Solidworks: Coincident or interfering geometry when saving assembly to STL I'm using Solidworks to design parts to be 3d-printed.

I've noticed that if I'm making an assembly, where one part has features that touch other parts, then when I try to save that assembly as an STL for printing, I'll get a dialog from Solidworks saying "This assembly has coincident or interfering geometry that may be unsuitable for some rapid prototyping systems." If I save it, then this STL later causes problems when trying to print it.

What can I do? I'd like to be able to print my assemblies.

Here is a very simple example assembly where you can see this phenomenon. Part 1 is just a simple cube, and part 2 is another simple cube that is flush with part 1.

Solidworks has means for detection and eradication of these errors. If there's unwanted intersection, then you can either separate the parts or merge them (by saving assembly as a part). If you work with SLDPRTs, then use mating options correctly, avoid manual mating, make sure that the design of your components actually allows them to mate without intersections and you'll have no problems. If you work with parts that are loaded from STLs though, then you'll probably have a lot of these errors when trying to align parts. Solidworks can't work smoothly with STL models, alas, you'll need some other tool, MeshLab or something.


Equally spaced surface flaws I'm having an odd effect in my prints. There is some sort of surface problem that seems to be evenly spaced in z. I tried to tighten my belts, the print speed is 75 mm/s using a 32 bit board, on an Ender 3 Pro.

Any recommendations?

The surface defects you describe is caused by Z-wobble. Basically this leads back in a defect in the Z axis gantry where X and/or Y movements are transferred into the print head. This can be cause by:

a damaged nut,
lead screw not straight,
stick-slip,
binding,
lead screw out of alignment with the coupler,
lead screw touching the stepper shaft in the coupler,
the Z guide (at the other side of the X-axis arm; the one without the extruder mounted on it) has too much friction of the wheels on the profile,
play on the carriage,
lead screw should be the same distance from the extrusion profile from top to bottom,
etc.


Effects of static on 3D printers & print quality I manage four 3D Printers for my college's robotics team. They are used pretty constantly throughout the school year; that is, they are used more as manufacturing printers than hobbyist printers. The environment they are in is less than ideal: The outdoor climate is typically cold and has low humidity, and the room they are in has fine dust particles that are less than 80 microns diameter and have electrostatic properties. The room's temperature also fluctuates week to week. As such, static electricity is fairly common in that room.
What effects does static electricity have on our 3D printers? I have had numerous problems recently with a motherboard with resistors that failed and another printer with an unknown issue that we suspect also has to do with the motherboard. Could the static electricity be causing these or other issues, or affecting the quality of our printed parts?
We use ZylTech filament, and print using a Creality Ender 3 Pro, CR-10S Pro, Ender 5 Plus, and a FlashForge Creator Pro. The dust particles mimic "regolith", or lunar soil, that comes from one of our team's test facilities.

Static electricity is detrimental to nearly all electronic devices. A stray zap from touching the frame of your printer could migrate to the controller boards, terminating normal operation. If you wish to protect the printers from static electricity, connect the frame to a confirmed electrical ground. The power supply may be grounded via the electrical cord, but you'd want to ensure that the entire structure shares that ground. Additionally, provide a grounding strap to which an operator would connect prior to using the machine.
Image below courtesy of linked site.

The more unfortunate aspect of your description is the issue of particulates in the air. Moving parts will be subject to excessive wear and your printer has plenty of moving parts. The stepper motors may "ingest" particles and the fans on the power supply will certainly pull in abrasive dust. The rails and bearings are going to be collecting as well.
If you wish to ensure a longer lifespan for the printer, a filtered enclosure with an overpressure environment is going to be needed. This presumes that one desires to provide cooling air to the printer and power supply. The box around the printer would have to be fed by a fan which is protected by a filter capable of preventing the dust you describe from entering.  One could create a box around the printer without fans and another around the power supply with fans and filters.
One could use the reverse concept, that is, build a box from filters and have a fan suck the air into the box, into the fan and back out into the environment. This would provide for a greater surface area of filter material, reducing the frequency of filter changes. In the first example, the box is created from a solid material and the fan forces air for cooling, into the box, as dust-free as the filters will allow. In the reverse method, the box is created from filters and the fan is used to move air from the box to the outside, pulling clean, cool air into the enclosure.
It sounds like a tough place to be a 3D printer.


How to fix Y layer shift on Creality Ender 3? While printing a simple model, my printer starts to layer-shift the build in a direction suddenly. I used the default setting for ultimaker Cura 3.4.1. It has done this same thing for multiple different prints. I would guess it is the software.

How do I fix the issue?

You have a case of layer shift. Layer shifts happened to me in 3 ways:

The movement of the axis is hindered. Check if all cables run freely and without any chance to catch! improper cable chains can cause binding and stop the printhead or bed in movement and thus induce a shift.
The acceleration might be too fast. Shift the acceleration of the printer movements down a notch. Don't print faster than ~60 to keep the acceleration in check, as the printer will try to reach the top speed as fast as possible, thus limiting top speed also limits acceleration.
The model might be broken. Re-slice the model just in case.


Which 3D printer is good for beginners? I was looking for some advice on which 3D printers are good for someone who is just getting into 3D printing?

I have been looking at the Anet A8 on ebay but not sure if they are any good or not.

Regards

Which printer for a beginner depends far more on the beginner in question than the various printers available.

If you are comfortable assembling parts and figuring things out a number of options exist.
If you need a fully-built object, a number of options exist.
If you require lots of dedicated support, via phone or email, there
are options.
If you can ask questions in a forum and get the answers you need (or
figure things out when you don't and post your answers for others to
find) there are options.

If you have special/esoteric printing needs, that puts constraints on - if you kinda vaguely want a 3-D plastic printer, but don't really know what you want to use it for the field is wide open.


Ender 3 + SKR 1.4 + Marlin 2.0.x bugfix - what bed size/min/max positions should I use? On my Ender 3, it seems that the Y-axis can only move forward 220 mm after which the carriage will hit the tensioner. This seems repeatable so I don't think it's a hardware issue (unless it's expected that the nozzle can reach all the way to the front edge).
I'm unclear, with this information, how I can center my nozzle properly so that it is 117.5 mm from each edge, and that the corner leveling feature works as expected (by default, configured to be 30 mm from each edge).

The Ender 3 has a printable area of 220x220x250 mm according to the specifications. So, there is nothing wrong. Sometimes heated beds are slightly larger than the actual print area. E.g. 235x235 mm or 310x310 mm. For centering the nozzle to the build plate, you should look into "How to center my prints on the build platform? (Re-calibrate homing offset)" or "Recalibrating Home-position.


What is the MKS Base AUX header connector type? I'm looking to crimp wires to the AUX-1 and EXP pins of my MKS base. For sanity reasons, i cant directly use Dupont jumpers, they keep coming out.

BIQU MKS-Base V1.6 Plate Controller Board for 3D Printer Ramps 1.4

In the above product image, the type of housing is the "black" colored headers on the board, around the top left corner of the board. Each header has ~10 male pins inside of it

Most of the other pins are of JST-XH type, for anyone else wondering.

You need a 2.54 mm pitch (similar pitch to Dupont) female IDC (insulation displacement connectors on a ribbon cable) connector of 2x5P (pins) for the header connectors that have a notch. (for comparison, note that e.g. RAMPS 1.4 has 2x5p dupont headers on the shield for the AUX headers, not the notch type headers)

These connectors are usually crimped onto flat ribbon cables and used to connect the display to the board. These connectors have a rectangular notch to fit the gap in the housing to correctly position the cable (which the 2x5P Dupont don't have).

For reference/difference, an image of the Dupont 2x4P and 2x5P is shown below, highlighting both sides ("up" on the left, "down" on the right):


Can this part be 3D printed? I have an old air conditioner and most of the vent flaps/louvres are missing. I've modelled it in Solidworks, but can it be printed? Are the tips too small for 3D printers? It's about 14 cm long end-to-end.

Here's the drawing sheet (dimensions are in mm):

Dimension-wise it's probably ok.

If you want to print it as a single piece it would be quite challenging because of the cylinders, overhangs and bridges present in multiple directions: overhangs and bridges result in lower quality and precision, while cylinders can be printed nicely only when their axis is vertical.

However I see that you could easily split the component into multiple parts, each one of which could be printed optimally.

You can glue the different parts together and you are done, see What glues for PLA? and What glues to use for PETG?


CR-10 heating problem I've been happily printing on my CR-10 for a couple of months but now there is an issue. As soon as I turn it on the hot-end begins heating. I have replaced the heater and the thermistor but the problem remains. The panel on the control box shows 0 for the commanded temperature,  but the actual temp just keeps rising.
Anyone know what could be wrong?

If you power the printer and it starts heating up the hotend, it most probably is caused by a faulty controller board. More specific, the MOSFET (as in an electronic switch component) controlling the current to the heater element is causing this. MOSFET devices usually fail short-circuit implying that when the MOSFET has failed, the current can freely run to the heater element without being controlled by the board.
If you are handy with electronics, you can replace the MOSFET, but it might be better to upgrade to a newer controller board as there may be other damage as well.


CubePro Duo Filament Cartridge Replacment Problem So I just got this CubePro Duo and the guy we bought it off had 3 filament cartridges to go with it, two installed and one spare. The one spare was white PLA while the two installed were colored ABS so I wanted to try out the white PLA for printing so I followed all the instructions on the printer up to put the cartridge in and now its stuck on "Material Validation" step and just isn't doing anything. I followed everything as closely as I could and even started over again in case I did something wrong but it still won't "validate" the material?

I have no idea what's going on and I would really appreciate some help, thanks in advance!

The CubePro Duo is a discontinued 3d-systems printer. It uses their standard proprietary cartridges to prevent to use other filaments. In comparison to other printer filaments, their filaments range between 100 and 150$ per spool, which is listed as "1 kg" (though if that is with or without casing is not clear).

From what I could find out about the cartridges, they should contain some kind of identification method to the printer. That it is stuck in Validation means, that it might not be able to read this. So let's try installing the cartridge again, following the handbook p.17!

Take out the cartridge
boot the machine
wait for the machine to ask for filament
remove the thumbscrew so the filament spool inside the cartridge can turn
pull out the 30 cm
cut 5 cm off the end
insert the material into the Bowden tube of slot 1
push the material till you get some goop coming out
mount the cartridge into the slot, make sure it is clamped in tightly.

This should start the validation of the material, at which point you might get told that the colors don't match the print defined colors. Should the cartridge not be validated again but works on the ABS cartridges, the validation method might be broken on this cartridge. Should it not recognize either, the firmware or the detector might be broken.


What exactly does automatic bed leveling do? I get the concept of automatic bed leveling...the printer moves around the bed and uses a sensor to identify high and low spots, then "software compensates for differences".

But what exactly does "compensates" mean?

It is extruding more material in the low spots to build them up and thinning out the high spots? Is it adding or removing layers? Is it shifting layers as it goes up to compensate tilt? Or...?

In what ways will this affect the final outcome? Would it be valid to say that if you wanted an automatically leveled bed and dimensional accuracy you should always print to a raft?

Last first:  use of a raft has nothing to do with bed levelling. It depends only on the features/shape/etc of the object being printed.

Now, as to what the auto-levelling does: the answer is, sadly "it depends."  A simple algorithm will just find the Z-height of the four corners and apply a bilinear correction to Z as a function of {x,y} coordinates.  A really good algorithm would map the entire build plate to some designated precision (perhaps 5 mm) and create a 2-dimensional lookup table to adjust Z over a curved build plate.     What your printer's levelling software does is more likely the former.

Why? because if you try to correct over curves & bumps, then you will end up distorting your entire printed object (basically forcing every layer to follow those distorted axes).  Far better to have some flattened or "fat" spots in the first layer printed, and then print proper planar layers after that.

Example: I know my bed (AnetA8 aluminum) is slightly bowed, peak in the center; so after levelling the overall bed I try to set the Z-zero so the outer extremes of my object have good adhesion, even if the center region of the first couple layers ends up non-extruding because the nozzle touches the bed.


Best practices to fix a threaded nut inside a print I'm trying to connect two 3D printed parts (ABS) together with a threaded connection. Thus, I need to fix a threaded metal nut (M4) inside a corresponding slot which I've implemented in the design.

Right now I apply a conventional super glue on the nut and press it inside the print, wait for a couple of hours and then use it.

Problem is that the nut keeps falling out of the print when I apply a more tension to the bolt. Can you please advise me on how to make this method work. Maybe some of you aware of special glue for that purposes?

One good option would be to - if possible - change the design, so the nut is inserted from the opposite side, so that the bolt just pulls it in tighter rather than pulling it out.

Another option would be to instead of using a nut, use a brass threaded insert. These are like nuts, except they have ridges that are specifically aimed at locking it inside the plastic.


Error when trying to upload firmware to cr-10 I've been having trouble uploading the TH3DUF_R2 firmware to my CR-10.  I've already successfully flashed the bootloader using my Arduino,  but when I try to upload the bootloader I get this error:

avrdude: ser_open(): can't set com-state for "\\.\COM4"

Things I've tried:

Changing the usb drivers
Changing the baud rate
Using a different computers without any other usb devices

My printer is not functional right now with just a bootloader and no firmware, so I'm not really sure where to go from here.

Two possible solutions are given in this thread: Upload error: avrdude: ser_open(): can't set com-state for "\.\COM17"

This post says:

  i am able to fix this problem very easily... just press reset button on arduino and unplug from usb and go to the arduino software installation directory (c:/program files/ arduino) and open drivers folder and open
  dpinst-amd64 by double clicking on it and just install that if it not runs may be your system runs with 32bit and open the file below the previously opened file and install it again.. close arduino programming software and open it again and choose your board and com ports and now it should upload to your board...enjoy...

Or try the solution from this post:

  I could fix this problem! Maybe this solution will works for you:

  in device manager I had unnistalled the drivers that I had. After reconnect it then it appears in "Other dispositives" with the name
  "USB 2.0Serial". There are cases that it appears like "FT232RUSB
  UART".
  my serial conversor chip on arduino uno board is "CH340G". Check this on your controller boards because others like "CN480661" has
  another fix method. If you can't find this chip maybe this video could
  help you (in spanish, sorry, is where i found the solution):
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4ar5sjbZFg
  download the drivers "CH341SE" from this url: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3csnhlsbdrznbp3/CH341SER.zip?dl=0 and then
  decompress it in a folder
  in device manager check whether the arduino is shown (reconnect it for that if you didn't do it in `step 1) then do right click -> update
  software -> browse software in the computer -> examine or browse
  Now you have to search the folder in which you decompress the drivers (step 3). After then pulse accept, ignore any advertice and
  continue. Then it will install the drivers and you will be able to use
  your arduino.

  NOTE: If in this last step windows has an error you need to enable the
  unknown digital signature installation. check other tutorials for this

These seem to be the only two solutions that worked for other people experiencing the same issue.


Is this very large flat panel printable in ABS? I am designing an part for my car. It is a panel for the rear door. I want to add it some cases for tools, but before going on, could you tell me:

It is a large flat panel, around 100cm by 35cm.

Is it going to be suitable for printing in that ABS material? Is it too big?

ABS would be fine, as a material, for the application.

The problem, given the scale, would be the printing device used. I would suggest that you have the piece cut to spec for you using a polycarbonate.

If you have access to a workshop you could do so yourself if you set up proper fencing using a larger sized bandsaw(with a very fine toothed blade), had rollers to help support the size of your piece(as it would not fit on the tool's platform) and likely need a second set of hands to help control the outfeed. You would also need to drill access for the cut out then cut the perimetre.

You could also consider printing(ABS) in smaller sections then fusing each section together edge to edge(solvent welding of ABS is very strong and permanent), if you were really dead set on using a typical 3D printer for this. It would, in theory, be possible, but it would be very tedious. The adhesives, and cleaner, would be available from any plumbing supply and/or (home depot, lowes, walmart et al.). If you go this route be sure to have ample ventilation and plan your work space well in advance. I would not recommend this option but it is "possible".

Given the scale of the piece though, and for sake of accuracy, going to a shop with CNC equipment and using polycarbonate would be your best bet.


fill in svg or stl design This is a line drawing and I would like to print it a couple of mm high. I cannot figure out how to get this line drawing filled. I converted to SVG with Inkscape, used GIMP, took it online to TinkerCad and tried it with Onshape but all I ever get is just the line and this does not work well on my printer. What is a smart way to get this filled in and ready to go?

I use TinkerCad to convert to STL and that works fine. So I could also try to edit the STL in stead of the SVG file.

Maybe I should print the original scanned image (TIFF) and then fill it by hand with black ink and then scan it and convert it to SVG but that sounds really dumb.

UPDATE
I went back to the original drawing and using the bucket tool. The result is a rather noisy image and I need it to be sharp and tight to be able to convert it to a good SVG later on.
Looks like it is more of a graphics design question now..
https://graphicdesign.stackexchange.com/questions/94773/from-drawing-to-3d-print

If you don't mind adding another tool to your toolbox, you can use a plug-in for Inkscape called Inkscape OpenSCAD DXF Export that will convert your SVG drawing to appropriate code to import to OpenSCAD. Even if you aren't keen on learning OpenSCAD, once you have the code, press F5 for a preview, F6 for a rendering and then export the STL file.

The link on Thingiverse gives instructions how to add the plug-in (extension) to Inkscape, which is relatively simple. I've been using the extension for applicable projects with great success. Expect minor complications for closed paths within other paths, however. You may have to create separate STL files for those paths and use Boolean subtraction to remove the "holes" as needed.

The extension is slightly counter-intuitive. Be sure to manually add the .scad extension to the file as it does not perform that task automatically.

UPDATE: I have discovered that the above link is not the one I've been using. I'm leaving it in place as it may be useful to others to have the ability to create .DXF files from Inkscape. The correct one is called Inkscape to OpenSCAD converter v6 and works as described above.

As always, read and follow all label instructions. Do not operate heavy machinery after using this product.


Pretty ugly surface remains after using support ramp. Are my slicer settings correct? I'm printing a object with a pretty sizable overhang.  And the results, after support removal, are pretty ugly.

Here is the print before support removal.

And here is the final product, sigh.

Finally here are my slic3r settings:

Generate Support Material: [✔]
Overhang threshold: 60°
Max Layer Count for Supports: 0 layers
Enforce Support for the First: 0 layers
Raft layers: 0 layers

Options for support material and raft

Contact Z distance: 0.2 (detachable) mm
Pattern: pillars
Pattern spacing:  2.5 mm
Pattern angle: 0°
Interface Layers: 3 layers
Interface pattern spacing: 2 mm
Support on Build Plate Only: [✔]
Don't support bridges: [ ]

The material I'm using is ABS, 230 °C temperature setting.  Layers, Adaptive Slicing, Adaptive quality: 75 %, Match horizontal surfaces.  Vertical shells, 3 perimeters minimum. Horizontal shells, solid layers: top: 3, bottom 3.

Is there a way to improve this?

Note: for anybody interested... these are small disposable spatulas used to place bondo mix onto a flat surface at the bottom of a restricted space, to fill small holes in wood. Its too tight in there to use a normal putty knife.

---edit-------------------------------------

There has been some conversation about print speeds.  Included here are the speed settings from Slic3r:

---Edit #2---------------------------------

Gee, looking at this, I'm wondering why there is such a large gap between the gold colored E shaped interface to the blue spatula handle?  And that makes me wonder, what support material and raft settings should I be using?  Why is that gap so big?  (And I have to go back into SolidWorks and check, but I'm nearly certain that handle is 2 mm wide. That gap to the support is really big.)

I'm not terribly familiar with slic3r, but it looks like you have a setting (possibly a default one) to slow down on printing overhangs. This was a popular "feature" in slicing software (Cura has it I know) but it's exactly the opposite of what you should be doing. When slowing down to print an overhang, the pressure in the nozzle forces the material to keep coming out at the same rate it was coming out until it subsides, and you end up with a big hanging glob of ooze like in your photo.

If your printer firmware has linear-advance/pressure-advance functionality, this can mostly be eliminated. But if not (most stock firmware), you need to maintain full speed on overhangs, and might even need to turn up your acceleration limits so that you don't get a significant slowdown just by decelerating to go around the corner.


Power supply not working Yesterday during a print, the printer just stopped working and all motors and fans stopped. My printer is a Graber i3.

Just before that I saw a flare coming from somewhere in the extruder or from the power supply, I couldn’t actually see.

Checked the voltage coming into the RAMPS and it was 0 V, checked voltage coming from the power supply, also 0 V. Checked the voltage coming into the power supply and it was 217 V... that’s okay, the power supply is switched to 220 V.

Today I tried further troubleshooting, by connecting the power supply to 127 V and having it switched to that voltage, before that I disconnected the RAMPS cable in case it was shorted. The result was the power supply did not work, the voltage coming from it was 0 V.

Got in contact with the manufacturer since the printer is brand new and he is sending me a new power supply, but I do want to try to find the root cause of the problem, so I started looking for shorts in the RAMPS, hotbed is okay, no continuity. Neither of the other connections have shorts, until I got to the hot end heating cartridge, in this convection I found 5 Ω resistance between phases. This was at first no surprise because it makes sense since it’s a heating element, but wanted to make sure, is it okay to have this resistance in the cartridge?

Do you guys have any other suggestion for troubleshooting or possible root causes for this issue?

UPDATE 02/OCT/2019:
I decided to open the power supply, so maybe I could fix it and have it as a back up. First thing I see once opened, the fuse was blown! So I replaced it, since it is soldered and it is a 8A 250V 3x10mm, which happens to be hard to find... took quite a while. Once the repair was done, plugged it in and boom, another firework happened, this time blowing a resistor and not the fuse.

Conclusion: it wasn’t the fuse, another thing caused the first and second shortening.

I would expect the root cause to simply be the power supply itself.

5 Ω is a reasonable resistance for a 12 V / 30 W heater. It seems strange that you are not seeing continuity in the heated bed as this should also have a low resistance (since it's a heater as well). This might be worth investigating further, but I think it's more likely the power supply itself is the cause (and you simply made a measurement error).


Wiring BLTouch V3.1 on Anet A6 and the JST connector polarity I have looked at many tutorials already but I am not sure about how I should wire this properly. I bought a BLTouch V3.1 together with an extension cable

Now, the thing is, with that extension cable you get one set of wires for the servo in a Dupont connection (brown, red, yellow) and one for the Z-min in a JST connection (black, white).
The JST connection actually has room for three cables, and when holding it the way you can plug it into the Anet A6 you have the following order: Empty, Black, White. However, IIRC the input Z-min input on the Anet wants the following order: GND, VCC, Z-min.
So if I would use the cable like this. then I would connect the black wire of the BLTouch to the VCC. Will this cause any trouble with my BLtouch?
Because I think it does, but then again, why would you sell such a wire.

Black is GND and should not be connected to VCC.
Note that you can simply pop out the metal parts (use a pin to press a small clip) from the connector and rearrange how you want them to be.
Note that most printer controller boards have the GND of all the endstops connected, so technically you don't need the black wire at all. I make my own extension cables (from 4 wire cable) where the brown and black are connected at the sensor side and a single white wire is used for the Z-min endstop.


Making your own filament I"m considering making my own filament, with a device like the one at http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:380987. Partly because it's another machine to build, which is cool, but also to save money on filament.

Has anyone here tried to make their own filament? My main questions are:

Is the quality comparable to typical off-the-shelf filaments? Put another way, with reasonable tuning can one produce filament that's good enough to use without a lot of frustration?
Does it require a lot of attention to tuning, monitoring, or other details (which make it less worthwhile / more time-consuming)? Warning of pitfalls to avoid is also welcome.
Are there useful things one can do this way, that are hard to achieve with off-the-shelf filaments? For example, unusual materials; better control of diameter, density, etc; or mixing one's own colors?

Quality depends on 3 things:

Quality of pellets (purity, fillers, color)
Where/how they are stored before and during the extrusion (humidity, contaminants)
Have a filter in your extruder to get rid of random junk and air bubbles ending up in your filament (250 micron wire mesh filter)

There's no secret formula the filament producing companies have, they just have very efficient and very fast filament producing machines (of course very expensive, too). But when it comes to vanilla ABS or PLA, it's almost the same content.

Personal experience: no. If you get the same pellets, store it in the same place and run your extruder in the same place, it should behave the same.
I don't think there is some filament mixture you won't be able to find anywhere, but you might be able to make it yourself cheaper. Example: mixing strontium aluminate powder for glow in the dark filament (come in many colors, not just green).

I'd recommend this design: http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-your-own-3d-printing-filament-factory-Filame/
It produces filament pretty fast (one full 1kg spoon in 3-4 hours). Just make sure you have enough experience to not electrocute yourself while assembling this as the heaters use mains power.

I personally think the commercial "hobby" extruders are not worth the money. I also own the Filastruder and it's just no different and slower than the above, unless you care about a pretty plywood case for your extruder I see no advantage and since it uses off-the-shelf parts itself why bother buying a kit like that than sourcing the parts yourself?


Filament choice for coasters Which filament is good for a coaster for a hot cup?

I don't expect PLA to be good because it can easily melt under a hot cup.

Note, I can't use ABS because I don't have an enclosed printer.

Even if you pour in boiling water in a cup, the outside of the cup will have a lower temperature. When resting on a coaster, usually a small part of the cup actually touches the coaster. Also, the design of the coaster could influence the heat transfer, a more open structure of the coaster may be beneficial. Some people print coasters in PLA although the glass temperature (temperature at which the plastic becomes soft, this is usually the temperature of your bed when you print the material) may be lower than than the temperature of the cup, the filament will weaken (for PLA at about 50 °C), but not melt , melting of PLA happens at a higher temperature (for PLA above 150 °C) than your mug can get (unless you pour liquid metal in it). It should therefore be doable in PLA, I have printed a PLA coaster that has very small ridges (about 1 mm) of an embossed image and placed a cup with boiling water on it, to find that the coaster is able to withstand the temperature of the cup without deforming (the ridges do not fail or deform).

To elaborate on the filament materials other than PLA; there are many filament types that have higher glass temperatures, but are still very printable. Various types of co-polyesters exist, like PETG, that have a higher glass temperature (> 85 °C), are a substitute for ABS and still very well printable. Nylon is also a material that can be used, there are brands that have low warp nylon.

Note that there are a few options to print ABS while you have a non-enclosed printer, you could

fabricate some cardboard pieces for a temporary enclosure,
place the printer in an non-draft room or
print the skirt height at the height of the print part.

Note that coasters have a relative low profile height, it should not be that big of a problem to print ABS coasters on an open printer.


How fast can printer head move without damaging steppers? Is there any risk of damaging stepper motors if I set too big travel speed?
What is maximum safe travel speed?

My printer is a German RepRap Neo.

I currently use 120 mm/s. Is it safe to increase this value to 200 mm/s?
What would my printer do if I set very big travel speed?

Short answer no

We use stepper drivers to limit the current, the travel speed is at capped by the amount of current supplied by the stepper drivers. This prevents the stepper motors from damaging themselves. You can set 200mm/s in the slicer, but you have no guarantee that that will be reached in real life.

One thing to keep in mind though is that setting your travel speed too high can induce artifacts such: shifted layers, ghosting, uneven extrusion, etc. So the best thing is to keep the speeds within the specified limits.


Extruder increase temperature I bought a month ago the Artillery Genius. Everything was pretty good until today, I was printing a test cube and it stopped pulling out filament, when I looked the temperature it was -15 °C, a few seconds after the thermistor sensor broke and got stuck on the extruder creating a little bit of smoke. I had bought a thermistor sensor and a heater cartridge original replacement. I changed both and turn the printer back on. As soon I turn it on the extruder start to increase the temperature, almost 300 °C and then change to -15 °C. I checked the connections multiple times, I even change the sensor with another one, but nothing works. I checked the boards, cables but everything looks great. Don't know what else can be. I already contacted customer support but just want to look for another opinion while waiting for there answer.

Your printer does seem to have a firmware problem and lack important safety features - it should have stopped the moment it went 300°C measurement, beeped like hell, and shut down with an error message about Thermal Runaway Protection. Immediately stop using the printer!
Before you try to print again, you need to make a proper firmware for your printer, one that has both Mintemp, Maxtemp as well as Thermal Runaway Protection actiive and flash that. While setting up your firmware, make sure you use the right temperature table for your thermosensor. How to do that is detailed here.


New RepRap Discount Smart Controller blinks and beeps, but doesn't display Main board: MKS GEN L V1.4
The SD card reader on the original controller LCD (from four years ago, or so) went out, so I replaced it with a touch screen. I found, however, that I don't like the touchscreen interface as much as the LCD home screen, so I ordered what I thought was an identical LCD controller. They certainly look the same.
The original controller is plugged in now and working. It should just be a matter of the EXP1 and EXP2 cables between new and old, but when I plug it in and fire up the printer, the beeper starts a constant, weak beeping, the screen sort of flashes on/off, on/off... Is there something I'm missing? Some fundamental difference between the old LCDs and the new? Is there firmware I'm missing?
EDIT: I saw this post that talks about turning the slots, but they don't move and I'm afraid of applying too much pressure. How hard should it be? Can I accomplish the same thing by reversing the connector on one end of the ribbon cable?

So, the answer in the other referenced post was correct, the slots were turned opposite how they should have been. AND YES: you can create a "crossover" ribbon cable and everything works great, so physically turning the slots is not necessary.


Ender 3 print is skipping and dragging up base print lines I have only been able to get my prints this far. They just can’t stop skipping pulling material up towards the nozzle which then melts pulls of another random bit. At first I thought it was motor skipping, so I strengthened the spring, but even after that and calibrating the bed, I couldn’t figure out exactly how to fix this issue. Hopefully someone has some idea what is wrong.

So, contrary to what people were saying, my problem came from my spring that controlled filament flow. There was too much tension and it caused motor skipping. I did get rid of the overlap with the blue tape, but otherwise I had to clamp down my spring and that fixed the issue.


How can I scan a thing and modify it or scan two things and compare them? I've been asking people about this, not no clue yet.

I want to scan a thing and modify it a little.

For example I have an object with 3 parts and

I want to change the position of the third part relative to the other 2 parts.

For example I have a certain object and I want to modify it a little to see

how the air flow around them would change.

Or I want to scan two similar things and see what's the difference between them

PRECISELY... is there any way to do this?

While I'm not sure what you mean by I want to scan a thing and modify it a little to see its effect. In general, a 3D scan typically results in a series of raw points. You'll need to convert the 3D point cloud into a Mesh before you can really do any solid modeling with it. Here are a few OpenSource programs that you could potentially use:

MeshLab
Blender
CloudCompare

To compare two scans, you could use the raw data in CloudCompare as well.

However, without knowing what your intended use is, it's difficult to tell how to help you. Please consider updating your response with a bit more of your own research so that we may definitively answer your question.


Bed leveling problem My start G-code:
M92 E128 ; Set E steps to 124 DEFAULT 130
M500 ; Store Settings
G28 X0 Y0 Z0; home all axes
G92 X-3.0 Y-12.0 Z-1.599; set home offsets
G1 X0 Y0 Z0.2 F3000 ; get ready to prime
G92 E0 ; reset extrusion distance
G1 X160 E15 F600 ; prime nozzle
G1 X180 F5000 ; quick wipe

Is used on a Creality CR 10 S5 with upgrades:

whambam systems print bed
micro swiss direct drive print head
BLTouch   (doesn't function correctly)

Auto home (nozzle is off the bed and too low, Z -3.99)
(When printing Start I used G92 X-3.0 Y-12.0 Z-1.599; to correct this in Cura 4.8
Raise the Z axis to 2.8
Did 4 corners and adjusted the screws at each corner
Everything is supposedly level at 2.8

Nope its not.
It is not level and the 3D print isn't right.
After months of messing with the screws I decided to get a BLTouch because everyone seems to do that.
I got it almost right but clearly in parts the nozzle is too close and generates small lumps or too high and gets stringy. The instructions have a broken download link.
So I finally get my BLTouch. (x2)
Attaching it wasn't a problem, but nightmares with the firmware.
So I had a 1.1.6 I got from the Creality web site and uploaded.
All the cables attached correctly, including disconnecting the Z axis limit switch and attachment of the BLTouch. Calibrated the BLTouch height screw.
Fire it up, and try to level it.

Goes to the center
Spins the Z axis downwards and never stops

Next up, reconnected the Z axis limit switch and not connect that part of the BLTouch.

This time it seems to level it, but via limit switch and not bed level.

At least I get numbers indicating some kind of level starting at the far right 4.96 with a high of 5.15 on the left front corner.  However, the limit switch triggers at -3.99 so actually the numbers should probably be lower.
Downloaded a new firmware, trying to level, Z axis motor spins upwards out of control
Download a different firmware, Similar to the 2nd last attempt, accept it forgot how to print correctly and only uses 250-500 on both the X and Y axis.  Also I don't think its printing what I wanted, It isn't the correct shape at all.
I tried 2 different BLTouch sensors.  Both had same results.
Any ideas about getting a good firmware?
Any ideas how to get BLTouch working correctly so I can level it that way?
Until it triggers the Z axis at bed level it probably won't work correctly.

I figured out later that the black and white wires needed to be reversed. So the bed leveling system is working, apart from the fact it isn't yet level.
However, the BLTouch firmware is mucking this up. It only wants to print from X, Y 250 to 500. So 75 % is unusable.
How do I fix this.  I spent hours tweaking the screws and still don't have great results.

To address the firmware problems, Download a fresh edition of Marlin 2.0.x and configure the Configuration.h and Configuration_adv.h yourself. Others' configurations are expecting fully stock parts, and will not be compatible with your system.
Your main problem seems to be in your Probe Z-Offset. To get good level, you need to calculate how far above the bed the nozzle is when the probe triggers. The BLTouch height screw is NOT for Z offset adjustment, and the Z-offset needs to be set with M851 in Marlin. See https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M851.html for more detail on how to do this.
Additionally, the Z-MIN switch should not be connected when using the BLTouch, as it IS the new Z-MIN sensor.


Prusa's P.I.N.D.A. XYZ axes calibration fails with generic message "Consult the manual" I have just built a Prusa i3 MK2 printer. One of its features is automatic XYZ axes calibration done using inductive probe which is located next to the nozzle.

In my case, this calibration procedure failed with the message:

  XYZ calibration failed. Please consult the manual.

The manual on this problem reads:

  XYZ calibration failed. Bed calibration point was not found.
  Calibration routine did not find a bed sensor point. The printer stops close to the bed
  point, which it failed to detect. Please verify, that the printer is assembled correctly,
  that all axes move freely, the pulleys do not slip and the print nozzle is clean. If
  everything looks good, re-run the X/Y calibration and verify with a sheet of paper
  between the nozzle and the print bed that the print nozzle does not touch the print
  bed during the calibration routine. If you feel a friction of the nozzle against the sheet
  of paper and the nozzle is clean, you need to screw the PINDA probe slightly lower
  and re-run the X/Y calibration.
  XYZ calibration failed. Please consult the manual.
  The calibration points were found in positions far from what should be expected for a
  properly assembled printer. Please follow the instructions of case 1).

My nozzle is new, therefore clean and I have already checked that all axes move without any problems. The manual does not seem to offer any additional advice.

I tried to put the PINDA probe lower. It had helped the calibration, but at the same time the probe was lower than the nozzle, which means I couldn't print with it being on the extruder.

What else can I check? How to find the issue? This is my first printer, so I'm totally clueless.

One thing, and the one that eventually solved my problem, is to update the firmware. Firmware update instructions: Upgrading firmware - Prusa3D

The only thing you might get stuck on is selecting the right COM port.

Go to the device manager (run devmgmt.msc)

In COM and LPT section, you should see port for your printer by name. Select that port number in the firmware update tool.

In my case, I had to run the calibration twice before it worked. I had no problems since then.


What filament material is safe to use as in-wall housing (US)? Which type of filament material(s) is safe to use as an in-wall box for regular, 120v wiring? For instance, an electrical outlet box.

In case it matters, location is the state of Washington, USA.

I haven't tested the commercial "blue boxes" used to hold 120/240 V electrical outlets, switches, and splices to see how they behave when heated.  As such, this argument is based on intuition, which is intrinsically flawed as a logic device.  Never-the-less, I think the no extruded molten plastic (FFF) 3D printing filament will work.

The purpose of the junction box is to contain an overheating connection or switch and prevent it from causing a fire in the wall.  Any FFF filament will have a melting point below the ignition point of wood, and would therefore flow away from the overheating point.  It seems that any thermoplastic with a "normal" melting point would have this problem.

You might look at UV polymerized printing resins, such as are used in the Stratasys Objet, Form Labs, and Prusa SL1.  These printing processes aren't constrained to use plastics that can be melted or heat softened.  Because the polymerization can involve more aggressive crosslinking (polymerization) that FFF materials, they have the potential to be good for a higher temperature.

As an example of a high-temperature, non-melting plastic which could perhaps have an analogue in SLS resin, polyester "casting compound" is cross linked by a methyl-ethyl-ketone-peroxide catalyst to form clear solid.  24 hours after the polymerization starts, the solid does not melt under the influence of a hot air gun.  I tried to melt it and it would not melt.  It slightly softened, but the plastic cup I had cast it in was dripping away -- but the polyester was not melting.

I looked through the Stratasys materials and Form Labs materials and did not see a much higher temperature material.


Frightened of Cheap Chinese Power Supply as I hook up the heated bed My 12V DC 30A Power Supply 360W Power Supply is really cheap, and it's worked well for setting up the motors; but now that I'm on to the heated bed, which uses considerably more Ampage than that of just the motors, I'll confess, I'm getting frightened to continue using it;  if the summer was a bit longer, maybe it wouldn't bother me, but we're getting into the cold months, and now I'm afraid of ending up using too much ampage just trying to heat the bed in the winter months...(and I don't mean my bed).  Is there anything I should look out for in terms of using the either the cheap power supply I already have, or are there certain specs on a new not-so-cheap power supply that I ought to be using instead?

A MK2 heatbed will draw around 12A. The motors and hotend draw only very little power (around 2A, 5A peak), so the 30A supply you have has significant headroom (it is often recommended to derate a power supply by 20%, so a 30A supply would be good for 24A - you're still well under that). It should work fine, even given its dubious provenance.

Winter versus summer should not make a big difference. The largest power draw is during the heat up phase. In winter, the bed will use slightly more power to stay warm, but regardless of whether it is summer or winter the peak power draw during heat up will be the same.

The cheapness of these supplies tends to be reflected in more output ripple (but for heating the bed and running the motors you don't need a very stable voltage) and improper filtering. This may inject noise back into the mains, possibly affecting other equipment nearby. Should this occur, you can just stop using the power supply. However, in my experience, they can deliver the rated power just fine. They're not completely horrible.

Your biggest concern should be whether the wires that lead to your heated bed can handle the current and whether the screw terminals are properly tightened. During the first use, you should check that the power supply does not get extremely hot. If it's so hot it's impossible to touch for more than 1-2 seconds you should not use it.


Why does the prusa i3 sometimes put the layer more right or left as they should be? I often tried to print sth in the prusa i3-mk3 but in most time he prints at the middle of the object more right or left. Can someone please tell me why that comes?

I'm not sure if I read your question correctly, but if I do, what you are referring to is called "layer shifting" and looks like this:

This happens when the stepper motors fail to perform a step upon receiving the signal from the firmware.  Since stepper motors do not have any way to know their actual position (differently, for example, than servos) they will keep on printing as if nothing happened, and thus the subsequent layers will be shifted of the amount of steps they missed to perform.

Moving on to why this happens in sth...  I don't own a MK3, but I take it that sth is short for stealth mode, the new silent mode that has been widely showcased in reviews and articles on the printer.

That mode of operation is made possible by the Trinamic TMC2130 stepper drivers.  Normally these drivers monitor the power consumption of the steppers and are capable of deduce a missed step by sudden changes in that.  If they do, the MK3 will actually re-home the X and Y axis to fix the problem and resume printing normally.

However when operating in their StealthChop mode, the TMC drivers provide less energy to the motor themselves (to keep them operating quietly) and - more importantly - are unable to detect missed steps.  Less power will make much more likely that any sort of resistance to the print head movement will cause missed steps, the absence of detection will cause the printer to not even notice and cause layer shifting.

Again, I don't own a MK3 and I have no direct experience with it, but I would suggest updating the firmware to the very last version: I read in an article some weeks ago that a recent version addressed exactly your problem, by progressively increasing the power output along the Z axis (as the likelihood of layer shifting increases with the height of the print).


What kind of aluminium grade for a heated 3D printer bed? I'm replacing my standard MK3 Aluminium printing bed with a custom sized  bed paired with a silicone heater. I came across a few on Amazon and they all have grades such as 6061, 3003, 5052 etc. I know these mean the composition of the Al alloy and their end purpose but I'm not sure what they mean in terms of being used for a 3D printer. Can anyone here advise me on this?

Various grades and alloys of aluminum will have characteristics related to ease of welding, resistance to corrosion, malleability, and other aspects. For a heated bed on a 3D printer, you'd really want to have something resistant to warping and something that can be assured to be planar across the surface, that is, flat.

The terminology you'd want to use for your search is "MIC 6 Cast Aluminum Tooling Plate" and the results are many.

From a rather comprehensive web site:

Flatness tolerance is maintained within .015" on 1/4"-5/8" thickness and .005" on 3/4"- 4" thickness. Thermal Cycling can be performed up to 800° F  under controlled conditions.

You would want to confirm from the seller that the surface has been prepared, as some sites appear to sell un-finished tooling plate, but I've not been able to clarify that. Most appear to provide either no specifications regarding flatness or give a figure such as that above.


Herringbone timing belt? I realized while playing around with 3D printed gears that it would be easy to make a 3D printed herringbone-style timing belt and matching gears/pulleys. Would such a design have any advantages over typical GT2 timing belts used in 3D printers? I figure the belt contact around the gear/pulley is sufficient that it doesn't make a big difference to smooth transfer of force like it does with meshing gears, but it would prevent lateral movement of the belt. Are there other advantages (or disadvantages)? I would assume it's harder to produce the belt with conventional manufacturing techniques, but of course it's easy to produce with a 3D printer and TPU or other flexible material.

At a nearly microscopic level, the herringbone belt/gear combination will reduce the whoosh effect of a square profile cogged belt forcing itself into a matching profile pulley. Consider a well-sealed drawer or similar shape. Push it into the cabinet at maximum speed and force and the air is going to have a difficult time exiting.

By the design of the herringbone belt, the teeth on the belt are eased into the groove in what amounts to a diagonal motion. This permits the air to be exhausted in a less-abrupt manner.

This is part of the concept of Goodyear Eagle belt systems.

Part of the sales pitch is quiet, another part is precision, which I expect falls into the self-centering aspect of the design. Yet another described characteristic is reduced vibration, certainly valuable in the 3D printer world.

I've had no luck getting email communications from the manufacturers regarding this type of drive system, but found that commercially available belts and pulleys do not go below a rather large diameter, making that aspect unsuitable for 3D printing. The belts are also high-load capable, very stiff and also quite wide.

You would not want to use TPU or other flexible filament (perhaps obc?)* unless you could be assured of minimal stretch. Any stretching of the belt would inject too many problems into the printer to compensate in practical terms.

*From MatterHackers web site:

  OBC (Olefin Block Copolymer) 3D printing filament from Dow Chemical is
  a breakthrough material that is both flexible when printed thin and
  rigid when printed.

As an anecdote, I desired to replace the x-axis belt on my laser cutter with a Silent Sync system. It is believed on at least one laser-cutter forum that the GT style belts cause oscillation which appears when engraving. I had hoped to discover that the Silent Sync belts and pulleys would solve this problem, but the lack of communications with the manufacturer threw a wrench in the works. It's unlikely that I can 3D print a 2.5 meter long segment of belt, as I don't own a White Knight printer, but it's interesting to think that OBC filament might do the job well enough. Too much experimentation, however.


Problem printing circles/holes on Anycubic I3 mega For some time I've been struggling to print models with holes going all the way through from top to bottom. Models without those holes print out just fine. I've spend quite some time on levelling the bed, so I think the levelling is fine. I'm using Cura 4.5 with the default settings (normal profile) for the Anycubic I3 mega.

At first I had the problem of the initial circles not sticking to the bed. This is what it looked like:

Then (after doing a lot of searching on the internet) I changed the following settings in Cura:

Initial layer height: 0.1 -> 0.3
Optimize wall printing order: false -> true

After that the circles seemed to stick better, but still the bottom layer looks quite messy. This is a picture of the bottom of the object printed with these settings:

And this is what it looks like from the top:

As you can see, it still gets quite messy around the circles, and they seem to be detached from the rest of the model.

After this (and doing a lot more browsing) I decided to make the following change in Cura:

Retraction extra prime amount 0 -> 0.07

But to be honest, I have not clue what this really does. This is what the initial layer (of another model) looked liked after changing that setting:

And after a couple of layers it looked like this:

Now (finally) my question, does anyone have an idea on how to make my prints (especially the connection of the circles with the rest of the model) better?

Thanks!

From your images can be seen that:

Your nozzle is too far from the bed (the lines are not touching), so you either need to level with a less thick paper or allow for more friction between the paper and the nozzle. There is also a plugin for Cura to set a Z-offset.
You need to enable Combing mode = Not in Skin and possibly fine tune your retraction settings.
You could benefit from some more adhesion using an adhesion spray.


How should I power these stepper motors I am rebuilding my printer, a hold Prusa/Mendel that has been boxed for years. I have changed the board ( I am using a Rumba) and the drivers (I am using Pololu 8225) with heatsinks and 1/16 microsteps.

5 motors type 42BYGHW811, rated: 2,5 A, R 1,25 Ohm.
I have set the stepper voltage at 0,8 V for XYE which gives a current of 0,64 A and they seems to work without problems.

To get the same current on Z, where I have 2 motors in parallel, I should set it at 0,4 V but the motors do not turn at such low voltage. They just make noise, no turn. I have M8 rods nicely lubricated on such axis and I can turn them easily by fingers. If I go up to 1 V the motors turns but then the driver gets very hot and I loose steps. May be I should play with the acceleration too?

I am not sure if the above settings are correct. Your hints from your actual settings and experiences will be appreciated.

If the motors are in parallel, then setting it at 0.4V means each motor will only get a quarter of the current a single motor would get at 0.8V. If you set it to 0.8V each motor will get half. I think 0.8V (same as for the other motors) would be an appropriate setting. Stepper drivers are constant-current, not constant-voltage.

Are the steps/mm for your Z-axis correct? Perhaps it's just trying to move too quickly.


All-metal hot-end Creality Ender 3 Pro jamming issues I have a Creality Ender 3 Pro printer, and just installed the Micro-Swiss All-Metal Hotend for CR-10 S Pro. After installing following the video instructions by Micro Swiss and Teaching Tech, I set it to print a good old Benchy.

Was working fine, until about half way through it blocked up.

The stuck filament appears to be trapped, even when heated to 230 °C, which makes me think it may have melted into a gap somewhere and cooled creating a block. I am using Filamentive PLA.

My questions are a) how should I remove the filament fully without damaging the thermistor and heating element and b) what do I need to do to avoid jamming?

Any suggestions?

The so-called all-metal hotends are sold as upgrades to the lined hotend versions. Actually, they are not. These are different type of hotends that can be used printing at higher temperatures. However, PLA printing at high temperatures is not advised. You rather choose to print at slightly lower temperatures.

What do I need to do to avoid jamming?

This requires that you change the way you operate the hotend/extrusion process. Why? Because the hotend is not lined, the heat from the heating block can more easily creep up the hotend into the coldend. This requires that you have a good performing cooling fan cooling the radiator fins of the coldend. Furthermore, because of the higher temperature (as the liner is not shielding the heat to the filament), the melted and the softened length of the filament in the hotend assembly is substantially longer. This means that excessive retraction lengths can cause soft material to be be pulled back too far. Knowing that the filament diameter is smaller than the tubes or the diameter of the heatbreak, this soft and molten filament can get stuck in the increased diameter section of the heatbreak.
But if it gets jammed,

How should I remove the filament fully without damaging the thermistor and heating element?

You need to ensure that enough heat gets into the hot and coldend to soften all the material. Currently PLA is stuck in the assembly. To soften all the material I would diasble the cooling fan of the coldend and heat up the heater to a temperature of 210-220 °C and keep this warming up for several minutes to allow heat to creep up. You can now try to push the filament through. If this fails wait longer or increase the temperature by 5 °C increments at a time. Too high temperature can cause filament to cook and carbonize. making it effectively harder too clean. If this fails, disassemble the hotend while hot (be careful!) and clean the individual part mechanically or use heat.


Very old 3D Printer, which brand or type is this? I just received an old 3D printer from one of my school teachers. I have no idea whatsoever as to which brand it is, no instruction manual attached to it, or any other info about it.

How can I find some information about it?

Some links would be very useful. Remember when giving advice that I know nothing about 3D printers.

This is the printer:

Backside

Front

The X-axis stepper

The electronics board

Here are some further details on:

The control board, and;
The stepper motors

Control board

The electronics board has this marking:

EJE Electronics Gubbels Engineering

The serial number is 0070-003

According to this site Xinchejian First Mendel V2 Reprap the board is:

  Gen6 Electronics, with AT Mega 644p processor (PCB EJE Electronics, Gubbels Engineering - mendel-parts.com)

It seems to be this board (the serial numbers match):

Information on this board can be found here: Generation 6 Electronics:

  Generation 6, or Gen6, can be described as a dedicated, Plug-&-Play, single board solution for FFF/FDM 3D Printers. It is designed to be professionally manufactured, with many small surface mount components, as opposed to Generation 7 which is designed to be printed on a Mendel(among other design goals).

  Another major difference with Gen6 electronics is that they use Texas Instruments DRV8811 chips to drive the stepper motors. This means they require firmware modifications from the normal Polulu-based electronics which use Allegro A4983 chips.

It goes on to say:

  Benefits of this Design

  These electronics are a single board solution, so you don't need all those cables and one thick sheet and 4 reprap parts less.
  However, the thick sheet does add a fair amount of rigidity. @$@#?? the bottom thick sheet (big one) doesnt add
  much rigidity, the front one is used for stiffness of the frame, not
  the bottom one.
  It has a standard USB connection (USB A>B cable needed)
  It uses micro-stepping (1/8) for quieter operation.
  It is cheaper than for example Makerbot's version of the RepRap Generation 3 electronics.
  It uses small standard Molex connectors for motors, heater, and optos.
  The pcb of the optos are integrated, so you only need the optos on cables with 5way Molex connectors

  Hardware Features

  on-board USB-RS232 convertor
  Integrated hardware for driving one extruder (stepper, heater and thermistor)
  RS485 bus connector with the possibility to link through the extruder step and dir signals
  Integrated hardware for driving H21LOB or TCST2103 slotted optosensors
  High input voltage range: 12-24Vdc
  Use of standard connectors with easy and clean installation
  Debug LEDs for power, communication and heater output
  Reset button

  Specifications

  Dimensions 110x60mm
  Mounting grid: 100x50mm (4x M3)
  Input voltage 12-24Vdc
  On-board controller: ATmega 644p (Atmel Corp.)
  RS485 connector: RJ45
  Heat output: MOSFET output, 4A
  Thermistors input: 100K thermistor

There is a lot more information on that page, including information about the power supply, USB, End stops, Heaters, Motors, Firmware, etc. I suggest that you read it fully, in order to understand the board's functionality.

Stepper Motors

The stepper's model number can be seen here:

The stepper's model number is SY42STH47-1683B,

which is a NEMA-17 High Torque Hybrid Stepper Motor, with these specifications:

Step angle: 1.8°
Number of phase: 2
Rated voltage: 2.8 V
Rated current: 1.68 A
Holding torque: 4.4 kg/cm

This would be, at least, part of the datasheet:

Here are a couple of links, should you need replacements (~€17):

NEMA-17 (SY42STH47-1684B Stepper Motor) - Polabs)
SY42STH47-1684B High Torque Hybrid Stepper Motors

This stepper motor is also listed on the RepRapWiki - NEMA 17 page:

Model           Holding Torque  Rated voltage       Shaft   Step angle  Motor length    Rated current   Inductance
SY42STH47-1684B   43.1 N·cm        2.8 V       Ø 5 mm double    1.8°        48 mm            n/a            n/a


Why can't powder-based 3D printing techniques create enclosed or hollow structures? Metal powders are the fastest-growing segment within the 3D printing materials market, and 3D printing with metal offers a range of highly-sought out characteristics, including immense strength, reduced weight, biocompatibility and corrosion or thermal resistance, making it ideal for high-demand industries such as aerospace, medical, etc.

Conventional methods require focusing a very intense energy source, such as a laser or electron beam, across a bed of metal powder, fusing the powder particles together in a pre-determined pattern to create the final 3D structure.

While this method does allow for incredibly strong metal 3D structures to be produced, it has its drawbacks, mainly:

it is prohibitively expensive and time consuming;
it does not allow for certain types of architectures, such as those that are hollow and enclosed, and;
it is limited by the types of compatible metals and alloys that can be used.

If we ignore the cost, why can't we do hollow or enclosed architectures to be printed with this technique?

Source: A closer look at the 12 biggest 3D printing tech innovations of the first half of 2016.

It's not hollow or enclosed structures that are a problem. It's structures that are hollow and enclosed. Think about it. The machine lays down a thin layer of powder, and then a laser fuses some of that powder together to make a shape. Then, it repeats the process for the next layer. If you try to build, for example, a hollow ball, the ball gets created in the middle of the powder, meaning that there will be powder around the outside of the ball and in the inside of the ball, and with the ball completely enclosed, there is no way for the powder that ends up inside the ball to get out. That's why hollow objects printed in this manner must have a hole somewhere to let out the powder contained in the object.

This is not only true of metal powder, but any 3D printing process that uses a bed of powder or a volume of resin and fuses some of it into a shape. Fused deposition modelling (FDM), the process used by most consumer-level 3D printers, build models in thin air, so only air is trapped inside the printed objects, making the printing of hollow, enclosed objects less of a problem. Of course, one has to deal with gravity. A hollow object might collapse before the filament hardens enough to support its weight.


Avoiding stringing with flexible filament I have some flexible PLA filament (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VKSSA4E/, presumably a mix of PLA with some platicizer) that's supposed to be easy to print with settings similar to regular PLA. I've seen recommendations to disable retraction, and indeed I get huge failures to extrude at all for a while after retraction if it's enabled. But with retraction disabled, I get stringing all over the place, and since the material isn't brittle, it's really difficult to remove.

I'm using a bed temp of 60 and print temp of 220, increased from 210 for normal PLA since I had trouble getting it to adhere at lower temp. Printer is Creality Ender 3. Using CuraEngine for slicing. The extruder is feeding the material fine; there's no kinking going on or anything.

Where should I start trying to improve this? Might retraction work with a really really slow print speed or greatly reduced retraction distance? Or are there other ways to avoid stringing?

You could enable combing in the slicer. Combing not only prevents retracts, it also uses already laid down paths for movement from one to the other location and as such reduces the amount of stringing.


New RAMPS 1.6 not working I just bought a new RAMPS 1.6 shield to replace my old RAMPS 1.4 shield. The problem is that it's just not working, the motors don't move, heatbed/nozzle don't get heated. It was all working with the RAMPS 1.4 shield.
I checked the RAMPS 1.6 and there's no bridging in the solder joints.
The DRV8255 is drawing current also but the motor doesn't move.
I am using Repetier Firmware. I tried Marlin (default) and even it's not working.

Pins are sometimes different between the two shields.  I ran into one a while back... Go over the pin specs for the 1.6 one at a time.
Correction: pins are SUPPOSED to be the same.  I've however experienced them not being the same.  I don't know if my 1.3s were the oddballs or if the 1.6 was.


Reprogram Marlin to assign endstop pins to arbitrary tasks [Arduino Mega] Can someone point me out an appropriate entry code for this task in Marlin source code?

Apparently, given one

has already enabled USE_<AXIS>_PLUG (for example
<AXIS> = XMIN) in Marlin's Configuration.h,
one can add an additional define (for example <AXIS>_ENDSTOP_CUSTOM) in
Configuration.h and
make this block the else statement in an
<AXIS>_ENDSTOP_CUSTOM existence check, with the positive case being your
arbitrary task.

The function that gets executed in the standard case in the linked block is PROCESS_ENDSTOP, so cloning it would be a good starting point to make a PROCESS_ENDSTOP_CUSTOM task, too.


Identify temperature sensor Am wondering if anybody knows what type of sensor this is (from a build plate).

Perhaps a thermocoupler? The colouring of the wires seems to suggest it is not directional?

Would like to know details so that I can make use of it in my own projects.

It is quite likely not a thermocouple, but a thermistor:

A thermocouple would look like a small blob of metal. The tip of your temperature sensor appears to be a glass bead, which is a commonly used way to encase thermistors.
Thermocouples are polarized. The fact that the wiring is not "directional" suggests it is a thermistor.
Thermocouples are used in high-temperature applications (such as a high-temperature hotend for printing specialty materials), where a thermistor would break down. The bed is not such a high-temperature application.

You can easily verify this with a multimeter. If it was a thermocouple, its resistance would be near zero. With a thermistor, you should see a decent amount of resistance (most 3D printing thermistors are 100k at room temperature).


Is 12V and 15A enough to make work a Ramps 1.6 Plus and two stepper motors? I want to make an order with this configuration

Arduino MEGA 2650 R3
Ramps 1.6 Plus
2 TMC2130
2 Stepper motors 17hs3401
1 Fan

But I am not sure what voltage and current would be enough to make it work. The Ramps 1.6+ board has an input of 12V as you can see in the picture, but I have read that other people had to increase the voltage with a DC-DC converter.

So, would be 12V and 15A enough to make work that configuration?

The easiest way to know how powerful the PSU should be is to download from https://github.com/rcarlyle/StepperSim the Excel workbook which simulates the power absorbed by the stepper motor. Input the motor specifications, check in the graph the max speed at which you plan to run it, check the absorbed power, add 20% for the various losses. Once you know the absorbed power, you can multiply by the number of stepper motors and obtain the current required, add 20% not to stress the PSU too much.

In you case, this is the result

Your motor will never absorb more than 7 W, 14 W for the two motors, around 20 W considering losses in the motors and overcapacity of the PSU. This means that around 2 A PSU will be perfect for your setup.

Previous answer, which may not be completely correct but still provides a useful background knowledge:

The TMC drivers limit the current to the value you set, which is most of the time lower than the datasheet. In no case you will need more than 1.3 A * sqrt(2) * 2 motors = 3.6 A. In fact, you won't need this much either.

When there is no field in a coil, the driver applies full voltage, but the current is low (initially zero) so you don't hit the 1.3 A per coil.

The current increases (the higher the maximum voltage available to the driver, the faster it increases) and the driver (probably) keeps the full voltage until the preset current is reached. Just a moment before that, the current is almost there, but you still have full voltage from the power supply. This is the theoretical worst case, but it applies only for a very short amount of time.

As soon as the current reaches the preset, the driver "cuts the voltage" to keep  2.4 ohm * 1.3 A = 3.2 V (because V = R * I). This means that the power supply sees 3.2 A/12 V*1.3 A = 0.35 A.

When running, the motors almost never start from zero to max current: both coils are powered and when one increases, the other one decreases.

In fact, the microstepping makes the steppers act more or less like AC motors with two phases. This means that overall the current is the max current per phase multipled by sqrt(2). Also, when using microstepping one phase (coil) is not completely shut off, but two of them work at the same time (with different current levels). This means that in total one compensates the other, and the power supply only provides, more or less, 0.35 * 1.4 = 0.5 A per stepper. You have two, so it's 1 A total, therefore 2 A PSU considering the inefficiencies.

A very easy and complete explanation is provided here:

  By controlling the duty cycle of the chopper, an average voltage and
  an average current equal to the nominal motor voltage and current are
  created.

  ...

  As the current increases, a voltage develops across the
  sensing resistor, which is fed back to the comparator. At the
  predetermined level, defined by the voltage at the reference input,
  the comparator resets the flipflop, which turns off the output
  transistor. The current decreases until the clock oscillator triggers
  the flip-flops, which turns on the output transistor again, and the
  cycle is repeated

So you never have coming out of the PSU more than the preset current.

  Supply current is not the same as the motor current in a copper drive. It is the motor current multiplied by the dutycycle, at
  standstill typically Isupply = IM · ( VM ⁄ Vsupply )

  ...

  Depending on
  how the H-bridge is switched during the turn-off period, the current
  will either recirculate through one transistor and one diode (path 2),
  giving the slow current decay, or recirculate back through the power
  supply (path 3). The advantage of feeding the power back to the
  power supply is the fast current decay and the ability to quickly
  reduce to a lower current level.


What is this called and where can I buy a replacement? In the image, there is an object circled in blue on the anet a8 printer that I need to buy a replacement of, however, I can not find it online, please help.

This is the throat block for direct drive extrusion, Anet8 is a cheap clone of Prusa printers, so it's easy to find parts for Anet printers.

This is one extruder kit that may help your needs, 1 Unidades Impresora 3D makerbot MK8 Extrusora De extrusión de Aluminio Bloque de DIY Kit para Reprap i3. This is a link for Aliexpress - of course there are other dealers.


Bad PEI plate adhesion to heated bed I'm (surprisingly) having a problem getting my PEI substrate to stick to the heated bed surface.  The ABS item being printed stuck great to the PEI surface.  I've not seen anyone else post on this problem, but perhaps someone has seen it.

Note, this is the PRINT SURFACE warping, not the item being printed.  That part went great with no delamination even on a large flat bottom.

I'm using 3M 468 adhesive to attach a PEI plastic sheet directly to the heated surface of my Flashforge Creator Pro printer.  The heated bed is anodized black and the adhesive is a sheet cut to the requisite 6" X 9".  It seemed fine and looked pretty good with few air bubbles when first attached, but the first print caused the edges of the PEI plastic to warp up from the corners of the bed.

It appears that the weak link is that the PEI detached from the adhesive. While this was not uniform, removal of the PEI sheet showed that 95% of the adhesive was still attached to the print bed.

The PEI has one glossy side and one matte side, and I chose to apply the adhesive to the matte side to get the glossy surface.  Does this make a difference?

I applied the adhesive to the PEI surface just as it was after removing the protective plastic coating.  I figured this was a clean as it was ever going to get.

I'd definitely appreciate some ideas on this.

Perhaps this is due to the aluminum build plate warping/crowning as it heats?  I use a PEI print surface on my Monoprice Maker Select (Wanhao Di3), which has an 8.5"x8.5" build plate, and I've had no issues with the PEI coming unstuck.  However, instead of attaching mine directly to the aluminum heated build plate, I attached it (using 3M 468) to a piece of Borosilicate glass, which is then attached to my aluminum build plate using silicone thermal heatsink pads.  The rational for using a Borosilicate glass print surface is that a heated metal build surface is going to warp or move some, as the heat is coming from one side; the glass will not warp and so you have a completely flat surface on which to print (and the heatsink pads help make up the difference in surface geometry).  I used this 3dprinterwiki article as the basis for my glass bed mod, and applied the PEI/adhesive using another source (which I've forgotten, possibly the RepRap wiki).  While the first link is Wanhao Di3 specific, it covers the idea.  Make sure you tweak your z-endstops if needed on your particular machine, as adding the glass plat raises the bed height by several mm.

Please note that I'm theorizing - I did not ever try applying my PEI directly to my aluminum build plate, so I have no direct comparison.  But the use of glass to eliminate build plate warping/crowning is fairly well documented. See also this 3DPSE Answer.


Can you use PLA material with food and drinks? I would like to print fancy plastic cutlery sets or plastic glasses.

Is it safe to do it? Or bad for your health, if so, why?

As others have pointed out, PLA isn't specifically not food safe, but materials that have been printed previously can contaminate the PLA.

Additionally, anything 3D printed is extremely porous. Once a part is used for food, moisture and bacteria will accumulate in the pores, and can never be completely cleaned out, contaminating any food that contacts it. It can't be sterilized either, because the temperatures needed for sterilization would deform or melt the plastic.


How much plastic pellets does it take to make 1 kg of filament? (making my own 3D filaments) Maybe this is a stupid question, but is 1 kg of plastic pellets equivalent to 1 kg of filament? I want to extrude my own filament using recycled plastic pellets. I want to know the cost of my material in general, so I was wondering if 1 kg of plastic pellets result in 1 kg of filament (regular spool)? How much plastic pellets are needed get 1 kg of filament?

If you ignore losses due to production machinery, your one kilogram of pellets will provide you with nearly one kilogram of filament. There may be some small loss of material stuck in the auger and drips from the nozzle and any place you discover plastic that is not on the spool.

How many plastic pellets does it take to make one kilogram of filament? One kilogram plus a bit more. If you are asking about the numerical quantity of pellets, how much does one pellet weigh? Are they large pellets or small pellets?


Extruder driver not working I have a geeetech g2s pro and when I request to print something, the extruder motor doesn't move (it is connected on the board), therefore, the printer prints some kind of imaginary object. I cannot ask Repetir host to extrude it as prevents moving when the extruder is cold, and when it is hot all the repetier host does is moving the header up. Is there a way a could test these motors without needing a hot extruder?

Here you have a picture of it, maybe it is upside down.

Found the solution, I had to swap the cables on the board, now they are working.


In Fusion360, how do I align components according to their a midplane? In Fusion360, how do I align components according to their a midplane?

I have 2 complex objects. They have no midpoint defined (is that even possible). How do I align them according to their mid points?

There are several ways to lock items together.

Designed in position

When you design the parts from the base up, you should lock the very first sketch to the origin in some way or another. Fusion shows this by making any "well defined" line as black in contrast to blue, like shown here:

Using Components

Once you have bodies, you can pretty much move them around in the timeflow. You then can start to define them as components. Let's assume we have these parts, a bolt, and a part into which it hinges. Of course, these two are modeled "in place" but that hasn't to be:

Now, we want to lock them together... well, first, let's start and put them into components! Highlight one, then choose the "new component" command, and make sure it stays highlighted, from bodies is chosen then hit enter.

Repeat for the other part, so your tree should show 2 components now.

Combine Components as modeled

Now we want to combine them as modeled, right? Ok, let's do that, it's easy! get out the dropdown from the combine menu and press combine as modeled (Ctrl + J)

Now, click both components and at first it will start to shake the screen, having chosen "Stiff" combination. This means the parts don't shift one against the other. If you had them in the right position in the first place, they will stay that way. But there are other ways, which are in the menu that popped up:

If for example, I choose "rotation", I can choose a rotation center by placing a node as seen here:

Creating Joints between Components

Now, what if the components are not in position like the bolt is in the wrong position entirely? Well, start with components, as shown above, then we'll see:

Now, we should use the joint function:

Choose the first Component, then seek the point which face-position (or for cylinders: position on centerline) shall be the first component's joint-point shall be. For our part, let's take the big part's hole. Click the face, then choose one of the available points. For cylinders that's the ends and the center, for faces, it's the corners, center points of the edges and the center. If you hit the possible alignment points in the first place, it skips the second click to choose it. Once that is done, the body turns transparent.

Repeat the same process for part 2 and the magic starts: Both parts suddenly move till the alignment points are in the same position, the screen shakes and BAM! We are at stiff joint again! The menu changes and we can start to define offsets!


Set the overhang parameter in Blender 3D printing tool box I'm  working on a cube in Blender. I just deleted one of the faces (the top face) of the cube and added solidify to avoid non manifold edges.

In this case, when I check the design it shows that the bottom face is an overhang face (shown with yellow color). However, if I change the overhang parameter in 3D printing tool box from 45 to 90° and then check the model, it doesn't show any overhang faces and it seems that everything is okay. I don't think increasing the overhang parameter could be a good idea. However, this is my first time that I'm trying to design a model for 3D printing. Can this model with the overhang parameter equal to 90° be printed using a 3D printer? How can I fix the overhang problem in this simple model.

Today I tested another simple model. I used a fill circle and added solidify to the model. Although the model is really simple, check the model shows the same as the previous design - the bottom face is an overhang face. It seems that adding solidify to a shape leads to this problem. I don't know how can I fix this problem. Changing the overhang parameter fixes the overhang problem but it seems that this not a good idea for printing models.

Unfortunately, I can not test the print myself as I do not have a printer myself and I need to outsource the print job.

You are looking at overhangs in the design tool.  What matters are overhangs when printing.

When designing the object, the coordinate system is convenient for working with the object.  Before slicing, the object can be rotated and repositioned for better printing.  Only after is it positioned for printing can the actual overhangs and bridges determined.

Unless you wish to limit yourself to the design tools coordinate system, I wouldn't have the design tool generate support material, and I would ignore its comments about overhang angles.  First, bring the object into your slicer, position it on the print bed, and only then evaluate the need for support material.

To be honest, I often have a printing strategy in mind while I am designing an object, but when the object hits the printer I sometimes completely change my plan.


Creality Ender 4 extruder problem I cannot get my extruder to work on my Creality Ender-4 printer. I have heated the nozzle but the extruder does not move.

I tested the motor and cable on another system and they work just fine.

Could it be the board or what could it be?

Apparently your 3D printer runs Marlin firmware. Marlin firmware default code has build in protection against extrusion below a certain temperature (usually 170°C) as defined in the printer configuration:

// *** IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO LEAVE THIS OPTION ENABLED! ***
#define PREVENT_COLD_EXTRUSION
#define EXTRUDE_MINTEMP 170

Are you sure that it heats up above this temperature? Please check the connections of the thermistor and the heater cartridge.

Marlin firmware code supports disabling the cold extrusion safety measure by setting:

M302 S0    ; Allow extrusion at any temperature

(save this line in a file with extension gcode and load and run it from an SD card or alternatively hook up your computer over USB to the printer and use an application like Pronterface, Repetier-Host, etc. to upload the command to the printer)

If cold extrusion safety is turned off, you should try to extrude (without loading filament) to test if the extruder works.

To revert use the following code:

M302 S170  ; Allow extrusion above 170


XYZ cube's layer is shifted, How can I check my TEVO Tarantula axis? I just bought new TEVO Tarantula and tried to print xyz cube. I found that my cube's layer was shifted as showed in picture. How can I fix this ?

The two most common things to check:
1) make sure your belts are properly tensioned.  If there's significant slippage in the y-drive you could get the results seen.
2) Make sure the base layer is well attached to the base plate. you've got plenty of reference pattern on the plate shown, so check whether the lower chunk of print moved relative to the imprinted pattern at some point.


Accidentally over curing a 3D print I'm relatively new to SLA 3D printing and 3D printing in general.  I got a budget SLA resin printer that I've been messing with for a few months now.
So I had a few soft prints laying around that have not been exposed to any UV light.  It was sunny out and I decided to bring them outside to harden them up a little bit under the sun.  And of course I forgot about them!  By the time I remembered, my prints got over cured to the point of being super brittle.
Question:  Let's say I properly cure a print (however that is). I'm not looking to paint it. It looks like the print could be accidentally over cured by taking it outside or sunlight shining from an open window.  Is that true?  Should I coat it with some kind of sealant if I'm done curing it?

You are correct, you can over cure a print by leaving it out in the sun. Prints can even over cure just by the ambient light in a room from the sun (though it would take a while).
One easy option to counter this krylon UV-Resistant Clear Coating which can be found at most hardware stores. I have used it but I found that it made my print a little softer this may have been because of the materials in the spray-can, or the type of resin I printed with.
You should check out the answer posted to Clear coating resin 3D prints as it provides some other options you can try as well such as using a brush on option.


Cleaning the nozzle every Xth layer G-code I want to make a G-code script for Cura to clean the nozzle every Xth layer or every one minute?
With Cura there is only start and end G-code, so there is no "layer change" G-code like another slicer (e.g. Ideamaker).
Where should I write the code?
How can I define the Layer number?

There are extensions for Cura that can do almost what you want to do for you (with respect to the layer or height).
You need to add post-processing scripts to the Cura slicer. You do that from the top menu options Extensions -> Post Processing -> Modify G-Code and then add the option of choice.
E.g. for an event at every layer change you should use script "Insert at layer change" and fill out the G-code you want to perform.
There are options to write your own extension, but that would require some software development skills.
Optionally, you could use the "ChangeAtZ" script to add absurd temperature changes of the extruder to post process that later by a simple e.g. Python script (outside Cura) to replace those actions with the cleaning actions you want to perform. But, when you can do that, you could write a script outside Cura to detect the layers (e.g. from the comments or from the layer change command G1 Zxx) and insert that right away.
For inserting this on the basis of time would be very difficult, it is difficult to estimate the time printing actions take to then inject such a script.


What happened around 2012~2013 in 3D printing field Comparing trends show that 3D printing stepped over to another level around 2012~2013. Why?

A great story on the history of 3D printing is published by 3DSOURCED. It shows that the patents for FDM and SLA expired a few years earlier and the RepRap 3D printer self replicating project became very popular. Also, 3D printer manufacturers emerged and electronics, software and parts became available at a larger scale, so that it was more affordable for a hobbyist to dive in.


Anet A8 Clone LCD not working after flash My Alfawise EX8 (Anet A8 Clone) had an issue, so I flashed the firmware provided on the GearBest page. After the flash the LCD is no longer doing anything and I can't really identify the LCD to confirm whether the correct one is selected in configuration.h

Currently the firmware had 'Mini VIKI' selected, but I'm not confident it works.

I cannot see anything on the screen, but I can still turn the dial and click things to make it do stuff.

I really hope somebody can help!

According to the link to the fork of Marlin you need to be sure that a bootloader is present before flashing, see pins_MELZI_WYH.h:

/**
 * Melzi (WYH) pin assignments
 *
 * The WYH-128 board needs a bootloader installed before Marlin can be uploaded.
 * If you don't have a chip programmer you can use a spare Arduino plus a few
 * electronic components to write the bootloader.
 *
 * See http://www.instructables.com/id/Burn-Arduino-Bootloader-with-Arduino-MEGA/
 */

From this same pins layout file you can find hints to the usage of the REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER display:

// For the stock M18 use the REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER
//   option for the display in Configuration.h

Maybe you can use that one instead of the "Mini VIKI". Though, an internet search, does hint to the "Mini VIKI" being the correct display for this printer, but it does look different from other Mini VIKI displays.

Note that in the Configuration.h, by default this display is not enabled as can be seen:

// RepRapDiscount FULL GRAPHIC Smart Controller
// http://reprap.org/wiki/RepRapDiscount_Full_Graphic_Smart_Controller
//
//#define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER


Extruder keeps jamming because of filament dust! Yesterday evening i have been trying to print a few upgrades but after coming home after an hour, it is printing in the air because there is to much filament dust inside the extruder. Is this because the filament that is being extruded is getting to soft so the gear grinds parts off? I never had this problem before.

Printer:

Anet A8.

I'm highly unconvinced that dust in the gearing is related to your problem. If the material is still being extruded, then "in the air" suggests the base layers may have slipped, or your belts are slipping, either of which will lead to a huge lateral offset, and thus the "printing in air" problem. It's possible but less likely that the extruder feed gear itself is slipping.

If you can post a picture of one of these situations, that would help a  lot.

I will mention in passing that there are several models for filament guides at thingiverse.com . Putting one of these on your machine will eliminate scraping and the resultant dust.


Can I dry PETG filament under sun? At the moment the outside surface temperature is around 30 °C. Can I put my PETG spools outside with a fan in order to dry them cheaply?

The simple answer is: No
There are two basic reasons for this:

The sun will not get the filament hot enough to evaporate any moisture which has been absorbed.
While sitting out in the sun, it will continue to absorb more moisture, which defeats the purpose.

On Matter Hackers, they give a very reliable way to dry filament:

Preheat your oven to 160-180°F  (or 70-80°C).

Place spool in oven for 4-6 hours

Remove and place in an airtight container, preferably with desiccant. 5-gallon buckets with airtight lids from local hardware stores work very well for filament storage. You can use uncooked rice as a cheap desiccant.

Filaments with lower glass transition temperatures (Tg) like PLA, use lower temperatures to dry. Lower temperatures also require more time to thoroughly dry.
That’s really all that’s necessary to dry out your filament and ensure optimum material performance and surface finish.
So if you have some spools that have been sitting out for a while and aren’t printing as well as they used to, dry them out and try again. Chances are they’ll be like new.

You can see in the write-up it states you need to get the oven up to 160-180°F (or 70-80°C). The sun will never provide that level of heat. It also states at lower temps it takes longer to evaporate all of the moisture. Placing the filament into an oven at the proper temps will ensure the best results short of buying a purpose built system like PrintDry which is also mentioned in the article.


3D printing related safety precautions for a baby rattle I've a friend who is expecting.  There are several adorable weapon themed rattles on thingiverse.  I am, however, concerned about safety associated with such a product in the hands of a baby who will gnaw on it.  To me the safety concerns here are much larger than for most food handling applications.

What steps should be taken to ensure such a print is safe for use?

This includes: filament selection, pea material selection, wall thickness, smoothing, construction, etc.

My current thoughts are as follows: "food grade PLA", dried peas, sanding, and single piece construction

You're on the right track.  Since you asked for "steps" here you go:

Step 1. Choose a safe material:

Consider chemical safety and physical safety. Food grade PLA should be chemically safe, but could be too brittle depending on the design you choose.  PETG, T-Glase, or similar filaments (depending on dye) are normally also chemically safe and are less brittle than PLA so may be a better alternative.  ABS is NOT typically considered safe for food contact.

Step 2. Choose a safe design:

If using PLA, be sure the design is robust enough to ensure it won't break.  Broken rattles with sharp edges make baby...sad.  Even less brittle filaments can still break with jagged edges if the design is fragile.

Step 2a. Choose a single piece design:

Choose a design that requires you to add the peas (or other safe filler) during the print such that the finished rattle is fully enclosed.  This will minimize parts becoming loose or peas spilling and minimize choke hazards.

Step 3. Consider post processing to improve safety:

Sanding could reduce ridges and minimize crevices that could harbor bacteria, but sealing it with a food-safe sealant may be more effective.  There are many sealants that the FDA considers safe, but polyurethane or food-safe epoxy finishes will work well with PLA. (If you use a different material, test to verify good adhesion.)

Step 4. Test:

Make a test rattle and run it through the paces.  I guess you could chew on it, but since babies don't have teeth, this might invalidate your data...

Step 5. Consider alternatives such as professional printing services:

If your tests don't inspire confidence, professional services can offer additional materials (metals, ceramics, etc.) that could be safer than a typical fused filament printer.