3D Printing Stack Exchange
3D Printing Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
23
votes
5 answers

Should I enclose my 3D Printer?

I have a home built RepRap with all sides open.. Would there be any advantage to enclosing the print area in acrylic?
Matt Clark
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1 answer

How to set Z-probe boundary limits in firmware when using automatic bed leveling?

In setting up a probe for automatic bed leveling, the limits of the probing area must be entered in the firmware of a 3D printer. When using a sensor, how do you define the bed limits for the sensor in Marlin firmware? E.g. the Marlin (1.1.x)…
0scar
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Can you put PLA parts in your car (in the sun)?

I'm in the process of building my own head unit / stereo prototype for a car, which will have a 3D-printed enclosure. My concern is that cars can get quite hot in the sun, and even more so if you live in hot climates. Some estimations put the…
user10974
22
votes
5 answers

How to identify nozzle wear?

E3D-Online and Make Magazine have written about the potential damage printing carbon fiber and glow-in-the-dark filaments can do to your printer's nozzle. What I can't seem to find is what clues or warning signs to be on the lookout for if your…
TheNewHobbyist
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2 answers

What are the parts that make up a hotend, and what do they do?

My first and only 3D printer is a Printrbot Simple Metal, which has a hotend that doesn't expose any of its internal parts. Easy for beginners, I suppose: "The hotend is that tube that heats up the plastic and deposits it on the print bed." But…
mhelvens
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21
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4 answers

Would 3d-printed objects outgas in vacuum?

I want to fabricate a sample holder and shadow masks to use in vacuum chambers. The type of printing material is not important to me PLA/ABS/PC-ABS/nylon). I'm worried that 3d printed objects (FDM) would degas under high vacuum. Is that an actual…
Sparkler
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2 answers

What is Thermal Runaway Protection?

What is Thermal Runaway Protection (TRP) and why should I enable it? How does one do so in Marlin?
Trish
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21
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1 answer

How does one use a heat tower?

I've been asking around on how to choose the right temperature for a given filament. I noticed that with two different brands of pla I have to print at different temperatures, and the manufacturer specifies a broad range of print temperatures. I…
linuxdan
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4 answers

When should I use a raft, when should I use a brim?

Taken from the answer provided by @EricJohnson, When should I use a raft, and when should I use a brim? What advantages does each have over the other? Raft Brim
Matt Clark
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21
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What are the reasons for my 3D prints having large numbers of strings between parts of a layer?

I am printing a print using PLA on a Prusa i3 printer and an MK8 extruder, at 210 degrees celsius, 60 mm/sec, sliced with slic3r. The print consists of a base, with 4 tower-like projections that then join with a near-vertical overhang slope that…
nanofarad
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9 answers

What is the best 3D modeling software for a beginner on a 3D printed mini barrel project?

My goal is to 3D print a 5 liter miniature barrel with a side stand, similar to this wooden one on Amazon. I want it to have a removable top so that a boxed wine bladder may be put inside, and there should be a hole on the top as well so that the…
Maxim Berezin
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3 answers

Are there any ways to make a 3D print transparent?

I am aware of several "clear" filaments for a ABS or PLA printer. They, however, have a cloudy or frosted glass appearance. I do not believe this is possible to eliminate but I believe it can be reduced. Are there effective ways to make a print…
kaine
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7 answers

How to print metal-like parts?

I would like to print parts (e.g. jewellery) for use which I don't want to look or feel like a plastic, but metal-like, so briefly people won't see much difference. Are there any specific type of home-printers that can achieve that? Or it's rather…
kenorb
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In Cura, can I make my top and bottom layer be all perimiters?

I'm using Cura to slice my prints. I've noticed that when printing the bottom layer (and also the top layer, if it's flat), it first prints three walls, then fills in the middle by moving back and forth in straight lines. I've noticed that for my…
N. Virgo
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21
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6 answers

Why keep the bed heated after initial layer(s) with PLA (or PETG)?

I'm printing on an Ender 5 with the default flex/magnetic build surface. I read that PLA and PETG may sometimes be printed without any bed heating at all and also that bed heating is the main contributor to the power consumption of a printer. As I…
Oliver Giesen
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