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May 2017

Makerbot 2 using PLA, Solidworks for the model and STL export.

Odd thing that suddenly I cannot print a gear assembly. I can print a gear, or a cylinder, but not a gear attached to a cylinder. Something goes wrong in the transition area.

Any suggestions?

Image 1 = it worked once.

Image 2 = transition from cylinder to gear does not really plot at all.

Image 3 = image 2 parts separated. No structure there.

Image 4 = successful cylinder

Image 5 = a single gear tooth.

Image 6 = a successful gear.

  • created

    May '17
  • last reply

    May '17
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You might want to load the stl. Are the gear and cylinder fully contacting each other? Have they been combined into one wile that is a single shell?

Make sure your drawing is set solid all the pasts you need print.
I had previously similar problem it was drawing itself not printer compiler.

As best as I can tell the STL file is well combined. I’ve reviewed it in 3’rd party STL viewers and it appears fine. I’ll try an STL export from the STL viewer and see the result.

Note - the print head always appears to jam for the one flawed layer. Always in the exact same spot. Then it recovers and completes the print properly. When I preview the print and step through the layers, I don’t see any anomalies.

If you want to email me the file to look at, I would be glad to do that. Mrrabeck at gmail dot com.

Or you can attach it to a reply here.

8 days later

Thanks for your help.

The STL export to x3g you performed for me worked out perfect. I’ve since purchased Simplify3D and am no longer having issues.

Thanks again,

- max

Great to hear that, Max. I’ve always use Simplify3d other than for my Form 2 which has a proprietary slicer.