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Best 3d printer for anime figures
Can You 3D Print Anime Figures? – 3dprintscape.com
I love 3D printing and have printed many things on my 3D printer. A common question people ask when first getting into 3D printing is whether it’s possible to 3D print anime characters. Based on my experience and that of other people who have been 3D printing for some time here’s what I found.
It’s possible to 3D print anime figures. A 3D printer can easily print anime figures, and there are many free anime 3D print files available online. They are downloaded, sliced using software, and then sent to a 3D printer to print. They can be printed with a hobbyist filament or resin 3D printer.
Below, I will describe how much it costs to print anime figures using a 3D printer, what 3D printers will work to print anime figures, as well as, whether you can print other figures for Warhammer 40k, and D&D.
What’s Involved in 3D Printing Anime Figures
So, you’re now aware that you can print anime figures, but is it worth it, and what’s involved?
To 3D print anime figures you need:
- A hobbyist 3D printer or better
- The design files
- Filament or resin
- A computer and slicing software – slicing software is free
A Hobbyist 3D Printer or Better
3D printers can be broken down broadly into hobbyist models and industrial-grade models. Industrial 3D printing factories can use far bigger and elaborate 3D printers. But, it’s not necessary to get an expensive 3D printer to 3D print anime figures.
One of the most popular 3D printers is the Creality Ender 3. They are priced at about $250 depending on where you get it. An Ender 3 is perfectly fine for printing high-quality anime figures that look amazing.
On top of the difference between an industrial and hobbyist 3D printer, there are also resin and filament 3D printers. Both are priced the same, but, resin 3D printers print in better detail, and the 3D prints you make look better.
Filament 3D printed objects look fine, and you won’t be disappointed with a filament 3D printer. The one drawback of resin 3D printers is the cost of materials is higher than a filament 3D printer. But, all things considered, it’s still not that expensive. I’ll provide a full cost breakdown further below.
The Anime 3D Design Files
To 3D print anime figures, you need a 3D print design which comes in the form of a file that you download to your computer and then copy it to your 3D printer.
There are many free files that users have submitted on websites such as Thingiverse.
You can find Pokemon, Bleach, Naruto, and My Neighbour Totoro files for free. But, less well-known anime generally aren’t there.
You can design any anime character you like. But, it does take a bit of learning and practice before you can do it.
STL DownloadFilament or Resin
Filament or resin is the material that a 3D print is made out of. These are both easily available to buy online or in stores.
A Computer & Slicing Software
A computer is needed to process the 3D print files, and to send them to your 3D printer. Many people wonder what kind of computer you need, and the answer is nothing too fancy. In this article, I summarized what computer you need for 3D printing[put link to article].
On top of that, you need slicing software, which formats the design file in a way your 3D printer understands. One of the most popular is Cura, which is free.
The Step by Step Process for 3D Printing Anime Figures
Now, you know about everything you need to 3D print anime figures, how do you actually do it? It’s actually surprisingly simple. You find an anime figure you want to print on one of the many websites online, then you download it to your computer.
After that, you open it in your slicing software, which will prepare it for your 3D printer. Finally, you send it to your 3D printer or put it onto an SD card, and then plug the SD card into your 3D printer and begin printing.
How Much Does It Cost to 3D Print an Anime Figure?
Since I’ve 3D printed a lot of objects I have a good idea about what it costs to print various sized objects. So, here’s how much it costs to 3D print an anime figure.
On average, it costs $0.20 cents to print a 2 to 3 inch (5 cm to 7.6 cm) tall anime figurine. The main cost is the material used to print it. The electricity cost is very negligible and only costs 1 to 2 cents per figure.
This does not take into account the cost to buy the 3D printer itself.
Here’s a table that shows a breakdown of the costs involved in 3D printing an anime figurine:
| Expense | Price of a Chess Piece Sized Mini |
|---|---|
| Filament | $0.06 (2.5g of filament) |
| Electricity | $0.01 |
| Margin for error for failed prints, and wasted filament | $0.01 |
| TOTAL | $0.08 |
| Time to print | 30 minutes |
How long does it take to 3D print an anime figure?
It takes on average 30 minutes to 1 hour to print a 2 to 3 inch (5 cm to 7.6 cm) tall anime figure depending on how detailed it is.
If it doesn’t have much detail, for example, a Pokeball – which is smooth, and is very simple it can print faster.
Whereas, a Charizard or a Bleach character has much more detail to it, which requires the 3D printer to do more back and forth motions which takes more time.
But, a good rule of thumb is about an hour give or take.
How Do You Paint 3D Anime Figures?
I’ve found it’s pretty much required to paint 3D printed anime figures. So, then how do you do it?
3D anime figures can be painted with regular acrylic paint you can buy at art stores or online. Before painting it, it’s best to fill in any imperfections using a poly filler, sand the surface using fine sandpaper, and spray it with primer.
Primer makes the paint stick better and creates a better end result. Here’s a good video I found that shows exactly how it’s done. The higher quality the acrylic paint is, the better the end result. But, fairly cheap acrylic paints still look good.
Related Articles
- 3D Printing Actual Costs with Examples
- Will 3d Printing Replace Injection Molding?
- Create a Temperature Tower Using Cura – The Easy Way
- Cura Profiles
- Is 3D Printing Minis Cheaper? – Answers Inside
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How to Select The Best Anime 3D Printer
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Although the popularity of video games has surged, the die-hard fans of tabletop games still do not mind going way ahead to create their favorite anime figures.
From war heroes to cute show characters, it’s not easy to buy every model out there. That is when the anime 3D printer comes into play.
Using home printers, individuals are able to cut down the cost of owning their favorite miniatures. At the same time, one can customize the designs as desired.
With so many perks to enjoy, no doubt that so many people look for just the right 3D printer to make their projects involving anime successful.
And, if you are searching for one too, here is a guide to help you locate the machine, suiting your expectation and budget for creating fun art models at home.
Do not mind carrying a little personal research as well to ensure you spend in the best choice. After all, you will be investing a handsome amount to pay for your machine.
Why 3D Print Anime Figures?
Many decide to print Anime characters. However, is it worth your time and effort? Well, there are many benefits of printing these models at home.
You can customize the designs as needed. Using the advanced and premium features of 3D modeling software, users can come up with detailed customization. Isn’t it fun to own one-of-a-kind and unique models, together for yourself as well as your friends for playing?
Another important perk is the price. Although printers need a considerate one-time investment, later you only pay for the filament you invest in each model.
Frankly speaking, for smaller models, this won’t be more than even a dollar, especially if you are using PLA, the cheapest material around.
If you calculate the savings, you are making over time, you certainly will be pleased to get your printer right away.
In addition, it’s not rocket science to post-process these models after printing. Sanding, painting, and a few other methods would hook you up just right.
Just remember, if you are planning to get a figurine or two for decorating your house, it is better to buy it from a nearby marketplace. In case, you need a customized one, go for 3D printing services. Buying a printer is worthy for those who wish to invest more time creating fun objects with continuous work.
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Which 3D Printing Technology to Choose?
Among the different 3D printing technologies, there are only two common ones that are available for an affordable price tag: the FDM and the resin-based 3D printers. Among the resin 3D printers, LCD 3D printers are the cheapest and can compete with FDM printers in terms of cost.
Hence, when working at home, individuals can go for any of these two choices.
The question is FDM or LCD 3D printer.
In order to make the right choice, users must acknowledge their priorities. For instance, if you wish to go for ease of use, you might have to compromise a little on quality. Likewise, when wanting the utmost quality, you must agree to put in more effort when printing and finalizing the parts.
Precisely, FDM 3D printer works with materials that are cheaper than the ones used with LCD 3D printer. In addition, it’s straightforward and simpler to work with FDM machines when printing and finishing the 3D models.
Moreover, the larger build volumes provided by FDM printers may not fascinate those looking to create a small miniature in one go. However, those planning to complete multiple smaller prints in one go would certainly welcome the extra space.
On the other hand, LCD 3D printers provide high-quality prints, not possible with budget FDM machines. Offering users a far smoother surface finish with less to no obvious layers, make LCD printers a real gem when working with minute details.
Although the difference in cost of FDM and LCD printers isn’t noticeable, the resin still is much expensive than filaments.
In short, beginners must stick with FDM printers, while the experts can go with LCD 3D printers for creating highly detailed and finer parts.
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Recommendation of Anime 3D Printer
We have listed a few choices for 3D printers for home users. All the machines are affordable and budget-friendly. Depending on your needs, you can choose any of the choices below for printing your favorite anime printer.
Elegoo Mars 2 Pro
With a monochrome screen and an increased build volume, Elegoo Mars 2 Pro is a resin 3D printer providing extreme ease of use.
The printer comes with ...
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05 mm 0.002 inFor the best price resin 3D printer for creating anime, you can invest as little as $319 to buy Elegoo Mars 2 Pro Mono.
It comes with a print volume of 5.1″ x 3.1″ x 6.3″.
Offering fast-speed printing with the capability to create very fine details despite its cheap price tag, Mars 2 Pro has become a really fascinating choice for beginners and experts alike.
Those with experience of creating designs while able to handle the complexities of resin printing can use this printer to make amazing models. From miniatures to tabletop characters, it is possible to create endless creations on this machine.
Apart from the great finish and the great quality part, the printer offers many other premium features. Its 2K 6″ LCD screen ensures that the prints come out of the printer with utmost accuracy.
Users can attain layer resolutions ranging between 0.01 to 0.2mm. Paired with CHITUBOX, the popular resin 3D slicer, one can quickly prepare models for printing with ease. Using the software, one can hollow out models for saving material costs.
In short, if you have the technical expertise to handle resin printing, and invest a little more in material, choose this amazing machine for high-quality printing.
Elegoo Mars 2 Pro 3D Printer In-Depth Review
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Anycubic Photon Mono X
Falling at a little expensive end, the Anycubic Mono X is available for $899. With a build volume of 7.55″ x 4.72″ x 9.84″, the printer can really help you create awesome designs with perfection, over and over again.
Those who have the extra bucks ready for investing in a 3D printer are welcome to go beyond budget machines and buy Mono X. It certainly is one of the best choices for printing anime. Not to forget, the resin-based printer is also faster in speed.
Letting users print at a speed of 60mm/h, the printer also offers a comparatively larger build space. Hence, its perfect for printing anime accessories, scaling the size. Alternatively, users can also choose to print multiple models at once.
This upgraded machine hosts the 4K monochrome screen, a pretty amazing enhancement made on its standard Mono 3D printer. Alongside, the Mono X also flaunts an upgraded double linear Z-axis in order to offer higher printing stability.
Mono X has a 3.5” touchscreen with simple navigation and a user-friendly interface. Users can also monitor the printing process remotely over WiFi. To be precise, if your budget is closer to $1000, you must not miss buying this amazing printer that lets users create objects with invisible layer differences.
Anycubic Photon Mono X 3D Printer In-Depth Review
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Creality Ender 3 V2
Available for just $288, this FDM 3D printer is one of the cheapest and accurate machines available around. Not just that, the print volume is sufficient enough to create anime as well as other parts in one go. It has a build volume of 220 x 220 x 250 mm.
The Ender 3 is popular mostly because of the high reliability it offers, despite the low cost falling under $300.
If you are a beginner, you may feel a little too overwhelmed with its first-time setup. Not wanting to scare, but the printer comes as a kit.
Usually, the assembling of Ender 3 V2 takes around an hour, involving working with around 20 screws. You may look for complete assembled printers as beginners. But to get a machine, equally great as this DIY kit, you must be ready to pay more. Alternatively, you can invest a little effort to save considerably.
When printing miniatures and anime, this printer offers an affordable option with a simple working experience. Users can work with filaments such as ABS or PLA, for consistent results.
Because of its popularity and amazing printing workflow, it enjoys a huge community of creators, ready to help one another in times of need. In addition, the customer service excels at resolving customers’ issues.
By compromising a little on quality when compared to the LCD printers, choosing Ender 3 will save you from unnecessary hassle along with the complexity that comes along with resin printing.
Moreover, you will have to deal with reduced safety risks. Not to forget, FDM parts are stronger and more durable than the models printed using resin.
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Qidi Tech X-Pro
The thing that sets apart this 3D printer from its competitors is its solid aluminum body and quality of all the parts that make it. Something that ...
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75 mm 0.07 inOne more affordable 3D printer is QiDi Tech X-Pro.
The machine costs around $499 and comes in a compact design. Offering a build volume of 230 x 150 x 150 mm, the printer provides sufficient space for creating anime.
If the price seems a bit more than the Ender 3, there are reasons for the same. To start with, Qidi Tech X-Pro flaunts a dual extruder, offering huge advantages to those printing miniatures and anime figures. With the ability to print with two different colors along with filaments, the printer increases the design possibilities manifold.
Apart from multiple colours and filaments, you can also choose to print with a soluble material instead. This may result in a single-colored anime, but the dissolvable support will ensure a smoother finish for your models.
Not to forget, QiDi Tech X-Pro comes fully assembled. In addition, its 4.3 inches touchscreen provides users with highest ease of handling print settings. It also allows remote printing. So, users can connect via WiFi for sharing the files needed to be printed.
Alongside, the printer also has a USB stick connection.
In order to ensure a safer printing experience, with hassle-free object removal after printing completes, the machine hosts a curved build plate. Also, the enclosed build chamber ensures consistent heating while being able to create smoother and beautiful models with ease.
Overall, if you can pay around $500 for a dual extruder printer to enjoy many perks unavailable with a single extruder, this is the printer you must choose.
Qidi Tech X-Pro 3D Printer In-Depth Review
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Monoprice Voxel
A plug and play 3D printer that lets you work through your designs without needing to spend unnecessary time on settings and assembling.
Mostly a ...
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75 mm 0.07 inWith a maximum build space of 150 x 150 x 150 mm, Monoprice Voxel offers its users a complete solution for printing anime and many other designs.
The printer is one of the best choices for beginners available as a compact and small printer hosting an enclosed build chamber.
The printer is safe to work at home. This is because of its enclosed design that keeps the hot parts away. Hence, it also is a great choice for kids and young creators.
With a closed chamber, the printer sustains consistent printing temperature for high-quality models while minimizing the chances of warping. Monoprice Voxel flaunts various premium features including the filament run-out detector.
Being simple to use, the printer is highly user-friendly. From easy change of nozzle to the removal of prints after completion, the printer isn’t just a low-cost choice but offers great quality models to the users.
The only limitation is its small size. It certainly does not matter when printing anime but it’s not possible to accommodate multiple models at once.
You can buy Monoprice Voxel for around $499.
Monoprice Voxel 3D Printer In-Depth Review
The Conclusion
With the increasing interest of users to customize models at home, the number of 3D printers is surging exponentially.
Not only are these machines getting better, but affordable as well. And, the same applies to anime 3D printers.
Rather than being limited to a few choices, today, users can select from a wide range of alternatives. From FDM to SLA 3D Printers, there are many ways to realize the designs you have been eager to print for a long time.
All you have to do is research a little and look for our recommendation to pick the best anime 3D printer suited for your application.
Choosing the best 3D printer for printing miniatures
3DPrintStory Reviews Choosing the best 3D printer for printing miniatures
The use of 3D printers for printing game miniatures is gaining more and more popularity today.
As the price of 3D printers continues to fall, it is likely that the demand for 3D printed game miniatures will only continue to rise.
If you pick the right 3D printer, you can get amazing 3D models for board games or to put an inspirational action figure from your favorite game on your desktop.
Today's desktop 3D printers have become reliable, easy to use and provide decent quality finished products.
How to choose a 3D miniature printer?
There is a wide range of desktop 3D printers that can be used for 3D miniature printing at home. And if you study the market a bit, or at least the options below, you can get great detailed 3D models.
With the right 3D printer, you can print your own figurines and even create your own board games.
If you don't want to design 3D models of figurines from scratch (and this will really require some skills and time from you), then you can find interesting 3D models on sites with free 3D printable models.
After downloading the model, you can immediately print it or edit it before 3D printing for your own needs. We also recommend that you familiarize yourself with interesting 3D models from Dutchmogul. Perhaps in his wonderful collection you will find something interesting for yourself.
To get the same level of detail as the thumbnails above, your 3D printer must meet certain criteria. The most important feature of a 3D printer to consider is the level of detail it can reproduce. This criterion is formed based on the following parameters:
Nozzle diameter
To create a 3D miniature, heated plastic is extruded through a hole. Orifice is the diameter of the nozzle. Make sure the 3D printer nozzle size is less than 0.4mm.
XY Movement Accuracy
Consideration should be given to the accuracy of the 3D printer's X and Y movement.
Layer Thickness
Layer Thickness is the height of each layer of heated plastic that is used to create a 3D figurine or miniature.
To get a more detailed model, you need to reduce the layer thickness. However, the low thickness means that 3D printing will take longer. In order to print a detailed miniature, you will most likely need a 3D printer that can print with a layer thickness of 100 microns (0.1 mm) or less.
Material type
The most common materials used in 3D printers are ABS or PLA. To get a good surface, after 3D printing, it should be post-processed. If you are using ABS plastic, you can sand the miniature and steam it in acetone to get a smooth surface. It is also worth paying attention to PETG plastics, which are gaining more and more attention and positive user reviews.
Thumbnail size (scale)
If you want to start 3D printing game miniatures, think about the size you would like to get.
A 28mm (~1:58 scale) or 54mm (~1:32 scale) miniature can be made with a standard desktop 3D printer that melts plastic filament. To make a smaller miniature, you will need an SLA Resin printer, which uses liquid resin and strengthens it.
In addition to the figurine, you can also print larger models. 3D printing large models such as houses, huts, castles, trees, and tanks will require more expensive 3D printers that provide faster speeds with good 3D print quality. But there is an important point in the choice. It is better to choose high-quality 3D printing than a large one. You can always separate larger models for printing and then join them together using the same adhesive. The result will be much better than lower quality 3D printing on a 3D printer with a large workspace.
HICTOP CR-10S 3D printer
Value for money, the Hictop CR-10S is one of the best and most affordable budget 3D printers on the market. The Prusa i3 3D printer was taken as the basis for the design.
The Hictop printer uses quality materials for the power supply, motherboard and motion control systems. The metal framework is a rigid and strong design.
The Hictop printer will arrive unassembled, but assembly is easy. You will have to essentially screw in four bolts and connect the necessary wires. That is, you can proceed directly to 3D printing almost immediately after purchase.
The "S" at the end of the CR-10S stands for two Z-axis lead screws and stepper motors.
Dual axis system improves extruder movement accuracy. As a result, you naturally get more accurate 3D printing overall. This is an excellent inexpensive 3D printer that is suitable for 3D printing miniatures and figurines for board games.
The Hictop 3D printer has a mechanism to control the remaining amount of plastic. If the plastic runs out, the printer will go into pause mode and after feeding new material, you can continue printing from the area where you left off. This is a particularly relevant feature for printing large-scale 3D models.
These 3D printers are quite popular, so you will find a lot of information and tips on how to use them online. In addition, thanks to an active community, the Hictop CR-10S has a large number of modifications and upgrades that you can implement yourself and improve its already decent 3D printing quality.
Hictop CR-10S is a quality and affordable 3D printer, which is definitely suitable for 3D printing miniatures and figures of characters from your favorite games or movies.
FLASHFORGE CREATOR PRO 3D printer
FlashForge 3D Printer Creator Pro took inspiration from Makerbot Replica.
A nice feature of the FlashForge 3D printer is that it includes all the custom enhancements from Makerbot. These upgrades include:
- Metal desktop supports. Thus, the working table became more stable during heating and assembling.
- Plastic-coated knobs for easy workbench calibration.
- The Central Processing Unit (CPU) supports Sailfish firmware which allows automatic calibration. In addition, the CPU helps regulate heat and delivers higher quality 3D prints.
The above features make the Creator Pro an excellent miniature 3D printer.
In addition, this 3D printer is made in a closed case, which allows you to print ABS plastic with much less difficulty.
Creator Pro allows you to print two colors at the same time. If you plan to paint the finished model in the future, then you don’t really need this feature, but in general it gives you much more options than the standard analogues with one extruder.
Since the Creator Pro is based on the Makerbot Replica, there is a lot of information available on the internet about this 3D printer.
3D printer SINDOH DP200 3DWOX
If you are looking for a reliable 3D printer for printing miniatures, then you should pay attention to Sindoh DP200 3DWOX. This is the best choice if you want to make 3D mini figures.
This 3D printer is easy to use, suitable even for beginners in the world of 3D printing. Below are some of its features:
- 3D printing table covered with aluminum PTFE.
- 3D printing resolution is 50 microns (0.05 mm).
- Equipped with a high efficiency particulate air filter and a closed chamber for 3D printing, which is especially good when using ABS plastics.
- Easy to use material cartridge chamber.
- Sindoh does an excellent job of printing minifigures in high detail.
One of the disadvantages of the Sindoh DP200 printer is that it can only use manufacturer's filament. Consequently, you will pay more money for cartridges because you will not be able to use materials from other manufacturers. The price of these cartridges, of course, is higher than analogues.
Otherwise, the Sindoh DP200 3DWOX 3D printer is a great option for high quality 3D printing of detailed models.
DREMEL DIGILAB 3D printer
The use of SLA technology for 3D printing helps to obtain miniature products of very high quality. SLA also helps print miniature parts as small as 28mm. The price of this wonderful 3D printer is comparable to the cost of a laptop.
SLA printing differs from FFF printing in the very essence of the processes. During SLA 3D printing, liquid resin is baked using a UV laser. The formation of the part looks like a gradual lifting of the finished model and a bath with liquid material.
Industrial 3D stereolithography printers now available at home! The Dremel Digilab 3D printer has proven itself as a hobby printer, which differs from expensive industrial analogues in its exceptionally smaller workspace.
Key Features of the Dremel Digilab 3D Printer:
- The minimum wall thickness of the 3D model is 25 µm (0.025mm).
- Faster 3D printing compared to FFF 3D printers.
- Excellent surface quality of the finished 3D model.
Digilab is a great SLA 3D printer. It is easy to use and, according to user reviews, reliable.
With this 3D printer, you can use resins to make investment casting molds. It can also be used to make jewelry by casting metals.
Some disadvantages of using SLA for 3D printing:
- It's expensive. The resin needs to be updated, as over time it ages and loses the necessary properties.
- Resins require maintenance. Make sure you start 3D printing only after the balloons created by adding resin to the tank are gone.
When you're done printing, you should clean the tank thoroughly to remove cured resin, which can affect the quality of subsequent 3D prints.
- When cleaning this 3D printer, be careful to use latex gloves and alcohol.
Conclusions
This article is to help you choose a desktop 3D printer to print board game models or just beautiful fantasy characters and landscapes. 3D printers and board games are a very good combination, and the models listed above are a good choice if you want to create your own game miniatures.
We hope you found this overview helpful. Good luck with your ideas in the world of 3D printing!
Printing on a 3D printer or how to stop buying in cheap shops”
08/27/2016
Not so long ago, we told you about what 3D printers are and what they are. These devices are gradually gaining popularity, attracting more and more fans with the ability to print both "serial" items and unique items with individual designs at home. And today we continue the conversation about 3D printers with the topic of how to create something with their help.
As a visual aid, we have the inno3D D1 printer. The manufacturer is mainly known to gamers for its video cards, but as you can see, they deal not only with computer components.
In addition to the printer itself, the second important component needed for printing is the actual consumables. At the moment, the highest quality consumables are produced by Japanese companies. For example, the same Verbatim, a filament (a bobbin of plastic in the form of a thread) of which we use in our project. Basically, two types of plastic are used for printing in consumer 3D printers - PLA (Polylactic Acid) and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). The first of them is more environmentally friendly, smells less when printed and holds its shape better. The second is more resistant to stress and high temperatures, and it can also be glossed with acetone. But at the same time, ABS requires more thorough preparation before printing and smells strongly during its process (although it is better not to smell any melted plastic). There are other compatible materials: wood (a mixture of wood powder and PLA) - repeats the properties of wood (it is well painted, polished and carved), PVA (Polyvinyl Alkohol) - a water-soluble material used by dual-nozzle 3D printers as an easily removable support in parts with a complex internal structure , TPE - plastic with rubber properties (used where damping properties or increased flexibility are needed), HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene) - plastic in many ways similar to ABS, except that its solvent is not acetone, but limonene.
So, we have a printer and a filament, how can we print something? If a conventional printer needs a text or graphic file, then for a 3D printer we need a three-dimensional model. You can create it yourself, or you can download it on one of the sites where enthusiasts have been posting the results of their work for more than a year. Actually, in most cases, models from the Internet are enough to make various utilitarian things. Self-modeling is only needed if you are creating something unique, or if you want to add something of your own to the downloaded model.
We chose the last option - downloaded the model of a squirrel with a nut and added the address of our website. The software that comes with the printer is focused only on the final adjustment of the size of the object to the printed area, and the "cutting" of the layers. So, in order to make changes to the model, you need to acquire software capable of editing it. There are hundreds of such programs. There are applications aimed at beginners: with extremely simple controls and not rich features (there are even web editors). There are also tools for those who take things very seriously and want to get the most out of their printer. In any case, the good news is that most of the popular software is free. This means that our creative impulses can be satisfied without spending money on applications.
After downloading SketchUp (the first program that was more or less liked by the screenshots), we load the file with the squirrel. Add a rectangle next to the squirrel, extrude it into a cube and make an indented inscription. Export the model to a stl file (this format is supported by the inno3D utility) and go to the proprietary application window.
Here we set the dimensions of the future figurine (the printer allows you to print objects up to 14x14x15 centimeters in size), print quality and start cutting. Yes, since the printer prints by fusing plastic layer by layer, when preparing a 3D model, it is converted into a Gcode file. It contains a series of sections of the future subject. In some ways, it is similar to the results of an MRI scan. Together with cutting, the program calculates the filling of volumes and supporting elements. Filling allows you to make objects not completely cast, but hollow, but at the same time strong enough and keeping their shape. And supporting elements are needed so that objects of complex shapes do not bend before the parts connecting them are printed. Also, when creating a Gcode file, you can set the working parameters for printing: nozzle temperature, heating of the table (the platform on which printing takes place) and the need to create a base layer to increase the stability of the printed object.
The resulting file can be printed by connecting the printer to a computer, or copied to a memory card and printed from it. By analogy with a conventional printer, it seems logical to work directly from a computer. But here the difference in printing technology affects: the text will be ready in ten seconds, and the production of the item will take a couple of hours, or even a couple of days, depending on its size. And all this time it is necessary for the computer to be turned on, connected and not rebooted. So in fact, it is more practical and convenient to write a file to a memory card and print offline. And to be completely prudent, then the printer should not be connected directly to the outlet, but through an uninterruptible power supply - then the print will definitely not be interrupted.
We write the file to the memory card and insert it into inno3D D1. Before starting work, you need to make sure that everything is in order with the device. We check the presence of a film on the working surface. It improves the adhesion of the plastic to the surface, and also facilitates the removal of printed objects. It is important that it be intact and lie as evenly as possible (the skills of sticking protective films on a smartphone will come in handy here). The next step is to turn on the printer and run a self-test. The printer will check the operation of the printhead and bed heaters, as well as the positioning motors. After making sure that the main components of the printer are working properly, you need to calibrate. Without it, you cannot be sure that the object being created will fit correctly on the printing table.
Before the start, we check the speed settings (the printer is still a test one, and who knows what they screwed up to us), and start the process. The printer spends a couple of minutes warming up the table and the print head, after which the techno-magic begins. Having followed how the base and the first layers of the squirrel itself are created, you can leave the printer alone until the end of printing. And you can stay to watch how something beautiful is gradually created from an inconspicuous bay of plastic thread. In the case of inno3D, this is entertainment not only for the eyes, but also for the ears - the alternate operation of several servos at different speeds creates a kind of music. Sometimes there is even a feeling that the printer is “humming” fragments of Daft Punk melodies.
Approximate printing time can be found according to the data calculated by the proprietary slicer utility, or by estimating the time elapsed after the start and the remaining volume of the item. Our squirrel with good print quality took about seven hours to create. Everything is fine, but she came out with some holes. Reprinting with different printer settings showed that the problem is in the model itself - the shape and placement of problem areas on the finished product turned out to be the same. The idea was confirmed after printing another item - cookie cutters, which turned out without any flaws.
Results
3D printing is a relatively new technology and has not yet been perfected. It has a place for new discoveries and revolutions, and there is a place for flaws and well-known problems. But having created your first item, and realizing that in this way you can print millions of different little things (from beautiful trinkets and personalized gifts to broken parts of devices no longer supported by the service and the implementation of some of your own ideas), it’s hard to stop. Moreover, the printer is useful not only in the household, but also in the development of the child and the creation of his own business - after all, you can print anything.
