I’m trying to print this custom design, but having some issues. What would be the best way to investigate the problem I am having?
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/r55guo1linxap4yy3fm8a/20230925_075218.jpg?rlkey=ruefuccqm6kddyh15wead957j&dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/3st6yvi2ce6ojpyjsojax/20230925_075306.jpg?rlkey=5dmmmp5hukynfamh2ryhjqw1v&dl=0
To display images inline you need to add an exclamation point before the square brackets, like this:
But also you want to use the direct link to the image itself, not the Dropbox page for the image, so this:
The problem here is that the vertical bars are too tall and thin. You have to think of each one as a lever while the top is unfinished and not connected. The bottom part where it’s connected is the fulcrum, and the nozzle is the load. When the nozzle is printing at the top of the bar, it is pulling on the bar in the direction of movement, causing it to bend. If there’s a weak point it will snap.
You could fix this by making the bars thicker, or by increasing the number of horizontal connections so that the unsupported vertical pieces aren’t as tall, or possibly by slowing down your print speed - but it’s really a design issue.
another solution might be to angle the bars so they criss cross in a skinny-X pattern, but I agree it’s a design issue. especially if it’s always breaking at the same spot.
Second this. If it’s PLA, improving layer cooling might help stiffen the last layer before the next is applied. If it’s not PLA, slowing the print down can reduce the horizontal forces for slower-cooling filaments like PETG/ABS. If there’s any warping or over extrusion leaving little blobs on the surface, your nozzle can bump into them, breaking cantilevered features like this one, or breaking the part off the build plate. Getting retraction to blob less or making sure no over-extrusion exists could help. If it’s PETG or Nylon, printing slightly wet (where the surface doesn’t look bad) can cause blobs on the top layer that the nozzle hits and causes those horizonal forces.
Drooping like this means something is too soft (speed up cooling on PLA, reduce print speed to give more cooling time and better layer adhesion for any material)
Prints like this aren’t impossible. I’ve printed a PETG storm drain that had vertical slots like this when I couldn’t buy one I needed. It turned out great but I had to print really slow.
Thank you for the help with the photos. I’m still struggling with it for some reason…
I appreciate the feedback on the vertical bars being too thin, that makes sense. I’ll do some adjustments to the design, do some calibration prints, and give it another shot.
For the images, try right-clicking on one and clicking “Open image in new tab” so you can see just the image without anything else. Use that link.
For designing, keep in mind that at the tip of the nozzle where the soft plastic is hardening on the model, the nozzle movement is pulling on the hardening plastic and actually putting a lot of force on that part of the model… there’s nothing you can really do to change that, it’s just how printing works. You kind of have to design around it.
From what I can see in the images, your calibration looks fine. The layers are actually aligned really well, I wouldn’t change anything there.