Tips on how to improve your print quality

3D printing can present all sorts of problems.Whether you are a newbie or expert, chances are you are constantly tweaking a bit here and a bit there just to get the desired results.There are, however, a number of things you can do to get around some common issues in 3D printing and improve your print quality. Good news is that you do not have to be an expert to get started.

 Assembly & Set Up

Set up your 3D printer as per the instructions. No matter how experienced you are,your vendor supposedly knows the products better than you do. It is recommended that you use parts, software,and materials from the same brand wherever you can to get the best experience. Remember, every 3D printer has its own characteristics. Be open to some trial and error down the road.  

 Software Update

Keep your system up to date. Manufacturers and slicer companies are constantly experimenting with their software and firmware to fix bugs and improve performance. If your machine features an automatic update, enable it.

 Maintenance

Perform regular maintenance and calibration on your 3D printer:form and maintain a routine of checks;keep your filaments from moisture and dust; calibrate the bed.

 Supports

Bear in mind the 45-degree rule and 5mm rule. Any overhangs of above 45 degrees(or 60 degrees depending on your printer) may require supports. Just like overhangs, not all bridges require supports.Consider supports only when the bridge is more than 5mm long. “Rafts” , “brims” are great support tools to increase adhesion.Add support structures to your design for any steep overhanging features or models that have a small base.

 While supports are great for some cases,you may want to avoid them,for the following reasons:first, it consumes extra filament; second, the print takes longer time; and finally, removing the support structure off the print can be a pain. If you are still not sure whether you need supports, run a test print to find out. You can also use your creativity to make the support structures part of your design, in case you think them necessary. Ways to circumvent supports: reorient your model; reduce the overhang angles;split your model into smaller parts.

 The first layer

Your first layer is the foremost important layer of your print. Make sure it sticks well to the bed. Again, supports can be great tools to help with adhesion. Use a heated bed or apply glue to prevent warping from happening.

 Details

Examine the details of your model. Are there any tiny projections or parts that are too small to print on a desktop 3D printer? In your printer, there is a very important but often overlooked variable, that is the line width, which is determined by the diameter of the printer nozzle. And most printers come with a nozzle of 0.4 mm or 0.5 mm in the diameter.

#3dprinter#desktop3dprinter#3dprinting#3d technology#3Ddesign#3d model#slicer#Geeetech#3Dprinttechnology

Stringing

In FDM 3D printing, sometimes the nozzle may deposit unwanted plastic on the printed part where it is not supposed to while the extruder is traveling to a new point; the plastic then cools and sticks to the object, making it look hairy and unsightly.

Stringing can be a common problem especially when you are a newbie or dealing with a new machine or material. But luckily, it is a problem that is fairly easy to solve. Let’s look at some solutions:

 

Retraction distance

Retraction distance is the most important retraction setting as it determines how much consumables is pulled back from the nozzle. Generally speaking, the further your nozzle retracts, the less likely oozing is to happen. But if the distance is set too high, the plastic may not be able to to reach the hot end and may cause under extrusion. In general, Bowden extruders require a higher retraction distance than direct drive extruders.The optimal value falls in somewhere between  4-7mm(most likely to be 6mm)  for most Bowden extruders and 0.5-2.0mm for most direct drive extruders. Some trial and error is probably going to be required to get the retraction distance right.

 

Retraction speed.

Retraction speed determines how fast the material is retracted from the nozzle. Generally, a quicker retraction will reduce the chances of leaking. But again, it could also be problematic: first, it may cause the plastic to separate from the melted filament inside the nozzle; second, the fast movement of the drive gear could grind parts of your filament away. A sweet spot is usually found somewhere between 25-40mm/s. Again, you will need to experiment to get the optimal value.

 

 

Temperature

If stringing persists after you have tweaked around the retraction settings, go on to check the extruder temperature. As the temperature goes up, the plastic inside the nozzle becomes more liquefied and less viscous, and therefor, more likely to drip out of the nozzle. On the other hand, if the temperature is too low, the filament may not be properly heated and melted,creating problems with extrudion. To fix excessive stringing and avoid issues with extrusion, start out by lowering the temperature by 5-10 degrees to see if the print quality improves.

 

Travel distance and speed

Another possible solution to stringing is to reduce the distance between points/locations the extruder travels. As we already know, stringing occurs while the extruder is moving to the next point. Therefore, the reduced travel distance will slash the chances of leaking. By the same token, increasing the movement speed of the extruder can also prevent stringing from happening.

 

Maintenance

To avoid stringing, you are also suggested to do the following :

1, clean your nozzle

2,keep your filament clean and dry

Remember: performing a routine maintenance on your 3D printer always helps with your print quality. 

This post is originally published on Geeetech offical blog site. 

How to max out your 3D printer’s lifespan

Just like any other equipment, 3D printers also require good care and regular maintenance to produce top-notch results. Compared to traditional printers, 3D printers are easier to operate and maintain. This article will discuss how to perform routine maintenance on your 3D printer.

geeetech A20M 3D printer

Prior to your print: make sure to form and follow a routing of checks: whether the nozzle is blocked or broken,or the traps are loose；whether the motor bearing and linear rails are in want of oil, whether the platform is calibrated, clean,and etc. Ensure that a clogged nozzle is fixed;any broken or aging components are replaced in time,lubricating oil are added regularly; and that loosened nuts are tightened.

During Printing: parameter settings should not exceed the recommended range for your printer,otherwise desired objects would not be printed, and problems such as too high a nozzle/bed temperature or excessive load would damage the machine. Shut down the system when a problem has been detected, and only resume printing after the problem has been fixed. When removing the print, do not use brute force or any object that could damage the print bed.

Finally, after printing, repeat step one: remove any sign of dirt on the nozzle, print platform, guide rail, motor, fan and other parts of the 3D printer so that it does not accumulate over time.Keep your machine and filaments in a dust-free,dry environment. Also, make sure the spools are not tangled.

Bonus tip: Only use filament provided by your 3D printer vendor whenever you can to achieve the best possible results.The reason is that printers and filaments from different manufacturers differ to various degrees in their performance and features.For example, filaments you buy from Geeetech are pre-tested on Geeetech’s 3D printers,as a result, they work best with these machines. Using third-party materials won’t void the warranty on your 3D printer,though.

Did you know that all tutorials on Geeetech 3D printers are available on Yoututbe? Subscribe to our youtube channel if you haven’t yet.

This post is originally published on geeetech official blog

#3dprinter#3dprinting#desktop3dprinter#maintenance#Geeetech#filament#tutorial

Chickens can walk out of KFC alive because 3D printed chicken nuggets are here

Every chicken has his day !

KFC’s efforts to make fried chicken nuggets, crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, are likely to eliminate the need for broilers to die in the future.

KFC announced a partnership with Russian 3D Bioprinting Solutions to produce the first-ever artificial fried chicken using chicken cells and plant ingredients, with final testing expected this fall.

KFC said it was part of its approach to the innovative idea of “Restaurant of The Future” .With the rising awareness of food nutrition, healthy lifestyles, and environmental protection,more people are beginning to pursue alternative meats.So they hope to “design meat of the future”, creating more environmentally friendly meats,which taste and look alike fried chicken nuggets.

Not plants, real meat! 3D-printed chicken nuggets for “final test” in Fall!

The forefront of 3D bio-printing has actually been in the medical field. It can print various body tissues and even organs through bio-ink. But now it is moving beyond medical use, and is being used by companies to produce food.

3D bio-printing technologies,originally used in medicine,are becoming more popular in food production such as meat, according to the founder of 3D Bioprinting Solutions.

However, consumers should not expect to eat “printed fried chicken nuggets” any time soon. The collaboration is still experimental and costs have not been disclosed, but the biggest issue since the idea of growing meat has been the cost of producing it. Israeli start-up Aleph Farms, for example, has claimed that a pound of hamburger steak still costs as much as $100.

Cultured meat has less impact on the environment and has been seen as one of the meat options of the future. Cultured meat uses only half as much energy as conventional meat;reduces greenhouse gases by 96 percent and saves 99 percent of the land used to produce meat.

KFC points out that 3D printed meat is not only good for the environment, but also tastes like real meat and is healthier for consumers while avoiding any drugs or additives used in agriculture and livestock farming.

According to KFC, the 3D printed nuggets will be tested in Moscow in Fall, but the launch date has not been announced.

The plant-based fried chicken was well received and KFC decided to sell it in its 50 outlets.

KFC’s investment in the future of meat is plant-based meat.

In addition to 3D bio-printed chicken nuggets, KFC partnered with plant meat company– Beyond Meat to launch “Beyond Fried Chicken” in August 2019.

The new “fried chicken”, which sold out in less than five hours during its debut in Atlanta, US, was widely praised.

At the time, KFC’s marketing director was confident that consumers would find it difficult to discover that the chicken nuggets were plant-based meat, and when they tasted them, they would exclaim, “It tastes just like KFC chicken!”

“Beyond Chicken” is also popular among consumers, and following its success in Atlanta, KFC recently announced that it will expand “Beyond Artificial Meat” to 50 U.S. cities, including Los Angeles.

Do you ever wonder what 3D printed meats would taste/look like? Would you like to try some?

Source:　https://www.geeetech.com/blog/2020/07/chickens-can-walk-out-of-kfc-alive-because-3d-printed-chicken-nuggets-are-here/

5 Ways to Cash in On 3D printing

Are you a novice in 3D printing, admonished by your parents or mocked by your friends for splashing money on such an expensive “useless” machine?

Are you a seasoned player in 3D printing, wondering what you can do with all your 3D designs, models and 3D printer, aside from keeping them as a hobby ?   

If either of the above scenarios apply to you, you are not alone. Alex, China born and bred, now 27, working and living in Europe, first got into 3D printing when attending university in France. He says one summer afternoon in his sophomore year he ,together with his other three classmates was invited to a small gathering at a local student’s house. At some point his friend showed the guests his 3D printer and started to print a Japanese cartoon character on it. Alex was amazed at how capable this little(well, not exactly little, but Alex thinks so ) machine is.

A few days later, Alex decided to get one himself. So he went online in search of the same 3D printer model his friend was using. As it turns out, the same machine being sold online is priced at $399,not a small expenditure given that he was a student studying overseas and his middle-class family background. He somehow summoned up the courage to ask his parents to buy if for him. According to Alex, his parents were mad at him at first. They wouldn’t get it why he would want to buy such a “useless” but expensive thing. And they were worried that their only son would abandon his study as a result of “playing too much with the machine”.

Long story short, in the end, Alex was able to convince his Dad to buy the printer for him by promising to focus on his study and to return home with a degree,which he did. Fast forward to 1.5 years ago, Alex purchased his first geeetech 3D printer–A20M, and has become a fan of geeetech ever since.

To date, a great number of people still have not heard of desktop 3D printers,just like Alex and his parents years ago, and 3D printing is more of a industrial concept than an everyday conversation topic.

It is projected that 3D printing will be the next big thing in the years to come,with 3D printers for home and office use being more affordable and capable.A similar pattern can be drawn in the developments of smart phones and 3D printers. Smart phones in the early days were expensive,not so “smart”, and known to few.However,a decade later almost everyone owns smart phone. So now is probably the best time to monetize your 3D printing skills and expertise before 3D printers become ubiquitous.

Here are 5 ways to make money with your 3D printer and 3D printing know-how.

Read more...

3D Printed Practical Things

3D printing has been with us for years, yet its many applications remain unknown to outsiders. People today are still under the impression that 3D printing technologies are solely used in industrial settings. 

I remember being interviewed by Joanna--team lead in our marketing dept.here at Geeetech. At one point during the interview, she asked: what do you know about 3D printers? To convince her i am no stranger to 3D printing,I found myself telling her stories of how 3D printing technology is used to produce parts for aircraft carriers (By then that was everything i had learned about the 3D printers).After i was finished,Joanna didn’t comment on my answer. She merely replied,calmly:3D printing is used in many areas and desktop 3D printers (which,as it turns out, are what Geeetech does) are capable of creating various kinds of objects such as phone cases, chairs and many more...

And ,as you may have guessed, i nailed the interview.:D.    

 

First day on my new job, i dubbed a video clip in which “Iron Man” and his sidekicks take on their mortal enemy:Thanos and his followers. It took us almost the whole day due to my shyness and awkwardness. But i was genuinely amused by our team’s ingenious ideas and amazed at the fact that 3D printing could be fun too, contrary to what i had pictured it to be.

In the days and weeks that followed,my teammates continued to turn their creativity into reality with the help of Geeetech 3D printers.

  

Let’s take a look at some of their productions:

  

Dog Muzzle

 

 

Dog muzzles are a controversial topic. Dogs are adorable and usually do not bite.They only bite when feeling threatened.Nevertheless,if your dog has a history of biting, it is advisable that you keep a muzzle at hand in the event of an emergency. Just make sure that the muzzle fits well on your dog. The good news is that you get to design and create one for your dog on your own 3D printer. I mean, who knows better about your dog than you do.

Download STL file here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QCmEQtwgBNzrD-hogXnn7DZR1IRZb0ia/view

 

  

Chopstick Helper

 

 

Do you often find yourself wrestling with your chopsticks while eating Asian food?

Imagine your crush/date is craving some Chao Mian(fried noodles),but you can’t take her or him to that Chinese restaurant,worrying that your lousy chopsticks skills would make you look silly.

This little device may not look classy.It,however,could solve a real problem, and even be a game changer here.  

Download STL file here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PK0lxZEVAzxl5rQpDOxz6dzD_4PDXJ6A/view

 

Cell Phone Stand

 

 

A holder to a phone is what a pillow to a human being. Even though this statement is not exactly correct , there is some truth in it. If you are someone who is constantly glued to your smart phone, having a phone stand would relieve some of the pressure on your neck. This robust smart phone holder is crafted to give support to your smart phone whilst you are using it.

Download STL file here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dBWhMNP_UWLWdLS2SVjQ1dmKa5EfsS61/view

 

 

Tool Holder

 

The benefits of having a tool holder are numerous and obvious, especially if you are a geek ,maker, or a diy enthusiast, which i believe you are. Having a tool holder 3D printed on your printer will definitely help with your future prints.

Download STL file here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JbIPrpXwT1_9fcPRw05Kjcy6eRjbAPLE/view

 

Grocery Bag Grip

 

You might be thinking these shopping bag handles are not really that great. But i believe otherwise. The supermarket where i do most of my grocery shopping is about 5 minutes’ walk away from my apartment. And since i only shop 2-3 times a week, every time i buy lots of stuff. And if you consider the vicinity of the supermarket, it does not make much sense to drive or take a ride. So these bag holders would make my shopping experience less painful. I believe delivery guys would find this grip very useful too.

Download STL file here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HsvuOOL4PDpdxfW0c55gp2bXtgdf11_f/view

 

 

Paintbox

 

 

Why would you buy your kid a paintbox when you could 3D print one yourself?  Just imagine your child’s look when you have it 3D printed before his/her eyes.

Download STL file here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b7eMJRxqXsT7lIb7A5jhXgcovRPDPI5h/view

 

Cable Manager

Nowadays it is not uncommon for an individual to own a smart phone, ipad, laptop. Some people even have more than one of these items for various purposes. And each of these gadgets comes with its own electric cable, making maintaining a tidy work desk seemingly impossible.

If you are looking for ways to keep your workplace organized and neat, this 3D printed, low-profile cable management solution could be the one to go for,or at least, give you some inspiration to design and come up with your own solution.

Download STL file here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ofw11nMThRJEamUpOpTKbcax89cdUm5W/view

 

 

Drawing Toy

 

Besides being aesthetically pleasing to the eye,these around toys have a practical use: to help with drawing circles.

Download STL file here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iMZadCld83DEIlOAVOEKgHVFV34fuhqH/view

 

Check out the videos below where Joanna tells you more about 3D printing useful gadgets:

 

Part one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Kf_gSQyHMA&pbjreload=101

 

Part two: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99PAm4x0x88

This article is originally published on Geeetech offical blog. 

Tips on Dealing with Warping

Warping is when one or more corners/edges at the bottom of the object are lifted and detached from the printing platform horizontally,leading to transverse cracks in the top.

Cause(s): Warping is a common problem and often occurs when the first layer of plastic contracts as it cools.

Solution(s): 

• Level the printing platform. A tilted printer bed could result in warping. Most budget 3D printers require manual leveling, which is not a one-time thing as you may be wondering: multiple leveling might be required for the first print and between prints.

• Use a heated printer bed. If your printer does not come with a heated bed(which is rare except for DIY kits ), like the Geeetech E180(this printer is specifically designed for educational purposes.It works with PLA. As such, an alternative to a heated bed,such as textured paper,is used to improve adhesion ), you can either get one yourself ,or apply glue to keep the first layer of the object stuck to the platform.  After leveling the platform, make sure the nozzle height is correct.  

P.S.: there are 2 types of heated beds on Geeetech 3D printers :MK2A/MK2B and aluminum substrates.  

• Slow down your print job.  Warping could occur when the nozzle moves too fast, this is because the layers, especially the innitial layers are not given enough time to cool. It is suggested that users reduce the speed by 50% when printing the first layer to allow for better adhesion of the extruded material to the platform. 

• Create some extra parts that can be easily removed in the model design to prevent the base layer from rising from the edges.provided you are proficient in modeling software.  

• Placing a build surface onto the printer bed can also effectively reduce the chances of warping. Though removing the object off the plate could entail some extra work,if it is a substantial one.

• Check the temperature parameters are set correctly. The extruded filament would not stay flat on the platform if the temperature of the printer bed is too low. The recommended range for PLA is 40 to 50 degrees celcius, ABS 60 to 70 degrees.

Should you have more questions regarding 3D printers or 3D printing in general, you can always visit our official forum or join our facebook user group where you will get your quesitons answered by 3D printing hobyyists /experts or geeetech staff.

Geeetech is one of the leading brands in 3D printers for home and office use.To find out more, go to https://www.geeetech.com/.