1 Topic by Jeff B

  • Jeff B
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2014-12-13
  • Posts: 35

Topic: Can a da Vinci 1.0 print detailed 28 mm Miniatures?

Hi all,

I'd really appreciate some advice, as I am considering saving my pennies, and purchasing an SLA printer, if my machine is unable to do what I am trying to do.

I'm using a stock da Vinci 1.0, and have had great success printing non-organic shapes, such as my slimline X-wing Miniatures Template Holder, but little to no success printing detailed non-organic shapes, such as a 28 mm humanoid miniature.

The images below (in grey and red) are for such a print, and were printed successfully on a Makerbot machine.  I spoke to the creator of the file, and he advised that they were printed using "excellent" settings, at 0.1.

I made several attempts to print this miniature on the da Vinci, and my best efforts are shown below, (in white).  Both the split print and the whole print were produced with 35% fill, thin shells, 0.1, and Slow.  The "whole" print was done from the feet up.

As you can see, there is excessive layering, and a lack of fine detail on my prints.

My questions are:

  • Is a stock da Vinci capable of producing such detail on prints such as these, or is it beyond the ability of the machine?

  • Would such prints be possible if I upgrade my hardware (third party hot end, etc)?

  • Would such prints be possible using a different slicer?

  • Would such prints be possible if I flash the printer to use different software?

  • Is there anything else I can do to be able to produce such detailed prints with my machine.

I am aware that the stock software leaves much to be desired, but it has served me remarkably well with non-organic prints to date.

I am confident that my machine is well calibrated, and I have undertaken the basic maintenance on the machine to provide better prints (shoring up the Z-bracket to prevent wobble, inserting wedges between the frame and glass to stop it from shifting when printing, etc).

I'm thinking that one of the problems may be the print speed.  Even at "slow", the extruder is whizzing around, and not really giving each layer a chance to settle, especially on such a small print as this.

I have not tried printing more than one item at different edges of the build plate.  Would that, perhaps, help in this case?

All advice, suggestions, etc, would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,


Jeff

Post's attachments

image.jpg
image.jpg 29.1 kb, file has never been downloaded. 

image.jpg
image.jpg 20.23 kb, file has never been downloaded. 

image.jpg
image.jpg 160.53 kb, file has never been downloaded. 

image.jpg
image.jpg 181.08 kb, file has never been downloaded. 

You don't have the permssions to download the attachments of this post.

2 Reply by darcwarrior

  • darcwarrior
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2014-12-14
  • Posts: 29

Re: Can a da Vinci 1.0 print detailed 28 mm Miniatures?

Since they look small. If you post a stl Me or somebody when they get a chance could print it and post how it turns out.

3 Reply by batmaster

  • batmaster
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2015-06-04
  • Posts: 60

Re: Can a da Vinci 1.0 print detailed 28 mm Miniatures?

thats what i would suggest aswell.

To be honest though im assuming your printing in abs, and your comparing a print made on a makerbot which would most likely be PLA.  Printing tiny items in abs can be problematic at best, between the heated bed and the higher extruder temperature it can be a pain.

One thing you can also try is place a test cube or something on the far side of the table to what you actually want to print.  This will give each layer more time to cool when the extruder is over wasting time printing the cube.  Wastes a bit of material but i have used it to print some small things out i had issues with and it did the trick.

4 Reply by carl_m1968

  • carl_m1968
  • carl_m1968
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Far North almost not Dallas
  • Registered: 2014-10-17
  • Posts: 6,512

Re: Can a da Vinci 1.0 print detailed 28 mm Miniatures?

batmaster wrote:

thats what i would suggest aswell.

To be honest though im assuming your printing in abs, and your comparing a print made on a makerbot which would most likely be PLA.  Printing tiny items in abs can be problematic at best, between the heated bed and the higher extruder temperature it can be a pain.

One thing you can also try is place a test cube or something on the far side of the table to what you actually want to print.  This will give each layer more time to cool when the extruder is over wasting time printing the cube.  Wastes a bit of material but i have used it to print some small things out i had issues with and it did the trick.

If wasting is an issue for you and you have several of these to print you could just put them all on the bed with as much space as you can spare between them.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

5 Reply by Jeff B

  • Jeff B
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2014-12-13
  • Posts: 35

Re: Can a da Vinci 1.0 print detailed 28 mm Miniatures?

darcwarrior wrote:

Since they look small. If you post a stl Me or somebody when they get a chance could print it and post how it turns out.

Doh.  I meant to include the .stl in the post, but forgot when I uploaded the pics.

Here is the link to the files on Thingiverse: Elf Mage

I'm using my iPad at the moment, so can't add the files directly.

I think I'll try printing four different models, all around the same height, in different corners, and see if this makes any differences, but I think, from past experiences, it will not have much of an effect.

Also, I think you are right about the original being PLA - that didn't even occur to me.

So, can a stock 1.0 use PLA?  I've seen the carts for sale, but I didn't think the extruder could handle it (although it IS an option in the XYZ Slicer, when selecting the 1.0...).

Thanks all for your responses so far.

Cheers,


Jeff

6 Reply by carl_m1968

  • carl_m1968
  • carl_m1968
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Far North almost not Dallas
  • Registered: 2014-10-17
  • Posts: 6,512

Re: Can a da Vinci 1.0 print detailed 28 mm Miniatures?

The 1.0 cannot use PLA without modifications.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

7 Reply by batmaster (edited by batmaster 2015-08-21 22:07:27)

  • batmaster
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2015-06-04
  • Posts: 60

Re: Can a da Vinci 1.0 print detailed 28 mm Miniatures?

I printed them in pla.  Came out decent, could have printed slower but overall I'm happy.  The models were not manifold and are not well designed for 3d printing BTW.

http://soliforum.com/i/?EtRtdOP.jpg

8 Reply by Jeff B

  • Jeff B
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2014-12-13
  • Posts: 35

Re: Can a da Vinci 1.0 print detailed 28 mm Miniatures?

carl_m1968 wrote:

The 1.0 cannot use PLA without modifications.

What modifications are required?

9 Reply by Jeff B

  • Jeff B
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2014-12-13
  • Posts: 35

Re: Can a da Vinci 1.0 print detailed 28 mm Miniatures?

batmaster wrote:

I printed them in pla.  Came out decent, could have printed slower but overall I'm happy.  The models were not manifold and are not well designed for 3d printing BTW.

http://soliforum.com/i/?EtRtdOP.jpg

Thanks, Batmaster.  What's your setup?

10 Reply by carl_m1968

  • carl_m1968
  • carl_m1968
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Far North almost not Dallas
  • Registered: 2014-10-17
  • Posts: 6,512

Re: Can a da Vinci 1.0 print detailed 28 mm Miniatures?

Jeff B wrote:
carl_m1968 wrote:

The 1.0 cannot use PLA without modifications.

What modifications are required?

You need to add heatsinks to the heat break and move the fan down lower so it blows on the feedtube and heatsinks.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

11 Reply by batmaster

  • batmaster
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2015-06-04
  • Posts: 60

Re: Can a da Vinci 1.0 print detailed 28 mm Miniatures?

Jeff B wrote:
batmaster wrote:

I printed them in pla.  Came out decent, could have printed slower but overall I'm happy.  The models were not manifold and are not well designed for 3d printing BTW.

http://soliforum.com/i/?EtRtdOP.jpg

Thanks, Batmaster.  What's your setup?

1.0a with a heatsink added to my extruder, fan remounted lower and blowing out not in.  And I'm running repetier firmware.  Also I use a fan mount for an extra 50mm fan to blow on the part, is on thingiverse under my name.

Post's attachments

20150629_005059_HDR.jpg
20150629_005059_HDR.jpg 4.12 mb, file has never been downloaded. 

You don't have the permssions to download the attachments of this post.

12 Reply by Jeff B

  • Jeff B
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2014-12-13
  • Posts: 35

Re: Can a da Vinci 1.0 print detailed 28 mm Miniatures?

Jeff B wrote:

Thanks, Batmaster.  What's your setup?

batmaster wrote:

1.0a with a heatsink added to my extruder, fan remounted lower and blowing out not in.  And I'm running repetier firmware.  Also I use a fan mount for an extra 50mm fan to blow on the part, is on thingiverse under my name.

Thanks again, Batmaster.

Cheers,

13 Reply by scobo (edited by scobo 2015-08-22 06:07:36)

  • scobo
  • scobo
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Scotland - UK
  • Registered: 2014-08-09
  • Posts: 993

Re: Can a da Vinci 1.0 print detailed 28 mm Miniatures?

batmaster wrote:

1.0a with a heatsink added to my extruder, fan remounted lower and blowing out not in.  And I'm running repetier firmware.  Also I use a fan mount for an extra 50mm fan to blow on the part, is on thingiverse under my name.

Nice job there with the heatsink !
I use the same method except with 4 small heatsinks, 2 either side of the feedtube.
Works well with many other filament types too.

http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac28/scobodon/94d159b3869f42d6dfe9366e1f0b1947_zps21irlktr.jpg

Davinci 1.0 with repetier firmware & E3D V6 Lite
Anycubic Photon DLP printer, Einscan-S 3D scanner
Simplify3d, 123D Design, Meshmixer
http://www.thingiverse.com/scobo/designs

14 Reply by scobo

  • scobo
  • scobo
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Scotland - UK
  • Registered: 2014-08-09
  • Posts: 993

Re: Can a da Vinci 1.0 print detailed 28 mm Miniatures?

Here's my effort, ABS at 0.2mm .....

http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac28/scobodon/Mobile%20Uploads/3b443c802646558dfbe32d3ee049e137_zpsegus82rd.jpg

http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac28/scobodon/Mobile%20Uploads/f707695df7e248f6e44ecb6873b285cd_zps7kuu3hkf.jpg

Davinci 1.0 with repetier firmware & E3D V6 Lite
Anycubic Photon DLP printer, Einscan-S 3D scanner
Simplify3d, 123D Design, Meshmixer
http://www.thingiverse.com/scobo/designs

15 Reply by Jeff B

  • Jeff B
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2014-12-13
  • Posts: 35

Re: Can a da Vinci 1.0 print detailed 28 mm Miniatures?

scobo wrote:

Here's my effort, ABS at 0.2mm .....

Wow, that's pretty decent, Scobo.  Do you think it is Repetier, or Simplify3D that makes the difference, or a combination of both?

Cheers,

16 Reply by scobo

  • scobo
  • scobo
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Scotland - UK
  • Registered: 2014-08-09
  • Posts: 993

Re: Can a da Vinci 1.0 print detailed 28 mm Miniatures?

Both. I noticed an improvement when I started using Simplify3d and further improvement with Repetier. Really pleased with this setup.
It just shows how good the Davinci hardware is once you take the shoddy stock software/firmware out the equation.

Davinci 1.0 with repetier firmware & E3D V6 Lite
Anycubic Photon DLP printer, Einscan-S 3D scanner
Simplify3d, 123D Design, Meshmixer
http://www.thingiverse.com/scobo/designs