Introduction
In this assignment, I produced an Impossible Object that could only be practically manufactured using 3D printing. The object was resized to fit inside a gumball capsule, and five examples were produced using two types of printers.
The design I chose was the Pokémon Gyarados. Despite its dragon-like appearance, Gyarados is a Water/Flying-type Pokémon, not a Dragon-type. This is an impossible object due to the joints on the body and the intricate detail of the head.
The design can be found here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6222367/files
Printing the Object
First, I downloaded the .stl file for the object off of Thingiverse. I measured the diameter of the gumball capsule, which was approximately 2 inches. Then, I proceeded to print three sizes of my object (2.5in, 3in, 3.5in width, autoscaled length) to maximize the space filled in the gumball capsule
Bambu Slicer – Resizing.
Different sized prints: 3in, 3.5in, 2.5in.
The 3in and 3.5in width objects were too big to fit inside the capsule. However, the 2.5in width model fit the capsule very well, filling up the entire volume while folded up.
Capsule w/ 2.5in print inside.
Then, I designed and printed two examples of my object in multi-color PLA with the Bambu slicer and X1 printer. The support proved extremely difficult to remove, due to the delicate nature (i.e. small details on the head) and small size of the print.
Bambu Slicer w/ multicolored print.
Finished prints.
Print with and without support.
Both prints with support removed.
Finally, I designed and printed three examples of my object using green PLA with the Prusa slicer and i3 MK3S printer. The support was also extremely difficult to remove, as the supports created by the Prusa were much harder to remove than the Bambu. I also observed thin, glue-like webs on the Prusa prints around the head.
Prusa Slicer.
I broke (beyond repair) the second out of three Prusa prints while tediously removing its supports. However, I had the initial (sizing) print (white PLA) to use as a backup.
Prusa Prints w/ supports.
Prusa Prints w/ supports removed.
Then, I post-processed my pieces by wet-sanding and rinsing.
Wet sanding w/ 300 grit sandpaper.
Finally, I listed the user who uploaded the CAD design and URL for my 3D object on a small slip of paper, then placed both the part and the paper in the gumball capsule. The completed product is as follows.
Finished Product (in capsule).
I made sure to clean my workspace after printing and routinely cleaned the printers while on shift.
Cost of Materials
- Total Bambu PLA: 187.02g at $20/1kg = $3.74
- White PLA: 110.4g
- Green PLA: 36.62g
- Neon Yellow PLA: 40g
- 3D Printer use time: 16hr at $0.13/kWh = $1.04
- Labor: 6 hours ($10/hr) – $60
Total Cost: $64.78
Conclusion
Overall, despite being familiar with 3D printing, I challenged myself by printing an intricate object and using multiple colors of PLA to print on the Bambu. It took much longer than I expected due to the difficulty of removing the supports on the object. However, I am happy with how it turned out:
Finished Product (out of capsule).
Usage rights:
Gyarados articulated by Juankarte is licensed under the Creative Commons – Attribution – Share Alike license.
Reef – Desktop Background By RedPandaPawss is licensed under the Creative Commons license.
