My 3D Printing links, notes and observations

3D printing

I have observed and monitored the growth of 3D printing for over 35 years.  From the beginning, when the resin and UV laser process was invented.  3D printing is improving, but I see the following as continued areas of growth.  3D printing has many forms and all are just breaking out of their infant state in my opinion.

1. Material Science.   Turning 6061 aluminum into powder, then melting it with a laser to make a 3D part does not make a 6061 grade aluminum part.   The process changes the material. New materials must be developed for 3D printing processes.  Materials must be predictable, reliable and consistent in 3D use.  Metals, plastics, resins are all ongoing.  For many years 3D was done with existing materials.  In the last few years, development of new materials has grown and must continue to grow.  
2. Design must improve.  Designing for past manufacturing methods was very mature.   Designers must be re-taught or learn how to design for 3D printing to make it useful for production work.  3D printing wont replace everything, it has it's niche and use.  Many very good uses.  To take advantage of it Designers will have to learn new design rules and methods.   Just changing the orientation of a 3D part while making the part could have a major effect on the design.  Most importantly, design leaders must learn to use and trust 3D designs and parts. 
   
3. Software    New organic design tools will be needed.  CAD software that can also check and implement design rules for 3D modeling.  The "postprocessing" of the data to make manufacturing code must continue to develop.   
   
4. The 3D machines must become machine tools, not elaborate hobby machines.    More sensors to help control the 3D process.  Better understanding of the variables.  Processing the sensor data and then developing the algorithms to make it all usable in the manufacturing environment.    A 100 machines should take the exact same code and be able to make the exact same part, within very tight tolerances.  This is not the standard yet.
   

Prusa MK3S+, MMU2S and Enclosure notes

Prusa XL notes coming 4Q 2023 

Lessons learned

As I learn tips I will add to them.   I have used PLA, PETG and clear PVB so far. 

• Your time is valuable. Add that to the overall costs.  Saving cost may end up costing you hundreds of hours tweaking, learning, and finding an answer.
  
• Use well supported printers.   That includes, slicers, firmware, help and user communities.   It is the fastest way to get up to speed. 
  
• 3D printing looks simple, but it really isn't.  It will take study and time to become an expert. 
  
• Learn the difference between I did this vs.  Engineered parts.  If you are building tools, upgrading the printer or complex designs, look for engineered designs.    One example is upgrading the printer fan.  There are hundreds of mods that seem to make sense.   I did find one with real engineering data and was tested to validate the design. 
  
• Reward and praise good designs, ignore the rest.   There are too many complainers and whiners on the internet.  Complaining just makes the complainer look bad.  Constructive criticism is an art that does not involve anger, complaints or insults. 
• Nothing is free.  Many have graciously made the models available to everyone.  Some designs have taken hundreds of hours.  At least praise someone for the models you use.
  
• 0.4mm nozzle and 0.3 mm first layer setting.  Even if you print other layers at  0.2, this appears to help bed adhesion on the first layer for me.
  
• Brims.  Square corners tend to lift from the bed during the first few layers of printing.  Also small parts don't have enough area to stick.  In these cases a brim to add gripping power to the bed is needed.  Warning, with PETG brims are much harder to remove.  A glue of some kind may be best in these cases.
  
• Be aware of the health hazards some materials may pose. 
  

My 3D Printed O gauge train items