Reliable printer out of the box ?

[Boyan Silyavski]

If you guys dont mind will try to explain here some stuff in detail and offer some tips. Even if you are an advanced 3d print user you may find sth usefull

I use Simplify 3d and IMO is worth the price even if only if they were the first to offer on their web site a tutorial how to figure what's wrong with ones print. In times where nobody had it clear and all was a speculation,
Though i can do the same with most of the main slicers, i find that the Simplify3d is better at the job for complex prints and more straightforward and easy to understand and control.

A couple of tips to begin with 3d printing and have perfect result:

There are some points that are a must to understand and do, thanks god that we are CNC people, so i don't have to explain you that the main thing to do before print is measure the filament diameter and introduce it before slicing. The exact roll filament diameter, not some ideal 1.75mm. 99% of children on facebook groups don't do that and after that ask stupid questions


Second thing to understand is that the 0.4mm nozzle is best for general work and that leads to 2 things. Fine print layer must be 0.2mm and fast print layer height must be 0.3mm
Print width must be 0.5mm and must be set on manual in slicer. And the design must be done so that wall thickness is divisible to 0.5mm so it could be only XX.5 or XX.00mm. Same is with the height of the model must be divisible to 0.3mm as probably you will print mainly on fast or to 0.2mmm if you print on fine. Object must be exported with 0.05mm or better precision from CAD or there will be visible liner where circles are


Third thing to tune is what's red in the picture bellow and there is no better way than ask in forum or group for your printer and start with a profile that's already working perfectly. Otherwise you are doomed



Every different filament has contraction once printed which is different in Z from XY, so a test model like 50mm OD x5mm H is good to be printed and play with it until you get everything right. Is small and cheap and easy to figure what's going on. No need for complicated figures and boats. Normally i slice at 101.5% from original model, hence generally filament contracts a bit after printing so i upscale my models with 1.25 to 1.5% depends on filament. Normally the print is like xx.05mm precise which is not bad at all.


Push Tight Tit is achieved with elements offset 1 print width from each other and Normal Tight fit is around 2 print widths and more for looser. In other words to fit 50mm OD circle in a ring, the ring has 5.8mm-6mm ID


Next thing to understand is that 30% infill is the ideal. Nothing better happens if you raise it except if you are printing gears and such. For solid and usable objects 4 layers on all sides is ideal, 3 is usable but 4 guarantees that will not break.



I use rafts on all prints as i want all well supported and flat. And supports where necessary with the last 2 layers of the support solid at 80% so next layer starts with finish from below like printed on ground zero
It's crucial to adjust the separation distance even 0.05mm is critical , so use the 50mm disc to test. that settings is directly connected with the temperature you print at, so if you raise temp things will glue together and that separation should be adjusted




On forums and facebook groups you will hear talk about ridiculously fast speeds. Nope. Any printer not using servos and 300eu controller can not print with precise result faster than this below. Apart from that the filament has limit in its how to say it- acceleration of fluidity and stickiness , so that are the correct speeds




And at last the filament . Tried many but worth working and learning are ABS/ must be printed in Enclosure/ and mainly use PETG as it has the best of all worlds and useful object could be done with it so its my main filament. Nylon and other special plastics for specific products.


To find the correct temperature for the filament the best way is to print the said 50 OD x5mm H cylinder at 30% infill and with the adjustments above all done, then look at the first layer after the infill which has cell structure. If the filament falls in between the cells temp is high, if top wall is straight then temp is right.
good thing is you can adjust the temp and look at the immediate result, use touch to see well.

Hope that mini tutorial will help people fine tune their printing