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Line 83:
Line 83: − + + − + Line 94:
Line 95: − + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + − - slicing it / generating gcode (brim, size, rotation, infill, support)+ − - setting up the printer (temperature [preheating], choosing a file)+
Added the software part of setting up a 3D print.
When you open PrusaControl, it looks like this:
When you open PrusaControl, it looks like this:
[[File:Prusacontroldragon.png|link=https://maker-hub.georgefox.edu/wiki/File:Prusacontroldragon.png|left|thumb|850x850px]]
[[File:Prusacontroldragon.png|link=https://maker-hub.georgefox.edu/wiki/File:Prusacontroldragon.png|left|566x566px|frameless]]
At the top, you have your basic toolbar where you can import a file. To do this, click on "File > Import Model File", and you'll be presented with your filesystem to choose whatever model you have ready.
At the top, you have your basic toolbar where you can import a file. To do this, click on "File > Import Model File", and you'll be presented with your filesystem to choose whatever model you have ready.
To the right is the settings you'll most likely be working with, such as the material, quality, infill, support, and sizing.
To the right is the settings you'll most likely be working with, such as the material, quality, infill, support, and sizing.
[[File:Settings.png|frame]]
On the Prusa's, we currently only use PLA, so we'll always be keeping the Material option as Prusa PLA.
On the Prusa's, we currently only use PLA, so we'll always be keeping the Material option as Prusa PLA.
Next, you'll change the infill. If you don't know how much infill you need, check out the definition of infill above or talk to the supervisor for help. This option will almost always stay at 20% infill.
Next, you'll change the infill. If you don't know how much infill you need, check out the definition of infill above or talk to the supervisor for help. This option will almost always stay at 20% infill.
Now we come to support! Support is extra thin material printed around your model
Now we come to support! Support is extra material printed around your model to support tougher geometric angles that the printer can't get to on its own. It is easily torn off at the end of the print.
The Brim option is for bed adhesion. You will typically want this option, since it helps prevent the warping of the part you are printing. If you choose the brim option, you will need to watch the printer for the first 20% of the print to make sure everything adheres and starts the print correctly, otherwise you'll end up with a failed part.
[[File:Orientation.png|thumb]]
On the right you will see the object settings! If you click on the model you imported, these settings will highlight so you can change them. In the Position settings, you can adjust where on the printer bed you would like your print to start. Due to automatic bed leveling, the center of the printer bed is always the best place to put your model. If you are printing multiple parts, then arrange everything from the center outwards. You can click and drag your model around and see the change in the X and Y coordinates, and if you need it to be super precise, you can use the keyboard to change the values in the Position settings.
For the Rotation settings, you want to make sure that the flattest part of the model is the one that is face down on the printer bed. Prusas don't do well with odd geometry and angles (that's a job for the Formlab 2!), so make sure to keep the flat parts of your print on the printer bed.
Scale is important, it determines how large you want your print to be. If you modeled your print to specific dimensions, PrusaControl will import it with the correct dimensions, and you can skip this section. If it is too large, you can scale the model down to 70%-90% and see how that affects the size, and vice versa, changing the scale to 110%-130% if need be.
Place on bed should always be on.
When all those settings are complete, you can click "Generate" in the bottom right corner, and PrusaControl will give you a time and filament estimate for your print. If they seem reasonable, you can save the newly "sliced" .gcode file to the SD card that will go into the printer! If not, you can always go back and adjust the settings to fit your time and/or filament needs.
Once you have the gcode file on the SD card, put the SD card into the Prusa (on the left side of the orange menu), and turn the printer on. The printer will read the SD card and initialize itself, then you can start. In the menu, there is an option you want called "Print from SD Card". That will take you to a list of all the .gcode files on the SD card. Search until you find your own, and select it.
Naturally, the printer will set itself up for PLA settings, which is approximately 215°C for the extruder, and 60°C for the heated bed. This will take a few minutes. The printer will then test the bed leveling, and begin the print.
- watching the print (brim, speed, support, 30%)
- watching the print (brim, speed, support, 30%)