Thread: 3D Printing...
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Unread 11/12/2016, 04:49 PM   #17
jrhupp
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lincoln, NE
Posts: 318
Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoonraefi View Post
What kind of wall thickness should I be using to get a solid outer shell?
This is set by the number of perimeters or outer shell thickness specified in the slicer. For vertical walls I often use a 1mm wall thickness (0.4 mm nozzle) and then model the wall at 2 or 2.4mm thick. That has given quite satisfactory results on my printer.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoonraefi View Post
How can I best create a large window without needing to add a bunch of supports?
Do you know how the printer that you will use performs at bridging? It is quite possible when supported on two sides for the printer to bridge horizontal gaps of up to a couple of centimeters with out additional support. Much more then that and the first layer that supports the span will either break or sag.

For larger openings that will print vertically I will often leave them filled partially and then bevel the edges of the opening. So for a 2.4 mm thick wall, I would for example leave a 1 mm thick wall up the center of where I want the opening and bevel all the edges from the 2.4 mm down to 1 mm at a 45 degree angle or so. The thin wall in the opening I either remove with a razor blade or Dremel after the print finishes.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoonraefi View Post
Other than the top of the window where am I going to need supports?
In theory, anywhere where the overhang has a slope greater than layer height divided by the nozzle width.


As to the idea of printing the parts flat and then assembling, this works but it pretty much defeats the purpose of using a 3d printer. A well designed part on well tuned and enclosed printer is no problem. Where delamination and warping occur during a print (the reason folks are suggesting printing flat and assembling), this is typically due to differential cooling as the part is printed. Thin walls on open frame printers are notorious for this because they cool so quickly and there is so much plastic laid in close proximity to itself. Thin walled boxes of significant height are quite doable if you enclose the printer. Just take a look at my build thread, especially the enclosures for my electrical receptacles. Those are a 2.4 mm wall and about 100 mm tall.


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