Tag: 3D printing

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3D Printing with Verbatim Polypropylene: Initial Impressions Review

Polypropylene (PP) is a material that is used in a variety of applications like packaging, automotive industry, furniture, et cetera. For use in 3D printing however, it is not nearly as popular as PLA, ABS or PETG.  This might be because PP filament is not readily available at most resellers. Also, it is difficult to find information online about requirements for the printer and process settings which would be needed for a successful print.

In this article I will share my 3D printing experiences with the 1.75 mm PP filament made by Verbatim and hope to shed some light on how to print this material on a typical 3D printer (heated bed required!). Continue reading “3D Printing with Verbatim Polypropylene: Initial Impressions Review”

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Slic3r Prusa Edition Variable Layer Height

Stepped surfaces in 3D prints have been around since the dawn of 3D printing using the FDM process. The question is how to get rid of the unattractive steps them without drastically increasing print time. In this article I will cover a new feature in the Slic3r Prusa Edition that will allow you to tackle this problem in an interesting way. This also works for 3D printers which are not made by Prusa. I will test the feature with my Flashforge Dreamer. Continue reading “Slic3r Prusa Edition Variable Layer Height”

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Dual Nozzle X and Y offset calibration on Flashforge Dreamer

When using a dual extrusion printer it is important to calibrate the distance between the nozzles in X and Y direction. A properly calibrated printer will produce parts without a visible shift between sections printed with the left and the right extruder. In this article I wil discuss the use of a calibration program to find the offset between the nozzles on the Flashforge Dreamer.

Continue reading “Dual Nozzle X and Y offset calibration on Flashforge Dreamer”

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Slic3r settings for dual extrusion prints on Flashforge Dreamer

As anyone who owns a 3D printer knows, it may take some of trial and error to obtain good print results. This is especially the case for dual material prints. The Flashforge Dreamer supports dual material printing out of the box. However, I have noticed it can be hard to print parts without color mixing due to oozing extruders that wipe themselves clean on the edges of the part. In this article I will describe a method to use dual extrusion with Slic3r, which significantly improves print quality. Continue reading “Slic3r settings for dual extrusion prints on Flashforge Dreamer”

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Slic3r G-code for dual extrusion printing on the Flashforge Dreamer

In this article the complete configuration of Slic3r for use with the Flashforge Dreamer is discussed.

Slic3r is a great freeware program for slicing your prints and includes numerous options to tweak print settings to your liking. However, in order to work with the Flashforge Dreamer it needs to be configured to output G-code that the dreamer understands. Also custom G-code can be added at the start and end of each program automatically, so files generated by Slic3r can be used directly on the printer without any modifications. Continue reading “Slic3r G-code for dual extrusion printing on the Flashforge Dreamer”

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Flashprint advanced print settings by editing the default.cfg configuration file

Flashforge supplies its printers with their own slicing program called Flashprint. It is compatible with the Flashforge Dreamer, Creator Pro, Finder and Guider 3D printers. The software is easy to use and contains most of the features required for everyday use. However, programs like Slic3r and Simplify3D offer more advanced options for situations where the standard settings do not deliver the desired print quality.

If you do not want to invest time in setting up or buying a different slicing program there is also a way to change quite a lot of advanced settings within Flashforge’s own Flashprint program. Continue reading “Flashprint advanced print settings by editing the default.cfg configuration file”

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Install all metal hotend on Flashforge Dreamer and print test with PC-plus Polycarbonate

Introduction

As delivered from the factory, the Flashforge Dreamer can print plastics like PLA and ABS, but more demanding plastics like Nylon and polycarbonate are out of reach due to temperature limitations of the hotends. This article covers the upgrade to metal hotends and a trial run with the new nozzles using PC plus polycarbonate filament. Continue reading “Install all metal hotend on Flashforge Dreamer and print test with PC-plus Polycarbonate”

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Flashforge Dreamer PLA Turbo Fan Installation

In this post the installation of a PLA Turbo fan on the Flashforge Dreamer is described, including the benefits for printing with PLA.

Introduction

As discussed in the Flashforge Dreamer review posted earlier, some of the Dreamer models did not come with a nozzle fan fitted on the side of te extruder carriage. My specific printer was only equipped with 2 larger fans mounted on the back of the printer.

PLA should be cooled as quickly as possible after leaving the nozzle in order to obtain the best results, especially in challenging situations, such as steep overhangs. Continue reading “Flashforge Dreamer PLA Turbo Fan Installation”

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Flashforge Dreamer User Review

Introduction

There have been a lot of developments in 3D printers for home use in recent years. Although I did not have high expectations for the print quality of “low cost” 3D printers, I decided to give it a try and purchased a Flashforge Dreamer around one year ago. This printer seemed to be a good option because it is a user friendly machine targeted at beginners, but still has enough features to satisfy the needs of someone exploring the possibilities of 3D printing.

In this review I will discuss my experiences with this printer over the past year in an effort to provide an overview of the pros and cons and thereby help people considering to purchase this 3D printer. Although it was introduced in 2014, it is still a current model and Flashforge has not (yet) announced a direct successor at the time of writing.

The model is also available as a rebranded version by Dremel, the Idea Builder. The Dremel version has to make do without a second extruder and heated bed, but is otherwise machanically the same.

Continue reading “Flashforge Dreamer User Review”