3D Printing

Over the past few years I have gained valuable experience in 3D printing. I was first exposed to the technology by printing prototypes for the Torch project. Since then my interest has grown and I bought my own printer to experiment on. Through my personal printer and a few makerspaces, I believe I have learned enough to understand the basics of 3D printing.

Using my personal printer, I was able to learn about a variety of settings that impact both the success and quality of prints. Through books, articles, forums, and tutorials, I was able to understand how each setting worked and how it would impact my final print. This has been a key factor in creating consistent, quality 3D prints over the past few years. Since I joined Raiders in 3D Technology, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with other students with interests in 3D printing. With exposure to new printers, materials, and methods, my opportunities for hands on experience are at an all time high.

Here are a few of the printers I have used in the past.

New Matter Mod T

Polyprinter

Raise 3D Pro 2

Printer Programs

KISSlicer

Cura Modifications

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Cura has been my primary software used during my 3D printing experience. In pursuit of better printing quality, I experimented the advanced settings and learned how each settings would affect the final print. Through trial and error I got better as I learned about different types of infill, infill density, retraction, travel speed, ironing and much more. I even learned how to edit gcode to match with my printer startup. Through years of practice and tweaking my settings, I believe I have learned enough to allow me to print most objects successfully.

One of the objects I printed the most we is the benchy. When I first started with Cura I had very poor prints and I could not figure out why. After printing benchys, I could see how issues in my prints and figure out how to fix them. Through issues like overheating, poor bed adhesion, and bad infill density, I was able to improve my printing drastically. I also learned how to get consistent first layer adhesion and even printed a fan extension to get proper cooling every time. Though I had a lot of issues at the start, my time learning about additive manufacturing was been quite enjoyable.

PLA
ABS
Nylon

Materials

Prototypes
Prosthetics
Mold Casting
Art
Printer Testing

Printer Uses

Prototypes

The primary use of my printer has been for making prototypes for different projects. While at Purdue, I was involved with making many variations of the torch before the final version was completed. From that point on I saw the importance of 3D printing prototypes and wanted to continue with this process. I have printed prosthetic hands for R3T and mounts for Vx Med. By doing so, we could get real time feedback and improve our designs for the better.

Mold Making

After years of printing objects, I became interested in learning new ways of using this technology. This led me to learn more about mold making. Mold making is an easy way to create multiple parts while using a low amount of materials. Through various youtube tutorials and articles online I learned a lot about making proper molds. The molds I have made are through 3D printing a casing and using mold release spray for easy removal. In the future I want to create new molds using the traditional method of silicon and resin. While the process takes more time, the molds will be able to last longer.

Functional Prints

When I am not printing prototypes for projects I am working on, I like to create useful objects for things I use everyday. I have printed battery holders for my xbox controller as well as a new camera mount for an old tripod. In order to help with my organization I have printed tool holders that slide onto my desk. I have printed tools such as tweezers, wrenches, and adjustable sanding sticks for finishing prints. I have also printed hooks for hats and towels in my apartment. While I am new to the concept of functional prints, I had learned a lot through creating my own parts.