Thermal Video of an FDM 3D Printer Doing Its Thing

Have you ever wonder what a thermal heat map would look like of your 3D printer in action? Well, one man named Frank Kinnaman certainly did. He used a $200 thermal camera attachment for his smartphone, and filmed his FFF 3D printer printing out vases. The results are what you would probably expect if you are familiar with 3D printing technology, but still it is quite interesting to watch. Read and see more at: http://3dprint.com/18700/heat-map-3d-printing/

Check out the thermal imaging video below:
http://youtu.be/5_5Y489GR34

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Originally Posted by Brian_Krassenstein

Check out the thermal imaging video below:
http://youtu.be/5_5Y489GR34

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Fantastic video. I've never seen it visually represented before, but it really demonstrates the reason a heated build chamber is needed. I'd love to see a similar video done inside a Stratasys FDM machine for comparison.

I think that in a Stratasys there would nothing to see given that it will all be the same temperature apart from where it was printing and you won't see that because by the time the head has moved away it is already the same temperature as the rest. If I had a thermal camera I would like to do it though just to see. :)

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Originally Posted by Mjolinor

I think that in a Stratasys there would nothing to see given that it will all be the same temperature apart from where it was printing and you won't see that because by the time the head has moved away it is already the same temperature as the rest. If I had a thermal camera I would like to do it though just to see. :)

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I think we would see the difference. The bulk of the object wouldn't be the cool blue color we see here, but it also wouldn't be as red as the hot end and build plate. A Stratasys' build chamber is kept at around 160° Fahrenheit. The bed and hot end would be much hotter. I'd be most curious to see the color difference between the middle of an object and the most recent layer on a Stratasys. I suspect it wouldn't be the same color, but the variance wouldn't be nearly as great. Watching this video of a personal FDM machine is like being given a visual explanation as to why warping takes place. I think it's really educational.

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Originally Posted by Mike

Fantastic video. I've never seen it visually represented before, but it really demonstrates the reason a heated build chamber is needed. I'd love to see a similar video done inside a Stratasys FDM machine for comparison.

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Possibly for certain countries, I don't use a heated chamber and I can print warpless 10 hour+ ABS prints, but I live in a fairly warm and dry environment.

The Stratasys shifts such huge volumes of air with 6 4 inch fans, this is to make sure everything is at the same temperature.

I am not sure how you would film it because sticking it inside the chamber wouldn't work because there is no room and you can't print with the door open. Do they not also have to be at room temperature?

The vid shows how the center of the plate is warmer than the edges; I wonder how much difference there is.