The Ship Model Forum

I have a question about the Crew Figures.

Why do people put an egg directly atop a neck?

Such as the right-hand figure, and not a Sphere with a Wedge on its front-lower half, like a Human Head, where the neck enters at the contact of the wedge and sphere (Left-hand figure)

I know that in larger scales the overhang of the wedge/chin/jaw would produce printing problems without supports.

But the actual anatomy of the neck produces those supports in anything from 1/700 to 1/32 scale.

And pardon the 30 second finger sketch.

MB

Consider the following example:

Suppose you have a one ton iron ball sitting on the ground, and you want to lift it with a crane. If you connect the crane and the ball with a thin thread, when you start to lift the thread will break.

When printing, instead of the ball you have the printed object stuck to the FEP film, and the crane is the printer platform that is rising. If the connection between the printer platform and the printed object is too thin (weak) it will break, leaving the print stuck to the film, and the print fails.

If you want to lift the ball with the crane you need a cable that is strong enough to lift one ton (with a little extra for a safety margin).

If you want your prints to succeed the connection between the printer platform and the printed part stuck to the FEP film must be strong enough to carry the force needed to separate the print from the film.

In the image of the figure you posted it is attached to the printer platform only by the soles of the figure's shoes, and this is far too small an attachment to the printer platform to sustain the forces needed to separate the printed part from the film.

Furthermore, as the print proceeds the attachment area to the film gets greater and greater as the cross section area of the printed figure increases (from the feet to the waist). The forces get greater and greater.

To succeed the cross section area of the attachment points to the printed object needs to be about equal to the cross section of the part being printed. You need a large base on the print platform (the "+Platform" function) and additional supports along the printed object to take the stress.

Chitubox often does not provide enough supports, and the printed part separates from the print platform - the print fails. This is especially true with objects that have a large basal area. You have to add additional supports by hand. For a tiny object like your figure you may expend 10 times as much resin on the base and supports as in the figure itself.

Look at the tutorials on YouTube and the Chitubox site and experiment. After a few trials you will get the hang of it.

Phil

DrPR wrote:There is no way that will work! The "footprint" (literally) of the figure is way too small. The upper parts are larger and will stick to the FEP, pulling the figure off the printer surface. Basically the XY surface area of the platform should be larger that the cross section area of the part to be printed.

Down at the lower right in the Chitubox screen click on the "+Platform" button. This should add a platform to the figure.

Last time I looked Chitubox had tome video tutorials. I found them to be very helpful.

In the "Settings" page you need to configure the program for your printer and the resin you are using. That can be tricky.

What printer are you using?

Phil

Thanks for the reply Phil - i use an old Elegoo Mars printer...

There is no way that will work! The "footprint" (literally) of the figure is way too small. The upper parts are larger and will stick to the FEP, pulling the figure off the printer surface. Basically the XY surface area of the platform should be larger that the cross section area of the part to be printed.

Down at the lower right in the Chitubox screen click on the "+Platform" button. This should add a platform to the figure.

Last time I looked Chitubox had tome video tutorials. I found them to be very helpful.

In the "Settings" page you need to configure the program for your printer and the resin you are using. That can be tricky.

What printer are you using?

Phil

DrPR wrote:If you are getting "puddles" the problem probably is not a large enough "raft" or footing - the part that builds up on the printing platform first, with your printed part attached to it.

When the platform lifts to pull the print away from the TFT film there is a lot of force needed to pull the print away from the film. If the attachment to the print platform is too small the print may pull off of the platform before pulling away from the film. When this happens you get a "puddle" of exposed resin on the film and nothing on the print platform.

Phil

Iceman 29 wrote: Your exposure time may be low.

What is your printer type and exposure time setting?

Hi guys,

here is a screen shot- there was no raft in the first place ...and trying to make one doesn't seem to be heading in the right direction..

Iceman 29 wrote:Personally, I have never printed such a small figurine.

I have only printed 1/200 and 1/100.

I'm not sure if it's conclusive for a 2,4 mm high and 0,8 at the widest piece with an LCD printer. I'll have to test it.

Your exposure time may be low.

What is your printer type and exposure time setting?

Hi iceman!

Thank you for your reply; i use an Elegoo Mars Printer, but still having the older LCD (not the newer ones that increase capability).

My exposure time is 9s and bottom exposure time is 90s; lift speed is 65s and retract speed is 90s; admittedly these are the setting i used when making 1/72 armor so these indeed be a major factor in the fail rates as stated previously; the rafts too may have been an issue as looking a commercial 1/700 scale 3d printed figure set, the figures are pretty much lumped together - which i did not do..

Thanks again!

Personally, I have never printed such a small figurine.

I have only printed 1/200 and 1/100.

I'm not sure if it's conclusive for a 2,4 mm high and 0,8 at the widest piece with an LCD printer. I'll have to test it.

Your exposure time may be low.

What is your printer type and exposure time setting?

Thank you everyone for your replies- i appreciate them greatly!

DrPR wrote:If you are getting "puddles" the problem probably is not a large enough "raft" or footing - the part that builds up on the printing platform first, with your printed part attached to it.

When the platform lifts to pull the print away from the TFT film there is a lot of force needed to pull the print away from the film. If the attachment to the print platform is too small the print may pull off of the platform before pulling away from the film. When this happens you get a "puddle" of exposed resin on the film and nothing on the print platform.

If you don't get anything at all (on the film or platform) your exposure time is too short and/or the resin is too cold. Or the light source (liquid crystal display or laser) is malfunctioning. Or you haven't actually selected the correct file for the print job.

There are many tutorials on YouTube explaining how to get successful 3D prints.

Phil

Yes the raft and exposure time...i will have to check if what i used were pretty much inadequate that caused the print failures...

MartinJQuinn wrote:One of our sponsors - ION models - has 700 figures. Check them out here.

Vladi wrote:Hello, also Shelf Oddity have some sets

IJN and USN - officers and sailors
Bofors crew
They look very nice, I will be painting the USN sets soon for my running projects.

If i dont get to print my own successfully, i will consider those links thanks again!

Hello, also Shelf Oddity have some sets

IJN and USN - officers and sailors
Bofors crew

They look very nice, I will be painting the USN sets soon for my running projects.

One of our sponsors - ION models - has 700 figures. Check them out here.

If you are getting "puddles" the problem probably is not a large enough "raft" or footing - the part that builds up on the printing platform first, with your printed part attached to it.

When the platform lifts to pull the print away from the TFT film there is a lot of force needed to pull the print away from the film. If the attachment to the print platform is too small the print may pull off of the platform before pulling away from the film. When this happens you get a "puddle" of exposed resin on the film and nothing on the print platform.

If you don't get anything at all (on the film or platform) your exposure time is too short and/or the resin is too cold. Or the light source (liquid crystal display or laser) is malfunctioning. Or you haven't actually selected the correct file for the print job.

There are many tutorials on YouTube explaining how to get successful 3D prints.

Phil

Hi all,

Searching through the forum about said topic, i noticed there's not too much, and there are a few vendors ( i think?) out there; i had tried to print my own figures, converting larger scale figures to 1/700 but ended up having squashed prints or puddles of hardened resin. Though it may be a trade secret of sorts, can anyone guide me as to the right settings to the 3d printer im using? its a pretty battered second generation resin ( non filament) printer. considering the figures are just usually straight standing they need no supports unlike the usual stuff being printed - but as i said, after a run they just end up puddles or blank.. any info or advice i would greatly appreciate thank you guys!