Makespace - User contributions [en]

Equipment/3D Printer/Training

2014-05-22T13:16:32Z

Jimbo: /* Trained Users */

[[Equipment|Equipment]] / [[Equipment/3D Printer|3D Printer]] / Training

= 3D Printer Training =

This page documents the process for being trained on the 3D Printer, and the list of members who have completed that training.

== Summary ==

Training takes place in three main steps:
* Group Training of 1-4 members, going through the equipment and how to use it (~1hr)
* Individual Training Task, where an individual member is set a task to complete to prove and improve understanding (~30min each)
* Project Oversight, where more experienced users oversee the projects being undertaken when cutting (first 2-3 projects)

Training on the 3D Printer is run by the 3D Printer Owners. The 3D Printer Owners are a group of people responsible for maintaining and training on the 3D Printer, and hence have been trained to train, and trained to perform the weekly and monthly maintenance on the 3D Printer.

== Booking ==

This is no longer handled here on the wiki.

For discussing and arranging slots, please use the mailing list thread [https://groups.google.com/d/topic/cammakespace/vNrS07zVuY0/discussion]. New training sessions will be announced on the Meetup group.

Notes:
* You can only be trained if you have RSVP'd to a Meetup session

= Trained Users =

The following members of Makespace are trained and qualified to use the 3D Printer (note, they are not qualified to train others however):

* Chris Abri
* Rachel Rayns
* Tom Ingham
* Paul Osborn
* Moin Ali
* Andy Fisher
* Edward Imhagwe
* Yi Wei
* Errol McMullen
* Mark Watson
* Catarina Violante
* Maciek Piatek
* Adrian van den Heever
* Brian Corteil
* Rod Williams
* Peter Provis
* Ben Evans
* Roeland Schumacher
* Archie Reid
* Adrian Carr
* Ward Hills
* Paul Holland
* Pop Sharma
* Patrick Greaney
* Kevin Latter
* Martin de Selincourt
* Alexis Mather
* Andrew Dunn
* Hannah Wray
* Anne Harrison
* Ben Alper
* Ajith Shadakshari
* Mark Mellors
* Toby Moncaster
* Alan Tennant
* Jake Young
* John Sturdy
* David Bebb
* Ben Wheatley
* Diana Probst
* Richard Mitchell (mandatory only)
* Christie Nel (mandatory only)
* Andrew Lipson (mandatory only)
* Toby Roberts (mandatory only)
* Dan Tidhar
* Jennifer Herbert
* Matthew Ireland
* Harry Braviner
* Saar Drimer
* Robert Hoff
* Daniel Garden
* Armando Carlone
* Marcin Izo
* James Hutton (mandatory only)
* Anthony Wainman (mandatory only)
* Jia Wei Lim (mandatory only)
* Julius Schmidt (mandatory only)
* Hazel Jenkins (mandatory only)
* Benjamin Kidder (mandatory only)
* Joshua Keeler (mandatory only)
* Simon Birrell (mandatory only)
* John Simm (mandatory only)
* Theo Sanderson (mandatory only)
* Jon Aas (mandatory only)
* Stephen Jeapes (mandatory only)
* Anna Stoilova (mandatory only)
* Jim Dilks (mandatory only)
* Katia Dilks (mandatory only)
* Aleksandar Tomic (mandatory only)
* Gaye Saykok (mandatory only)
* Fergus Riche (mandatory only)
* David Barham (Mandatory only)
* Marco Aita (Mandatory only)
* Jason White (Mandatory only)
* Brian Starkey (Mandatory only)
* David Cox (Mandatory only)
* Matt Grimes (Mandatory only)
* Tim Regan (Mandatory only)
* Stuart Wilson (Mandatory only)
* Andy Spencer (Mandatory only)
* Ester Leighton (Mandatory only)
* Richard Fosh (Mandatory only)
* Peter Knight
* John Campbell
* Arun Rao
* Peter Mottram
* Marcin Zaba
* Jon Green
* Dave Potts
* Reid Potts
* Mark Roberts
* Piccardo Gheradi
* Edward Imhagwe
* Robert Hogg
* Michal Stefanow
* Charlie Stokes
* Leo Impett
* Patrick Wollner
* Patrick Baigent
* Kate Aston
* Shelagh Shepherd
* Damien Guihen
* Paul Edgington
* Wayne Keenan
* Liza Read
* David Horsnell
* Emyr James
* Francisco Cordobes Aguilar
* Nicola Powys
* Jia Wei Lim
* Sonya Sireau
* Andrew Gale
* Andre Powell
* Tom Myers
* Hidde-Jan Lemstra
* Mark Cheverton
* Robert Karpinski
* Alex Wortley
* Jason Holloway
* Alex Holloway
* Mat Cook (1/5/2014)
* Toby Norman (1/5/2014)
* Toby Bunting (1/5/2014)
* Rob Voisey (1/5/2014)
* Joe Tapply (1/5/2014)
* Carl Phillips (1/5/2014)
* Alberto Santos (6/5/14)
* Owen McAree (6/5/14)
* Eric Jones (6/5/14)
* Martin Hollis (8/5/14)
* Mark Tillotson (8/5/14)
* Neil Tan (8/5/14)
* Mat Greenwood (8/5/14)
* Alex Atkinson (15/5/14)
* Al Napp (15/5/14)
* Ian McFarlane (15/5/14)
* Michael Dales (20/5/14)
* Lihua Han (20/5/14)
* Rick Lupton (20/5/14)
* Stephen Woodhead (20/5/14)
* Tim Rower (20/5/14)

'''Delayed training blacklist:'''

Now on the wall in Makespace, near the 3D printers.

= Training Cheatsheet =

The training structure and prompt sheet. Please note, this is used by the 3D Printer Owners as a prompt to ensure training is executed in a consistent and complete fashion is included on this page; this does not constitute and is not a substitue for the training itself.

== Group Training ==

The group training introduction structure, suitable for 1-5 members at a time in a 1 hr session.

3D Printing Induction syllabus:

how 3D printing works

safety
burn hazard
nozzle and platter
unit may move unexpectedly
avoid prolonged exposure to ABS fumes

damage to machine
kapton
is fragile - don't use scraper!
is expensive
needs to be clean
don't leave the machine unattended
heater could stick on if software crashes, for example

general
SD card eccentricities
keep lid on when printing
switch off when finished

PLA vs ABS
how to tell the difference
different temperature
biodegradable
need to change temperature profiles!

unload/load,
different axles for different spools
spool from under reel
beware of wrapping round axle!
colours (no need to run out all because test strip does that)
setting PLA/ABS
cut off lump

printing
preheating
if model stuck, wait to cool
keep an eye on it. can go strange half way!

levelling
not often needed
symptoms of unlevelness
first layer too thin or varying thickness
part not sticking
worst case: head touching bed
be careful not to damage kapton

software/workflow
(it is proposed that the course should not include detailed introduction to the
software, as this is mostly obvious, can freely be downloaded, and is well documented) - if there is high demand, consider running a software training course
scaffolding
setting colours

multicolour
can't do scaffolding and multicolour - maybe not true anymore?
issues with mixed materials

other stuff
strength characteristics - orientation is important
don't use fine
don't leave the room
paying

== Individual Training Task ==

The individual task to get familiar, prompt questions and check understanding:

Task
* Make something?
* Should demonstrate import, setup, position and run
* possible examples (around 10m printing time)
** plain_game_tokes 1/2/5
** SpaceShuttle-small
** CookieCutter_apple_small

Steps
* Set individual to work, don't prompt but do answer questions (or pose if needed)
* Talk through design once done, question/check things etc
* Proceed to printing (watch carefully all steps)

Assuming all ok:
* Get them to read the health and safety notes about operation and materials
* Add to the trained member list!

== Project Oversight ==

For next 2-3 projects, ensure member will find another more experienced trained user to support them (second pair of eyes)

Equipment/3D Printer

2014-05-22T13:14:54Z

Jimbo: /* Trainers */

{{RedTool}}

[[Equipment|Equipment]] / 3D Printer

= Introduction =
3D printing is a way of creating small, custom objects from plastic filament. The printer melts the filament, held on a spool, and prints with it to create 3D structures. Makespace has two 3D printers, an UP! and a Makerbot Replicator 2X. Currently, the Makerbot is the only printer working in the space. The UP! is out of action until it can be fixed by the owners (needs new electronic components).

== Owners ==

The Owners are those nominally in charge of the equipment, organising its maintenance, training others to use it, and generally being a point of contact.

The current Owners of the 3D printers are:

* [[User:SimonS|Simon Stirley]] - retired
* [[User:Nickcadsoftuk|Nick Johnson]] - retired
* [[User:Kim_SJ|Kim Spence-Jones]]
* [[User:Cvoth|Chris Voth]]

If you have any questions, problems or concerns around the 3D printer, these are the people to contact.

== Trainers ==

The Trainers are not in charge of maintaing equipment, but have been more thoroughly instructed in its use and can train others. They may run extra classes for recently trained learners.

The current Trainers for the 3D printers are:

*[[User:HannahWray|Hannah Wray]]
* Peter Knight
* James Hutton

== Training ==

<div style="background:#FADADD; border:1px solid #FFC0CB; padding:5px">
<b>YOU CAN ONLY USE THE 3D PRINTER IF YOU HAVE BEEN TRAINED</b><br>
and have been added to the [[Equipment/3D Printer/Training#Trained_Users|Trained Users]] list by one of the Owners or Trainers
</div>

To get trained on the 3D Printer and be added to the qualified user list, you will need to arrange for a training session with one of the 3D Printer Owners.

If you'd like to arrange training, please see:
* [[Equipment/3D Printer/Training|3D Printer Training]]

Note that persons who were previously trained on the UP! are allowed to use the Makerbot after reading its manual. See https://s3.amazonaws.com/downloads.makerbot.com/replicator2x/MakerBot_Replicator_2X_User_Manual.pdf

== General Health and Safety ==

The 3D printers are excellent tools for either making small parts, or rapid prototyping. At the same time it is an expensive tool with a (small) risk of injury and fire, so is very important you know how to use it to avoid damaging yourself and the machine. The 3D printer is a potentially dangerous piece of equipment which must only be operated by members who have received appropriate training and who take due care. The top things to always remember when using the 3D printers are:

* '''ONLY USE THE 3D PRINTER IF YOU HAVE BEEN TRAINED'''
* '''ONLY USE THE 3D PRINTER IF YOU HAVE READ THE INSTRUCTIONS'''
* '''NEVER LEAVE THE PRINTER RUNNING UNATTENDED'''

As a responsible user, you should be very aware of the following risks and how to deal with them:

'''HEAD CRASH''' - incorrect calibration could cause the nozzle to hit the platen at job start
* Calibration must be carefully checked on each startup

'''TRAPPING''' - The head and bed of the machine are moved by programs in the machine's memory.
* Be careful when near the machine, it will possibly move even if the PC is off
* Ensure you are familiar with the 'pause' and 'stop printing' functions on the Makerbot so that in an emergency you can quickly halt printing.

'''BURN RISK''' - the platen on the printers are heated, and will reach temperatures up to 253 degrees during a print run which could cause skin burns. The extrusion nozzles also get very hot. Do not touch either of these areas while printing, and keep the Makerbot's guard door securely closed while printing.
* Be careful when the machines have recently been used, as they may still be hot enough to burn.

'''ELECTROCUTION''' - as with all mains powered devices there is a small risk of danger from exposed wires. Always do a manual check that the wiring is safe, no cores are exposed or wires trapped.

== Plastics used in the printers ==

The 3D printers can print with two different plastics, PLA and ABS. PLA has a much lower melting point than ABS, so all temperature settings for the printer need to be changed if you are switching between plastics. Normally ABS is what we would reccomend printing in: it is more durable and strong.

Telling the difference between the plastics is fairly simple: if you take a piece of the PLA filament between your fingers you can break it off and snap it easily - it is brittle. When you try to break off a piece of ABS, it bends and the filament starts to go white, not breaking straight away.

The ABS can be found on the shelves above the 3D printers, the small amount of PLA can be found in the lower down orange drawers (marked PLA).

= Makerbot Replicator 2X 3D Printer =

This is the Makerbot Replicator 2X, currently the only 3D printer working in the space. There is a dedicated PC next to it with the MakerWare software used to drive it. MakerWare can import STL design files (eg. from Thingiverse) for printing. The manual for this printer can be found here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/downloads.makerbot.com/replicator2x/MakerBot_Replicator_2X_User_Manual.pdf

== Specific Safety Tips ==

There is a burn hazard from the nozzles and the heated platter, as mentioned above. The Makerbot will display its current temperatures for you if you use the arrow keys to navigate on its small display (see manual). The platter may also move unexpextedly. Do not open the front hatch or lift off the top transparent cover during printing. ABS fumes over a long period may be harmful - if you feel light-headed take a break in a well ventillated area.

Don't let the machine run unattended - you don't need to watch a print constantly but keep an eye on it and always remain in the same room. Possible problems that would require you to pause or stop the machine include filament getting wrapped around the spool holder at the back and sticking, and a software crash on the PC. If you're unsure of a situation you can always pause your print and restart it.

Always switch the printer off at the back when you are finished.

== Avoiding Damage to the Machine ==

The bed is covered with Kapton tape. This green, shiny tape is very fragile and expensive to replace and so you MUST NOT use a knife, scraper or other sharp object to remove your finished models. Use your hands only, or the plastic scraper with the Makerbot logo on in the red box as a last resort. Often, models will easily come free once the bed is allowed to cool, so give it 10 minutes and try again before resorting to this.

The kapton tape needs to be kept clean so that plastic extruded onto it has a nice base finish and sticks well. If you notice smears or marks on the tape give it a gentle clean with a dry cloth from the red box on the shelf. Make sure your hands are clean and not greasy before you touch the platen or try to remove printed objects from it.

If you do damage the tape, please let the owners know as soon as possible. Chris Voth's email address is on the little orange sign on the machine.

== Using SD cards with the Makerbot ==

We would recommend driving the Makerbot directly from the dedicated software on the PC next to it. If you want to use an SD card, it is very fussy. SD cards have to be PHYSICALLY 2GB or smaller (formatting a big card small doesn't work). They also have to be formatted in FAT16 (mostly Linux machines do this most easily). There is a small card formatted this way, currently in the slot of the printer free to use. It's labelled "MAKESPACE"; please don't absent-mindedly take it away! The SD card should contain .thing files to print from.

== Loading and Unloading ==

You will notice there are two print heads for this printer, driven by two separate spools of plastic on different axles.

When you want to change spools, either to change colour or because a spool has nearly run out, follow these instructions, found on page 31 of the Manual. Go there if you have any questions about detail or need further instructions with illustrations. https://s3.amazonaws.com/downloads.makerbot.com/replicator2x/MakerBot_Replicator_2X_User_Manual.pdf

If you need to unload the MakerBot Filament, the LCD menu will walk you through the process. To run the script for unloading the filament from either extruder, go to the LCD panel and select Utilities > Filament Options > Unload (specify left or right). The LCD menu will walk you through the process. You will need to first remove the transparent lid to access the filament tubes. Be patient - yanking at the filament before it is ready to be removed may leave residue inside the extruders which is VERY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE.

When you are ready to load a fresh filament, the menu will walk you through the process. There is no need to worry about allowing extra printing to change colours fully afterwards because you'll print a test strip during changeover that does that. There is a step of 'cut off lump' which means you'll need to use the wire cutters provided to snip away this excess lump of test printed material.

It is very important to make sure your spools are running in the correct direction. Ensure that the filament mounted on the right spool holder [when viewed from the back] unspools clockwise and that the filament mounted on the left spool unspools counterclockwise. Refer to the diagram you were shown during training, or to the manual.

Also beware of wrapping round axle - sometimes the spools can get misaligned and filament ends up tightening and wrapping around the axle. This is very dangerous and printing should be stopped straight away to correct it. There is more of a danger of this happening if the spools are set up incorrectly.

If you are changing between PLA and ABS you also need to change the temperature settings of the machine, since PLA will burn at the temperatures used for ABS, and ABS will not print at PLA temperatures.

== Printing ==

The printer always extrudes a test line along the front of the bed first. Make sure to remove this when you remove your print, and that your print location doesn't clash with it.

Preheating the bed is helpful but not necessary - it will save you time. The printer will not print until the bed has heated up enough. You can select the left and/or right extruders to heat up as well. If you are only printing with one material, just select that extruder. Go to Utilities > Preheat > Start Preheat

If a model is stuck, wait for the bed to cool - often they will come away very easily once cooled enough. Otherwise apply a gentle twisting action manually. As a last resort, use the plastic MakerBot branded paddle to scrape it away from the bed. Do NOT use metal knives - they will damage the kapton bed.

Keep an eye on it. prints can go strange half way! Be ready to pause or stop while printing. You can find those options by pressing the left arrow while printing. You can always pause a print if you are uncertain - as long as you resume it within a couple of minutes, this shouldn't alter your final result.

== Levelling ==

This is not often needed. The symptoms of unlevelness are:

- first layer too thin or varying thickness
- part not sticking

In the worst case: the print head ends up touching the bed - HEAD CRASH. This is bad news. Level the bed before this stage is reached!

To level the bed, go to Utilities > Level Build Plate. There are 3 screws underneath the build plate - see p23 of the Manual for a diagram on where they are located. The MakerBot software will guide you through the process of adjusting them to level the plate. The ideal to aim for is that a piece of paper should *just* slide through the gap between the extruder nozzle and the plate in each location.

Be careful not to damage kapton tape while doing this!

== Software ==

The software used with the MakerBot 2X is called MakerWare. It is well documented in the Manual and there are many online tutorials for its use, so we will not go into detail here.

Some tips on our experience with the software:

If there seems to be an unspecified software problem/crash, try selecting Services > Restart Background Service. This resets the connection to the printer. Don't do this while printing.

Edit > Settings lets you select which plastic you have loaded into each extruder. You need to change this each time you load new plastic. When switching to PLA make sure to change the temperature profile here as well as switching colours.

The Make button gives you settings for supports (colour matched is best), whether to have a raft (generally not needed), and resolution (standard is best). For a general guide, 4 shells with layer height h = 0.2mm generally works well. Experiment with infill settings - 15% is generally fine.

== Multicolour ==

Can't do scaffolding and multicolour - This is not true anymore, we think.
Issues with mixed materials. It might seem like a good idea to use a PLA scaffold for an ABS piece and then dissolve away the PLA in hot water, but this is in fact very difficult. It's better to think about scaffolding with weaker pieces of the same plastic, or changing a piece's orientation.

== Other Details ==

Don't leave the room while printing! The printer is very expensive and you don't want to have to explain the lump of plastic stuck to a now-unusable extruder is your fault. Play it safe, keep an eye on your prints.

You need to pay for your prints once you have made them. The current rate is 10p/gram of material used - use the little scales on the shelves on top of the printer area to weigh your finished prints.

= Using the UP! 3D Printer =
[[File:Up_3d_printer.jpg|thumb|left]]

This is the UP! (a slightly older version of [http://www.coolcomponents.co.uk/catalog/plus-personal-portable-printer-p-644.html the device currently available]).
The dedicated PC next to the printers is running win7 and UP! software. It can import STL design files from Google sketchup. At the moment the UP! is out of action.

== Instructions ==

To use the printer you must familiarise yourself with the safety notes above and read the following instructions.

[[File:3d printer desktop.png|Desktop showing Up! software link|thumb|right]]
'''Power Up'''

# Give the machine a quick visual check. '''Make sure that there is nothing left on the platen.''' Remove the platen support piece from under the platen and gently lower it. '''Check the new material is feeding OK and the reel has enough on it'''
# Turn on the machine at the wall socket
# Initialise the machine - Open the 'Up!' software on the attached PC and double-click the software icon. Once it has loaded select '3D Print > Initialise' from the toolbar

[[File:3d printer maint.png|Maintenance dialog|thumb|right]]
'''Check calibration'''

This operation must be carried out to ensure the bed is level and has the height correct.

# Firstly find the current value of the nozzle height in the print dialog. This is only accessible once you have a design loaded, so load a model in (there should always be some in the '3D Printer Training' folder on the desktop) and then select 'Print' from the toolbar
# Note the printhead height from this dialog (currently 139.1) and press cancel to abort
# Go to the maintenance dialog (3D Print > Maintenance from toolbar) and set the head height to 20mm less than this height. Enter the value in the edit box and press 'To:' button
# Then move the bed closer to the expected value, in decreasing steps, until you reach the set height or the nozzle is going to hit the bed. If you reach the specified height (currently 139.1mm) there should just about be room to get a piece of paper between the nozzle and the bed.
# Once this has been checked you should drop the head to about '100' and then repeat the check at two other corners and the centre. When the platen is well below the head you can quickly go to the other locations using the FL/FR/NL/NR/Center buttons on the maintenance dialog

'''Load your Design'''

# Import your model - press the 'Open' icon on the ribbon bar
# Check the placing and size of your model - the printer software is quite clever, but it may not choose the best orientation of complex shapes. You want the largest flat surface on the bottom, so that less support material is required.

[[File:3d printer startup dlg-crop.png|Print confirmation dialog|thumb|right]]
'''Download to the Printer'''

# When you are ready to print you can just press the 'Print' button on the ribbon bar
# Some calculations now take place and a popup box will appear with an estimate of how much material will be required as well as how long printing will take - please check 3D Printer Material Cost table and put your money in the honesty box<br />     Worried whether there's enough filament left for your job? As a rule of thumb, one turn of the material drum is about 1g of material.
# If you are happy then make a note of the material weight and check the cost against the table below
# Press 'OK' to proceed
# Watch the magic happen ...

<span style="color:red">'''DO NOT EVER LEAVE THE PRINTER UNATTENDED'''</span>

'''Finishing'''

# When the part is finished the printer will make several beeps - but of course you will be watching so you will be expecting that
# DO NOT TOUCH THE PLATEN YET ! It is usually very hot, and it is best to give it a few minutes at least
# When it has cooled a little then with care you can peel the part away from the platen
# The 'raft' which was built to produce the part on should then separate with a little effort, and possibly careful peeling with a blade

'''Power Down'''

# Lower the platen to its rest position before turning off. Do this from the maintenance dialog (3D Print > Maintenance from the toolbar) and press 'To Bottom'
# Turn off the printer on the wall socket
# Gently lift the platen and put the platen support piece back underneath
# Shut down the PC and double check that everything is left in a safe and clean state for the next user

'''Cost'''

Currently we charge 10 pence per gram for prints, this is to cover the cost of material plus a little for wear and tear and other consumables. You can weigh printed parts using the scales next to the blue honesty box. Please put your money into the blue labelled honesty box on the shelf above the printer.

= Maintenance =

The maintenance of the 3D printer is carried out by the Owners, with some basic maintenance being carried out by Users on every job.

== Maintenance Schedule ==

Continuous Maintenance ('''Every job, done by all 3D Printer Users''')
* Clean the platen of any plastic remnants
* Check the new material is feeding OK and the reel has enough on it

Basic Maintenance (Every week, done by 3D Printer Maintainers)
* Check the security and condition of all cabling
* Check the UP! platen coating and re-paint any areas if necessary (green paint is in a pot with the printer)

Full Maintenance (Every 4 weeks, done by 3D Printer Maintainers)
* Tasks as per Basic Maintenance, plus
* Strip coating off UP! platen and re-paint with a fresh coat
* Calibration check, if issues have been reported

== Maintenance Log ==

'''Reactive Maintenance'''
* None

'''Regular Maintenance'''
* Week Number, Date, Type, Owner (Notes)

2013
* Week 08, February 18, Simon Stirley (Re-painted holes in platen coating)
* Week 09, February 25,
* '''Week 10, March 4, '''
* Week 11, March 11, Simon Stirley (checked wiring, posted safety notice, re-painted platen holes)
* Week 12, March 18,
* Week 13, March 25,
* '''Week 14, April 1,'''



== Maintenance Shopping List ==

* TBD

= Further Information =
== Manual ==
The manual is installed in the machine attached to the printer and also available here: [http://makespace.org/wiki/images/5/5d/Up_plus_user_manual-v3.0.pdf Manual]

== Repairs ==

We expect to have to change the following parts for general maintenance:
* TBD

Maintenance and Spares:
* One UK supplier of consumables is [http://www.coolcomponents.co.uk/catalog/consumables-c-89_98.html Cool Components]



== Software ==

You can download Quickstart manual and latest driver software from [http://www.pp3dp.com/index.php?option=com_jdownloads&view=viewcategories&Itemid=89 pp3dp].

* [http://sketchup.google.com/ Google SketchUp] with STL plugin as below
** [http://www.guitar-list.com/download-software/convert-sketchup-skp-files-dxf-or-stl This plugin] seems to work quite well. Use 'File/Export to DXF or STL' from Sketchup once you have installed it and select 'STL' as the last item in the type list when asked
* [http://www.netfabb.com/ NetFabb] repairs any incomplete STL files
* [http://meshlab.sourceforge.net/ Meshlab] is a good free program (Sourceforge) for visualising and modifying STL files
* [http://www.openscad.org/ OpenSCAD] is a script-based modeller ('3D compiler'), well-suited for technical CAD (less so for artistic design)

File:2013-10-21 20.10.06.jpg

2013-10-22T00:10:12Z

Jimbo:

FliteTest Flyer, lasercut from 6mm depron foam. 25 power@ 32 speed cuts nicely. Possibly more speed, but this works well enough. Motormount lasercut from 3mm ply, same for servo control mounts. 66cm/26" wingspan.

Equipment/Laser Cutter

2013-10-22T00:08:40Z

Jimbo: /* Summary */

{{RedTool}}

[[Equipment|Equipment]] / Laser Cutter

[[File:Makespace-laser-cutter.JPG|thumb|460px|right|Our LS6090 PRO Laser Cutter]]

= Summary =

This is our LS 6090 PRO Laser Cutter. It has a working area of 900mm by 600mm, and is powered by a 60w CO2 Water Cooled Laser Tube that can engrave and cut through materials such as wood, plastic, card, leather, fabrics, up to about 10-15mm thick (note, it can not cut metal). The laser cut is approximately 0.15mm wide, and a job can take a few seconds through to tens of minutes depending on material thickness and design complexity.

We have a dedicated PC running LaserCut 5.3 software to import, prepare and download jobs to the Laser Cutter. It can import various formats, with DXF being the most commonly used, so various software packages can be used to create your designs.

Here are some examples of laser jobs we've run (please add a photo of yours any time you do a job!)

<gallery>
File:Laser-cut-focus-tool.JPG
File:Laser-cut-front-panels.JPG
File:Laser-cut-lizards.JPG
File:Laser-cut-m-and-s.JPG
File:Laser-cut-model-building.JPG
File:Laser-cut-ply-m.JPG
File:Laser_output_-_makespace_arrow.JPG
File:Laser_box.jpg
File:Croc-small.jpg
File:LaserCutter_Jobs_1.jpg
File:LaserCutterGallery_20130328.jpg
File:LasercutSettlers.jpg
File:Wolfstock1.jpg
File:Mug-holder.jpg
File:2013-10-21 20.10.06.jpg
</gallery>

= Using the Laser Cutter =

The laser cutter is a great way to easily produce accurate and complex 2D forms in various materials, and can be designed for with limited experience in various drawing or CAD applications. At the same time, it is an expensive tool with real risk of injury and fire, so is very important you know how to use it to avoid damaging yourself and the machine. '''You must only use the laser cutter if you have been trained, and if you are ever in any doubt about something, please ask for assistance.'''

== Owners ==

The Owners are those who have volunteered to be in charge of the equipment, organising maintenance, training others to use it, and generally being a point of contact. The current Owners of the Laser Cutter are:

* [[User:Simon|Simon Ford]]
* [[User:Barhamd|David Barham]]
* [[User:Nickcadsoftuk|Nick Johnson]]
* [[User:Tmonca|Toby Moncaster]]

If you have any questions, problems or concerns around the laser cutter, please use the mailing list thread:
* [https://groups.google.com/d/topic/cammakespace/Tmce2iKVzD8/discussion Log : Laser Cutter]

== Training ==

<div style="background:#FADADD; border:1px solid #FFC0CB; padding:5px">
<b>YOU CAN ONLY USE THE LASER CUTTER IF YOU HAVE BEEN TRAINED</b><br>
and have been added to the [[Equipment/Laser_Cutter/Training#Trained_Users|Trained Users]] list by one of the Owners
</div>

To get trained on the laser cutter and be added to the qualified user list, you will need to arrange for a training session with one of the Laser Cutter Owners.

If you'd like to arrange training, please see:
* [[Equipment/Laser_Cutter/Training|Laser Cutter Training]]

== Health and Safety ==

The laser cutter is a potentially dangerous piece of equipment which must only be operated by members who have received appropriate training and who take due care. The top things to always remember when using the laser cutter are:
* '''ONLY USE THE LASER CUTTER IF YOU ARE ON THE LIST OF TRAINED USERS'''
* '''NEVER LEAVE THE LASER CUTTER RUNNING UNATTENDED'''
* '''KNOW WHAT TO DO IF A FIRE BREAKS OUT'''
* '''NEVER CUT MATERIALS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW ARE SAFE'''

As a trained user, you should be very aware of the following risks and how to deal with them:

'''FIRE (under normal operation)''' - Cutting at the wrong speed or the wrong power can result in the material igniting
* You must watch the cutter at all times and be prepared to abort the job if problems occur
* Small flashes of flame that don't hang around for a fraction of a second are acceptable, but any more is rare and not acceptable
* If a fire does take, this is the process you should follow (from minor to major):
** Press "pause" (the same button you started the job with) - This will turn the laser off so no more heat enters, and assuming the flame goes out, you can press "start" for the job to continue where it left of
** Open the lid - With the job paused, you can open the lid to blow out the flame. Again, it is possible to re-close the lid and continue where you left off
** Move the material from under the laser head assuming safe to do so (so it doesn't damage the optics; alternatively send the laser to home/datum), and smother with a spare sheet of material or blow out
** Use the workshop CO2 extinguisher to extinguish the flame
* You should also make a note in the log if any of this happens with associated materials and settings so we can keep track of any particular materials/settings we should look at

'''FIRE (abnormal operation)''' - If the head gets stuck or something else goes wrong, ignition could happen much more suddenly or intensely
* You must watch the cutter at all times and be prepared to abort the job if problems occur
* If the head gets trapped (e.g. tomb-stoning of a piece, mechanical failure) or any other problem occurs that causes or could cause fire, this is the process you should follow:
** Hit the emergency stop
** Open the lid and move the material from under the laser head assuming safe to do so (so it doesn't damage the optics)
** Blow out, smother with a spare sheet of material, or use the CO2 extinguisher to extinguish the flame as appropriate
* Ensure a Maintainer looks at the machine before it is brought back in to action if it is not obvious what went wrong and all is ok
* You should also make a note in the log if any of this happens with associated materials and settings so we can keep track of any particular materials/settings we should look at

'''FUMES''' - The laser cutting process will release different smoke and fumes depending on the material.
* Never cut PVC or a material you are not sure is safe. When PVC is heated it releases chlorine gas, this mixes with the moisture in the air and the result is hydrochloric acid which is toxic to humans and corrosive to machines.
* Ensure the filter is on and the cutter lid stays closed for a while after a job to allow the fumes to clear.
* If you are feeling strange, think the fume build up is too much, or for any other reason you are unsure, stop the job.

'''TRAPPING''' - The head and bed of the cutter can be moved by the front panel menu or programs in the machines memory.
* Be careful when working inside the cutting area or with the lid open not to trap hands, hair, clothing or anything else.
* Always check the machine for unexpected items that may have fallen in before closing the lid.
* Do not attempt to climb into the machine!

'''LASER BURNS/LIGHT''' - A 60W laser can do real damage.
* The laser should be safe within the confines of the machine, and cut-off automatically when the lid is open (although this should not be relied upon). The top window is safe to look through during a job, but do not attempt to interfere with these windows or the laser or in any way invent some way to look at the laser.
* Do not tamper with the laser cutter, or any interlocks. All side panels of the laser should always be closed and locked whilst the machine is plugged in.
* Do not put metal in the laser cutter.

== Instructions ==

To use the laser cutter, you must have been trained and have had your name added to the trained user list; these instructions are not a substitute for this training. See the training section to understand how you can become qualified to use the laser cutter.

Although not a requirement, it is recommended someone else trained is also present when using the laser cutter. Having two pairs of eyes helps avoid forgotten steps, allows for double checking, clarifications and discussions, and ensures a greater pool of experience is both present and being built up as the laser is used.

'''Power Up'''

Give the machine a quick visual check. Make sure that there is nothing left on the bed, the water reservoir of the chiller looks normal, and that the equipment has no obvious damage or signs of being out-of-action. If the bed looks like it has residue on it, give it a wipe with IPA and a cloth.

Turn on primary switch on the trunking marked 'Laser'. The air filter system to the right of the laser cutter should start as should the air pump and the chiller. It should power up, make a decent amount of noise, and the lights should indicate the filter is in good condition (i.e. no need for replacement).

Make sure the lid is closed. Turn on the laser using the key on the right hand side. The inspection lamp should come on, a satisfying hum start up, and the cutter go into doing its self-checks.

Before doing any job, the laser should be left to warm up for 4-5 mins. While the machine warms up, power on the adjacent PC and start the LaserCut application from the desktop. During this time the water temperature shown on the chiller should drop from ambient temperature to the usual setting of 18C.

'''Load your Design'''

The PC software has an import facility which seems to be happy taking AutoCAD 2004 DXF files and other formats. The workspace of the laser bed is represented as the workarea in the LaserCut software. If the import doesn't do what you want size-wise, you can select the whole image and then use the 'size' command from the drop down menu to set the dimension you want. Clicking on the three dots ... symbol will adjust the other axis in the same proportion (keeping the aspect ratio fixed). Selecting the 'centre on bed' option will locate your imported drawing on the centre of the machine's cutting bed.

'''Assign Settings to Colours'''

Each part of your drawing that is assigned a different colour can have a different cut action assigned. Each colour will appear on the menu on the right hand side of the screen with numbers related to power and speed of the laser which will be used for the colour.

The main options are to Cut (line) or Engrave (raster fill). A marking on the material is a Cut. For each material and cutting depth required, a corresponding speed and power must be entered. The handbook provided with the machine gives suggested values for various materials but these should be considered as a starting point for a test. See the '''Power and Speed Settings''' section for our guidelines and experiences for these settings.

'''Download to the Cutter'''

Your drawing will feature a blue dot which represents the starting point of the laser; this is by default on the top right corner. In general, you will want to use "immediate" mode, which means this point represents wherever the laser is positioned when you start the job. You can also run the job in absolute mode by unchecking the box, making the job use absolute positioning on the workspace.

To download, select Download and Download Current; the download option will by default call the file on the laser cutter 'LASER'.

'''Set the Focus'''

Before each job, the focus needs to be checked and set by adjusting the height of the bed, and thus the work piece, from the lens. The critical dimension here is 41mm and several gauges made of perspex will be left around the machine. This gauge needs to be a fit between the top surface of the material you intend to cut and the white plastic 'flap' on the lens piece. The height of the table is adjusted using the UP and DOWN buttons. Failure to set the distance correctly will result in an out of focus laser and much bigger (but lower powered) cut line. Always ensure there is clearance between the material and laser head before the head moves.

'''Aligning and Testing the Job'''

The cutter's menu will show the most recent downloaded file highlighted. Pressing the 'test' button will make the head travel along the square maximum extends of the cuts. This shows you that you have the material in the right place, and you have enough of it! You can do this repeatedly, moving the work piece by hand or the laser head using the arrow keys (after hitting ESC), until you are confident you have things where you want them.

'''Cut the Job'''

When happy with the location of the material, close the lid and press 'start' to start the cutter. Watch the head and at least at first be prepared to press the 'stop' button immediately if you find you are burning massive holes in your work piece! This goes back to doing some tests on a sample of your material and making sure you are happy with the cut speeds and power you have selected. You should stay near the cutter at all times and be prepared to pause it or stop it in the event of fire.

<span style="color:red">'''DO NOT EVER LEAVE THE CUTTER UNATTENDED'''</span>

'''Finishing'''

The end of the job is signified by a beep. Waiting a few moments for the exhaust pump to clear any remaining smoke is a good idea, especially with wood, and will limit the build up of smells in the rest of the workshop. Remove your work piece, ensuring that all parts are cleared from the bed of the machine.

'''Power Down'''

The cutter is turned off using the key switch, then the air filtering system with the green rocker switch. Shut down the PC and double check that everything is left in a safe state for the next user.

'''Clean the bed of debris using the soft brush, then wipe down the bed using IPA and a cloth.'''

If you have been cutting particularly 'dirty' materials, most notable MDF and Ply which leave a sticky residue then you will need to use the course side of one of the oven pads and lots of 'elbow grease'. Residue on the bed can impact the next persons' job so please make the effort to clean up and leave the cutter as you would wish to find it.

Go away excited by what you can make and come back with lots more drawings!

== Power and Speed Settings ==

In due time we will try to build up a large sample stock of materials and record the values which work best. Here are the sample material tests we have so far:

<gallery>
File:Laser-schmoo-3mm-acrylic.JPG|3mm Acrylic
File:Laser-schmoo-10mm-acrylic.JPG|10mm Acrylic
File:Laser-schmoo-9mm-mdf.JPG|9mm MDF
</gallery>

== Tips & Tricks ==

* If the laser cutter's user interface does not seem to respond/do what you want, hit "ESC" to return to 'normal mode'.
* The opaque white acrylic needs slightly stronger settings for surface cuts as they are not as visible as in the transparent acrylic (i.e., for similar effect you need a deeper cut). Otherwise seems to cut equivalently to transparent acrylics.
* If you want a tight fit of pieces or very accurate sizing, keep in mind that the laser beam has a width of just over 0.1 mm (maybe 0.11 or 0.12 mm). So all exterior cut lines should be offset by 0.05 mm; you can do this very easily in the LaserCutter Software with the "Offset" tool (units are in mm, so enter '0.05' and select 'Outer').
* The DXF file format stores values only (not values and units). The internal units in the LaserCutter are in mm. If you set your document's units to mm in the exporting CAD system it should work fine, but generally it is a good idea to have a piece of geometry of known length, e.g. a line 100mm long, or a box of known size around your design. This makes adjusting the scaling a lot easier.
* If you want to export a DXF from Inkscape (which is a great, free vector drawing package), then make sure you do "Object to path" from the Path menu for the whole object and then during the export stage, enable "use ROBO-Master type of spline output". This should make sure all the curves and so on work.
* There's now a page to help with Inkscape and our laser at [[Equipment/Laser_Cutter_Inkscape]]
* If the jog buttons (arrow keys moving the laser head around) are only moving the head in small single steps rather than moving it continuously, make sure that the jog step size is set to 0.0mm in the Jog Settings section of the menu.

== Material Stock ==
If you have any requests for material stock, please add them the [[Equipment/Laser_Cutter_Stock|Laser cutter stock]] page.

= Maintenance =

The maintenance of the Laser Cutter is carried out by the Owners, with some basic maintenance being carried out by Users on every job.

== Maintenance Schedule ==

Continuous Maintenance ('''Every job, done by all Laser Cutter Users''')
* Clean the laser bed with IPA and cloth
* Clean any debris off laser bed and surround using soft brush

Basic Maintenance (Every week, done by Laser Cutter Maintainers)
* Clean the laser lens with IPA and cotton buds
* Oil the 3 runners with 3-in-one light oil
* Thoroughly clean the laser bed with IPA and cloth
* Check the water level in the cooling tank
* Clean and remove debris from the machine base and catchment drawer

Full Maintenance (Every 4 weeks, done by Laser Cutter Maintainers)
* Check the water is clean in the cooling tank (i.e. no contamination/organic build up)
* Check filter unit for filter renewal
* Oil the 4 rise and fall lead screws with 3-in-one light oil
* Check mirrors and clean with a disposable sachet lens cleaner cloth (only if needed, mirror coatings are delicate)
* Work through mirror alignment procedure to check alignment of mirrors

== Maintenance Log ==

'''Reactive Maintenance'''
* 15th Jan 2013, Simon Ford: Laser cutter not powering up, with switching on via key gives no activity whatsoever. No recollection of it cutting out during a job (Alexis), so assume it just stopped turning on at some point. Filter box and power sockets confirmed OK. Diagnosis: RCD in right back panel of Laser reset to off, no obvious reason why. Switching back on brought everything back to life OK.
* 22nd, Simon Ford; 29th, Nicholas - same again.

'''Regular Maintenance'''
* Week Number, Date, Type, Owner (Notes)

2013
* January 7, Full, Chris @ HPCLaser'''
* January 14, Basic, Simon Ford
* January 21, Full, Simon Ford (running better than new :)'''
* ...various maintenance events happened...
* April 5th, Full, Simon Ford
* July 1st, Full, David Barham (realigned mirrors)
* July 15th, installed chiller

== Maintenance Shopping List ==

* 3-in-one light oil
* Cotton Buds
* Lens cleaner sachets
* Soft paint/cleaning brush
* Thermometer for water tank
* Hand held CO2 extinguisher

= Further Information =

* [http://hpclaser.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=11 LS 6090 PRO Laser Product Page]
* [http://hpclaser.co.uk/index.php?main_page=page&id=5&chapter=2 HPCLaser Technical Info]
* [http://www.laserscript.co.uk/phpBB3/ Laserscript Forum]

LaserCut 5.3
* [http://www.leetro.com/english/sale/35.html Homepage]
* [http://www.leetro.com/english/down/LaserCut5.3%20Manual%20V1.6.pdf Manual]

== Installation ==

<gallery>
File:Laser_-_van.JPG
File:Makespace-laser-install-02.JPG
File:Laser_-_building_2.JPG
File:Laser_-_building.JPG
</gallery>

== Purchase ==

Full Purchase, Delivery and Installation (£6865.00+vat = £8238.00)
* [http://hpclaser.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=11 LS 6090 PRO Laser engraving and cutting machine, 600mm by 900mm 60W] (£5250.00+vat)
* [http://hpclaser.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=34 Laser Fume Filter] (£1250.00+vat)
* Delivery (£190+vat)
* Installation/Training (£175+vat)

== Repairs ==

We expect to have to change the following parts for general maintenance:
* The laser tube (guess every 6-12 months)
* The filter (guess every 3-6 months)
* The optics (guess every 6-12 months)

Maintenance and Spares:
* [http://hpclaser.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=3 60 watt C02 laser tube] (£275.00+vat)
* [http://hpclaser.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=12 50 mm Focus Meniscus Lens] (£75.00+vat)
* Estimate for Call Out (£200.00)

File:2013-10-21 20.10.06.jpg

2013-10-22T00:07:49Z

Jimbo: FliteTest Flyer, lasercut from 6mm depron foam. 25 power@ 32 speed cuts nicely. Possibly more speed, but this works well enough. Motormount lasercut from 3mm ply, same for servo control mounts.

FliteTest Flyer, lasercut from 6mm depron foam. 25 power@ 32 speed cuts nicely. Possibly more speed, but this works well enough. Motormount lasercut from 3mm ply, same for servo control mounts.