7. 3D printing and scanning¶
This week’s tasks:¶
As a Group assignment:
🐰 Test the design rules for your printers.
🐰 Document your work and explain what are the limits of your printers (in a group or individually).
As a Individual assignment:
🐰 Design and 3D print an object (small, few cm3, limited by printer time) that could not be easily made subtractive.
🐰 3D scan an object, try to prepare it for printing (and optionally print it).
This week, we had an insightful introduction to 3D printers. We explored two models: Ultimaker and Creality, and learned about the importance of structure in 3D printing. We discovered how these printers create their own supports to prevent material from collapsing or falling.
We also downloaded the corresponding software for each printer, which I have linked below:
🐰 For Ultimaker, we use this software.
🐰 For Creality, we use this software.
What is 3d scanning¶
3D scanning is a technology for creating high-precision 3D models of real-world objects. It works like this: a 3D scanner takes multiple snapshots of an object. The shots are then fused into a 3D model, an exact three-dimensional copy of the object, which you can rotate and view from different angles on your computer.
Uses:
1) You rely on having accurate 3D measurements in making important decisions
2) You need to capture vast amount of surface measurements quickly and efficiently
3) Need to reconstruct a physical object in 3D to be visualize digitally on screen
👍 Advantages of 3D Printing:
Affordable: 3D printers are more affordable than ever. For instance, the Creality Ender 3 costs around $300.
Rapid Prototyping: You can cheaply and quickly create a new prototype with every design modification, unlike the expensive and lengthy prototype machining process.
Infinite Geometry and Shapes: 3D printing can create shapes that are hollow with no openings, have extreme undercuts, all features that are impossible by any other manufacturing method.
Reduced Waste: In 3D printing, only the essential material is used to make certain parts as it is an additive manufacturing process. This is different from traditional machining, where huge masses of non-recyclable materials are cut to make 3D parts.
Print on Demand: Unlike subtractive manufacturing, 3D printing technology does not take up a lot of space for stock inventory as parts can be printed only when ordered or required.
👎Limitations of 3D Printing:
Restricted Build Size: The chamber size integrated into 3D printers is usually relatively small, thereby restricting the part sizes that you can print.
The Textures and Color Printing Limitations: It would be incorrect to say that the multiple colors 3D printing is not possible. It sure is. But, it would requires a lot of time and efforts. In addition, printing with wood and ceramics is again a huge challenge therefore users might be restricted with plastic filament.
Limitations in accuracy: The precision of a printed part relies on the kind of machine and/or procedure adopted.
Printing temperature: different temperature should be set for different filament and printer to heat the bed. For instance, PLA filament requires 190-220 C.
Nozzle size: The most common standard nozzle sizes are the 0.4mm (or 0.35mm) nozzle used by most current 3D printer. If the nozzle was smaller than about 0.3mm, the resolution; which means how accurately the extruder can feed filament into the hotend might actually start becoming the bottleneck for how well printed part turn out. In addition, when introducing an increasingly smaller constriction to the filament path, the contaminants on the filament blocking up the nozzle is increasing. But, users can create absolutely stunning 3D prints that have completely invisible layer lines and super-fine details as it also allows users to use more layer heights more effectively. On the other hand, a larger nozzle will speed up the design print as not only will it cover a wider track with the same movement, but users will have the option of using taller layers. This may reduce the details printed because the extruded filament might not be heated up enough before it leaves the hotend as it been send through the volcano heater block very quickly.
Printing a design requires a 3D file format such as STL file or OBj which could be made in various softwares such as SolidWorks, Fusion360, AutoCad and more, but those softwares might be a little more advanced so it is recommended to use something simpler and easier such as TinkerCad.
The final step before printing the design is slicing.
Using a slicing software, slicing is essentially the process of dividing a 3D model into hundreds or thousands of layers. Your file is prepared for your 3D printer once it has been sliced. You have three options for feeding a file to your printer: USB, SD, or WiFi. You can now begin layer-by-layer 3D printing of your sliced file.
Printers Available¶
🐰 This is the most advanced 3D Printer available here the Creality K1 which is 12 times faster than the normal printer
🐰 Creality
🐰 This is the UltiMaker S5
3D Models¶
Design in Thinkercad:
3D Scanning¶
🐰 Scaniverse is faster and offers more options. It allows for conversion to multiple formats, cropping, adding effects, changing the background color, and applying various movement effects. Additionally, you can save the scan as a video.
Download my designs:¶
click to download my Crown of Bones model
click to download my Scaniverse model