How to print a very small model? Hello guys !! I was wondering if someone can help me and give me some advice to print very little model? Here is my trouble, I want to print part from chain, like bike chain, with this dimensions : - Chain link : 14mmx5mm and 2mm diameter for the hole - little cylinder : 2mm diameter intern and 4mm diameter extern But it is horrible and the little cylinder just not print. Oh and I print in ABS at 250°C hotbed at 110°C and print speed at 30mm/s and I use a raft. thanks for helping me, Morgan https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791324#msg-791324 Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:50:54 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,792864#msg-792864 Re: How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,792864#msg-792864
Cura makes an horrible job on the first layer, as it does not slow down small perimeters, and prints 1 wall of each perimeter at a time, which tends to rip it out when moving (at travelling speed) to the next perimeter... (I asked Cura devs to change that, but they don't want to).

I think this is the main problem, here. Slic3r should be better on this point.

Morgan will also try PLA, as it is easier to print.]]> fma Printing Thu, 19 Oct 2017 09:08:09 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,792858#msg-792858 Re: How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,792858#msg-792858 With all those parts your layer time is going to be quite long so the feature wont help much.
But on the small cylinders the problem may be that each perimeter is causing the problem. How many perimeters have you set?

If you set the perimeters to 1 it should laydown all the perimeters and then return for the infill by which time the perimeter has cooled. Im guessing you have 100% infill already.
I usually try to avoid small items like this.]]> MCcarman Printing Thu, 19 Oct 2017 07:12:04 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,792816#msg-792816 Re: How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,792816#msg-792816 maybe also you cura settings (export)

Chri]]> Chri Printing Wed, 18 Oct 2017 16:11:20 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,792810#msg-792810 Re: How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,792810#msg-792810
Did you tune the extruder ratio? Just print a 20x20x3 square, et adjust this param until you get a perfect top surface. You should not get gap between wires (not enough plastic), nor bumps (too much plastic).

I also suggest you insulate the bottom of your hotend, to avoid too much heat on the printed parts. And you should try to increase a little bit the speed.

You could also try to find a tube, and cut it to make your little cylinders, instead of printing them... That's what I do for such simple parts.]]> fma Printing Wed, 18 Oct 2017 14:46:56 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,792796#msg-792796 Re: How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,792796#msg-792796
I followed your multiple advice :

- Change nozzle to 0.2 mm
- Decrease speed at 5 mm/s in Cura

But is still no print :(

In the attach file you can see my sol file and a picture of my print

It is really possible too print small part?

Morgan]]> morgan76 Printing Wed, 18 Oct 2017 12:30:26 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791906#msg-791906 Re: How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791906#msg-791906 fma Printing Wed, 11 Oct 2017 11:24:36 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791899#msg-791899 Re: How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791899#msg-791899
Merlin_hotend.jpg


either buying a merlin hotend or searching for a adapter to mount it on a E3D compatible hotend.

Chri
]]> Chri Printing Wed, 11 Oct 2017 10:19:46 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791897#msg-791897 Re: How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791897#msg-791897 fma Printing Wed, 11 Oct 2017 10:10:46 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791895#msg-791895 Re: How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791895#msg-791895 * lower your bed temperature, go down as low as possible, depending on your abs, i`m gowing down to 98-102°C
* ensure that your per layer print time is at least 20 second, printing too slow is also not good for some hotends and getting too much radiant heat into the part.
so a combination of multiple objects and printing slow is the key
* what are the parts looking at the moment ?, what are the exact issues ?
* what slicer and settings do you print ? settings and a zipped gcode file would be good to analyze.
* print the parts on a podest which is at least 5mm high.this way the parts will not become an elephant foot and do not overheat that much while printing.

if you want to print such stuff more often i recommend you to switch to a small airbrush nozzle: (no stuff for beginners ;) )
airbrush nozzle have the benefit that the don`t have a flat surface for "ironing", which is an issue when printing small stuff (the lines will be pulled away), and less heat transfer.

Chri]]> Chri Printing Wed, 11 Oct 2017 09:44:05 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791888#msg-791888 Re: How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791888#msg-791888 Its easy to think we can print anything but some times its worth stepping back. Especially as you could spend a lot of time and never get a good result.
If had several instances with similar problems and found its often simpler to use another manufacturing approach.
In this case you can try printing the cylinders with a nominal hole of say 1mm and then drill the centre to the diameter you want. However I start questioning whether I could really get a quality part, and look elsewhere for an existing form I can modify.
Not sure what your cylinders are for but small thin walled items like straws could be used or drill out some knitting needles.]]> MCcarman Printing Wed, 11 Oct 2017 07:38:44 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791459#msg-791459 Re: How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791459#msg-791459
that thing with the tube is a good idea and it is the next upgrade i want to do but instead of a pump i ll use a fan. my nozzle is a 0.3mm and i am trying to get smallet width than 0.2mm . I think a smaller nozzle would do the job so much better but i to lazy to replace it for 0.05mm.

Anyway the infos written above were very helpful for me too. thanks guys.]]> Gaou Printing Sat, 07 Oct 2017 09:59:55 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791340#msg-791340 Re: How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791340#msg-791340
When I was looking the printing sometimes I don't saw the ABS get out of the nozzle at the start of the layer.]]> morgan76 Printing Fri, 06 Oct 2017 04:01:18 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791339#msg-791339 Re: How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791339#msg-791339
I already try to print several part at the same times (about 10), so next try is decrease speed.

I use ICE FILAMENT.

Morgan]]> morgan76 Printing Fri, 06 Oct 2017 03:57:44 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791333#msg-791333 Re: How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791333#msg-791333 fma Printing Fri, 06 Oct 2017 03:07:52 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791331#msg-791331 Re: How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791331#msg-791331 I reduced the printing speed as much as possible, and when printing, I reduced the feedrate in Octoprint as much as possible. IIRC the resulting print speed was about 5mm/s. Worked.
If this is still too fast for your cylinder, you may need to decrease the printing speed in the slicer settings. It looks weird, when you're printing this slow.]]> Inhumierer Printing Fri, 06 Oct 2017 02:59:33 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791330#msg-791330 Re: How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791330#msg-791330
A few advices:

1) print very slowly (30mm.s⁻² is a maximum)

2) insulate the bottom of your hotend, to avoid too much heat on the part

3) with PLA, use fan at full speed (you can increase the temperature to have better layer adhesion)

4) use slow accelerations

5) if you can, use a small nozzle (0.3mm)

You have to fine tune your extruder advance, to get the exact quantity of material. Do not just extrude 100mm and adjust steps/mm so you measure 100mm. After that, print a 20x20x2 cube, with 2 full bottoms and tops, and have a look at the top: you should obtain a perfect surface. If you have gap between filaments, increase the extruder ratio. If you have bumps, decrease it.

Also, if you can post a picture...

Good luck!]]> fma Printing Fri, 06 Oct 2017 02:57:24 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791324#msg-791324 How to print a very small model? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,791324,791324#msg-791324 I was wondering if someone can help me and give me some advice to print very little model?

Here is my trouble, I want to print part from chain, like bike chain, with this dimensions :

- Chain link : 14mmx5mm and 2mm diameter for the hole
- little cylinder : 2mm diameter intern and 4mm diameter extern

But it is horrible and the little cylinder just not print.

Oh and I print in ABS at 250°C hotbed at 110°C and print speed at 30mm/s and I use a raft.

thanks for helping me,
Morgan]]> morgan76 Printing Fri, 06 Oct 2017 02:22:56 -0400