Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Cube 3 and ABS - Video

I created a video to demonstrate that it is possible to print ABS with the Cube 3 with the proper CubeStick application.  One of the things I fail to point out in the video is the special nature of the new print table that seems to act like a heat sink.  After printing the piece in the video I was surprised that the print table was as warm as it was.  It didn't get as hot as that of the 1st generation Cube; but, definitely was warmer that I'd experienced with the Cube 2 print table.

I could be wrong; but, I do not think the table is heated by any other means than simply absorbing heat from the printed object.


There was ever-so-slight warping at either end of the piece once it was removed from the print table.  But, NOTHING like that I had seen previously with my other 3D printers... including the heated 1st generation Cube.  I now believe it is possible to be completely successful when printing properly designed* ABS parts.

This is very important to me.  In fact, it's way more important than being able to print in two colors.  ABS has a very resilient quality to it that is quite different from PLA.  So, I am very happy to know that I can at east start experimenting with ABS again at an ever finer print resolution.

* By properly designed, I mean the strategic placement of holes and other structural relief elements that reduce stress from uneven shrinkage due to temperature changes.  Think of the ways iron bridges are constructed with triangular elements, etc. to use less iron while keeping the same structural integrity.  A bee-hive is another great source of inspiration for strength without too much bulk.

5 comments:

  1. Thanks for taking the time to put together this video as well as your blog. I expect my cube 3 soon and I look forward to all your updates.

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  2. I think you will find the Cube 3 to be an incredibly solid 3D printing platform that will give you beautiful results right out of the box and even better results as the firmware matures. It's a great product.

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  3. Great video on the ABS Material. I am still waiting for the materials to ship. In the meantime, could only do with the PLA materials that shipped with the printer.

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  4. Hello, Tom
    I just tried my red ABS material yesterday (since my green PLA clogged), and followed your suggestion to make glue dry enough. everything is good at the beginning, material touch the print pad very well, but after around 5mm height of my work (for some small model, will after 1 or 2mm), the material can not stick together, and start warping. have you met similar issue before ? i guess it due to larger gap? i will try more cases later. thanks a lot.

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  5. How ABS prints is way more dependent on the design and 'relief' elements than with PLA. I use a lot of holes in ABS objects when possible. These holes provide stress relief as the material cools. Without seeing the object you were trying to print, it's difficult to know if some design modifications would help.

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