This is a video timelapse of me building my printer. Overall, I recorded around 78 hours of footage.
One main reason that people now own 3d printers are that they can print nearly anything for almost 70% cheaper than it is at a store. One of my goals with this my personal project was to design some things that would make daily life easier. One thing that I know my family needs is chair bottoms... They cost about $40 for 6 packs, which is crazy! I could print them for less than 20 cents a chair, and that way our floors will not get scraped up. Some onlineideas to design include:
1. Tooth paste squeezers 2. Earbud wrap 3. lamp 4. pick holder for guitar 5. garlic press 6. measuring cups 7. wall clock 8. phone cases 9. cherry pit remover 10. plant holder 11. outlet protectors 12. windshield scraper 13. door stop 14. citrus juicer I recently went to a store that sells computer parts and 3d printer parts to see if they have the ball bearings that I needed. (they still have not come yet :/) They did not have it, but they did have something very interesting! I bought a filament that has brass in it! It is PLA so it is biodegradable, but it can be shined and covered to look very smooth. I hope to print outdoor lights using it after the printer is calibrated to perfection.
There are many types of fun filament options out there! Some include: Glow in the dark Color changing- changes with sunlight or heat Nylon- flexible so you can print clothes wood metal rubber and many more! Recently, I was talking to one mom from my middle school and 3d printers came up. Her husband is a Neurosurgeon and owns a 3d printer. He likes to invent 3d parts that he could possibly one day use in spinal surgery.
So, what else is 3d printing used for these days? "The worldwide 3D printing industry is expected to grow from $3.07B in revenue in 2013 to $12.8B by 2018, and exceed $21B in worldwide revenue by 2020." (3dprinting.com) In the medical field: 3d printing is used for prosthetics and implants. In aerospace: Nasa printed combustion chamber liners. Also, the first 3d printed jet engine part was cleared and will be used to fly a laser sintered housing for a compressor inlet temperature sensor. Automotive Industry: functional parts are being printed to test in vehicles, engines, and platforms. So recently I downloaded a program titled Blender. It was free, and only took around 10 minutes to download. It is best known for the innumerable tools available to use. Also, it is free so it is very popular. On blender, printer owners can share and spread resources. It has the most forum entries, google search results, and Youtube videos related to 3d printing content. The only downside is that it has a steep learning curve, and can be difficult for beginners. I personally find it slightly challenging, but there are numerous resources online that are helping me learn.
The next program that I am looking to download is SketchUp. The full version costs $700, but a free version is available. It is popular because it is very beginner friendly and has lots of geometric objects to use. It also has a feature where users can share their 3d printed objects! The wand did not go as well as I had planned... First of all, the file of the wand that I originally wanted to print was not in the type of file that I needed it. It would have taken a long time to convert it, so I chose a different one instead. I printed Dumbledore's wand instead! The black ABS filament was not tested yet and I did not want to mess with it the night of Halloween. I only have orange PLA filament, but it can be easily spray painted. The wand was printed in two parts, the first taking about an hour and 20 minutes to print. The second piece only took about 45 minutes to print. The pieces had cool supports that allowed the wand to be rounded. The supports were fairly easy to peel off, but did leave some rough spots on the wand. This can be easily filed down though. The detail in it is amazing!
My brother needs a Halloween costume, and now that I have my printer, I can print pieces for one! He wants to be Harry Potter. I need to sew a robe using black fabric or a giant XXL black tshirt. Then, I can print him some glasses, a crest, and a wand. For this project, I am going to be using Thingiverse to get the basic shapes, and then modify them to fit my 8 year old brother. I am going to use the crest to put on his black robe. I will use black ABS filament and paint it with acrylic paint. I will do the same with the want, but I will print it so it is hollow and insert an led light. The glasses need some assembly, but they are very easy to make.
I created a thingiverse account. Thingiverse is basically a website that people can post the gcode for their projects that they made. Here, they can share it with other 3D printer owners. Also, people can take the gcode for a project posted, modify it, and post it under modified. That way, people can work together to create awesome projects, even if they are living far away from each other. For a reprap, people can also print their own version of the printer and post it on here so other people can work towards making it even better. On my account, I plan to post different projects that people can print to make their daily lives easier and post the modifications I made to my printer.
The ball bearings are not here yet... They are still in China and the shipping information is still not available. Halloween is next week, and I still need to print my little brother's costume! He is going to be Harry Potter, so he needs glasses, a wand, and the Gryffindor Crest for his robe. The ball bearings are not going to come in time, so I bought door bearings. They roll and they do not wobble! The left side needs modification because it is a few centimeters short of going to the edge, but I can modify the prints so it does not get cut off.
I researched a lot about the difference between ABS and PLA filament.
The majority of online users use PLA filament-or Polylactic Acid- because does not need a heated bed, It can be printed using a lower temperature range (180-200), and it sticks very well without the printed object lifting off. Also, some claim that it smells like cotton candy when it melts and the fumes are minor. The downside is that it is a little more brittle, jams in the extruder a lot, and it is biodegradable so your prints will not last forever, especially for outdoor prints. ABS- or Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene- needs a heated bed in order to print and prints at a much higher temperature range. (210-240) It tends to be very easy to use and print with, but it shrinks while it cools. Therefore, it may lift off the bed and the layers might crack or split. It is very strong, and it tends to bend instead of snap when pressure is applied. The fumes have a very strong, which smells exactly like plastic. It is not biodegradable so it is perfect for projects that are exposed to the elements, or need to last for a long time. |
AuthorMy name is Alexandra Rozanski and I am a student at the International Academy East Campus. (Class of 2018) Archives
January 2016
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