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First of all hello, I am new to 3D printing!

My company bought a 3D printer to print cases for an Arduino device.

Right now we are still in the phase off getting to know the printer, which settings to use and which software should be used aswell.

The printer was bought here(ebay.de)

Our main problem is using the right software. Right now we are using MakerBot Desktop.

The program itself is okay, but we have no idea why imported 3D models(from 3D Max) and printed models are not the same. Even the preview model is different.

For example: the case(screenshot) we want to print has 2 holes on the bottom. The preview(screenshot) shows no holes at all.

About printing: the printer was delivered with a gray filament, probably PLA.

Right now we are using ABS, since it’s the most robust material, but the higher heating requirements are making us some trouble. At 253C it works fine, but the material unsticks from the bed on the corners, even though a Kapton tape is applied aswell as the bed temp is 130C.

So our main issues are which software to use for best printing, which actual printer model this is(not sure if ‘The Replicator’ or something else) and any tipps on printing ABS; with main problem being the non-sticking to bed.

Thank you guys for your help!

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Hi tomi12,

I would suggest looking at Simplify3D for slicing. I having been using it for a couple of years and although I keep trying the new versions of Curs/ Slic3r, Repetier, Mattercontrol etc I haven’t found anything as good. It will work fine with your Replicator Clone. As far as print issues go, have a look at this troubleshooter for help on what your issues might be. Make sure your part is manifold and there are no flipped triangles or you will end up with holes.

Feel free to email the .stl file to me and I can repair the model for you - marc@burntproducts.com

Cheers,

Marc

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Hi Tomi12

You need to search the forum and update the frimware to Sailfish ensure everything is nice and tight (Just go around and nip up the bolts)

Then use Makerware software to slice and send to machine, PLA 180-190c bed temp 0c if using blue painters tape or 70c with glass (Old Photo frame is best with cheap hair spray) ABS 210-220c bed temp 110c

Slow the machine down using makerware software the sailfish firmware will make the prints just out standing.

Hope this helps

Ryan

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Hello

I updated the firmware with help of this video. SO right now, i have Sailfish 7.6 installed. Sorry that I forgot tmentioning this in my post

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Hello Tomi12

Holes

Looks like some of the faces are flipped. Turn on normals display in Max and check that all the faces are pointing outwards.

Sticking to bed

I also used a clone printer almost exactly like yours for a couple of years. A thin sheet of glass from a picture frame that I purchased from a pound shop worked perfectly. It enable me to remove the print with the glass and let it cool. This enable the print to just pop off. The best way I found of making the print stick to the glass while printing was to first cover the glass in a solution of acetone with a small piece of the filament that I am printing with dissolved into it. Just pour the solution onto the glass and spread it out with an old plastic bank or credit card. I often used a brim of about 10mm as this gave more area to stick down. This can be easily removed afterwards. Even by hand.

Another thing you really will need to do for ABS printing is make some sides and front panels out of transparent acrylic / Perspex or even glass. This will help to keep the temperature in the build chamber more even. Doing this will help to stop warping and cracking which can be caused by drafts and uneven temperatures making the item cool unevenly.

Bed levelling and first layer height are probably the most important things. What I do is turn the printer speed right down to say 10% and what it printing the first outlines of the brim or skirt and adjust the bed height screws to make the height perfect for that item. Once the lines being printed are printing at the correct thickness I then turn the speed back up. I do this because levelling the bed does not mean that each consecutive print will start at the same height. the bed clicking a little micro switch a couple of times is never going to be 0.1 - 0.2mm accurate. Plus every thing changes size when heated or cooled.

If all else fails a little trick I sometimes use for warping or bended parts is: Heat the part gently with a hair drier or hot air gun and once it becomes slightly pliable, press / hold the part down onto a cold flat surface until it cools.

Anyway must get on with some work. Hope some of this helps you.

Regards

Dave

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I would recommend thingverse. Since you will have a ton of those big you can expertinent with and learn how you printer works.

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Simplify 3D will be your most straight forward choice for this type of printer but it does cost.

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Hello, should I print for you the housing? Someone speaks of you German ??? Greeting Frank

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Hello, I speak german. How much would it cost to print a 12x7x4cm case?

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Cool now use makerware by makerbot desktop software connect the printer and it will come up replicator duo use the pre config settings and happy days :slight_smile:

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The download page is unavailable, I’ll try it again later or find some other pages if possible:)

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1) Try using Makerbot Print software, free at makerbot.com.This software will allow you to better control your machine.

2) Try playing with the bed temp. Sounds like you may want to lower your print bed temp. you may be not allowing the filament to cool slowly and actually are begining to burn it.

3) If you do not have a software like Autodesk Inventor, or Solidworks, you can use CAD123 it is not free but very inexpensive, and will give you more options to configure the export of drawings to you printer.

4) You can look at youtube.com for videos, others have placed there about your printer.

5) From time to time check our blog for information and directions. Visit: www.3dprintingworld.tech

Hope this all helped.

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Hi tomi12,

Thanks for sending through the file. I replied by email, but for the benefit of the others on this thread. The case was as surface model and was not manifold. When surface-modelling you need to make sure that all of the surfaces are the right way up (each surface has an inside and an outside surface). I converted your model to a solid and then rebuilt the parts that were missing because of the flipped surfaces. Hopefully that resolves your issues with the model.

As far as warpig goes, I would suggest starting with PLA until you get more confident. Colorfabb PLA/PHA is excellent and not as brittle as some other PLA material. If you do need to print with ABS then have a look at using helper discs/mouse ears on the corners of you part or print with a brim. This will keep the corners stuck down better. Just remember that long straight lines in ABS are likely to warp.

Cheers,

Marc

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I would totally recommend Simply3D its a paid software, but its worth it. Correct me if im wrong i think you can get a trail version.

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Have a look at Simplify3d for your slicing software, I moved to that from Makerbot desktop about a year ago and haven’t had any regrets, much better slicing and support generation!! For the ABS issues your having, the first suggestion I can make is your printing at an awful high extruder temp, 220 should be more then sufficient with most ABS filaments. As for bed adhesion I have that solved, my parts stick so well I have to pop them off with a small wooden block and a little tapping from a tack hammer. Buy a roll of the green PET tape, commonly available on eBay as well, much better then kapton for adhesion to ABS, then get yourself a spray bottle and cut up some ABS filament or scraps and toss that in the bottle and fill it with Acetone, shake and let it sit a day with occasional shaking to dissolve the ABS into the Acetone. Then before a print I take a paper towel and spray it with that and wipe the bed, while it’s cool, and you will see the Acetone evaporate and leave a haze of ABS on the PET tape. Set your bed temp to around 100-115 and you should have solid adhesion and no more issues there.

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Try this out and your print will stick like crazy no warping…

https://www.buildtak.com/

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Hello Marc,

Thank you for your time and help. I appreciate that much! I later found with my boss out that the vertical walls of the hole were not present, so that’s why MakerBot didn’t recognize the hole. After that the model was just fine. I’ll link a picture as soon as I manage to upload it.

About the PLS/ABS. We want to use ABS since it’s stronger than PLA(since it is going to protect an electronic device).

I’ll try David_25’s suggestion and put a glass plate on the bed and use some hair spray. Does the glass need to be glued to the Kapton foil or can I just put it on it?

Before this I’ll also try adding brim.

Best regards,

Tomi

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Hi Tomi12

Just use little Bulldog Clips to hold the glass on the bed. If you purchase a cheap A4 sized photo frame from a pound shop the glass is nice and thin and can be cut in half. This will enable you to remove one with a print on and replace it with the other one keeping your printer going while you remove the item from the glass.

PLA

Cheapest boots own brand hairspray (approx. £1) is the best. Blue painters tape also works really well.

ABS

Acetone and ABS slurry is the best.

Have fun regards

Dave

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Bulldog clips to hold the glass looks like a great idea. No applying of any adhesive whatsoever. I’ll go buy glass and those clips right away if added brim to the model won’t work. Painter tape was applied on delivery and we printed a month with it(we didn’t know the layer beneath was also usable as printing bed.

Does the acetone-ABS has to dry on the glass surface? Can I heat up the bed in order to speed up the process?

Thanks and best Regards,

Tomi

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Hi Tomi12

The acetone will evaporate leaving a micro thin layer of ABS on the glass making for an amazing surface for the print to stick to (ABS on top of ABS). Experiment with how much ABS to dissolve in the acetone. Can be kept in a sealed jar (old coffee or jam jar).

Heating the bed will speed up the process.

As a follow up: go to youtube and search for acetone vapour smoothing. You can get some amazing results with this technique and you prints can come out looking factory moulded.

Keep the plastic flowing

Regards

Dave