How to print the HevORT STLs?
1. Which material?
Pretty much any common 3D printing material can be used to print the HevORT parts.
After trying a few materials over the years, here is how I would categorise them in a very non-scientific way:
Price: Price in USD per kilogram
Rigidity: Force required to induce deflection.
Crack Resistant: Amount of deflection before rupture. (Non-Brittleness)
Layer Adhesion: Difference between forces required to break perpendicular to layers VS parallel to layers.
Heat Resistance: Temperature value from which material looses its rigidity in Celsius degrees.
Easy to print: Level of technical knowledge or special equipment required in order to achieve good prints.
| Material | Brand | Price | Rigidity | Crack Resistant | Layer Adhesion | Heat Resist | Easy to Print | Special Print Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASA | FormFutura ApolloX | 45 | ++++ | +++ | +++ | 98 | ++++ | Enclosure |
| ABS | Filaments.ca | 23 | ++++ | +++ | ++++ | 105 | +++ | Enclosure |
| Nylon PA12 | Filaments.ca | 45 | +++++ | ++++ | +++++ | 110 | + | SuperDry + Enclosure + Bed Adhesion compound |
| Nylon HDCF | Filaments.ca | 98 | ++++ | +++++ | +++++ | 167 | ++ | Dry + Enclosure + Bed Adhesion compound |
| Nylon Alloy910 | Taulman3D | 60 | ++ | +++++ | +++++ | 82 | ++++ | Dry |
| PETG | Filaments.ca | 30 | +++ | +++ | ++++ | 85 | +++ | Dry |
| PETG CF | Filaments.ca | 38 | ++++ | +++ | +++ | 90 | +++ | Dry |
| PLA EcoTough | Filaments.ca | 27 | ++++ | +++ | ++++ | 70 | +++++ | NA |
| PLA | Generic | 20 | +++++ | ++ | ++++ | 65 | +++++ | NA |
| PC Polycarbonate | Never tried yet… |
I am currently running ABS on the big parts and HDCF Nylon for the more technical parts such as the Y and X carriages.
2. Placing your parts in the slicer.
All STL files are already properly oriented for optimal print results and optimal layer orientation.
3. Slicer Settings
In this section I will assume that you have some experience with 3D printing and that your printer is calibrated. If you are not too sure about what I mean by calibrated, have a look at my personal recipe for printer calibration
The following printer settings are based on Ultimaker Cura setting nomenclature which may vary if you are using a different slicer.
Before we start, ensure to make all settings visible by going into:
Preferences/Configure Cura.../Settings
Select Check All then Close
Note that not all settings will be detailed and explained.
QUALITY
| Section | Setting | Recommended Value | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | Layer Height | Between 0.12 and 0.24 | No structural or precision gain by going lower than 0.12. But going higher than 0.24 might create issues with small holes and other fine details. |
| Quality | Line Width | 0.46 (for 0.4mm nozzle) | I usually set this to be a little bit wider than the nozzle diameter. This ensures a better pressure of the layer against the part while providing a better finish I feel. |
SHELL
| Section | Setting | Recommended Value | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shell | Wall Line Count | 3 to 4 | I prefer setting this parameter over setting the wall thickness. 3 to 4 walls will provide solid parts. |
| Shell | Top/Bottom thickness | 1mm | This means between 8 and 4 top and bottom layers, depending on your layer height. |
INFILL
| Section | Setting | Recommended Value | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infill | Infill Density | 25-30% | Infill doesn’t add much to part strength, but it improves quality |
| Infill | Infill Pattern | Grid or Gyroid | Grid prints faster, gyroid might give slightly more rigid results |
| Infill | Infill Before Walls | Off | This setting often causes infill to be visible from the outside (thus messing with accuracy) |