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plover
Guru
Joined: 18/04/2013
Location: AustraliaPosts: 306 |
| Posted: 04:08am 21 Dec 2019 |
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I am looking into making 3D printing objects, I can foresee some advantage for smaller items. I have 3D cad experience with a bigger mechanical 3D program but I think I will investigate FreeCAD.
Having had a look it seem a few tutorials will get me up and running. Actually doing the 3D printing I am not planning to get involved with.
Is there anyone on Forum actively using 3D printing of smaller fixtures and boxes?
A preliminary look at finding out if there is anyone having experience with using companies doing 3D printing? I have googled but so far only found bigger companies.
Any hints? |
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ceptimus
Senior Member
Joined: 05/07/2019
Location: United KingdomPosts: 130 |
| Posted: 10:59am 21 Dec 2019 |
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I've got a couple of 3D printers and often design and print things for hobby or home use.
I tried FreeCAD a while back but found it generally too buggy for day-to-day use. I'm sure it will have improved since then as there seems to be a fairly active development community.
If you're a programmer, you'll probably like OpenSCAD. This has a 3D view where the object you're designing can be viewed, rotated, zoomed, etc. but the actual design is done by writing a program or script that defines the object. For simple objects like boxes, brackets, spacers, ... it's fast and satisfying.
Fusion 360 is a very capable 3D-Cad suite. It's free, at the moment, for non-commercial use, but there's no guarantee it will remain that way. For more complicated objects and assemblies, it's what I currently use.
Whatever CAD system you use, you need to keep in mind the limitations of the 3D printing process. For the normal melted plastic extrusion type printers, you can't print 'in mid air' - you can have horizontal bridges providing the span is not too large, and overhangs providing they're not too extensive or too shallow an angle. Often you can arrange your design to print upside-down or in several pieces or whatever to overcome these limitations. Where you can't, the slicer software that converts your design (STL file usually) into printer commands can add automatic 'support material' that you have to remove from the finished print or sometimes it's better to design any necessary printing supports right into the CAD object.
As with any design process, you usually make a few mistakes - that's why it's a good idea to have your own printer, rather than getting some supplier to print your designs for you. Expect to throw away the first print of any slightly complex object, and maybe the second one too.
.
Edited 2019-12-21 21:00 by ceptimus |
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SimpleSafeName
Guru
Joined: 28/07/2019
Location: United StatesPosts: 351 |
| Posted: 05:20pm 21 Dec 2019 |
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I use OpenSCAD for my creations, as long as they are boxy. :)
This is what a project might look like:
$fn=50; //Number of facets - or how smooth it's going to look after it's rendered
difference() { //Subtract everything within the brackets from the first object
cube ([165,85,100]); //Start out with the largest block, location will start from 0,0,0.
translate([20,20,-5]) //Locate where you want the second block to originate from.
cube ([125,45,191]); //And subtract a block this size from the first block.
#translate([5,5,5]) //Lather, rinse, repeat. Note the "#" in front of the "translate", this will highlite that block. Very handy, can be removed after finalizing the drawing.
cube ([155,75,191]);
translate([15,15,-1])
cylinder(r1=3.5, r2=3.5, h=30);
translate([82.5,15,-1])
cylinder(r1=3.5, r2=3.5, h=30);
translate([150,15,-1])
cylinder(r1=3.5, r2=3.5, h=30);
translate([15,70,-1])
cylinder(r1=3.5, r2=3.5, h=30);
translate([82.5,70,-1])
cylinder(r1=3.5, r2=3.5, h=30);
translate([150,70,-1])
cylinder(r1=3.5, r2=3.5, h=30);
}
3D printing services:
https://all3dp.com/1/best-online-3d-printing-service-3d-print-services/
Edit #1: Since I print my own, I haven't had any experience with these companies.
Edit #2: We were printing out boxes and fixtures while I worked for Goodman. As well as for my current employer. It all depends on what you are using them for as to how well they will work. The nice thing is that modifying your widget just means throwing a tweaked design onto the printer bed and trying again.
Edited 2019-12-22 03:26 by SimpleSafeName |
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IanT
Senior Member
Joined: 29/11/2016
Location: United KingdomPosts: 115 |
| Posted: 01:04pm 24 Dec 2019 |
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Interesting that Open SCAD has been mentioned here..
Mrs Santa has agreed that I can have a Sovol 3D Printer (if I am good that is!) but I have to wait until the Grandchildren leave (after Christmas) to unpack it.
However, I've long felt that my main 'barrier to entry' to 3DP was my lack of ability with 3D CAD. I'm a fairly proficient 2D CAD user (about 20 years of TurboCAD D/L use) but 3D CAD has seemed beyond me. I tried TurboCAd 3D (but apparently you really need the 'Pro' version for 3D) and then I tried Fusion 360 and also struggled with that.
Discussing this with a friend recently, he suggested Open SCAD and although I was a bit dubious at first, the more I see, the more I think it might work for me. Not really deep into it yet but I can confirm that you can learn it in easy steps and immediately start to 'programme' simple structures - probably sufficient for the simple things I want to 3D print at this time.
I'm posting this because before Ralph suggested Open SCAD, I'd never heard of it but now I seem to be noticing it pop up all the time.
Merry Christmas everyone - and thank you for all the useful MMB info you've provided over this past year. Look forward to more in the coming one!
Regards,
IanT |
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SimpleSafeName
Guru
Joined: 28/07/2019
Location: United StatesPosts: 351 |
| Posted: 05:17pm 24 Dec 2019 |
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If you have no drawing ability, like myself, you may find that OpenSCAD is the way to go. There are some excellent YouTube videos that will get you going in no time.
For those thinking of buying a 3D printer:
I've never heard of Sovol, they may be alright, but here's my standard advice to anyone buying a printer after being one of the few guys who seemed to own a FLSun:
Be sure to do a bit of research first and avoid printers that don't have an *active* forum or some other form of non-company sponsored support. Chinese companies seem to delight in providing email support. This is spotty at best, and doesn't allow others to benefit from your (or others) experiences.
If you do find yourself stuck with an orphan:
There are plenty of examples of very nice 3D printers (hardware-wise) that are saddled with crappy electronics, so rather than throw the thing away, consider upgrading the electronics.
I had enough experience to hack the non-working firmware of the FLSun to get things going, but there is no future in that. And I have a Duet Ethernet on my Rostock, and I like it very much. So I bought a Duet Maestro for the FLSun (cheaper version of the full-blown Duet). Problem solved.
I run mine headless, meaning no display, and simply use the web control program in a browser. |
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gadgetjack
Senior Member
Joined: 15/07/2016
Location: United StatesPosts: 173 |
| Posted: 08:58pm 24 Dec 2019 |
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I built one 3 or 4 years ago and use it a lot for small projects. Even got into some 3d scanning and printing , but its a headache. |
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Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me.