[sudo-discuss] 3D printing - help???

Thu Aug 8 11:42:33 PDT 2013

That looks nice, Hol!  How is the threading holding up?  I've defaulted to just make holes too small then tap it with self-tapping plastic screws, but I needed much finer teeth.  If it gives you trouble you could try just tapping the plastic with the final piece, if it seems too brittle, just heat up the threaded piece first!  200C should do ;)

---
Marina:  Documentation is probably worthy of a project, since it's not really a community resource unless the community can figure out how to use it.  What I said to Hol could be enough for someone willing to do some research on their own, or familiar with the general concept.

Here's a very brief expansion that could be pasted on the wiki to get the self-driven learners started (I really don't know if I have wiki access, it's been a while, just humor me here):

Steps to using the 3D printer:

1.  Convert your 3D model (.stl, ...) to machine-instructions, or '.gcode' using KisSlicer.  Our KisSlicer is currently calibrated for our Type A Machines printer using 1.75mm PLA, its print bed size, and its nozzle diameter.  Hang on to that .gcode file!

2.  To control the printer itself, and send the gcode instructions to the printer, we use Pronterface.  Once the printer is powered on and connected, Pronterface will give you the ability to heat up the nozzle, move any of the motors (don't push plastic through a cold nozzle or raise the bed past where it's touching the nozzle!), and even send a series of instructions to the printer straight off a .gcode file.  And that's all that's involved software-wise!

Hardware Troubleshooting:

The nozzle can jam!  That plastic is only being pushed through the hot tube of metal by a pretty small motor, so if there's a little resistance in the hot-end, it's easy for the extruder's motor to slip, gradually shredding up the plastic in that spot and certainly not printing.

Before you start printing, it's a good idea to heat up the hot end (PLA melts at 185C, some people like to print a little hotter for smoother flow) and then extrude some plastic, to make sure it's coming out.  We've had some jams with this hot-end before, and if you have trouble, you might want to clear it:

To clear out the hot-end:  Just heat up the hot end, reverse the extruder until you can pull out the plastic filament thread, and then push something like a pin through, as long as it is narrower than the hot end tip.  Last I checked there was a very thin alan wrench on the desk, and it worked great once I angled it so it could go in there.

Other problems can vary dramatically.  A keen eye and a practical mind can figure out lots of them!  They can include:

-Small plastic bits interfering with the pulleys and the timing belts, making for weird lumps in the shape.
-Stepper motors slip and will just click without moving if they are experiencing too much resistance for the current they're being supplied, something might be in the way!

And more!  Please contribute to this list as you encounter problems with our printer and solve them.

Good luck!
-Dan

-Dan

On Aug 7, 2013, at 9:35 PM, Marina Kukso <marina.kukso at gmail.com> wrote:

> thank you guys!
> 
> is the 3d printer available for anyone to use now? do we need new documentation for those who'd like to use it?
> 
> - marina
> 
> 
> On Wed, Aug 7, 2013 at 7:15 PM, Hol Gaskill <hol at gaskill.com> wrote:
> OK didn't turn out perfect but I have some results to use in refining the model for printability.
> 
> Thanks again, dan!
> 
> 
> Aug 7, 2013 04:03:24 PM, somniac at me.com wrote:
> I've done it!  Here's the rundown:
> >
> >Previously your host software was probably "Repetier-Host", which was a nice little suite with the slicer and host software in one package.  Now things are a little different:
> >
> >First you'll use KISSlicer to slice an .stl model into your .gcode file, then you'll open PronterFace, where you can load that .gcode file and tell the printer to print it.  It's actually fairly similar, all the same general functions, just in two pieces of software.
> >
> >Good luck!
> >
> >-Dan
> >
> >
> >On Aug 7, 2013, at 11:24 AM, Hol Gaskill hol at gaskill.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Hi Folks,
> >>
> >> Who has used the 3D printer since the host computer was re-imaged or knows where to find documentation on how to use it posted somewhere?  I used the old one frequently but it was in a windows environment, tried to show someone how to use it the other day and was dumbfounded.  Trying to print out some intake strainers to keep pumps from sucking in duckweed.
> >>
> >> Cheers,
> >> Hol
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> sudo-discuss mailing list
> >> sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
> >> http://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/sudo-discuss
> >
> >
> 
> _______________________________________________
> sudo-discuss mailing list
> sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
> http://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/sudo-discuss
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> sudo-discuss mailing list
> sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
> http://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/sudo-discuss

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://sudoroom.org/pipermail/sudo-discuss/attachments/20130808/8bc5e33b/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: smime.p7s
Type: application/pkcs7-signature
Size: 1656 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://sudoroom.org/pipermail/sudo-discuss/attachments/20130808/8bc5e33b/attachment.bin>