DETERMINING A METHOD TO

ASCERTAIN 3D PRINTER
RESOLUTIONS & TOLERANCES
Andrew Stone Delili
Department of Applied Engineering & Technology
AEM 499: Manufacturing Senior Project
Dr. Ni Wang
April 28, 2021
 CONTENT
S
■ Problem Statement
■ Solution Approach
■ Background Research
■ Concept Design with CADD Drawing
■ Design of Experiment and Printing
■ Detailed Measurements and Comparisons
■ Creating a Test for Mate Fits and Analyzing
■ Conclusion
Problem Statement
■ There is no single methodology in determining the most effective print quality of
3D printers like the Fusion 3 F410 FDM

■ Purpose of this project is to address and manage the tolerancing and resolution
issues

■ Design of Test Calibration modules will be created and measured to determine best
resolution and tolerances of print based on data analysis from temperature/material
changes

■ 6 Main Tasks: Conduct Research, Create Concept Design with CADD Drawing,
Design the Experiment and Print, Detailed Measurements and Comparisons Made,
Create and Test New Mate Fits, Make Technical Conclusions
Solution Approach
■ Purpose: Solve incorrect print tolerancing and resolution when 3D
Prints are complete and measured
■ Statistical approach in determining methodologies will be used to sort
data and create conclusions
■ Six Steps/Tasks must be completed for this project
– Conducting Research
– Create Concept Design with CADD Drawing
– Design the Experiment and Print
– Detail Measurements & Comparisons made (Theoretical vs Actual)
– Create and Test for Mate Fits with Best Choice
– Create an Educated and Technical Conclusion
 Background Research

■ Fusion 3 F410 FDM 3D Printer

– Preventative Maintenance Guide (follow to avoid simple errors)
■ Filaments and Print Nozzle / Print Bed Temperatures
– PLA (Polylactic Acid) and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)

PLA (Nozzle/Print Bed) ABS (Nozzle/Print Bed)

Low Medium High Low Medium High

(Celsius) (Celsius) (Celsius) (Celsius) (Celsius) (Celsius)

205/20 230/45 255/70 245/90 270/110 295/130

Create Concept Design with CADD Drawing
■ Test Calibration Cube

– Base is 25mm X 25mm, then

20mm X 20mm, 15mm X
15mm, and the top is 10mm
X 10mm

– Cut in the front designates X-

Plane
Design the Experiment and Print
Design the Experiment and Print (2)
Detail Measurements & Comparisons
PLA Low
Detail Measurements & Comparisons
PLA Medium
Detail Measurements & Comparisons
PLA High
Detail Measurements & Comparisons
ABS Low
Detail Measurements & Comparisons
ABS Medium
Detail Measurements & Comparisons
ABS High
Comparison of Tolerances over Different Dimensional Sizes Per Temperature
Comparison of Tolerances over Different Dimensional Sizes Per Axis
Creating a Test for Mate Fits
■ To test mate fits based on hole and shaft, a design experiment must be
designed and printed.
■ This experiment will test for four different hole sizes; 10.00mm,
15.00mm, 20.00mm, and 25.00mm.
■ There will be two shaft ends printed for each hole size, one set up as
Clearance and one as Interference

HOLE

  10mm 15mm 20mm 25mm

CLEARANCE
9.90mm 14.90mm 19.90mm 24.90mm
SHAF (H11 / c11)
T INTERFERENCE
10.01mm 15.01mm 20.01mm 25.01mm
(H7 / k6)
HOLE DRAWING SHAFT
DRAWING
Analyzing the Test for Mate Fits
 Conclusion
■ Regarding the solution approach steps, all were accomplished as designed
■ If more time was available, more research based upon print speeds would have been
collected as well as more research on dimensions via mates would have been made.
■ Future work that could be accomplished would include adding and incorporating a
section for using different print speeds as well as altering print nozzle and print base
temps (instead of High-High and Low-Low, one could test High-Low and Low-High)
■ Instead of using overall dimensions one could take 3 measurements across the axis and
take an average
■ A mistake was made when designing the shafts based on past over-tolerancing from the
detailed measurements recorded. To improve this step, change the dimensions of the
shafts based upon the over-tolerance by subtracting the extra variation away.