3D Printing Getting Started! White filament is free to students for academic use.

Where do I buy filament?

www.makerbot.com/store

www.ultimachine.com/pla

What type of filament do I buy?

1.75mm PLA Do NOT buy ABS, 3mm stuff, or any combination of those two.

Why should I buy filament?

A student should buy filament for projects that are not academic in nature. IE they want to print a submarine or some other cool model or knick knack that is just for fun.

How do I prepare my model for printing?

We have documentation ready for this, please refer to it or ask a qualified person.

Can I switch colours while printing?

Yes, with the assistance of a supervisor. The colour will switch along a flat line as the change will occur across a flat plane.

Please Do NOT Level the Bed

Start Your Own Jobs

Unload/Load Filament

Please Do Remove Finished Prints after removing bed from machine.

Please, ask for help if necessary.

If these are not followed, access will be restricted

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Label your file with your last name, so we can know who has printed what.

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So...You Want To Use The 3D Printers

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3D Printing Overview

When a student would like to use the 3D Printers:

1. They should contact a supervisor and prepare the build plate.

2. Supervisors will level the build plate and make sure the filament is loaded as the student opens their .stl in Makerware.

3. Supervisors should be present to double check Makerware settings before the .x3g (printable file) is saved to SD card or sent to print. *

4. Supervisors may then start the print job.

5. Students/Supervisors may label and remove completed jobs from the build plates and place them in the pick-up area.

* A students may use Makerware on their own computer ahead of time to prepare a file, but should have a supervisor present to check the settings so that filament is not wasted and print-time is minimized.

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Make a model in SketchUp.

When you are making your model keep in mind that you want:• All of the external white faces showing• Air-tight(no holes)• No internal geometry

(We will be using software to clean it up later so it doesn’t need to be perfect)

Creating an STL from SketchUP.

Installing the STL Plug-in.

Install the Export to STL in SketchUp. Go to the Window Tab in SketchUp and Click on Extension Warehouse.

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Search for SketchUp STL. Then Click on SketchUp STL.

You will need a gmail account to login to download the extension. On the top right there will be a button to login to a gmail account. Once logged in the button should become an install button. Click the install button. Once it has installed click OK.

Search for SketchUp STL. Then Click on SketchUp STL.

You will need a gmail account to login to download the extension. On the top right their will be a button to login to a gmail account.

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Click Accept for the Request for Permission. Once logged in the button should become an install button. Click the install button.

Accept the Terms and Conditions of Use and Click Confirm.

***You may also wish to install CleanUp³ and its library TT_Lib².

This plugin cleans up orphaned and unnecessary lines. It’s really useful for creating a solid in SketchUp. Sometimes you don’t even realize there are lines causing problems. This plug in will remove those for you. Running the cleanup script leaves you with a much cleaner model to work with

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Go to the File tab.

Click on ‘Export STL...’

Change the Export Unit to Millimeters.

Leave the File format as ASCI. Click OK.

Using the extension to export to an STL.

With your model open in SketchUp, highlight the model or portion you wish to export.

(If nothing is highlighted it will ask if you want to select the entire model.)

Everything selected will be outlined or dotted in blue.

Name your file with the extension {.stl} it will not automatically add that for you.

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Scroll down to the processing box. Click Choose File and select you stl.

Enter your e-mail address. Select millimeters for units.

Check the box, and accept the terms and conditions.

Click Upload to Cloud.

Go to Cloud.Netfabb.com

Cleaning up an STL.

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Log into the e-mail you used with Netfabb Cloud. You should receive an e-mail confirming the upload. Shortly after, you will recieve an e-mail saying it was processed sucessfully or that it failed.

If successful, click on the link in the second e-mail.

Scroll down the page and download the REPAIRED FILE. (not the original)

Congratulations you should now have a file ready to take into Makerware.

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Click File > Open. Select your .stl file. Click Open.

Open Makerware.

Using Makerbot Makerware.*Have supervisor present to double check settings

Select Move to Platform.

Use the tools as described on the following page to move, rotate, and scale one or more models. Keep in mind that the less spaces between models, the less distance the extruder has to travel (so your job prints faster!).

*Print one object at a time because if one part fails, the entire job will fail. Once you know the object will print successfully, then you can print multiple objects at once.

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When your model(s) are postioned centrally with all of your desired adjustements, Click Make.

Click Make It Now if you are printing directly from the computer to the attached 3D printer or select Export File if you wish to send the file to an SD Card.

Use standard resolution, it has the best quality-time ratio. Make sure that Raft is checked (always) and that Supports also checked are if you have any spans (it should put it only where you need it, so couldn’t hurt right?). The defaults of infill, shells, and layer height should be set at 10%, 2 and 0.20 mm respectively. Also, check the box for Preview before printing so that you can get an estimate of how long your print will take.

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If you’ve selected Make It Now, when you click Make It, Makerware will slice and verify the files.

The Toolpath Visualization will show you a slice version of your model and give you an estimate for your print time.

Click Export will send it to the connected 3D Printer. (*If the computer shutdown/restarts you print will stop so we recommend printing from SD Cards.)

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If you’ve selected Export to a File, when you click Make It, you will be able to save the file to a SD Card. It will slice, verify, and show the preview like Make It Now.

Eject your SD Card and have a supervisor start the print job in an open 3D printer.

Do not use parathesis in the file name when saving your .x3g. Makerware will slice, verify and save the file.

Name your files as: FirstInitialLastnameProject#_Part# ex.: BBernard1_3 This would be Ben Bernard’s print part #3 of project No. 1.

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Prepping and Placing the Build Plate

We use acrylic build plates in the 3D Printers.

A light layer of hairspray may be sprayed on the build plate before it is placed into the 3D printers to aid in the print job sticking to the build plate.

When placing the acrylic build plates into the 3D printers, slide the back into the back tab(A) and then snap the front into place with the front tabs(B).

**It is very important that you place it back then front so that you do not damage the tabs.**

Build plate prep complete! Watch fist-bump!

B

A

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Leveling the Build Plate

! Why Leveling Is Important

• If the build platform is too far from the extruder nozzle, or if one part of the plate is farther away from the nozzle than another part, your builds might not stick to the build plate.

• If the build platform is too close to the extruder nozzle, the build plate can block the PLA Filament from extruding from the nozzle. This can also scratch the build plate.

• Leveling your build plate often will help ensure that objects adhere well to the plate.

<- This is your Support card. We use NDSU business cards to level the build plates because they are thicker than plain paper.

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• Tightening the knobs [turning them to the right] moves the build plate away from the extruder nozzle.

• Loosening the knobs [turning them to the left] moves the build plate closer to the extruder nozzle.

• The distance between the extruder nozzle and the build plate should be about the thickness of the support card.

To level the build plate, you must adjust the three knobs under the build platform. These three knobs lower and raise the build plate.

How to Level the Build Plate

Use the LCD Keypad on the 3D Printer to select Utlities -> Level Build Plate

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The script will prompt you to adjust the knobs individually. As you adjust each knob, make sure the Support card just slides between the nozzle and build plate.

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The script will prompt you to adjust each knob again. This allows for fine tuning. This time, the Support card should slide between the build plate and nozzle with more friction.

You should feel some friction on the support card, but still be able to easily pass the card between the plate and the extruder nozzle without tearing or damaging the card.

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After the second set of adjustments, the nozzle will move to the center of the build plate. Confirm that the MakerBot Support card slides between the nozzle and plate with a moderate amount of friction.

NOTE: You can use these menus to return to the leveling script at any time. For a demonstration of this process, see the MakerBot Replicator 2 video page at makerbot.com/support/replicator2/videos.

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Loading PLA Filament

Rear-Mount Spool Holder For The Makerbot 3D Printer.

(leftside)

(backside)

! NOTE: To avoid filament jams, ensure that the PLA Filament feeds from the bottom of the spool toward the top of the spool to the guide.

For the rear-mount, you may use either the left or the right side, but be sure that the filament feeds to the center where the guide tube is located.

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If the Makerbot you are using is set up with the top-mounted spool holder, no guide tube will be necessary.

! NOTE: To avoid filament jams, ensure that the PLA Filament feeds over the top of the spool.

Top-Mount Spool Holder For The Makerbot 3D Printer.

FilamentSpool

Extruder

(leftside)<-front, back ->

Filament goesaround this way

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On the 3D Printer Menu, Press the arrow down to Utilites. Select Utilites -> Change Filament -> Load.

Carefully remove the end of the filament guide tube from the hole in the top of the extruder.

(Rear-mount only)

! WARNING: Do not touch the extruder while it is heating — it heats to 446° F.(230° C)

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Feed the free end of the MakerBot PLA Filament from the spool into the end of the filament guide tube where it attaches to the back of the MakerBot Replicator 2.

Free the end of the MakerBot PLA Filament from the filament spool.

Be sure the filament has a clean edge.If not, use a pair of scissors or wire cutters to cut a clean edge.

<- Like this,

Not that ->

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After the extruder reaches 230° C, the LCD panel will prompt you to load the PLA Filament into the extruder. Click through the message UNTIL your MakerBot Replicator 2 asks you to press the M when you see plastic extruding.

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Take the end of the PLA Filament and firmly push it into the hole in the top of the extruder. Ensure that the filament goes into the center of the opening and doesn’t get caught at the edge of the opening.

Insert the free end of the MakerBot PLA Filament into the hole in the top of the extruder. Gently assist the filament into the extruder until you feel the motor pull the filament in.

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Watch the extruder nozzle. After a few moments, you should see a thin string ofthe MakerBot PLA Filament that you loaded come out of the nozzle. Press the M button to stop extrusion.

Push the guide tube back into the opening on the top of the extruder.

Wait a few seconds for the extruded PLA to cool, then pull it off the nozzle. You can discard this extra filament. Don’t touch the nozzle; it may still be hot.

Don’t leave plastic clinging to the extruder nozzle. This can cause newly extrudedplastic to stick to the nozzle instead of the build platform.

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Unloading PLA Filament

On the 3D Printer Menu, Press the arrow down to Utilites. Select Utilites -> Change Filament -> Unload.

! WARNING: Do not touch the extruder while it is heating — it heats to 446° F.(230° C)

Carefully remove the end of the filament guide tube from the hole in the top of the extruder.

(Rear-mount PLA only)

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Once the guide tube is out, pull the filament gently out of the extruder. Press M to exit the menu when finished.

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Printing an Object From the SD Card.

On the 3D Printer Menu, Press M to Select Build from SD. Then Use the up and down arrow buttons to navigate through the list of models on the SD card.

To select a model, press M.

After you have successfully leveled the build platform and loaded the PLA Filament into the extruder, place the loaded SD Card with the model into the SD port.

The SD port is directly behind the LCD Panel.

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The MakerBot Replicator 2 will begin to build your object. You can use the LCD panel to monitor the temperature of the extruder and the status and progress of the object.

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Removing Objects from the Build Plate.

Release tabs at the back the build plate first. Then carefully lift the plate out of the 3D Printer.

Take a thin metal craft spatula and carefully work the blade under the edge of the object on all the sides working it loose from the build plate. Be careful not to gouge the build plate itself.

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Rafts on the model may be carefully removed in a similar manner.

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