For this assignment, we were tasked with creating an “impossible” object using the 3D printers. After scanning through Thingiverse.com, I found “party phil” and immediately chose him as my “impossible” object. “Party phil” is an impossible object due to his interlocking loops for his joints, a feature that could not easily be replicated with another manufacturing method.
I first used the Bambu printer to create a FDM print of “party phil.” In order to test the size of the chosen object, I simply opened Bambu Studio and imported my file. I decided to use the default size (68 mm x 64 mm x 21 mm) for the first initial test print using PLA, in which the resulting piece fitted very well within a capsule. Therefore, I opted to simply use the default dimensions of the file and printed 4 more “party phils” on the Bambu printers.
During the printing process of the FDM prints, I began working on printing my file on the resin printers. I opened and imported my file into Preform slicer, sliced the file, and then sent it to one of the resin printers. Once finished, I then transferred the print to the washing machine to wash and rinse any excess resin off the print. Lastly, I cured the print using the recommended settings for my material (Tough 1500: 60 minutes @ 70 oC) and removed the supports once finished.
Materials
- PLA
- Tough 1500
Cost Estimate
- PLA: After looking online, PLA is roughly $15 per kg and I used 31g, so the total PLA would cost around $0.47
- Tough 1500: After looking online, Tough 1500 is roughly $200 per liter and I used 8.1 mL, so the total Tough 1500 would cost around $1.62
- Labor: I based my hourly wage on Texas’ minimum wage, which is $7.25/hour. I spent 2 hours working on the prints. Therefore, the total labor cost would be $14.5
- Total Cost Without Machinery: $16.59
- Machinery: $2500 (educated guess)
- Total Cost: $2516.59
