3Dchill
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 11:17 am

Stability issues

Hello,

I am having troubles with models like this one:
Image

It prints out nicely but those pillars which are supposed to hold the spools break very easy off by just the faintest touch. I printed the model with PLA 0.2mm layer height and 6 shells, the pillars don't have any infill because they are so thin they consist only of shells (see FFF file for settings, factory file was too big to attach).

I had a similar problem with a filament spool holder I printed for my prusa:
Image

The pillar which should hold the spool just broke off by a slight touch. This one I could fix by printing everything 100% solid with a 2nd process after a certain point, but I don't know how to fix the sewing spool holder.

Any ideas or hints what I could try? My wife was really looking forward to it ;)
Attachments
prusa.fff
(12.43 KiB) Downloaded 244 times
User avatar
dkightley
Posts: 2405
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2015 4:09 pm

Re: Stability issues

My guess is that the pillars for the spools have been created in the CAD package by using separate shapes to the main stand. When the model is exported to the stl file, the pillars are defined in separate meshes to the stand....and S3D does not slice this sort of thing very well.

Fortunately, there's an easy solution. On the Mesh dropdown menu there's an option called Separate Connected Surfaces. Try selecting this option.....and I'm guessing there will be several new entries in the Models list. If so, then simply print as normal and the pillars should be stronger....as they will now be printed as part of the model without a hidden gap!
Doug Kightley
Volunteer at the National Tramway Museum http://www.tramway.co.uk
Railway modeller and webmaster at http://www.talkingtgauge.net
jfkansas
Posts: 133
Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2014 2:12 am

Re: Stability issues

This most likely doesn't have anything to do with the model, if it did it would show in the preview layers. Try 1 shell and then infill the rest. In this case infill is stronger than shells. A little higher heat can improve layer adhesion. PLA may not be the best filament. PetG is stickier and would be stronger. PetG is a little harder to print with though.
jfkansas
Posts: 133
Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2014 2:12 am

Re: Stability issues

thread.factory
(300.38 KiB) Downloaded 195 times
Actually with 6mm posts 2 shells will work well also. I modeled up a sample so I could see how the posts build up. Dump the honeycomb infill, it sucks for this purpose. Use about 80% rectilinear infill or more, 90% even is ok, but 80 should print a bit faster. I hollowed this out so it can use supports as a type of infill. You can leave them or take out.
3Dchill
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 11:17 am

Re: Stability issues

Hello guys,

thanks for your replies. I couldn't test your suggestions out yet but I will provide feedback how it worked once I'll try again to print this part.

Return to “General Discussion and Tips”