For this assignment, I initially 3D printed a heart-shaped box from an online design but realized it wasn’t a freestanding object. To address this, I created a wooden block for support, though I plan to include that as part of my personal projects.
For my main project, I designed a simple castle-shaped model in SolidWorks. After finalizing the design, I exported the STL file and used PrusaSlicer to prepare the print. To have stability and prevent print failure, I added brims and supports. I printed the model using the Prusa i3 MK4 kit in Nolop. For the material, I used black PLA filament.
To test one of the parameters and apply one requirement of the design, I optimized material usage and printing time by including a 4-inch deep rectangular extruded cut into the design. By implementing the hollowed design, I reduced print time by 20 minutes and lowered the internal infill from 91.39g to 64.90g. Most material usage decreased across different features, except for the perimeter filament, which increased from 14.77g to 22.64g. I suspect this was due to not orienting the hollowed model fully vertically in the slicer.
Overall, the hollow design proved beneficial in minimizing weight and material costs. One challenge I faced was designing the castle’s top to include merlons and crenels for a better look, but I struggled to model them accurately in SolidWorks. Another challenge was using the older printers as I couldn’t access the website for the i3 MK3 kit in Nolop which resulted in me taking a longer time to wait for one of the new printers to free up. However, the printing process was smooth, and the supports helped my prints to not fail.
I would say that 3d printing beats traditional technologies in the sense that it can create sturdy material that is also lightweight. It can also be applied to so many different fields and can even be bendable. 3D printing can also work with complex geometries and offers design flexibility and reduces inaccuracy. For example, 3D printing is good for implants like dental bone grafts and cardiac 3D printing that allows for testing new procedures in an easier way.
