What Actually Causes Warping In 3D Prints?

The 3D printing process is cool, but it’s also really annoying at times. Specifically, when you want to get a part printed, and no matter how you orientate things, what adhesion aids you use …

Reinforcing Plastic Polymers With Cellulose And Other Natural Fibers

While plastics are very useful on their own, they can be much stronger when reinforced and mixed with a range of fibers. Not surprisingly, this includes the thermoplastic polymers which are commonl…

FDM Filament Troubles: Keeping Hygroscopic Materials From Degrading

Despite the reputation of polymers used with FDM 3D printing like nylon, ABS, and PLA as being generally indestructible, they do come with a whole range of moisture-related issues that can affect b…

DIY Spacer Increases FDM Flow Rate For Faster, Better Printing

The host of problems to deal with when you’re feeling the need for FDM speed are many and varied, but high on the list is figuring out how to melt filament fast enough to accommodate high flo…

Thermoelectric Module Keeps Printer Filament Cool And Dry

Anyone who has left their car windows open during a rainstorm will tell you the best way to dry the upholstery is to crank the AC and close the windows. A couple of hours later, presto — dry …

Le « chaos », ou la réhabilitation d’un concept aussi destructeur que libérateur

Le mot est synonyme de confusion, de désordre, voire de cataclysme. Mais des penseurs invitent à retrouver le sens premier et positif de ce concept qui trouve racine dans la mythologie grecque.

Reducing Seams In FDM Prints With Scarf Joint Seams

One unavoidable aspect of FDM 3D printing is that each layer consists out of one or more lines that have a beginning and an end. Where these join up, a seam is formed, which can be very noticeable …

EasyThreed K9: The Value In A €72 AliExpress FDM 3D Printer

Recently, [Thomas Sanladerer] bought an EasyThreed K9 off AliExpress for a mere €72, netting him an FDM printer with a 10 x 10 x 10 cm build volume. The build plate is unheated, with optional upgra…

3D Printing A Nifty Sphere Without Supports

[DaveMakesStuff] demonstrates a great technique for 3D printing a sphere; a troublesome shape for filament-based printers to handle. As a bonus, it uses a minimum of filament. His ideas can be appl…

A 3D Printed Grinder For Printed Lens Blanks

When one thinks of applications for 3D printing, optical components don’t seem to be a good fit. With the possible exception of Fresnel lenses, FDM printing doesn’t seem up to the job o…

Putting 3D Printed Screw Threads To The Test

One of the challenges with 3D printing is seeing how far designs can be pushed before they break. This includes aspects like flexible hinges and structural components, but also smaller details such…

3D Printing On A Spinning Rod

FDM 3D printing traditionally operates on a layer-by-layer basis, using a flat bed to construct parts. However, [Humphrey Wittingtonsworth IV] demonstrates in his video how this process can be sign…

Make Better 3D Printed Molds, For Thermoforming Plastics

Thermoforming — which includes vacuum-forming — has its place in a well-rounded workshop, and Mayku (makers of desktop thermoforming machines) have a short list of tips for getting the …

Fluorescent Filament Makes Object Identification Easier

QR codes are a handy way to embed information, but they aren’t exactly pretty. New work from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have a new way to prod…

Clear PLA Diffuses LEDs

[Chuck] often prints up interesting 3D prints. But we enjoyed his enhancement to a cheap LED Christmas tree kit. The original kit was simply a few green PCBs in the shape of a tree. Cute, but not r…

The Effect Of Filament Color On Print Strength And More

What is an FDM filament coloring’s purpose but to be an aesthetic choice? As it turns out, the additives that create these changes in coloring and transparency also affect the base properties…

Spool Tower: Empty Filament Spool Or Base For Miniature Civilizations

While churning through rolls of FDM filament, there are these empty spools that remain at the end. These can be thrown out with the trash, or be used as a standard base for miniatures, for use with…

Making Medical Simulators Less Expensive With 3D Printing And Silicone

Medical training simulators are expensive, but important, pieces of equipment. [Decent Simulators] is designing simulators that can easily be replicated using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) printe…

The Filamentmeter: For When You Absolutely Want To Count Every Meter Used

[ArduinoNmore] took an interesting approach to designing a counter intended to accurately display how many meters of filament a 3D printer has used. The Filamentmeter looks a little bit like a 3D p…