3D Printing

As promised, this article will be a step-by-step guide to 3D printing.

1. The first step is to have something to 3D print. This is usually something created using CAD software.

2. The next step is to import the design to a 3D printing program. For this, I used Cura. Here is an example of the Cura interface from the internet--I did not make this design.

Cura 14.07

The panel on the left-hand side has adjustable settings for several variables. The most important ones are circled and explained below:

• Layer Height (mm): 3D Printers create 3D objects by adding one small layer on at a time. If you have taken Calculus AB, a good analogy is the step size of a line created with Euler's method. The smaller the step size, the closer the estimate will be to the real function. In 3D printing, a smaller layer height produces smoother, more natural surfaces, like a playground slide compared to a flight of stairs. The drawback of this increased quality is increased print time, because the nozzle must go over the same surface more times. 
• Fill Density (%): This is probably the most important feature, because it determines the 3D print's durability and how much plastic it uses. For example, objects that will be under high stress need a higher fill density for added strength. To make a hollow object, set the fill density to 0%. For a solid object, set it to 100%. Anything in between these extremes will fill a percentage of the volume within the 3D print in a uniform lattice structure.  

3. Then, once the variables are set to the desired values, it is time to print! This is the 3D printer I will be using.

Note the blue "string" sticking out of the print head. 

The red part is the nozzle, where the plastic filament is applied to the 3D print.
The blue lever on the side of the print head disengages the rollers that keep the filament in place.
The bed on the bottom moves left, right, up and down to position the nozzle.
The white piece at the top holds a spool of filament, allowing the user to choose the color and quality of the filament.

I need to remove the leftover filament shown in the previous picture. Right now the nozzle is at room temperature, so the filament is stuck inside. I need to heat the nozzle to 208 degrees Fahrenheit, the filament's melting point. To do this, I use Cura's printing interface, which is, unsurprisingly, very different from a normal printer's.

Only a few of these controls are necessary to set up and operate the printer. 

First, I change the Temperature from 0 to 208 and wait for it to heat up. Then, I use the rightmost cluster of buttons to remove the filament. The EXTRUDE buttons will push the filament through the print head. Once enough filament is pushed through, I can hold down the blue lever and pull out the remaining filament from the top.

Now I can put my filament into the print head.

My algae-based, smelly filament

Fed into print head opening

The last step is to hit the print button and watch the design materialize!