Difference between revisions of "3d printer"

Revision as of 18:21, 18 May 2013

http://wiki.ultimaker.com/Newcomer_guide_to_your_first_3D_print
3D Software:
- OpenSCAD is a script-based 3D editor. it can make use of parameters, conditions, for and while loops, etc... This is currently Petaflot's choice
- http://www.3dtin.com/ Online in the browser
- http://www.netfabb.com/download.php (Linux version)
Printing software:
- https://print.fixme.ch web interface to replace Printrun/Cura (still need Slic3r to create the gcode)
- Slic3r and Printrun
- Cura
To check, http://projectsilkworm.com/
Check STL files for printability: http://cloud.netfabb.com/
Buy material in switzerland: Resources#3D_Printer

http://daid.github.com/Cura/
it's the only software worth it
Yes, you will need PyOpenGL for it to run. Displaying nice 3d images is not that trivial.

Recommended: Use the dev version on github: https://github.com/daid/Cura.git (12.10 when I'm writing)
Required packages: wxPython and PyOpenGL.
You can use a python virtualenv.

On first Cura start, you don't need to upgrade to Marlin firmware because it's already done.
You should run the checks, at least to check if USB connection between PC and the printer is working. For temperature check, the printer need to cool down (to ~30) before heating and check, it can take looong time.
Now you can use Cura to print objects.

Load a .stl model.
Change orientation, size, etc...
Click on the Prepare print button.
Software will slice the object into GCode. The more you choose a large scale object, the longer the execution time is.
When it done, click on Print button to open the Printing dialog.
Wait the software connect with the printer, Connection button will turn from clickable to readonly and Print button will turn from readonly to clickable.
Set the temperature with the arrows (yeah it's not working by putting the number directly)
Wait a bit so the hot end is distributively warmed
Extrude before printing, so the wire is at the start of the hot end
Make sure the wire is extruding correctly (the output wire is regular)
Click the Print button.
KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRINTER THROUGHOUT THE PRINTING PROCESS!!! And clean which could interfere the printing.

If a pile of plastic has formed in the extruder, remove the wire complitely and cut it
Put the leftover in the box, maybe one day we'll be able to recycle it!