I printed a set of 3 .stl files that was a nozzle cleaner. Three discrete parts, all of which I downloaded. The print came out fine so no issues there.
I had all three parts on build plate and saved the three as a project which I saved in what I assume is the default .3mf file format.
I need to tweak the dimensions a little so opened in OpenSCAD expecting that it would render in OpenSCAD similar to how the three objects were saved.
Bad assumption on my part as all three parts were in just one big mass.
Can someone tell me what I did wrong and what is the difference/value in saving as a project vs three .stl files in a folder.
A 3MF file is an archive with a very specific folder structure. If you want to see for yourself, simply rename it to a .zip and examine it like any other compressed folder.
However, the issue you’re facing is that once the file was exported into an STL, you broke the chain of formats. There is an import function supported in SCAD but I no longer remember the syntax, you’ll have to look it up.
An easier approach would be to load your 3MF file and then right-click and export your model into a separate STL. Then you can import it back into SCAD.
And I have to ask out of curiosity: why are you using SCAD? It has many features, yes, but for everything it does, I can think of three other free programs that do it better. If you share your objective, there might be a better way to achieve the same goal.
I went back and looked at file and file was a .3mf format. It renders as 3 discrete parts in Bambu Studio no problem.
When I opened the same .3mf file in openscad all 3 parts were stacked on top of each other.
Thinking about it some more I suspect that there is no orientation data for each part and to make it work in OpenSCAD I would need to bring each part over individually, plug in some orientation data for each part so it doesn’t default to the center point.
FWIW it is a nozzle wiper modification as the stock wiper does not always get the nozzle clean.
It says the add-on part works on X1/P1 series printers but it catches the back part of the build plate so I need to tweak it some.
OpenScad was a random choice, pure and simple. People seem to use one of 3 products. OpenSCAD, Fusion 360, or Blender. Since the free version of Fusion 360 says is has a reduced feature set, I tossed it out of the mix. That left Blender and OpenSCAD, I picked OpenSCAD. It was a coin flip choice.
If you could share a screengrab of your model both in prepare and preview mode, it would help.
On the topic of SCAD, it has to be among the worst choices for this kind of use case. In fact, I still haven’t figured out what it’s useful for.
These three products are vastly different from one another. Blender is a mesh manipulator who’s first purposes is 3D animation and ray tracing albeit many have used it as a CAD for organic shapes. It is well written but has a steep learning curve. Fusion 360 is a parametric CAD product. The two pieces of software are as different as a hammer and a screw driver.
As stated above, consider posting your model and it may lend insight as to a different, easier approach.
https://3mf.io/ and others. Not sure if you noted my previous missive, but bbl also has a generic 3mf export, which may work better for you.
Openscad works fine, but half of the stl’s you find on line, and create yourself will be broken - they sort of work on slicers, etc, but if they have holes, you need to fix them for openscad. Also, openscad on 2d svg imports, apparently takes little account of the location, partly due to the different origin positions (mainly evolved from early raster scanning displays), but it is easily compensated within openscad. Welcome to the world of standards.
fwiw, if you have the dimensions, it is trivial to design something from scratch like a wiper in openscad, but you may have to unplug your brain, and plug it in upside down.
Keep in mind that to some extent, what I am doing now is climbing up the 3D Printing learning curve. I have to learn somehow as I live in an overgrown town that does not have zip in the way of 3D printing resources for both hardware and software.
This is the Wiper Modification I chose.
Because of the way the Bambu Lab build plates are made, the build plate fouls on the nozzle wiper mod in two locations, both on the overhang first (lower down), and the brush holder when it zero’s the Z-Axis. The red arrow points to where it makes contact.
I saw a video by some YouTuber who had a video about some modifications to resolve shortcomings of the stock wiper. He had linked to this wiper but I didn’t like how much of the chute was obstructed
Having had my new and correctly functioning P1S do exactly the same dragging of purged filament as in YouTuber’s video, I wanted to resolve problem before the dragging filament trashed a print.
Side question: The slot enclosed by the red box is for nozzle cleaning? I’ve noticed nozzle travel back and forth over that slot prior to printing.
You may be overthinking this. It’s totally OK to be new in this hobby but if there is one thing I learned is that you have to verify this stuff on your own. An overwhelming majority of the stuff you read in forums and on YouTube is pure Bullshit. Unless you can place your eyeballs onto actual evidence, take whatever you hear as opinion and conjecture. This includes anything I post. What may work for me, may not work to your satisfaction.
On the subject of wiper alternatives. I did post an experiment in this link here. Your welcome to make of that what you will. However, after using this form of wiper, it does work well but I will be the first to admit that it was not really worth the trouble after using it for 6 months. But I left it there nonetheless and who knows, for your use-case it may work. But don’t trust me, verify it for yourself and then share your findings here. If you think it’s garbage, I won’t be offended. It’s not my design.
I 100% agree with not relying on some rando YouTuber but in this instance I was watching the printer in Bambu Studio and watched the nozzle purge out the sample orange filament to use a tan filament. Printer did a nozzle purge, then did its slap of the flapper in the chute, hit the PTFE wiper and then drag this big wad of coiled up tan/orange filament ball which was attached to nozzle by about a 6" strand of tan filament because IMO the stock wiper failed at it’s purpose. I saw the YouTube video after I saw the nozzle dragging the ball of purged filament. The video was more of a confirmation than anything else.
What concerned me with all of that type of design is that the design makes an assumption that the nozzle will ALWAYS 100% of the time park and purge dead center above the reduced opening.
Is that back part in picture attached, removed?
When I refer to Slapping the Flapper it is in relation to that part. Pretty sure that when a purge is taking place, that part is pushed backwards by toolhead. That then closes the flapper in the chute. The closed flapper facilitates the filament coiling up in a ball rather than having a long straight strand.
I’ve had this happen too. However, after it happened a couple of times, I learned that the principle cause was accumulated filament stuck under the silicone sock thus preventing a clean wipe. In fact, it was my motivation for trying alternative wipe techniques.
However, now whenever that happens, I simply pull the sock of and roll it in between my fingers. You’ll here a crackling noise if there is caked on filament. It crumbles and falls out. On rare occasions, I have had to scrape of the naked nozzle before putting the sock back on. Also, the socks to wear out so you want to inspect that.
Thanks.
In this instance, if you followed my original P1S saga, this was probably the third print I did on the new P1S Bambu Lab sent me. Probably the first print after putting the hardened steel nozzle on.
I printed the wiper you showed in your picture but wasn’t a fan of the reduced hole the nozzle had to purge through.
I knew it didn’t purge there put after watching enough print starts I knew something was up.
I spent basically my whole adult life in a very engineering heavy field and a lesson I learned a long time ago is that there is generally an engineering reason for everything. Just like my question about that slot and the observation about that pivoting lever in the back of the purge chute. The chute is a prime example. Why did they design it the way they did? Why did they put that flapper in the chute and why did the put a device in the chute to close it?
I was talking about that bar that closes the flapper, not the flapper itself. Without the bar I circled, the flapper just dangles in the open position.
Designing something like this involves compromises. It generally works well for its intended purpose, though it’s understandable that certain aspects might raise questions. It’s important to remember that there’s a significant difference between an ideal, custom design and one that needs to be mass-produced and assembled efficiently. The chute and purge system play a crucial role in how colour changes and z-offset measurements are handled. The flap, for example, helps coil up the waste filament but it should also contribute to sealing the enclosure (x1/p1s). It looks as if it could readily be modified. Whatever, waste poop does not need to be inside the enclosure, to tangle with the z-axis screws, for example. But, bbl are new to consumer level 3d printing, and are learning as they go.
