difficulty 3D printing / tips for printing from Aaron
hackintoshlover12
india
dear team thanks for such a great project
recently we got the cyton and amazed with its performance
now we want to print ultracortex markIV
from the past week we are trying to print it everytime the print fails
we tried all the solutions like:
used five printers like makerbot,stanley,cubepro,xyz,indie,homemade also
used pla and abs
tried all print settings with rafts,supports everything but the print fails everytime
so we request you to provide us the 2D files so that we can laser cut or embed it on a helmet
or please advice
whatever you can
guys please help asap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tired of print fails & filament waste!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thanks in advance
Comments
Maybe I can help. I'm not sure exactly how you intended to build a laser cut frame, but the existing case can be attached to any surface with #6 screws. The holes are 48.5mm on-center. I recommend printing the headset. It is hard to know what went wrong without seeing your prints. If you show a picture it would be helpful. In general, for printing models made of small details such as the Ultracortex headset, I have the following tips (soon to be a more complete tutorial).
-Reduce the travel speed, not just the print speed. Small elements become broken when the extruder travels very quickly across the print space. The vibration amplitude in the Z direction exceeds the layer thickness and snags, causing a failure. Adjusting the global speed parameter (on the machine) usually adjusts travel, but most slicer software has this parameter separate. Cura slicer, for example defaults to 150mm/s for this parameter, which is way too fast for most machines.
-Turn off retraction. This feature avoids strings, but it can cause challenges for some machines because the material does not flow at 100% immediately after resuming. There will be more strings to cut off afterward, but these will actually help support the model during the build.
-Make sure your orientation is optimal. Ensure the flat parts of your model face downward to increase contact on the bed. For Ultracortex, it is important that the flat parts are completely flat so the halves can be glued together. This is why I suggest avoiding printing in quarters if possible, unless using a high-resolution process.
-Use one machine to "dial-in" your settings, rather than switching machines. Any machine should be able to print well with appropriate settings but you will not be able to observe the effects of the changes are if you alter all the variables at once. Print a small test piece to tune the machine before attempting a large print.
-Try another support method. There are a variety of support algorithms that work better for different machines. I can provide an STL with support in place, or even the G-code file, but I cannot guarantee it works with any machine other than the type it was tested with.
This photo shows a half frame printed with no retraction and higher temperature as well (210), which causes a lot of strings. It looks messy and requires extra cleanup, but the results are very reliable. Not a single element broke on any of the tests. This was done on a low-end printer with worn belts and stock extruder. It's basically a worst-case scenario in terms of the equipment, but it still appears to work every time.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6rezhhmqdwwhb7o/Dscn912_half1.jpg
As I said, I am working on a more complete tutorial. Headset frames can also be outsourced affordably. There is a new design available, printed using a much higher quality process, needing no assembly or inserts, and is available for under $200. You can find it on Shapeways, here.
Best,
-Aaron
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wqa93a5bwrlr91z/20170227_092115.jpg
I used Meshmixer to create the supports shown in the photo. I would consider that too much support, but the idea was to show a "bulletproof" print that will work even if the printer isn't dialed in correctly. The amount of support shown in your picture is about 3x the volume that is necessary when the flat side of the part (the join between the halves) is placed flat on the bed in the way it was designed to be printed.
I see you printed the Mark III instead of Mark IV. The Mark III was made in summer of 2015, while the Mark IV received a full year of further development, making it a much better design. In particular, the support beams are diagonal so it needs much less support. All Ultracortex headsets will print in halves on the most common machines like Makerbots or Prusa i3 based systems (the ones with the 220mm beds), and should take 8-10 hours per half. In the post before yours, I linked to a Shapeways shop where you can simply buy the headset frame in SLS nylon. That variant has the threads printed in, so it requires no inserts or assembly. Just add the electrode assemblies and you're ready to go.
Maybe you printed the old headset with the intent of making your own electrode assemblies instead of buying the kit? If that's the case, all Mark IV STL parts are in the Dev Kit, but you still need to buy the non-printed parts (Spring, electrode, screw, wires). The Mark III electrodes are easier to build manually, and that process is described in the original assembly guide. For anyone who wants to use Mark III electrodes (or happens to have them already), and wants to upgrade to the Mark IV style headset, the new headset design with a thread size that fits Mark III electrode is available here.