The Market of One

Thingiverse is one of the best places to locate new objects to print. Often objects you can find will push the limits of what is possible to print and Object 61796 is one of them. It takes its inspiration from the video game Portal and its sadistic robot GlaDOS. The ceiling hanging robot has been recreated into a very detailed printable ceiling lamp in 28 printable pieces. While a lamp would seem impressive enough its creator “dragonator” went even further and made it motorized. This print showcases how one can work around the limitations of their printer to push the envelope of size and complexity. This object not only creates a fantastic object but also a useful one integrating an actually usable LED light fixture. Its a great showcase of problem solving and practicality that can be possible. While it is a print that few will print, it is a great inspiration to others showing what can be possible with the current technology and how much further is can go.

Starting off with your printer can be daunting if you assembled your RepRap, or just unboxed your Makerbot. Every print needs to start with a solid foundation and that requires knowing how to keep them sticking to the print bed. Every printer is different and there is no one way to setup your bed but by knowing the basics you can experiment with what works best for you. One of the biggest differences in print beds is if it is heated. A heated print bed is essential to printing successfully with ABS because it helps to keep the object from cooling to quickly and cracking. It isn’t required with PLA printing however some find that when used at low temperatures it can still be helpful in keeping a print on the bed. The material on the bed can also vary.

Many printers recommend using kapton tape to cover the bed. This tape designed for the space program can be tricky to apply but can be long lasting and keep your prints where they belong. Blue Tape, also known as painters tape is another often used supply for printing PLA. It can be found at nearly any hardware store and its porous surface works well with PLA. In addition to the various tapes some beds are made to be printed on directly. The MakerBot Replicator 2 works with an acrylic bed that can be detached to remove a print. Some have said the surface of acrylic isn’t flat enough for great prints leading to glass print beds. These allow for very smooth surfaces for prints and are often very affordable.

No matter what surface you are printing on there are also ways to coat them to increase the odds of a successful print. With ABS you can take waste filament and dissolve it in a small container of acetone. This will liquify the ABS which you can then apply to your print bed. Many PLA users have turned to hairspray to keep their prints sticking. Knowing these tricks can be very helpful while figuring out how to make high quality and reliable prints. In our next post we will cover how you can properly level your print bed.

Starting to create your own objects can be a hard process but it doesn’t have to be. The most basic step to making your object a reality is by getting an STL File ready to print. These “STereoLithography” files provide your object in a format printing software like MakerWare or ReplicatorG can then “slice” into layers and create commands for your printer. The best way to become familiar with these files is to look at Thingiverse and load them into your software of choice. You can experiment with the settings for your printer and dial them in for the best print quality or allow printing more complicated objects.

In order for the STL file to be able to be printed you have to make sure it is water tight, even the smallest gap can cause printing problems. These gaps will stop any printing software from being able to process it, but can generally be easy solved. NetFabb  is one of the easiest methods of doing so. You can upload your STL file to their website and you will be provided with an watertight STL ready to print. Once you have your STL file ready to print you should visualize how it will slice and print. Every print is only as good as it’s first layer, if you have a print that won’t stick to the bed no settings can every fix it. You can tackle this problem by aligning your print to have print on the side with the most surface area first, or adding on pieces like break off “ears” to the corners. In addition to having your print stick to the bed you also should think about how its features will print.

Building layers upon layers can sometimes be used to your advantage to have the process better reflect the objects features. Screw holes for instance might print more accurately vertically then horizontally. You might also be able to minimize the amount of “bridging” where the printer quickly drags filament across a gap which can sometimes result in problems. Learning how to best use your printer is always a long process but it is important to remember that filament is cheap and there is nothing wrong with a few failed attempts.