3D Printing Interrupted

 

This issue relates to the use of the Snapmaker 3D Printers that we currently use.  We are very fortunate that we have three that we are running at our school, which are being run virtually non-stop.   We started using these machines in 2022 after many years of using Ultimaker Machines.

One of the aspects of the machines that are particularly pleasing is that there is an ability from the machines to stop the print at mid point, and then restart the print at the exact same point.

An example is shown left, this print which was considerable and featured a large figurine of Stitch from the Lilo and Stitch Disney Movie.

This print completed three quarters of the print prior to the PLA that was being used to print running out.   A second roll was then inserted into the machine and the print was restarted, at exactly the same point that the print had stopped.

During the process where the new roll (marble) look which is shown clearly left was used to complete the print.  No red was available, however hence the use of another colour, but the intention is to spray paint the entire design purple/blue to match the design of the character.

What actually occurred was that twice during the new roll of filament being used the roll fouled or became twisted when it was printing, in both instances the teacher then cut the PLA so that it continued to print, and when it reached the point when the PLA on the shorted roll was exhausted the print then stopped, and additional PLA was loaded.

Our experience prior to this with machines that were not as robust was that every instance of a power cut, a print stopping due to PLA running out etc would result in a blocking of the machine which at times would take someone coming and fixing the problem a considerable amount of time.