3D Printing

I didn't include pictures of the test pieces in my last post, cold weather, age and a downright lack of attention to detail combined to ensure that my camera batteries were flat. Here are the test pieces. Left to right, printed directly from the download using "Simplify3D" software. The part printed with poor layer bonding in the initial layers, poor surface finish and no internal details. The centre sample was printed using the download and the few simple "Cura" settings recommended. Better surface finish, good layer bonding but no internal details. The right hand sample is the result of making notes while watching a demo"Cura" video (dozens of stops and starts) and a good deal of frantic scribbling. Finally, no less than twenty three adjustments to the printer program had to be made to achieve the final result. I imagine that the designers of 3D printable model aeroplanes assume that anyone with a printer is an expert, and doesn't need to be told how to generate a printer "profile". Its surprising to see the difference to the finished item made by tweaking twenty three lines of program. The sample program came from PlanePrint.com, The printer control software used was "Cura" a free program on the Internet. I downloaded the details of the Icon-A5 from PlanePrint, on the whole it looks to be a very well engineered model, if ponds weren't so wet and cold, I might have been tempted!
P.S. The pictures should be viewed from right to left to match the descriptions in the text above.

Printing the test piece from PlanePrint.com was surprisingly easy once I'd adjusted the twenty three values. The generated "profile" was duly labelled and saved, if I ever need to print a thin skinned wing section with internal details, all I'll need to do is load the appropriate printer profile into the program. After the PlanePrint test piece I found a helpful website that went into some detail about creating profiles for printing different sections of model aeroplanes. Naturally, the YouTube videos are designed for young minds that can absorb lots of stuff and quickly too, finally I found a site that had it all laid out, and as a bonus it was all printable. Fortunately I'd replaced the cartridges in the printer and bought a spare pack of paper. With all the info printed out, it was then just a matter of assembling the sheets in the right order and stapling the whole thing into a reference book complete with index, how posh is that? Realising that I was in for a long session of referring to the new book and making notes, I cleared my email inbox, in there was a mail containing several projects to be printed. I was taken by the bag clip with a screw topped spout. The item didn't need any special programming, I downloaded it just as it was and sent it to the printer. The clip is in three parts, main clip, insert and screw top. The clip is hinged, this is moulded in, allows the clip to open and close, and surprisingly needs no post processing to make it work. All this has nothing whatsoever to do with 3D printing a model aeroplane, however making something useful while sitting in a comfortable armchair and making notes etc for (hopefully) printing a successful model, can't be a bad way to pursue a hobby.
Yesterday the parcels started to arrive, two 1Kg spools of PLA filament, 9 X 6 folding prop/spinner assy. 30a ESC with 2A BEC, and four Corona slim wing servos, same as HobbyKing don't have and as a bonus £2 less than HK .

Yesterday afternoon I reviewed the new program to be printed, lots of boxes ticked and all(I hoped) the suggested tweaks and mods incorporated. The only thing left to do was to try it out. The photos show the state of play at around 09.00 this morning. No crashes and birds nests, everything still on the build plate and it looks as though the internal details are all there. The printer's control panel shows that 61% of the print is complete and the elapsed time etc. The "Z" figure is the height of the items so far. I'm using translucent PLA, I thought it looked quite nice on the prototype, especially with a darker colour on the fuselage. Just in case it'll be difficult to see in the air, I'll paint some stripes or something on the flying surfaces. I've got all the hardware for the model, so with luck and hopefully no more wobblies, the 3DLabPrint Joker will be a successful 3D printed model. The shot of the waste bin is the total output so far for January.

Glad to see your doing your bit for plastic recycling. I used to say the problem with recycling plastic was that they just used the stuff to make more cones to stack on the motorways for miles (with no-one in sight doing anything) and hinder my just-in-time delivery progress or speed humps.

Parts look good, although transparent could hide some defects. Keep going, you will master 3D shortly.:lol:

Not sure about plastic recycling Phil. PLA is naturally degradable and if left outside will simply "weather away". I can't make up my mind whether to put the useless parts in the kitchen waste bin, or dig them into the flower beds.

Brian wrote: PLA is naturally degradable and if left outside will simply "weather away". I can't make up my mind whether to put the useless parts in the kitchen waste bin, or dig them into the flower beds.

You could use the same argument about Mount Everest. Given enough time it will naturally weather away!

Do not put your PLA in the kitchen compost bin because it is not BIOdegradable. And if you put them in the flower beds they will still be there in hundreds of years from now. Could be interesting for some archaeologists to paw over.