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Uni 3d printer


UNI | Metal Casting Center

​At the UNI Foundry 4.0 Center, staff and students provide services targeted towards demonstration, education and consultation in additive manufacturing.  Past clients have included small and large companies alike, as well as all five branches of the U.S. Department of Defense.

Industry Service

With unmatched expertise and equipment, we have the capability to use special materials and/or processes that aren’t yet commercially available to provide molds and cores to companies.  We work with larger companies and industry associations for the acceptance and adoption of technology and then have the opportunity to move this technology down to smaller companies involved in the supply chain.  Almost all of our additive manufacturing projects are integrated into production methodologies and sold to customers.  In fact, our knowledge, expertise and direct industry outreach, the state of Iowa now has the most private companies using 3D sand printing technology in the United States.

Industry 4.0 Foundry Partnership

Foundries across the nation are under constant pressure to improve processes and overcome the challenges of this segment. The demands for accuracy and precision, as well as notable increases in the quantities, product range, and components, will continue to rise. The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), acknowledge the situation and recognize the challenges and obstacles. By joining forces with two universities, the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) and Youngstown State University (YSU), foundries will be able to increase the adoption of Industry 4.0. Download the project brochure to learn more. 

This project is sponsored by the Defense Logistics Agency Information Operations, J68, Research & Development, Ft. Belvoir, VA, and the DLA Troop Support, Philadelphia, PA.

Services​
  • Hard foundry tooling for medium to high-pressure sand molding
    • ​PLA (FFF)
    • SLA Shell
  • ​Expendable investment patterns​
    • PMMA
    • Wax
    • SLA QuickCast
    • PolyCast (FFF)
  • Investment casting tree assembly & shells
  • Printed sand molds and cores
    • ​Silica
    • Ceramic
    • Zircon
    • Chromite
    • Silica/zircon blends
    • Black iron oxide blends
    • Magnesium inhibitor blends
  • ​Robotic sand milling of cope & drag molds
  • Printed expendable patterns for lost foam casting (FFF)
  • Design for Additive Manufacturing 
  • Dimensional analysis

Research & Development

Staff and students are continuously working on R&D projects to advance the additive manufacturing industry. Just a few highlights:

  • Developed new domestic printing materials that have reduced the cost of 3D sand printing by more than 80%
  • Assisted in the development of low-VOC non-flammable printer cleaning fluid that reduces fire, environmental and worker safety risks
  • Development of environmentally safe inorganic resin systems to be used in sand printing technology

Lab Capabilities
  1. Production Lab
  2. Student Engineering Center 
  3. Plastic Printing Lab 
  4. Robotic Mold Machining Center 
  5. Design Lab (in partnership with Hawkeye Community College)

UNI Foundry 4.0 Center Equipment

  • ExOne S-Max Sand Printer

  • ProMetal RCT S-15 Sand Printer

  • Hexagon Metrology 3 Meter Romer Arm with Laser Scanner

  • Arcam Spider Handheld White Light Scanner

  • Voxeljet Systems, VX1000 PMMA Printer

  • 3D Platform Fused Filament Fabrication Plastic Printer

  • 5-Axis Kuka Robotic Sand Mold Milling Cell

  • KEA Automation Robotic Shell Room System

  • FormLabs Form2 Printer

  • 3D Systems ProJet 660Pro Color Jet Printer

  • 3D Systems ProX 800 3D Stereolithography (SLA) Printer

  • 3D Systems ProJet MJP 2500 IC Wax Printer

3D Printer Instructions | University of Illinois Laboratory High School

Diagram of Ender Pro 3 V2:

  • Spool - cylinder housing filament
  • Extruder - contraption used to heat and extrude filament
  • Bed - surface where filmanet is extruded
  • Steppers - wheels used to adjust the bed's height
  • Display - screen used to adjust printer settings, controlled by display knob
  • MicroSD Card Slot - port used to house microSD card
  • On/Off Switch - switch used to turn printer on or off

 

Uploading Your Model:

Pre-steps:

  1. Log in to the desktop computer in the Maker Space using your Illinois NetID and password
  2. Open the app "Ultimaker Cura" (use Window's search bar if necessary to find the app)

When using Ultimaker Cura for the first time:  

  • Follow the set-up guide (skip signing in to the Ultimaker platform)
  • Add a non-networked printer --> Scroll down to "Creality3D" --> Select "Creality Ender-3 Pro" (no need to change machine settings)
  • Click "Finish"
      USB adapter for microSD card
​​​​​​

Steps:

  1. Click the file icon in the top left and select your model from File Explorer
  2. Click the blue "Slice" button in the bottom right
  3. Insert a microSD card into a USB adapter (pictured right) --> Insert USB adapter into the desktop's USB port
  4. Click "Save to Removable Drive" in the bottom right of Ultimaker Cura
  5. Eject the USB adapter once saved

 

Using the 3D Printer:

Operating the Display:

  • Rotate the display knob left or right to change options and press the knob to select

Steps to Print:

        Autohome Position (Steps 4 & 8)
  1. Turn on the printer using the switch on the back of the printer
  2. Remove the microSD card from the USB adapter and insert it into the 3D printer's microSD card slot (see diagram)
  3. Use the display knob to set the bed temperature to 60ºC ("Control" --> "Temperature" --> "Bed Temperature")
  4. "Autohome" ("Prepare" --> "Autohome") (pictured right)
  5. "Disable Steppers" ("Prepare" --> "Disable Stepper")
  6. Adjust the bed by rotating the steppers (clockwise to raise and counterclockwise to lower) so that the extruder is 1. 5mm above it
  7. Slide a piece of paper (which is about 1.5mm thick) between the extruder and bed at all four corners (see video below)
  8. "Autohome" again
  9. Use a gluestick to go over the area of the bed where your print will take place (typically the center) to ensure the filament sticks to the bed
  10. "Print" --> scroll to find your file and select it

 

Removing a Print from the Bed:

  1. Go around the print with a scraper and pry up to separate the edges from the bed until the print comes off (see video below)
  2. Turn off the 3D printer using the on/off switch once finished 

 

    Ultimaker 3d Printers | Ultimaker S5. Powerful. Reliable. Versatile.3d Printers Ultimaker

    Meet an easy-to-use desktop 3D printer with a large build area that delivers professional-grade precision. Designed for long, continuous, trouble-free operation.

    The Ultimaker S5 combines a dual extruder system, an intuitive interface, advanced communication options and a filament control system. nine0003

    Scale up your 3D printing experience!

    Build Area: 330x240x300 mm The is the largest in the Ultimaker 3D printer line, yet still comfortable for desktop use.

    Unsurpassed accuracy from the first to the last layer:

    Advanced automatic multi-point calibration and advanced filament feed control let you go about your business while the 3D printer does its job. Advanced 3D printing environment The Ultimaker S5 features a closed chamber, new anodized aluminum print bed. nine0003


    This solution will be useful, first of all, to engineers for printing with special materials. Also, a glass table is included with the 3D printer.

    Filament control system.

    You will no longer encounter the problem when printing fails because the filament ran out during printing. The material feed control system will automatically pause printing and notify you of the need to replace the material.

    Two extruders. nine0012

    The Ultimaker dual extrusion system, which allows printing in both colors and materials, is one of the most sought after on the market. Print with materials such as nylon, CPE or PLA, along with water-soluble PVA support, and easily realize various complex geometries.

    Smart Print Cores.

    Smart core system for fast replacement, customization and ease of setup. Print cores are available with nozzle diameters from 0.25 to 0.8 mm. nine0003

    Productivity has never been so friendly!

    The 3D printer is equipped with a 4.7″ color touch screen for easy navigation.

    The updated menu will make it easy to work with the printer for both a specialist and a beginner. And before printing you can see a preview of your model.

    The power supply is now integrated into the 3D printer body and does not take up additional space on the table.

    As we know, a 3D printer is part of a successful 3D printing process. An important role is played by the software environment and applications. nine0003

    The new Ultimaker APP allows you to easily control the 3D printing process on multiple 3D printers from a common local network, and receive important notifications from your 3D printers wherever you are.

    Ultimaker S5 - built for collaboration.

    Print via Wi-Fi, Ethernet or USB. Thanks to NFC technology, which is used in branded consumables, the printer automatically detects the installed spool. Over-the-air firmware update technology allows you to easily receive critical and important updates for your 3D printer. nine0003

    More options with Cura Connect.

    Combine several 3D printers connected to the network into a common managed pool and get a mini production line right in your office!

    We'll keep you up to date with the latest Ultimaker news!
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