Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing (AM) is the industrial production name for 3D printing, a computer-controlled process that creates three-dimensional objects by depositing materials, usually in layers.

Leveling the build plate using the honing feature and paper test with the adjustable gears beneath the creality ender v2 printer

Practice Test Cube

Objective: Create a test cube to see how the printing process works and challenge the printer to perform difficult printing with lots of shapes, letters, numbers, and space in the design.

GIF of finished product also shown above is physical print of the test cube

3D printed test cube for layers, adhesion, overhang, structure, and more

Sketch of base for cube

Using boss extrude feature to make sketch 3 dimensional

Circle extrude cut

Square extrude cut

Hexagon extrude cut

Triangle extrude cut

Wonky shape extude cut

Number 1 extrude cut

Isometric view of finished test cube design in solid works

Roller Chain Challenge

Objective: 3D model a roller chain link of your own design and print a series of five links without print supports. When completed, the link should move as a roller-type chain.

Printing

Images of the printing process and resulting prints..

Setting up the printer (Creality Ender 3 or 3V2)

1st Prototype

2nd Prototype

3rd Prototype (printing final)

3rd Prototype (complete print)

Notebook drawings

Design: 1st Prototype

Design Process: My part will include a center cylinder that will repeat for each symmetrical part at which the chain links will rotate around. Will also add thick bars connecting holes to first cylinder part to add strength and help prevent breaks. Also will make sure to leave room for next part to print with the first part in a repeating pattern.

GIF of 1st prototype design in solid works

Extruded boss/base cylinder with offset plane using reference geometry to add sketches

Boss extrude up to surface feature connecting sketch to cylinder

2nd cylinder boss extrude to create outline for loop hole parts

Cut out center to allow for additional part as well as hole in 2nd cylinder for the next chain-link to attach to using extrude cut

Figured out I could just use mirror feature and copy from one side to another

Final image of completed 1st design part to be printed

Prusa Slicer screenshot for printing information

Completed print while still on the build plate

Design: 2nd Prototype

Changes: The second prototype had some redesigned parts and changes to help with the structure and overall functionality of the chain-link. The first part that I changed was the placement of the loop hole part, moving it from the outside to the inside and shrinking the length of the part to make it more centralized. This would help with the strength and functionality of the piece since it would now be more compact and wouldn't be able to pop off the outside since the loop hole part is now on the inside. The second part that I changed was the outside bar thickness to be equal to that of the cylinder that way most of the link is printed on the same level in hopes that this would prevent a hanging print. The last part of the design that I changed is the distance of the gap between the loop hole parts and the cylinder that goes through them to allow for more wiggle room.

GIF of completed 2nd Prototype with 2 links

Base cylinder made from circle sketch and extruded with boss/base feature

Offset extruded sketch from center plane of the cylinder to act as support to the loop hole part

Second cylinder made to rotate about each link

Extrude cut feature to hollow out the center portion of the second sylinder

Cutting out the middle portion to separate loop hole parts even though I could mirror it

Remembered to mirror parts and save unnecessary steps

First completed link with next center cylinder already going through it

Repeat steps from first part to create 2 links together to print

2nd Prototype printed

Design: 3rd Prototype

Changes: Second design had issues with hanging filament and stability but increased space for the moving section helped for better movement. Added more space to the lighting bolt looking part to have more stability since there was more room and the first two were farley skinny. I also made the side bars of each link equal to the height of the second cylinder which is the tallest part of the link to have it all print directly onto the build plate and prevent hanging/warped filament. Lastly I chamfered the corners of the side bars to allow more room for rotation between parts.