World Domination, I just got my self a 3d Printer!!!

[spinningmagnets]

Slightly OT, but relevant.

3D printing has been used to take mice cells and make 3D bone and tissue parts that were implanted into mice and it was viable tissue. With what I've been reading about stem-cell technology, it sounds like organ repair may be possible in our lifetime.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=desktop-printer-technology-lay-down-cells

 

[Samd]

Hey Nechaus, great job. I print a fair bit of stuff online via the Netherlands - time to get you to quote me I think! Postage has to be better between QLD and Vic!

 

[Hyena]

I print a fair bit of stuff online via the Netherlands

What's the finish quality like ? Pretty good if they're selling it I imagine.

 

[nechaus]

Hey man,


If you email me some stuff you need printed, Ill print it off and upload it here if you like, so you can see the quality... You may or may not like it.




The only issue im having atm with people sending me stuff to print, is when i convert it to .stl format, depending on how the object was designed, it may not come out right...
If you can send me the .stl that would be awesome, otherwise i can convert sketchup files to .stl, works well 50% of the time.
Sometimes i need to change the Faces on the object to get it to render right in my 3d print software.

Other programs i have not looked into just yet

 

[Samd]

Hmmm, try "Meshlab", It's downloadable for free. I usually export .dae files from sketchup, you can export as STL files and it does a lot of remeshing and checking automatically.

I use Shapeways.com to print online, they are a division of Phillips, so they know their stuff. And my dad came from Eindhoven, so they must be cool.
They are good and cheap, with the online quote automated, but postage kills my little wind turbine items when not in bulk. Good material data info about strength and dims.

I think I suggested them awhile ago to you Hyena for making custom vent covers and a hyena headstem badge. But now, I reckon Nechaus is the man! I am always amazed that Stealth don't come up with a 3D printed badge instead of the dashboard cutaway - too busy making cool bikes I guess...

 

[Hyena]

I think I suggested them awhile ago to you Hyena for making custom vent covers and a hyena headstem badge.

Ah yes I remember now.

I am always amazed that Stealth don't come up with a 3D printed badge instead of the dashboard cutaway - too busy making cool bikes I guess...

Probably more a case of when you're getting the sheet laser cut anyway it only takes 30 seconds extra to zap out an extra hole and then stick a piece of CF behind it. I imagine 3d printed stuff on a bike that's designed to be bashed around is going to end up broken anyway.

I've spoken to Nechaus about printing up some cool logo stuff for me but I think he's still working on some of the teething problems and settings with his printer. It's still pretty early days for these cheap desktop printers but when all the tiny details are sorted out I'm sure they'll be able to turn out a pretty swish looking finished product.

 

[Samd]

Aw cmon, only takes 15 mins. I haven't wrapped it to the headtube, but you get the idea....
Sorry for threadjacking Nechaus...

 

[Hyena]

Heh thats pretty cool. Not sure how well it'd come out though. The first one Nechaus printed came out a bit patchy. The 2D printing seemed good but the 3D stacking of the layers seemed a bit rough and wonky. I think he said it he found that particular material was weak, brittle and generally crap though and the other stuff plastic he used after was better.

The logo I'm tossing around is actually a triangular warning sign style with a H in the centre and a lightning bolt forming the horizonal part of the H.
Ie like THIS - but better finished/drawn. The H part could be done as a negative cut out like the stealths CF insert or just laser etched - or backlit, which is something I want to do for gimmick factor if I ever get my custom frames sorted.
The crest style does look cool though, and the lightening H logo would suit that too

 

[nechaus]

If you guys want me to print, logo's ect...

Id say each letter needs to be atleast 3 mm thick and 1 - 2 cm + big each letter if you know what i mean..
I can do stuff small and finer, but i have to restart the prints heaps to perfect it, changing the settings by the smallest margin,

 

[nechaus]

Right now im reprinting my Quad copters arms, Again!

This time i have changed a settings from shell count from 1 to 3, now the arms are pretty much filled in with out editing the original file. ( they were printed tubing before )

settings will react differently with each algorithm i have set as well,


damm, I just wish you guys got printers!!! We could share designs for ebike stuff!!
im tempted to get a second printer or make one from spare parts when i upgrade my current one

 

[Hyena]

I can do stuff small and finer, but i have to restart the prints heaps to perfect it, changing the settings by the smallest margin,

Do you think that's particular to your printer ? Or setup issues ? Or do they all require lots of fiddling like that ?

im tempted to get a second printer or make one from spare parts when i upgrade my current one

Making a set of spares for your current system is definately a good idea - it's too late when something fails!
There's something cool about using a machine to replicate itself though
Unless they're stargate replicators, terminators or [insert any number of other sci fi baddies]

 

[nechaus]

I can do stuff small and finer, but i have to restart the prints heaps to perfect it, changing the settings by the smallest margin,

Do you think that's particular to your printer ? Or setup issues ? Or do they all require lots of fiddling like that ?

im tempted to get a second printer or make one from spare parts when i upgrade my current one

Making a set of spares for your current system is definately a good idea - it's too late when something fails!
There's something cool about using a machine to replicate itself though
Unless they're stargate replicators, terminators or [insert any number of other sci fi baddies]

I think its just my noobness still and a combination of kinda oldish software,
When i upgrade the controller board, it will have newer firmware and allow me to use other more upto date printing programs..
prob improve the unit overall.. they have cheap upgrades like the new board is only $139 and that's the most expensive part

Im really happy with most of the things i print now, just some thing can be a bit to fiddle with to print it strong as well as neat



They say with reprap v1, you can print like 60% or 70% of the parts, the next version of the reprap they are going to eventually be printing pcb, and doing stuff with electronics so should be able to print a high % of parts..






You should buy one hyena!

 

[nechaus]

some pics below
Nothing to exciting,
The red mount is so damm light in weight and so friken strong..
You can see that the red quadcopter motor mount has nicer edges than the orange arms,
I will take more pics of both soon once the arms complete,

The orange arms are hollow at the ends because it clips into the base, the middle section is filled so it will be strong enough for flight easily.
The hollow ones were surprisingly strong for how messy it was...


But anyway, that is the quality of what most of my prints turn out like, some need to be cleaned up after from the extra plastic as you can see on the orange arms,
But the red mount had very little as you can see.




Ill be happy when I eventually make a full battery bay for my bicycle, it beats duct tape and zip ties

 

[Samd]

The process is a bit different, you are extruding hot goo with reprap, from memory. Detail on a different order.
Whereas the quarter-million euro Epsom machines fuse granular powder with a laser so you can control the detail size really well down to 0.2mm no problem.

The car badges and cufflinks I have done in the past have been shotblasted to remove the layering, looks sweet when done. Check out the shapeways alumide material.
The reprap is a nice machine for making good cheap brackets etc, where focus is on function a little more than finish. You'll have a sweet time Nechaus.

I have a nice wind turbine project that might stack up well against the cost of 20-40 watt solar panels, needs a housing made. Will send you the details when I get the design sorted and a the next prototype built

 

[nechaus]

Im happy to print stuff for ppl for free, you can see the limitations of it. certain situations it can be handy.
I think it would be great to have a reprap if you had kids.
its easier than baking bread.

 

[Samd]

Did it need much assy? Local supplier?

 

[nechaus]

Nah, It came pre built from india,
only major problem i had was extruder got damaged in shipping,
and had to reflash the chip because xray machines corrupted it apparently

 

[bigmoose]

A follow up on the local printer (hope you don't mind nechaus) I started to look into the library, but found out the community college where my wife teaches has one also, and get this, it is available to the public!! She went over there today to get the specifics.

All I have to do is email them a .stl file and then go pick up my pieces. Price is $10 a cubic inch. I am sure hoping that is cubic inches of material used, and not the enclosed space of a print. I'll have to follow up on that for clarification.

So check out your local community college and library, they may have the same deal trying to help start ups and support more entrepreneurial businesses, hackers and tinkerers.

 

[nechaus]

That seems rather expensive,
yeah id imagine it would be any shape... and the volume of 1 cubic inch,
I would of thought they would do it per grams,

I just ordered 1kg of glow in the dark PLA, Blue color, from bilbycnc.com.au
about $59 per kg with the shipping. Non glow in the dark is $10 cheaper.

so it cost $7.50 for 125 grams of plastic,
The power consumption for the machine is so low it could be ran off solar easy..


12 volts @ 5 amps is all it need..



Pic of the stuff im getting, iv changed my mind again, I want to make my quad out of glow in the dark plastic so i can fly it at night!


Bigmoose, you should get some stuff made and take some pictures of the printer to if you can, that would be cool.
I wonder if they fuse the granules, those machines are so awesome

 

[Samd]

You know it's quite cheap by shapeways standards - although they have fancy materials their prices don't start until 99 cents per cubic centimeter, and abs is $1.99 per cubic cm from memory. Different process tho.

The library idea is a cracker.

 

[nechaus]

thats awesome !!!!!
$20 will get you a bag of plastic made goodies lol


im getting annoyed with my printer again.


Iv been using red orange, the prints have been coming out ok. When i use fluro yellow, it comes out a whole bunch better.
Ill put some pics up soon to just compare it...
Its almost double the detail ! I think it must be temp settings im not sure.. All colors have good flow out of the hot nozzle, its a weird problem

I think if im set up for ABS things will get better because i can use higher temps...

some PLA will extrude at 200c, some will take 250c Plus.... it could also be my extruder, or the pla is to soft for the extruder hence the high temp making it easier to push through the nozzle and less pressure on the extruder

 

[amberwolf]

It is possible that some colors are more transparent to heat, allowing it to escape faster, causing it to harden quicker?

 

[nechaus]

im not sure, it does kind of build up inside the nozzle of a pool of hot plastic

 

[nechaus]

It could be my Nozzle,

I just plan on replacing all the main working parts with more new updated ones.
It should solve alot of little bugs i have...
im about to upload the difference with colours of plastic.



Perhaps its just acquired moisture in the PLA, i just put the roll of orange in a cardboard box with a hairdryer with a cut out hole...
had it going for 10 mins,

Ill try print with it again and see if it comes out neater, I know this is a common thing to do... maybe i need to do it more often.

Guys that extrude nylon bake line trimmer line in the oven for a few hours at low temps to remove all the moisture so it will actually print, not just bubble up





If i could print with nylon, i could make new gears for internally geared hubs for sure! with fancy colors, better gearing ratio as well.

 

[nechaus]

[youtube]szUmC37N9aY[/youtube]


$999 works out of the box, prints abs!!!
looks very nice compared to mine, Im thinking of getting it as a second unit!!