3D Printing

This page holds information I've gathered while using a 3d printer.

Printers

Monoprice Maker Select V2

Product page: https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=13860

I believe that this printer delivers great quality for the price - so far it has consistently exceeded my expectations. Assembly and setup were painless, calibration was straightforward, and before I knew it I was up and running.

Specs

Build volume: 200mm x 200mm x 180mm
Resolution (layer height): 100 microns (0.1 mm)
Materials: ABS, PLA, XT Copolyester, PET, TPU, TPC, FPE, PVA, HIPS, Jelly, Foam, Felty
Filament diameter: 1.75mm
Max extruder temp: 500°F (260°C)
Data transfer: USB and microSD card

Print Settings

I primarily use Cura for slicing. I added the Maker Select V2 using the Prusa i3 printer profile. Most of my printing is done in draft quality at 0.2mm layer height.

Pre-mod Settings

• One important thing with an unmodded MPMS V2 is to reduce the maximum Z height in your slicer from 200mm to 180mm. It's not necessarily impossible to print to 200mm, but your risk colliding your printhead with the crossmember at the top of the Z-axis towers.
• I found that with Cura's default Draft settings, not only was I slightly annoyed with some quality issues, but I would also suffer some plate adhesion problems. Changing from brim to raft type plate adhesion solved the latter problem entirely. For the quality issues, I found that reducing the print speed allowed me to get more consistent, high-quality results. I've added the custom speed settings below.
  

Custom print speed settings for unmodded printer:

• Print speed: 50mm/s
• Outer wall speed: 15mm/s
• Inner wall speed: 30mm/s
• Top/bottom speed: 20mm/s
• Travel speed: 80mm/s

Post-mod Settings

• After installing the Z-axis brace and extension mods, I've found myself to be happy with Cura's default Draft settings.
  

Mods / Customization

The Maker Select V2 is a solid printer stock from the factory. But it's not without room for improvement.

• Z-Axis Braces
  • Braces that stiffen the Z-axis tower to prevent wobbling.
  • Thingiverse link: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:921948
• Z-Axis Extensions
  • Though the Maker Select V2 is said to have 180mm clearance in the Z-axis, the truth is it's about 143mm. These extension blocks make up for that difference.
  • Thingiverse link: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1444979
• Upgrade Y-Axis Carriage Plate
  • The factory carriage plate has been known to bend or warp easily as it's only made from thin stamped steel. Replacing it with a thicker aluminum plate will allow you to get a level print bed more quickly and easily.
  • Guide here: https://letsprint3d.net/2017/04/18/guide-replacing-y-carriage-plate
• Bed Leveling Spring Cups
  • These small cups help to keep the springs that hold the print bed up in alignment, making for a bed that isn't easily shifted around.
  • Thingiverse link: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1585045
• Upgrade Fan Ducting
  • This design allows for better airflow. The end result is higher-quality prints with less stringing.

Filament

In rough order of both how much I like it and how much I print with it... I'm only listing filaments that I've printed at least one kilo of.

Inland PLA+

HOW MUCH LIKED: WELL LIKED
HOW OFTEN USED: MOST OFTEN

Inland PLA+ is by the far the filament that I most often use. I live relatively close to a Micro Center store, so I can go and pick this stuff up in person. I'd say it's on par with Hatchbox, and it's also a bit cheaper so that's always a plus.

Hatchbox

HOW MUCH LIKED: WELL LIKED
HOW OFTEN USED: NOT OFTEN

Hatchbox is only marked as "NOT OFTEN" because so far I've only used one kilo of it, but that will likely change in the future. It's readily available via Amazon. It's consistent filament with a nice choice of colors, but the price per kilo is just a bit more than what I think it should be.

Inland PLA

HOW MUCH LIKED: SORTA LIKED
HOW OFTEN USED: SOMEWHAT OFTEN

Inland PLA (notice the lack of the +) is pretty middle-of-the-road filament. It works, but it can be a bit finicky. I've had serious issues with layer bonding while printing Inland's color changing PLA, and it seems like it's also more brittle than I'd expect it to be. A friend of mine has also seen serious winding issues on a roll, to the point where it basically tied itself into a knot. I'd put it on par with the Monoprice filament in terms of overall quality.

Monoprice PLA

HOW MUCH LIKED: SORTA LIKED
HOW OFTEN USED: NOT OFTEN

Monoprice PLA is not bad, but it's also nothing to write home about. It gets the job done. I've noticed that their "White" is actually what I'd call "Natural", aka un-pigmented, milky, and slightly translucent. The Monoprice PLA is also fairly expensive at about $20/kilo.

Gallery

Here's some of the prints I've made.

• 

  A failed Yoda print. You can see the infill grid in the space left open at the top, and the brim around the bottom edge.
  Thingiverse
  (PLA, 0.2mm layer height, 10% infill)

• 

  A cup made to look like Bender's head is in the middle of printing. You can see the infill grid in the space left open and the raft underneath.
  Thingiverse
  (PLA, 0.2mm layer height, 10% infill)

• 

  A black cat head planter. This print was made with 100% infill, so it's solid plastic.
  Thingiverse
  (PLA, 0.2mm layer height, 100% infill)

• 

  A human skull. The model that this was printed from came from a 3d scan of a real human skull.
  Thingiverse
  (PLA, 0.2mm layer height, 10% infill)

• 

  It's Banzai Bill! This was assembled from three different prints (one for each color). It went together easily and looks great!
  MyMiniFactory
  (PLA, 0.2mm layer height, 10% infill)