I am a new to 3D printing as I just bought my new Flashforge Creator Pro, but am not new to the 3D world. I am an architectural animator so I am very familiar with 3D modeling software and the whole process of creating 3D models. I bought the printer to make cookie cutters for my wife’s cookie shop, but am getting very inconsistent results with the prints. I can’t tell if it’s the printer, the slicing software, or the modeling software being used. Sometimes the print comes out beautifully, sometimes the cookie cutter walls are so thin in “places” (not the entire thing) that they break easily, and sometimes, areas of the cookie cutter is filled in solid when the 3D model clearly shows it being hollow. My question is, what software do you guys use to model with, what is your process for preparing a good quality .STL file, and finally what software do you use to slice the model and send it to your printer? What is the process for getting a print that looks just like the 3D model?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. With over 16 years in the 3D world and only 2 months in the 3D printing world, I’m stumped. I would like to offer custom cookie cutters to customers, but with such inconsistent results, I’m afraid to offer this service as I can easily spend an entire day trouble shooting this problem.
Is consistency something that is possible with this technology?
GIFT3D
2
Hi 3DSmithworks,
I have read what you’ve said and would like to help.
Firstly I use blender for modelling and transfer it to my Da Vinci printer which operates with its software XYZWare. I sometimes have difficulty with some models, but if the settings are changed a little like the infill or the orientation is changed, then the design seems to be better and ready for printing.
I noticed that you want to make cookie cutters, but this is a risk business. As there will always be gaps in the prints it means bacteria can infest. Even after washes the bacteria can still remain and contaminate foods. As the printers use fff it means small particulates may get into the food. These can cause damage inside a persons body. There have been claims about it causing cancer, but there is little proof of this. Just be careful with the cutters. You may be able to treat it afterwards with a food proofing gloss or seal.
Finally I have never really come across onconsistancies with my printer. As long as the part is printed in the same way it should be fine. It may be your slicing software which is causing the problems.
I hope this helps. If you have any questions just ask and I’d be happy to help you.
I also make cookie cutters with my ffcp
I model my cutters using the following tool chain.
1. Create or obtain a silhouette of the item I want to make a cutter from, and edit using GIMP to clean it up etc. Then I export it as a two color white/black monochrome image.
2. Import it into inkscape and then use thier image to vector tracing capability to convert the image into a vector, I may remove some noisy vectors or use the tools to smooth the vectors out a little, but 95% it’s just perfect as it is.
3. I then use Dan newman’s inkscape openscad exporter to convert the vectors into a 1mm deep flat object made of openscad polygon shapes.
4. I have a library, I created which is used to transform the shape, by insetting and outsetting all the outlines to form a base shape, and then form a "blade that is 1.5mm wide around the original shape.
5. If the shape is fragile, I will manually rig some flat joints that form struts across the base, to stop the cutter from flexing too much. If the shape has multiple regions, the rigging joins them together so that it forms a single cutter.
6. Once the cutter looks good, I export as high resolution stl file, by setting the openscad $fn value to about 150 and rendering it again, prior to export.
7 Finally I import into simplify 3D, slice it, and then transmit it to my printer via wife, to a Toshiba flashair card in the SD slot, where I print it in ABS.
2 Likes
What type of filament, which modeling software and which slicer are you currently using? I have consistent results using Simplify3d as my slicing software but have also used makerware and replicatorg all which work reasonably well. As far as modeling software I’ve used Pro/Engineer , CREO, and onshape all of which have worked just fine as well. From what you describe though it kind of sounds like a mixture of maybe your modeling and possibly your printer settings. Additionally, there is a web based service called netfabb which is supposed to check and repair stl files if they have issues which you might give a try. If you want, you could send me one of your stl files and I could take a look and try printing it myself on my flashforge.
Using a 3D printer is not cut an dry. You have to be willing to spend a lot of time to learn how to use your machine. There are a dozen or so slicers out there. You almost have to try them all to see what works best with your models and hardware and filament type. There are so many variables. It can even be that one filament is better then another one. Not all filaments are created egual. Stick with name brand and not cheap. There is also a different between ABS and PLA. They each have different properties such as plate temp, nozzle temp, extrusion time to just mention a few. 3D printers are not ‘plug and play’, they are ‘plug and PRAY’. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge seeking out forums for many answers learning from other mistakes. You’ll do more reading than asking. Here are two of the best forums for FFCP.
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/flashforge
I also think you will find that ‘Simplify 3D’ is considered the best slicer around. It’s differently worth the investment. Check it out. Also netfabb basic (free) great for fixing errors in stl.
I don’t pretend to be an expert. I’ve been printing for a year and a half and its been along and learning road, but worth it. I’m retired, and I make some income with my printer.
I’m here to help if I can. If you want to send the stl files your having trouble with I’ll print them and see what happens. (rspraggjr@yahoo.com).
Thx Bob.
Yes, consistency is possible, but you need patience and experience. Here are the steps you need to take:
- Get the best slicing software (Simplify3d). It makes a world of difference, and learn how to use it.
- Download a few known calibration STLs from thingiverse and find the perfect printer settings each one of them, and for each material you have. That means trying again and again, changing one setting at a time. It took me 2 months only for this step.
- Now that you can finally print consistently, you need to learn how to make “3d printer friendly” designs, and you probably already starting to get a feel for it. You are not as free as you’ve been in the past because you now have a lot of constraints to keep in mind (thin walls cannot be smaller than the extrusion width and should probably be a least double that, avoid overhangs as much as possible, minimize vertical curves etc…)
1 Like
Thank you! Plug and Pray sounds about like what I’ve been experiencing. I’m really looking forward to having some fun and printing out some great cutters. I appreciate your comments and am going to make some adjustments based on them. I keep seeing Simplify 3D as one of the best. I will definitely look into that.
Thanks again for your comments and offer to help out.
Travis
Thank you for offering to help I really appreciate it! I’ve been using Sketchup Make and GStarCAD since they were cheap and free. I’m very familiar with 3DSudio Max, AutoCAD, and Sketchup Pro. Unfortunately I cannot afford (at home) any of the 3 I mentioned. The modeling results I’ve been getting with Sketchup Make look excellent on the monitor but the exported STL from both GStarCAD and Sketchup Make are questionable. I’ll look into what you mentioned. I’m hearing that this is not a plug and play process and I’m starting to believe it. Advice from those that have been where I’m at is the only way I’m going to get over this hurdle.
Thanks again, I’ll take your advice to heart! And come back to this post/forum often!
Travis
Thanks for your advice. It really sounds like Simplify 3D is something I’m needing to get. I’ll look into that for sure. I am struggling with the print friendly designs. Every little thing seems to ruin the print. I’ve used a few of the online tools for cleaning up prints and also the plugins available for Sketchup and 3DStudio Max for checking the model quality, but to no avail. I’m just going to have to learn what the slicing software and printer needs in order to turn out a quality print.
Thanks again.
Travis
Wow, step by step instructions form someone that understands exactly what I’m printing! I like it and appreciate your time! I am going to look into each one of these steps.
Thank you so much for your advice! What a great resource this is.
Travis
RCole
11
You might want to work with Blender 3D. Yes, it’s free and yes, there is a learning curve (isn’t there always?).
But… Select, File >> User Preferences, switch to Input tab and click on the drop-down for Presets and select 3Dsmax. Do the same for KeyConfigs (center at the top - defaults to Blender). You will find the interface very familiar then. Of course there will be some differences, but it shouldn’t drive you up the wall.
Good to know, I didn’t know Blender was free. Thanks for the info, I’ll check it out!!
Sra1
13
For a simple cookie cutter, any slicer should be able to handle the job. I wouldn’t expect changing the slicer to have any effect here - we’re talking about a model with a wall probably 2-3mm thick. Any slicer should handle that. No fancy overhangs, bridges etc. Slicer upgrades come into their own when theres complex overhangs, requiring supports and rafts etc, with these features each slicer starts to demonstrate their unique capabilities. I’d hate to shell out mega bucks on slicing software only to find it didnt solve the issue. Of course it could solve other problems you may encounter later down the line, and you could be really happy, or you may have money to throw at finding a solution.
I’d suggest this is a wall thickness issue. I think you’ll need to increase the shell count, and increase the infill - a good strong cutter probably wants 60% infill or more. The walls should be a multiple of the nozzle size, see this for more info:
https://ultimaker.com/en/community/2880-curas-handling-of-wall-and-nozzle-thicknesses
Sra1
14
id also recommend spending that day, next time you can, on the issue - when shooting for perfection in 3d printing, its not uncommon for it to take several days or weeks to solve a conistency issue.
Bob_5
15
Already good reactions.
Blender looks good, although I think it has some learning curve.
I like Thinkercad a lot. You quickly create models, depending on what you want ofcourse.
Good to create models to get to know your printer and get the right settings, before you move To more complicated models.
Good luck. 
