Innovation Lab: Session 2

3D Printing Session 2

In this lesson, we'll review the parts of the SKETCH and REPLICATOR printers, work with the machines loading and unloading filament, and work through lessons in TinkerCad.

• Review parts of the Sketch and Replicator Z18 3D printers

• Practice loading and unloading filament

• PLA

  • Size of filament 1.75 mm

  • The optimal Temperature for printing on Makerbot Sketch 210° C but it does well in the 180 to 230° C range.

MakerBot CloudPrint Terminology

MakerBot CloudPrint: MakerBot's free cloud-based software for managing and preparing 3D print files

Print Preview: Gives important time and material estimates.

Raft: A set of layers of filament that provides a solid, flat foundation for the part to be built on. The raft is generally easy to remove from the bottom of the printed part once it is complete.  

Support Material: Removable scaffolding structure that is build underneath overhangs (unsupported sections) of your printed parts.

Infill: Honeycomb-like structure built inside of the printed parts, measured in density. The minimum amount of infill that is practical is around 15%, which produces a lightweight part with the least amount of filament. The maximum setting of 100% will use more filament to produce a part that is nearly solid plastic.

Shells: Outside walls that make up the perimeter of printed parts. More shells will make a strong part but use more material and take longer to print.

Layer Height: The height of each layer of a printed part. A common range is .05 mm to .20 mm.

STL File: The most common and nearly universal 3D model file format, which can be imported easily into MakerBot CloudPrint and sliced in order to print.  

Introduction to using Cloudprint for 3D printing.

CloudPrint Print Settings

• Using MakerBot Cloudprint
  • Login to MakerBot Cloudprint 
  • Click on the project panel in the top left corner of the Cloudprint screen
  • Import project file(s)
    • .stl
    • PC users can import native cad files from SolidWorks and Autodesk Inventor
    • Select the 3D printer you will use to slice the file to make it a .makerbot file and ready to print. 
  • Use the menu on the right-hand side of the screen to
    • arrange the object on the build plate
    • orient the object
    • change the fill and shells of the object

Creating 3D models

1. Design
   1. Design a model on TinkerCad
      1. An Introduction to TinkerCad: https://youtu.be/uCqxyweqQ1Q

TinkerCad video - 17 minutes - students to watch on their own.

Activity

Login or create a free TinkerCad account. 

Click on the “Resources” tab in TinkerCad

Complete lessons 1 – 9 in 3D Design

• Place It
• View It
• Move It
• Rotate It
• Size It
• Group It
• Copy It
• Duplicate It
• Hide It

b. Find a model on Thingverse

c. Scan an object – try QLONE

1. Slice – The process of translating the digital modes into a language, or series of steps, that the 3D printer can understand and follow. Each type of 3D printer will have its own software to slice files for printing.
2. Print – After the 3D model is sliced a MakerBot file is created that can be sent to the Makerbot SKETCH or REPLICATOR.