Getting Your First 3D Print

By | January 21, 2012
5 Comments

For the fellow SUMPOD owners wanting a quick start to getting that first 3D print.

Well, the files are now available to start you off on getting your first print off the platform. The printing speed is going to be slow and steady with the first layer 3D Printed Geargoing down the slowest. The settings have been adjusted so that a complex build with a lot of vertices can be printed in high quality like the Wades herringbone pinion gear. This should allow you to test the calibration of your printer.

For less complex prints you can crank up the speed up by de-activating the Cool plugin in Skeinforge. If the build looks like it’s going to be messed up, you probably trying to print it too fast. Adjust the speed by changing the flow rate and feed rate settings under Speed in Skeinforge.

For SD Card users, de-activate Cool plugin in Skeinforge and see how fast you can go by adjusting the flow rate and feed rate settings under Speed in Skeinforge. You should be able to print complex builds much quicker, without spoiling, than those printers without SD Cards.

The settings under Cool in Skeinforge makes the build take at least 60 seconds to print each layer. Any layers that are going to take more than 60 seconds to print will not be affected by this. The bigger the layer the faster the print speed, up to the feed rate set under speed in Skeinforge.

I’ve added all the files in Skeinforge profile with all the settings used to print the gcode file that is also included. There is also the STL file used to generate the gcode with an image of what it should look like. Unzip the file and place the SUMPOD_PLA folder, that contains Skeinforge settings, in to the profiles directory. Mine is stored in “C:\users\mark\.skeinforge\profiles” on Windows 7. You should fined yours in the similar area.

If you’re having difficulties with the files, please use the forum at the SUMPOD Web site www.sumpod.com. This will allow other SUMPOD users to get involved to help solve the issue.

Download this file for the settings: skeinforge_conf

5 thoughts on “Getting Your First 3D Print”

  1. Mike Freeman (Brixham Engineer)

    Airtripper this will be a great help to all those of us not software ‘engineers’.

    Many thanks for the amount of great, and proven, work you have done.

    I will add a link to your site from mine as well as a post on the work done. Once again, many thanks.

    Mike
    Brixhamengineer

  2. William

    Thanks for the ‘First 2D print’ files. I think I would still be struggling were it not for that. Managed to print the gear wheel last night. Realise now that I think I have x axis the wrong way round as the herringbone is reversed on my version.
    Very interested in your update for the extruder; the current one seems to be a weak point. I Can’t see how you change the PLA wthout taking it apart.
    Thanks again,
    William

    1. admin

      Thanks for your comment.

      About the extruder, there is no need to take it apart because the filament is fed in through the bottom and guided in to the bowden tube by the grove in the pinch wheel.
      Since using this new extruder, I’ve been able to extrude this red filament I’ve got for the first time.
      I’ve already started the update and hoping to make the files public by next week if all goes well.

      Mark

      1. William

        Hi Mark,
        When I said I can’t see how to change PLA I’m talking about the current SUMPOD extruder, not your new version.
        William

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