1 Topic by creationblur

  • creationblur
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Topic: Printing things that fit or snap together

I find that every time I print things that are to fit or snap together, they don't fit! I end up having to use the dremel to make it fit. Is this an issue with settings? I don't generally do .1mm prints because of time, and my impatience. I've only actually done one print in that resolution.
I've printed the 8 leaf iris box, the heart shaped box and lid, twice, the I <3 U cube, the cubic form, the twisted bottle, twice. These are just a few that I can think of, they all had to be worked to fit properly. Is it just me, my settings and my SD2?
Does anyone run into this issue, and how did you solve it?

...sativas are for smoking!

2 Reply by HelmutK

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Re: Printing things that fit or snap together

I think it all varies based on how the object was designed. I also had problems with the print of the heart shaped box from Thingiverse. But other boxes, such as the twisted heart shaped box, fit great. I think it is mostly based on the tolerances designed in the object, assuming your printer settings and hardware are not too out of whack.

3 Reply by Merko

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Re: Printing things that fit or snap together

Having the same issue. Atleast for parts like Screws + Bolts. Only solution is to scale one of the part up in ReplicatG..

4 Reply by pretenda

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Re: Printing things that fit or snap together

I've got the same problem. Would love to know an answer. Has anyone succeeded and has the stl to share so we can check our printer settings?

5 Reply by cmetzel

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Re: Printing things that fit or snap together

Print something like this, measure it with calipers and keep your results.  Then you know how much to adjust either the interior or exterior fits to make things go together.  If you're just grabbing them from thingiverse and printing you may have troubles getting them to fit.

This may not get you perfect but it will get you closer.   I was able to get threads to work first try with just a minor tweak to get them started due to some hanging filament.  http://www.soliforum.com/topic/350/new- … e-for-sd2/

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6 Reply by creationblur

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Re: Printing things that fit or snap together

cmetzel wrote:

Print something like this, measure it with calipers and keep your results.  Then you know how much to adjust either the interior or exterior fits to make things go together.  If you're just grabbing them from thingiverse and printing you may have troubles getting them to fit.

This may not get you perfect but it will get you closer.   I was able to get threads to work first try with just a minor tweak to get them started due to some hanging filament.  http://www.soliforum.com/topic/350/new- … e-for-sd2/

Wow, that's awesome! I will print that for sure. What adjustments did you have to tweak, the filament diameter multiplier? I've been tweaking that lately and have been getting better prints at .3mm.
I want to be able to print better threads eventually.

...sativas are for smoking!

7 Reply by solijohn

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Re: Printing things that fit or snap together

creationblur wrote:
cmetzel wrote:

Print something like this, measure it with calipers and keep your results.  Then you know how much to adjust either the interior or exterior fits to make things go together.  If you're just grabbing them from thingiverse and printing you may have troubles getting them to fit.

This may not get you perfect but it will get you closer.   I was able to get threads to work first try with just a minor tweak to get them started due to some hanging filament.  http://www.soliforum.com/topic/350/new- … e-for-sd2/

Wow, that's awesome! I will print that for sure. What adjustments did you have to tweak, the filament diameter multiplier? I've been tweaking that lately and have been getting better prints at .3mm.
I want to be able to print better threads eventually.

Better threads?

Former Solidoodle employee, no longer associated with the company.

8 Reply by creationblur

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Re: Printing things that fit or snap together

Yea, like the threads of a bolt.

...sativas are for smoking!

9 Reply by danny

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Re: Printing things that fit or snap together

creationblur wrote:

I find that every time I print things that are to fit or snap together, they don't fit! I end up having to use the dremel to make it fit. Is this an issue with settings?

It's either going to be an issue with settings, or with the STL.

It is possible to design a 20mm opening and a 20mm part and have them fit perfectly., but the larger the part gets, the more the plastic contractions seem to affect the print.

as an example, a small ring box sized thing I was able to print exactly the same and it fits perfectly.
I've done another print of a jigsaw piece, it takes the whole bed area, and the nobbly bit is only 12mm diameter, but this required serious modification to fit into the hole.

(in fact is required so much modification that I've actually gone back and edited the design file several times to be able to print something that just fits with no modification.

yes at the same time I have some holes in the jig saw, (a triangle) that lates exactly with it's triangle friend, (after some overshoot has been trimmed.)


pretenda wrote:

I've got the same problem. Would love to know an answer. Has anyone succeeded and has the stl to share so we can check our printer settings?

My first print
http://www.soliforum.com/topic/468/heart-shaped-box/

and latest print, (well before this annoying jigsaw thing)
http://www.soliforum.com/topic/589/fila … oolsreels/


those threads have STLs for three objects that just fit as a very close tolerance.
they fitted with no trimming what-so-ever
(the spool isn't exactly circular, it's a circle made of flat faces, obviously you can't mate a corner to a flat face)

10 Reply by IanJohnson

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Re: Printing things that fit or snap together

Interior holes are always going to come out undersized, due to the nature of this kind of printing.  There is a fairly thorough discussion of the topic here -

http://hydraraptor.blogspot.com/2011/02/polyholes.html

Shrinkage will affect things, as well as how well aligned the layers are.  If there is some banding from Z wobble, that is going to make a wall a little thicker.  Also just regular layer lines are going to give a fit more "bite" than smooth, molded walls.

11 Reply by danny

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Re: Printing things that fit or snap together

That makes perfect sense,
It explains why my round parts printed at the same size and orientation for the spools or heart box fit together perfectly. (They are designed on the same packed and sliced using the same software so the polygon representation of the circle is the same.

But my jigsaw pieces do not mate.
I kind of knew it had to not be a bed problem since my triangle holes in the same piece all came out exactly to size.