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Digital technologies/3D printing/3D printing- Beginner (view source)

Revision as of 16:07, 11 August 2021

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3D printing is an additive manufacturing process which creates a three-dimensional object from a digital model~~. There are many different ways to 3D print~~. At the uOttawa Makerspace, we use FDM (fused deposition modeling) which works by slicing the model into layers and then printing one layer on top of the other. The material most commonly used in the Makerspace is a type of plastic known as PLA (Polylactic acid). This plastic is used for 3D printing because of its relatively low melting point and very low shrinkage rate.

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3D printing is an additive manufacturing process which creates a three-dimensional object from a digital model. At the uOttawa Makerspace, we use FDM (fused deposition modeling) which works by slicing the model into layers and then printing one layer on top of the other. The type of printer, and the options that are fitted to the printer, determine the capabilities in terms of accuracy, speed, and complexity a printer is capable of. The printer extruder and nozzle combination will dictate what materials the printer is capable of using. Multiple extrusion heads enable for different materials to be used during the same print and are common on more commercially-targeted products but can also be fitted to high-end personal-use models. This can enable a printer to use weaker (or even dissolvable) support material for easy removal, or the ability to add colour schemes to a print for aesthetic purposes. Heated build plates are fairly common, and are used to improve the quality of prints by reducing the heat stress placed on a component during printing and cooling. In addition, many printers are open source projects, enabling users to edit the printer’s software, and even use it to build their own printer. The material most commonly used in the Makerspace is a type of plastic known as PLA (Polylactic acid). This plastic is used for 3D printing because of its relatively low melting point and very low shrinkage rate. While the Makerspace owns a variety of FDM printer models, this beginner page will focus on the Ultimaker 2+ which is the main model of printer used.

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~~Below are all~~ the ~~different types~~ of ~~printers that are in the uOttawa Makerspace however~~ this beginner page will focus on the Ultimaker 2+ which is the main ~~type~~ of printer used.

==[[Digital technologies/3D printing/3D printing- Beginner/Which 3D Printers do we have?|Which 3D printers do we have?]]==

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== [[Digital technologies/3D printing/3D printing- Beginner/FDM Printer Components|FDM Printer Components]] ==

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=== Extruder and Nozzle (CAUTION: HOT!) ===

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The extruder heats and pulls partially melted filament into the nozzle. During a print, the extruder and nozzle will heat up to over 210°C, so exercise caution around it. The location of the printer nozzle and extruder is controlled on an axis system (typically) made up of belts and gears. This assembly can be moved while the printer is idle by gently pulling on the extruder/nozzle assembly, being careful as parts of this assembly can be extremely hot even after a print has finished. If the printer is printing, or has recently been printing, the motors will still be engaged. Set the printer to idle and wait a few minutes, or power off the machine to disengage the motor lock.

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=== Build Plate (CAUTION: HOT!) ===

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The build surface is where the printed part is placed on. On most of the Makerspace printers the build plate is heated to 60°C (and can go as high as 110°C) during printing, so exercise caution around it. The plate can be raised or lowered while the printer is idle by going to Maintenance→Advanced→Raise/Lower Build Plate. If the printer is not printing properly, this may need to be adjusted, by using the three knobs (thumb screws) on the underside of the plate. This can be leveled through the printer’s onboard software by going to Maintenance→Build Plate, and following the onscreen instructions.

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=== Filament Spool ===

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The filament spool can be found attached to the back of the printer. If the printer is out of filament, it can be replaced by going to Material→Change in the printer’s user interface and following the onscreen instructions. It can also be replaced midway through printing by selecting Pause→Change Material and following the onscreen instructions.

==[[Digital technologies/3D printing/3D printing- Beginner/How do FDM Printers Work?|How do FDM Printers Work?]]==

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