First 3D print

[Kev T]

I've purchased a Mars 3pro. I was after an Elegoo special from their website but for some reason they appear to have stopped selling specials direct to the UK, so ended up with this.
I've set it up and printed the Phrozen test piece so have now got, hopefully, workable settings for my prints. First print is now going in the machine but obviously waiting to see how it looks.

Next print I want is this station clock shown. How do I orientate it with Chitubox? If I have it standing it'll take 15 hours or more. If I lay it on its side at say 80deg will that work?

 

[Rob R]

By 80 degrees is that from vertical or horizontal?
It would print very well vertical with the minimum of supports (just to steady it) but the pay off is the time.
Most things are printed at 30 to 50 degrees (from horizontal) but I think you will do alright flat ie 0 deg. Turn the clockface vertical (ie tip it on it's side) add a reasonable selection of medium supports and you will be away. If you are not sure about the supporting do 2 or 3 pieces at the same time with differing support configurations, it won't take any longer to print and any that don't work can christen that nice shiny new bin you got.

 

[Kev T]

Hi Rob
it comes in 3 parts, 2parts of the clock face + the column. I'll print the clock faces flat and as you think it may print flat, give it a go printing the column flat with auto supports for the bits that won't touch the base. Good idea about printing several different configs at a time.

Shiny bin is still shiny at the moment

Kev

 

[Rob R]

As the clock faces are seperate, print them upright ie as in the picture.
Print the column horizontal.
Feel free to take a screen shot of your chitubox arrangement and put it up here before you press go on the printer.
Shift + print screen and then paste into good old MS paint is as good a way as any.

 

[Rob R]

Kev,
Just to clarify like this:-


A picture is worth a thousand words...............
Rob

 

[Kev T]

Would the clock faces be better flat or at a shallow angle, rather than vertical?

 

[Kev T]

Rob, posts crossed!!
Kev

 

[Rob R]

Orientation fine.
As an absolute minimun use medium supports to do the work, fine are great for getting details printed on larger prints but as you have it there it will just rip off the plate.
For the long bits best way to explain it is to think of it as growing crystals, you have to give the print somwhere to grow from. There is nothing to hold the ends to the build plate.
Let me do a quick Tinkercad drawing to demonstrate.

 

[Rob R]

Something like that, obviously play with the supports as I have probably gone overboard a bit but it is supported along the whole length.
Better to over support than to end up with bits floating around the vat - that just leads to heartache and expense (don't ask).

Of course if you did them vertical you wouldn't need so many supports on the visible faces. A balancing act between time and finish quality.

 

[Kev T]

I'll give it a try

 

[JimG]

Kev,

What height is your model and what layer thickness are you using? Rob's given you the pointers for printing it in the horizontal orientation but I would prefer to print it standing vertical if only to avoid a lot of cleaning up of support pips. If I was doing it in the vertical orientation, I would sit the base on short supports and I would also put a few supports to the clock body and this would be primarily to increase the area of the raft on the build plate so that the release force on the FEP of the increased section area of the clock body wouldn't overcome the adhesion of the base of the model to the build plate.

And do your long prints overnight.

Jim.

 

[Kev T]

Jim
if I were to print overnight it may well be sitting uncleaned for several hours afterwards. Would that matter?

 

[Rob R]

No. Just let it drip, and make sure it's not in direct sunlight.....

 

[Rob R]

And you can use heavy supports under the column to be sure...

 

[Kev T]

My printer has an xy resolution of 35um, so I'm using 35um as the vertical. Height is about 80mm.
I'll give it a try tonight using the horizontal and the vertical layouts, there is room on the plate. Use this as a test for future reference.

thanks everyone I'll let you know how it goes.

BTW my first print of a sitting dog worked great. Happy bunny me.

Kev

 

[Kev T]

I've also put on the Stella spring assembly that I designed.





But if you look at the [dampers?] in the image below you'll see that they aren't fixed to the plate and I can't see how they can print.
Is this right? I've tried a few different orientations and settings in the supports but none look right to me.

 

[Rob R]

Have you played with adding manual supports yet?
It also looks like you need to raise things of the deck a bit. Have you got a screenshot of your support settings?

 

[Kev T]

Screenshot of support settings.

 

[Kev T]

Rob
thanks for taking the time with this. I've just had a look at the settings and lifted the z lift to 5mm and tried again and it looks much better to me. What do you think, worth trying a print?

 

[Rob R]

I would put the clock faces vertical with the boss at the bottom.
A couple of supports around the lower periphery and some more up the back.
If you must have them flat add a few more supports to make sure they dont tear off the plate.
Something like this.