Walkthrough of first 3d Print

3D Fabrication
#1

Hello,
I have a few prints to do. I have not done my first print. Can someone walk me through the entire process. I also want to ensure I have access to the desktops there. I have not tried to login as of yet. Also how would I get a file I have crated in Fusion 360 from my laptop to the 3D printing computers to send to a printer?
Saturday afternoon or Sunday afternoon is good. If nobody can do at this time weekday after 6 pm is good.

Thank You

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#2

Did you take the online training and pass the quiz with a score of 100%?

In Fusion, first make sure that your document settings use mm as the units. It slices better that way.

Then do one of two things - Save as Mesh, or Export. Either of these will give you an STL file that you can take to the slicer (via thumb drive). In both cases:

  • Save the output to your computer
  • If you hide a component or a body it will not be included in your STL file
SAVE AS MESH details
  • Right click on the component and select “SAVE AS MESH”. Save it to your computer. This method gives you refinement options (low/medium/high) that the second option doesn’t give. It also allows you to select either one file for the entire component, or one file per body.

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EXPORT details
  • Using the File Menu in the main F360 menu (upper LH corner) select Export. Select file type STL. Save it to your computer. (There is a different way to get to an Export command but this is the only way that will give STL files as an option).

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#3

The first step is to take the online training located here
You’ll have to log in and then go to the 3D Fab category here

Once you complete the PolyPrinter training with a passing score you will be able to access the 3D Fab computers.

The process for printing is roughly the following:

  1. Find or create your geometry file (making sure it is propper and not missing anysurfaces or edges).
  2. Pick either Resin (Elegoo) or Filament Printing (PolyPrinter or Bambu).
  3. Slice your file for the printer using either Chitubox (for Resin Prints), Bambu Studio (for the Bambu) or KISSlicer (for the PolyPrinters). This will slice the part into layers that are then 3D printed one at a time to make your part.
  4. Save the sliced part.
  5. Copy the Part to a USB drive (Resin Printers), or Send it to the printer with either Bambu Studio or Octoprint (using the web address on the front of each poly printer)
  6. Load your materials
  7. Double check everything.
  8. Start printing.

To output your Fusion 360 file as an STL formatted file ( {filename}.stl ) so the printer software can read it. Note there are various settings for STLs to make them fine or coarse detail depending on your model. You’ll have to experiment with them.

To get your files off your computer either connect to DMS’s wifi using credentials posted throughout the space or use a USB drive to copy them between computers.

There is more to it than that but that’s a quick overview.

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#4

Note that there is different online training for resin vs. filament printing. I linked above to the Polyprinter filament printer training.

#5

Yes that is correct. The PolyPrinter training is still the training required to gain access to the 3D Fab PCs.

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#6

Having your green dot is not a requirement to 3 d print but could help you in other areas of maker space.

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#7

Hello,
thank you for all the replies.

  1. I have completed the PolyPrinter training and passed with 100%
  2. I had talked and want to print this with ABS (PolyPrinter)
  3. I have exported the file from fusion 360 as an STL file.
  4. I will check on the kisslicer for slicing and getting it saved as .gcode
    Where do I find ID / password for 3D fab computers. I can slice there and save ready for walk-through.

With any new equipment would like a walk-through on the first run. If someone can have time I would appreciate it.

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#8

Log in with your own DMS credentials (they were created at signup, and should have been confirmed via email immediately after).