3d printers and robots

[bs7280]

For those teams out there with 3d printers, how did you guys use them during the year (offseason and build season)? And more specifically, how did you use them with your robots during the build season?

[Josh Drake]

Round belt pulleys have been things that we have printed in the past. They are bulky items that don't have to be too accurate.

[bs7280]

Is it possible to post a picture?

[Boe]

We have printed a large variety of things in the last few seasons. Some things we've printed include:
Variety of spacers
Mini-bot
Wheels
wheel hubs
encoder mounts

[Steven Donow]

Originally Posted by Boe

We have printed a large variety of things in the last few seasons. Some things we've printed include:
Variety of spacers
Mini-bot
Wheels
wheel hubs
encoder mounts

Along with pulleys(and excluding minibot), we've used all this with a 3d printer.

Interestingly, we've not only done round belt pulleys, but have printed round drive pulleys with the belt pattern(the name of which escapes me) with moderate success.

[jwallace15]

Originally Posted by bs7280

Is it possible to post a picture?

Yes. Under "Additional Options" click "Manage Attachments". Then, choose which file to upload and click "Upload". Also note that a picture can be no larger than 2 megabytes.

[Jay O'Donnell]

Originally Posted by jwallace15

Yes. Under "Additional Options" click "Manage Attachments". Then, choose which file to upload and click "Upload". Also note that a picture can be no larger than 2 megabytes.

I believe he meant "could the poster above post a picture". At least now I know how to post a picture

[Josh Drake]

Originally Posted by bs7280

Is it possible to post a picture?

No, moved away. Team no longer exists, sorry

I know Team 3824 uses a quite large 3D printer to print several parts.

[cbale2000]

Here's a few pictures I took at the Michigan State Championships of some 3D printed parts one team used on their robot. Unfortunately I didn't catch which team it was in any of the pictures or video I took, but here they are anyways...

[Calvin Hartley]

Originally Posted by cbale2000

Here's a few pictures I took at the Michigan State Championships of some 3D printed parts one team used on their robot. Unfortunately I didn't catch which team it was in any of the pictures or video I took, but here they are anyways...

Looks like a portion of the Stryke Force (2767) logo in the background of the first image. Looks like their robot too.

[Metalcrafters]

There a few threads with this same question.

We started printing parts for our robot in 2011, more than a few parts. Most of them critical. We felt that it was a worth while effort for our team so we have continued every year since.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/38032
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/38033
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/38034
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/38831
If you have any questions I am sure they will be answered.

My only true advice, understand the design limits of "your" 3D printer and apply your robot designs appropriately.

Good luck with it,

[hammerhead_399]

In the past, we have 3D printed pulleys, electronics mounting towers, gears, molds, potentiometer mounts, and even shooter wheels.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Metalcrafters

My only true advice, understand the design limits of "your" 3D printer and apply your robot designs appropriately.

I usually hate on a lot of teams for really poorly using 3d printing, so this is great advice.

207 is the first team I saw at an event (in 2011) where I really said "WOW! they actually get it! They're using it right!".

[bs7280]

What would the limits be then

[EricH]

Originally Posted by bs7280

What would the limits be then

It depends on the printer and the settings and the material.

For any 3D printed part, there is a size limit--can't build any bigger than the machine's build envelope, unless you're doing something where two parts mate into one.

Different materials print differently, and different temperatures can make a material act differently. For example, we once took a lot of warping out of medium PLA parts by cutting the print head temperature by about 30 C. (For that matter... if you plan to use a color on the robot, test it first. Some colors on the printer WILL act differently--we always had a problem with white PLA cracking, for example, not so much with any other color.)

Support structure can be a limiting factor, but I don't know much about that, so I'll pass on commenting.

The printers I'm used to--RepRap types--are sensitive to a level surface, condition of the heated bed covering tape, temperature of the print head and heated bed, tension of belts, height of the print head above the platform... In short, they HAVE to be dialed in. We'd check how dialed in we were every time we moved one from one location to another (though having it on a cart removed that for a while) and adjust if necessary. That's how sensitive they could be. We also did not have the ability to use support structure, so parts had to be printed in a certain orientation--actually, still an issue.

There's also the issue of precision--3D printers are only as accurate as their print heads' extruder tips in both travel and thickness of material--we'd always figure at least .003" oversize to allow for the tip running thick. Otherwise, holes would need to be drilled out.