2017. április 20., csütörtök

MVP Reconnect gift arrived

Finally my MVP reconnect gift arrived from Microsoft:


GeeeTech 3D Printer 7.

Yeah, facepalm.
This guy still struggling with that crap.
Many of my designs are come out from the printer seamlessly until I get into my mind to build a Cyclon PCB Factory (actually I seen in somebody's facebook post and checked, what it is).
It has several printed parts. When I started to print, at the second batch I got this:


Yes, you right it is the vengeance of the Cyclon PCB Factory because of the PINK!!!
So, I started to look around and read. I found two factors:
1. You should lower the temperature for PLA as it melts to long into the heatbreak and stuck in it if not flowing fast enough.
2. You should use some Canola oil, to prevent sticking the plastic into the heatbreak.
Ok.
1. I went down to 195°C, and ordered a better fan for the heatbreak radiator (not arrived yet)
2. What a hell is that Canola. I looked around. It is called "repce" in my country. So bought a liter of it (there are no smaller available):



And the result is here:



Ok. But one good print doesn't tell anything. I achieved this in around three days without a single problem:


I guess. It is working now. Finally.

2017. április 19., szerda

GeeeTech 3D Printer 6.

When the shit hits the fan. :-D
As I tried to work with it. I had a small accident. Something was hitting hard the extruder fan while it was running:


The sad thing in it, that it was a Sunon Vapo fan, what I prefer, and had no more of this at home.

2017. április 18., kedd

Ergobag 1.

This is an old story. It dated back to the end of last summer. My two kids, who already in school has identical school backpacks but in different color.
These backpacks has a few places where stickers can be attached with velcro. The kids got some stickers with the bags, but these are just static ones.
Here came the idea. What if I create something personalized for them. Something with their own name, what even has some light in it.
So I needed a 3D Printed cage, with some electronics inside. To keep it simple I chosen an Attiny85 and APA102 LEDs.
I wanted something can be charged. To keep it as slim as possible, the normal AA or AAA size rechargeables was not really a good option (first I was thinking about, but finally I thrown the idea). So I chosen a Nokia BL-4C battery. There are two problems with it. You need a proper Li-Ion charger and as the LEDs need 5V, you need a boost converter to power it.
In addition I wanted to cut of the power after certain amount of time - Kids never switch of the toys.
So one push button for switch on, one for switch off if you want, and timed switch of by the MCU.
Here is the circuit:


I built this on a circular board:
(This is the first prototype, not the actual working one)


Then I designed a case for it.
Front:
Back:
Insert:

Actually I was able to print the 3D parts and assembled the whole thing, but I wasn't really happy with the result as I had continuous problems with the 3D printer (the Geeetech, as the Robo3D was completely dead)
Finally the signs appeared on the bags, and the kids were happy with it:


The project was closed...
...but, as you can expect kids, are kids, and they have schoolmates. So "orders" arrived - who else needs it. :-)
All of the design files are available on my github:
https://github.com/sufzoli/suf-electronics-ergobag
It has been cleaned up, so just the actual design is in there.
Continue...

2017. április 10., hétfő

GeeeTech roll holder

The GeeeTech printer came with a separate roll holder. It is uncomfortable to use and take unnecessary space.



To overcome this, I wanted to have something better.
My wife just thrown away this as the holder at the end was broken:


I decided to cut it into the desired length and design a holder for it, what fits onto the top of the printer.
The printer hase 4 holes at each side, I don't know why - no it is not he holes for the bowden extruder, different holes what I talk about.
So I designed a plastic part as the holder (two identical required), and printed.
Here is the result:


It is available on Thingiverse: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2235889

2017. április 8., szombat

GeeeTech 3D Printer 5.

Oh no. It still not finished.
I had the feeling, that I finished the problems with my GeeeTech printer.
I started to print and my designs came out nicely. I was using some old PLA rolls from 3D Factory (I guess) and the roll of blue Geeetech PLA came with this printer.
I was working on a fun project to my kids. One of my daughters wanted her thing in pink (what a surprise). I had a roll of pink material from Herz filament.
The result was devastating:


The solid layers (let say the first 2mm) came out correctly, but the hotend stuck afterward.
Tried it many times, with the same result. The same design was working correctly with the GeeeTech blue.
Tried to change the temperature, not helped.
So I had the feeling that something is wrong with the Herz material. I ordered another pink roll, this time from 3DW.
Next try, same result. Oh shit, so there should be other problem.
I started to think. What is the difference between the solid layers and the small parts printed later?
The retract.
On the solid layers the extruder almost never retract the material, on the tiny parts above, continuously.
When I built this printer I chosen a E3D v6 hotend clone for it. It had teflon tubing in the heatbreak what I didn't like, so I replaced it with the heatbreak of my unused E3D v5.
There is something wrong with tihs?
Bingo:


As you see the hole size of the v5 barely bigger than the diameter of the filament. The v6 give much more space. When the filament retracted the liquid bubble on the tip of the filament cooling down and stuck into the heatbreak.
Cleaned, replaced, and here is the result:


Just I don't know what the hell will I do with almost 2kg ugly pink filament.