Detail missing in print studio and Simplyfy3D

[martinjlane]

Hi

I have created a model building in 2mm scale but when I transfer the model from Fusion 360 to either print studio or Simplify3d some of the elements have disappeared.

e.g. Window frames at 0.5mm, display and print fine where as 0.4mm some veritcals are missing from the file when opened in print studio etc.

5mm text extruded at 0.5mm is fine but 10mm text extruded at 1 mm and 4mm extruded at 0.4mm is missing.

There doesn't seem to be any consistancy to the missing data.

Any thoughts, idea's welcome.

Regards

Martin

[mroek]

Can you share the model as a .f3d file (or even the exported stl)? Difficult to give any advice without actually seeing it. You did create a solid body model, right? Not a model consisting of surfaces?

[martinjlane]

Hi

Sample attached

[martinjlane]

Hi

I have attached a photo of the actual print.

[mroek]

Well, the problem isn't with Fusion in this case.

I'm guessing you have a printer with a nozzle diameter of 0.4 mm, and that the extrusion width of S3D is also set to 0.4? S3D will not even attempt to print any details smaller than the extrusion width (because it will not be accurate anyway), so that's most likely your issue.

You will see this in the preview of S3D also. If I force the extrusion width to 0.1 mm (which will not really work), all the details are there:

wind_0.1.png

wind_0.4.png

And above how it looks with the extrusion width set to 0.4 mm. Details smaller than 0.4 mm is just removed by S3D. If you actually have a

smaller nozzle, you can of course print smaller than 0.4, but 0.1 is stretching it too far on any FDM printer, IMO.

[martinjlane]

Thanks for the update and really useful information, but it doesn't really explain why it's not showing or printing the 0.4 sizes (centre window) in every case.

Also the 1mm text didn't print?

[mroek · Accepted solution]

The centre window spruces are exactly 0.4 mm, so they will be ignored by S3D (features must be larger than the extrusion width to be printed). If you tweak the extrusion width to 0.39 mm in S3D, then it will print. Or make the actual width in the model a tiny bit larger than 0.4 mm.

The 1.0 text should be printed, as shown in my preview. Make sure you inspect the preview carefully before printing, if you can't see it in the preview, then it will not be printed.

[martinjlane]

Brilliant! thanks for you help (as you've probably guessed I'm a newcomer to CAD)

Just one thing, is the nozzle diameter size restricted by the printer or software or is it possible to change the nozzles for a smaller diameter, say 0.3 or 0.2?

Printer is a Qidi Tech 1 (creator pro clone)

[mroek]

Yes, most FDM printers can use nozzles with different diameter holes, but there is a limit as to how small you can go (0.2 mm is in most cases the lowest practical limit). Printing with very small nozzles will be extremely slow, since the flow of plastic is very limited. And in practice, if you really need 0.1 mm details, then you'd be better off with a resin printer. The Wanhao D7 looks promising, it offers way more bang for the buck than any other resin printers I know of. But resin is a bit messy, no doubt about that.

The Micro Swiss plated nozzles are good, but 0.2 is the smallest they offer:

http://www.micro-swiss.com/product-page/high-lubricity-wear-resistant-nozzle-upgrade-mk10

[martinjlane]

Many thanks for you help and guidance. Seems like I now have several options.

Regards

Martin

[martinjlane]

Hi

I've been experimenting with the extrusion width and still can't get it to display the detail. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.

I created a new model this morning with a 6mm thread and this also won't show the thread detail.

I imported the file to Simply3d, Fusion Print and Makerware, all appear to have the detail missing.

I'm confused as to what this issue is but the only common factor is Fusion 360

Appreciate your help

[mroek]

Can you post a .f3d file from Fusion instead? I can't see any threads in the STL file model, but I have a hunch as to what the problem is. Need to see the actual model in Fusion, though.

[martinjlane]

Attached as requested, thanks.

[mroek]

As I guessed, you used the thread feature, but you just used cosmetic threads. You need to tick the box for modeled:

threads.png

Whether you can get it to print correctly is another matter...

[martinjlane]

Thanks, printing now and I have a thread

I still can't get simply 3d to show the details even after changing the extruder size below 0.4.. (screenshot attached)

Could you let me know how you did it?

[mroek]

Do you really have a 0.3 mm nozzle? That value should always be the actual nozzle diameter, but you can tweak the extrusion width (a little) for any given nozzle diameter, but nominally you set it to the same as the nozzle.

Now, that's not why you can't get it to work, so please attach a factory file from Simplify3D (File/Save Factory File), and I'll take a look.

[martinjlane]

Attached file

[mroek]

I meant a factory file from Simplify3D, not a Fusion file. The issue is with your settings in Simplify3D, and a factory file includes everything needed to replicate the problem.

[martinjlane]

Not quite sure what a factory file is but I loaded the model and saved as factory file. However the forum won't allow me to send the file with a .factory extensio.

I have renamed as .bmp to get it through the mail, should work okay if renamed back to .factory

[mroek]

Got the file. But again, do you really have a 0.3 mm nozzle in your printer? If you have a 0.4 mm nozzle, this will not print properly anyways. The details in your file are just too small to print unless you set the extrusion width to 0.1 mm (which will not work in the real world). And secondly, the STL has errors also. You should probably combine all the bodies in Fusion before exporting the STL.

To reiterate: Simplify3D will NOT even try to print ANY details smaller than the extrusion width. If the model view in S3D shows the details, but the print preview does not, then that's most likely your issue.