How to 3D Print Dimensionally Accurate Parts
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- Опубликовано: 16 июн 2024
- I ran into a problem this week with a 3D-printed part that came out slightly too small and didn't fit. This is a common problem with 3D printers. Today we'll take a look at the problem, talk about what causes it and show how to solve it.
Tools and supplies used in this video:
*This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
eSun Black ABS+ Filament, 1.75mm (Amazon*): amzn.to/2XQOhum
Aventor 8" DPS IP54 Caliper (Amazon*): amzn.to/2SjOuj9
HFS 190-Piece (0.061-0.250") Gage Pin Set Minus (Amazon*): amzn.to/2DDSAf3
High Temperature ESD Safe Mat (Amazon*): amzn.to/2Xz0n6D
Good reminder that it's all fun and games when printing big-busted winged figurines - until you need to print something practical.
I managed to print a 50 cm replacement oven door handle, and I had kept the old aluminium face. The face had a lip (perpendicular to the face) and a rounded bevel. I designed the handle with zero clearance for the lip, a matching radius, a groove of the exact width and depth.. It was my first 3d print on my first 3d printer (say .. project larger than a few cm), and it worked as expected. The aluminium face fits nicely in the handle...
I used PLA, a 60C heated bed all the time (9 hours), a nice and big raft, and the printer is a Creality CR10 Max, 0.4mm nozzle, 70mm/s. My only complaint is that there is a 0.1 mm deflection over the 50cm of the handle, other than that, I'm happy with the result.
exactly, btw. I almost always print somethinf practical , no time for wasting my filament and time for useless things..
.stl of big-busted winged chicks or it didn't happen.....
Naaaah, just kidding, I wouldn't want to treat women like .obj's.
@@redwhiteandbluebonnets8180 😂
@@redwhiteandbluebonnets8180 You mean ...treat women like stl's 🙂
cool video! One small trick, not sure if it is already mentioned here: measure the pin size with calipers, now *zero the caliper*, then measure the outside distance between pins - it'll give you the exact distance between pins.
If the pins are the SAME size His were not (but not greatly different so, in THIS case, can be ignored).
Great idea, and now I feel stupid for never thinking of that.
Holy cow. I'm very new to 3d printing, only actually printing about a dozen things. They were always too small, and since all of this is new to me, and there is a plethera of new terminology, I've been scouring the interwebs trying to figure out why. I thought my printer was either broke, or there was some calibration sequence I needed to do. I had basically given up, frustrated that I had to manually model everything larger to compensate, since I had no idea what was wrong.
And then youtube dropped this in my lap. Thanks so much for taking the time to make this. No overly complicated terminology and a very simple solution. You saved my sanity!
I hope your tester came out well!
Just so you guys know if you are using PLA and your parts are slightly to big (or your holes are slightly too small) your issue may be solved by increasing your horizontal expansion offset. Basically the PLA is expanding just a little bit due to the heat of melting it, so your parts will be just a little to big. The horizontal expansion offset can help fix this. You will need to do multiple tests seeing what value works best for you.
good to know !
Thank you
In SuperSlicer would that be XY Compensation?
@@fred98321 I believe so
@@Kz1nk Yes, it was. I played with it and it solved a long standing problem. My XY movement is calibrated based on distance moved but parts were never the exact set sizes. After using XY Compensation they come out very close (0.02 to 0.04mm) to the defined size. Thanks again.
@@fred98321 Awesome, glad it worked!
For precise features, we usually CAD those features in a very thin, quick, proto print to get them accurate. Then the full size part. This saves lots of iterative printing time and waste material. Also for threads, snap fits, flex fits, and anything that fits something from "the real world" or even another printer.
I don’t even try to get small holes or threads correct, I’ll undersize them then drill and or tap as needed. Super easy Bc it’s plastic
@@henry3397 You still need the centers correct, though.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us and I really enjoyed the video presentation. It showed me how one should go about dealing with shrinkage.
Things that I noticed and hope you will continue to do include:
You don't assume too much of the experience or knowledge of your audience which I think is great.
You disclosed brand names of what you used (filament, 3D program, 3D slicer, spreadsheet, etc.) which I liked. It gives me ideas on how I can use them more effectively or in my environment. Your spreadsheet usage was particular interesting to me.
You scripting of your video was well done in that you presented what you wanted to do, demonstrated the problem (with lots of visual close up shots) on what happened, how you identified the problem, the possible solutions and the final solution that you settled on.
I thought that a visual inspection of the 3D object would have suggested that the problem was not in the hardware (i.e. 3D printer) but somewhere else since the printed object looked pretty good. But I do commend you for doing your 'due diligence' to make sure that you didn't miss anything as part of your problem analyze segment. As a side note, I thought that if I were looking for the actual shrinkage value due to the equipment & material, I would print the largest diameter rectangle that my printer to produce and measure the resultant print. The deviation between designed & actual dimension would be the most accurate.
But back to the video.
The pacing was sometimes fast, especially when not familiar with the application or situation but I was able to follow it. The video presentation was professionally done, with great video framing & sound reproduction. Thank you especially for taking the time to do a great presentation.
Finally, I do want you to know that I appreciate the time & effort that you put in producing the video and encourage you to continue to do so.
Take care and stay safe,
Pat Young
Great video. Just pulled my old Tarantulas printer out printed an insulated spacer had almost exact errors you had. Your video confirmed my method I was about to do this morning. I am electronic designer by trade, worked with lots good machinist over the years each taught me real world solutions just like this video series. Big thank you.
Love the “to my calibrated eye” ! I use that all the time. Nice clear and thorough explication of the shrinkage problem and how to fix it. I just bought a FDM printer and learning how to use it and that is an issue I have run up against. Thanks for the great video!
It would be great if you could do a similar video, showing the full process of calibrating the printer for accurate dimensions and setup of Simplify 3D. Your way of explaining things is really good.
I think the point of this video was to get a really accurate part with out touching your "already calibrated" printer. Because let's face it, all part behave differently and calibrating the printer for each part is quite annoying/time consuming. I am sure you found that out yourself anyways.
This is an awesome video! Material shrinkage is something I've never thought about or even considered when modelling. But I will be factoring it in when printing dimensionally accurate parts from now on. Great job!
Thank you for sharing your solution! Very easy to understand explanation and solution. I've seen a few of your other videos and as always, you do an excellent job of presenting your topics in a clear, well organized fashion. Keep up the great work!
in the beginning i thought, that you didn't calibrate your axis correct, but your solution and description are GREAT...
a new aspect to improve my parts. thx ;) hope that the software desire not too much manual changes in settings when changing filament OR temp!
automatic part-enlargement should be mandatory for filament-settings ... NOT after importing, but BEFORE PRINTING!
awesome! I found this as well with fitting a circuit board. You are the only one on the internet with the right fix. I spent a lot of time going down the wrong rabbit holes lol. subscribed!
Great engineering level video thank you. “I’m using black because BLACK” 🤣
Good work
Nice example. Thanks for taking the time to show that. Using Siemens NX, I like to add manufacturing specific features like this at the end of the model history, and place these features in a named feature group. That way I model the part as it should be, and then have a group of features for 3D printing (or other manufacturing process) that can be suppressed or unsuppressed as a group. For example, I might enlarge holes slightly based on inaccuracy of the 3D print. Scaling the final part for shrinkage would be a feature in the feature group.
I think it’s amazing what you can do on the 3D printer! I am proud of you for finding a problem and fixing it! Good stuff James!
Thanks!
Thanks for the great advice, I never considered the shrinkage of the material being used. Makes a lot of sense!
I just wish all RUclips videos were as clear and concise as this. Great Job....!
I learn something useful every time I watch one of your videos. Keep it up!
One of the best videos on this problem I’ve seen. Thanks man!
Thank you very much, this information and explanation will solve and make a big difference to those that are trying to get into 3D printing and can't understand why their parts don't finish dimensionally accurate. The information you provided, how you arrived to your problem solving methods and ultimately the end result were great. I just wish i knew more about Excel to do a simple number processing file as you did for averaging numbers(measurements). This will be something i research now as it will help me a lot and speed up my post part analyzing process.
Husband Richard saw you on wife's phone and I subscribed cuse I love to build and design and create .you video was helpful to me with your concise explaining I could understand perfectly. Now I will remember shrinkage.
Every now and than I will reach out to you with 3d print solving for help. Very well done 👏
This was a great video to watch. Ive been having an issue of critical cylindrical features being undersized in a part. Ill definitely try your method out.
Thank You! Mind Blown! Once my 3D Skill Level is ready for action, I'm gonna make some super custom sewing machine presser foot attachments (to help glide over stubborn fabrics). Schooling us that the ABS 3D Printer filamint will shrink a bit after it's cooled greatly reduces my shock expectancy of my first printed piece.
Thanks for your experience and how you fixed your specific problem. I'm using Cura so I have to explore my options and I also have to verify if I do this whether or not already made .STLs haven't been scaled up for a material if I go this route. But I really like how this would alleviate some of the headaches of issues related to FDM printing for my use case.
Very interesting. I suppose the shrinkage changes based on the thickness and shape . . . . . if it were directly proportional, no matter what, printing a set of 12" "rulers with very fine scale marked, then compare to actual ruler and maybe that would tell you whether the shrinkage happens across the scale, or jsut in certain parts?. Love your videos, and the Fusion 360 has been far more useful than what pertain to be F360 tutorials. You make it far clearer than those other guys! Thanks!
WoW. I really enjoyed this video, very well layed out & explained in a logical way.
I am just a day away from using my first roll of ABS & now I know how to deal with part inaccuracies. Great timing for me thank you very much, I've subscribed & am eager to see more of what you do. Cheers Di
Awesome. Thanks!
I work in a 3d printing lab and we have had this same problem. I haven't thought of this solution so thank you this will save a lot of time and money.
How would the pros solve this problem?
Well done, very helpful! You have given very usable and succinct information...thanks for your time and attention to detail!
Thanks and best regards,
Dave
You can change to a Z up orientation in Fusion 360 by clicking on your name in the upper right and selecting "preferences". In the general tab look for "default modeling orientation" and change it from "Y up" to "Z up"
Great video! So much knowledge and perfectly explained the issues I was having with ASA. Thank you
Once Again ! Great solutions, for real world problems !!! Love this channel !!!
Nice and succinct explanation. I've run into a similar issue and hadn't considered material shrinkage despite ruling out the same mechanical factors. My error is of the same magnitude hence my new suspicion of material shrinkage. Thanks 👍
This is a fantastic video. Clear explanation of problem with simple workaround. Subscribed!
Loving these videos! This is my second one and I'm learning so much! Which 3D printer are you using?
Brilliant as always, James!
Great video, thank you for taking the time to go through all the details 🙏🏾
Great video, this is invaluable information for anyone doing practical prints! 👍
Wow this explains so much. I've ALWAYS had an issue with things being printed a little undersized and I've been 3D printing for 7 years now. I figured it was just my crappy old printer. I've been setting my prints to 101% or 102% for a long time, but great to know the reason now.
I am a photographer. I still use the old 4X5 field cameras. Last year I bought an MPP MK VII technical field camera for landscape photography. It came with one lens board of Copal 1 size. This camera has not been produced since the early 70s so, instead of paying silly prices for battered old lensboards off the Bay, I decided to 3D print them using a CF infused PLA. I ran exactly into the same problem as you just did. Both trial size No 0 and No1 boards came out undersized. I had to adjust the printing sizes in Cura by quite a bit , around 1% mark If my memory serves me right, to get the lens flange to fit the holes and the retaining nut fit in. I am not quite 100% sure if the quoted filament sizes are accurate or not either.
What a tremendously presented study of shrinkage and the solutions thereof.
You sir have made a video that I was exactly looking for. Thank you so much.
Great video!! Thank you for the detailed explanation on resolving the issue
Another outstanding video that explains why I had to keep scaling my parts to fit precisely! By trial and error, the factor for my ABS was 1.1%!
Nice work James 👍. Sigh, now I have to keep a crib sheet for filaments by brand/type and whack some small frames together and measure.
Thank you. My projects have been coming out a little undersized. Now I know what to do.
Now this is what I love about this channel, you just know that when James does something...he does it right!
Yet another great video James, keep it up mate! 👍👍👍
Been 3d printing now for 3 years and still have been doing the scaling manually on simplify3d. Thankw for making my 3d printing life much simpler. I do a lot of mechanical parts so this helps a lot.
What happens when you use a different filament or printer?
Are you going to keep track of what you scaled each and every part with?
So your method is actually the preferred method.
Outstanding! You are an amazing engineer! Great video, well explained.
As a retired guy it was an excitement to look a t this video. I think I’ll set aside my resin printer just to try your ticks. Thanks. JP.
That's cool. I don't use ABS much, mainly because of the warping issues. As such, I wasn't considering, and should have!, that your part shrunk. I thought it was a belt, or estep issue. My thought would be to confirm this using some digital calipers as DRO's on the x and y carriage. My first printer ever was semi-scratch build off of a Shapeoko 2. I was able to use digital calipers to show pretty accurately, and with some precision, X and Y movements, to really tune my esteps. Cool video, as usual! Thank you James!
Thank you so much. O was looking around to cope with that problem with abs for a very long tiime
Very nice. I know that Kira can let you specify the dollar amount of a roll of filament and then perform the calculations to tell you how much your part costs in filament. But I haven't looked at any additional filament just settings.
Really enjoyed your video. It's about time that silly algorithm got around to presenting it to me. I was searching for horizontal expansion on RUclips. What I really want to do is tune the machine. Thanks so much.
WOW That was such an educational video. Thanks for uploading!
Hi James. A first-class video presentation as always and your channel is one that is up there with the best for both content and accuracy of the content that delivers on the watchers' expectations. I wonder if you might just elaborate a bit about why you used ABS for this frame. My understanding is that PLA or PET-G does not suffer the same shrinkage issues. Perhaps you could do a video on this subject and clear up once and for all the shrinkage problems. I would be most grateful for your advice on this. A general rule of thumb for percentage scale-up of a model would be a welcomed addition to anyone making electronic jigs like this. If you lived in the Uk I would buy you pint to thank you for your efforts.
PLA does shrink, more pronounced on thick parts.
I also print engineering parts for my designs. After a few dummy runs I ended up using 100.5% scaling factor for PETG.
likewise, I use Simplify3D but wasn't aware of the option to auto scale. Thanks for the tip.
Some of my projects have moving parts and gears ...etc. so now I'm thinking of getting into SLA for accuracy, detail and maybe strength?
Love your channel.
So that explains that😂 learning as I go along, but was disappointed with why my perfectly designed part was too tight in the real world. And now I know! Thanks for a great lesson!
You can go to preferences in Fusion and change so Z is up :)
Was just going to post this same comment
Yes you can change the preference "Default Model Orientation" to "Z up"
Maybe "Y up" works better for the CNC mill
Yeah, @ThisOldTony just did a video on how bought a new milling machine, I mean fräsemachine, had weird axis labels. They appear to match default fusion 360. I’ve always been taught if you’re facing the machine, x is starboard to port, y is aft to fore, and z is below to above. Making the back, bottom, left, 0,0,0.
Thanks! That's probably the best long-term solution.
@@areospike1600 I believe his model was based on a horizontal originally so the spindle axis (Z) would be what we'd consider Y. Why they kept the scheme is confusing though.
YES, finally someone who is using 3d printing for engineering purposes. Altho I'm looking for DLP tips, this came very handy for those mucked up designs :)
What DLP tips do you need?
Well thought out and executed. Nice video.
These are valuable videos! Thanks for them.
Thank you for that great video, very informative for the 3d printer community!!!
Great video! I run into this problem a lot, too.
To get the maximum precision, you should print a test piece at the largest size possible, that way, the shrinkage will be amplified making it easier to measure.
pro tip: don't print it bigger than your callipers.
instablaster...
@@gonun69 Yeah I had to learn that the "hard" way.
it is awesome to see some real engineetring work on the topic.. thanks bro...
Thank you so much, was looking for Pogo pins but was not able to remember what they was called :-/ so you save me a lot of time :-D
Great video. I love how you balance tutorial and information. It’s not too basic or too complicated
Do you know the maths and how to use excel as i dont and many other people dont so its very complicated.
To other viewers: Before you assume that it's your filament material that's shrinking, print some lines that are a known distance apart *but not connected to each other* and check the dimensional accuracy between them. That way you'll factor out the shrinkage and see the true dimensional accuracy of your printer while the parts (the lines) are still stuck to the print bed.
This can be very hard to do accurately, since the differences we care about are small, and layers near the bed are often distorted. I would prefer to measure the actual movement of the printer axes with a caliper or dial indicator.
Could be underextrusion because of constant in extruder or nozzle diameter, also, bed testing isn't the best idea. It's that first layer that is either squished to ensure great adhesion or with offset for easier removal which add a bias factor in consideration.
Cryocide material shrinkage isn’t an assumption. It’s a well studied physical phenomena and he also just empirically verified it.
@@Clough42 The way I tend to do this is by printing an L-shape with equal length legs and square holes at the ends and intersection of the legs. Say the L-shape has 120mm legs, each 20mm wide. There are three 10mm square holes, each with their centre lines 100mm apart. To get the correct axis scale, I measure the internal size of one such hole and zero my calipers on that dimension. Subsequent inside measurement of the holes' furthest sides (in this case 110mm) will show the pitch of the holes' centres. This way all factors involving extrusion width are eliminated, leaving just the actual printed dimension*. The hole sizes can also be averaged, of course, but I've found this to give me rather excellent accuracy in my prints, yielding running fits or press fits wherever I see (wait for it) fit.
I take it you choose the print scaling over a permanent firmware scaling of your axes as a material-specific compensation?
(* source: moi, being a B.Eng. in mechanical precision engineering 😁)
Don't have a 3D printer yet, but this was educational as someday one will be making its way home with me and it's good to have a heads up regarding print issues that one can experience.
First time I've watched one of your videos.
_WOW!_
My sample size is a bit small here but I still believe I can confidently say: You make excellent videos!
You explained EVERYTHING you did and why you did it (and you knew how to explain it because you really do understand what you're doing rather than just being a talking head!). Now, for me, I understood what you were doing and why. My nine-year-old son, who wants to get into electronics? Not so much. You can bet you're about to get another couple of subscribers.
Also, excellent production quality. I've seen a lot of people who really know what they're talking about that, unfortunately, either have very poor communication skills or just cannot seem to put together a video that makes any sense. Eventually those people just quit making videos because they don't get many subscribers. This is, honestly, a real and serious loss to people looking for usable information rather than entertainment.
I'm also wondering why you're not just printing with eSun's PLA+?
eSun's (black, of course...) PLA+ was the first filament I bought. I really don't have any troubles with shrinking, warping, or anything else. (Disclaimer: Pretty much everything I'm printing, while it often needs to be dimensionally accurate, is usually so small that anything less than 10% error isn't going to make any difference anyway.)
I suppose ABS _is_ a bit stronger but, is that really a consideration for this part?
I suppose it could also be a matter of cost. ABS is, I know, generally less expensive that PLA. To be honest, though, given what I've heard about the charming fragrance you get when you're printing ABS, I'll happily pay extra until I can build an enclosure with a vent to the outside of my house.
What kind of printer is that? Is it something you designed yourself?
Great video. If only i could whip through excell as fast as you. Thanks for sharing this because I have noticed just recently that parts which require fitment need some research regarding shrinkage as well as other factors.
Glad it was helpful!
really love your channel, keep up the great work.
Thanks!
Thank you for this video! Helped me out a lot
Excellent! Very helpful and well done. Thank You.
filament temp also matters. I use mostly PLA, and if I run it at 190 vs. 200 for the one I use for instance, it prints more accurately, and part geometry matters so much that each part will have its own unique scaling.
Thank you for sharing this fantastic tip
Nicely explained and demonstrated.
It was clear for me from beginning. But this video us ideal practical explanation.
Ah i put this 100.5 to correct my issue, now i have started to research this and i was right all along, thanks for making me sure.
thanks pretty interesting, it explains me similar issues I had
Second video i have watched of yours. awesome job. Liked and Subbed! I like the logical process of elimination and the solution is so simple it could slap you in the face :)
I noticed that your 3D printer X axis is using a belt, use same config as Z axis material but also a solid coupler not the one looking like spring. This should fix it.
Your videos are awesome, thanks for sharing.
Wow , great video, I have been asking about this for ages, glad I came across your channel
I am presently using cura, would you recommend simplified 3d as a better programme?
Very interesting and informative video. I don't 3D print much so it's trial and error for me but the next time I'll measure and do the math to see if it'll help me. I don't know if Cura has that save option but I'll look. I generally measure on the fly while printing and stop it if too small or too large and re-size. Hell, I'm old, retired and still learning!!! LOL! Thanks for the informational video, makes me think more.
Excellent video, thank you!
Some time ago I made flat square (0.2mm tall and 0.4mm thick) and measured for machine travel accuracy. I also turned it 45 degrees and measured again to test if the machine was properly squared. Didn't bother making a model with both included, like a star of David if you will. And wondered about Z travel, but that might be better tested by counting full turns of the stepper motor and measuring height change, as that would have more to do with the demential accuracy of the lead screw.
Avsome, I was thinking how to fix it. Thanks for video.
I really enjoyed your video . . It was very informative . . Thank You 😊
My ender 3 has sat for 5 months.... been moved... cats walk across it...i finally started printing again and printed 10mm and 20mm test cube, without leveling my bed, just cleaning the glass, and my parts came out .02mm off. Not too damn bad. Printed a print in place box with attached hinged lid... and i didn't even have BREAK free the hinge, it rotated right away. Love it.
Great video,great precision!
Have you tried to use mm in fusion as well,then import it to S3D and see if this might be the issue?
I use mm in fusion and never had this issue(pla and petg).
Great info video, thank you. The only thing I can think of since the slicer allows one setting at a time, is to just print a chart with the shrink rate of each filament material used. When imported into slicer, double click and change parameters accordingly before printing.
It really depends on what you're doing. In my case, most of what I do that requires precise dimensions is in ABS, so one setting gets me close enough. If I routinely required precision in lots of different materials, it would be necessary to do exactly what you describe.
@@Clough42 yep, that is all I was referring to, so I hope you didn't take it like I wanted to help you out. You're way ahead of me, I only commented for viewers who might (for whatever reason) used a variety of materials. For me, probably PLA.
@@TheFrugalFlyRodder yeah, no problem. I learn stuff from comments all the time.
What kind of 3D printer are you using. Thanks for the great videos.
I got around a lot of these issues by building all my models in metric. I've not had any issues with size or accuracy since. I live in Ohio, but having worked for a few European based companies in my life, I've had to learn metric. Best thing ever, and never thought it would come in handy. But I use this at work and at home for the printers and designing in metric has helped SO much.
Give it a shot!!
Changing the measuring unit does nothing to address shrinkage between the software model and the printed part. As long as your design maintains a consistent system of units you're fine no matter what system you use.
@@mystixa I mean, given I've had the issue and made the correction and have physically held the correct result in my hand.... Sure.... I'll go with your suggestion..... :/
@@That_guy_Pip One has nothing to do with the other. I wasn't suggesting anything other than maintaining a consistent set of units when measuring. It doesn't matter if you call them xblocks or furlongs as long as your measurements remain self consistent.
Thanks a lot, sir! This informations are very useful.
Oh man, that is gonna save me so many test prints to calibrate and scale up whatever parts I need to be dimensionally accurate.
Excellent work
Thank you so much for this video! 👍
Brilliant!!! Thank you so much for sharing.... Brilliant.
In the metal casting world, a common tool used is a shrink rule, each graduated for a specific material with a known percentage of dimensional increase, so that a casting model made using the correct rule for that material will result in a cast part of that material which is the desired final size.
So that means “what you want” finished, is, design scaled - plus oversize for 3D printing - plus - oversize for metal shrinking (using the 3D printed part for loss casting) - and - oversized again for subtractive machining. Not only does SIZE matter, but at X4. And at different values for each type process. (Not even getting into the whole SAE/Decimal/Metric conversation thing...OR rounding up/down) I love it.
The same thing is done in dental lab work. The wax shrinks a known amount. The metal does too. The investment expands a known amount to compensate for the combined shrinkage
I use Prusa Slicer but think this may be applicable to it as well and may explain some of the fit problems I have seen. Also have found that the way I set up the walls makes a difference. Printing the outside of wall first or last to compensate for extrusion squish.