiring? For instance, an electrical outlet box. In case it matters, location is the state of Washington, USA.
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1 answer
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Conductive materials quality

I was considering the possibility to 3D print some capacitors with various forms and shapes in order to test them. I need to be able to print both the non-conductive and the conductive materials at ...
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