3D Printer Filament Storage – How Is It Done Properly?

 If you have moisture and mold in your home, you’re more likely to have respiratory problems, allergies and weak immune system.When you know the cause of the moisture, you can take steps to limit the moisture in the air.

Likewise, humidity is a natural enemy of filaments.Some materials have no humidity problem.Others, such as PVA or nylon, are very hygroscopic and absorb water after a very short time.The wet filament sizzles and is easy to recognize during printing, and the results are terrible.

Therefore, it is particularly important to store filaments spools carefully and correctly.

A comparison of dry vs wet filament. Source: Matterhackers

Why Water Damages Thermoplastics

All plastics are polymers or copolymers. you’ll see that the long molecular strands that make up them are woven together when you look at polymers or copolymers under a high-intensity microscope,That means there’s plenty of space between and around the strands.Thererfore, most polymers and copolymers are hygroscopic.Some filament materials, such as Nylon, are very sensitive to water .If  they absorb only a little water, they can cause problems when printing.

How To Keep Your 3D Printer Filament Dry

Storing your filament in an airtight container with a desiccant is the easiest way to settle this issue.Filament dry boxes work well, but they can be bulky.

when it comes to airtight,most people think of plastic containers and bags.For the most part, these are good short-term solutions.

This is the cheapest way to store filament spools. Source: Paige Russell / Instructables

Nevertheless, over time, plastic containers and bags become slightly permeable.This means that the longer your printing materials stay in plastic bags, the more water they absorb, .especially when you live in a humid climate. .If you use a clear bag or box, UV light will also reduce the strength of the filament over time.

Using high-quality Mylar bags or bags made of similar materials is a better solution is to store your thermoplastic.Obviously, there is a layer of metal between two layers of plastic.

This metal layer protects your printing material from any water vapor that permeates the plastic.So that your printing material produces a satisfactory result.

Mylar bags protect your printing material from water vapor.Source: rigid.ink

Desiccant packets keep the humidity in the containers to a minimum. Source: Amazon

How You Know Your Printing Material Has Absorbed Water

Before printing, there are two simple ways to determine if your material is absorbing water.First, you can measure the diameter of the material itself.when a polymer absorbs water, it begins to grow in size.If the diameter of the filament increases by 10 percent or more, it most likely absorbs water.

Another way to determine whether a filament absorbs water is to extrude a small amount of filament before printing.We’ve all probably been there: sitting by a fire, listening to its crackle.This is because the water in the wood is changed into steam when heated.The same phenomenon occurs when you extrude thermoplastic that has absorbed water.The heat from the print end causes the water in the plastic to expand and escape.You can hear hissing or popping and also see bubbles.

How to Dry Out Filament

If your filament is wet, you must dry it out before using it to print.Why not use an oven?

Once the oven it up to temperature, place the spooled material inside.Source: Amazon

In the first place, check out the glass transition temperature for the filament that you are going to dry.You need to be sure that you keep your oven temperature below the transition temperature. In a general way , about 60-70C is just about right for most materials, except may be a bit hot for lower temp materials like PLA. Always keep in mind how hot your oven runs and only use electric ovens.

You should also be aware, even if the Glass Transition temp is very high, for a material like Nylon or Polycarbonate – the spool your filament is wound on is likely made from an ABS which will soften at lower temperatures than the filament. 

How to dry PLA filament

You ought to be more careful when you dry PLA filament on account that 70C will be too hot. We recommend at the very lowest temp your oven will go around 40C. Even at this temp your PLA will soften, so drying PLA in the oven won’t always give you the results you’re after. It’s a small reminder as to the importance of keeping excellent PLA storage. 

Once the oven it up to temperature, place the spooled material inside and leave it there for four to six hours. If you have a convection oven, this drying time may be shortened since the circulated air removes more moisture from the material more quickly.You can also ‘recharge’ the desiccant this way too, placing it in the oven over a low heat. 

Once the time is up, remove the material from the oven, allow it to cool and place it into a water impermeable container or bag along with desiccants. Make sure that the container or bag is completely sealed.

Any material that you have oven-dried is slightly more brittle than normal.Remember,Handle the material with care.Only then can you achieve the superior results with your properly dry print material.

Source:

https://all3dp.com/2/filament-spool-8-ways-to-safely-store-your-filament/

https://rigid.ink/blogs/news/how-to-dry-your-filament?_pos=30&_sid=f8cdf3be6&_ss=r

Save 50 GBP/EUR at Geeetech A20 3D Printer Savings Event！

When Mary is at a loss for a printer with complicated components, she wants one that is cost-effective and easy-to-assemble, so she can have a much better experience.If you’re faced with a same problem like Mary’s.Don’t worry!Geeetech A20 3D Printer is a perfect solution.

Geeetech A20 3D Printer

Choosing a 3D printer is not an easy task, especially for beginners. Based on customers’ feedback, Geeetech A20 3D printer with a larger printing platform than A10,is designed to be reliable, user-friendly and affordable. Running stably, it delivers quality prints and provides you with satisfactory printing experience.

Its classic white and black color combo and neat structure impart a touch of simplicity and excellence.Keeping Prusa I3 3D printers’ gantry structure, its modularized design provides you with an easier assembly experience. The electronic parts are integrated into its bottom frame, making A20 steady and enhancing its print results.

Today Geeetech Amazon UK/DE/FR/IT/ES is offering discounts on Geeetech A20 3D Printer. The coupon code is available on a first-come-first-served basis while stocks last.Snap up your dream A20 3D printers now before they are sold out!The details of sales promotion are outlined below.

Details:

UK:50 GBP OFF on 200GBP 

DE/FR/IT/ES:50 EUR OFF on 220 EUR

50 GBP/EUR OFF code： GETECHA20

Coupon code valid from Sep.20,2020 until Oct. 30, 2020. By shopping with this promo code, you’ll save 50 GBP/EUR on your entire order. Click on the link and you will be directed to the corresponding sales page.

UK:https://amzn.to/2wbgmQy
DE:https://amzn.to/3fTyNuz
FR:https://amzn.to/30nouK3
IT:https://amzn.to/3bK3QaZ
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3D Printed Fashion is About to Go Mainstream

3d printing made a big splash when it first came out and it seemed like everybody's desk were adorned with plastic toys.3D printing has rapidly found its way into almost every aspect of our modern world, being used to make parts for cars,planes and clothes.Today’s 3D printing technologies are advanced enough to easily produce shoes,soles and jewelry, but it’s still hard to print a dress or a jacket. In most cases,  3D printing is used for producing non-flexible parts. Despite the challenges of 3D-printed fashion, designers and engineers have overcome many to create some wildest designs.I will tell you how 3d printed fashion is going to be a game-changer.let's start with.

 

Example #1:

3D Printed Dress and Jacket

 

A dress entirely 3D printed at the Met Gala 2019

 

The dress, named Rose, was certainly the centerpiece of the collection presented at the Met Gala.The garment was worn by model Jourdan Dunn, consists of 21 3D-printed rose petals – each petal measures 53 cm and weighs 0.4 kilos.They were produced on a SLA 3D printer – the process was managed by Protolabs’ 3D printing department.Each petal includes a coat of primer and a coat of chameleon-effect automotive paint.Besides, the dress is modular: petals (up to 37 in all) can be added to increase the length of the dress.

 

Ministry of Supply -- Jacket Without Seams

 

In 2016, Ministry of Supply released a 3D-printed jacket for $250 that quickly sold out.Because the jacket is 3D-printed, it has no seams, which makes it very comfortable to wear.Although it has no seams, the garment still has joints to fit the outline of the body.

The jacket was made on a 3D robotic knitting machine, a process that uses less material than traditional knitting.It’s thought that using traditional methods wastes 15-30% of the material.

 

Example #2:

3D printed accessories

 
Source: n-e-r-v-o-u-s.com

 

Every day, more and more jewelers are using 3D printing to produce rings, bracelets, necklaces and similar products.

What you see above is a sterling silver bracelet that mimics patterns found in nature.The maker, Nervous System, first 3D printed the model in wax and then cast it in pure silver.

3D printing enters the watchmaking arena. Source: Sculpteo

 

Metal 3D printing is a perfect technology for watchmakers, both for prototyping and production of end-use pieces.

The Lo Scienziato timepiece from Panerai uses a fully 3D-printed titanium housing made by direct metal laser sintering (DMLS).If you want to see the Panerai on your wrist, you'll have to pay up to $170,000. 

 
Katie Holmes wearing the 3D printed neck accessory | Photo credits: Theo Wargo / WireImage

 The actress Katie Holmes wore a 3D-printed collar produced with resin machine on her dress. It represents pearly purple palm leaves and required 56 hours of 3D printing and finishing.

VIP TIE is an Italian company known for its 3D-printed ties.VIP TIE combines luxury and innovative high-tech design.The whole process of making one tie can involve a complex mix of complementary procedures and materials: craftsmanship, embroidery, 3D printing, exotic leather, mother-of-pearl, carbon fiber, silver, gold and silver plated solid.

XYZBAG 3D printed bags

 XYZ Bag is an Italian brand behind the Dada collection of customizable 3D printed handbags. Each bag is connected by a leather strap and a 3D-printed outer shell with a fabric lining.For each bag, the customer has to choose between several design options based on 3 different products.Once the model is selected, it is designed in CAD software.

The company uses SLS technology to make components, although they have recently integrated the one developed by HP, Multi Jet Fusion. These bags cost between 290 and 330 euros, which is quite expensive, but also reasonable for 3D printing products.

 

 

Example #3:

3D printed footwear

 
Adidas Futurecraft 4D sneakers Source: CNBC

 

The big companies in the shoe industry have been developing solutions for mass customization for years.Not only does 3D printing allow these companies to prototype faster, it's also a great solution for mass customization.

Companies in this field, including Adidas and New Balance, have started producing 3D-printed midsoles .Nike, meanwhile, is experimenting with 3D-printed “uppers”.

Annie Foo’s 3D printed shoes

 

Annie Foo is a high-end footwear designer who uses 3D printing technologies in her manufacturing process.She explained that she has always been so obsessed with the combination of existing footwear manufacturing methods with modern technologies and materials to create something new.She uses 3D modeling software to design complex shapes to make her shoes look more aesthetically pleasing.Her final works for the runway were made with HP’s Jet Fusion 4200 machine, using PA12 (nylon).

 

 

 

 

 

Reference：

https://all3dp.com/2/3d-printed-fashion-3d-printed-dress/

https://all3dp.com/2/3d-printed-fashion-the-state-of-the-art-in-2019/

https://www.3dnatives.com/en/met-gala-2019-dresses-100520194/#!

https://www.3dnatives.com/en/3d-printing-fashion-designs150620174/#!

How to Prevent Blobs?Tips to get your girl back

 I dated a girl to count stars over the lake last night.She is so beautiful and a perfectionist to her fingertips.A few months ago,I followed her instagram account and found that she loves Pokemon toys very much.So I decided to make a Charizard with a 3D printer and gave her as a gift.She looked at this cute stuff carefully but soon she gave it back to me.I couldn't think of any reason why she should do that .Did she want to break off our friendship or she like something else?NO way!The design of her mobile phone case is a Pokemon!Oh,Wait!What is this?It is a pesky blob right on the surface of my 3D printed toy.Damn the blob!I left a bad impression on her.

You must be disappointed when seeing blobs marring our 3D prints.,which is commonly called“zits” ,can occur due to the frequent start and stop of extruder as it moves around.These blobs on your model represent the position where the extruder began to print a part of the outer shell and then returned to the same position after printing the perimeter.Without leaving a mark, it's hard to connect two pieces of plastic , but here we figure out two tips to keep the blobs from occuring on the surface of your print.

Tip 1:add a negative extra restart distance

Finding out where they are occurring is vital to reduce blobs.You should make sure if blobs happen at the beginning of the perimeter,or as the perimeter finishes printing.If it is the former, the extruder is most likely priming too much plastic.To solve this problem,you can attempt to adjust your retraction settings,add a negative extra restart distance. For example, if your retraction distance is 2.0mm, the extra restart distance decreases by 0.4mm, and each time the extruder stops, the filament will be retracted 2.0mm .But when it starts again, 1.6mm of the filament will be pushed back into the nozzle.You ought to keep tweaking this number until there are no blobs.

Tip 2:turn the “coasting” setting off 

If you find that the blob is happening as the extruder finishes printing a perimeter,it is posssible that the built-up pressure inside the extruder nozzle pushes out more plastic than expected. In this instance, the best solution is to turn off a setting called “coasting” just before the end of the perimeter ,which can relief some of the built-up pressure within the extruder.Try turning this feature on and increasing the value until the blobs stop appearing.

So that's the solution to the blobs. Now I am printing a larger Pokemon toy.I can't go wrong this time, for the sake of my beloved girl.

Source:　https://www.simplify3d.com/preventing-blobs-on-3d-print/

12 most innovative 3D printing materials.

Introducing the New Geeetech A10M and debunking myths around dual extruder 3D printers

Are you bored with monocolor 3D objects, or tired of having to manually remove the support structures off your 3D prints? If so, the Geeetech A10M might be your go-to printer. It is picked by 3dnatives as the No. 1 dual extruder 3D printer for 2019. In the artical, A10M is dubbed as “a 3D printer for makers”.

a10m

Now, 3D printers that come with a dual or triple extrusion setup have been avaiable for a good number of years. On top of that, there are other options in the Geeetech “A” family that allow for multi-color/material 3D printing, such as the A20M/T, A30M/T, which are more advanced than the A10M. With that said, the A10M, aside from being user-friendly, is the most affordable dual extrusion system in the “A” series. Not to mention the fact that the new version features an upgraded mother board, LCD screen and new gantry. It is therefore safe to say the upgraded A10M is one of the most competitive multi-material 3D printer for beginners and the frugal-minded who are looking to enrich their 3D printing experience.

But before we move on, let’s first debunk the following myths around dual extruder 3D printers.

Myth #1 –Dual extruder 3D printers print twice as fast as their single extrusion counterparts.

If you are a novice in 3D printing, you are probably wondering why this is not the case. More often than not, a dual extruder 3D system is faster than a single extrusion setup, but it almost certainly does not double the speed, and definitly not for the reason you may think.

The real reason is that, with a dual extruder printer, you can avoid the lengthy process of swapping out one filament for another.

Having more than one extruder allows you to have different filaments piped in from the very start.Changing filaments, whether for a different colour or material, is labour-intensive.With a dual or multiple extrusion design, you no longer have to pause a print, empty out the extruder, feed in the next filament, and resume the print every time you need a different material or color. This is where the saved time comes from. As a matter of fact, the two extruders share the same print head and can’t move independently.

Myth #2–dual extruder 3D printers are only useful for multi-color objects.

The Geeetech A10M features a 2 in 1 out design. It enables you to print with numerous combinations of colors using the Color Mixer software developed by Geeetech. But its another, more common use is to seperate the filament used for printing your object from the support material, which is often less expensive, of lower grade, and soluble in water, and will eventually be removed.

A single extruder 3D printer is actually capable of printing multi-color objects and support structures. But the whole process is tedious, as pointed out above.

The Geeetech A10M comes half assembled , and is easy to set up. Check out the unboxing video here by Hoffman Engineering on Youtube.

This blog post will be updated when full review video is out. Stay tuned!

A10M on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gN3l0C

Unboxing the Geeetech A10M - Entry-level TWO COLOR MIXING 3D printer!