Optimize models in the Design workspace so that they are suitable for additive manufacturing.
Tutorial resources
These downloadable resources will be used to complete this tutorial:
Transcript
00:04
Once you have learned to model effectively in Fusion,
00:06
it is essential to determine whether your design is suitable for additive manufacturing, or 3D printing.
00:13
While the software enables you to create virtually any model,
00:17
not all designs are practical or even printable.
00:20
Understanding the limitations and requirements of additive manufacturing is critical to producing successfully printed parts.
00:28
One of the first considerations in 3D printing involves understanding how 3D printing works.
00:35
Whether using SLA, FDM, or most other processes,
00:40
the model will be built layer by layer.
00:42
Unsupported faces or excessive overhang angles can lead to print failures.
00:48
Faces built at an angle greater than the critical overhang angle will require support structures.
00:54
Supports increase material usage and post-processing time,
00:58
and can introduce surface quality issues, so minimizing their use is an important consideration.
01:04
To control the angle of faces, you can either design them this way initially or use the Draft tool.
01:11
To modify a face using the Draft tool, on the Solid tab of the Design workspace toolbar, click Modify > Draft.
01:18
Define the Pull Direction for the face, and then select the Faces to draft.
01:23
Editing the angle helps to ensure that your model remains within the acceptable overhang limits of your printer.
01:30
Additionally, you can verify critical dimensions and angles using the Measure tool to avoid unintended overhang issues.
01:38
Warping is a common issue in 3D printing, especially with sharp edges and corners.
01:45
To reduce stress concentrations and prevent warping, replace sharp edges that lie on the build surface with fillets.
01:52
From the Modify group, click the Fillet tool.
01:56
Select the edges to fillet, and then apply a radius of 2 millimeters to these edges.
02:01
This will help to keep the face firmly attached to the build surface on FDM 3D printers.
02:08
Another issue, especially when using consumer FDM printers, is called elephants foot.
02:14
This is where edges on the build plate are wider than the part, due to filament getting squeezed on the first layer.
02:21
To account for this, it is helpful to use a chamfer around the base of the part.
02:27
From the Modify menu, select Chamfer.
02:30
Then, select the edges along the bottom surface.
02:34
The distance will depend on the thickness of the layer being printed.
02:38
For this part, set the distance to 0.8 millimeters.
02:43
This can help to alleviate the issue when using FDM 3D printers.
02:48
Each 3D printer has a minimum element size, based on the technology and the maximum resolution.
02:56
Designing features that are smaller than this threshold, such as walls, pins, and text,
03:02
can result in poor-quality prints or missing details.
03:05
To verify the size of small features, like thin walls, use the Measure tool.
03:11
From the Inspect group, click the Measure tool.
03:15
Then, on the canvas, measure the distance between the faces of the cutout and the back surface.
03:21
Using this tool to measure critical dimensions can help to ensure that they meet the minimum requirements of the printer.
03:28
This wall has a thickness of only 0.2 millimeters and will probably not print properly on most 3D printers.
03:36
You can modify small features like this using the Press Pull command to offset or resize features.
03:43
From the Modify group, click Press Pull, then select the inner face of the cutout.
03:49
Set the Offset Type to New Offset, then set the Distance to 0.6 mm.
03:54
This makes the wall thick enough to be 3D printed effectively on most 3D printers available today.
04:01
For features that cannot be resized effectively, you may consider removing them entirely.
04:07
Select the unwanted faces, and then press Delete;
04:11
Fusion automatically fills the area with the surrounding geometry.
04:16
Most materials used in 3D printing experience some degree of shrinkage or warping,
04:21
which can result in parts that are undersized or distorted.
04:25
You can use the Scale command to adjust the entire model for shrinkage,
04:29
but first, the shrinkage factor needs to be determined.
04:33
To test your printer, print a test part to measure the difference between the printed size and the nominal dimensions.
04:39
Although you can make scale adjustments within Fusion, newer 3D printers enable you to do this within the slicing software,
04:47
or to make direct changes to the printer to obtain accurate parts.
04:51
If your model exceeds the build volume of the printer, it will need to be divided into smaller sections using the Split Body tool.
04:59
First, create a plane as a splitting tool, based on the way that you need to cut the model.
05:05
Position the plane relative to an existing face or create a plane in the location and orientation needed.
05:12
Then, select the body to split and the plane as the splitting tool in the Split Body dialog.
05:18
This divides the model into separate bodies, which can now be printed individually.
05:24
One goal when splitting a model is to minimize the amount of support material needed when 3D printing.
05:31
Taking time to optimize your model for additive manufacturing can significantly improve print quality and efficiency.
05:39
Verify critical overhang angles and reduce the need for support.
05:43
Replace sharp edges with fillets and use chamfers on the build plate.
05:48
Verify that all features meet the minimum detail size of the printer.
05:53
And split larger models into smaller, printable sections.
05:58
By incorporating these considerations into your design workflow, you can achieve higher-quality 3D prints with fewer issues and better efficiency.
00:04
Once you have learned to model effectively in Fusion,
00:06
it is essential to determine whether your design is suitable for additive manufacturing, or 3D printing.
00:13
While the software enables you to create virtually any model,
00:17
not all designs are practical or even printable.
00:20
Understanding the limitations and requirements of additive manufacturing is critical to producing successfully printed parts.
00:28
One of the first considerations in 3D printing involves understanding how 3D printing works.
00:35
Whether using SLA, FDM, or most other processes,
00:40
the model will be built layer by layer.
00:42
Unsupported faces or excessive overhang angles can lead to print failures.
00:48
Faces built at an angle greater than the critical overhang angle will require support structures.
00:54
Supports increase material usage and post-processing time,
00:58
and can introduce surface quality issues, so minimizing their use is an important consideration.
01:04
To control the angle of faces, you can either design them this way initially or use the Draft tool.
01:11
To modify a face using the Draft tool, on the Solid tab of the Design workspace toolbar, click Modify > Draft.
01:18
Define the Pull Direction for the face, and then select the Faces to draft.
01:23
Editing the angle helps to ensure that your model remains within the acceptable overhang limits of your printer.
01:30
Additionally, you can verify critical dimensions and angles using the Measure tool to avoid unintended overhang issues.
01:38
Warping is a common issue in 3D printing, especially with sharp edges and corners.
01:45
To reduce stress concentrations and prevent warping, replace sharp edges that lie on the build surface with fillets.
01:52
From the Modify group, click the Fillet tool.
01:56
Select the edges to fillet, and then apply a radius of 2 millimeters to these edges.
02:01
This will help to keep the face firmly attached to the build surface on FDM 3D printers.
02:08
Another issue, especially when using consumer FDM printers, is called elephants foot.
02:14
This is where edges on the build plate are wider than the part, due to filament getting squeezed on the first layer.
02:21
To account for this, it is helpful to use a chamfer around the base of the part.
02:27
From the Modify menu, select Chamfer.
02:30
Then, select the edges along the bottom surface.
02:34
The distance will depend on the thickness of the layer being printed.
02:38
For this part, set the distance to 0.8 millimeters.
02:43
This can help to alleviate the issue when using FDM 3D printers.
02:48
Each 3D printer has a minimum element size, based on the technology and the maximum resolution.
02:56
Designing features that are smaller than this threshold, such as walls, pins, and text,
03:02
can result in poor-quality prints or missing details.
03:05
To verify the size of small features, like thin walls, use the Measure tool.
03:11
From the Inspect group, click the Measure tool.
03:15
Then, on the canvas, measure the distance between the faces of the cutout and the back surface.
03:21
Using this tool to measure critical dimensions can help to ensure that they meet the minimum requirements of the printer.
03:28
This wall has a thickness of only 0.2 millimeters and will probably not print properly on most 3D printers.
03:36
You can modify small features like this using the Press Pull command to offset or resize features.
03:43
From the Modify group, click Press Pull, then select the inner face of the cutout.
03:49
Set the Offset Type to New Offset, then set the Distance to 0.6 mm.
03:54
This makes the wall thick enough to be 3D printed effectively on most 3D printers available today.
04:01
For features that cannot be resized effectively, you may consider removing them entirely.
04:07
Select the unwanted faces, and then press Delete;
04:11
Fusion automatically fills the area with the surrounding geometry.
04:16
Most materials used in 3D printing experience some degree of shrinkage or warping,
04:21
which can result in parts that are undersized or distorted.
04:25
You can use the Scale command to adjust the entire model for shrinkage,
04:29
but first, the shrinkage factor needs to be determined.
04:33
To test your printer, print a test part to measure the difference between the printed size and the nominal dimensions.
04:39
Although you can make scale adjustments within Fusion, newer 3D printers enable you to do this within the slicing software,
04:47
or to make direct changes to the printer to obtain accurate parts.
04:51
If your model exceeds the build volume of the printer, it will need to be divided into smaller sections using the Split Body tool.
04:59
First, create a plane as a splitting tool, based on the way that you need to cut the model.
05:05
Position the plane relative to an existing face or create a plane in the location and orientation needed.
05:12
Then, select the body to split and the plane as the splitting tool in the Split Body dialog.
05:18
This divides the model into separate bodies, which can now be printed individually.
05:24
One goal when splitting a model is to minimize the amount of support material needed when 3D printing.
05:31
Taking time to optimize your model for additive manufacturing can significantly improve print quality and efficiency.
05:39
Verify critical overhang angles and reduce the need for support.
05:43
Replace sharp edges with fillets and use chamfers on the build plate.
05:48
Verify that all features meet the minimum detail size of the printer.
05:53
And split larger models into smaller, printable sections.
05:58
By incorporating these considerations into your design workflow, you can achieve higher-quality 3D prints with fewer issues and better efficiency.
For videos on how to use parametric mesh modeling, including how to repair a mesh body, go to the Mesh modeling video series.
For videos on how to prepare models for additive manufacture using the Manufacture workspace, go to the Additive FFF and SLA technologies video series and the Manufacturing Extension — Additive video series.
