2014 East Coast Large Scale Train Show 3D Printers How they Work, Designing with SketchUp, & Finding “Things” to Print Dave Bodnar March 21, 2013 York, PA This presentation.
Download ReportTranscript 2014 East Coast Large Scale Train Show 3D Printers How they Work, Designing with SketchUp, & Finding “Things” to Print Dave Bodnar March 21, 2013 York, PA This presentation.
2014 East Coast Large Scale Train Show 3D Printers How they Work, Designing with SketchUp, & Finding “Things” to Print Dave Bodnar March 21, 2013 York, PA This presentation is available on-line at: www.trainelectronics.com or www.davebodnar.com Revised 03-20-2014 PICAXE PIC 1 Objectives • Provide an overview of 3D printers & printing • Explore on-line sources of things to print • Introduce SketchUp, a 3D design program • Create some simple 3D objects in SketchUp • Transfer the object’s design to the printer • Set up the printer and print the design PICAXE PIC 2 Why Are 3D Printers Becoming Common? • 3D printing has been around for 30+ years • Many patents have expired opening up the hobbyist & home markets • Prices have dropped • Software has become more useable PICAXE PIC 3 Vendors Are Highly Motivated to Innovate… Why? They want to gain market share before…. … the big boys HP and Canon enter the market and ship consumer machines PICAXE PIC 4 Printers • Very much like a computer controlled hotmelt glue gun building up layers of material one drop at a time • Most printThis in ABS plastic (same as Legos) is sometimes called Fused • … or PLA plastic Deposition Modeling (FDM) or Fused Filament Fabrication • Other printers use liquid resin, metal, (FFF) chocolate, etc. PICAXE PIC 5 Printers • Simple units are well under $500 • Mid range units are $1200-$2500 • Higher end units can go to $10,000 or more PICAXE PIC 6 Printers • Most have four computer controlled stepper motors – One to extrude the filament – One for each of the three axes that define a 3 dimensional space • X (left to right) • Y (front to back) • Z (up & down) PICAXE PIC 7 Printers • Most have two heaters – One to heat the filament (≈ 450° F) – One to heat the platform (≈ 200° F) • ABS needs a heated platform, PLA does not PICAXE PIC 8 Make Magazine Reviews • Make Magazine publishes an annual 3D printer review • Good resource & overview of the current crop of printers PICAXE PIC 9 Plastics: ABS vs PLA • ABS – Requires a heated print platform (makes printers more expensive) – Gives off a slight odor when printing – Can warp on platform if not prepared properly – Strong, somewhat flexible PICAXE PIC 10 ABS vs PLA • PLA – Biodegradable (made from sugar) – Little odor – More brittle than ABS – Strong – Inexpensive printers available ($500 or less… $369 on eBay - MCM for $399 – $299 3Ders.com) PICAXE PIC 11 On-Line Things to Print • Thingiverse.com has thousands of printable files (more than 100,000 ! ! ) • Search for “model train” or “trains” or whatever interests you! PICAXE PIC 12 Thingiverse • Many cool & unusual things PICAXE PIC 13 Thingiverse • Chances are good that you will find what you need there or at least something similar • I wanted to show windows and doors and found good examples on Thingiverse.com – Saved me from drawing my own! – And they print very nicely! PICAXE PIC 14 Shapeways • www.shapeways.com has high quality things to download for a fee • They will also print and ship things to you • Materials include plastics and metal PICAXE PIC 15 Design Your Own - SketchUp • Once owned by Google - Sold in 2012 • Originally for house plans / room design • Expanded & enhanced to be a first class 3D design program • Huge user community with on-line resources – Lots of videos on YouTube! • The price is right FREE! PICAXE PIC 16 SketchUp • SketchUp has its own 3D Warehouse of things! • Also Free! PICAXE PIC 17 SketchUp – Getting Started Download SketchUP Make (the free version) from www.sketchup.com • Install on Mac or Windows computer • Best to use a wheel mouse – Wheel zooms – Pressing wheel “orbits” – Pressing wheel & shift key moves PICAXE PIC 18 SketchUp - Navigation • Add toolbars • Load in a sample file and experiment with: – Orbit – Move – Zoom extents – Views PICAXE PIC 19 SketchUp – 3D Signs • • • • • • Remove guy Draw a rectangle from the origin (6”, 2”) Zoom extents Pull to ¼” thickness (1/4”) View from top Draw another rectangle inside of the first one PICAXE PIC 20 SketchUp – 3D Signs • Use push / pull tool to recess 2nd rectangle by 1/8” • View all from top • Select text tool & type text & change height and extruded items • Use scale to fill frame PICAXE PIC 21 Signs - a Neat Trick! • The Afinia printer will allow you to pause a print and change filament colors • Pause after the base (first 1/8”) has been printed • Withdraw the base color and extrude with the 2nd color PICAXE PIC 22 Signs – Another Neat Trick! • Add “marquee” flashing lights! • Powered by a PICAXE! PICAXE PIC 23 SketchUp - Steps • • • • • • Delete guy Draw a rectangle from origin (type 8’, 3’) Pull to 3’ high (type 3’) Mark for 6” steps with 9” tread using tape Draw & pull rectangles starting at top Lengthen platform by 2’ PICAXE PIC 24 SketchUp - Steps • • • • • • • Erase guide lines (Edit / Delete Guides) Draw guide for 4” platform & 4” posts Draw rectangle for space under steps Push to remove Draw triangle under treads for space Remove Guides Complete posts PICAXE PIC 25 SketchUp – Smoke Stack • • • • • • Much easier than I thought! Remove guy Draw circle at origin (4’ radius) Remove circle interior Draw rectangle up from origin Use pencil tool to draw ½ of smokestack profile PICAXE PIC 26 SketchUp – Smoke Stack • • • • • • Remove all but profile outline Use “offset” to provide thickness to outline … or draw inside wall to give thickness Complete top and bottom to fill outline Select circle Select “follow me” & click profile PICAXE PIC 27 SketchUp – Trace Smoke Stack • • • • • Import image of stack Trace the outline Give it thickness Move & place by circle Follow the circle PICAXE PIC 28 SketchUp – Export STL • STL files are commonly used with 3D printers (STereo Lithography) • SketchUp can export STL with a free plugin PICAXE PIC 29 3D Printer Program • 3D printers need software to “slice” STL files for printing and to “talk” to the printer • These programs come with the printer and allow simple manipulation of the drawings but usually no editing • You can change: – Scale – Position – Orientation PICAXE PIC 30 What Do You Print On? • • • • Afinia supplies perforated fiberglass Other options include blue painter’s tape Kapton (high temperature) tape And glass PICAXE PIC 31 Horizontal Pieces Must Be Supported • Any part that is horizontal (< about 45°) must be supported to avoid distortion • Plan during design for where support material falls • Supports can be hard to remove PICAXE PIC 32 Minimize & Optimize Raft & Support Material • Programs generally print a “raft” of extra plastic to securely bond an object to the table • If the object starts to lift it will warp the print PICAXE PIC 33 Experiment with Orientation • Extra support material can be minimized by flipping an object • Bad • Better • Best PICAXE PIC 34 Printing • Keep watch for the first few minutes as “rafts” may not bond to the table • Most printers give an estimate of printing time (can be 9+ hours for large, complex items, 1 hour for simpler objects) • Some require a PC to be connected while printing • Some download file to the printer or an SD card in the printer PICAXE PIC 35 Removing Items from Table • Use a putty knife to remove the raft from the table – wear gloves! • Carefully remove the raft and support material • Trim as needed PICAXE PIC 36 Printing Tips • Pre-heat the table with ABS • Use high quality filament • Wear gloves when removing raft & support material • Level the table before printing • Clean print surface with acetone frequently • You can vary the density of the print to change its rigidity & strength & weight PICAXE PIC 37 My Favorites • Bezels for project boxes – It can be a challenge to cut a neat, rectangular hole in a project box • A 1/8” thick & 1/8” wide bezel covers up lots of rough edges PICAXE PIC 38 My Favorites • A small rectangular hole for an RJ11 is even harder to cut – A printed adapter fits the RJ11 and a 1” hole PICAXE PIC 39 My Favorites • 3D printers do a great job of printing very precise holders for my model railroad speedometer! PICAXE PIC 40 My Favorites • Spiral Ball Gizmo from www.Thingiverse.com • Now part of the display at Pittsburgh’s Children’s Hospital • Great fun to watch! PICAXE PIC 41 Involute Gears • SketchUp 8, an older version, can be used with a plug-in to make involute gears • Search for “download SketchUp 8” • Search for “sketchup gear involute” PICAXE PIC 42 My Favorites PICAXE PIC 43 My Favorites • Flashing LED bike light box – Houses 7 individually addressable 10mm BRIGHT red LEDs – Clips onto a rear bike bag PICAXE PIC 44 My Favorites • Traffic light – Found on Thingiverse – Wired for red, amber and green LEDs PICAXE PIC 45 My Favorites • School house bell tower PICAXE PIC 46 My Favorites PICAXE PIC 47 My Favorites • Tapered Bell Tower PICAXE PIC 48 Your Ideas? • Questions? PICAXE PIC 49 PICAXE PIC 50