3D Printer Happened

[PeterT]

To answer another question about backflip.ai, I personally have not used it myself. I do work in software, and use AI on a day to day basis. The fact that they use a foundation model gives me hope that it is good at what it claims. Probably worth throwing $20 at it with a few projects in mind. I would think converting 3d scans to CAD is the ultimate use case for this.

I agree, AI seems to be taking these kinds of applications in a positive direction. My guess is not slam dunk but even if it does some of the heavy lifting processing in a reasonable manner, might be worth it. Fom what little I've lurked around 3D scan projects, it seems to be one of those -great now I have a point cloud, now the real work starts. If its 'just' a shape like a garden gnome, nobody will see the differnce. If its a mechanical thing with specific dimensions, the operator has to oversee & edit those issues. So if auto pilot get 90% correct & designer is left to alter 10% thats a win. But if designer ends up doing 70% of the work to fix or fudge autopilot output, the needle swings the other way.

Loose comparison. I've been checking out different photo apps. Its another industry with AI being name dropped like crazy. In some cases its just gimicky, but in other cases like so called simple masking, its amazing what AI figured out compared to the hours spent by a human. A couple of brush strokes to tell AI this is the subject or this is the background & away it goes. Zoom in at the pixel level & its masking incredibly fine detail. And then it just goes from there. And with that comes the processing specs. Processor/ram/GC... need to be quite robust to handle the crunching.

 

[Susquatch]

Been a while since I printed anything. Too many nasty wrinkles in my life.

I've had this really nice camera tripod for a few decades. I don't remember where I got it. But I do know that's it's been pretty much useless because I don't have a quick adapter for it. They don't sell them anymore - been MIA for decades.

I had a need for the tripod today so I decided to mill an adapter from aluminium. I was taking measurements when I had this idea to look on printables and other 3D model websites.

Sure enough there were several. So I picked the one I liked best and tried to print it. No good. This particular model doesn't print directly. I had to slice it first using the desktop program. No biggie, I did that and told it to go.

15 minutes later I had an adapter in my hands. But..... It was too loose on both X and Y. Back to the slicer and stretch x & y by 3.5% based on measurements of the shoe and the printed adapter. Ya, not yet buddy. Now it's too tight. Actually, it could be forced, but easy peasy to print again at 3%. Plugged it in and pressed go.

Fits perfect.



Just need to add a 1/4-20 thumbscrew and drill for it.

Nice! Very happy!

Heck, might even take a few thou off the tight adapter on the mill. Why not? It's a trivial operation.

 

[PeterT]

Just need to add a 1/4-20 thumbscrew and drill for it.
Heck, might even take a few thou off the tight adapter on the mill. Why not? It's a trivial operation.

...and so it begins... 😉
Just remember when you take a skiff off here & there post-print for one reason or another, you have to pay attention (typically increase) wall loops & shell layers in the slicer. Lest there be nothing left but infill after the skiff.

 

[jcdammeyer]

Been a while since I printed anything. Too many nasty wrinkles in my life.

I've had this really nice camera tripod for a few decades. I don't remember where I got it. But I do know that's it's been pretty much useless because I don't have a quick adapter for it. They don't sell them anymore - been MIA for decades.

I had a need for the tripod today so I decided to mill an adapter from aluminium. I was taking measurements when I had this idea to look on printables and other 3D model websites.

Sure enough there were several. So I picked the one I liked best and tried to print it. No good. This particular model doesn't print directly. I had to slice it first using the desktop program. No biggie, I did that and told it to go.

15 minutes later I had an adapter in my hands. But..... It was too loose on both X and Y. Back to the slicer and stretch x & y by 3.5% based on measurements of the shoe and the printed adapter. Ya, not yet buddy. Now it's too tight. Actually, it could be forced, but easy peasy to print again at 3%. Plugged it in and pressed go.

Fits perfect.

View attachment 87438

Just need to add a 1/4-20 thumbscrew and drill for it.

Nice! Very happy!

Heck, might even take a few thou off the tight adapter on the mill. Why not? It's a trivial operation.

Now that you have this nice model you can measure it and mill one out of aluminum

 

[TonyK]

Been a while since I printed anything. Too many nasty wrinkles in my life.

I've had this really nice camera tripod for a few decades. I don't remember where I got it. But I do know that's it's been pretty much useless because I don't have a quick adapter for it. They don't sell them anymore - been MIA for decades.

I had a need for the tripod today so I decided to mill an adapter from aluminium. I was taking measurements when I had this idea to look on printables and other 3D model websites.

Sure enough there were several. So I picked the one I liked best and tried to print it. No good. This particular model doesn't print directly. I had to slice it first using the desktop program. No biggie, I did that and told it to go.

15 minutes later I had an adapter in my hands. But..... It was too loose on both X and Y. Back to the slicer and stretch x & y by 3.5% based on measurements of the shoe and the printed adapter. Ya, not yet buddy. Now it's too tight. Actually, it could be forced, but easy peasy to print again at 3%. Plugged it in and pressed go.

Fits perfect.

View attachment 87438

Just need to add a 1/4-20 thumbscrew and drill for it.

Nice! Very happy!

Heck, might even take a few thou off the tight adapter on the mill. Why not? It's a trivial operation.

Well, well. Finally I see a post after this investment. I have been watching and waiting in effort to understand all of this and how it can be of benefit to me. Keep posting, keep dreaming, keep creating. I want to learn more, to me, you are the teacher.

Well done.


TonyK.

Grimsby Ontario Canada.

 

[Susquatch]

Lest there be nothing left but infill after the skiff.

So I gather I should have added that stuff in anticipation of needing to cut a little off in future.......

A little too late for that. I just did a normal print. But it's a good warning - at least I know now to split what I do remove between both sides to reduce the risk.

Even if I fail, nothing really to lose except a little filament.

 

[Mcgyver]

Nice! Very happy!

You're in the most fun stage of the whole thing .... constant new ideas and applications. What a hoot, right? 🙂

 

[Susquatch]

Just remember when you take a skiff off here & there post-print for one reason or another, you have to pay attention (typically increase) wall loops & shell layers in the slicer.

Milled enough from each side to fit. No sign of soft infill or internal spaces.

I call this a total success. Learned something too. I guess I should say I now know about an issue I didn't know about before. I didn't really learn anything yet.....

What is a loop?

What is a wall?

What is a shell layer?

What is %infill?

 

[PeterT]

Only because you're a 3DP newby and you didnt watch the YouTube video I recommended, I'll use my AI superpowers. Just this once.


In Bambu Studio (and modern FDM 3D slicing software in general), these four terms describe how your 3D model is translated into physical plastic paths.
Here is what each term means and how it functions inside the slicer:

What is a Loop?​

A loop (often referred to as a perimeter or contour) is a single, continuous closed path traced by the print head to draw the outline of a slice layer.

• How it works: A single wall thickness is built out of one or more concentric loops running side-by-side.
• In Bambu Studio: You will see loops differentiated as Outer Wall (the outermost loop exposed to the surface) and Inner Walls (the loop or loops printed behind the outer wall to build up strength).

What is a Wall?​

A wall is the complete vertical shell structure formed by stacking loops on top of each other across successive layers to bound the sides of your model.

• How it works: In Bambu Studio, you set this via Wall Loops under the Quality/Strength tab. Setting "Wall Loops: 3" tells the slicer to print 3 parallel loops (perimeters) on every layer to form the side boundaries of the print.
• Function: Walls provide structural rigidity, control mechanical strength against side loads, and dictate the external surface quality and dimensional accuracy of the part.

What is a Shell Layer?​

A shell layer refers to any solid layer of plastic that seals the exterior envelope of the 3D print—specifically the horizontal top and bottom boundaries.

• Top & Bottom Shells: In Bambu Studio, these are configured under the Strength settings as Top Shell Layers and Bottom Shell Layers.
• How it works: While walls seal the vertical sides, top and bottom shell layers print as 100% solid, fully-filled horizontal surfaces to completely enclose the internal hollow/infill region. For example, setting 4 top shell layers ensures the slicer prints 4 completely solid layers over the sparse infill before finishing the top of the model.

What is % Infill?​

% Infill (or Infill Density) is the percentage of internal volume within the model's outer shell that is filled with plastic.

• How it works: Because 3D prints are rarely printed 100% solid, the slicer generates a geometric pattern (e.g., Gyroid, Grid, Honeycomb) inside the hollow interior created by the walls and shell layers.
• Standard Ranges:
  
  • 0% Infill: Completely hollow inside (supported only by walls and top/bottom shells).
  • 15% – 20% Infill: The standard range for general-purpose visual and light-use prints (balances strength, print time, and material use).
  • 40% – 100% Infill: Used for high-stress mechanical parts, functional brackets, or thread engagement areas where maximum impact resistance or stiffness is required.

 

[Susquatch]

I'll use my AI superpowers. Just this once.

Thank you Peter.

I always forget to ask AI questions like that. It would have saved you some trouble.