Design Selection

Embarking on an assignment that melds creativity with compassion, I was presented with an opportunity to contribute to a cause close to my heart—the MD Anderson Outreach Activity. This program extends a nurturing educational environment to pediatric oncology patients, children who often forfeit the routine of regular school due to their rigorous treatment schedules. November’s educational spotlight shone on the circulatory system, a complex marvel of human anatomy, with a particular focus on the heart. So I thought, why not make my 3D printing project useful for this? So, I made 3D printed heart keychains for the kids to help them learn and have a keepsake. We used gumball capsules to pack these keychains, which worked out perfectly.

I found a great heart keychain design on Thingiverse for this project.

Printing Process I: Extrusion Based Prıntıng

 

Before I began producing the heart keychains, it was crucial for me to get a feel for the 3D printer I would be using. Familiarizing myself with its functionality and ironing out the optimal settings were key steps to ensure the final products would be nothing short of perfect. To get started, I chose a project with a degree of difficulty—a pencil holder with a detailed owl design that featured an intricately patterned chest. This design was more than just an aesthetic choice; it was a deliberate challenge, a complexity that would test the limits of the printer’s capabilities and my own understanding of its operation. The owl emerged from the printer bed, layer by layer, a testament to the careful calibration of the machine. The successful print was incredibly rewarding, signifying that I had tuned the settings just right.

This test run was my introduction to the practicalities of using supports, those vital yet temporary structures that anchor parts of the design during printing. Dealing with the owl’s complex chest design, I learned the critical importance of support placement—enough to hold the structure firmly, yet not so much that removal would become a Herculean task

For these prints, I used FDM printing—it’s super reliable for 3D printing. I made sure the dimensions were just right, then set up the printer to make several at once. I used a Bambu X1 Carbon 3D printer, which is great because it doesn’t need much fussing with settings. After printing, I pulled off the supports.Then, I smoothed out the prints by sanding them down and even spray painted one to see how it would look.

Printing Process II: STEREOLITHOGRAPHY

Moving on to stereolithography, I chose a type of resin that’s known for being user-friendly. I was printing a boat this time and let the printer software add supports automatically. I was really impressed with how sharp and clean the final print was. Once it was done, I washed the prints for 15 minutes and then put them in a special chamber to ‘cure’ (harden properly) at 60 degrees Celsius for another 15 minutes.

Cost Type		Market Price	Source	Used	Total Cost
Materials	PLA	17.99 (1 Kg)	Amazon	25 gr	0,45
	Resin	11,90 (1 Spool)	Amazon	40 gr	0,47
Labor	Prototyping Eng.	53.93 / h	Zippia	0,5 h	29,66
Overhead	Extrusion Based Printer	30 / day	Polyprinter	1 Day	30
					60,59