Exploring print setting tradeoffs to improve part quality using a visual thermal process simulation

Abstract

While desktop 3D printer manufacturers continually work to increase the usefulness of their machines, a successful first print of a part is still a significant challenge for many users. Many of the manufacturers provide software offerings to help users choose print settings to reduce errors, and the corresponding number of times a part must be printed. However, these offerings often present a myriad of settings to adjust without a clear indication of the outcomes. These settings, combined with environmental effects must be simulated, and presented so a user can understand and avoid common print failures. This paper presents research into one of the most prevalent of these, thermal issues, in 3D desktop printing. An extrusion process was simulated by displaying a printed road shape during and after a G-code print command and accurately represents the position, size, and shape of a 3D printed part's roads, based on changes in nozzle position, orifice diameter, and layer thickness. The Lumped Capacitance heat transfer method was used to determine each road's temperature with a corresponding color legend. A thermal imaging camera attached to the print head of an actual 3D printer monitored temperature for simulation validation. This simulation, in conjunction with a usable 3D software interface, provides a prototype visual tool for users to explore setting tradeoffs and view resultant outcomes with any combination of 3D printer and 3D printing software without requiring extensive 3D printing experience.