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I don't have a heavy math background, but enjoy using such skills when applicable.
If you've not yet explored OpenSCAD, you may find that it meets your qualifications. It's more or less a scripting/descriptive language "compiler" that takes ordinary text and converts it to your model design. I use quotes, because I'm not skilled enough to qualify it as a ...
15
My understanding is that this occurs when the object is not a true solid. Since an STL holds the triangulation of each face and spline, the slicing engine is not "smart" enough to determine if there is a gap in the model and therefore if it should be filled in and how. When the slicer encounters a gap, it will either treat the endpoint as the end ...
14
Unfortunately, different firmwares and different slicers require different calibration techniques! There's a lot of software-specific advice out there, like printing a single-wall calibration box and measuring the wall thickness. That's a good technique for Slic3r, but not for Simplify3D. It can be very confusing.
Here's the general outline of what you ...
12
There are several ways.
1) Simplest is the business card/paper method.
This video shows how simple it is: Leveling the platform
You should feel the same amount of resistance between the hotend and the bed on all sides. On some 3D printers there are 3 screws holding the bed (eg. Solidoodle) and on others there are 4 screws on each edge (e.g. Prusa i3).
On ...
12
Polypropylene CAN be printed with excellent results, you just need a good filament roll and good printing setup.
A few days ago I read this topic and was kind of afraid of testing it, now I am so happy I tried it.
I am printing the PP filament from the brand Smart Materials 3D (search on google).
I am using a Prusa i3 Mk2, bed heated to 70ºC and hotend to ...
10
I think the best way to go about this would be to calibrate your printer and slicer as best you can. One of my pet peeves is when people upload STLs that have been adjusted to fit their printer/material. There are many suppliers of material that vary in quality as well as many materials and different printers that the tolerances shouldn't be built into the ...
9
My printer (IdeaWerk 150) is very basic and doesn't have any options for this from the screen.
I wrote a really simple GCODE file that brings the nozzle up to temperature, then runs the extruder for a few seconds, then waits, then extrudes for a bit again. I think it does this 3 or 4 times then stops. I can put the file (when converted to .x3g!) onto an SD ...
7
I think it's important to remember that a 3D printer is both an R&D tool and a piece of manufacturing equipment. As such, we should treat it and it's process similarly to other pieces of manufacturing equipment (ie mills, saws, etc.). Other (albeit traditional) manufacturing methods such as a mill will typically require post-processing to parts to remove ...
7
Polypropylene is a bear to print. There's a good reason almost nobody does it. The main problem is that it's a semi-crystalline material, which means it doesn't follow the normal rules for warping prevention.
An amorphous polymer like ABS or PET is able to slowly flow or creep until it cools below the glass point, Tg. This means the stresses caused by ...
6
I think it's a reference to a tolerance. Look at this ISO table. This States that the nominal diameter of 3mm is held to a tolerance of +-0.004mm.
@DarthPixel provided some great links identifying the term interference fit (or press fit as I've heard locally) as described here. Also, here is a better link providing examples of how the tolerance works and ...
6
Because you will be printing on unheated glass, you will be using some form of adhesive material. If you use an off-the-shelf glue stick, you will likely find it is water soluble. If the bed is removable, immersing it in warm water for a relaxing soak will provide easier model removal.
I don't have experience with various tapes, so will avoid ...
5
Auto speed is calculated from maximum volumetric speed in mm3 per second. If you normally print at 80 mm/s, your extrusion width is 0.5 mm and you are printing 0.2mm high layers, your volumetric speed would be 80 * 0.5 * 0.2 = 8 mm3/s, which is the volume of plastic extruded by your printer every second when printing at that speed (not accounting for any die ...
5
One of my favorite techniques is to join pieces with screws, and include a tapered feature that helps align the parts. A single screw can give a very strong joint, that is well-aligned and won't twist. Another advantage is that such joints can be printed in any orientation, since the tapered feature can be designed with 45 degree angles.
Here is a cross-...
4
The software I began with was Tinkercad, it is a fully online solution that is very beginner friendly. The interface is trivial to use and there's a 15 minutes tutorial that guides you over everything the software has to offer to the common user.
Here is a screenshot of the interface and a part I made using the basic tools :
It works the following way : ...
4
The easiest way I know of (unless your printer has a Z-probe and automatic leveling), is to bring the nozzle(s) down fairly close to the bed (maybe 1/4" or so), and then move it around while watching for anyplace that doesn't look even. Adjust the bed until it seems even. You can just eyeball it, or use a ruler or object to measure.
Then bring the nozzle ...
4
RepRap based printers use LCD modules with control button and SD card. You can trigger operations like
nozzle heating (to change filament)
extrude filament
home axis to caliber bed level
...
Most used LCD modules are:
RepRapDiscount Full Graphic Smart Controller
RepRapDiscount Smart Controller, see video
RepRap firmwares (Marlin, Repetier) are ...
4
All printers are designed with an idea of WYSIWYG for sure. Depending on:
printer - type/quality/settings/configuration/assembly precission
filament - type/quality/shrinkage
user skills - manual/using app proficiency
model complexity
environment conditions and so on
you can get different results.
I venture to say users know their printers (after some time ...
4
TL;DR
The settings that you seem to need can be found here: Print One At a time settings? CURA:
You actually can!
Providing that none of your object is too tall (taller than the Gantry
clearance). Also the objects cannot be too close from each other (when
you activate the option and move objects on the bed, you see a gray
box around them ...
3
Some STLs aren't exported properly from the CAD software.
Use a repair tool or service like https://modelrepair.azurewebsites.net .
The repaired STL shouldn't have those issues anymore.
3
I have two different printers that can print un-tethered. The first is a Prusa inspired machine with an LCD and the second is a printrbot without an LCD.
The reprap machine uses a ramps 1.4 board programmed with Marlin that gives me the ability to control loading and unloading of the filament with simple menus.
Not all printers that have the ability to ...
3
There are options for tablets. They are running software (for example) on some device that has internal storage, wifi, USB connection etc.
You can buy a new tablet, or reuse your old one just to be a controller.
Another great example is this app.
Apps have menus that can arrange everything for you, now it depends on what app do you use and what filament ...
3
I know that my RoBo 3D has the ability to run untethered once the gcode file is saved to the SD card attached to the ramps board. It does have to be attached to the computer to start the print at first, but can then be unplugged from your computer. Since it is just a Marlin based Ramps printer this should work for similar 3D printers.
The gcode files ...
3
After the first leveling, I usually don't need to touch it for long time, even if my bed structure is of wood and could warp in time.
I guess you need to adjust it because you turn on the heating and in the meanwhile do the leveling. Do it when the bed is hot and stable for 5 minutes and you'll see it will stay correct between prints.
Keep in mind that, in ...
3
Blender is a free professional level application, where maths isn't particularly necessary but can be used to good effect, and its minimum requirements aren't all that excessive (my copy of Blender runs on a maxed out 20 year old Dell 380):
Minimum (basic usage) hardware
32-bit dual core 2 GHz CPU with SSE2 support.
2 GB RAM
24 bits 1280×768 display
...
3
I recommend Fusion 360 as it is free to use, full of tutorials and is super simple.
3
A book you would benefit from reading is "Functional Design for 3D Printing...Designing 3D Printed things for everyday use - 2nd Edition" by Clifford Smyth.
It deals with FDM printing only. It deals with considerations of orientation of the parts being printed to address required strength in the 3 directions (x, y, z), tolerances, and designing parts in ...
3
Unfortunately, 123D Design doesn't have such a feature.
You could select multiple surfaces and push/pull them all at the same time though.
Remember, your 3D Printer's slicer should have an option to undersize or oversize holes and walls, to help reduce/remove the effect you talk about.
It's called size correction, I think? Simplify3D Has it, atleast.
You ...
3
You are looking at overhangs in the design tool. What matters are overhangs when printing.
When designing the object, the coordinate system is convenient for working with the object. Before slicing, the object can be rotated and repositioned for better printing. Only after is it positioned for printing can the actual overhangs and bridges determined.
...
2
I am using DesignSpark Mechanical. It's super cool and easy to use.
DesignSpark Mechanical Download Page
2
OpenSCAD sounds like the best fit for the original poster given his math background but I think SketchUp is probably the easiest software for most beginners to use for basic part creation.
There are two (or three) plugins I would recommend for anyone looking to use it to produce STL
https://extensions.sketchup.com/en/content/sketchup-stl
https://extensions....
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