ENDER 3 STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

This step-by-step guide will help you better understand

basic parameters to succesfully 3D print, and will go over the
challenges that you might encounter when 3D printing. After
attending our short workshop, you should then be able to 3D
print on your own with the Ender 3, follwing this guide.

The tutorial on how to better prepare your files for 3D

printing (1.) is based on Rhino software taught at Concordia
University in the Design Departement. You can use any 3D
modeling software, as long as the files are in the right format
(.STL and .OBJ).
TABLE OF CONTENT
1. FILE PREPARATION 4
2. CURA SETTINGS 5
3. ENDER 3 SETUP 12
4. PRINT MONITORING 13
3D PRINTING: FILE PREPARATION 4

In order to be printable, your files must :

- have a thickness (ie be a solid and NOT a single surface)

- be a closed polysurface (if from Rhino) or a closed mesh
- be exported in specific file formats: .stl, .obj

In order to print on the Ender 3, your models must :

- have a maximum size of 220 x 220 x 250 mm

- have to be made of PLA (plastic filament)

TROUBLESHOOTING

if your 3D file is not printable - meaning it does not respect one

or more of the requirements above, please refer to our guide:

“Preparing and Exporting models for 3D printing” Handout on

Digital Fabrication Concordia website.
3D PRINTING: CURA SETTINGS 5

CURA INTERFACE

Open your files Tabs to see the various steps:

Prepare: to scale, move, start to play with settings
Preview: to see the layers by layers treatement and adjust settings
Monitor: once print sent, to check how the print is going
Select the
Select the Select the premade
appropriate appropriate settings to
printer material start from

File information, Modification tabs: Setting tabs:

and switching where you can move, scale, rotate, and All the different settings we will cover
views buttons other more advanced options that you can be found there, and you can show/
will not need here. hide them as you move along.
3D PRINTING: CURA SETTINGS 6

Once your file is ready and exported as an .stl or .obj,

you can import it into the Ultimaker Cura software.
This software is free and you can install it on your own
computer (PC and MAC) or use one of the stations in
the lab.

SCALE

Unless you have downloaded the Barbarian plugin

(which converts files to metrics), the first thing to do is
to set the scale of your model. Because Cura works in
mm, you will usually have to scale it back using scale
conversion from your original designif you used the
imperial system:

TIPS: if you do not seem to be able to select or modify

the scale, position, orientation or any of the side
options, it is just probably because you did not select
your object before trying to modify it. So just left-click
on it.
- if you worked in inches: scale x2540%
- if you worked in centimeters: scale x1000%
- and so on...
Always check that the dimensions values correspond
to your design before proceeding.

ORIENTATION

Choosing a good orientation for your model can be

the difference maker in successfull prints, save you a
lot of printing time and material.

You have to think of your file in terms of needed

support, the placement of those supports and
overhangs.

If you have flat surfaces, you would usually want that

the biggest flat surface of your model be put flat on
the build plate.

If you have organic shapes, find the orientation that - using the “Lay flat” button will help you find
will require the least amount of supports. the flatest position in a given orientation.

Every situation is different and the right orientation

will be completely dependent on your design.
3D PRINTING: CURA SETTINGS 7

CHOOSING PRINTER AND MATERIAL

Before starting to modify any print settings, make

sure that Cura has selected the right printer model
(Creality Ender 3) and the right material (Generic PLA).

PROFILES

We have prepared 3 custom settings for you to start

from. Depending on how fine you would want the
definition to be versus how long it will take to print,
you can choose from Draft (layer height: 0.2), Normal
(0.15) or Fine (0.1).

You can see the example below to define which setting

you might want to use. But in general, if your print is
not too small, Normal is the prefered one. Draft is if
you need a quick print for test, and Fine is the one to
use if you need the surface to be very smooth or has
lots of curves.

Normal

Fine
Draft

Once you have selected the right profile to

start from, there are a few settings you will
always need to check and adjust to your own
file.

QUALITY TAB
If you want to manually play with the layer height,
you can go to the Quality Tab, and change the setting
there. The rest of the settings under that tab should
not be changed.
3D PRINTING: CURA SETTINGS 8

SHELL TAB: WALL LINE COUNT

Depending on what the purpose of your model is, you

might want to adjust the wall thickness using the Wall
Line Count option.

For instance, if you want your print to be waterproof,

you want to add more wall counts than what the
orignial preset setting defines. On the contrary, if you
are printing to cast your object for mold making, you
Guiding Numbers:
might not need the wall to be as thick.
- 3 line count is the way to go.
- 2 is the minimum
- 5 would be enough to be watertight and
quite resistant.

SHELL TAB: TOP AND BOTTOM LAYERS

The same thing applies for the number of bottom

and top layers, and you might want to adjust these
settings accordingly.

Note that by adjusting this setting the number of

bottom or/and top layers will drastically influence the
print time.

TIPS: If you want to print a hollow object from a solid

3D model
Guiding Numbers, same proportions apply:
intended print
- 3 layers is the way to go.
- 2 is the minimum
You can do that easily by completely removing the - 5 would be enough to be watertight and
top layers and the infill (see infill below), ie putting quite resistant.
them both to 0. You can then adjust the thickness
of your object by defining the Wall Lines Count and
bottom layers.
3D PRINTING: CURA SETTINGS 9

INFILL TAB: INFILL DENSITY

Depending on what the purpose of your print is, the

infill density (%) will vary.

By default, the density is set to 20%. If you want a

strong object that will not break easily because it will
have to support weight or because it will probably
take falls, 20% is be a good amount.
Guiding Numbers:
If not, the density is usually reduced. The smaller the
density, the weaker the object will but the faster it will
- between 10% and 20% is the way to go for a
print and the cheaper it will cost.
normal print.
- 5% is the minimum (unless you want to
make your object hollow like seen above)
- >20% would make your object very
INFILL TAB: INFILL PATTERN resistant.

You can change the pattern of the infill.

There are many different options and you are free to

try different ones, depending on the shape of your
object and how strong you would like it to be.

The most used ones are the Grid and Triangles infills.

Grid Triangles

INFILL TAB: GRADUAL INFILL Steps

/!\ This option only works with the Grid Infill Type /!\

This allows you to reach the given Infill Density (seen

above) in 2 or more steps. You can adjust the Infill
Step Height to control when the change in Density will
take place, or leave it to the automatic setting.

In some cases, you will need to use the Gradual Infill:

If your top layers are unsupported by a low infill,
or when you want your print to get stronger when
approaching the top surfaces.
3D PRINTING: CURA SETTINGS 10

SPEED TAB: PRINT SPEEDS

For PLA Printing (the only material for the Ender 3),
The speed is usually set to 60 mm/s for a normal
layer height (.15mm or .2mm).

The finer your print (1.5mm>), the slower you should

print.

At any given layer height, slower prints will always

Guiding Numbers:
print nicer, thought you can try to print quicker to save
time but it will reduce the print quality.
- 60 mm/s is the way to go for normal and
draft prints.
The other speeds (wall, top/bottom layers, ...) should
- 40 to 50 mm/s for the fine print.
automatically adjust to the given settings, but you can
also change them manually.

SUPPORT TAB: Generate Support

Depending on the Overhangs in your model, you might

need to add support so that your print is successfull.

As soon as your object is not made of straight walls

(= overhang of 0, perpendicular to previous layer),
your file has overhangs. As long as the overhangs
stay below 45° angle to the previous layer, you should
be good to print without support.
Guiding Parameters:
But as soon as it goes above, you will need to print
- check the Generate Support box
with supports.
- you can adjust the Support Overhang Angle
if needed (45° usually, can go a little bit higher
to save time)
- the Support Pattern you should use is Zig
Zag to easily remove them.

< 45°

45°
> 45°
Supports No need for supports
3D PRINTING: CURA SETTINGS 11

SPECIAL MODES TAB: SPIRAL MODE

A nice option if you want a hollow version of your solid

like shown before, but you don’t need it to be neither
strong nor a specific thickness, is to use the Spiralize
Outer Contour Mode.

This will save you a lot of printing time.

ALL DONE: SAVE YOUR FILES TO THE SD CARD

Once you checked everything, and you are happy with

your Cura file, you can save the Gcode to the SD card
(through its USB drive). The name given will be CE3_ +
your 3D file name

Verify and note the time, and the amount of filament

required for your print, as they will be important for the
next step.
3D PRINTING: ENDER 3 SETUP 12

SETTING UP THE MACHINE

The button to turn the machine ON/OFF is located on

the right side of the machine.

When you are ready you can plug the mini USB cable
in the front of the machine, and turn it on.

SENDING PRINT THROUGH

There are a few manipulation required before sending your
print through. Use the button and screen to interact with
the printer. Always check that there is enough filament to
complete your file beforehand.
1. Putting print head in the front left corner:
Click -> Prepare -> Autohome

2. Preheating PLA to start preping for the print

Click -> Prepare -> Preheat PLA -> Preheat PLA

3. Sending your Print directly through Cura once your settings are correct : hit “Print via USB”

CHANGING FILAMENT

1. Putting print head in the front left corner:

Click -> Prepare -> Autohome

2. Preheating PLA to be able to remove the filament:

Click -> Prepare -> Preheat PLA -> Preheat PLA

3. Changing filament manually:

Once the 3D printer head has reached at least 175°, use the extruder arm
to release the pressure on the filament like explained during the training
and pull it out. The same way, push the new filament in until filament is
extruded from the nozzle, and the color has changed to the color of the
new filament.

You can now start the printing process above with your new filament.
3D PRINTING: PRINT MONITORING 13

WATCHING THE FIRST LAYERS

The first layers are crucial for the success of your print, so you should monitor them carefully. If you print
does fail, come and find a tech that can troubleshoot with you and see what went wrong.

Here are a few details to have in mind when monitoring:

1

Is the filament adhering well to the buildplate?

Are the filament lines adhering well together?

i.e is the printhead extruding properly?
(and not underextruding / overextruding)

4
Is the build plate properly levelled?

Successful first layer Build plate too close Build plate too far

Credits:
1. airwolf3d.com 3. Ultimaker.com
2. thegahooaperspective.com 4. 3dprinting.stakeexchange.com
digifab.finearts@concordia.ca 514-848-2424 ext 5124