For the 3D printing assignment, I made 5 copies of an “impossible object” downloaded from Thingiverse website. 3D printing is a valuable skill and I’m glad to learn it through this project.
Process
I began by choosing the object on Thingiverse. I found this object called air spinner which has interlocking connections that only 3D printers can make. It can also spin nicely so I decided to make it.
Figure 1. Air Spinner
I measured the dimensions of the capsule and scaled the model accordingly. Then I printed it using the Bambu Lab FDM 3D printer with PLA filament. However, it came out too small, so I adjusted the scaling and printed again. The second one unfortunately was still too small, but the third one fitted in the gumball well. With the right scaling, I printed another 3 copies using the FDM printer.
Figure 2. FDM First Print
Figure 3. FDM Second Print
Figure 4. FDM Third Print
After that, I used the SLA printer to make another copy. The overall shape looked fine, but the connection parts between the squares were all fused together and thus unable to rotate, causing the entire piece to no longer be able to spin. This issue was likely caused by the orientation of support and insufficient washing and curing time, so I tried again with another orientation and longer post-processing time, washing for 15 mins and curing for 30 mins.
Figure 5. SLA First Print
The second trial was better than the first, but the spinning movement is still not as smooth as the FDM printed ones. It was likely because of the small gap at the connections, causing resin residues not to be washed off thoroughly. It seemed like the best result I could get, so I removed the support and wet-sanded edges.
Figure 6. Curing SLA Print
Figure 7. SLA Print
Figure 8. 3D Printed Objects
Cleaned Workspace
Cost Breakdown
- Tools (based on usage time)
FDM 3D Printer : $17 (1 day for $120/week)
SLA 3D Printer : $30(1 day for $30/day)
- Labor
3 Hours – $10 per hour : $30
Total Cost: $77
Reflection
Through this project, I completed 5 object copies and learned several lessons about 3D printing. It is important to adjust printing settings according to issues observed in previous prints. Also, understanding the difference between printing methods can help better decide which printer to use for certain designs. Overall, this was a meaningful and enjoyable experience, and I’m grateful to everyone who helped along the way.
