Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

[Curious.George]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

You could get "frosted". I don't think you could get clear with FDM printing.

SLA is an entirely different story.
https://formlabs.com/blog/3d-printin...g-clear-resin/

That suggests I could get something printed that would meet my needs. But, I'm not sure that I would want to go to all that effort to DIY. (pay someone who already has the skillset rather than developing it, myself)

IMHO, I did pay for a print before I bought a printer. I wasn't terribly impressed, and it wasn't cheap either. If you are doing prototyping, a small printer isn't a bad investment.

I'd opt for leveraging something available at a local makerhouse, etc. I know one of the places, in town, has Wanhao Duplicator i3, Wanhao Duplicator 4, Printbot JR., an Ultimaker 3D Printer, and a Big Builder 3D. But, their tools change regularly so no idea what's "current".

You just need to make sure the printer you buy is capable of producing what you want to make. Because, let's face it, you aren't going to get it right on your first shot. So you are going to have to make another order, etc.

I was hoping to "get close" with a local print -- i.e., to be able to test for fit/form/function -- and then "order out" to a firm that could make a few hundred (they're small parts). I can do some testing (fit/form/function) just by playing with 3D CAD models. But, there are always little things that you only discover with REAL parts (like maybe some dimension needs to be increased to make something stronger... or, move to a different material, etc.)

The worst I have done is seven prints to get it right, but that was a smallish gear, and it had to be perfect. It's really nice to be able to turn around a few prints a day if you need.

I'd rather let someone else muck with "getting it right" (i.e., meeting my specification) and spend my time sorting out how I can change my spec to make it easier to produce, etc.

This is especially true when you consider that I'll have to repeat this process when I move to "production parts" (printing isn't economical in big quantities).

[clearchris]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

I would think that would conflict with wanting to keep it "clear" (?). Wouldn't you end up with a "scuffed" surface (opaque) instead of "clear plastic"?

You could get "frosted". I don't think you could get clear with FDM printing.

SLA is an entirely different story.
https://formlabs.com/blog/3d-printin...g-clear-resin/

IMHO, I did pay for a print before I bought a printer. I wasn't terribly impressed, and it wasn't cheap either. If you are doing prototyping, a small printer isn't a bad investment. You just need to make sure the printer you buy is capable of producing what you want to make. Because, let's face it, you aren't going to get it right on your first shot. So you are going to have to make another order, etc.

The worst I have done is seven prints to get it right, but that was a smallish gear, and it had to be perfect. It's really nice to be able to turn around a few prints a day if you need.

[Curious.George]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

To get it smooth, you are going to have to sand it. We call that "post-processing". You can buy tumblers pretty cheap too. If you have expertise, you could make a tumbler also.

I would think that would conflict with wanting to keep it "clear" (?). Wouldn't you end up with a "scuffed" surface (opaque) instead of "clear plastic"?

You could have success doing something like that with an SLA printer, but that's a whole different (and messy) process, and the printers are markedly smaller. Here is an example, not endorsing, I don't know much about SLA, except that I don't want one. https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=35435

I know you can actually print optical grade lenses. But, that's pricey and not what I need. I just want to be able to quickly/cheaply prototype a "clear piece of plastic having a particular, odd shape" in quantities of a few hundred. The number of pieces is too low to make going to a (injection) mold economical; but, if it works, it would be silly to do anything OTHER than molded parts!

I will have to research materials, on-line, and probably contact a professional printer to get the best parts/samples -- rather than trying to print it locally.

[Curious.George]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

Here something you might be interested in

https://www.goldmine-elec-products.c...?number=G23441

Yeah, that just moves the "light" from one place to another. I also need the piece to HOLD a component and ACTUATE a switch (i.e., it must "float"). I'll design something that fits my needs -- I'm just not sure if it is worth printing a prototype or going straight to an injection mold...

Thanks, though.

[clearchris]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

To get it smooth, you are going to have to sand it. We call that "post-processing". You can buy tumblers pretty cheap too. If you have expertise, you could make a tumbler also.

You could have success doing something like that with an SLA printer, but that's a whole different (and messy) process, and the printers are markedly smaller. Here is an example, not endorsing, I don't know much about SLA, except that I don't want one. https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=35435

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

light-pipes

Here something you might be interested in

https://www.goldmine-elec-products.c...?number=G23441

[Curious.George]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

I haven't but I have seen people make small straight light pipes and they seem to work well. I just leave small peep holes.

Edit: You aren't talking about a fluid peep hole, are you? You know 3d printed objects aren't water tight, right?

No (to your second question).

I'm looking more for something akin to the lens/actuator on a lighted pushbutton.

So, it has to be reasonably clear -- to allow most of the light from the indicator to come through (otherwise, have to use a "brighter" indicator). It has to be reasonably "smooth" (as if made in an injection mold process) so it looks "professional" (I don't want to have to acetone wash to get the "ridges" out of the print). And, it can't be too brittle because I want to wedge something inside it (without having it snap like bakelite).

Most light-pipes tend to have small exposures so you wouldn't notice "manufacturing imperfections" in the visible end/edge. I'm looking for a larger surface -- like 3/8" round.

[clearchris]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

I haven't but I have seen people make small straight light pipes and they seem to work well. I just leave small peep holes.

Edit: You aren't talking about a fluid peep hole, are you? You know 3d printed objects aren't water tight, right?

[Curious.George]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

Do a 20mm calibration cube and make sure X, Y and Z are pretty close to what they should be. I printed a 100mm calibration rectangle yesterday on my printer (I thought something was up with my Y axis) and it came out to 100.04mm. Pretty good.

Have you ever printed anything "clear" (not "optical grade" but "clear enough to be used as an indicator lens")?

[clearchris]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

Do a 20mm calibration cube and make sure X, Y and Z are pretty close to what they should be. I printed a 100mm calibration rectangle yesterday on my printer (I thought something was up with my Y axis) and it came out to 100.04mm. Pretty good.

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

I did finally get the 3D printer put together and leveled

I still have some tweeting to do before I will do a test print on this printer

But all the axis run smoothly at this point

The vendor that I bought it from has a installation video there is one item that he put a shim on the “Z” axis which was not need it just needs the plastic mount to be loosened and realigned the screw rod in the center of the rail and all bolts tighten evenly and now works correctly

[clearchris]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

I really like slic3r. Cura is overly complicated, somewhat undocumented and the features interact in surprising ways. Slic3r keeps it simple. None of it should be in chinese.

If you are looking for design software, I like freecad and openscad. They are completely different, openscad is great if you are a programmer and you want to make parametric designs. Freecad is much better if you are desiging around existing objects (grabcad.com), but is harder to change designs. You should not expect to be functional in freecad without watching a few hours of youtube tutorials, especially freecad. For me, checking the openscad cheat sheet was good enough for me.

If you don't have any experince and want a super basic, baby's first cad, a lot of people like tinkercad.

[diif]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

Well is there a good free 3D printer creator software out that will work with the Ender 3 3D printer

Cura for slicing and Tinkercad, Fusion 360 or Meshmixer for creating/manipulating 3D images.

[stj]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

what file formats can you print?

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

Well is there a good free 3D printer creator software out that will work with the Ender 3 3D printer

[stj]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

take photo's or screen-caps of the menu's and put them in a translator.

and forget m$ - they are currently suiciding themselves with this account + store crap!

[Curious.George]

Re: Ender 3D Printer but I am having problems with software help need

I bought this Ender 3 I have the slicer program installed but only a 1/4 of it is in English the rest of it is in Chinese there certain things I have not figured out how to use it correctly

If it runs under windows, can you cut and paste the text into google's "translate"?

[sam_sam_sam]

I bought this Ender 3 I have the slicer program installed but only a 1/4 of it is in English the rest of it is in Chinese there certain things I have not figured out how to use it correctly

I tried to down load Microsoft 3D Windows Builder this is some real stupid shit to try to down load it

You need a Microsoft email account and the activation of your account almost can not get it to work correctly because the activation your phone or other email account can not seem to get together

Are there any alternative to this situation

Before I go mad