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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
Last Update Jan 23 2023