Infographic: Design Rules for 3D Printing Technology
3D printing offers a unique combination of design freedom and ease of reproduction
In the space of a few hours. You can come up with your won unique 3D model and turn it into a physical object. All without the use of expensive molds and heavy-duty machining tools.
However, not all 3D models translate well into 3D printed objects. Some may be harder to pull off than the others. If you’re designing your own models for 3D printing, there are certain factors that you will need to consider. To help you plan ahead, there are some of the best tips from 3D printing and modeling experts.
- Reduce Supports By Following The 45-degree Rule.
Overhanging features aren’t really huge issues when it comes to 3D printing. Because you can easily remedy the problem by adding support structures. However many 3D printing professionals consider the addition of support as a last resort. Not only do they consume a substantial amount of filament. But the process of removing them may damage the finished print or result in uneven surfaces.
If you are designing your own model. Then you can make a couple of deliberate decisions to reduce the need for supports. The 45-degree rule is one that’s easy to follow and remember. Any incline that goes beyond 45-degrees will need a support structure to support its weight. If necessary, you can also add a chamfer, which is a wider incline split into 45-degree segments. Even pushing the 45-degree boundary would be pushing the limitations of the strength of the filament material. So we suggest keeping all inclines close to only around 30 degrees. - Get Clearances Right
If you’re looking for create mechanical fitting parts. This step is essential, no machine is perfectly precise. And 3D printers tend to be less precise than other manufacturing technologies.
This means that parts you design must have proper clearances or gaps between each other to guarantee a fit. For instance, if you have a mount that is intended to hold a bearing. The hole you design for the bearing should be slightly larger than the bearing itself. That way, even if the print has few small artifacts on its surface, the bearing will still fit.
Find the clearances you need for your printer, and don’t forget to include them in your designs! - Mind Overhangs
In 3D printing, objects are created from the ground up, usually in a layer-by-layer process. This means that features hanging in mid-air don’t fare too well. Becoming deformed or separating from the rest of the model.
The solution supports structures, they prop up overhanging areas to retain their intended shape. Different 3D printing technologies have different support requirements. SLA printing for instance, almost always demands supports. While in SLS the plastic powder used for printing also doubles as the support material. In FDM, the most common technology supports are required based on the model’s geometry. Which has a significant effect on printing and post-processing time. To avoid the hassle, keep an eye overhanging areas when designing models for this technology. A good rule of thumb is to not to exceed 45-degrees when possible. It’s an extra bit of work, but minding overhangs will save you loads of time in post-processing your print. - Orient Based On Resolution And Strength
3D prints made using FDM technology naturally come out with visible layer lines. This is an inherent consequence of the reliance of FDM printers on relatively wide nozzles. However, the resolution along the z-axis can somewhat be controlled by setting the thickness of these layers. Resolution on the x-axis and y-axis, However, is determined by the size of the nozzle. This is something you may need to consider if your model has very fine details. If you want precise details in your model. Then it would be best to have those details oriented along the z-axis. While it’s true that models can be rotated any axis in the slicer software. You still need to keep in mind that resolution is not equal among all three axes. If you are designing a part that is meant to bear a significant load. You may also need to consider the strength limitations of FDM printing. Basically, the layer lines are the print’s weakest points. Aany stress parallel to them can cause them to get pulled apart from each other. For best results. It would be best to design your model so that any stress is applied perpendicular to the layer lines. - Split The Model Into Multiple Parts
If you are designing a model for printing on a desktop 3D printer. Then the limitation on build size is something you may need to consider. After all, your 3D printer may not be large enough to create that action figure or prop you’re designing.
Splitting the model into multiple parts can also be advantageous. If you want to avoid having too many support structures on your print. For instance, splitting the model into two or three parts. And orienting them in different directions may mean each part would have fewer overhanging features. This is worth the effort just to avoid the hassle and extra filament that support structures demand.
There are a couple of different ways that you can split apart a model. You can simply cut them in certain sections. Which means you’ll need to glue the parts together once they are all printed. You can also design snap-fit or press-fit connections, which have the advantage of being non-permanent. The second option can be useful for large props or prototypes. That you’ll need to take apart for transportation and put together again, such as those used in conventions or exhibits. - Consider 3D printer Tolerances Based On Nozzle Size
There’s only so much detail that a 3D printer can reproduce, especially given the size of its nozzle. This holds true for any axis. Moreover, plastic filament naturally expands as it cools. This phenomenon is something you’ll need to consider when managing your expectations of how detailed a model can be when printed. A good rule of thumb to follow is that the effective size of a filament when it is extruded and cooled is around 1,2 times the diameter of the nozzle. For a standard 0.4-millimeter nozzle, this translates to 0.48 millimeters. This means that the features of your model need to be at least 0.48 millimeters or larger on each aixs.
Tolerance refers to the distance between two nearby features that is just large enough for them to not fuse with each other. Again, the effect of thermal expansion is something you’ll need to consider when designing for tolerances. The problem is that there isn’t a single tolerance value that applies to all filament material and nozzle sizes. Your best bet would be to print this test template to check for the acceptable tolerance for your setup. - Consider The Material
If you know the 3D printing technology you’ll be using, You’ll also know the materials available to you. Like printers, different materials have their own unique properties. When designing you model, account for there properties.
In FDM printing, for instance, ABS plastic is prone to warping, so your design’s base should be large enough to stay attached to the build plate. Flexibles don’t do too well with details, so maybe omit small features. These will all decrease chances of print failure.
Additionally, keep manufacturer specifications in mind. The same material produced by different manufacturers can behave differently, so always refer to the printing instructions and profiles provided with the material.
Take material considerations into account for a smooth printing experience. - Avoid Warping By Removing Sharp Corners
Add mouse ears to your model Warping in one of the biggest problems that a 3D printing professional can encounter. This is especially true when printing with high-temperature filaments, such as ABS or Nylon. Solving the warping issue takes a monumental effort, from tweaking the temperature settings to painstakingly applying adhesives to the print bed. Fortunately, you can take steps in the design process to stave off the warping problem.
The most common manifestation of warping is when the corners of the base layers of the print lift off the print bed. The corners are especially prone, as these are the point where the thermal stress generated by thermal contraction accumulate.
One of the smartest ways to avoid warping is to avoid this accumulation of thermal stress by designing rounded corners. This results in a more even distribution of thermal stress not only on the base layer but also for the rest of the print.
While using rounded corners is not an assurance that you will no longer run into a warping problem, it should help avoid the issue from manifesting. - Add Mouse Ears To Your Design
Use “mouse ears”, helper disks and cones designed into you model to help it print without the use of computer generated supports.
Mouse ears are basically small disks located on the corners of the base layer of the model. The idea is to increase the surface contact between the corners of the model and print bed in bid to prevent these corner from lifting off. Some slicer software platforms offer the option to add mouse ears to models before printing, although not many of them do. In the case of the letter, mouse ears will have to be added to the original 3D model. The use of mouse ears allows you to retain the sharp edges in your model. However, you’ll have to live with the fact that your finished print will have mouse ears on it base. It would be a good idea to integrate mouse ears into the overall aesthetic of your design. Unlike support structures, mouse ears are practically impossible to remove without ruining the rest of your print. - Watch File Quality
Before 3D printing, your design must be converted to a 3D printable file. During this process, there are few key items to note:
Ensure that your converted file is of sufficient quality. The above image demonstrates the importance of this: a higher-quality file will be larger, but will be more geometrically accurate. This is especially significant when you have small features, which are sometimes completely omitted when file quality is low.
Check that the file is “watertight”. This means that is has no holes in it that could confuse your slicing software. A powerful free tool for this is MeshMixer from Autodesk.
Scale your model before exporting. This will prevent detail loss caused by scaling up your model after the fact. This is like how a low-resolution image looks fine when it is small, but becomes pixelated when you make it larger. Models exported before being scaled may seem fine when left alone, but can totally fall apart when you try to scale them later.
Any design, However impressive, can be laid low by file errors. Watch for file quality to get the best results!
If you are interested in to know more technology about 3D printing, feel free to reach out with us at eco@eco-rp.com or 8613712611558
