Upper Design Lab - 3D PRINTING

Overview

FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) 3D printing is a process in which filament from a spool of plastic is guided through an extruder, melted, and re-solidified onto a print bed. It extrudes plastic layer by layer, from the bottom of an object to the top. In order to have a file 3D printed, you must submit an STL file that is properly designed to the specs listed below. Before submitting your first file, please read the information provided here in full. While most jobs can be completed day of - be sure to allow for at least 48hrs for job completion.

Equipment

4x Prusa MK3

2x Lulzbot Taz 6

2x Lulzbot Mini

Materials

PLA - various colours (note: colour selection will only be allowed when the 3D printers are not in heavy use)

TPU - flexible plastic

Composite PLA (ironfill, carbon fibre, conductive plastic, for use with special permission)

Preparing your Files

Use TinkerCad, Fusion 360, OpenSCAD, or other 3D design programs to design a 3D model. Export this model as an STL file. Follow the Steps for Success below to ensure that your model is optimized for 3D printing. Find tutorials to use these software here.

While we encourage proper file preparation and careful design decision making, please note that if your model is not optimized it will likely still be able to be printed. We will use support material to ensure the print is a success, which you can simply break off afterwards. Models printed with support material will need some finishing with sand paper and pliers as needed.

Steps for Success

1. Be thoughtful of the scale of your object. If your object is too small and detailed, it won’t print properly, but if it's too large it will take too long. For reference, an object that is 1" cubed takes roughly 20 minutes to print. If you have concerns about the size of your design, check in with your teacher!

2. Place your design flat on the design workspace. Be sure to reorient object as needed so that it doesn't need support material. For example, printing this object on its bottom side will negate the requirement for support material that has to be removed post-print.

Splitting object and assembling after may result in a nicer quality print with no support material needed

Source: Markforged

3. Make sure to separately upload unattached elements of your design, or alternatively keep all parts flat on Z plane. Floating objects will print in the air and will droop onto the print bed, with nothing underneath them to support their structure.

4. Objects with overhangs or inclines over a 45 degree angle will droop and not print accurately. If your design can be modified or reoriented on the print bed to prevent overhangs, please do so. If the integrity of your design relies on overhangs, we will simply fill that space with support material that you can break off post-print.

Overhang Example (if these objects were printed on their back, no support would have been needed!) - source: 3DHubs

Overhang allowance - source: all3DP

5. Keep an eye on the level of detail of your object. Our 3D printers can print details that are 1mm thin at the smallest. That means any walls or design elements that are smaller than 1mm will not be seen in your final print. 3mm walls minimum are recommended for quality prints.

6. If your print required support material, you can simply break off the support material by hand. Pliers or tweezers can be used to carefully pry off any support material that is too stubborn to break off by hand.

source: 3DHubs

7. Finally, if your print required support material it will likely need some sanding to finish the model properly. If you would like to smooth out any visible layers or bumps caused by supports, carefully use a fine grit sand paper lightly over your print.