Auckland Council Libraries Getting started with 3D Printing Central City Library Makerspace Document version 2.4, updated 7-5-2019 Adapted in accordance with Section 69 of the Copyright Act 1994 by the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind, for the sole use of persons who have a print disability. Omissions All images have been omitted from this e-text copy of the Getting started with 3D Printing Central City Library Makerspace. Any diagrams or images which add additional information to the text have been verbalised. Page 1 of 4 Getting started with 3D Printing Central City Library Makerspace We have two 3D Printers - Ultimaker 2+ and Ultimaker 3 Need help with the basics? If you’ll need one-on-one help for basic use, please request a Book a Librarian help session. Please don’t make a booking for the printer - just email makerspace@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or ask at the Ground Floor desk and we’ll be in touch. We will need several days extra notice. 1 3D Printer at a time, 2 bookings per week Customers may use one 3D printer per booking, and may make up to 2 bookings total per week. Nozzle 0.4mm/Core AA 0.4 Printer #1 uses a 0.4mm nozzle, and Printer #2 uses a standard AA 0.4 print core. Other nozzles and print cores cannot currently be used with these machines. Filament - cost and usage We offer plastic PLA filament for $1/meter. Due to potential incompatibility and safety risks, only filament supplied by the Makerspace can be used. Time limit on prints The printer can only operate during our opening hours. Mon-Fri 9am-8pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm. We recommend allowing for an extra hour as Cura’s time estimates may be slightly incorrect. If something breaks Please tell library staff immediately! Ultimaker 3 Advanced Features Printer #2 (Ultimaker 3) is offered with the same features as Printer #1 (Ultimaker 2+) Advanced features will be made available in the future. Page 2 of 4 3D Printing Step by Step Step 1 Get a 3D model Visit www.thingiverse.com to search for and download pre-made 3D models, or make your own using the TinkerCAD or Blender software on our Makerspace Creative Computers! Ensure your model is saved as an .STL, .3MF, or .OBJ file. Step 2 Set up Cura Open Cura on the Makerspace Creative Computers. At the top of the Cura window, click Settings then Printer then select the printer you’ve booked. A file prepared for Printer #1 will not work with Printer #2, and vice versa. In the top middle of the screen, click the Material Settings box. In the menu that appears, ensure the following is correct for the printer you’ve booked. Printer #1 Material: PLA. Nozzle: 0.4mm Printer #2 Material: PLA. Print Core: AA 0.4 Page 3 of 4 Step 3 Open your Model Click the OPEN FILE icon in Cura and find your model file. It should appear on the print bed (glass surface) in Cura’s display window. If you can’t see your model, it may be very small or big. Zoom in using the mouse scroll wheel. Step 4 Adjust your Model Icons on the left side of Cura help you manipulate your model. Icons include Basic tools such as Move, Scale, Rotate or Mirror, and Advanced tools such as Per-Object Settings and Support Blocker. Step 5 Print Settings Find the Print Settings in the top right corner of Cura. Changes made here can influence the speed of the printing process and the quality of your final print. Click to reveal settings. Layer Height The thickness of each layer of plastic. Higher values give slightly less vertical detail, while dramatically reducing print times. Infill Controls the density and strength of the printed plastic. 20% is ideal for most projects. Support Supports help overhanging areas print correctly. Always tick SUPPORTS unless you’re certain you don’t need them. Adhesion Helps the model stick to the build plate. Tick this if you’re printing very small, flat, or delicate items - a comb, a jelly-bean, etc. Page 4 of 4 Step 6 Check Time and Cost The bottom corners of the viewport show some information about your object. The BOTTOM LEFT corner shows your print file’s name and dimensions. The BOTTOM RIGHT corner shows the printing time duration, weight and filament length. Click SLICE in the bottom-right corner to ensure this information is up to date. Step 7 Print! Book the Printer All 3D Printer use requires a booking! Ask at the Ground Floor desk or email makerspace@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz Fill out a Job Form When you arrive for your booking, get a 3D Printing Job Form from the Ground Floor Desk! Use the Creative Computers in the Makerspace to prepare your print. Please ensure all sections of the form are filled out. Each new print requires a fresh form. Collect the 3D Printer #1 Kit Staff at the Ground Floor desk will issue this kit to your library card once you’ve completed the Job Form. They’ll also add the cost of the print to your library card, to be paid once your print is done. Load the file onto the SD Card/USB drive Find the SD Card and card reader/USB drive in the 3D Printer Kit. Plug this into the computer. In Cura, click ‘Save to Removable Drive’. (Don’t apply glue to the build plate!) Previously, glue was required to help the plastic stick to the glass. This is no longer needed. Print Insert the SD Card/USB stick into the printer. Use the circular control wheel on the printer to select PRINT and find your file in the list. Press again, and watch the magic happen! Important: Always monitor the printer as it completes the first layer! This is where most common (and expensive) problems can occur. Duration