3DPrintingTips–FromModeltoPrint
• Saveyourmodelasanstl.
• LoadthestlfileonCuraoranotherslicingsoftware.
• SuggestedprintingtemperaturesforPLAfilamento Nozzle:210°Co Bed:60°C
• Makesureyouhaveselectedtheprinterandmaterialyouwillbeusinginthetopright.YouwillbeusingPLAforalmosteverythingyouprint
• Checkifyourdesignneedssupports.
o Supportsareneededifyourdesignhaspartsthatextendfurtherthan45°fromthevertical.
o Thisisrepresentedherebytheredsurface.Ifnosupportsareadded,theredsurfacewilldroopdownandnothaveitsintendedshape.
o Toaddsupports,clickonthesupportsectionandchecktheboxnextto“GenerateSupport.”Itisgenerallyokaytohavesupportplacementsetto“Everywhere.”
o Ifyouwant,changeto“LayerView”inthetoprighttoseewheresupportswillbeprinted.Thebluematerialwillbethesupports.
• Settheinfill.
o Formostdesigns20%infillworksgreat.Changethisonlyifyouhaveareasonto.
o NEVERdo100%infill.• SaveyourmodeltoanSDcard.
o HitthebluesavebuttononthebottomrighttosaveyourmodelasaGCodefileonanSDcard.GCodeistheinstructionsfora3Dprinter.
• PlacetheSDcardintheappropriateprinter
• Makesurethebedislevel.(VERYIMPORTANT)o Thebedofaprintermustbelevelsothateachlayerprintsflat.Ifthe
extrudernozzleistoofarabovethebed,thefirstlayerwillnotstick.Ifthenozzleistoolowandpushingintothebed,noplasticwillcomeout.
o Toadjustthebedheight,turntheknobsunderthebedonthecorners.o Ontheprinter,movetheZheightoftheextruderto0mm.Theextruder
shouldbejustabovethebedsothatapieceofpapercanfitbetweenthebedandthenozzle,butnomore.
o Checkthisdistanceonallcornersbymanuallymovingthebedandextruder.
• ApplyPVAgluetothebedifnonehasbeenalready.o PVAglueactsasanadhesive;ithelpsthefirstlayersticktothebedand
preventsitfromcomingofforwarping.o PoursomePVAglueontothebed(preferablywhenheated)andusea
papertoweltomoveitovertheentirebed.o Donotusethepapertoweltocleanthebed.UseittomovethePVA
acrossthebed.• Starttheprint!(Notthelaststep)• Watchthefirstlayertoseeifeverythinggoesaccordingtoplan.
o Alotofthingscangowrong,andyoucannotbesurethattheprintwillbesuccessfulunlessatleastthefirstlayerprintswell.Donotleaveimmediatelyafterstartingtheprint.
o Ifitisnotprintingasitshould,canceltheprintandassesstheproblem.Isthebedlevel?WasthecorrectfilamentdiameterchoseninCura?Weretheprintingtemperaturessetcorrectly?WasPVAglueappliedtothebed?Istheprintermalfunctioning?
Othertips
• Rememberthatthewhiteboardinthebackoftheroomwillshowwhichprintersareworking,whichareoutofservice,andwhatneedstobedonetofixthem.
• Beforestartingtheprint,youcanpreheattheprinterbychoosing“PreheatPLA”ontheprinter.Thiscanallowyoutochangethefilament,applyPVAgluewhilethebedisheated,orjustreducetheheatingtimewhenstartingtheprint.