3D Printing with RepRap Cookbook

Table of Contents

3D Printing with RepRap Cookbook

Credits

About the Author

About the Reviewers

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Why subscribe?

Free access for Packt account holders

Preface

What this book covers

Who this book is for

What you need for this book

Pronterface

Repetier-Host

Conventions

Reader feedback

Customer support

Downloading the color images of this book

Errata

Piracy

Questions

1. Getting Started with 3D Printing

Introduction

3D scanning with a digital camera

Getting ready

How to do it…

How it works…

There's more...

Processing a 3D scan with 123D Catch

Getting ready

How to do it…

How it works...

Viewing your scene with 123D Catch

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Stitching photos with 123D Catch

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Changing mesh resolutions with 123D Catch

Getting ready

How to do it…

How it works…

Cleaning up the model with 123D Catch

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Using the Autodesk 3D Print Utility

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Let's print!

Slicing the models with Slic3r

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Slicing the models with Skeinforge

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Reviewing the print results

2. Optimizing the Printing Process

Introduction

Inspecting the model with Meshmixer

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

See also

Plane alignment with Meshmixer

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Scaling the model with Meshmixer

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Leveling the model with Meshmixer

Getting ready

How to do it…

How it works...

Removing scanning artifacts with Meshmixer

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works…

Shaping the model with Meshmixer

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

See also

Let's print!

Optimizing infill with Slic3r

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Optimizing infill with Skeinforge

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Printing without fill with Skeinforge

Getting ready...

How to do it...

How it works...

Tweaking shells and surface layers with Skeinforge

Getting ready

How to do it....

How it works...

Reviewing the print results

3. Scanning and Printing with a Higher Resolution

Introduction

Setting up DAVID Laserscanner

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

See also

Calibrating DAVID Laserscanner

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

See also

Scanning with DAVID Laserscanner

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Viewing the model in MeshLab

Getting ready

How to do it...

See also

Cleaning the scans with MeshLab

Getting ready

How to do it….

Aligning the scans with MeshLab

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

See also

Merging and remeshing the aligned scans in MeshLab

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

See also

Let's print!

Hot-end nozzle sizes

Tuning up the printer

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Using Skeinforge with a 0.5 mm nozzle

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Using Skeinforge with a 0.35 mm nozzle

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Using Skeinforge with a 0.25 mm nozzle

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Using Slic3r to print different resolutions

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Reviewing the print results

4. Modeling and Printing with Precision

Introduction

Warming up with SketchUp

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Using 3D tools from the Extension Warehouse

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Modeling with SketchUp

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Using plugin extensions with SketchUp

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Let's print!

Calibrating the x, y, and z axes

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Controlling the flow rate in Skeinforge

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Adjusting the scale in Skeinforge

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Using Stretch in Skeinforge

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Controlling print warping

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

See also

Using brim with Slic3r

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Reviewing the print results

5. Manipulating Meshes and Bridges

Introduction

Exploring TopMod

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Using TopMod for remeshing

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Using MeshLab for remeshing

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Mesh decimation with MeshLab

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Wireframe modeling with TopMod

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Let's print!

Cooling ABS and PLA with Skeinforge

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Cooling ABS and PLA with Slic3r

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Adjusting speed with Slic3r

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Bridging with Slic3r

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Adjusting speed with Skeinforge

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Bridging with Skeinforge

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Reviewing the print results

6. Making the Impossible

Introduction

Using extruding options in TopMod

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Using cutting options in TopMod

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Working with edges in TopMod

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Creating handles in TopMod

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Making a starfish in TopMod

Getting ready

How to do it…

How it works…

Creating support with Meshmixer

Getting ready

How to do it…

How it works…

There's more…

Let's print!

Creating support with Skeinforge

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Support options with Skeinforge

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Creating support with Slic3r

Getting ready

How to do it…

How it works...

Support options with Slic3r

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Reviewing our print results

7. Texture – the Good and the Bad

Introduction

Making textures with Meshmixer

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Making stencils with Paint.NET

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Stamping stencils with Meshmixer

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Making patterns with Meshmixer

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Making more patterns with Meshmixer

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Making textures with MeshLab

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Let's print!

Adjusting the travel speed with Skeinforge

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Adjusting retraction with Skeinforge

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Adjusting Jitter with Skeinforge

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Adjusting the travel speed with Slic3r

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Adjusting retraction with Slic3r

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Randomizing the starting points with Slic3r

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Reviewing the print results

8. Troubleshooting Issues in 3D Modeling

Introduction

Using Repetier-Host for analysis

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Repairing mesh geometry issues

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Using SketchUp for editing meshes

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Using MeshLab for fixing normals

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Using MeshLab for cleaning meshes

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Creating a hollow model with MeshLab

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Creating a drain hole with Meshmixer

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

9. Troubleshooting Issues in 3D Printing

Introduction

Leveling the build platform

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Taking proper care of the build platform surface

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

There's more...

Troubleshooting issues with the heat bed

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Troubleshooting issues with the extruder

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Troubleshooting issues with the hot end

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

Troubleshooting issues with the x, y, and z axes

How to do it...

How it works...

Troubleshooting issues with the motor system

Getting ready

How to do it...

How it works...

A. Understanding and Editing Firmware

An Arduino IDE program

Getting Windows to recognize the controller

Getting the Arduino IDE to recognize the Sanguinololu

Setting up the Arduino IDE for your controller

Setting up the firmware in the Arduino IDE

Comparing firmware versions with WinMerge

Editing the firmware with the Arduino IDE

Uploading the firmware to the controller

B. Taking a Closer Look at G-code

Generating G-code

Viewing G-code

Basic G-code commands

Using the command line

C. Filament Options for RepRap Printers

Health considerations

An ABS filament

A PLA filament

A PET filament

A nylon filament

A HIPS filament

A TPE filament

A wood filament

A stone filament

A ceramic filament

A water-soluble PVA filament

Storage of 3D printing filaments

Index

3D Printing with RepRap Cookbook

3D Printing with RepRap Cookbook

Copyright © 2014 Packt Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.

Every effort has been made in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the information contained in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the author, nor Packt Publishing, and its dealers and distributors will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by this book.

Packt Publishing has endeavored to provide trademark information about all of the companies and products mentioned in this book by the appropriate use of capitals. However, Packt Publishing cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

First published: June 2014

Production reference: 1170614

Published by Packt Publishing Ltd.

Livery Place

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Birmingham B3 2PB, UK.

ISBN 978-1-78216-988-8

www.packtpub.com

Cover image by Gagandeep Sharma (<er.gagansharma@gmail.com>)

Credits

Author

Richard Salinas

Reviewers

Richard Horne (RichRap)

Miro Hrončok

Eugene Medvedev

Clarence 'Sparr' Risher

Commissioning Editor

Aarthi Kumaraswamy

Acquisition Editor

Vinay Argekar

Content Development Editor

Azharuddin Sheikh

Technical Editor

Shashank Desai

Copy Editors

Janbal Dharmaraj

Karuna Narayanan

Alfida Paiva

Project Coordinator

Wendell Palmer

Proofreaders

Simran Bhogal

Maria Gould

Paul Hindle

Indexers

Hemangini Bari

Mehreen Deshmukh

Graphics

Ronak Dhruv

Yuvraj Mannari

Production Coordinator

Sushma Redkar

Cover Work

Sushma Redkar

About the Author

Richard Salinas is a scenic artist in the film industry, where he has worked for over 20 years on numerous television and motion picture productions.

He was educated at the University of Missouri where he studied sculpture and three-dimensional design. He also has a formal education in the field of electronics. He developed an interest in computers in 1981 when he began programming on his university's mainframe and one of the first affordable personal computers: the Commodore VIC-20.

Since 2012, he's constructed five 3D printers of various designs and hacks. His aim is to explore the possibilities of creating fine art sculpture with DIY technology. You can follow his progress at www.3dprintedsculpture.com.

I'd like to thank Adrian Bowyer and the rest of the RepRap community for sharing their work. Their vision and hard work has made it possible for the rest of us to explore the potential of this technology.

I'd also like to thank the reviewers and editorial staff at Packt Publishing for their expertise and guidance in helping make this book possible.

Last but not least, I'd like to thank my family for the time afforded me. A lot of quality family time has been lost in favor of writing and playing with robots.

About the Reviewers

Richard Horne (RichRap) is well known in the 3D printing community as RichRap. He has over two decades of experience in the electronics industry, first as an electronics engineer and more recently, commercially, in both a Sales and Marketing capacity. His work spans over a wide range of technologies and industries for both consumer and industrial sectors. From arcade games to washing machines, he has designed and developed products used by millions of people around the world.

He is part of the board of advisors for the 3D Printing Association and a highly passionate advocate of 3D printing for the home, education, and industrial sectors. Since joining the open source maker movement and then the RepRap project in 2009, he has been blogging, developing, and sharing ideas for greater consumer interest in 3D printing. His work is helping make this high-tech industry a little easier for everyone to join in and collaborate, while also pushing the technical boundaries of design and personal manufacturing.

His blog can be found at www.richrap.blogspot.com, and further printing advice and open source 3D printing projects are available at www.richrap.com. The 3D Printing Association is available at http://the3dprintingassociation.com/.

Miro Hrončok is a Fedora Ambassador and Packager. He maintains the 3D printing stack in Fedora (see http://fedoraproject.org/), and he wants Fedora to be the best operating system for makers. Miro Hrončok works as a developer for Red Hat Czech. He studies at the Faculty of Information Technology at Czech Technical University in Prague, where he also helps run a 3D printing lab for students and teaches 3D printing. More information (in Czech) about the 3D printing lab can be found at http://3dprint.fit.cvut.cz/.

Eugene Medvedev is a Russian sociologist from Moscow, who started his career in home 3D printing by writing a paper about the social effects of the coming home manufacturing revolution. Once the paper was halfway complete, a realization that he didn't really know what he was talking about led to a successful attempt to recreate the entire technology from scratch, deliberately using nothing but what could be obtained in local hardware and electronics stores, which mostly amounted to fiber boards and bits of string. This eventually led to a rapid reinvention of the wheel, which became a much-cited source for the Russian 3D printing community, as the paper about social effects gave way to explanations of technical underpinnings of the craft. However, the actual business is still struggling to get off the ground.He can be contacted at http://reprapology.info.

Clarence 'Sparr' Risher is a technical geek with a passion for obscure and cutting-edge technologies. He finds himself involved in open source and collaborative projects, ranging from 3D printing to large scale art to robotics and software development. Starting with a RepRap Mendel at a local hackerspace, he soon upgraded to a modified MendelMax design and then started tinkering on low-cost printers such as the Printrbot and not-printer-specific three-axis Cartesian platforms such as the ShapeOko.

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Preface

There's a wealth of information available on the Internet about 3D printing. For a novice, just starting out with a RepRap 3D printer and with limited or no experience with 3D modeling, this can create a daunting task of online searching for what is relevant and helpful.

This book will help plot a course for you and bring to your attention what a designer, artist, or creative hobbyist will find most useful.

Each chapter of this book will introduce you to simple methods of creating original content and at the same time, expose you to the technical aspects of the 3D printing process. Each chapter will ease you into more complex techniques and at the same time expose you to new software tools, which will help expand your technical abilities.

For those who are more experienced, this book will provide a handy reference for comparing the two slicers, Skeinforge and Slic3r. It will also provide you with a quick reference of software functions for some of the more advanced programs such as MeshLab and TopMod.

Overall, this is my 3D printing bible. I'm an artist with serious intentions of making some really cool stuff. This book is the culmination of a year's worth of 3D modeling and printing. Over 600 individual prints were created to test the functions and possibilities of the technologies covered in this book.

If you follow the recipes in this book, you'll learn how to master what is sometimes a frustrating, annoyingly fickle, and time-consuming process, but a process that will open the doors to a wonderful world of new and exciting objects.

What this book covers

Chapter 1, Getting Started with 3D Printing, will get you moving quickly by 3D scanning some common everyday objects with an ordinary digital camera and Autodesk 123D Catch. We'll move into 3D printing our 3D scanned objects and take a basic look at the mechanics of the process.

Chapter 2, Optimizing the Printing Process, will introduce us to Meshmixer, a surface-modeling program that will help us clean up our 3D scanned objects and optimize them for better printing. We'll move into 3D printing by looking at how we can control the interior of our models. By experimenting with the infill of a 3D model, we'll see how different infill patterns are created and how important the surface perimeters are for the structure and surface details.

Chapter 3, Scanning and Printing with a Higher Resolution, will introduce us to 3D scanning with an ordinary, inexpensive red laser, a webcam, and a DAVID Laserscanner software. MeshLab, a very powerful mesh editing program, will be introduced. This will help us with our final 3D scanned results. We'll move into 3D printing by learning how to adjust our printing resolution for finer results.

Chapter 4, Modeling and Printing with Precision, will introduce us to SketchUp Make. It's a 3D modeling program that has an easy learning curve for making precision mechanical parts. We'll move into 3D printing by learning how we can control a slicer and mechanical functions for higher precision printing.

Chapter 5, Manipulating Meshes and Bridges, will introduce us to TopMod. It's a 3D modeling program that works by manipulating the mesh structure. MeshLab will also be examined more closely for its mesh manipulation tools. We'll move into 3D printing and learn how to achieve the difficult task of bridging, the task of printing filament over an empty space.

Chapter 6, Making the Impossible, will examine the tools of TopMod in more depth. We'll move into 3D printing by learning how to create a removable support material for complex models.

Chapter 7, Texture – the Good and the Bad, will examine an easy method to create textures and patterns on our models using Meshmixer and Paint.NET. We'll move into 3D printing by learning how we can control and eliminate some of the unwanted textures created by the 3D printing process.

Chapter 8, Troubleshooting Issues in 3D Modeling, will examine common issues such as inverted face normals and non-manifold geometry that arise in 3D modeling.

Chapter 9, Troubleshooting Issues in 3D Printing, will review the basic systems that make a 3D printer work and how we can troubleshoot some of the issues that occur.

Appendix A, Understanding and Editing Firmware, provides information on how to upload firmware and make some basic changes.

Appendix B, Taking a Closer Look at G-code, provides information on how to access G-code and make some basic changes.

Appendix C, Filament Options for RepRap Printers, is a list of filament materials and