Build Certification

Introduction - for D3D Pro

The kit in its fully prepared form requires no soldering, and only these tools. A cordless drill is recommended for the 6 mm bolts for speed:

1. 5 mm hex bit - for tightneting all 6 mm screws
2. Philiph screw driver - for power supply and MOSFET connection
3. 3 mm flathead screwdriver - for RAMPS connections to terminals; for taking out belt plugs
4. Pliers - for tigthening 6 mm and 3 mm bolts, and for tensioning the belt.
5. Side cutters - for cutting zip ties off

Supplies needed:

1. Magnets + JB weld + JB weld spreader + JB weld mixer - for building frame
2. Crazy glue - for attaching cable chain and end stops
3. Electrical tape - for fixing wires to frame and bundling them
4. Silver sharpie - for marking plugs
5. 0.4 mm needle - for unclogging nozzle
6. Sample PLA filament for initial printing

Procedure

Document on your log as Your_Name Kit Build with total of 18 pictures and 14 times. Ex. Sara Kit Certification.

Start OpenCamera time lapse at a 10 second interval (which turns an 8 hour day into 2 munutes). See OpenCamera for instructions on how to take pictures and how to convert them to video. Run the time lapse all the way until your 3D Benchy is printed successfully - to mark the full time of shakedown prior to production print testing. The time to print the 3D Benchy, which takes 40 minutes, will not be counted in the build time - but the 3D Benchy (as well as the production print) must be included in the validation of the 3D printer. The Build Time shall be marked as the time from the beginning of axis assembly to the finish of a sample Cube- with the Cube printed successfully. That is - the Cube must be printed again and again until a successful print results - and the time until a successful cube print is marked as the Build Time. If it turns out that the 3D Benchy or the Production Print do not work out - that is not acceptable for the Build Certification and the Build Certification (complete build of 3D printer up to successful print with time lapse of the entire process) must be done again.

A successful print is where the cube is printed in its entirety.

Note that the time lapse - when done at 25 frames per second - can be used to calculate time for each step - given that each frame is taken at 10 second interval. For example - each second of video playback of the time lapse will correspond to 25*10 seconds = 250 seconds - or about 4 minutes of actual time.

Mark the actual time, starting at 9 AM - During the build - mark down times quickly in a notebook for all the steps. Note that this is absolute time, and it does not allow for any inconsistency when using a stopwatch . The time lapse can be used to extract time information as well - so if you forget to write down the time - just keep going and that information can be extracted from the time lapse.

Build

1. Build frame. 3 detailed Finished Pictures showing the amount of epoxy used on inside bottom, inside sides, and inside top. Time.
2. Build Y Left Axis twice. Finished Picture from the side opposite of the motor. Time.
3. Build Y Right Axis twice. Finished Picture from the opposite side of the motor. Time.
4. Build X axis. Finished picture from opposite of the motor side. Time.
5. Glue first cable chain piece onto the carriage as needed.
6. Glue 2 endstops to X and Y axes as needed.
7. Build extruder assembly. Finished picture. Time.
8. Build heated bed (PEI addition + twist white wire around red. Finished picture from both sides. Time.
9. Build control panel. Finished picture from both sides. Time.
10. Mount Y axes and Z axes. Finished Picture. Time.
11. Mount the X axis. Finished picture. Time.
12. Mount heated bed holder (without heated bed per se). Finished picture. Time.
13. Mount extruder. Finished picture. Time.
14. Mount actual heated bed - locating the homing point at the upper left corner.
15. Do cable chain and all wire routing and tidying. 3 Finished pictures of complete printer: from the front, from the control panel side, and from left front side. Time.
16. Mount spool holder and filament. Finished Picture. Time.

Print

1. Print Cube while tethered to the computer. This provides a quick test of printer performance, and allows for fine tuning of the first layer.
   1. Start with Z offset of -1 (stock value)
   2. Fine tune the first layer on the fly to get a good print using Babystepping (LCD Menu -> Tune -> Babystepping Z)
   3. Add this babystepping value to the Z offset and save in memory to fine tune the first layer - the printer is good for production printing at this point.
   4. Print the test cube again - and show that without any adjustment - the print is correct.
   5. Take picture of the new Z offset on the LCD, and take a picture of the bottom of the print (first layer) to show a good print start.
2. Upload .ini file for this printer to your certification page on your log. This is for troubleshooting.
3. Generate 3DBenchy gcode. Compress and Upload your 3DBenchy gcode to your certification page.
4. Insert SD card with test 3DBenchy. Print at normal speed.
5. You can stop the time lapse here.
6. Take 8 pictures of your first 3DBenchy.
   1. top for layer quality
   2. bottom for first layer adhesion
   3. front to observe symmetry
   4. back for fine letters and symmetry
   5. right side for overhang quality
   6. left side.
   7. Finally, the length (60 mm / 2.4in) measurement
   8. ...and width measurement (31 mm / 1.2in)
7. Make any adjustments on your printer if needed, print another Benchy, and take the same 8 pictures again.
8. Upload your time lapse video to your kit certification page - embedded as a YouTube video.

Production Readiness

Once print quality has been ascertained above - the completion of Build Certification is testing that the 3D printer is production ready. That means that it can not only print high quality - but that it can print for long, unattended periods of time. To test this:

Start a production print of 16 motor pieces and print successfully at 100% speed, and take a picture of the parts still on the print bed when finished. The printer can ship once this print is done without any defects. This is a long and demanding print with overhangs and susceptibility to failure unless the printer is working reliably without any known defects. Because the motor pieces are printed vertically - build plate adhesion must be good and the printed layer must be very smooth - otherwise the print head will hit the print and knock off the printed pieces off the platform - especially during the latter steges of the print. This print takes about 24 hours.

Links

• Kit Certification