Biro-pipette

I am in the process of manufacturing a fully functional, accurate, pipette which uses the mechanism from a biro pen. I have been working with Open Source designs created by Tom Baden, Centre for Integrative Neuroscience (CIN) University of Tübingen, Germany, which are part of a "Free and Open Source Software and Hardware (FOSS/FOSH) for capacity building in education and research" project.

The most difficult component so far has been the main body of the pipette where the adhesion with the bed has failed and print fell over. 

Three failed prints (LH) and the success (Far RH Horizontal))

I solved this issue by increasing the print temperature, to then instantly fall foul to another problem. My G-code (the CNC commands) generator software (Cura) was offsetting some of the layers, ruining the print. I have been to date unable to fix this software issue, but got around the problem by printing the design on its side. Although this required support structures, and I am not happy with the print quality, It was successful and with a little machining up the component will function perfectly.

Spool Hoder

I have printed a spool holder to mount to the side of my printer so that it can complete long prints without any intervention.

Blue Tape!

I have been working to improve the adhesion of prints to the bed by experimenting with different bed and extruder temperatures. I have had some success, with some very good prints, but some designs just would  not stick. A techniques I picked up at the 3D PrintShow is the use of Blue Tape on the print bed to aid adhesion. This has yielded great results. I can now constantly produced high quality prints, and don't have to use the heated bed, so is very cost effective. I would highly recommend using Blue Tape to any 3D printer user, everyone at the 3D PrintShow seemed to use it, even Makerbot.

Using Blue Tape

3D PrintShow London

I visited the 3D Print Show at Old Billingsgate Exhibition Centre London, on the 6th of September. Comparing this years show to last years, it is amazing how the industry has changed, especially the development of new ‘printer friendly’ materials.

I found this cool puzzle at the show and plan to model and print it myself. 

3D Printed Squirrel

A Squirrel I 3D printed just for fun, experimenting with support structures.

First Prints

These are the very first items I printed whilst I was still calibrating the printer.

Printer

My Printer is an Omni 3D Rapcraft with Dual Extruder which I bought with financial support from the Arkwright Scholarship Scheme. It has a heated bed and a print size of 210,210,240mm.

Omni 3D is a Polish 3D printer manufacture who I discovered at the 3D Print Show in London in 2013. Although it took five months to be delivered I have been very pleased with the printer. Constructed from extruded aluminium section the printer is very stable, but correspondingly heavy.

New Blog

I have been 3D printing for almost a year now and have decided to start a blog to show my ‘adventures’.