If you wish to use the 3D printer in the Imaging Center please contact Andrew Maurer or Noah Thompson and share your file via ic-u@smith.edu. We will prepare it and meet with you to print the model.
Preparing a Model with Bambu Lab
Bambu Lab software is free to download and gives you access to an open source library of 3D models. You can also make your own models or upload ones you found elsewhere.
- To get started, open BambuStudio. Click on the “Prepare” tab to bring up the settings and plate preview. The plate is where your model will be printed.
2. You’ll need to select the printer and plate. Our printer is the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon and it has a Textured PEI Plate.
3. Most of the settings will stay the same, but you will need to select which filament you will be using. PLA Basic is standard, but we also have PLA Matte.
4. To add a model, click on the cube icon with the plus button above the plate preview.
5. Select your model from the desktop or hard drive and it will be uploaded to the software. You should see it appear on the plate. It will look green, but this is not the color it will print as, this is for visibility so you can see it clearly against the plate.
6. Arrange the pieces on the plate so they aren’t touching. Sometimes the software will prompt you to add support structures if you have a piece that floats or isn’t supported on all sides. These small supports prevent the filament from dropping or becoming misshapen, and can be easily broken off once the model is printed.
7. Click on the “slice plate” tab in the upper right once your model is ready. The software will “slice” the model to determine how many layers of filament it needs to print.
8. You can’t print directly from your computer to our 3D printer, so once the model is sliced you can export each individual piece or the entire model in a single file. Click on the drop down arrow next to “Print Plate” and select “export plate sliced file.”
9. Export it to a microSD card and insert it into the Bambu Lab printer.
Printing
1. Turn on the printer by flipping the switch on the back bottom right. The home screen will activate and show you the settings of the printer.
2. Tap on the folder icon to bring up the files in the microSD and select your model. Select the color of filament you need (and look at which colors are available, the spools of filament are in the top part of the printer).
3. Tap on _______ and the printer will start warming up.
Note: The filament is fed through a tube into the back of the printer. If it can’t go through, gently adjust the tube so that it will go through the back.
4. The printer will expel leftover filament in the nozzle and calibrate the plate to make sure the surface is even. Once the printer is warmed up it will start putting down the layers of filament. The home screen will show the model, temperatures of the printer and nozzle, as well as the printing progress in percentage, number of layers printed, and the estimated time left.
5. Printing can be paused, and if the printer runs out of filament it will only resume when another spool has been put in. It is recommended to print when you’ll have enough filament on the spool to complete your project and avoid interruptions or having to start over.
Note: Sometimes the printer will “spaghetti,” meaning that part of the layer shifted, so filament starts to pile up and look like noodles, which will cause the printer to cease its function until the filament is removed. This doesn’t happen too often, but keep an eye on your project as it prints!