Category Archives: Projects

How to Fix Clogging and Bed Adhesion Issues

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So far, I’ve spent most of my time at the Makerspace fixing 3D printers. Here are some issues that I’ve encountered:

Clogging

My drawing how filament can break or get stuck and cause a print to fail

My drawing how filament can break or get stuck and cause a print to fail

How to avoid clogging a printer

Before starting any print:

  • Check that the outside of the nozzle is clean. If there’s any buildup outside, this may be a sign of buildup inside the extruder/nozzle.
  • Double-check that the filament type is suitable for this specific printer
  • Calibrate/level before beginning your print 
  • Ensure temperature settings are correct

How to fix an already clogged printer

There are several ways a printer can clog. Only go to the next step if the printer is still clogged:

For the Dremel Digilab 3D45

  1. Turn on Dremel and press the “Preheat” option. Wait until the printer is preheated to the optimal temperature indicated on the filament. Press purge a few times until the filament comes out of the nozzle. If nothing comes out, go to the next step.
  2. Do a cold pull. Press down on the level and pull out the filament with pliers.
  3. Press the lever down and use the declogging tool to push down any remaining filament.
  4. Take out the stepper motor to see if there’s filament clogged there. Take out any remaining filament with tweezers. To learn how to do this, look at Option 4 in the guide below or see The Fine Art of Unclogging post.
  5. For visual help, here is a step-by-step guide to unclogging the Dremel: https://www.dremel.com/us/en/digilab/support/3d45-series-3d-printer/extruder/unclogging-extruder

For Prusa MK3S or MK2S

  1. While there is no “purge” setting, you can preheat the filament to melting point and then change the filament (the Prusa will use the other filament to push out the clog), which will generally unclog the extruder/nozzle
  2. If that doesn’t work, gently remove hotend using this guide (start on step 2): https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+to+Unclog+a+Prusa+i3+MK3+Nozzle/140666

Adhesion Issues of Model to Print Bed

Examples of bad adhesion to print bed:

  • Nothing is being printed, or there’s just a blob (no adhesion)
  • Model moves during printing (bad adhesion)
  • Sides curl up (OK adhesion but can do better)

To fix these problems, check for these things before you print:

For the Dremel Digilab 3D45, check the following

  1. BUILD ORIENTATION: When orienting your model in 3D slicer software, ensure there is as much contact as possible between the bed and the model. 
  2. CLEAN: The bed is completely clean and free of glue or dust, or filament. If it’s not clean, turn off the printer and wipe it down with alcohol wipes and let it dry.
  3. GLUE: Put glue from a glue stick on the bed area where the model will be printed.
  4. TANGLE-FREE SPOOL: Ensure no tangles or tension in the spool.
  5. LEVEL: When ready to begin your print, you must calibrate the bed to ensure it is level. You may do this by pressing the “Level” option on the screen. This provides on-screen instructions on how to level.
  6. TEMPERATURE: Ensure you preheat the temperature to the optimal temperature indicated on the filament in the “preheat” settings.

For Prusa MK3S or MK2S, check

  1. BUILD ORIENTATION: When orienting your model in 3D slicer software, ensure there is as much contact as possible between the bed and the model. 
  2. CLEAN: The bed is completely clean and free of dust or filament. If it’s not clean, turn off the printer and wipe it down with alcohol wipes and let it dry. Note: there should never be glue on this printer.
  3. TANGLE-FREE SPOOL: Ensure no tangles or tension in the spool.
  4. TEMPERATURE: Ensure you preheat the temperature to the optimal temperature indicated on the filament in the “preheat” settings.
  5. CALIBRATE: Do a first layer calibration. To do this, press the knob, turn the knob and press “Calibrate” and then press “First layer calibration”. Follow this guide for a good calibration: https://help.prusa3d.com/article/first-layer-calibration-i3_112364

 

Shall You 3D Print Without Supports?

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Printing a glow-in-the-dark brain with supports

Printing a glow-in-the-dark brain with supports

Occasionally, I’ve had to print complex objects that require support constructions to hold the main print in place. In the process, I understood how crucial it is to understand the role of supports that 3D printers employ and how they affect the overall print quality.

What are supports in 3D printing?

Supports in 3D printing are the additional elements printed to support the weight of the main print while printing larger models. It offers room for the filament to work and enables the printer to print finer details and overhangs without making any errors.

What are the types of supports?

There are basically two types of supports that are commonly used in 3D printing:

  1. Linear Support 

Linear supports touch the entire ground directly beneath the prints where it overhangs. I found them pretty useful for flat and steep overhangs. But the problem with linear support is that they take a little bit more time and use more filament to print. 

  1. Tree-like Support

Tree-like support is a tree-like structure that supports the overhangs of the object. It only touches the overhang at certain points. I found it useful for printing arches and rounded overhangs. 

How do you print without supports?

Failed attempt to print a slanted complex object without support

Failed attempt to print a slanted complex object without support

If we are willing to give up having things printed in one go, almost anything can be printed without support. Printing items that usually require support is possible by using a slicer to reduce the size and angle of the object sections. Nevertheless, the printing process will become considerably time consuming.

What are the pros and cons of not having supports in 3D prints?

While working on a variety of projects, I have experimented with printing items without supports in an effort to determine whether or not doing so offers any advantages over printing with supports. During the course of the tests, I made the following list of advantages and disadvantages of using and not using supports for 3D prints:

Why not to use supports:

  • Less Filament: It can be difficult to justify using a whole support system for the entire print when filaments are expensive and I am using half of the roll on printing supports that I will eventually toss away (recycle).
  • Quick Cleanup: When printing using supports, a large amount of waste is produced that must be disposed of after printing is complete.
  • Faster Prints: If you have to print a large object that needs support, cutting it up into smaller parts can make the process go much more quickly.

    Waste produced from printing supports

    Waste produced from printing supports

Why to use supports:

  • Print Stability: A 3D print’s instability increases in proportion to its size. The 3D prints will be consistently stable if you provide them with enough support to keep them supported and attached to the printing bed.
  • More surface to print: More surface area can be used for printing if supports are used, as there will be more scopes to use a slicer to cut up an object and print it in smaller parts.
  • Strong prints: Due to the increased connectivity enabled by the support, the printed object is significantly more durable, and the time required for the layers to dry in order for another layer to print on top of it is also reduced. The objects achieve better durability by eliminating the chances of sagging and layer displacement during the print. The likelihood of overhanging or separating owing to weight is extremely low.

Printing without supports is possible, and most small projects can be performed quickly and easily. However, as the complexity and size of my projects have grown, I’ve had to educate myself on when and how to make use of supports while printing to get the best output.

Experiences that Boost Learning

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Figure 1. Me unclogging a Dremel Digilab 3D45 printer

Figure 1. Me unclogging a Dremel Digilab 3D45 printer

As a first-year student worker at the Makerspace in Williams College, I have encountered my time here to be highly enriching. In these two months, I have learned core abilities that have helped develop my problem-solving and analytical skills as a woman in the STEM field. Prior to coming to Williams, I had taken part in two projects related to 3D printing technology in Paraguay (my home country), where I assisted with a 3D store and assembled 3D printed prosthetics, thus I was delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to the Williams College Makerspace.

During the course of my first weeks, I familiarized myself even more with the use of 3D printers, practicing how to properly slice models for printing and changing filaments. I also learned how different modifications in parameters of 3D printers’ slicing software, such as layer height, print speed, supports, infill patterns and temperature are crucial for a 3D print to go smoothly. 

Nonetheless, after several successful prints for students’ requests, I have also encountered some obstacles such as clogging and bed adhesion issues. When printing a Minecraft lamp, I found that it had been detached from the printer’s bed, resulting in a waste of filament. To solve this, I used glue or tape — depending on the printer bed material, to help the filament stick better to the platform. In another instance, one of the printers got its filament stuck and clogged the extruder completely, making it unable to properly function. Therefore, I had to unclog it manually, disassembling the extruder to reach the clogged section near the nozzle and cleaning the obstructing filament piece away from the extruder channel tube. A valuable lesson I learned from these experiences is that it is essential to always be alert while the 3D printer is working, and look for strategies to solve the problems that may occur.

As for 3D modeling, I have started experimenting with Fusion360, a specialized software to create and edit pre-existing 3D models. This has been extremely useful to repair corrupted open-source models to efficiently print them. I have used this tool to edit designs students would request. For instance, a student once requested a keyholder that had an open section in the center but wanted the object to have a solid surface without the hole. Thus, I filled the gap using the tools of this specialized software.

Aside from that, I started to become familiar with operating Virtual Reality (VR) equipment, which is an essential and cutting-edge technology that not only allows for fun recreational time but also has academic applications. From playing VR games, like the popular Beat Blaster, to exploring a variety of countries using Google Earth; there is a world of possibilities when it comes to Virtual Reality.

Lastly, I am working on the promotion of the makerspace with peers and faculty to make more members of our campus aware of the wonderful opportunities at the Makerspace. Looking forward, I aim to continue increasing my knowledge on these topics to be able to make an impactful contribution to our community at Williams College.

The Fine Art of Unclogging

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Picture this: You have a hard time deciding what you want to print at The Williams Makerspace, you talk to your friends to brainstorm the best possible artifact, and just when you finally decide to print your so-awaited masterpiece, you find out that the 3d printer is broken. This not-so-uncommon outcome can be disappointing. Though, as a student worker at The Williams Makerspace, I can tell you that this is totally normal! One of the reasons for this happening might be that the 3D printer is clogged. In this blog post, I will talk about my experience unclogging a Dremel DigiLab 3D45 for the first time.

First things first — purging the filament! At this stage, we don’t know what might be causing the clogging, so purging the filament is a safe start. To do so, we cut the filament and press the “Purge” button on the preheating option section. Once clicked, the Dremel should start purging all the filament out, cleaning the inside.

Figure 1. Purging the filament

Unfortunately, purging the filament didn’t fix the issue in this case, so I had to go a little further! To ensure there were no clogs in the stepper motor, I had to turn the Dremel off and allow the extruder and print bed to cool to at least 60°C. Then, I removed the right screw on the bottom of the housing using a T10 Torx bit. From there, I removed the two screws on top of the extruder housing using a 2.5mm hex bit. At this point, I removed the top cover and unplugged the filament runout switch to disconnect the extruder terminal box. I unscrewed – but not entirely – the two motor screws using a 2.5mm Allen key. This allowed me to remove the extruder stepper motor assembly. Taking a clean brush, I gently cleaned the motor as carefully as possible and then put everything back in place. And just like that (drum roll, please), the Dremel DigiLab 3D45 was unclogged!

Figure 2. Taking the cover off

I know this might sound like a lot at first — because it is! But as you get used to working with 3D printers, you will encounter this and many other problems on your way — so beware! For me, one of the best parts of working with these kinds of machines is learning how to use them and fix them! So, the next time you walk into the Williams Makerspace, be assured that we will guide you through any questions or concerns about 3D prints or 3D printers. The best part is that if we don’t know the answer at the top of our heads, we will do our best to answer it as soon as we can.

Using Clay Based Filaments to Create 3d-Prints

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This is an extension of the WCMA artist project. 

At this point, all of the 3d-prints for the Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA) have been in PLA plastic filament. Creating them in plastic was relatively inexpensive, convenient (as we already had that filament on hand), and gave a good enough visual representation of what the pieces looked like. 

Now that we now have access to a pottery clay-based filament the 3d-prints can now be created using the new filament type. As the pieces cannot be held by the average person creating models using stone based filament gives more accurate information on the artifacts weight and texture.

Our current machines have brass nozzles which are not suitable for the more textured pottery clay based filament. As a result, the brass nozzle needs to be removed and replaced hardened steel nozzle. 

Once the hardened nozzle was installed, the printer was recalibrated to account for any thing that might have changed when it was taken apart. The seated deity was printed as an initial test of the filament because it had the least amount of problems when printing in PLA. It was printed at 0.15 mm quality with a 15% infill and supports were generated everywhere. 

These are the results. 

Leah Williams 3D printed this using clay filament for Dr. Beatriz Cortez.

Leah Williams 3D printed this using clay filament for Dr. Beatriz Cortez.

 

E4 Bug Off Team Project : Mitigating Japanese Beetle Damage

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The E4 Bug Off Project: Installed in the Williams College Community Garden

The E4 Bug Off Project: Installed in the Williams College Community Garden

Japanese beetles are an invasive species that cause considerable damage to plants across much of the United States, including in the Williams College ‘66 Envi Center

gardens. The E4 Bug Off Team—consisting of students at Harvey Mudd and Pomona colleges (Javier Perez, Linna Cubbage, Betsy Ding, Eli Schwarz, and Stephanie Huang with guidance from Profs. Steven Santana and TJ Tsai)—collaborated with the Zilkha Center on the E4 Bug Off Team Project: Mitigating Japanese Beetle Damage to develop means for repelling the beetles from campus gardens and lands before they could harm the plants. The E4 Bug Off team developed a model for a physical artifact that emits repelling scents and can be attached to trees and plants. The device, which can be created by a 3D printer, is intended to be easily built, used, durable, and human and bee friendly.

E4 Team 3D Prototype and Redesign

The E4 Bug Off Teams Final Prototype

 

The E4 Bug Off team shared the CAD files with the Zilkha Center who asked the Williams College Makerspace for assistance with printing. The first iteration of the 3D model that was created by the Makerspace consisted of a white tall body, a lid with various holes, and a short rod. 

The holes in the lid are for peppermint-scented sticks and the tall body could hold additional scent liquid. Based on the research done by the E4 Bug Off team, peppermint scent was found to be a repellent of Japanese Beetles. Thus, if the scent is widely enough dispersed by the wind, it should help with keeping Japanese beetles from the area around the device. It remains to be tested, how many devices will be needed to cover the area of the gardens. It’s an innovative solution since peppermint is safer than other traps such as spectracide bags, which have low to moderate toxicity for humans. It has also been reported that such bags may also simply increase the numbers of beetles present.

The artifact also features a green cone, which protects the scent sticks from rain. It was cut out of a plastic folder by the Zilkha Center summer garden interns. 

Zilkha Center: Beetle model 3D printed and built following the E4 Bug Off Team’s CAD files

The first prototype had a few shortcomings: its body was leaky and the rod was a little too big to fit into the lid. Zilkha Center garden interns, Martha Carlson and Evan Chester, put putty on the holes in the body to stop it from leaking and needed to heavily sand down the rod for it to fit in the base. 

To create a longer-lasting solution that could also be printed in larger numbers, a new body and slightly thinner rod were designed and reprinted. 

The plan is to launch the device in time for the summer 2023 Japanese Beetle season, assuming all goes well with the new sealing method. The Makerspace and Zilkha Center will share the final 3D design and list of ingredients after the final testing is complete.

New body and thinner rod

 

3d Printing Sculptures with WCMA

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The makerspace was approached by a representative of the Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA) to create 3d models of some of the Maya objects, dated to approximately 600-900 CE, that they have in their collection. Some of their sculptures are old and have an unknown creator so creating 3d prints of them allows others to engage with them more and an accurate print gives insight into how it was made.

On the left is a hollow rattle and on the right is a corn pot.

When printing the corn pot a lot of issues were encountered. When printing a large model a lot of layer shifting in the print would happening and the front left leg would have problems adhering to the print bed. A variety of different solutions were trim including different kinds of bed adhesion methods (skirt, brim raft), decreasing the print speed and changing the size of the model.

Eventually the final model was created at 50% print speed, around 80% of the original size and a 3.0mm brim to help with bed adhesion.

 

 

Raccoon Tracks

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Over the summer of 2016, the Clark Art Institute came to the Makerspace for help. For their exhibit Sensing Place: Reflecting On Stone Hill at the Lunder Center on Stone Hill, they needed molds of raccoon paws to make a plaster cast of raccoon footprints. However, they only had molds of the raccoon’s right front and right back paws, and they needed molds of the raccoon’s left front and left back paws to complete the set.

We were able to help out by scanning the two footprint molds that the Clark Art Institute owned using the David Scanner. The scans were 3D models of the two molds which could be opened in Rhinoceros and then reflected to create a mirrored replica.

After creating a set of four 3D models using the scanning and modeling technology that we have, we used the Form 1+ printer to print the models out. The Form 1+ printer, which uses liquid resin, produced prints with the smooth texture required for the molds.

However, after two prints, there was not enough liquid resin to print an additional two sets of footprints that the Clark needed. To improvise, we mobilized the Makerspace’s remaining two printers, the MakerGear M2 and LulzBot TAZ 5. We used these printers to print the remaining footprints, applied the liquid resin on the surface of the prints, and left them to cure under the sun, allowing us to successfully recreate the smooth texture of the original prints.

Sensing Place: Reflecting On Stone Hill is on exhibit until October 10, 2016. Stop by to check out the Makerspace’s contribution to the exhibit!

 

 

e-NABLE Prosthetic Hands

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The Williams college Makerspace is working with the organization e-NABLE to print and assemble simple prosthetic hands for children with manual disabilities! Project Updates will be posted here.

Prototype 1: Printing the First Hand (2/28/2015)

A few days ago, we set out on our first prototype of the Raptor Hand. Today, after much printing and assembly, we have a working final product!

Observations: The phalanges are a little too large for the joints, and stick badly, reducing grip strength. Next time around, we’ll print larger and in ABS to see how using different plastics affects the final project.