SoliForum - 3D Printing Community — How can print out a 3mm diameter hole?

Re: How can print out a 3mm diameter hole?

2014-06-23T23:35:07Z

Yup. If you really need tight control over hole sizes, you're going to have to drill them.

That said, when I model a 3mm hole I'll get a hole, just slightly undersized (2.5-3mm). Are you not getting a hole at all?? A photo of your part would be very helpful (upload it to imgur or similar and post the url; the forum will block you from posting hyperlinks/images until you've made a few more...).

I use the undersizing to advantage as it gives a bit of material for the drill to clean up (a "machining allowance").
* If the hole is a clearance hole for an bolt, I usually model them oversize, and don't bother drilling (e.g. 3.5mm hole for an M3 bolt)
* If the hole is going to have a thread or shaft put through it, I'll size it exact, it will print undersized, and I'll drill it out.
* If it goes through the bottom layer, it will need that bit drilled out regardless.

Re: How can print out a 3mm diameter hole?

2014-06-23T18:11:35Z

Design a sample print with varying hole sizes, then choose the one that works.

Hope that makes sense. Whenever I want a perfect fit, I always have to "figure out" the correct size that is *not really* the correct size.

Re: How can print out a 3mm diameter hole?

2014-06-21T11:47:17Z

Holes always come out smaller than designed. It's the nature of the process, and the fact that you are taking a physical line of plastic and wrapping it around a circle. The plastic on the outside gets a little stretched, the plastic on the inside gets a little squished. To get a 3mm hole you will need to make it larger in the design, or drill it out. You can mitigate the effect by using polygons to make your holes rather than circles.

How can print out a 3mm diameter hole?

2014-06-21T09:37:35Z

There is problem.
I can't print out a 3mm diameters hole.
Is there a limit?or I have to set up something?