A couple of weeks ago, students learned how to add booleans to their models to accommodate inserts such as a USB and a clicky MX Keyboard Key. This macaron is comprised of 4 parts, three of which are 3D printed, and hidden inside is an MX key to allow the pieces to spring up after being pressed.
Models involving inserts can definitely be a challenge at times and require lots of prototyping to ensure the finished product slots in just fine.
Thanh Out of Office
Thanh will be out of town from May 15th until June 8th. Lab interns will be available to assist with minor repairs and answer design questions in her absence.
The newsletters will also be on hiatus until June 15th.
Lab Reset and Reorganizing
Ahead of Thanh’s absence, the Maker Lab will be undergoing a rearrangement to accommodate future tools, designate adequate workspaces, provide better access to supplies and resources, and to hopefully improve the room atmosphere.
This is happening on the morning of Wednesday May 13th and will likely run through lunch. The lab and the tools will be considered inaccessible and unavailable to students during that time, and makers with ongoing projects should plan accordingly.
We can’t wait to show VISST friends and families our improved Maker Lab in the near future!
Slot Tests
Got 3D models you want to slot together but not sure if they will fit right? Before printing the model at the intended full scale, try a squished version to see if the slots are the right 2d dimensions.
An even better approach would actually be to extract just the insert portion using Blender to reduce even more wasted materials in your tests.
Wet Sanding and Heat Smoothing
When sanding your model, you might notice quite a bit of white powdering accumulating. Those particles are microplastics from the PLA being sanded down and they are clinging to the tiny crevices between your printing layers.
A method other 3D Printing artists have adopted is to wet their sandpaper and model beforehand to help reduce the amount of PLA microplastics flying around and therefore lessen the appearance of a white power coating in your models.
For models that still have significant undesirable ridge lines, one can also attempt to reheat the PLA using a Heat Gun to smooth some of the print off. This is not recommended for small prints with fine details at it can greatly distort and warp your prints if you aim the heat gun at it for too long.