2014 East Coast Large Scale Train Show

1. 2014 East CoastLarge Scale Train Show Dave Bodnar March 21, 2013 York, PA This presentation isavailable on-line at:www.trainelectronics.com or www.davebodnar.com Revised 03-20-2014

2. Objectives • Provide an overview of 3D printers & printing • Explore on-line sources of things to print • Introduce SketchUp, a 3D design program • Create some simple 3D objects in SketchUp • Transfer the object’s design to the printer • Set up the printer and print the design

3. Why Are 3D PrintersBecoming Common? • 3D printing has been around for 30+ years • Many patents have expired opening up the hobbyist & home markets • Prices have dropped • Software has become more useable

4. Vendors Are Highly Motivated to Innovate… Why? They want to gain market share before…. … the big boys HP and Canon enter the market and ship consumer machines

5. Printers • Very much like a computer controlled hot-melt glue gun building up layers of material one drop at a time • Most print in ABS plastic (same as Legos) • … or PLA plastic • Other printers use liquid resin, metal, chocolate, etc. This is sometimes called Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)or Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)

6. Printers • Simple units are well under $500 • Mid range units are $1200-$2500 • Higher end units can go to $10,000 or more

7. Printers • Most have four computer controlled stepper motors • One to extrude the filament • One for each of the three axes that define a 3 dimensional space • X (left to right) • Y (front to back) • Z (up & down)

8. Printers • Most have two heaters • One to heat the filament (≈ 450° F) • One to heat the platform (≈ 200° F) • ABS needs a heated platform, PLA does not

9. Make Magazine Reviews • Make Magazine publishes an annual 3D printer review • Good resource & overview of the current crop of printers

10. Plastics: ABS vs PLA • ABS • Requires a heated print platform (makes printers more expensive) • Gives off a slight odor when printing • Can warp on platform if not prepared properly • Strong, somewhat flexible

11. ABS vs PLA • PLA • Biodegradable (made from sugar) • Little odor • More brittle than ABS • Strong • Inexpensive printers available ($500 or less… $369 on eBay - MCM for $399 – $299 3Ders.com)

12. On-Line Things to Print • Thingiverse.com has thousands of printable files (more than 100,000 ! ! ) • Search for “model train” or “trains” or whatever interests you!

13. Thingiverse • Many cool & unusual things

14. Thingiverse • Chances are good that you will find what you need there or at least something similar • I wanted to show windows and doors and found good examples on Thingiverse.com • Saved me from drawing my own! • And they print very nicely!

15. Shapeways • www.shapeways.com has high quality things to download for a fee • They will also print and ship things to you • Materials include plastics and metal

16. Design Your Own - SketchUp • Once owned by Google - Sold in 2012 • Originally for house plans / room design • Expanded & enhanced to be a first class 3D design program • Huge user community with on-line resources – Lots of videos on YouTube! • The price is right  FREE!

17. SketchUp • SketchUp has its own 3D Warehouse of things! • Also Free!

18. SketchUp – Getting Started Download SketchUP Make (the free version) from www.sketchup.com • Install on Mac or Windows computer • Best to use a wheel mouse • Wheel zooms • Pressing wheel “orbits” • Pressing wheel & shift key moves

19. SketchUp - Navigation • Add toolbars • Load in a sample file and experiment with: • Orbit • Move • Zoom extents • Views

20. SketchUp – 3D Signs • Remove guy • Draw a rectangle from the origin (6”, 2”) • Zoom extents • Pull to ¼” thickness (1/4”) • View from top • Draw another rectangle inside of the first one

21. SketchUp – 3D Signs • Use push / pull tool to recess 2nd rectangle by 1/8” • View all from top • Select text tool & type text & change height and extruded items • Use scale to fill frame

22. Signs - a Neat Trick! • The Afinia printer will allow you to pause a print and change filament colors • Pause after the base (first 1/8”) has been printed • Withdraw the base color and extrude with the 2nd color

23. Signs – Another Neat Trick! • Add “marquee” flashing lights! • Powered by a PICAXE!

24. SketchUp - Steps • Delete guy • Draw a rectangle from origin (type 8’, 3’) • Pull to 3’ high (type 3’) • Mark for 6” steps with 9” tread using tape • Draw & pull rectangles starting at top • Lengthen platform by 2’

25. SketchUp - Steps • Erase guide lines (Edit / Delete Guides) • Draw guide for 4” platform & 4” posts • Draw rectangle for space under steps • Push to remove • Draw triangle under treads for space • Remove Guides • Complete posts

26. SketchUp – Smoke Stack • Much easier than I thought! • Remove guy • Draw circle at origin (4’ radius) • Remove circle interior • Draw rectangle up from origin • Use pencil tool to draw ½ of smokestack profile

27. SketchUp – Smoke Stack • Remove all but profile outline • Use “offset” to provide thickness to outline • … or draw inside wall to give thickness • Complete top and bottom to fill outline • Select circle • Select “follow me” & click profile

28. SketchUp – Trace Smoke Stack • Import image of stack • Trace the outline • Give it thickness • Move & place by circle • Follow the circle

29. SketchUp – Export STL • STL files are commonly used with 3D printers (STereo Lithography) • SketchUp can export STL with a free plug-in

30. 3D Printer Program • 3D printers need software to “slice” STL files for printing and to “talk” to the printer • These programs come with the printer and allow simple manipulation of the drawings but usually no editing • You can change: • Scale • Position • Orientation

31. What Do You Print On? • Afinia supplies perforated fiberglass • Other options include blue painter’s tape • Kapton (high temperature) tape • And glass

32. Horizontal Pieces Must Be Supported • Any part that is horizontal (< about 45°) must be supported to avoid distortion • Plan during design for where support materialfalls • Supports can be hard to remove

33. Minimize & Optimize Raft & Support Material • Programs generally print a “raft” of extra plastic to securely bond an object to the table • If the object starts to lift it will warp the print

34. Experiment with Orientation • Extra support material can be minimized by flipping an object • Bad • Better • Best

35. Printing • Keep watch for the first few minutes as “rafts” may not bond to the table • Most printers give an estimate of printing time (can be 9+ hours for large, complex items, 1 hour for simpler objects) • Some require a PC to be connected while printing • Some download file to the printer or an SD card in the printer

36. Removing Items from Table • Use a putty knife to remove the raft from the table – wear gloves! • Carefully remove the raft and support material • Trim as needed

37. Printing Tips • Pre-heat the table with ABS • Use high quality filament • Wear gloves when removing raft & support material • Level the table before printing • Clean print surface with acetone frequently • You can vary the density of the print to change its rigidity & strength & weight

38. My Favorites • Bezels for project boxes • It can be a challenge to cut a neat, rectangular hole in a project box • A 1/8” thick & 1/8” wide bezel covers up lots of rough edges

39. My Favorites • A small rectangular hole for an RJ11 is even harder to cut • A printed adapter fits the RJ11 and a 1” hole

40. My Favorites • 3D printers do a great job of printing very precise holders for my model railroad speedometer!

41. My Favorites • Spiral Ball Gizmo from www.Thingiverse.com • Now part of the display at Pittsburgh’s Children’s Hospital • Great fun to watch!

42. Involute Gears • SketchUp 8, an olderversion, can be usedwith a plug-in to makeinvolute gears • Search for “downloadSketchUp 8” • Search for “sketchup gear involute”

43. My Favorites

44. My Favorites • Flashing LED bike light box • Houses 7 individually addressable 10mm BRIGHT red LEDs • Clips onto a rear bike bag

45. My Favorites • Traffic light • Found on Thingiverse • Wired for red, amber and green LEDs

46. My Favorites • School house bell tower

47. My Favorites

48. My Favorites • Tapered Bell Tower

49. Your Ideas? • Questions?