Difference between revisions of "Ultimaker"

Revision as of 17:10, 21 November 2022

Getting started with 3D printing on the Ultimakers

3D printing with the Ultimaker is fast, cheap, and a fun experience based on FDM technology. However, it is easy to make mistakes due to hardware or software setup. The following article is supposed to give you as a user, the necessary background for getting started with rapid prototyping and 3D printng with the Ultimakers.

Required Safety Equipment

None

Hazards

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  The bed and nozzle are hot during, and after printing.

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  Moving parts during operation.

• 

  Build plate may cause minor pinching or crushing injuries during operation.

Guidelines

• Do not use the printer unless you know how to use it.
• Print only in 3Dnet or Ultimaker 2.85 PLA Filament.
• Use only 0.4 mm nozzle size.
• Do not leave the printer before the first layer is completed. Most errors arise during this stage and in 2020 this destroyed a printer.
• If you want instruction, have trouble with the printer or we are running low on materials, contact the engineer here.

Workflow

The workflow in any prototyping using 3D printers is:

1. Retrieving/creating a 3D model: You can fetch files from creator spaces such as Thingiverse or model them your self, using a CAD tool such as Fusion360, SolidWorks or Blender.
2. Generate paths for the 3D printer: The tool for generating paths in The Ultimaker has their own slicer namely Cura.
3. Setting up the hardware: Make sure that the build plate is clean, the machine is calibrated, and when you start your print please make sure the first layer turns out as expected.

Cura

A quick guide to Cura can be found here. Note that we have our own additional guidelines to increase the life expectancy of the printers.

Setup

Please use the following setup:

Quality: Normal (0.15) Innfill: Density (<=20%) Material: Printing temp (210), Build plate (60). Diameter (2.85), Flow (100), Enable retraction(true) Speed: Print speed(50), Travel speed(120), Print acc.(3000), Travel acc.(4000) Build plate adhesion: Brim(true)

Version

As a rule of thumb, we recommend using the latest version of Cura.

Filament

We only use filament from 3Dnet which is due to quality. The material used on the Ultimakers are strictly PLA with 2.85 mm dimension.
This is to reduce maintenance and downtime on the 3d printers. For printing other materials see our Creality CR-10S Pro V2 printers.

Setting up the hardware

The standard nozzle size is .4 mm.

Before pressing start

Make sure the build plate is clean. Use lukewarm flowing water to get rid of leftover materials, glue, or dirt. After starting the print, make sure that the first layer turns out as expected. Most errors arise during this stage of the print job.

When print is finished

When the print is finished clean the plate again. If the object is stuck, you may use a scraping tool. However, make sure you don't harm the glass plate. Hence use scraping tools with care.

Our Ultimakers

We have a total of 4 Ultimaker 2+ in our lab.

Errors

If a print goes wrong, do the accordingly:

1. Check setup in Cura and on UM.
2. Rewash the bed level.
3. Calibrate bed level. Here you can find guidelines for manual leveling.

If this does not help, please notify the engineer here.

Clog

Clogging of the nozzle typically occurs when the workpiece has tilted due to overhang, wrong settings in Cura, or wrong filament type. A solution to clogged nozzle is using the Atomic Method