What Printer For Newbie

[madbrit]

I am new to 3d printing but not new to engineering, and use cnc machines a lot, I want to print of some small gears, first what printer would be good, I have about 400 to spend, also what design program would you recommend

Thanks

MaDbrIT

[CrazyIvan]

This won't be for everyone, but I thoroughly enjoy my Tina2. Available for around £150 (or less) it's a cheap introductory printer and easy to run. I've produced many real usable parts within a few weeks of owning one.

The main down-sides are:

• Limited build volume (100x120x100);
• No bed heater, no heated chamber – so only suitable for PLA filament.

I don't regard these as major issues – large parts can be printed in sections if necessary, and if (say) I needed a part in ABS I can always prototype in PLA and then contract out for the final part.

Even if you did get a printer with a heated bed etc, I strongly recommend starting out with an easy material (ie PLA - which has little to no shrinkage on cooling). ABS, for example, shrinks as it cools, so unless heating is used the workpiece shrinks and distorts while it is being printed! An even shrinkage isn't too much of a problem post-print, but if the existing layers shrink then the next layers to be printed won't line up with them properly.

As for software, there are two aspects to this. The first part is to generate a 3D model file (typically .stl), which defines a 3D object in terms of the XYZ coordinates of the nodes of triangles. Every surface of the object is defined by a set of triangles. The .stl is the output of a design app which captures the designer's intention. Engineers use a CAD package such as Autodesk (expensive) or FreeCAD (free!). Artists use an art package such as Blender. Whatever you decide to use, there is a substantial learning curve (and FreeCAD is supported by a lot of tutorials on YouTube and an active forum).

Next the .stl is input to a slicer program. The printer itself has no intelligence, the slicer converts the 3D solid model into layer-by-layer plot command primitives which tell the printer where to move the nozzle and how to feed the filament, in a raw print file (typically .gcode). Therefore the slicer has to know all about your specific printer – so unless you are into setting up all the intricate parameters appropriate for your printer from scratch, you need a slicer which has built-in (or addable) support for your model of printer.

For example, the Tina2 comes with its own slicer (and dire warnings that using other software may damage the printer!), and is also supported in Cura.

The print file is then transferred to the printer on storage such as an SD card or USB stick (microSD in the case of the Tina2). This means the printer can get on with the job (which can take many hours) without tying up your PC or risking a communications error in the mean time. Some printers will have the means to transfer the print file to internal storage by network connection, and maybe even operate the printer remotely – but in my experience you need to be there to start it off and make sure the first few layers are printing OK anyway.

I run FreeCAD and Cura on Linux; other tools might only be available for Windows.

HTH

Update: having acquired a Tina2S, I prefer it to the Tina2. For a little extra money you get a heated bed and much quieter operation.

[Shylie]

I am new to 3d printing but not new to engineering, and use cnc machines a lot, I want to print of some small gears, first what printer would be good, I have about 400 to spend, also what design program would you recommend

Thanks

MaDbrIT

For 3D printing gears with a $400 budget, consider an Ender 3 or Prusa Mini. For design, try Fusion 360 or Tinkercad.

[James01]

That is perfect to hear you're getting into 3D printing with your designing foundation! Your CNC experience will be useful.

[bryant]

I am new to 3d printing but not new to engineering, and use cnc machines a lot, I want to print of some small gears, first what printer would be good, I have about 400 to spend, also what design program would you recommend

Thanks

MaDbrIT

I recommend the Ender 3 V3 SE. It's one of the latest iterations of the very popular Ender 3 series, designed to be easier for beginners to install and use. Its direct drive extruder generally offers more precise filament control, allowing it to print fine details (like gear teeth). It handles materials like PLA+ and PETG (which you'll likely use for gears) better, and in the future, if you choose to try, it might be easier to print flexible filaments like TPU filament. It also features automatic bed leveling. Although it's still a 'bed-slinger' design (meaning the print bed moves back and forth), this design is perfectly adequate for small gears and won't significantly limit quality.

[Bikeracer]

From my experience with several different makes of printers over the last five years or so, none have been able to get anywhere near Bambu Labs for user experience, ease of use, reliability and plug and play ability out of the box.