3D Printing Presentation

Sunday's Zoom meeting had our largest audience so far with 19 members attending from various parts of the country. Alan Geekie gave us an excellent and well received presentation on 3D printing that included FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) and SLA (Stereolithography apparatus) types

He first showed how we can source "things to print" using sites like Thingiverse. His own filament printer was the Prusa i3 Mk 3S which is available either as a kit (£699) or pre-assembled (£899) and features a self leveling bed. It also benefited from an additional multi material upgrade kit and he demonstrated the start up sequence of leveling, homing, clearing remaining filament from the hot end and then beginning the print. 

The process of slicing where a 3d object drawing file (.stl) is broken up into the x,y,z drawing coordinates for each individual layer was also explained.

Alan then moved on to resin printers using another Prusa model, the SL1 and its associated curing and washing machine. The quality of the prints from this machine is excellent. Filament printers leave a distinctive layered look which can be removed by filing or filling. The resin printer  produce a much smoother and detailed model, making it ideal for precision 00 parts and N gauge use.

The print needs to be tilted at 30 degrees on the bed and supports and drainage holes provided to ensure quality. The print is not fully cured at the end of the print and requires further exposure to a strong source of UV light to finish.

This expensive machine (almost £1,900) is best used outside the home and needs a temperature controlled environment with good ventilation to produce the best results. Given the price, security would also have to be considered.

A lively discussion followed Allan's talk that included the cheaper options that are available.from other suppliers (mainly Chinese origin) and the potential risks involved with purchase.

The new version of the Creality 3D Printer Ender 3 Pro shown above is a much more affordable option and requires some assembly. Detailed instructions are available as well as video links.

Filament printers are a great way of getting started on your 3D printing journey. Ensuring the Z axis beam is parallel to the base and that the printer bed is level is key to producing good prints.

Have Fun

Andy R