D3D Universal FAQ
D3D Universal FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about the D3D Universal 3D Printer
Q: How makes for proper extrusions? (3 items)
- Filament diameter is set correctly in Cura.
- Nozzle diameter in Cura must match physical nozzle.
- Stepping set correctly.
- Correct spiralizing outer contours
Note: M92 command in startup code in Cura configuration.
Q: What is difference between gcode and the stl file?
- STL is the generated geometry file for Cura. It can be generated by FreeCAD, Inkscape or other programs.
- gcode is the motion code for the 3D printer.
Q: My nozzle is oozing, what is wrong? My printer is leaving strings over empty space, what is wrong?
- Retraction or too high temperature.
- Filament size
- What do I need to set in Cura?
Q: What is the max / min layer height?
- 0.96 is the maximum layer height for a 1.2 nozzle.
- The minimum would be approximately 0.2, but thinner layers becomes impractical, as it increases print time.
Q: What is the max / min shell thickness?
- 1.9 max, as the movement is slow
- 0.6 min to maintain shell integrity
Q: What is retraction?
- When the printer retracts the filament into the print head. This prevents leaving strings over gaps.
- Retraction is enabled in Cura under Basic Quality. Beside the checkbox is 3 dots for expert configuration.
Q: What is fill?
- The ability to control the fill of an object. 0 = hollow object, 100% is completely solid object.
- In Cura, we have settings for the Bottom/Top thickness. It is usually 2.4. This is the solid thickness of bottom and top layers of the print for all fill settings.
Q: What are the configuration settings for OSE?
- Perimeter before Infill
- ** Print Speed
25mm / sec for 1.2 nozzle works well. The limit is determined by thermal transfer. Thicker layers require slower print speed.
- Print Temperature
230 C works well for most PLA material. Temperature for other materials may vary.
- Support type
For supporting "free floating" printed parts
- Platform adhesion
Brim gives extra adhesion to bed Raft
- Filament
Diameter - We use 1.5 mm and 3 mm filaments, but we are planning larger filament sizes. Flow - Normally 100%, but can be reduced for finer (slower) prints or increased for jobs that require a lot of material but low precision.
- Retraction
Retract filament into nozzle. Speed - normally 40 mm/s Distance - length of filament to retract, normally 2.5 mm - this can be increased to stop oozing. An online test is available for calibrating retraction.
- Quality
Cutoff object bottom - sink object into bed for better adhesion.
- Speed
Travel speed - usually 50 mm/s Infill speed - typically 25 mm/s, but can be increased for speeding up prints.
- Cool
Minimal later time (sec) - slows down print speed to allow for the material to cool between layers. Enable cooling fan - Usually on, can be turned off to leave molten material Expert config - Fan full at height - Usually 2 mm after initial layer adheres to plate, for finer prints.
- Start/End GCode
Rate of extrusion, in steps / mm. 100 for D3D Universal, 425 for Titan Arrow printer.