MAKING A TEST OBJECT FROM THE SD CARD CONTINUED

Projects Available on the SD Card

CHAIN LINKS COMB MR JAWS

File Name: Chain Links File Name: Comb File Name: Mr Jaws

Using the 3D Printer (Makerbot) - BETA

Make Time: 15 Minutes
Design By: Sal
Make Time: 26 Minutes
Design By: repraprook
Make Time: 18 minutes
Design By: Mahoney
Thingiverse: 28405 Contents:
Thingiverse: 1140 Thingiverse: 14702

Section 1 – Sketchup: How do draw a file that can be 3-D printed

Section 2 – Sketchup: Exporting STL
Section 3 – MakerWare: Preparing your file
Section 4 – Printing!

Section
MAKING A TEST OBJECT FROM THE1-SD
Sketchup (or other
CARD CONTINUED 3D modeler):
How do render a file that can be printed
Projects Available on the SD Card
25mm x 25mm x 25 mm 65mm x 25mm x 10mm 42mm x 43mm x 90mm
CHAIN LINKS NUTCOMB
AND BOLT SET STRETCHY
MR JAWS BRACELET NAME:
Cup
File Name: Chain Links File Name: Nut Comb
File Name: and Bolt File Name: Stretchlet
File Name: Mr Jaws Make time: 1 hour 40 min
File Name:
Make Time: 15 Minutes Make Time:
Make 30 minutes
Time: 26 Minutes Make Time:
Make 22 minutes
Time: 18 minutes Make Time:
Design By: Sal Design By: By:
Design aubenc
repraprook Design By: By:
Design Emmett
Mahoney Design By:
Thingiverse: 28405 Thingiverse: 9095
Thingiverse: 1140 Thingiverse: 13505
Thingiverse: 14702 Thingiverse:

Space for
additional files

NUT AND BOLT SET STRETCHY BRACELET NAME:

Your
File Name: Nut and Bolt fileFile
must:
Name: Stretchlet C STARTUP PROCESS: LEVELING, LOADING, TESTING
File Name: 29
Make Time: 30 minutes • beMake Time: or
150mm 22 minutes Make Time: (Large file can take many hours to print)
less in all dimensions.
Design By: aubenc • beDesign
created
By: or converted to Design
Emmett Millimeters.
By:
Thingiverse: 9095 Thingiverse: 13505 Thingiverse:
• be a “watertight” solid
• have only exterior faces
• not have large unsupported areas (without support material)

Good and Bad Examples:

Space for Watertight Solid
additional files

C STARTUP PROCESS: LEVELING, LOADING, TESTING 29

Good: Water Tight Bad: Interior Faces Good: Water tight
No interior faces showing Showing, walls have no No interior faces and
thickness 2mm walls
 Good and Bad Examples: Only Exterior Walls

Bad: Blue exterior face Good: Only exterior faces How to: Right Click on
showing showing blue face and choose =
reverse faces

Good and Bad Examples: Unsupported Areas

Good: Overhang is angled allowing Bad: Overhang is unsupported. Plastic

easy build. will droop during build. Possible but
requires support structure.

Section 2 – Sketchup: Exporting STL

Important: You need a Sketchup plugin to export STL files and a plug in to test
the water tightness of your object. If not installed:

STL extension here: http://extensions.sketchup.com/en/content/sketchup-stl

Solid Inspector here: http://extensions.sketchup.com/en/content/solid-inspector
To use solid inspector install this: http://extensions.sketchup.com/en/content/tt_lib%C2%B2

Don’t know how to install skechup plugins?

How to install a sketchup plugin: http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/38583
Step 1: Run the Solid Inspector. If you have groups, click on the groups. Look
for any red circles. If you have areas circled in red, your item is not watertight
and will not print correctly. The file on the right has a problem!

Step 2: Once all problems are fixed, choose File>EXPORT STL

Step 3: If you are asked to export entire model, click YES.

Export unit must be millimeters and ASCII format.
 Section 3 – MakerWare: Preparing your file
Important: You need the makerware software to print your file. The software is
free and works on Mac or Windows. If you need it:
http://www.makerbot.com/makerware/

Step 1: Open your file in MakerWare

Step 2: If everything looks good: Click the “MAKE” icon:

Step 3: Export Settings

What should you pay attention to?:

• You are exporting to a file

• The machine is the Replicator 2
• The material is Makerbot PLA
• Standard or Low resolution to save
time
• Do you need a raft? If your item
has only a small amount of surface
area on the bed OR a whole lot of
surface area on the bed = YES.
• Do you need supports? If you
item had abrupt overhangs = YES.
• PREVIEW BEFORE PRINTING =
YES
• Finally = EXPORT!
Step 4: Are you happy with the preview?
What should you pay attention
to?:

A. How much material are you

using? Is there enough left on
the roll on the back of the
machine (new roll in 1 KG).

B. How much time will the print

take?

C. Use the slider on the left to

see look for any unusual print
layers or object connections.

D. Export!

Section 4 – Printing!
Step 1: Remover the SD card from the printer by pressing down on it. It will pop
up.

Step 2: Put your x3g file on the SD card (not the stl). You may need an SD
card reader
Step 3: Put the SD card back in the machine.

Step 4: Make sure there’s no debris in the build area and that the PLA printing
filament is loaded. (picture below shows side of machine).

Step 5: Turn the machine on: Switch is on the lower left back of the machine.
(near filament spool.
Step 6: Use the navigation buttons and LCD to find “Build from SD”. Then
navigate to your file.

Step 7: The printing will begin!

IF SOMETHING LOOKS WRONG: Press the left arrow and “pause job”. Find
an instructor if you don’t know what’s wrong.

Step 8: Removing the print from the bed.

A. If the print will break off, Great!
B. If not, CAREFULLY, wedge the provided metal spatula under your object.