3D PRINTING

A step-by-step guide to the process

OVERALL GOAL

FROM DIGITAL: TO PHYSICAL:

OVERALL GOAL

TO USE THIS PRINTER: AS CASUALLY AS THIS PRINTER:

1.PRODUCT DESIGN

MEASUREDIMENSIONS

After checking messages for orders,

acquire sample or OE parts from the

parts library. Calipers are suited for

gleaning measurements from the part.

International/metric units are

preferable, but not required.

Whichever works for you.

NOTE: Although many OE parts have

full dimensionals on record in the

Engineering database, it is better to

take your own measurements for the

sake of consistency & accuracy.

2. MODELING SOFTWARE

CHOICES

THERE IS A WIDE ASSORTMENT

OF 3D MODELING PROGRAMS

AVAILABLE. MANY ARE FREE, A

FEW CAN BE RUN IN A BROWSER,

AND SOME ARE EVEN AVAILABLE

AS APPS FOR A SMARTPHONE OR

TABLET. SOME ARE MORE

PRACTICAL THAN OTHERS, WHILE

OTHERS ARE MORE ACCESSIBLE

TO NOVICES.

SAVING WORK

After the model is finished, two

separate files should be saved.

1) The modeling software’s

own format, such as .123D,

.scad, .ipt, or a cloud save

if available.

2) STL format. This is

supported by all types of

3D printers.

3. printing (taz & cura)

“LOAD MODEL” OPENS A DIALOG BOX

WHEREUPON YOU MAY SELECT THE

STL FILE TO BE PRINTED. IT WILL

APPEAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE

BUILD PLATE AND MAY BE SCALED

OR REPOSITIONED AS NEEDED

WHEN A MODEL IS SELECTED, AN ESTIMATED

TIME OF COMPLETION APPEARS BELOW

“CONTROL”. THE CONTROL OPTION ALLOWS

YOU DIRECT CONTROL OF THE PRINTER

OVER A USB CONNECTION. THIS TETHERING

IS NOT NECESSARY FOR PRINTING.

THE FILL DENSITY IS ESSENTIAL

TO PRODUCING A QUALITY

PART. TEST PRINTS FOR

FITTINGS OR CONCEPT REVIEW

SHOULD BE AT A LOWER

DENSITY (AROUND 10%) TO

CONSERVE FILAMENT AND

SHORTEN PRINTING TIME. THE

STANDARD FOR A FINISHED

PRODUCT IS 80%.

SUPPORT MATERIAL IS USEFUL FOR

INTRICATE PARTS THAT HANG OVER

THE BASE OF THE COMPONENT.

THE BRIM IS A THIN BREAKAWAY

LINER SURROUNDING THE FIRST

LAYER OF A PRINT. ITS PURPOSE IS

TO PREVENT WARPING. WIDTH IS 5 TO

10mm.

BRIM

10%SUPPORT

VIRTUALLY

HOLLOW -->

PREVENTS BAD

OVERHANG -->

WHEN YOU ARE READY TO

PRINT, CLICK ON THE FILE

PULL-DOWN AND SELECT

“Save GCode” THIS WILL

OPEN A DIALOG BOX

ALLOWING YOU TO

SELECT THE SD CARD AS

A DESTINATION FOLDER.

MAKE SURE TYPE IS SET

TO “TOOLPATH”.

ONCE THE SD CARD IS

INSERTED INTO THE

PRINTER, THE SCREEN

WILL FLASH THE LULZBOT

LOGO AND FIRMWARE

VERSION, AND THE INFO

SCREEN WILL REAPPEAR.

THE TAZ 5’s ONBOARD

MENU IS OPERATED

ENTIRELY BY THIS

CLICKABLE JOG WHEEL.

ROTATIONS SCROLL A

HIGHLIGHT UP AND DOWN

A LIST OF MENU OPTIONS,

WHILE CLICKING THE

KNOB WILL SELECT IT.

CLICK THE KNOB ONCE

FROM THE INFO SCREEN

TO ENTER THE MAIN

MENU. SCROLL ALL THE

WAY DOWN TO “Print from

SD” AND CLICK THE KNOB

AGAIN.

YOU SHOULD SEE EVERY

GCODE FILE SAVED TO

THE CARD. SELECT THE

ONE YOU WISH TO PRINT

BY HIGHLIGHTING IT AND

CLICKING THE KNOB.

THE PRINTER WILL

IMMEDIATELY BEGIN

PRINTING THE PART.

3. FILAMENTTYPES ANDPROPERTIES

Primary filament types

PLA (Polylactic Acid)

Also called bioplastic, this organic

filament type requires relatively

low temperatures, is less likely to

warp, and possesses a high

tensile strength. Primary drawback

is susceptibility to damage from

humidity over long periods of

exposure if stored improperly.

PETG (Polyethelyne

Terephthalateco Glycol)

Commonly referred to as a

copolyester, this is our preferred

printing medium. It is significantly

more durable than PLA, though

requires somewhat higher

temperatures, and may not be as

widely available as PLA.

Primary filament types

HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene)

Primarily used with a dual extruder setup to create support structures for

more complex and intricate prints, HIPS can be used to create full-fledged

parts, though this is highly inadvisable.

HIPS is incredibly soft and breaks quite easily, as well as being prone to

warping if not used under the right heating conditions. Its most peculiar

feature is its solubility in the chemical Limonene-D. A part printed with HIPS

as support is immersed in Limonene-D, whereupon it dissolves over time

and leaves the remainder of the part unharmed.

3D PRINT SETTINGS CHEAT SHEET

MATERIALNOZZLE

TEMPERATURE

BUILD PLATE

TEMPERATURE

PLA 215°C 0-55°C

PETG 235°C 0-65°C

HIPS 240°C 65-110°C

TO CHANGE THE

FILAMENT, CLICK THE

KNOB TO ENTER THE MAIN

MENU, AND SELECT THE

TEMPERATURE OPTION.

THE TAZ5 HAS A NUMBER

OF PRESETS FOR MANY

DIFFERENT TYPES OF

FILAMENT, BUT IT’S BEST

TO STICK WITH A CUSTOM

TEMPERATURE.

FROM HERE, THE

HIGHLIGHT BECOMES AN

ARROW. SELECT THE

NOZZLE YOU WISH TO

LOAD WITH NEW

FILAMENT.

SCROLL WITH THE KNOB TO

SET THE DESIRED

TEMPERATURE. WHEN

FINISHED, CLICK THE KNOB

TO EXIT THIS SCREEN.

ONCE THE TEMPERATURE IS RIGHT, PUSH UP ON THE TWO ADJUSTMENT SCREWS ON

THE PRINTER HEAD AND PULL UP ON THE FILAMENT. IT WILL STRETCH A LITTLE.

PUSH THE NEW FILAMENT THROUGH UNTIL YOU BEGIN TO SEE IT EXIT THE NOZZLE. ONCE

FINISHED, REPLACE THE ADJUSTMENT SCREWS AND TIGHTEN IF NECESSARY.

4. TIPS AND TOOLS

AFTER LAYING DOWN

THE TAPE, SPRAY A

SMALL AMOUNT OF

HAIRSPRAY OVER

WHERE THE PRINT

WILL APPEAR. THIS

WILL HELP THE PRINT

STICK TO THE BUILD

PLATE AND PREVENT

WARPING.

BEFORE PRINTING,

LAY DOWN A SQUARE

OF PAINTER’S TAPE.

THE TEXTURE HELPS

THE PRINT ADHERE

TO THE BUILD PLATE.

THE CLAM KNIFE IS

USEFUL FOR SLIDING

UNDER THE BRIM OF

YOUR PRINTS AND

PRYING UPWARDS TO

REMOVE.

3D PRINTING

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. HAVE FUN