This is our experience so far:
Printed Models:
We've been experimenting with printing grippers for a Robobuilder, printing some intricate parts to check the build quality and also printing some test models that potential buyers sometimes request to evaluate the quality and capabilities of the machine.
I must say this change to a Stepper Motor (on the MK6) is huge enhancement in the build quality and overall experience.
Calibration of the MK5 vs MK6 and Print Quality and Resolution
With the original MK5 we needed to go through a series of steps to calibrate the machine and still we never got quite as good quality or resolution as we get with our MK6 using the default settings. (yes, there was no need for any tweaking on the MK6 settings so far; we're using the default ones).
Sure, if you're a perfectionist you can always fine tune settings for the MK6 (there are plenty of them to tweak around) but out of the box it's been behaving very well. Great print quality and greatly improved print resolution.
If you have a lot of overhanging elements the strategy is still the same: you need to print with support material and be intelligent when rotating/positioning the object for printing for best results.
What we'd really love to see is a makerbot with a double print head: one for plastic and one for Water Soluble plastic that would fill in the gaps during the print. After printing we would just "wash away" the excess plastic. This is how the really expensive 3D printers do it to get the best results.
"Stringing" effect:
One other thing that's been significantly reduced (if not eliminated at all) is the little strings that used to form when the head stops printing and moves from one place to another to resume printing. With the old MK5 this often resulted in some strings being left; the new MK6, out of the box, reverses the motor and fillament just enough to reduce this "string" almost to nothing. (you can actually further fine tune this if you're a perfectionist and want absolutely no stringing)
Dropping the ABP and using just the HBP:
One final thing that we've done was disassemble the Automated Build Platform and Assemble it just as a Heated the Build Platform.
The main difference between ABP and HBP is that you remove the motor and the plastic belt that ejects objects after printing (but keep the heating element in the base). Sure the ABP is cool if you're doing small batches of things as it ejects the platform when it finishes and starts printing the next object immediately after that.
But in our day to day printing here at the office, we're doing one-off prints and the ABP was becoming more of hassle than a benefit for us.
Our main reason to drop the ABP for now was that the belt was wearing out. Because of that it was forming bumps in the middle which in turn were deforming the base of the models.
We could have exchanged the belt (the kit comes with 3 so we have spares) but since we're not doing any batch printing, instead of replacing it we just removed it (along with the ABP motor) and made it into a simple Heated Build Platform.
This also gives you aproximatelly 1 extra cm in the build height (Z axis) to print your 3D models.
The parts to do this change are all included in the Standard Thing o Matic Kit.
We'll try and post some more pictures of what we've printing.
Pedro.Statistics: Posted by PedroR — Fri Apr 08, 2011 4:16 pm
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