Experienced 3D printer here, first time trying to print the OpenFlexure on our Ultimaker S5 FDM 3D Printer using PLA. As I hope you can see from the attached image, the horizontal struts that span the legs like rungs of a ladder fail to print. I think it’s just too wide a span for this printer to complete. There was even an odd misalignment in one leg, though that was the only such instance.
The print stands and flexes like I’d expect. Overall, the print seem sturdy, even if it’s not winning any beauty contests. Is this the sort of issue that’s likely to impact the microscope’s performance or is it likely just cosmetic?
Thanks!
The ladder rung parts are not vital, but they are an indication that the printer is not performing as well as I would expect.
The misalignment in the vertical leg is likely to become a problem. Strictly speaking it does not alter the stage geometry, as the 3D printing process will put the top of the leg and the flexures in the right place, even with that dislocation. However the leg will be weak and I expect it will not last long. There may be other parts that have similar issues that you cannot see - inside the actuator bodies and in the z-axis internal mechanism.
Did you try printing the ‘leg_test’ part? It is supposed to show up difficulties before committing to the whole body. It would be interesting to know if that is the case in practice. An Ultimaker should be able to print these bridges and legs easily. I am not an expert in tweaking printer settings, but it looks as though the filament is too hot, or it is not cooled fast enough. It could also be something about the state of the particular filament spool that you used.
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Hi WilliamW, thanks for the insight here, much appreciated. Yes, a similar issue showed up during the leg_test. I’m going to consult with the folks running our MakerSpace about the printing temperature and other settings I haven’t adjusted before. I’ll report back
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Success! Using 3dprinteros to manage these print jobs, within ‘Expert Mode’, there is a set of options called ‘Experimental’ and at the bottom of that list is ‘Enable Bridge Settings’ which led to greatly improved printing of the leg struts. Hope this helps someone else in the future.
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