03: Slicing and Printing Your First Model

Read this first! These are user contributed topics to help you get printing with Creation Workshop and the Uncia!
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PomeroyB
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03: Slicing and Printing Your First Model

Postby PomeroyB » Thu Dec 04, 2014 2:45 am

Now that we've got our calibration finished up, it's time for the moment you've all been waiting for! Time to print!

It's always a good idea to start with a simple model so you can check to see if your calibration is correct. Cubes are a classic choice, since they're easy to measure accurately.

But cubes are boring, and we can always print a cube later. So today we're going to start with .

Download that model and open up Creation Workshop.

First, we're presented with a blank screen. Click the open button (Red Square) to open a system dialog, and select your STL file.



There we go! Marvin's looking good! Click the "Scene" tab on the right to find out more info about your scene.



This tab lists all the models in your scene. A selected model will be colored green in the 3D view. Now click on "Move"



This tab lets us move our model. The top left button (Red box) will place your model on the print surface. The middle button (Yellow box) will center your model in X and Y on the build platform, and the right button (Green box) will automatically arrange multiple models on the build platform.
Click on the "10.0" in the Z section (Red box) and change it to "1"





Now press the "+" button a few times to raise your model 4-5mm in Z. Marvin should now be floating:



Now that Marvin's floating about 5mm above the build surface, let's add some supports and a raft. Click the "+" button on the far right of the screen (Red box).



That opens that following panel. Select the "Add a raft" button (Red box):



This adds a small platform under our model.



Marvin still isn't attached, so we need to add some supports. The easiest way is to click "Add Automatic Supports" (Red box).



Here's our bed of nails support system. These keep Marvin firmly attached to our raft.



It's a good idea to use a raft and supports for your models because it improves bed adhesion. In addition, the Uncia's build plate is filled with holes, so this keeps your model's base smooth.

Now let's slice our model! Click the "Slice" button at the the top (Red box):



We are presented with this dialog:



Sounds good... let's hit slice!



Uh oh... Better go save our scene (Red box).





Now that that's finished, we can hit slice again and...



That's more like it! Once the slicing process finishes, you can see the estimated build time (Red box).



Connect your printer by clicking the "Connect" button. We'll be able to start the print by pressing the "Play" button (Red box), but we're not quite ready yet!



We need to set up our printer to print! I like to prop up the resin tank so I don't have to use very much resin.



Now move your platform to the correct level, based on your marking from the previous tutorial:



I personally have only used . I use 10 seconds exposure for the first 3 layers, and 6 seconds for every other layer.



Fill the tank to just at the surface of your build platform. Lots of bubbles!



Bubbles are evil! I like to lower my build platform a small distance, and use a toothpick to pop the bubbles and move them to the edges:



Bringing the platform back up, you can see that I didn't get all the bubbles. That's fine for this first print, but if I was doing a very detailed or long print, I'd make sure to get all the bubbles.



Now we hit print, and start our very first 3D DLP 3D Print! This is so exciting! Nothing can go wrong!



Oops. Turns out things can still go wrong. Our raft didn't adhere very well to the build platform, and the force from the resin shrinking was able to pull itself off the bed. This usually means that your platform was too far beneath the surface of the resin, and a good bond wasn't formed.
For very tricky prints, I sometimes start with the build platform just above the resin by .05mm-.1mm, and that way I know that the first layer is .1mm or less.



It worked! The print has finished, but is looking pretty goopy. Let's clean it up. Pop it off the build plate by poking the raft from below through the platform holes, and place it in a jar. Don't forget your gloves!



I use 99% isopropyl alcohol to clean off my models. It quickly dissolves the uncured resin left on the model, and isn't too nasty.



Swirl it around for a minute or two, fish out your model, dry it off, and admire it!



A good print will have smooth layers. Rough layers indicate light bleeding through your resin.



Congrats! You've made a 3D print!

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