Should I Print It?

A 3D Printing Guide by Joran Booth and Joseph Bartolai

Should I Print It?

Limitations of extrusion 3D printers
Extrusion 3D printers generally produce parts with lower mechanical
● Don’t print parts that are easy to make other ways​ - Some
properties and can be less accurate than conventional processes. 3D
parts, like axles, brackets, and boxes are much easier to make
printers are better for small
using stock materials and common power tools such as a
production volumes and
band saw and drill.
complex geometries, where
conventional process would be
prohibitively expensive.
Designing parts to be produced
by 3D Printing is not always a
straightforward exercise.
Several different factors require
nuanced consideration and are
addressed throughout this
● Avoid 3D printing parts that see high or cyclical loads​ - 3D
worksheet.
printed parts do not do well under fatigue or high loads, and
other materials are superior if you need it to last.
Strategies for choosing parts to print ​- Some features are easier
● Avoid 3D printing large parts when you can break it up​ -
and stronger to create using different processes. Additionally, you
This technique is a bit advanced, but it relies on the idea that
don’t need to make your entire part using a 3D printer. You can break
you should only 3D print the parts that are hard to machine.
up your part into pieces and assemble them later.
For example, if you need a very large part that has a small
● Don’t print parts you can buy
feature, 3D print the small feature, then attach that print onto a
- Purchased parts will fit better,
large part made by a conventional subtractive process.
they will last longer, and they
will generally be cheaper when
you consider all the time and
energy you will have to invest in
them.

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Should I Print It? A 3D Printing Guide by Joran Booth and Joseph Bartolai

Support Structures
Limitations of extrusion 3D printers
In general, overhangs cannot print without excessive drooping and Strategies for reducing the need for supports​ - Support structures
reduced part strength, if they print at all. An overhang will generally are necessary when there is nothing under the currently layer/trace
not print unless it is supported on at least two ends. T-shaped parts being printed. However, supports should be avoided when possible.
will not print successfully, for example. However, in some cases you They 1) reduce print quality and 2) surface finish. Supports are not
can get away with overhangs. needed when material is underneath the current layer.
● Poor geometric fidelity in z-direction ​- holes or cylinders on ● Change the design​ - If you can reduce the need for
the side of a part will overhangs in your part, you should do this first.
often not be round. ● 45​0​+ slopes​ - Slopes of 45 degrees or more will provide
You can use a enough material under successive layers to prevent problems
teardrop shape to due to overhangs. These slopes are “self-supporting.”
reduce sagging, drill ● Change build orientation​ - Many times supports can be
the part in post avoided or reduced by using a different orientation.
processing, or change ○ One trick that works in some parts, such as a cube, is
the part orientation to choose a build orientation where all surfaces are at a
when building. 45​0​ to the build platform.
● Bridges ~36mm or smaller​ - Short bridges between two
features will sometimes print, but the under-side of the bridge
will usually droop and have reduced material properties.

Further reading:
(​https://pinshape.com/3d-printing-design-guide#over-chapter-3​)

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Should I Print It? A 3D Printing Guide by Joran Booth and Joseph Bartolai

each STL file, a single part with multiple infill densities can be
produced.
Strategies for reducing the impact of supports​ - 1) Surface finish Example: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x19CUPCHaA
is generally harmed when you have many attachment points to the
underlying structure. 2) Supports are difficult to remove when they
are attached to a delicate feature on your part, such as a thin Precision
overhang. You can reduce the impact a few ways.
Limitations of extrusion 3D printers
● Custom supports​ - Usually computer generated supports are
● Part resolution: 0.1mm​ -
not optimized for post-processing. You can create your own
Most extrusion printers claim
supports in CAD using shapes like cones.
to have a resolution of
0.05mm, but realistically
0.1mm is a practical limit.
● Min spacing: 0.4mm​ - The
smallest possible spacing
between adjoining parts is
0.4mm
● Dissolvable support material​ - This reduces the forces need ● Min part thickness: 1mm​ - You can go smaller, but it is hard
to clean parts and yields a better finish than break-away to get consistent prints.
supports.
● Post-processing​ - You can can used post-processing to Fit between parts - ​How tight do the parts need to fit?
smooth the print (see below).
Fit Type Gap Size Example​ (Makerbot)
Printing two materials and variable infills​ - The method for printing Press fit ½ nozzle diameter 0.2mm (0.4 nozzle)
with two materials on the same part is the same as designing your
own infill patterns. You may want to design your own infill if the Tight ¾ nozzle diameter 0.3mm (0.4 nozzle)
preprogrammed infills are not what you want or if you need to
machine a specific area during Slides in Nozzle diameter 0.4mm
postprocessing. Move freely > nozzle diameter > 0.4mm

To do this, you will need to design the

Tolerance Stackup​ - Depends on the printer,
areas as separate parts in CAD and
but many, including the Makerbot, place the
import to slicing software as two
nozzle on the edge of the STL. All tolerance
separate STL files. By defining
problems will be compounded by ½ the nozzle
different processing parameters for
diameter.

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Should I Print It? A 3D Printing Guide by Joran Booth and Joseph Bartolai
Part Orientation
Limitations of extrusion 3D printers
All commercially available 3D printers print from the top-down. This
means that a layer can only stick to a lower layer if there is something
beneath it. It also means that the strength of the part will be ​weaker
in the z-direction​, since the part strength is entirely due to the bond
between layers.
It also means that ​geometric exactness is poor in the z-direction​,
when those features are not properly supported. Another way of
saying this is that as the layers settle and stick together, it is easy for
shapes to deviate from their intended geometry. For example, a hole
through a part whose axis runs parallel to the x-y plane will likely have
a squashed appearance.
Which is more important for your part, ​geometric accuracy ​or
mechanical strength?
If ​geometric accuracy ​ is more important:
● Align sharp corners with one of the coordinate axes if possible
● Sharp corners can be produced in any orientation, but try to
avoid unsupported overhangs
● Align curved surfaces so that they are perpendicular with the
XY plane and the build layers
○ Curved surfaces in the XZ and YZ planes will show
“stair-stepping.”
● Align features that must be more accurate with the XY plane
and build layers
○ For example: a circular hole that must be geometrically
accurate should have a centerline parallel to the z-axis
○ If these holes must have a centerline parallel to the XY
plane or build layers, use a teardrop shaped cross
section. This will ensure the entire hole is
self-supporting.
If ​mechanical strength​ is more important:
● Align the direction of highest loading parallel to the XY plane,
or build layer planes
○ 3D printed parts are strongest within each layer and
weakest between layers
○ Loading the part perpendicular to the layers can result
in delamination between the layers
● Increasing the infill density and/or the number of shells will
increase the mechanical strength of the part
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Should I Print It? A 3D Printing Guide by Joran Booth and Joseph Bartolai

Part Warping and Detaching

Limitations of extrusion 3D printers
The 3D printer works by melting plastic and then extruding that onto
the build platform. However, for the plastic to bond well to other
Strategies for reducing warping and detaching​ - While most
traces, it needs to remain near the glass-transition temperature. This
warping issues are due to printer settings, the part design can have a
means that if any part of the build cools too quickly, it will fail to bond
large effect on the outcome.
well. Additionally, since the nozzle is constantly moving, it is heating
● Adding fillets​ - Adding fillets and chamfers to edges of parts
up local areas of the part unevenly. Again, if cooling occurs too
decreases thermal stress, reduces warping
quickly, this means that the areas far away from the nozzle at the time
● Adding sacrificial features - ​If a part layer is too small, the
of cooling will warp. Near the build platform, this can mean the part
nozzle will spend too much time in one area, leading to
may detach.
overheating. This can be solved by adding a small feature
with the same elevation to the side of the print.
Optimal Process Temperatures​ - the material of the part affects the
● Enclosing the print volume​ - This helps keep air flows from
optimal temperature for a print. Nozzle temperature should be at or
people walking by from cooling your part too fast. A cardboard
slightly above melting temperature of the polymer. Bed temp should
box will do the job. CAUTION: if you printer uses 3D printed
be slightly above glass transition temperature of the polymer
parts, doing this can damage your printer.
● Heating the print volume ​- This helps keep the temperature
Material Nozzle Temp Bed more consistent throughout, and reduces warping and
Temp detaching. WARNING: This method is patented, and should
be licensed from Stratasys.
ABS ~ 235​0​ C ~ 115​0​ C

PLA ~ 200​0​ C ~ 65​0​ C

Nylon ~ 264​0​ C ~ 120​0​ C

PC ~ 285​0​ C ~ 150​0​ C

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Should I Print It? A 3D Printing Guide by Joran Booth and Joseph Bartolai
Post Processing
Limitations of all 3D printers
No 3D printer makes a final part: all parts need to be post-processed.
While this may not directly impact your design, you should be aware
of common methods so you can plan for them.
Interior features
Additionally, while 3D printers can make complex shapes, you cannot
post-process what you cannot access. Interior features will not be
able to be changed or altered after you print the part.
Chemical smoothing​ - This method will ​reduce your wall
thickness​. Make sure you have enough material to lose. This
technique uses a chemical solvent to physically smooth out features.
If done too long or vigorously, it can destroy the part. It also changes
final tolerances, in case these are important. Since each plastic has
different chemistry, different solvents are required. While acetone can
be used for ABS, almost every other plastic requires solvents that are
also quite dangerous, so this technique is generally only for ABS.
● Wipe part with solvent on a rag
● Solvent vapor baths​ - In this technique, you place the part in
an enclosed vessel, such as a glass bowl (with a gap so vapor
can escape) and you boil a small amount of solvent.
● Timing can vary, but between 2 and 10 minutes should be
enough. ​ WARNING: Do this in a well ventilated area and with
extreme caution. Overheating the solvent or accidentally
sealing the vessel can lead to an explosion.
Sanding​ - You can sand the part to smooth out imperfections.
● Sandpaper (surface finish will be uneven)
● Sand blasting (it is easy to overdo it)
● Grinding wheel
Solvents
● ABS - acetone or similar solvents.
● PLA - dicloromethane (DCM), tetrahydrofuran (THF), or similar
solvents. Every solvent for PLA, including DCM and THF, is
carcinogenic​, so do NOT use these solvents without proper
ventilation and personal protective equipment. If you do not
have the proper equipment, do not attempt using these
solvents.
● Nylon - acetic acid, acetyl bromide, phenol, and others.
Further reading:
https://www.calpaclab.com/nylon-chemical-compatibility-chart/
Reheating and reshaping​ - The part can be partially reshaped if it is
heated to a low temperature, such as 100​0​F. For example, you can
do this by leaving it in a hot car for a few minutes. This technique
may be useful if you need to fix minor warping or fit issues. For
example, this may be good for getting a hinge to turn properly.
However, because the part is softened, it is easy to deform it too
much.
Machining​ - Machining is possible when you have a solid enough
region to cut. To machine afterward, ​use a solid infill or have a very
thick wall​ around the areas you plan to machine later. Most 3D
printer software does not allow you to tweak part thicknesses to vary
for different locations on a part. See section on separate infills for
more information on how to overcome this problem.
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Should I Print It? A 3D Printing Guide by Joran Booth and Joseph Bartolai
Print Time
There are several factors to determine how long it takes to print
something, but a few factors are consistent across printers. Print time
is a function of 1) the number of layers, 2) the average layer area, and
3) the speed at which the extruder nozzle travels.
Strategies to reduce print time
● Making a thick feature with a hollow or low in-fill interior can
reduce time to print. (reduces layer area)
● Reduce the number of support structures (reduces layer area)
● Use a higher layer resolution (reduces number of layers)
● Print only what you need to and machine the rest
Printer Problems
While many problems in 3D printing can be solved by good design,
some are problems with how the printer is configured. Here are some
visual troubleshooting guides to help you with printer errors.
Visual troubleshooting guide for common printing problems
https://www.simplify3d.com/support/print-quality-troubleshooting/
Extensive troubleshooting guide for common printing problems
https://all3dp.com/common-3d-printing-problems-3d-printer-troublesho
oting-guide/