3D Accessories development

Exploration of the characteristics of the printer

At this stage, to familiarize yourself with the software, hardware and settings we have chosen to implement as many test objects based on simple models, and found all the issues relating to:
stl file definition,
media handling for parts cantilever,
etc …
the topic on the forum PowerWasp are posted by the user thymio3d.
In tinkercad the objects are made with the user thymio3d

30/05/2013 - Test 1

The printer has arrived in a big box, almost mounted and was carried out immediately to its activation.
Initially a cable of the extruder did not pass where it should, and therefore it was decided to move it so that it did not interfere with feeding of the filament.
The recommended software for controlling the printer is "Cura", which is installed and tested on both Windows and Linux UBUNTU.
For operation on UBUNTU, because of the speed of standard USB Arduino (250000 baud) it was necessary to apply a patch to python. See this link for details.
There are many options and parameters and you start to do a bit of experimentation by downloading the STL models already made.

There is a guide very helpful in cofiguring the printer with Cura and it is maintained up-to-date by the PowerWasp team there both in Italian and English.

We started with two simple little toy robots in PLA, one white and one black.
The result was good and especially we had the great opportunity to experience how the various configuration parameters of the printer work and what are the results that can be expected with the various settings.

3dsamples

it is possible to see as a function of temperature and speed, in the case of the robot white, the front edge cantilever has come less well than the black robot one.

Another important aspect is the adhesion of the model during the production phase with the printing base. For Powerwasp the choice was to use an adhesive film or a heated floor. This, accompanied by the option "skirt" in the generation of the g code that creates a kind of extended base object, easily removable, allows you to not have problems with detachment of the object from the base during printing.

The feeding of the filament with the motor on the printer frame and not on the extruder head, immediately shows all its advantages: the head is lighter and therefore the reduced inertia allows an high speed of execution without impacting on precision.
The cooling of the head instead is not activating, although all is in place. It requires further investigation.

See the Topic Problema con ventola estrusore and suggested solutions. At the end it was only a broken weld. Problem solved.

26/06/2013 - Test 2

The second test was performed with a first STL model of a wheel of Thymio. The CAD drawing and its STl can be downloaded from this link.
If they are printed two to check the contemporary press of two objects. This test also verified printer options for creating a cantilevered support for the parties. Depending on how thick the support is set, it may be more or less easy to remove without damaging any finer details. It is also seen that the printed model has a geometric resolution low and therefore the result has a look "faceted" typical of the approximation of curved surfaces with a low number of polyhedra faces.

ruota1.jpg

Here the advices of Massimo Moretti by email:

…For supports increase the distance from the support to the piece from the advanced settings
If you want to even improve the finish of the part, print it on a base right and polished, the glass is fine I'm also very good on a steel trowel like those used by body builders to fill and they are available in good hardware store formatted 120 x 120 obviously need to do the zero point on new support

See also the Topic Problemino con Cura and related answers.

07/08/2013 - Test 3

The third test was carried out using a model stl with a much higher resolution that is available here. Obviously the printing time has risen (about 2 hours), but the results are superior. The complete wheel of Thymio was printed, including the tread.
The wheel passes also the test "LEGO", carried out with some bricks and connectors to check the tolerances.
The use on Thymio proved unproblematic apart for the poor adhesion of the wheel on hard, smooth surfaces, not being the tread of rubber. The separation of supports has improved, working on the parameters pointed out by Massimo.

ruota2
DSCF7627.JPG
DSCF7628.JPG
DSCF7619.JPG

01/02/2014 - Test 4

Printing a LEGO brick of PLA for testing the compatibility and accuracy.
We have tried to make a custom lego brick, that does not exist in the catalog, starting with the designs available on Thinkercad.
Unfortunately, the results have not been good, having had difficulties with the level of definition and the temperature which resulted in the brick being printed to bend and even detached from the plan of the printer, even using the special adhesive tape. Open a support request on the Wasp forum to improve the settings of the printer. topic problems with printing lego pieces. The first advice is to reduce the speed of the press in order to give more time to the PLA filament to cool down. The same experiment was repeated with ABS.

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