Aluminatus TrinityOne Printing Manual

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Aluminatus TrinityOne Documentation


Overview

The basic process for printing something goes like this:

  • Download or design a 3D Model (STL file)
  • Make sure the model is oriented correctly using Repetier Host
    • This generally means flip it using the controls so the biggest surface is on the bottom or in an orientation where overhangs are minimal
  • Open Slic3r
  • Drag your 3D File into Slic3r (Or click the add button and select your file)
  • Make sure you have selected the correct printing profile in Slic3r
  • Click 'Export GCode'
  • Insert the SD Card into your computer
  • Copy the GCode file to the SD Card
  • Eject the SD Card
  • Insert the SD Card in the LCD Controller
  • Click on the LCD Controller to go to the main menu
  • Scroll down to 'Card Menu'
  • Select your GCode file to start the print
  • Once the print has completed, let the heated bed cool to room temperature for the easiest part removal.

Slicing

Z Height

You need to get your Z0 position set before you print!

  • Turn your z endstop screw to adjust where Z0 will be.
  • On the LCD Controller, click to go to the main menu, then click 'prepare', then scroll down and click 'auto home'.
  • At Z=0, you should be able to have a single piece of paper between your nozzle and the bed, and move it with a little "grabbing" but not quite enough to bend the paper when you push it.
  • Bed adhesion is strongly related to the Z=0 point.
    • If you're not getting enough adhesion, print slower and with a lower Z=0 point so the first layer is squished more.
    • If you're getting too much adhesion, raise the Z=0 point a little so the first layer isn't quite so squished.

See Triffid's Guide for more information

Layer Height

  • Use a layer height < 80% of your nozzle diameter, and an extrusion width >nozzle diameter.
  • So for a 0.4mm nozzle (stock Aluminatus size) this means:
Best Layer Heights For Aluminatus (in mm)
0.01 0.010625 0.01125 0.011875 0.0125 0.013125 0.01375 0.014375 0.015 0.015625 0.01625 0.016875 0.075 0.08125 0.0875 0.09375
0.1 0.10625 0.1125 0.11875 0.125 0.13125 0.1375 0.14375 0.15 0.15625 0.1625 0.16875 0.175 0.18125 0.1875 0.19375
0.2 0.20625 0.2125 0.21875 0.225 0.23125 0.2375 0.24375 0.25 0.25625 0.2625 0.26875 0.275 0.28125 0.2875 0.29375
0.3 0.30625 0.3125 0.31875 0.325 0.33125 0.3375 0.34375 0.35 0.35625 0.3625 0.36875 0.375 0.38125 0.3875 0.39375

Printing Temperatures

PLA

  • 195°C is a good base temperature
  • Optimal temperatures are from 185°C to 220°C
  • Heated build plate should be 70°C
    • Plate temperatures are a matter of some experimentation. Some run cooler plates (around 60° C) and some set the plate hotter for the first layer, then cooler for later layers to avoid slumping at the bottom of the part.

ABS

  • 230°C is a good base temperature
  • Heated build plate between 95°C to 120°C.

Determining Filament Temperature

  1. Choose a fairly simple model that's large enough that you can clearly see the infill while it's printing
  2. Make sure your hobbed bolt's teeth are clean of debris such as chunks of plastic
  3. Make sure your idler is tight! really tight! "it hurts my fingers to pull on it and I still can't move it" tight! A too-loose idler gives exactly the same symptoms as too low temperature.
  4. Start printing.
  5. Lower temperature by 5°C every 2-3 layers.
  6. When infill starts being a row of dots instead of a line, increase temperature by 10 degrees. Record this temperature for the filament.
  7. Keep monitoring print. If the filament goes spotty again, adjust up by 5 degrees and replace the temperature from step 6.
  8. Record the temperature on the side of the filament spool.

See Triffid's Calibration Guide for more details

Heated Bed Preparation

Multiple methods are detailed below. Generally stick with one technique but some people mix techniques with excellent results

Hairspray

A widely used technique that many people have success with

  • Get a can of $2 AquaNet Extra Super Hold hairspray from Walmart
  • Spray on a good coat at room temperature
  • When you heat up the bed it will 'cook' into a solid film
  • One coat can last for many prints
  • This method is very sensitive to finger prints or oils. So if things aren't sticking well you most likely just need a spritz more hairspray over where you accidentally brushed the bed with your fingers

Elmers Glue Stick

The new kid on the block that everybody loves

  • Get an All Purpose Elmers Glue Stick. Purple "washable" glue stick will also work, but may need a fresh application for each print. All-purpose stick may last a few prints.
  • Rub a coat onto the glass. If your part is small, you need only rub in the area within which you'll be printing. Apply with bed hot or cold.
  • Adhesion increases with temperature, so letting your bed cool before removal may make release easier.
  • If you used the washable stick, soap and water will help release.
  • Glue stick has been used successfully with PLA and ABS.

ABS Juice

Top secret (Ezra Zygmuntowicz) recipe

  • For every fluid ounce of acetone mix 100 mm of chopped filament bits.
  • Store in glass jar or a safe container that won't be dissolved by the solution it contains.
  • Let sit for 24 hours then shake well.
  • Heat up your heated bed.
  • Tip the container of ABS glue upside down on a wadded up paper towel or other cloth towel etc .
  • Wipe onto glass print bed while hot until you have a thin milky layer, not very thick, just enough to make the glass look frosted.
  • Repeat as needed every 3-6 prints as it comes off the glass with the prints.

Blue Painters Tape

  • Apply to bed

Kapton Tape

  • Apply to bed

PET Tape

  • Apply to bed

Changing Filament

For PLA to PLA, or ABS to ABS you can just cut the old filament and push in a new one while printing. This will give a noticeable bit where the two colors blend together.

Inserting new filament

  • Preheat your hot end to 195°C (PLA) or 230°C (ABS)
  • Tilt open the guidler
  • Insert the filament
  • Push gently but firmly until filament starts extruding
  • Close the guidler, tilt down the bolts, and make sure they are tight

Removing filament

Filament may curl gently when it exits the nozzle. If it curls sharply, it is likely clogged. If so, follow these steps:

  • For PLA to ABS, or ABS to PLA or to make sure there is no blending of to colors of the same filament:
Filament After Removal.png
  1. Set extruder temperature to PLA or ABS printing temperature (whichever type of plastic is currently in the hot end).
  2. Release extruder idler so that you can manually press on the filament.
  3. Turn off extruder and let it cool to room temperature.
    1. Push gently as the hot-end cools, to avoid bubbles in the melt chamber. This will also compress filament inside PEEK.
  4. Heat back up to 65°C (PLA) or 110°C (ABS).
  5. As soon the bot has reached temperature, pull the filament firmly but slowly. This should clean inside nozzle hole. The “plug” will have a conical shape with a small nipple at the end.
  6. Insert new filament.
  7. Wipe filament that is between extruder and filament coil with damp cloth with alcohol (Don't let filament contact the floor or other dirty surfaces.)
  8. Set extrude temp and test extrude.
  9. Repeat if it didn't work, but try to remove filament at lower temp, such as 80°C or 60°C.

Filament Calibration

It is very important to calibrate your filament properly. Uncalibrated filament will result in incorrect print dimensions and bad infill.

See the Solidoodle 'Setting The Flow Rate' Article for a much more thorough article

A way to calibrate is to print a single wall object, (like the ones that come with sfact. e.g. _40x10.stl)

  • Measure your filament and enter it (measure across multiple places using digital calipers and enter the average to 2 sig figs (2.8 or 1.7 respectfully)
  • Enter your nozzle diameter (no need to measure, just enter the number you bought it as (0.4mm). Nozzle diameter only affects bridging).
  • Set your Extrusion Multiplier to 1 before beginning this process
  • Print the _40x10.STL file.
  • Open the Gcode file and look for the value for single wall width at the top of the file. Take a note.
  • Using Calipers measure the wall thickness of all 4 sides of the thin wall cube. Throw out the largest value, and average the other 3.
    • Be sure you measure from the top of the box, not the bottom, the bottom might be flared out because of the 1st layer not being perfectly level.
    • Also if you have big variations it is a good idea to measure the side that is extruded last as the extrusion will have mostly stabilised by then (after the Z-move).
    • Try to measure the smallest number of layers possible from top as the slightest vertical misalignment of your layers will increase the measured value. Ideally a single layer would be best but very difficult with regular calipers.
    • (Make sure the measuring device is not biting into the filament during measurement.
  • Now you have the theoretical Slic3r width and the measured width. Divide the Theoretical Value by the Measured value. If You had previously 1 in extrusion multiplier then just enter this value. If You had some other value there before then multiply this value with the just obtained value and enter the Result into Extrusion multiplier.
  • Re-Slic3e and Re-Print the file with the new value. Remeasure. It should be spot on. If not You can iterate (repeat the process with the enetered value).

Note: You can interrupt and measure the print as soon as you feel the extrusion has stabilised (is printing consistently).

Do not forget to save your calibration settings.

*** Taken from here ***

See Triffid's Calibration Guide's E_Steps section for tuning your E_Steps_Per_MM if you think it's off.

See Triffid's Calibration Guide's E_Steps Fine Tuning for getting really accurate calibration

Helpful Links

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