“Design and Development of 3D Printer with

mobile and Computer operated from Anywhere”

CAPSTONE PROJECT
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the
Requirement for the award of the Degree
of

BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
IN
(Mechanical Engineering)
By
Katta Naveen Kumar (11311862)
Puneet kumar Saini (11312032)
Sunit Hembrom (11311904)
Sagar kumar Singh (11310845)

PROJECT GROUP NO.

Under the Guidance of

MR. Himanshu Arora

(School of Mechanical Engineering Department)

Lovely Professional University
Month and Year of Submission
(May 2017)
 CERTIFICATE OF THE GUIDE

This is to certify that the declaration statement made by this group of students is correct to the best
of my knowledge and belief. The Capstone Project Proposal based on the technology / tool learnt
is fit for the submission and partial fulfillment of the conditions for the award of B.Tech in
Mechanical engineering from Lovely Professional University, Phagwara.

Name: ……………………………………………

U.ID: ………………………………………………

Designation: ………………………………………

Signature of Faculty Mentor

 DECLERATION

We hereby declare that the project work entitled (“Design and Development of 3D Printer with
mobile and Computer operated from wherever”) is an authentic record of our own work carried
out as requirements of Capstone Project for the award of degree of B.Tech.in Mechanical
engineering from Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, under the guidance of
MR.HIMANSHU ARORA, during January to April, 2017.

Project Group Number:

Name of Student 1: K.Naveen kumar

Registration Number: 11311862

Name of Student 2: Puneet kumar Saini

Registration Number: 11312032

Name of Student 3: Sunit Hembrom

Registration Number: 11311904

Name of Student 4: SAGAR SIGNH

Registration Number: 11310845

(Signature of Student 1)

(Signature of Student 2)

(Signature of Student 3)

(Signature of Student 4)
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We didn’t think much of the project undertaken, barring, of course, that it had tremendous
weightage and importance. From that day to now, we’ve come of age. The day this little project of
ours completed, we heaved a sigh of relief. Relief, because the final lag was a low. Until then. And
we have several people to congratulate and express gratitude. The precious time they spent helping
us out hasn’t gone in vain.

Coming up first is our mentor Mr.Himanshu Arora. Supremely confidence inducing and almost
overflowing with optimism, she helped us choose our project and then guided us till the end,
literally.

An Arduino Programing and is very difficult to get a hold of and even more difficult to operate.
Profs Cherry Bhargava were the hands that got us the Arduino and Ramp 1.4 and they went out of
their way to help us using it.

We did stumble along the path, but were never short of help and guidance. The entire VLSI dept.
has tremendous goodwill, and rightly so. We were provided labs and helped with doubts in the
project, no questions asked.

Mankind has been shaped by tremendous personalities who undertook actions that changed the
way live forever. In the summer of 1990, a guy had refused a lifetime’s wealth to provide us with
a single, undivided, free Web. Tim Berners-Lee changed the way we communicate and changed
our lives. We are forever indebted to him for inventing the Internet. We’d be still lost in the
shambles had we not come across the data, books and theses on the Web.
 Table of Content

Content Page
Certificate (i)
Declaration (ii)
Acknowledgment (iii)

Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Objectives 01
1.2 Scope and Magnitude 01
1.3 Significance of the Study 02
1.4 About the 3D Printer 02
Chapter 2 Tools and Techniques

2.1 Tools Required For 3D Printer 07

2.2 Techniques Used 18
Chapter 3 Implementation Approaches

3.1. Initialization 29
Chapter 4 Reliability Prediction
4.1 Introduction to Reliability 41
4.2 Implementation Approach 41
Chapter 5 Conclusion

5.1 Difficulties faced 47

5.2 Future Scope 47
References
 Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION
HISTORY

OBJECTIVES

SCOPE AND MAGNITUDE

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

ABOUT THE 3D PRINTER

PAGE 1
 O ver the course of half a century, Electronics has evolved into an essential area
of research and innovation. In fact, it’s arguably the most research and
development prone engineering discipline. The building blocks of electronics
are passive components such as Resistors, Capacitors, and Inductors etc.
1.1 History
History of printing starts from the duplication of images by means of stamps
th th
followed by the flat bed printing process in 18 century. In mid of the 19 centuries
color printing called as Chromolithography became very popular. A revolution
occurred when the print workings, specifically a 2D printer was used as a peripheral
device, which made a persistent human readable representation of the graphics a text in
paper. After some years the concept of 3D printer starts evolving, a new way to look at
the past printing technologies.

Our report emphasizes on the design and development of a low cost 3D printer with
mobile and computer from anywhere. 3D printer basically is concept to make or print
the objects layer by layer and thus making it so called “Three dimensional”.

Nowadays 3D printer available is of higher costs that is due to the printing

technology used and the material used in 3D printer, so this projects sparks upon
making the 3D printer low cost by using the scrap materials and designing a frame for
the 3D printer.
The main aim of this project is to make the 3D printer available to a common man
making this equipment easy to operate and automate working once the command and
specific design is given to this device. So operating time will automatically decrease as
it can handle the task without any human intervention .This also makes this device
reasonable and approachable to everyone this project. This project deals or in other
words targets the people who has cost as a main constrain and thus making a 3D printer
useful in school laboratories, making imitation jewellery for women, automobile
industries, making a prototype material in industries etc.

PAGE 2
 This project aims to produce a plastic 3D output and make it accurate as close as
possible compared to the present 3D printer requirements. This technology is a newly
expanding find in terms of increasing the efficiency, increase in accuracy of product,
reducing the cost of the printer. 3D printing technology is all about developing the
self-replicating machine and brings versatility due to which medical implants are
possible through these printers’ end products. This technology has a drastic impact
and can bring a radical change in our world as more and more people are getting
accesses to these amazing machines.

1.2 Objective
This chapter deals with the introduction, design and goal and the basic working
principle of how the project works with a simplified block diagram and its brief
explanation. Thus with this chapter the main motive of the project would be clear
with the basic understanding of the project

1.3 Significance of the Study

3D Printing technology could revolutionize and re-shape the world. Advances in 3D
printing technology can significantly change and improve the way we manufacture
products and produce goods worldwide. An object is scanned or designed with Computer
Aided Design software, then sliced up into thin layers, which can then be printed out to
form a solid three-dimensional product. As previously described, the importance of an
invention can be appraised by determining which of the human needs it fulfills.
3D printing, on the other hand, can enable fast, reliable, and repeatable means of
producing tailor-made products which can still be made inexpensively due to automation
of processes and distribution of manufacturing needs. If the last industrial revolution
brought us mass production and the advent of economies of scale - the digital 3D printing
revolution could bring mass manufacturing back a full circle - to an era of mass
personalization, and a return to individual craftsmanship.

1.4 About the 3D Printer

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), refers to processes used
to synthesize a three-dimensional object in which successive layers of material are
formed under computer control to create an object. Objects can be of almost any
shape or geometry and are produced using digital model data from a 3D model or
another electronic data source such as an Additive Manufacturing File (AMF) file.

PAGE 3
 The term "3D printing's origin sense is in reference to a process that deposits a
binder material onto a powder bed with inkjet printer heads layer by layer. More
recently, the term is being used in popular vernacular to encompass a wider variety of
additive manufacturing techniques. ISO/ASTM52900-15 defines seven categories of
AM processes within its meaning: Binder Jetting, Directed Energy Deposition, Material
Extrusion, Material Jetting, Powder Bed Fusion, Sheet Lamination and Vat Photo
polymerization.

Rapid Prototyping

Rapid prototyping is a group of techniques used to quickly fabricate a scale model

of a physical part or assembly using three-dimensional computer aided design (CAD)
data. Construction of the part or assembly is usually done using 3D printing or
"additive layer manufacturing" technology.

The first methods for rapid prototyping became available in the late 1980s and
were used to produce models and prototype parts. Today, they are used for a wide
range of applications and are used to manufacture production-quality parts. Historical
surveys of RP technology start with discussions of simulacra production techniques
used by 19th-century sculptors. The ability to reproduce designs from a dataset has
given rise to issues of rights, as it is now possible to interpolate volumetric data from
one-dimensional images. As with CNC subtractive methods, the computer-aided-
design - computer-aided manufacturing CAD-CAM workflow in the traditional Rapid
Prototyping process starts with the creation of geometric data, either as a 3D solid
using a CAD workstation, or 2D slices using a scanning device.

PAGE 4
Simplified Block Diagram

Figure 2 (c) Block Diagram of the Entire System

This above block diagram describes the basic working of the product. As shown in
above block diagram:

• Firstly a 3D object is designed using a CAD Tool and then is converted in such a
file format specifically a G-Code using software’s like Cura or Repetier that is
understandable by the electronics that mainly includes the Microcontroller.
• Input is given to the electronics that give commands to the motors according to
the design in the CAD Tool.

• The mechanical components including motors, extruder works accordingly and

thus a layer by layer object is printed (in layman language plastic is glued) on the
print plate or glass plate. After the 3D object gets cooled to a certain
temperature the final end product can be taken out.

PAGE 5
In this way the simple process works to build a 3D object. Thus a prototyping of the
project also becomes easier as the specified or the required designed on an initial
stage is formatted on a CAD Tool and your printer starts to print! To get a change in
the final product structure the design in the CAD Tool only needs the change, rest
all the working remains unchanged.

PAGE 6
 Chapter 2
TOOLS,EQUIPMENTS AND
TECHNIQUES
TOOLS REQUIRED FOR 3D PRINTER

TECHNIQUES USED

PAGE 7
 A ny study, primarily, depends upon the proper selection of tools required for
the study and techniques used to achieve the goal with high accuracy and
precision.
In this chapter, we discuss about the Tools and Techniques which we have used
through out our study.

2.1 Tools And Equipments Required

Component Description

This chapter includes the description of various different components used in the
development of the system project. It is really very necessary to describe the features
of the components that are used in the designing of the system. This chapter includes
the brief description of the components along with their pin configuration and
different features.

2.1.1 Frame
Selection of frame is an essential part for system designing. This frame gives the
support to the printer. All the axes of the motor added to this frame. The threaded
rods are mounted on this frame and rubber strips controlled by motor action.

Figure 2 (a) Frame structure (1) Figure 2 (b) Frame structures (2)

PAGE 8
 2.1.2 Extruder

Figure 2 (c) Extruder

Extruder consists of two parts, a cold top part that feeds the plastic filament, hot part
at bottom that melts and extrudes the plastic. The speed of the extruder head may
also be controlled, to stop and start deposition and form and interrupted plane
without stringing or dribbing between sections.

2.1.3 Stepper Motor

The stepper motor is an electromagnetic device that converts digital pulses into
mechanical shaft rotation. Many advantages are achieved using this kind of motors,
such as higher Simplicity, since no brushes or contacts are present, low cost, high
reliability, high torque at low speeds, and high accuracy of motion.

This project involves the usage of at least five motors specifically five stepper motors
.one motor to control the Y-axis, the other to control the X-axis, two to control Z-axis
and one to control the extruder. The configuration of all the five motors is same and
the driver is used to drive the motor.

PAGE 9
 Figure 2 (d) Stepper motor Nema 17

The two types of stepper motors that are the bipolar motor and unipolar motor. The
bipolar and unipolar motors are similar, except that the Unipolar has a center tap on
each winding.

Don’t forget to name the motors when completing the electronics part so that the
wiring won’t get very confusing and untidy.

2.1.4 Driver A4988

Figure 2 (e) A4988 Driver

The driver features adjustable current limiting, over current protection, and five
different micro step resolutions. It operates from 8 – 35 V and can deliver up to 2 A
per coil. Five drivers are used for running 5 motors. Heat bed is pasted on the ramp so
that IC should not be burned out.

PAGE 10
Things to remember:

• To place the driver on Ramp 1.4 in a way that the pins of the driver should not
bent.

• To look whether the Ramp IC is burning.

• Heat bed to be attached on each driver.

Figure 2 (f) Simplified connection of Driver and controller

Below shows the variation of output after changing the value of MS1 MS2
and MS3.

MS1 MS2 MS3 Resolution

Low Low Low Full step

High Low Low Half step

Low High Low Quarter step

High High Low Eighth step

Table 3.1 Changing value of MS1, MS2 and MS3

PAGE 11
 2.1.5 Plastics
Plastics are one of the most important materials that are required because it is the
material of which the end product is made. This project uses two types of plastics.

2.1.5.1 Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) Plastics

It is a common thermoplastic polymer and is amorphous in nature .The most

important prospect of this material is its resistance power subjective to force and
toughness.

2.1.5.2 Polylactic Acid or Polyactide (PLA) Plastics

It is a biodegradable plastic material which is made from renewable resources such

as corn starch and sugarcane. The main difference between the two plastics is that
the ABS plastic type is known for its toughness whereas the other is known for its soft
type of material. Thus for different purpose different plastic materials are used.

Figure 2 (g) ABS Plastic Figure 2 (h) PLA Plastic

2.1.6 The Software That Needs to Be Installed On the Computer to Run the Model:
• Arduino Software:
This application allows installing the printer firmware on the ATMEGA 2560
microprocessor. To update the firmware each time this installation is required.

• Slic3r Software:
The application to slice STL files into the G-Code is called as Slic3r Software. Each time
the part that needs to be printed needs this type of software.

PAGE 12
• Host Software:
Before the print job this application is responsible for the communication with the
electronics. In simple words it makes the printing output to be ready before the actual
printing job.

2.1.7 TO DO LIST: Basic electronics connection:

Step 1: Look for an appropriate power source that will give the circuit 12V. For safety we
should SMPS.

Figure 2 (i) SMPS (12 V)

Step 2: Paste heat sink on the drivers as shown below so that the IC would not get
damaged.

Figure 2 (j) A4988 Driver

PAGE 13
 Figure 2 (k) A4988 Driver

Step 3: Take Arduino 2560 and Ramp 1.4 male and connect it as shown.

Figure 2 (l) Arduino Atmega 2560

Figure 2 (m) Ramp 1.4D

PAGE 14
 Figure 2 (n) Connection of Arduino 2560 and Ramp 1.4D (1)

Figure 2 (o) Connection of Arduino 2560 and Ramp 1.4D (2)

Step 4: Attach all the 5 drivers on the Ramp 1.4 as shown below and connect all the
stepper Motor’s to the drivers.

Figure 2 (p) Connection of Arduino 2560 and Ramp 1.4D

PAGE 15
 Figure 2 (q) Running motors through electronics

2.1.8 Framework
After assembling the whole electronics part now it is the time for the mechanical
structure to be decided and to fit our electronics in it.

• Decide the frame structure.

• Assemble the structure using rods or waveguide structure and integrate

electronics in it.

2.1.9 Hot bed

A popular add-on for our printer is the heated bed. These significantly reduce the
amount of warping on printed parts, especially on the lower layers. Warping is caused
by the uneven cooling of outer and inner sections of a printed part. The material at
the outside of a part will cool and thus shrink faster than the material inside. This will
cause the cooler material to warp or bend while the hot material won’t. This uneven
shrinking will cause straight edges to bend and might cause structural failure in parts.
Warping is especially a problem for the lower layers of a part since the print plate will
cool those layers much faster than higher layers.

PAGE 16
PAGE 17
CAD Model

Figure 2.(R): Left hand side view of 3-D Printer

Figure. 2 (S): Front view of 3-D Printer

PAGE 18
2.2 Techniques Used
2.2.1 Working with Files

There are several different file types used in 3D Printing file extensions that includes
.stl, .fff, .gcode, .factory. STL and OBJ files are the output from the CAD Software’s.
After the STL and OBJ files are imported the next work is to add the process. This
process adds all the information that how the object is sliced and printed on the print
plate including the settings of the extruder, infill, temperature, supports etc. After this
process is saved and exported a FFF file is created. If we want to again change the
process settings for example changing the printing speed, infill percentage etc. There
comes option of “Edit Process Settings”. After making such modification the OK option
is clicked to save the changes.

G Code / X3G files gives the instructions for the printer .G code tells the
machines how much to move, where to move ,how fast to move .Such types of settings
are also called as 3D Printing Tool Path. G code uses plain text format while the X3G
uses binary language which is used by the machine with the maker boat type firm
wares.

Factory files is a combined file to retain the simplify 3D Project. It offers a

unique way to save all the data about the project into a comprehensive file called as

PAGE 19
“Factory File”. This file includes copy of 3D models been imported, their positions on
bed, process settings etc. 3D Printers typically uses software that “slices” a 3D model
into layers and then the software generates a GCode that extrudes the plastic to fill
each layer. Mostly slicer software works, CAD program is compatible of producing
STL’s.

2.2.2 How 3D Printer Works?

The basic working principle of 3D printer is to print the object layer by layer fill the
targeted object design and to finish the printer has a frame structure and three axis
x y and z axis that moves left to right front to back and up and down .

The component called extruder which is responsible for feeding the plastic to print
and melt the plastic. To print the plastic layer the movement of the extruder and
stepper motor need to be controlled for that PWM generated by the Arduino is
used, the g-code generated is used to drive the axis accordingly with help of CAD
tools targeted objects are designed and converted into g codes with the help of
software like Cura and being given to electronics that includes motor which is placed
on the frame according to the frame design. According to the commands given to
the electronics motor works and through the help of extruder which is also running
through the motor melts the plastic accordingly on the print plate.

The plastic material used in this project is bio degradable plastic materials. After
the object is finished the final object is taken out. In this way the process started
with the designing object specifically a 3D object and ended with the generating the
same 3D object same object in front our eyes!

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2.2.3 PROCEDURES FOR PRINTING

PROCEDURES FOR PRINTING

There are some procedures for printing. First you must create a computer model
for printing the object. For creating that, you can use Computer Aided Design
Software like AutoCAD, 3DS Max etc. After the object file is created, the file need to
be modified. The object file contains numerous amount of curves. Curves cannot be
printed by the printer directly. The curves has to be converted to STL (Stereo
lithography) file format. The STL file format conversion removes all the curves and
it is replaced with linear shapes. Then the file need to be sliced into layer by layer.

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The layer thickness is so chosen to meet the resolution of the 3D printer we are
using. If you are unable to draw objects in CAD software, there are many websites
available which are hosted by the 3D printing companies to ease the creation of 3D
object. The sliced file is processed and generates the special coordinates. These
coordinates can be processed by a controller to generate required signal to the
motor for driving extruder. This layer by layer process generate a complete object.

2.2.4 DESIGNING USING CAD

Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computer systems to assist in the

creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. CAD software is used
to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve
communications through documentation, and to create a database for
manufacturing. CAD output is often in the form of electronic files for print,
machining, or other manufacturing operations.

CAD software for mechanical design uses either vector-based graphics to depict the
objects of traditional drafting, or may also produce raster graphics showing the
overall appearance of designed objects. However, it involves more than just shapes.
As in the manual drafting of technical and engineering drawings, the output of CAD
must convey information, such as materials, processes, dimensions, and tolerances,
according to application-specific conventions.

CAD may be used to design curves and figures in two-dimensional (2D) space; or
curves, surfaces, and solids in three-dimensional (3D) space. CAD is an important
industrial art extensively used in many applications, including automotive,
shipbuilding, and aerospace industries, industrial and architectural design,
prosthetics, and many more. CAD is also widely used to produce computer
animation for special effects in movies, advertising and technical manuals, often
called DCC digital content creation. The modern ubiquity and power of computers
means that even perfume bottles and shampoo dispensers are designed using
techniques unheard of by engineers of the 1960s. Because of its enormous
economic importance, CAD has been a major driving force for research in
computational geometry, computer graphics (both hardware and software), and
discrete differential geometry.

The design of geometric models for object shapes, in particular, is occasionally

called computer-aided geometric design (CAGD). Unexpected capabilities of these

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associative relationships have led to a new form of prototyping called digital
prototyping. In contrast to physical prototypes, which entail manufacturing time in
the design. That said, CAD models can be generated by a computer after the physical
prototype has been scanned using an industrial CT scanning machine. Depending on
the nature of the business, digital or physical prototypes can be initially chosen
according to specific needs.

Today, CAD systems exist for all the major platforms (Windows, Linux, UNIX and
Mac OS X); some packages even support multiple platforms which enhances the
capabilities of 3D printing into a new level.

2.2.5 CONVERSION TO STL FILE FORMAT

An STL file is a triangular representation of a 3D surface geometry. The surface is

tessellated logically into a set of oriented triangles (facets). Each facet is described
by the unit outward normal and three points listed in counterclockwise order
representing the vertices of the triangle. While the aspect ratio and orientation of
individual facets is governed by the surface curvature, the size of the facets is driven
by the tolerance controlling the quality of the surface representation in terms of the
distance of the facets from the surface. The choice of the tolerance is strongly
dependent on the target application of the produced STL file. In industrial
processing, where stereolithography machines perform a computer controlled layer
by layer laser curing of a photo-sensitive resin, the tolerance may be in order of 0.1
mm to make the produced 3D part precise with highly worked out details. However
much larger values are typically used in pre-production STL prototypes, for example
for visualization purposes.

The native STL format has to fulfill the following specifications:

(i) The normal and each vertex of every facet are specified by three coordinates
each, so there is a total of 12 numbers stored for each facet.

(ii) Each facet is part of the boundary between the interior and the exterior of the
object. The orientation of the facets (which way is ``out'' and which way is ``in'') is
specified redundantly in two ways which must be consistent. First, the direction of
the normal is outward. Second, the vertices are listed in counterclockwise order
when looking at the object from the outside (right-hand rule).

PAGE 23
 (iii) Each triangle must share two vertices with each of its adjacent triangles. This is
known as vertex-to-vertex rule.

(iv)The object represented must be located in the all-positive octant (all vertex
coordinates must be positive).

However, for non-native STL applications, the STL format can be generalized. The
normal, if not specified (three zeroes might be used instead), can be easily
computed from the coordinates of the vertices using the right-hand rule. Moreover,
the vertices can be located in any octant. And finally, the facet can even be on the
interface between two objects (or two parts of the same object). This makes the
generalized STL format suitable for modelling of 3D non-manifolds objects.

2.2.4 Methods of 3d Printing

There are a few different methods of 3d printing, of which I will explain the pro's and con's
for instrument making.
Selective laser sintering (SLS)
 Description

This method uses a high powered laser to melt powder together. When set up carefully, this
can create an almost perfectly uniform material of nearly injection mold quality. This make
for very durable products. This is very interesting for musical instruments, as this allows us
to create objects with the same materials as conventional instruments, but with the ease of
printing instead of manual labor. The method is relatively simple, due to inherent supports it
avoids additional step in between the 3d model and printing. The surface quality is fair, but
not as detailed as other techniques.
 Materials

Plastics, Elastomers, Metal, Ceramics, Glass

 Product example

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Stereolithography (SLA)
 Description

A layer of fluid resin is hardened by UV or laser. It makes for great surface quality and build
accuracy. Useful, as this removes the need for post-finishing. But the products remain
brittle, which disqualifies this method for musical instruments, because an instrument which
could break during performance, is no use at all.
 Materials

Epoxy polymers, both rigid or flexible

Product example

PAGE 25

Machines which use this technique

Polyjet or Jetted Photopolymer (J-P)

 Description

Extrudes a photo polymer which hardens with UV light. Can create rubber-like objects. This
could be interesting for creating one-piece string instruments (is 1 - 20 MPa Tensile strength
enough??
 Materials

PAGE 26

Machines which use this technique
Fused deposition modeling/fused filament fabrication (FDM/FFF)
 Description

The most seen 3d printing method, as most inexpensive machines use this method. (Usually)
A plastic wire is molten and laid down in layers. Inherently unsolid material, always has air-
spaces and fuse lines. In default setting this provides a material which is not interesting for
musical instruments, but with a careful setup, the air spaces could be tuned, so it could
resonate in a controlled fashion. A big advantage is that is method is used in the cheapest and
most common 3d printers. This is also the method that seems to make most promise for cheap
home printers.
 Materials
ABS, PC, concrete, chocolate, icing and other food
 Product example

Cladding or Laser Powder Forming or Laser Fusing

 Description

Instead of feeding the printing head a solid core of material, a powder is fed. This provides a
more accurate method. It creates a full density product without porosity or weld-lines. A
method for making very detailed and small parts. This method seem perfect for 3d printing
replica's of mouthpieces. The biggest disadvantage is that this is one of the most expensive 3d
printing methods.
 Materials

Metal, Ceramic, Polymer

 Product example

PAGE 27
  Machines which use this technique

Laminated object manufacturing or LOM

 Description

Sheets of raw material are laid on each other, after which it will be cut out by laser or knife.
Objects can get wood-like properties, by simulating year ring.
 Materials
 Paper, Plastic or Metals.
 Product example

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PAGE 29
 Chapter 3
IMPLEMENTATION
APPROACHES
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO IMPLEMENTATION APPROACHES

30
3.1 Implementation Approaches:
The Repetier-Host is a simple to use host software, which is be compatible with most firmwares
around. You can add and position your STL files on the simulated printbed and slice them all together.
For slicing you can use the built-in Slic3r slicer or use the well-known Skeinforge. Just call "Slice &
Load" and the job gets delegated to the current slicer, showing its output in the log window.

In the G-Code editor you can change or analyze your code. To help you a short description of the
current code is shown below the editor.

The host runs on Windows XP or higher, Linux, and Mac OS X.

 Easy to use GUI.

 Easy to use Windows, Linux or Mac OS X installation.

 Communicates in classic ASCII mode or using binary Repetier-Protocol.

 Includes the fast Slic3r slicer.

 Alternatively integrates Skeinforge as second slicer.

 STL composer - place, rotate and scale your STL files on your printbed and store or slice it.

 STL files are automatically converted to G-Code.

 Visual preview of G-Code. You can even change the code and see the difference.

 Syntax highlighting and code explanation.

 Visualizes the G-Code sent to the printer.

 Shows estimated print time.

 Supports SD cards.

 Simple control panel for tests.

 Jobs can be changed in internal editor before being sent to the printer.

 Supports multiple 3D printers.

 Logs commands and responses.

 Test generator for printer calibration.

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Step:1 Configuretion of a Printer Settings in Repetier-Host

32
 Printer Settings is where you choose the size that your printer can print, and how
it communicates with the computer. Open Repetier-Host and click Printer
Settings, located in the top right region of Repetier. Remember these settings
because you'll need to enter them again later in the slicer settings.
PAGE 33
 Once you're in Printer Settings, click Add at the top (next to Configuration) to add
a new printer. Be sure to enter a meaningful name because you'll need to refer to
this again if you choose to set up multiple printers. Once you've added a new
printer, you should see 4 tabs to choose from: Connection, Behavior, Dimension,
and Advanced. This is where you enter your printer's general settings. These are
different for each printer and should be provided for you by the printer
manufacturer.

Step 2: Configure Your Slicing Settings:

 This is where you configure settings for the filament, temperature settings, infill,
speed, and support material. To configure the slicing settings, click the Slicer tab
in the upper right region of Repetier, then click Configure.

 Once you've clicked Configure, a window will pop up with 3 tabs at the top: Print
Settings, Filament Settings, and Printer Settings. There are options in each of these
tabs that will need to be selected. In Print Settings, there are many options located
on the left side.

34
Step 3: Configure Your Slicing Settings: Print Settings

PAGE 35
 Let's start with Layers and Perimeters. This is where we set the layer heights and
the vertical and horizontal shells. For layer height, go ahead and set it to whatever
height we like; .1mm is considered fine and .3mm is considered rough, so a
number between .15mm and .2mm is a good compromise between speed and
print quality. It's a good idea to set your first layer height to around .3mm even if
your part has a finer resolution than that. Doing this will help the first layer go
down properly, which helps limit any print failures in the first layer.

 The next setting to configure is Infill. Here we choose the percent that the solid
regions of our object are filled in. we usually choose something between 10% and
15%. Using less infill can greatly reduce the print time, material consumption, and
weight of our objects. There are a few options to choose from when it comes to
fill patterns. we've found that honeycomb tends to be the strongest. Since the
toolpaths of rectilinear are more optimized, rectilinear is a good cross between
print time and strength.

 Once the infill is set, it's time to move on to speed. Printers can print anywhere
from 1mm/s to over 400mm/s. Generally, as the speed goes up, the quality goes
down. I typically print at 60mm/s to 120mm/s. In this screenshot, the printer is set
to 60mm/s travel and a variety of other speeds for when it’s printing. I would
multiply all of these settings by a constant scalar if you choose to increase the print
speed. These speeds vary because some parts are tougher to print than others and
these areas need to cool more before they can support more material.

 The next setting is Skirt and Brim, where we can choose how much filament is
extruded to prime the nozzle. The default setting should be 2 loops 6mm away
from the object. we’ve found that this works well for priming the extruder for both
large and small prints. If we have this set and notice that it's not fully priming the
extruder, either the number of loops or the distance from the object can be
increased. Either of these increases will push more filament through to the prime
the nozzle more. One thing we should keep in mind when changing the distance
from the object is that as the distance increases, you become more able to
approximate if the bed is level before it starts the print. The downside is that as
the distance from the object increases, the print gets closer to the maximum build
area, and if we're already close to one or more edges, the printer is more likely to
crash or print off the bed

Step 4: Configure Your Slicing Settings: Filament Settings

36
 The filament settings can be found in the slicer settings under the Filament Setting
tab, to the right of Print Settings. Configuring these is relatively simple. First input
the filament diameter, which can be found on the filament spool — it’s usually
1.75mm or 3.00mm. The extrusion multiplier should be 1, unless you're
compensating for under- or over-extrusion.

 The temperature depends on the filament type: PLA ranges from roughly 200°C–
230°C, and ABS ranges from roughly 230°C–260°C. It’s a good idea to start on the
low end and work your way up. If the filament doesn’t stick to the bed, the heat
should probably be turned up. If the filament is coming out like soup, it should be
turned down. To help adhere to the bed, it’s a good idea to set the first layer 5°C
to 10°C higher than the rest.

 Heating the bed can help with PLA adhesion, but it's only required when printing
with ABS. The perfect temperature for printing with ABS is around 110°C, but
PAGE 37
 unfortunately it can take a long time for the bed to reach this temperature.
Depending on the printer, the bed can be set to slightly lower temperatures. A
sign that that bed temperature is too low is that the prints start to peel off the bed
while they're being printed.

Step 5: Configure Your Slicing Settings: Printer Settings

The last step to configuring the slicer settings is configuring the printer settings. These
settings can be found in the slicer settings under the Printer Settings tab to the right
of Filament Settings. Configuring this section feels like doing double work because it’s
nearly the same information that was input to Printer Settings (found in the top right
of Repetier). Once you're in Printer Settings in the slicer, click General and enter the
bed size and the center position.

38
Step 6: Add Scale and Rotate the STL Files

 To add an STL file to Repetier, click on the Object Placement tab, then click Add
STL File. The object should drop down onto the platform.
PAGE 39
  To change the size of the object, type a scale factor into the box to the right of
Scale (see screenshot). By default this scales the x, y, and z axes by the same
amount. If you wish to scale each axis differently, uncheck Lock Aspect Ratio.

 You can rotate the object by adjusting the x, y, and z values next to Translation.

Step 7: Printing

 Once the printer is connected and the slicer is configured, it's time to slice and
print your object. NOTE: Some Windows versions of Repetier have a bug in the
software that prevents the printer from printing. If you're having trouble
connecting, try clicking Manual Control then OK in the bottom right next to Debug
Options.

 Slicing must be done before printing. To slice an object, click Slicer, then click Slice
with Slic3r.

 Once the slicing is complete, you can click Run to start your print, or SD Card to
start an untethered print. As of now, the SD card option is somewhat buggy, but
works most of the time.
40
 Chapter 4

RELIABILITY PREDICTION OF
PASSIVE ELECTRONICS
COMPONENTS CONNECTIONS
INTRODUCTION TO RELIABILITY

COMPONENTS CONNECTION

PAGE 41
4.1 Brief description of Reliability
Reliability engineering is the engineering that totally emphasizes on the dependability of
the lifecycle of the product to the various factors. Reliability describes the ability of a
system or component to function under stated conditions for a specified period of time.
Reliability can be defined as the probability of a device performing its purpose adequately
for the period intended under given operating conditions.
There are four important factors namely,

A. The reliability of a device is expressed as a probability,

B. The device is required to give adequate performance,
C. The duration of adequate performance is specified, and
D. The environmental or operating conditions are prescribed.
Reliability mathematically can be defined as the probability of success for a given period
of time i.e. (Reliability = 1 - Probability of Failure), as the frequency of failures, or in terms
of availability, as a probability derived from reliability.

4.2 Implementation approach:-

RAMPS 1.4 is probably the most widely used electronics for RepRap machines as of March 2014.
It consists of a RAMPS 1.4 shield, an Arduino Mega 2560 board (or a clone), and a max of five
Pololu Stepper drivers. It can control up to 5 stepper motors with 1/16 stepping precision and
interface with a hotend, a heatbed, a fan (or a second hotend), a LCD controller, a 12V (or 24V
with appropriate modification) power supply, up to three thermistors, and up to six end stoppers.

PAGE 42
1. Insert jumpers to RAMPS 1.4
The jumpers (in the plastic bag below) control the precision of the motor movement. To have the
most precise stepping (1/16 micro stepping), insert three jumpers to each of the areas outlined
below：

2. Connect the Boards

Stack the RAMPS 1.4 shield on top of the Arduino Mega 2560 board. Make sure the
orientation is correct as shown above. The Mega 2560 board’s USB side is directly under
RAMPS 1.4 shied’s “D8 D9 D10” area.

Next stack the Pololu steppers on top of the RAMPS 1.4 shield. MAKE SURE THE
ORIENTATION IS CORRECT AS SHOWN BELOW! The potential meter (outlined in red on the
right picture below) should be facing away from the “D10 D9 D8” side on the RAMPS 1.4
shield. We have heard numerous cases where these steppers got fried because of incorrect
orientation. Install the heat sinks on the Pololu steppers, and make sure the heat sink are not
touching multiple components on the Pololu stepper (the clearance could be small, but it is
there!)

PAGE 43
3. Crimp Connectors

Motors, hotend thermistor, and the heatbed thermistor have bare wires. You need to crimp
the Dupont connector pins and attach the connector shells. It might be easy to use a crimping
tool (the best place to find one is Ebay or Radio shack), but needle nose pliers also work.

When crimping the motor connectors, follow the Black-Green-Blue-Red order. If you find the
motor spinning the opposite direction later, simply disconnect and flip the connector (make
sure you do this while the power is off, otherwise you risk frying the Pololu boards).

The thermistor connector does not have a particular orientation.

4. Connect the Power Supply

If you are in a region with 110V outlet, first open the case and and switch to the 110V mode.

Cut the end of the power plug (not included in the kit) to reveal
the three wires: Brown, Blue, Green (you might get a different
set of colors depending on your power plug. If that’s the case,
use a multi-meter to determine the L, N, and G nodes). Strip
these wires and connect them to the power supply unit’s L, N,
G nodes respectively. Untighten the screws and slide the
stripped wires underneath, and retighten them. Give the wires
a gentle pull to make sure they are tightened properly.

PAGE 44
Get four spare wires and connect them on the two Com(V-) and the two V+ nodes.
Connect the other ends to the RAMPS 1.4 shield’s power input nodes:

PAGE 45
5. Connect Motors, Thermistors, Hotend, Heatbed, and Fan.

If you find motors spinning in a different direction, please switch the power off and simply flip the
motor connector. There are two connectors in parallel for Z axis, since most machines use two
motors to move in Z direction. If you find motors spinning in a different direction, please switch the
power off and simply flip the motor connector. There are two connectors in parallel for Z axis, since
most machines use two motors to move in Z direction.

PAGE 46
 Chapter 5

CONCLUSION
DIFFICULTIES FACED

FUTURE SCOPE

PAGE 47
 L et’s conclude the important aspects related to our project. This chapter includes the
difficulties which we have faced during our study and future scope of this project.

5.1 Difficulties Faced

1. Output/Quality Problems with 3D Printing.

2. The Process Is Unreliable. Too Much 3D Printer Troubleshooting

3. The Workflow.

4. The Target: It’s Wrong.

5: The Market: It’s Prematurely Mature.

5.2 Future Scope

NASA engineers are 3-D printing parts, which are structurally stronger and more reliable than
conventionally crafted parts, for its space launch system. The Mars Rover comprises some 70 3-D-
printed custom parts. Scientists are also exploring the use of 3-D printers at the International Space
Station to make spare parts on the spot. What once was the province of science fiction has now
become a reality.
Medicine is perhaps one of the most exciting areas of application. Beyond the use of 3-D printing in
producing prosthetics and hearing aids, it is being deployed to treat challenging medical conditions,
and to advance medical research, including in the area of regenerative medicine. The breakthroughs
in this area are rapid and awe-inspiring.
Whether or not they arrive en-mass in the home, 3D printers have many promising areas of potential
future application. They may, for example, be used to output spare parts for all manner of products,
and which could not possibly be stocked as part of the inventory of even the best physical store.
Hence, rather than throwing away a broken item (something unlikely to be justified a decade or two
hence due to resource depletion and enforced recycling), faulty goods will be able to be taken to a
local facility that will call up the appropriate spare parts online and simply print them out. NASA has
already tested a 3D printer on the International Space Station, and recently announced its requirement
for a high resolution 3D printer to produce spacecraft parts during deep space missions. The US
Army has also experimented with a truck-mounted 3D printer capable of outputting spare tank and
other vehicle components in the battlefield.
As noted above, 3D printers may also be used to make future buildings. To this end, a team at
Loughborough University is working on a 3D concrete printing project that could allow large
building components to be 3D printed on-site to any design, and with improved thermal properties.
Another possible future application is in the use of 3D printers to create replacement organs for
the human body. This is known as bio printing, and is an area of rapid development. You can learn
more on the bio printing page, or see more in my bio printing or the Future Visionsgallery.

PAGE 48
ROCKET ENGINE
NASA's first attempt at using 3D-printed parts for rocket engines has passed its biggest, and
hottest, test yet. The largest 3D-printed rocket part built to date, a rocket engine injector,
survived a major hot-fire test. The injector generated 10 times more thrust than any injector
made by 3D printing before, the space agency announced. A NASA video of the 3D-printed rocket
part test shows the engine blazing to life at the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in
Huntsville Ala.

SpaceX's Dragon capsule has been taking cargo to the International Space Station since 2012.
Dragon V2 comes with new "SuperDraco" 16,000 lb-thrust engines that can be restarted
multiple times if necessary. In addition, the engines have the ability to deep throttle,
providing astronauts with precise control and enormous power.

The SuperDraco engine chamber is manufactured using 3D printing technology, the state-of-
the-art direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) which uses lasers to quickly manufacture high-
quality parts from metal powder layer by layer. The chamber is regeneratively cooled and

PAGE 49
printed in Inconel, a high-performance superalloy that offers both high strength and
toughness for increased reliability. Fig.14 shows the image of the SuperDraco engine.

Totally eight SuperDraco engines built into the side walls of the Dragon spacecraft will
produce up to 120,000 pounds of axial thrust to carry astronauts to safety should an
emergency occur during launch.

As a result, Dragon will be able to provide astronauts with the unprecedented ability to
escape from danger at any point during the ascent trajectory, not just in the first few minutes.
In addition, the eight SuperDraco provide redundancy, so that even if one engine fails an
escape can still be carried out successfully.

3D BIO-PRINTING

3D bioprinting is the process of generating spatially-controlled cell patterns using 3D printing

technologies, where cell function and viability are preserved within the printed construct.
Using 3D bioprinting for fabricating biological constructs typically involves dispensing cells
onto a biocompatible scaffold using a successive layer-by-layer approach to generate tissue-
like three-dimensional structures. Given that every tissue in the body is naturally
compartmentalized of different cell types, many technologies for printing these cells vary in
their ability to ensure stability and viability of the cells during the manufacturing process.
Some of the methods that are used for 3D bioprinting of cells are photolithography, magnetic
bioprinting, stereolithography, and direct cell extrusion. When a bioprinted pre-tissue is
transferred to an incubator then this cell-based pre-tissue matures into a tissue.

3D-bioprinting attributes to significant advances in the medical field of tissue engineering by

allowing for research to be done on innovative materials called biomaterials. Biomaterials are
the materials adapted and used for printing three-dimensional objects. Some of the most
notable bioengineered substances that are usually stronger than the average bodily
materials, including soft tissue and bone. These constituents can act as future substitutes,
even improvements, for the original body materials. Alginate, for example, is an anionic
polymer with many biomedical implications including feasibility, strong biocompatibility, low
toxicity, and stronger structural ability in comparison to some of the body's structural
material.

PAGE 50
3D PRINTING IS SPACE
In one small step towards space manufacturing, NASA is sending a 3D printer to the International
Space Station. Astronauts will be able to make plastic objects of almost any shape they like inside
a box about the size of a microwave oven enabling them to print new parts to replace broken
ones, and perhaps even to invent useful tools.

The launch, slated for around September 19, will be the first time that a 3D printer flies in space.
The agency has already embraced ground-based 3D printing as a fast, cheap way to make
spacecraft parts, including rocket engine components that are being tested for its next generation
of heavy-lift launch vehicles. NASA hopes that the new capability will allow future explorers to
make spacecraft parts literally on the fly.

PAGE 51
Space experts say that the promise of 3D printing is real, but a long way from the hype that surrounds
it. The printer selected by NASA was built by the company Made in Space, which is based at a
technology park next to NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California. During the
printer’s sojourn on the space station, it will create objects from a heat-sensitive plastic that can be
shaped when it reaches temperatures of about 225–250 °C. The team is keeping quiet about what
type of object it plans to print first, but the general idea is to fashion tools for use aboard the station.

The Made in Space printer is also a testbed for performance of the technology in near-zero
gravity. The machines work by spraying individual layers of a material that build up to form a
complete, 3D object. But in near-weightless environments, there is no gravitational pull to hold
the material down.

Fig.16 shows the image of astronauts with Made in Space 3D printer. Made in Space is looking at
flying a second printer to the space station next year, incorporating design changes from what is
learned during the first flight. There is little point in manufacturing parts in space if they do not
work at least as well as spares that an astronaut might grab from a storage locker, Day notes.
Time is also an issue: Made in Space’s prints typically take between 20 minutes and two hours,
which might not be useful, depending on the urgency of the situation.

PAGE 52
CONCLUSION

As the 3D printer is a device, it should be analysed with the advantages and disadvantages,
how the device can change the society and engineering etc in mind. The very nature of 3D
printing, creating a part layer by layer, instead of subtractive methods of manufacturing lend
themselves to lower costs in raw material. Instead of starting with a big chunk of plastic and
carving away (milling or turning) the surface in order to produce your product. Additive
manufacturing only "prints" what you want, where you want it. Other manufacturing
techniques can be just as wasteful. 3D printing is the ultimate just-in-time method of
manufacturing. No longer do you need a warehouse full of inventory waiting for customers.
Just have a 3D printer waiting to print your next order. On top of that, you can also offer
almost infinite design options and custom products. It doesn't cost more to add a company
logo to every product you have or let your customers pick every feature on their next order,
the sky is the limit with additive manufacturing.

Whether you are designing tennis shoes or space shuttles, you can't just design whatever you
feel like, a good designer always take into account whether or not his design can be
manufactured cost effectively. Additive manufacturing open up your designs to a whole new
level. Because undercuts, complex geometry and thin walled parts are difficult to
manufacture using traditional methods, but are sometimes a piece of cake with 3D printing.
In addition, the mathematics behind 3D printing are simpler than subtractive methods. For
instance, the blades on a centrifugal supercharger would require very difficult path planning
using a 5-axis CNC machine. The same geometry using additive manufacturing techniques is
very simple to calculate, since each layer is analysed separately and 2D information is always
simpler than 3D. This mathematical difference, while hard to explain is the fundamental
reason why 3D printing is superior to other manufacturing techniques. It almost always better
to keep things simple and additive manufacturing is simple by its very nature.

With so many potential benefits of 3D printing, there’s no surprise that this method is making
its way through a diverse number of industries and quickly becoming a favourite tool of
progressive marketers.

Comparing the numerous advantages, applications and future scope, we can conclude that
the 3D printer and its technology is able to create next industrial revolution.

PAGE 53
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