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Week 04 · September 30 · 3D scanning and printing

3D scanning and printing

Assignment

I printed a small vacuum puck in green PLA on a Prusa MK4S. It has a square body, a pattern of openings on the top, and a hose connection on one side.

Modeling

I initially tried to make the model directly in Fusion. I could make the body and the hose connection, but I could not do the pores.

Initial Fusion model of a square hollow body with a side hose connection, before adding the porous structure
The first attempt in Fusion. Body and hose connection, but no pores.

Building on the recitation on AI agents for design, I used AI to generate the porous structure. The pores are better defined by a function, using FRep. I used 6.1 Sol to write a Python script to generate the parametric structure, then ran it in Fusion.

Slicing

I sliced vacuum_puck_fine.stl in PrusaSlicer. I used the 0.15 mm STRUCTURAL profile, Generic PLA, and the MK4S profile with a 0.4 mm nozzle. The flat bottom sat on the bed, with the openings facing up.

Supports were off, and I added a brim. The infill setting was 100%; the openings are part of the model. The slicer estimated 2 hours 23 minutes.

PrusaSlicer preview of the vacuum puck lying flat on the bed with a brim and no supports
The sliced puck and brim in PrusaSlicer.

Printing

I used the Prusa MK4S at the REEF. The photo below is from the start of the job, while the printer was heating up.

Prusa MK4S loaded with green filament, displaying the vacuum puck job at zero percent while waiting for the hotend
The MK4S before the first layer.

Printed part

The puck came out as one piece, including the hose connection. The top has the repeating openings, and the underside is a continuous flat surface. The layer lines are visible on the sides and around the connection.

Green printed vacuum puck with curved openings across its top and a hose connection on the near edge
The finished puck, with the patterned face up.
Vacuum puck standing on its edge, showing the solid flat underside and the opening in the hose connection
The underside and hose connection.

Downloadable file

3D scanning

I scanned the cube I laser-cut with Kiri Engine.