For PRINTING: cooper3dprinter@gmail.com
For QUESTIONS ONLY: jasonjakepotter@yahoo.com
FILENAME.STL [Your name] [Date to print by]
Typical dimension of part (height, length, or width)
Quantity
Material (see below)
Resolution (0.1mm, 0.2mm, 0.3mm)
Infill (0-100%)
Other instructions (Watertight, spiral print, color requests, where to drop off, etc)
Send only STL files with units set to millimeters (usually under “Options” when you export from SolidWorks/Inventor/Blender/etc.)
If you are working with a downloaded file, please check that it is printable! From Thingiverse or other 3D printing file sites, just look to see that others have printed the file. From general 3D model sites, use Meshmixer or Blender or Rhino to look INSIDE the model for any hidden surprises, and use Meshmixer's “Make Solid” tool to make the file more printer-friendly.
If you are unsure that a file is printable, use Meshmixer, a free software from Autodesk. It will allow you to check units, add supports to overhangs, check that the mesh is clean, find an optimal orientation for unusual shapes, and more. Visit http://www.meshmixer.com
PLA - general use plastic, inflexible, sandable, paintable, adheres to super glue and epoxy, prints can usually be returned next day
ABS - stronger than PLA, can be polished with acetone, only in natural, requires at least a week's notice because filament can be inconsistent
Nylon - toughest material, only in clear, requires at least a week's notice - difficult to print with, only prints on Orion
Ninjaflex - flexible material similar to silicone, white or black, requires a week's notice due to printability, only prints on Replicator
MB Flexible - Reshapable by soaking in very hot water, white, requires a week's notice, only on Replicator
Makerbot Replicator 2 - 5x8x6” build volume, no Nylon, slightly lower dimensional accuracy
Orion Delta - 8” diameter by 9” height build volume, PLA, ABS, and Nylon only
Resolution - height of each layer - 0.1mm for detailed prints, 0.2mm for standard use prints, 0.3mm for draft parts
Infill - amount of material inside - 10-20% recommended, 5% good for drafts, 30% for high stress applications, 100% for material testing
Watertightness - a print can be made ALMOST watertight, but requires more time because to do so more material is used.
Spiral print - Only on Orion, prints one outline as a long spiral, creating thin walled hollow cylinder shapes
Brown, red, clear, black, turqoise, grey, yellow, blue
Request colors so I can order them! But don't expect to get a print in that color immediately.
Professor Lima may have more colors than I do.
http://www.thingiverse.com - site for finding good files, usually unlikely to meet your exact needs
http://www.reddit.com/r/3dprinting - a lot of information, links to interesting pages and prints, good place to ask questions
http://makezine.com/category/workshop/3d-printing-workshop/ - projects, articles, resources
http://3dprintingindustry.com/3d-printing-basics-free-beginners-guide - fundamentals, history, glossary