Reliable printer out of the box ?

[JAZZCNC]

The STL Export integrates with the "QIDI Print" application that provides the slicing and is a poor-man's version of the very popular Cura software.

What do you mean "poor-mans version" Cura is FREE just download and go.! . . . Takes minutes to install and few minutes to setup. I had no experience of 3D printers when I downloaded and was prinitng within 10minutes things that where perfectly fine for my needs. Another few hours playing with settings and I had, what was for my needs, a dialed in setup.
Maybe not dialed like Boyan describes where I'd use it to makes parts to sell but parts that are more than good enough for prototyping or simple things like limit brackets, odd shaped boxs etc etc the list goes on. These things are so usefull.!!

https://ultimaker.com/software/ultimaker-cura

[Doddy]

@Jazz: I'm basically a lazy b'tard. That answer pretty much sums up most of my life choices.

Qidi Print v5.3.2 is based on Cura v<can't remember - an old version>, re-skinned for Qidi and with supplemental device drivers. The Qidi print integrates the Wifi interface to the printer that Cura (tried 4.5) does not - at least not with the Qidi printer. There's all sorts of hacks online to import the model of the X-Max's print bed, and people get a long way towards using Cura but stop to either print to a memory stick or to integrate Octoprint. The latter interests me mildly, the former does not (the X-Max doesn't support USB printing, so everything is either network [not Cura] or USB stick / touch-screen).

I've diff'd the Qidi-Print installation vs Cura hoping to hand-crank dropping the Qidi-specifics onto a Cura install but there are architectural changes in both directory and file structure that make this challenging (see first sentence).

EDIT: To OP, Octoprint is a RPI build that provides network/wifi (I think HTTP/Web-based) interface to the printer - you install this onto the target machine and it allows you to send the sliced file through network/octoprint and it then manages the printer and provides notification back to the user, offers options like local camera support/monitor. Nice idea.

[Boyan Silyavski]

If you guys dont mind will try to explain here some stuff in detail and offer some tips. Even if you are an advanced 3d print user you may find sth usefull

I use Simplify 3d and IMO is worth the price even if only if they were the first to offer on their web site a tutorial how to figure what's wrong with ones print. In times where nobody had it clear and all was a speculation,
Though i can do the same with most of the main slicers, i find that the Simplify3d is better at the job for complex prints and more straightforward and easy to understand and control.

A couple of tips to begin with 3d printing and have perfect result:

There are some points that are a must to understand and do, thanks god that we are CNC people, so i don't have to explain you that the main thing to do before print is measure the filament diameter and introduce it before slicing. The exact roll filament diameter, not some ideal 1.75mm. 99% of children on facebook groups don't do that and after that ask stupid questions


Second thing to understand is that the 0.4mm nozzle is best for general work and that leads to 2 things. Fine print layer must be 0.2mm and fast print layer height must be 0.3mm
Print width must be 0.5mm and must be set on manual in slicer. And the design must be done so that wall thickness is divisible to 0.5mm so it could be only XX.5 or XX.00mm. Same is with the height of the model must be divisible to 0.3mm as probably you will print mainly on fast or to 0.2mmm if you print on fine. Object must be exported with 0.05mm or better precision from CAD or there will be visible liner where circles are


Third thing to tune is what's red in the picture bellow and there is no better way than ask in forum or group for your printer and start with a profile that's already working perfectly. Otherwise you are doomed



Every different filament has contraction once printed which is different in Z from XY, so a test model like 50mm OD x5mm H is good to be printed and play with it until you get everything right. Is small and cheap and easy to figure what's going on. No need for complicated figures and boats. Normally i slice at 101.5% from original model, hence generally filament contracts a bit after printing so i upscale my models with 1.25 to 1.5% depends on filament. Normally the print is like xx.05mm precise which is not bad at all.


Push Tight Tit is achieved with elements offset 1 print width from each other and Normal Tight fit is around 2 print widths and more for looser. In other words to fit 50mm OD circle in a ring, the ring has 5.8mm-6mm ID


Next thing to understand is that 30% infill is the ideal. Nothing better happens if you raise it except if you are printing gears and such. For solid and usable objects 4 layers on all sides is ideal, 3 is usable but 4 guarantees that will not break.



I use rafts on all prints as i want all well supported and flat. And supports where necessary with the last 2 layers of the support solid at 80% so next layer starts with finish from below like printed on ground zero
It's crucial to adjust the separation distance even 0.05mm is critical , so use the 50mm disc to test. that settings is directly connected with the temperature you print at, so if you raise temp things will glue together and that separation should be adjusted




On forums and facebook groups you will hear talk about ridiculously fast speeds. Nope. Any printer not using servos and 300eu controller can not print with precise result faster than this below. Apart from that the filament has limit in its how to say it- acceleration of fluidity and stickiness , so that are the correct speeds




And at last the filament . Tried many but worth working and learning are ABS/ must be printed in Enclosure/ and mainly use PETG as it has the best of all worlds and useful object could be done with it so its my main filament. Nylon and other special plastics for specific products.


To find the correct temperature for the filament the best way is to print the said 50 OD x5mm H cylinder at 30% infill and with the adjustments above all done, then look at the first layer after the infill which has cell structure. If the filament falls in between the cells temp is high, if top wall is straight then temp is right.
good thing is you can adjust the temp and look at the immediate result, use touch to see well.

Hope that mini tutorial will help people fine tune their printing

[dudz]

Thank everyone for the detailed information !. Must have taken quite some time

When I get a printer I will def have a crack at this.

[dudz]

No used 3d printers in NZ that I can find atm.

Done a search online for new. Not many companys in NZ that are allowed to trade atm.

Best One I could find (in stock) and able to trade is ; https://nz.element14.com/creality-3d...ac/dp/2843627#

[Doddy]

Deleted - see next post

[JAZZCNC]

$250 aus?, I thought you could buy new for about that?

I wasn't going to advise a specific printer, but I have had the pleasure of working on one of those (different badge, but looks identical in the picture) getting it working for an apprentice that works for me. Consumer low-end grade and it'll shake itself to bits over time (I went around it replacing all nuts with nylocs). Build volume is small and this particular one has a problem with "thermal runaway" - from observing the behaviour there comes a point where the PID controller for the bed heater goes out of kilter (maybe PSU is poorly spec'd for the bed/extruder/motors) and it throws this error and halts the print. That is probably specific to that one build but I wouldn't crawl over broken glass to buy this as my first printer.

https://au.banggood.com/TRONXY-P802M...r_warehouse=CN

Aha, 250 aud to UK, but 330 to Aus. I'm starting to see the problems of living a continent away.

Doddy are you talking about Creality 10S which is linked in DudZ last post.? if so then your very wrong. I've got the same one and it's great. The build size isn't small at 300 x 300 x 400 and it's never given me any trouble with any electrical issues.?

[Doddy]

Doddy are you talking about Creality 10S which is linked in DudZ last post.? if so then your very wrong. I've got the same one and it's great. The build size isn't small at 300 x 300 x 400 and it's never given me any trouble with any electrical issues.?

Erm. I must have hit the gin early today - I thought the link was to something altogether different. Deleted original post to avoid spreading confusion.

[dudz]

Sorry Guys, I did edit out the first link. Didnt think anyone would be about . I did search some used printers, but they either had very small build areas or just shit. The Creality 10S happens to be the Only (as you said decent) one in stock and available to ship in NZ during lockdown.

Cant see ABS listed as an option with this printer ?. Whats the general better material to use for strong parts ?.

[Boyan Silyavski]

Cant see ABS listed as an option with this printer ?. Whats the general better material to use for strong parts ?.

ABS needs an enclosure, simple from cardboard or polystyrene foam, or more complex from wood and glass. You could print simple stiff without a box enclosure but anything complicated will be a 100% fail. Apart from that ABS is weak.

PETG is the filament that does it all, strong and does not melt from the sun in a car dashboard for example. No good for engine and near engine..

And when you learn the PETG, Nylon is next as this is the filament for more resistant parts and car parts


Its absolutely pointless to buy and use PLA. before an year or 2 it was the cheapest and PETG was triple the price. |Now that prices are almost same, there is no point. parts are strong and is easy to print but will melt left at sunshine.