3D Printing on the Type A Machines Series 1

Procedures and lessons learned

1. Dont even come near the printer if you are in a hurry. In return for the privilege of access to this $1400 machine, you have an obligation to fill in the log book, follow procedures, replace supplies, and leave the workspace in better shape than you found it. Never leave the machine unattended until at least the first layer is completed. 2. READ THE USERS MANUAL. Build Plate alignment is crucial. The machine is fairly stable if not manhandled, but soft hands are key. 3. Always record your name, date, time, object name, object quantity, and print volume in the log book. The computer and printer are to be used for 3D printing and nothing but 3D printing. 4. Align the Build Plate corners using the four adjustable thumbscrew supports and a single sheet of Post-a-Note. Position the cold print head over each corner in succession and adjust each support assembly as necessary. It may be necessary to make several rotations depending on the severity of the initial misalignment. 5. After and only after the corners are aligned, align the Build Plate center using the single adjustable thumbscrew under the center of the Build Plate. 6. NEVER remove a finished print from the Build Plate without first removing the Build Plate from the printer. NEVER replace the painters tape on the Build Plate without first removing the Build Plate from the printer. NEVER do anything to the build plate without first removing it from the printer. 7. NEVER use unbalanced force to install/remove the Build Plate. Squeeze the compression springs between the build plate and support frame using the thumb and fingers of both hands so as to minimize any up-down force on the frame assembly. 8. NEVER use unbalanced force to load/unload filament using the Winchester Tool Head. Squeeze the release mechanism using thumb and forefinger so as to minimize any leftright force on the head assembly. NEVER try to pull filament out of a cold print head. 9. When manually controlling the x-y-z position of the build plate, e.g. when calibrating the spacing between the build plate and hot end, use caution to avoid driving the x-y gantry plywood frame into the head of one of the screws holding down the build plate (the one in the x-y home corner). There is no built-in fail-safe to prevent this. If it should happen, the gantry will jam and shake for an agonizing time depending on the length of the motion commanded, hopefully not causing any damage. It may be necessary to re-home x and y after such an event. 10. When a filament spool is not in use, ALWAYS thread the filament through a flange side hole. NEVER leave a loose filament end unsecured. The filament can easily become cross threaded on the spool or become wrapped around the wooden dowel supporting the spool, which can cause the spool to jam, prevent the filament from feeding, put stress on the x-y gantry, and/or cause the filament to be ground through. 11. At the beginning of every print, ALWAYS clear the pre-extruded bead to prevent it from

interfering with the initial layer. NEVER leave the printer unattended until the initial layer is successfully completed. Adhesion failure of the first layer, due to z-spacing misalignment and/or contamination of the painters tape surface, can occur all too easily. Pay attention to maintenance. 12. When removing a finished print, NEVER touch the painters tape with your fingers. Similarly, when the acrylic Build Plate surface is exposed, e.g. when replacing the painters tape, NEVER touch the acrylic surface. For reliable and repeatable adhesion strength, chemical cleanliness is absolutely paramount. If the painters tape pulls away from the build plate forming bubbles, press it back down using a post-a-note between the painters tape and your fingers. With care, you can run many (~ 10 or more) prints without having to change the painters tape. 13. NEVER allow the laptop screen to interfere with the z-motion of the Build Plate. 14. NEVER leave a tool or supply out. Put it back exactly where it belongs before leaving the printer station. Take action to replace supplies as they run out, and be proactive in acquiring useful new tools and supplies, not just for your printer stand but for all three. 15. ALWAYS clean up. NEVER allow debris to accumulate on the bottom of the printer, the laptop keyboard, the floor, the desk, or any other surface. The printer stand should look like a professional workspace. Collect filament debris as it happens and place it immediately into the appropriate recycling bin - the cardboard box the filament came in. When a filament spool is transferred to another printer, the recycling bin goes with it. 16. Vibration has been known to cause some the 3mm nuts and bolts holding the plywood pieces together to come loose, and sometimes even to drop out. Be especially vigilant of the fasteners in the print head assembly. Use one of the Allen Keys in the tool kit to tighten any loose fasteners. 17. Color can be quickly and easily be changed at any point during the print. Pause Pronterface, release and pull the filament from the Hot End, insert the new filament, and Resume Pronterface. This can be done in about 5 seconds with practice. With experience, you can minimize the extruded blob that results from inserting the new filament with excessive force. 18. Strive for quality, finish, and tolerances over speed. This is a prototyping, not a manufacturing, tool. 19. More information on installation, calibration, maintenance, etc. may be found in the user manual: http://www.typeamachines.com/pages/downloads. 20. READ IT.

KISSlicer and Pronterface

1. Inside the folder named KISSlicer, open the application KISSlicer64. 2. Select desired settings(more info below), and hit the Slice button in the top right. 3. Hit the Save button located in the top right. This will save a gcode file.

4. Inside the folder pronterface, open the pronterface application. 5. Set the field left of Connect in the top left to 230400. If no other printer has been used with the computer than the COM field does not need to be altered. If other printers have been connected before than a different COM may need to be selected. 6. Connect the printer and click Connect. 7. Click Load file in the top left, and located and load the gcode that was previously saved in KISSlicer. 8. Click print. 9. Some prints may be removed with a knife, others may be done by hand without tools.

KISSlicer Settings
For most prints the default settings will work fine. Many of the settings have been preset, but there are a few which may be altered to better suit a certain print job. Any settings not mentioned either have never been tried or are left alone. The slider on the bottom right with Fast on the left and Precise on the right sets the precision.

1. Style
1. Skin Thickness - how thick the outline of a printed object is before the inside is shaded in. Higher value = thicker skin. For vases, Skin Thickness controls the thickness of the base. 2. Number of Loops - the number of layers the outline is. Higher value = thicker skin. For vases, Number of Loops controls the thickness of the wall. 3. Inset Surface - how much the print will be recessed. Higher value = thinner print. For gear bearings, Inset Surface controls the tightness of the gears. 4. Extrusion/Infill Extrusion Width - the width of a line of plastic being laid down for the model and for infill. Higher value = faster print, less resolution. 5. Layer thickness - how thick each layer being printed is. Higher value = faster print, less resolution. 6. Infill - the % of a solid object which will actually be filled with plastic. 100% = solid. 0% = hollow. Use the vase option when printing vases. Higher value = more plastic used, longer print time, denser object.

2. Support
1. (top slider) - Top slider is how dense of a support scaffolding is needed. Left = no

support. Right = very dense support. Denser support is difficult to remove. 2. (bottom slider) - the degree of overhang at which support material will be used. 45 is generally ideal?

3. Material
1. Main - temperature at which the model is printed. This sets the temp used, not pronterface. Different materials require different temps. 2. General guidelines a. Red - 190 b. Blue, Green, Pink - 185

Random Notes
1. To Scale models, go to All Models > Scale by X > and enter a scaling factor. Scaling just the X, Y, or Z components requires different software like NetFabb. 2. If you want to slice multiple STLs into one gcode, KISSlicer will not allow you to without upgrading. Another software known as Slic3r may be used. 3. Watch the first layer print to completion. There is a good chance that misalignment, incorrect temp, or other factors will cause it to fail. For parts without overhang, it is safe to leave the printer unattended after the first layer is successful. 4. To minimize warping, shine a 100W incandescent light or other heat source on the build plate to increase its temp and slow cooling. 5. A hairdryer or heat gun may be used to slightly alter some parts. For example, widening a bracelet. 6. In pronterface, click the set button next to heater, which will sustain the temp selected. Waiting for the print head to heat up every time is annoying. 7. Sometimes the filament will get cross-threaded, causing a jam which prevents the filament from unwinding. To avoid this, feed the filament through a side hole when a filament spool is not in use. This will prevent cross-threading. 8. Dont expect your print to work. 9. Some STLs will have instructions which should be followed. Also not all STLs are meant for PLA or require more advanced support than the TAM S1 is capable of. 10. If things that arent supposed to touch are touching, increase inset and/or lower the skin thickness. 11. Keep track of how much material youre using.

12. Loctite superglue works to glue pieces together. Most hobby glues which melt the plastic should also work fine. 13. Dont print - guns, knives, etc. use common sense. 14. Real expertise required - moving parts, interfitting parts. things that require intricate support. food/drink products (PLA may be food safe, the extrusion head is not). 15. Its really easy for the guitar string to disappear. 16. Acetone dunk prints to ruin them but make them bendy. Not sure what the practical application of this would be. 17. If theres something not here, ask someone. Or figure it out yourself. Or internet. 18. Printing can get very frustrating. 19. Dont blame the printer, its doing what you told it to and its trying its hardest. 20. If someone asks you to print a gun, ask them if theyd really like gunpowder in a plastic case in their hand. And then say no. 21. Dyeing might work on lighter prints. But we dont have white so not sure. 22.

Computer
Windows 7 or Windows 8

1. File Organization
1. Community files 2. Master User files 3. Personal files

Printer Stand
Each 3D printer will be mounted on a half-height two-drawer file cabinet. A plywood support plate will hold the printer, a power outlet strip, desk lamp, and removable security enclosure. The printer will be securely attached but will be removable when necessary. The two drawers will hold associated tools, filament material, supplies, manuals, etc. Each file cabinet/printer unit will be portable using a hand truck. Toobox (filament spool box) three Allen keys 2.5, 2, 1.5 mm one 7mm box-open-end wrench one insulated ceramic screwdriver one razor blade

one length of 0.013" wire small plastic bags to put little tools and parts in. extra filament spool centering fixtures (anybody found a design so we can print some more?) one pair tweezers. Kapton tape (or whatever we can use to repair damaged thermal wrap on head. small Post-a-Notes to use when leveling table.
painters tape 3M 2090 for adhesion to build surface and protection of acrylic build plate.

stiff bristle toothbrush or wire brush for de-hairing. knife/screwdriver/putty knife suitable for prying printed parts off build plate scissors to cut filament Simple Green biodegradable degreaser cleaner to recondition build surface.
Caution !lcohol based cleaners should not be used as they "ill cause "ea#ening and e$entual disintegration of the acrylic %uild &late.

gram scale (one stand only if too expensive) 100W light bulb(s) for warp reduction Upper drawer extension cord laptop securing system Lower drawer operators manual maintenance manual vacuum cleaner filament storage hand truck http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/material-handling/hand-trucks-dollies/hand-trucksfolding/best-value-folding-hand-cart-150-lb-capacity? infoParam.campaignId=T9A&gclid=CNDDodrT_rkCFYtxQgodz0YA9A tie-down to secure printer stand to hand truck

Becoming an operator of the 3D printer

1. READ the manuals. We need to put both on-line, and put hardcopies in the printer drawer. 2. Take a written test. 3. Take a hands on test. 4. After passing both tests, become an apprentice to a master user. 5. Receive certification from master user.