Smallest layer height capable
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From the left...
Acrylic, wood, pla, copper, steel, clay, pro pla, nylon, tpe, graphene, and pet (recycled pop bottles).
Just playing around with different filaments to understand how they print. Almost all of them were purposely printed with the same gcode made for the Blue PLA as a base. Manually upped or lowered temp or turn up or off fan to get them to print. Quality wasn't a concern. Comparing filaments was the goal. But some still turned out better then expected.
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@bluedust Really nice!!
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Used a spare nozzle to continue printing right away... 6 hrs 49 min. A bit more clean up then I expected. Still need to print the hands and weapons but it didn't come out too bad.
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Stepper motor resolution is only a tiny part in the puzzle of achieving small layer heights. I have successfully printed 25 micron layers, but with a caveat: segment length.
When printing such small layers, the detail of the model produces miniscule segment lengths. At this point, extruder resolution becomes more important than Z stepper resolution.
Also, more important than Z stepper resolution is the accuracy capabilities of the linear motion system of the Z axis. Straightness, orthogonality, and accuracy of the linear motion are all much more important than the Z stepper resolution. I use a ballscrew that is C5 rated, which more or less means it is "guaranteed" to be within 27 microns of its nominal position ( see here ), and my particular screw has a rated maximum backlash of 5 microns.
Add all these elements and more together to get the answer to how to print small layers well.
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@bot said in Smallest layer height capable:
I use a ballscrew that is C5 rated, which more or less means it is "guaranteed" to be within 27 microns of its nominal position and my particular screw has a rated maximum backlash of 5 microns.Could you provide a link to the product you are using and where you got them?
Thanks.
Frederick
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@fcwilt I'm using a Misumi BSS series ball screw. Don't look up the price if you're not sitting down...
*not actually a robot
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@bot said in Smallest layer height capable:
@fcwilt I'm using a Misumi BSS series ball screw. Don't look up the price if you're not sitting down...
Hardware costs don't phase me much - like inkjet printers, filaments costs are going to be the majority of my expenses, in the long run.
Do you have a good source for that brand?
Thanks.
Frederick
Printers: A FT-5 with the 713 upgrade bits, a custom MarkForged style, a small Utilmaker style, a small CoreXY from kit and a E3D MS/TC setup. Various hotends. Using Duets (2 and 3) running 3.4.6
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@bot said in Smallest layer height capable:
Misumi BSS series ball screw
I just want to stand up and and look for prices... lol
I found one price using Google to search stores... but those prices can be misleading. Still a lot, but guaranteed! If you asked me what screws I have. I would say "yes".
My original question really is about what the Duet 2 is capable of printing. Next, (not printer related) what is the smallest printing height you should expect getting good prints from when printing with filaments with solids of some kind in them? The picture I shared above its better than I expected to get using .06mm using 70% Bronze PLA. But you can still obviously see the layers on the base of the model (not complaining, just surprised it was still fairly obvious).
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Just something to look at. Model on left .06 mm layer height in bronze. Same one in post above. Model on right is pla and was printed at .1 mm layer height.
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Misumi is the place to buy it. I believe it’s actually a different brand that they carry.
Misumi has branches all over the world. Find the nearest branch and search their website for BSS.
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@bot an alternative to ball screws could be to build the Z axis with Piezo technology like the company Pi does it: https://www.pi-usa.us/en/tech-blog/piezo-flexure-actuators-nanopositioners-and-other-piezo-mechanisms-for-precision-motion-control-applications
But the movements are small, for the complete movement one needs something to "lift" the piezo. And there are new problems like hysteresis effects of the Piezo. This is a nice intro: https://www.piezosystem.com/piezopedia/piezotheory/
