Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Your 3D Printer Services

by | Sep 10, 2015 | Printing

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While 3D printing can be a wonderful for your business and even personal needs, printer services can get tricky quickly. The technology has advanced but is still immature, and those who are new to the printing phenomenon have multiple challenges when it comes to getting the best results that are repeatable and reliable. However, there are some tips that can help you.

Understanding

You have to know how to work the printer in question, but you should also be curious by nature and like to tinker with objects. This is still the best way to go about printing using a 3D option because there are very few reliable options, and the kits can be harder to use than others. Therefore, you’ll have to be patient, read through the user manual and learn a little more about the technology first.

Calibration

Most of these printers, while delivered and expensive, aren’t tuned properly, meaning you won’t get the best results. Price isn’t an indicator of tuning, so you’ll want to check everything yourself. The belts and pulleys should be tight, and the bed should be level. You’ll also want to keep it clean so that it works correctly each time you need it. Practice will help you determine when something is wrong or calibrated improperly, but until then, you’ll have to work by trial and error. Many experts recommend printing out a lot of 20mm cubes, which will help you test the calibration. While this can be boring and will use up some materials, it’s better than trying to print your best idea and it not turning out correctly.

Cheat

While it’s not technically cheating, and you’re just ensuring that everything is right, don’t hesitate to pause the job to glue the first layer or using filler, sandpaper or paint to enhance the finished product.

Be Prepared For The Worst

Even if you plan everything correctly, something may still go wrong. Digital models can change when they’re in the real world and the materials can cool and shrink after the item is printed. You may also notice that the first layer is a little bigger, which can throw off the entire piece slightly though it may not affect the overall effect. Don’t go overboard finding things to nit-pick, but don’t ignore significant problems either.

Getting the most out of your 3D printer services may seem difficult, but it can be easy if you don’t worry so much about the small things. Visit PrintIn3D today to learn more.

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