Printing PLA at .1mm layer height on my MakerGear Prusa Mendel

The cooling fan I tried first didn't work so hot. So I found another bracket style and thought I would try printing that to see if it would work better. It does!

I really like this bracket, it's so simple, and so effectively matches to my MG Prusa. http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:13343

I was amazed at how .1mm layer height looks. The natural PLA came out almost clear looking. It printed great until I got to the small, tower bits. Then the print completely fell apart. Printing too fast, there isn't enough cool time for the PLA to set, so it's still all rubbery when the next layer is put down, so it just flexes all over the place and looks terrible.

I ended up printing 2 copies of this part. The first one I ziptied onto my printer so I could print the 2nd one. The 2nd one is much better than the first. I almost have my cooling settings right. Maybe adding 2 fans, or trying a higher powered one would be the answer. Things to try in the near future.

Common Settings
Makergear Prusa Mendel
Sic3r.7 Pronterface.7
1.75mm PLA @ 170c extrusion, 60c blue tape on glass on heated bed.
0.1mm layer height with .35mm nozzle
Retraction 2mm @15mm/s w/ .25 z lift

First Print unique settings
Cooling default settings using restrictive cone cooler nozzle
– min print speed 10mm/s
print speed default settings
– small perimeters 30mm/s

2nd print unique settings
changed cooling setting
– min print speed 5mm/s
changed print speed settings
– small perimeters 20mm/s

In album

0.1mm layer height fan brackets. The ring section looks really good. The part that sticks up from the rings looks terrible from being too warm when the next layer is added.

You can almost read the green text through the plastic rings.

Beauty and ugly at the same time.

.3mm layers on the left, .1mm layers on the right. Almost can’t see the layers at .1mm.

Using the first set of new clamps, the towers on these look MUCH better. Not perfect yet, but these are serviceable where the others where not.

Very little cleanup is needed.

This is the old cone fan. It looks like a good idea, but isn’t up to par with what is needed.

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32 Comments

  1. I've had my head in my printer so deep the last couple of weeks, i doubt I could pull anything together that would be worthwhile.

    Unless you all wanted to see a 3d printer in operation…

  2. I've had my head in my printer so deep the last couple of weeks, i doubt I could pull anything together that would be worthwhile.

    Unless you all wanted to see a 3d printer in operation…

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