Hi All,
Does anyone have any tips regarding the printing of the Gyrocube ? Is there a .form file available ?
Kind thanks,
Serge
Serge,
Unfortunately we cannot give out the file for our Gyrocube. The design belongs to it’s respective creator and we do not have permission to distribute it.
Hmmm, ok so can you please advise on the settings and orientation to platform in order to get a successful prints with the Form1, because so fare I am 3 prints in without a working Gyro cube.
Serge,
I see you have submitted a support ticket. We will followup on your issue via your ticket today.
Serge, where did you get the STL of the gyrocube from?
Serge
hi Serge, did you print this successfully? i’m trying right now and wondering how you handled processing / curing. i’ve printed kinetic models before and have had issues with knowing how long to wait before moving the parts. i tend to break the pins/etc. thanks!
I tried to print the one Serge posted and it was an “epic fail” as some people more hip than myself might say.
The part didn’t spin and the preForm software was struggling to find a good printing orientation w/ supports.
I think, as posted somewhere on another thread, the Formlabs guys are printing the cube with the shells in alternating phases (not all the windows are aligned) which helps in the printing process.
I think a lot of people wont be able to print the gyrocube simply because their machine is not accurate enough. I’m on my second machine now - the first was out in the X-axis by over 3%, the second was out by about 1.5% in the X-axis - and Formlabs said that was within expected tolerances, but that’s certainly not accurate enough to print a working gyrocube.
If Formlabs can provide per axis scaling in Preform - that should hopefully be a compromise that might allow people to make accurate parts without having to tune the galvos themselves.
Hey guys,
Just want to jump in here. Every Gyrocube we have sent out via Kickstarter rewards has been printed on our in house Form 1s. We do print the cube with each internal layer off kilter and snap them into place post print. I went ahead and took a photo here of how it looks right out of the machine!
Kevin - we are actively working on improving dimensional accuracy, so stay tuned.
I don’t think anyone was suggesting that gyrocubes were not printed on a Form1 - certainly I wasn’t. My point was that neither of the machines I was shipped would have been able to print a functioning gyrocube (since tuning the X-axis galvo on my second printer I may now be able to, but it was not accurate enough as shipped) - and it seems very likely that a lot of other owners will be in the same position.
Conversely your in house Form1’s can obviously benefit from expert tuning/adjustment (that’s not publicly documented - and currently voids your warranty to attempt at home) to make them as accurate as they can be, or they could even be cherry picked.
My long standing point is that it’s very deceptive showcase print to use. It was in fact the gyrocube, the functioning nut and bolt, and the planetary gear box, but mainly the gyrocube - since it seemed almost a flagpole object for the Form1 - that convinced me to back the kickstarter campaign. But my experience (that’s two from two remember) says a lot printers as shipped are simply not capable of printing those objects in working form.
Based on the customer support picture above, I think I can make my own custom gyrocube. I’ll post my results when they come available.
For the gyro adjustment, I’m thinking it might be a little overkill. In Pro/E and Blender, you can scale in each axis independently.
In Blender, the command is S > X > 1.1 (To scale everything in the X axis only by 10%), S > Y > 1.1, etc…
In Pro/E or another engineering modeling program, you’re using the same shrink correction tools used for injection molded plastics.
Just a thought. Using this type scaling, on mine I’m able to reach ±0.3mm accuracy on nearly all prints. Injection molding a >PA66 GF30< for example will yield tighter tolerances on larger features but it isn’t uncommon to have some dimensions needing ±0.3
That’s a definite “rigging” way to get to solving the issue, but it “would work” in a brute force method. It sounds like FormLabs is working on a “proper” fix for the dimensional inaccuracy that will hopefully be able to be functional and accurate for end users. Tweaking the pots as Kevin discusses in another post is a “proper” way to do the tuning, but per his observations it is also a very tedious process, and is NOT supported (voids warranty) by FormLabs. For most of my parts a small discrepancy in size is not an issue, but I will be first in line to make my machine more accurate once an approved process is established and communicated!
OK back again with an update-
i can say that so far, the print that i made after posting looks great! i used the linked Thingiverse file, scaled it down in PreForm, used the suggested orientation, and for supports, removed internal supports, and slightly decreased point size and density. The print looks very good with a minor flaw in a thin point in the outer shell (there were some red spots in the PreForm preview) that will be easily fixed with a laser and some resin. The shells all move freely after removing the supports, though i won’t try to put the pins in the holes until it’s fully dry after processing. stay tuned! i’m optimistic. i’ll post the .FORM when i can.
note - i haven’t done any “tuning” or other modifications to my Form1
OK, so I created my own gyrocube file with the shells “off kilter” as described and shown in the picture from Formlabs. It actually spins very smooth which is quite surprising (I suspected it would make some scraping noise but it doesn’t). If I were to print another, I would increase the size of the pins to make it more tight. Mine is a little loose and 1 shell keeps getting stuck when the cone pops out of the joint.
So, I definitely know it is possible to print a gyrocube without expert calibration. You just have to design smart. In the real world, nothing is made perfect.
I’ll post my .FORM file as soon as the part cures to 100% (to make sure it works even if there is some shrinkage due to curing) and adjust the size of the cones.
FWIW, the top of the circles were showing up in major red but there aren’t any voids.
Oh, well… Use at your own risk (I haven’t had time to test it since my last adjustments).
STL and FORM file are available here: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:237421
further update from me-
the parts dried well and after a minor patch (mentioned above - quickly fixed with a little resin and my handy laser), it assembled really easily. actually, the shells spin much more freely than the one i could from Formlabs! i added a little drop of resin / laser trick to one of the pins on the largest inner shell to make that one stay put a little better, and that worked well. here is my .FORM file and a few pics. i’m looking forward to trying David’s as well!
Why would FORM LABS not secure the rights to the flagship item to let us all print it? Why don’t they just design their own or commission one? ridiculous