> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://monasheng.gitbook.io/zerotohero/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://monasheng.gitbook.io/zerotohero/3d-printing-zero-to-hero/3d-printer-anatomy-and-features.md). # 3D Printer Anatomy and Features {% embed url="" %} While there are hundreds of common consumer-grade 3D printers, their anatomy and features are these-days reasonably standard. ## 3D Printer Anatomy

A "Prusa" brand 3D Printer, with key components labelled. From: https://help.prusa3d.com/article/i3-printer-regular-maintenance_2072

### Filament/Material FDM 3D printers work by heating and depositing *thermoplastics* - those which can be remelted and worked when soft.

A typical spool of 3D print filament. From: https://au.rs-online.com/web/p/3d-printing-materials/8320406

The plastic consumed by 3D printers is usually called *filament*, and comes in spools (commonly $$1;\text{kg}$$). You can get many different types of filament, with some materials being e.g. more-flexible, some stronger, and some stiffer. You can also buy filaments in many different colours. Some filaments, due to their very might melting temperatures, might not be printable by all printers. ### Print Head Assembly/Extruder The part of the 3D printer that feeds and deposits the filament upon the job is sometimes called the *print head assembly* or *extruder*.

The print head on a PRUSA brand printer. From: https://help.prusa3d.com/guide/2a-mk3s-extruder-disassembly_188397

#### Stepper Motor Within the print head assembly is a *stepper motor*, whos job it is to feed (or stop feeding) filament from the spool down toward the job. Stepper motors are incredibly precise, meaning that on well-tuned printers, the exact right amount of filament can be deposited on the job.

A typical stepper motor. From: https://au.rs-online.com/web/p/stepper-motors/5350401

#### Hot End The stepper motor feeds filament into a heating element and nozzle assembly sometimes called the *hot end*. These parts melt the filament and form the molten plastic into a precise outlet geometry.

A PRUSA print head with a side door removed to show the hot-end (ribbed, silver) and nozzle (copper). From: https://help.prusa3d.com/guide/how-to-replace-a-hotend-thermistor-mk3s-mk3s_131675

A PRUSA hot end. From: https://risingsunfpv.com.au/products/prusa-mk3-v6-1-hotend

You can purchase different size nozzles for a 3D printer. Smaller nozzles are better for detail work/dimensional accuracy, while larger nozzles allow for faster print times (as they deposit more plastic at once).

3D Printer nozzles are also consumables - they wear with use. Mercifully they are relatively affordable. From: https://help.prusa3d.com/tag/mk3s-2/nozzles_248

$$0.4;\text{mm}$$ is a common nozzle size that provides a good trade-off between detail and print time. {% hint style="info" %} :man\_mage: **Important:** When setting up your 3D print (a process known as [Slicing](/zerotohero/3d-printing-zero-to-hero/core-skills/slicing.md)), you need to tell the software what size nozzle you are using. This ensures the printer moves the correct amount upward each step to compensate for the thickness of the previous layer. {% endhint %} ### Print Bed/Build Plate For most of the print, filament is deposited upon a previously printed layer. The first layer, however, is deposited onto a (somewhat *nonstick*) metal layer, known as the *print bed*. Modern print beds are typically some sort of spring steel, allowing them to be reasonably stiff but also flexible, so that they can be bent to easily 'pop' the part off.

A PRUSA 3D printer with the build plate removed. On these printers, it is magnetically attached to the underlying structure. From: https://help.prusa3d.com/article/flexible-steel-sheets-guidepost_2195

A PRUSA spring-steel build plate. It is slightly flexible, allowing for easy removal of prints. From: https://help.prusa3d.com/article/flexible-steel-sheets-guidepost_2195

A good print bed will provide enough adhesion to the first layer of the print such that it won't shift during the printing process, but will release the print readily with either a twist or mechanical assistance (e.g. with a scraper). ### Print Axes 3D printers precisely control the placement of the [#print-head-assembly-extruder](#print-head-assembly-extruder "mention") by moving it around on *print axes*.

Typical 3D Print axes. Image remixed from: https://www.prusa3d.com/category/original-prusa-i3-mk3s/

#### Linear Bearings To ensure orthogonality of the axes, and carefully controlled forward-backward motion of the print head along them, 3D printer axes typically sit upon *linear bearings*, which provide a smooth and precise motion in exactly one direction. These work in a similar way to drawer slides, but are much more robust.

Typical linear bearing. From: https://blog.airlinehyd.com/what-is-linear-motion

3D printers typically have 3 independent axes, named $$X,Y,$$ and $$Z$$. The reachable area of the print head formed by the axes is called the [#build-volume](#build-volume "mention"). 3D printers vary in how they use axes - some moving only the print head, some move only the print bed, and others move some combination of these (e.g. Prusa Printers, which move the print head along $$X$$ and $$Z$$, but the bed along $$Y$$. #### Drive Components To move the print head along its axes, 3D printers use a combination of: * Stepper motors for tractive torque, * Pulleys and timed-belts to transmission of force, and, * Lead screws/ball screws for elevation.

3D printers often use timed pulleys and belts for power transmission, as they are quiet, smooth, and usually provide a high level of precision. From: https://all3dp.com/2/3d-printer-belt-what-to-consider-and-which-to-buy/

These components are among the most expensive on the printer, as accurate motion depends on their quality. ### Electronics #### Main Board 3D printers are miniature CNC machines, and thus require an onboard computer to translate the machine instructions that make up a print file into electrical pulses to drive the [#drive-components](#drive-components "mention"). This computer is often called the *main board*, and typically consists of some kind of microcontroller. #### Human Interface Panel Most 3D printers also include a human-interface-panel with buttons/knobs for selecting parameters/prints, as well as manually *jogging* the print head for servicing, and a place to load print files (USB and/or SD cards are common).

The Human Interface Panel on a PRUSA printer. From: https://help.prusa3d.com/article/lcd-menu-original-prusa-i3_142322

### Chassis/Frame The above 3D printer components are typically held together by a rigid *chassis*, often of metal construction for stiffness.

The laser-cut steel frame of a PRUSA printer. From: https://orballoprinting.com/en/frame/8-prusa-i3-steel-frame-p3steel.html

## 3D Printer Features With 3D printers, as with much maker hardware, the adage is that *you pay in money or you pay in time*. More expensive 3D printers tend to feature some or all of the below features. While you can certainly get by with a cheaper printer (Aldi special-buy printers have become quite good over the last few years) that does not have these features, you may need to invest more time in the setup and tuning of the machine, and/or subsequent clean-up of your parts. ### Heated Bed Getting the adhesion between the first later of the print and the [#print-bed-build-plate](#print-bed-build-plate "mention"), and maintaining this throughout the print is essential. Heated beds maintain the 'perfect' temperature to maximise first-layer adhesion and prevent cooling-induced shrinkage of the base of your parts, which can lead to them prematurely separating from the bed. ### Auto Bed Levelling Most print beds are not perfectly level out-of-the-box, owing to manufacturing realities. In addition, beds tend to get more out of level with use, as they are scraped, twisted, and otherwise mistreated to remove parts. While some 3D printers allow for manual bed levelling using jack screws, modern ones will automatically compensate for an out-of-level bed by taking a series of measurements by touching-off the print head before starting, and gently moving the $$Z$$ axis throughout a layer to 'invert' the profile of the bed.

A typical measured bed profile (exaggerated). From: https://help.prusa3d.com/article/mesh-bed-leveling_112163

### High Reliability/Speed/Accuracy More expensive printers typically use higher quality [#drive-components](#drive-components "mention") and [#print-axes](#print-axes "mention"), and thus also possess higher print accuracy and reliability. ### Build Volume The total printable volume that can be reached by the [#print-head-assembly-extruder](#print-head-assembly-extruder "mention") is known as the *build volume*.

The build volume of a 3D printer is typically represented as a rectangular prism. From: https://www.prusa3d.com/product/original-prusa-xl-assembled-single-toolhead-3d-printer/

### Multi-Material Printing Some printers feature extruder heads with more than one [#hot-end](#hot-end "mention")/[#stepper-motor](#stepper-motor "mention"), and can thus take several filament feeds at once. This allows for multi-material or multi-colour printing, without having to stop the print and manually switch filaments.

These 3D prints are not painted, but rather were printed using multiple different spools of coloured filament. From: https://all3dp.com/2/multicolor-3d-print-stl-models/

## Our Printers The Design & Build Studios in the Woodside Building are home to a range of different printers, with various size and material capacities. Workhorse/volume printing for undergraduate students is typically achieved via a well-managed 'print farm' containing many Prusa i3 MK3s+ printers. {% embed url="" %} Prusa MK3s+ Printer - Specifications {% endembed %} You can speak to D\&B staff to be inducted to use the 3D printers in the studios.