Fusion 360 and 3D Printing
Through this assignment I learned how to design and modify an object In Autodesk Fusion 360, export a design as a STL file to Prusa Slicer, use Prusa Slicer to prepare an object for 3D printing, and how to export a print as a G-Code to the 3D printing software Octoprint.
Book Holder
The three images to the left show the book holder sketch in Autodesk Fusion 360. The side-profile image shows the width of the book holder that I created by extruding the front face to my desired thickness. Along the outer and innermost edges of the front face of the design you can see filleted edges that create safer and less sharp edges on the printed object. The letters 'ADE' are negatively extruded into the front face of the book holder and wrapped around the curved edge of the thumb hole in the center of the book holder. The book holder has symmetric construction lines over the x and y-axis and constraints that control the equidistant dimensions of the book holder’s arcs.
Object In Prusa Slicer
Object In OctoPrint
Timelapse longer BH.MOVTime Lapse Recording of Book Holder
A problem I encountered while preparing the book holder for printing while in Prusa Slicer was that the front face of the book holder that had filleting and negatively extruded text on it was facing toward the bed of the 3D printer. If the book holder had been printed in this way, neither the text nor filleting would have turned out properly. To resolve this, I rotated the book holder 80 degrees to have the book holder correctly facing upwards and printed properly.
The Final Product
front
back
side
ruled front
Workflow
Design object in Autodesk Fusion 360
Save and export file in STL format
Import STL-formated file in Prusa Slicer
Ensure print settings are set correctly; for the book holder QUALITY is 0.15mm with a 15% infill on an Original Prusa MINI or MINI+ printer with Prusament PLA filament.
Rotate object until it lies flat with the front or filleted, text bearing, or other spatially differentiating features of the object facing upwards
Slice object and Export G-code
Find an open 3D printer and hit the connect button on the printer
Find the corresponding printer’s Octoprint website link and upload your G code file to the printer
Clean 3D printer’s bed with 90% alcohol solution
Start the time lapse recording of the 3D printer bed
Start the print on Octoprint
Monitor the completion of the first layer of the print
Once print is completed, carefully remove the object from the printer bed and end the time lapse recording
Lego Brick
The Lego brick is a rectangle that has a hollowed out inside. It has center diameter circles on the top and bottom layers that have been copied with the rectangular pattern to create more accurate and precise sizes and distances on the Lego brick. The patterns were then positively extruded to create dimension. Due to sharp edges on the Lego brick's top face's circles, fillets were added to create more smooth edges. A text box with the letters ‘ALANA’ was added and then negatively extruded on the front face of the Lego brick.
Thingiverse file modification
Original Design
Modified Design
To alter the CaliCat Thingiverse design, I first imported the design into Autodesk Fusion 360. I then generated the mesh faces of the CaliCat and converted them into solid faces. From there I created a new sketch and created a rectangle on the face located at the top of the CaliCat's head. Extruding the rectangle by 10mm, I then joined a cylinder onto the top of the rectangle and extruded it 60mm. I faced issues with creating the strip around the cylinder as Autodesk Fusion 360 had been automatically set to cut instead of create when I went to create this center point circle on the top of the rectangle. I resolved the issue by switching the settings to where it created a new object when I create the center point circle. To complete the strip around the hat, I extruded it upwards by 20mm. I added fillets to the rim of the top and brim of the hat and the edges of the hat’s strip. After saving the final design, the Thingiverse CaliCat design had been officially modified.
3D printing has created revolutionary improvements in veterinary medicine; improving the confidence, precision, and efficiency of veterinary surgeons. Early developments of 3D technology in veterinary medicine included the correction of angular limb deformities in small animals but has since then grown to include larger animals and more fields. Cayde, a dog who suffered from bone deformities caused by abnormal healing of a fractured tibia as a young puppy, had a leg angled 45 degrees away from his body. With the help of NC State’s Veterinary Hospital, Cayde has undergone 3D printing aided surgery to alleviate his pain and correct the angular limb deformities in his leg. CT images, surgical measurements, and two 3D modeling programs helped Eby correct Cayde’s tibia in the same way Dr. Thomas would operate on Cayde the following day. Providing as a visual and tactical aid for students and surgeons, an exact replica of Cayde’s bones created increased precision in his surgery and he may now make a full recovery.