Qidi Tech 1 - Replicator 1 clone

[jfkansas]

What are you guys using for extrusion width and multiplier for ABS and PLA? I think I am having sizing issues. I have the nozzle diameter set at .4.

How have you calibrated the print size?

I'm usually at about .9 on extrusion multiplier at a .4 extrusion width. If you increase width to .48 or so you can raise the multiplier some, maybe to .94 or so. Really it is trial and error, looking at the layer quality, and measuring results.

Sometimes to get the tool paths that I want I go all the way down to .3 width with a .4 nozzle. When you do this you have to decrease the multiplier more. I start at about .8 when I do this for multiplier and usually end up lower than that.

[wirlybird]

It's really impractical to expect to extrude a .4 line with a .4 nozzle. There is a bit of smash which will always widen the line around 120 to 130%. Even the nozzle in free air purge is probably extruding about .5 or .6mm depending on the filament. Plastic tends to swell up after being squeezed down under heat and pressure.

Makes sense. I did measure a "string" of filament and it was about .52.

[wirlybird]

I'm usually at about .9 on extrusion multiplier at a .4 extrusion width. If you increase width to .48 or so you can raise the multiplier some, maybe to .94 or so. Really it is trial and error, looking at the layer quality, and measuring results.

Sometimes to get the tool paths that I want I go all the way down to .3 width with a .4 nozzle. When you do this you have to decrease the multiplier more. I start at about .8 when I do this for multiplier and usually end up lower than that.

Ok, mine is set to defaults at .4 nozzle, .4 extrude and 90% for PLA and 100% for ABS.

[Syd_Khaos]

I am curious as to what your planning to print that requires such exact tolerances?

I do a fair amount of prints for industrial applications. Have made some gaskets, spacers, even a couple inner-splinned gears for my buddys lathe. Never was there an instance where a 1/10mm variation would have made one lick of difference.

edit:
Only thing I can think of would be a spacecraft.....
Hate to be the bearer of bad news bud, but these plastics wont hold up to re-entry =P

[wirlybird]

I am curious as to what your planning to print that requires such exact tolerances?

I do a fair amount of prints for industrial applications. Have made some gaskets, spacers, even a couple inner-splinned gears for my buddys lathe. Never was there an instance where a 1/10mm variation would have made one lick of difference.

edit:
Only thing I can think of would be a spacecraft.....
Hate to be the bearer of bad news bud, but these plastics wont hold up to re-entry =P

Well, the FAA gave me a bunch of pilots licenses but nothing from NASA so no worries there!

I had some recent print/size issues and trying to make sure I actually have things dialed in correctly. Things like should I set extrusion manually and use .4 or select auto and let it do the times 1.2. Just learning how all of this works and what settings are more set it and forget it and what I need to pay attention to on more of a print by print basis.

[jfkansas]

I am curious as to what your planning to print that requires such exact tolerances?

I do a fair amount of prints for industrial applications. Have made some gaskets, spacers, even a couple inner-splinned gears for my buddys lathe. Never was there an instance where a 1/10mm variation would have made one lick of difference.

edit:
Only thing I can think of would be a spacecraft.....
Hate to be the bearer of bad news bud, but these plastics wont hold up to re-entry =P

I have some products that hold miniature ball bearings and 48 pitch transmission gears. The adjustments I make to mesh are in .1mm increments. The bearings must slide into 10mm diameter pockets. I have to tolerance for not only plastic shrinkage, but also how the layers grip the outer bearing race. The first time you insert the bearing it can be tight. However when removed and reinserted the bearing actually slides in easier since it kind smooths the layering ribs flat.

This isn't the norm for 3d print though. A lot are more organic designs that can be off by 1-2mm and no one will notice.

[PatPend]

I replaced the blue plastic with 1/4 boro glass stuck to the aluminum platform using nothing but a full sheet of Gino. Prints great. Problem: the glass plate has a lot more thermal mass than the blue pad which is causing the following scenario: If I print something, then print another thing immediately following, the printer never thinks it reaches temperature and stays in heatup mode indefinitely. When this happens the build plate is actually warmer than the setpoint, for example, for a 40º setpoint the build plate will hover around 50ºc. The extruder heatup never kicks in. So it seems that the algorithm is stuck waiting for the build plate to reach temperature when it actually has to cool. Anyone else have a similar experience?

Anyone know of any firmware parameters or PID settings that could be tweaked to deal with this?

[DaveB]

I replaced the blue plastic with 1/4 boro glass stuck to the aluminum platform using nothing but a full sheet of Gino. Prints great. Problem: the glass plate has a lot more thermal mass than the blue pad which is causing the following scenario: If I print something, then print another thing immediately following, the printer never thinks it reaches temperature and stays in heatup mode indefinitely. When this happens the build plate is actually warmer than the setpoint, for example, for a 40º setpoint the build plate will hover around 50ºc. The extruder heatup never kicks in. So it seems that the algorithm is stuck waiting for the build plate to reach temperature when it actually has to cool. Anyone else have a similar experience?

Anyone know of any firmware parameters or PID settings that could be tweaked to deal with this?

When the build plate is warmer than the setpoint the printer will wait for a little while for it to cool. If it does not cool down quickly enough the printer will time out with a message on the LCD stating that the build plate never got to the correct temperature. I suggest letting the build plate cool a bit until it is close to the target temp, then kick off the print.

[wirlybird]

Any suggestions on guidelines for pricing prints? I have developed a couple measurement devices I am going to sell and wondering how to price accordingly?

[Syd_Khaos]

Any suggestions on guidelines for pricing prints? I have developed a couple measurement devices I am going to sell and wondering how to price accordingly?

My pricing structure is like this:
$2 per hour of machine run-time and $1 per 20grams of material used. That material price is for ABS or PLA, if i use something that cost me more I adjust that to match.