Plane and Simple

Chuck Hull

in 1983, Chuck Hull invented the first 3D printer. At the time, he worked for a small company that worked with ultraviolet light. One day Hull thought of a new way to use ultraviolet technology, to turn computer designs into working porotypes. This lead to the creation of the first 3d printer.

The view cube

This is a photo of the View Cube. On the cube you can click the the corners, the sides, and the center of each side to automatically adjust your view of the plane or you can click and hold and drag your mouse around the cube to adjust your view of the plane.

This is the finished top portion of my lego brick. In Fusion 360 I created a 1:1 lego brick with my name. In Fusion 360 I used the 2-point rectangle tool to create an outline that I changed the dimensions to 15.8 mm by 31.8mm and then 9.6mm tall. On the top face, I created a circle with a diameter of 5mm and placed 3.9mm from both sides, and extruded it by 1.7mm. I used the rectangle pattern and replicated it all over the top face of the lego brick.

Then with the shell tool, I was able to hollow out the inside of the brick. I drew a construction line from the center of two of the circles and used it to make a circle from the center of the line then changed the diameter to 6.324mm. Then I created an offset circle that was 1mm off of the other one and then flipped it to the inside and then extruded it 8.1mm and used the rectangle pattern and replicated the bottom piece across the rest of the bottom

The final thing I did to finish my lego brick was I added my name I created a sketch selected the side of the brick as the face added text then intruded it by 1mm.

This is a book holder I made. With using 2-point circle I created a diameter of 23mm. Then I created lines of symmetry so that the arcs would copy over. I used a fillet to round the sides of the arcs so they were not sharp. Then I extruded the whole object by 12.5mm. I used a fillet again to round out the corners on the top of the book holder.

The final thing I did to finish my book holder was I added my name, I created a sketch selected the top of the book holder and as the face added text then intruded it by 1mm.


3d printing workflow


  • Export the 3D file as an STL file into google drive

  • Convert your STL file into G-Code with the Prusa Slicer 2.0(Open Prussia Slicer, then import STL file)

  • Choose Prussia Mini printer or Regular Prusa

  • Make sure that the filament is set to Prusament PLA

  • Open print settings and choose .15mm QUALITY

  • Export G-Code and save to downloads

  • Open Prussia mini servers or Prusa Regular servers in google classroom

  • Once on the site log in with (User: .\engineering Password: Fablab19

  • After you log in and the PM1 screen pops up make sure nothing is already on the 3D printer and wipe off the bed with alcohol

  • The bottom left is the upload where you will upload the G-Code file

  • Let the printer meet the required temperature to print

  • Watch the first layer of the print before you leave to get it later

IMG_0226.MOV

This is a time-lapse of a failed 3d print. I'm printing on a mini Prusa. I do not know what I did wrong because I rubbed down the bed, I extruded some of the Prusament PLA to know that it would come out properly and I watched the first layer and it went great, so I'm assuming there was something wrong with the printer.

This is a photo of the failed lego brick.

IMG_0229.MOV

This is a time lapse of my lego brick printing perfectly. Unfortunately the video I was taking for the first part of the print didn't actually show the lego brick being printed so its a smaller video. I printed this on a regular Prusa and besides changing the G-Code to fit the different printer I did not change anything else and that is one of the reasons I think that the failed first print was cause of the printer.

This is the final product, my lego brick. You can make out my name on the front there and see the rough measurements.

This is a design I took from Thingiverse. I thought that one thing I could change and modify was to make a pedestal/platform.

In Fusion 360 I used the shortcut "M" to move the cat, and I moved it 5mm up so that I could then create the 2-point rectangle under the cat center it and then extrude the pedestal/platform by 5mm so that it would sit perfectly on top. Then I added the name Buttercup because one of my best friends has a cat named Buttercup and I wanted to name it after his cat.