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Gear Block Print

Shawn Fitzpatrick

May 14, 2016 02:29

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My longest print thus far: 22:31:37

Black PLA - 5 3/4" x 5 3/4" x 5 3/4"

https://grabcad.com/library/cube-gears-1

Printed at Standard resolution without a raft.

It seems like a great test print from the challenge perspective. I used the default Open GB profile for Simplify3D with the exception of disabling bed heat and changing the default print speed to 3000 mm/minute.

Short of using support material, is there any way to print something like this without the bottoms of the teeth spooling away into loose filament like this? Seems hard to imagine given you are printing in mid-air, but then on the other hand, most of the tooth printed properly which is pretty amazing...

Wonder why it skipped a layer?

It would be more satisfying if I had printed one that actually rotated the gears, but from a printer test standpoint this still seems like a good challenge type file.

The black is so black its hard to see inside the cube, but the spigot looks pretty cool in there, and again, its so amazing that it printed this cleanly.

 

Thoughts?

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11 comments

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  Robert Oakley May 14, 2016 02:55

  First I must say your prints are looking great.  For the overhang though the only way to keep overhang like that sagging is the use of support.  For those gear cubes I know most are printed in parts.  I have been working on developing a good pva support profile which once you get more experience with printing I would say would be the final solution if you wanted to print it in one part.

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  Shawn Fitzpatrick May 14, 2016 03:03

  I'm pretty impressed with how well this is working given my lack of experience.

  I'm interested in figuring out how to improve difficult prints like this because some of the models I want to do for clients will involve the same kind of issues. As an example these:

  .

  

  The other challenge with this stair tower is that the square tubing is hollow, and at this scale is so thin that Simplify3D doesn't create anything printable for the vertical sections.

   

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  Shawn Fitzpatrick May 14, 2016 03:09

  I also keep meaning to ask how you positioned that Storm Trooper helmet given there isn't a flat surface on the bottom...

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  Robert Oakley May 14, 2016 03:10

  With some advanced prints I have found if possible it will be easier to print it in parts then assemble it in post process. Another possibility is to try to print it with support and it may just easily remove after printing. Simplify3d has the best single extruder support i have seen so far in slicing software

   If you are having issues with a part try to put it into mesh mixer and if the parts are still too thin there may not be much that can be done some details are just too small to print.

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  Robert Oakley May 14, 2016 03:14

  With the storm trooper helmet we flipped it 180 to where the top was on the bed.  We then used a raft and support which held it to the bed properly 

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  Shawn Fitzpatrick May 14, 2016 03:14

  I was thinking something similar, like taking the wheels off the first item which would leave the rest of it sitting flat on the bed, and printing the wheels separately.

  With the stair tower I think I would find a way to edit the .stl so the tube is solid and again, possibly print it in sections and assemble it, much like is done with the actual steel in the fab shop.

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  Robert Oakley May 14, 2016 03:21

  I have done that for a few prints, most time it wont be necessary but sometimes you will get better looking prints that way.  

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  Shawn Fitzpatrick May 14, 2016 03:22

  Thanks Robert, I found the video on printing that helmet again. I hope to do one when my filament order arrives from you guys next week.
  
  Did you use the same material for the raft and support bed and sand it off after? Did you print it with PLA or ABS?

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  Robert Oakley May 14, 2016 03:29

  It was pla and we used the same material for support and raft.  Honestly all I had to use were some needle nose pliers and puled the support off didn't even have to sand it.  Simplify3d does great support which is super easy to remove.

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  Shawn Fitzpatrick May 18, 2016 02:09

  What infill and speed settings did you use?

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  Robert Oakley May 19, 2016 01:25

  It has been a while but if my memory serves me correctly if was about 10-15% infill and just the standard speed we had a raft and support as well.