u400666
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2018 1:45 pm

Thin Walled Wing Printing

I am trying to print a wing section consisting of a single perimeter skin supported by ribs arranged in a criss-cross pattern. The attached picture shows 3 versions of the wing sliced from three CAD models. The top version has no gap between the ribs and the inner surface of the skin in the CAD model, the second has a gap of 0.01 mm and the third has a 0.05 mm gap.
Capture.PNG
Having zero gap results in the ribs being visible on the outer skin surface (see picture below) and the outer perimeter is not printed all in one go.
Having a small gap leaves the outer skin smooth, but the ribs are not a strongly bonded to the inner skin as I would like even in the 0.01 mm gap case.

Any suggestions on how I can improve the bond would be gratefully received.
Attachments
Capture2.PNG
zemlin
Posts: 431
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2016 11:36 am

Re: Thin Walled Wing Printing

Use different processes for the outer surface and the ribs. That way the outer surface will always print continuous and you can set the overlap for the ribs to get the bond strength you need. There may be small artifacts of the ribs on the wing surface, but it should not interrupt the surface printing.
u400666
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2018 1:45 pm

Re: Thin Walled Wing Printing

Thanks for replying zemlin. I am new to S3D, how do I apply different process to the skin and the ribs? Would I have to import them as separate models or can I select different regions of a model?
zemlin
Posts: 431
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2016 11:36 am

Re: Thin Walled Wing Printing

u400666 wrote: Wed Oct 10, 2018 2:38 pm Thanks for replying zemlin. I am new to S3D, how do I apply different process to the skin and the ribs? Would I have to import them as separate models or can I select different regions of a model?
You need to load the skin and ribs as separate models. I don't know of any tricks for aligning models short of doing a visual alignment while zoomed up on the model

Then you need to duplicate your process. Then edit each process and select the MODELS button - for one process select the ribs - for the other process select the skins.

Then when you PREPARE for print - select both processes. You might get a warning about overlapping models - you can ignore that as that's your intent here. You don't want to do sequential printing.
u400666
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2018 1:45 pm

Re: Thin Walled Wing Printing

Thanks Zemlin, I will give that approach a try.
jgomes0
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2015 1:15 pm

Re: Thin Walled Wing Printing

If the skin and ribs are separate bodies that don't touch, such as with your 0.01mm gap example, you can import them as one model to preserve alignment. After you have positioned the model as desired, use Mesh > Separate Connected Surfaces. Then you can apply the individual processes.
u400666
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2018 1:45 pm

Re: Thin Walled Wing Printing

Thanks for that tip jgomes0, that is a very useful feature.

Zemlin,
should I be using the allowed perimeter overlap setting in the advanced => thin walled settings section to get good bond strength or the endpoint extension distance setting?
zemlin
Posts: 431
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2016 11:36 am

Re: Thin Walled Wing Printing

I wouldn't expect those settings to do anything if you are printing the overlapping pieces with different processes. You will have to tweak your overlap settings by tweaking your geometry, or perhaps scaling of the ribs to adjust overlap.
u400666
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2018 1:45 pm

Re: Thin Walled Wing Printing

Thanks zemlin.

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