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Hi everyone.

I would like to print a small hollow tube (250 or 500 micron). I am wondering if there is any approach to make this model and clean the support material.

Any idea in this respect is highly appreciated :slight_smile:

2 Likes
2

A hollow tube positioned along the z-axis (vertical) wouldn’t need any support. But maybe I do not understand the question well. Any pic you could show?

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Hi !

If you just want to print a tube then you have to rotate the part so that the tube faces upwards. The printer then prints just circles one on the other and there is no support requried, if your tube has special features like a 90° turn or similar then there is probably no way to go around support material.

The layer height that you want is relatively high, is there any reason for that ?

If you want to get this tube made i can print it for you, i offer lots of materials and some of them also can be used for support structures that don’t stick to each other and therefore do not need dissolving in any liquid.

https://www.3dhubs.com/siegen/hubs/marius/

Hope to hear from you,

Marius

4

Hey there, @Petros_goori,

What diameter do you want to make your tube? What wall thickness and what length?

Cheers!

AndyL

Pot8oSh3D

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Actually sth around 500 micron would be excellent. The thickness is not important for me since I want to use it as a mold

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Hi Marius,

As you mentioned, it has a complicated structure. I guess the only approach is to get rid of the support material.

7

Still having trouble picturing it @Petros_goori. Could you perhaps describe it in more detail or maybe a picture?

Cheers,

AndyL

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Hi Petros, Can you upload the stl file so that I can understand your problem easier. Maybe there is a way to print this without support, but for that I need to know how that exact part looks. -Marius

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Inline image 3

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Hi Marius,

Take a look at this please

Inline image 3

11

Hi Petros,

I am sorry, but there is no file, nor a picture or something like that attached to your response. Did you forget to upload the file or where should I find the file/picture ?

-Marius

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Dear Marius,

Sorry that the attachment did not appear. Please take a look at it.

Thanks!

Borhan

tree model.png
tree model.png1054×420 64.2 KB

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This is printable !

If you arrange it so that the cylinder in the left bottom sits on the bottom of the printbed then you can print this.

The overhang angles look like roughly 30-40° (?) this should be possible for your printer (do you have a printer or do you want this to get printed for you?).

I managed to print 60° absolutely flawless and up to 70° with minimal issues. Depending on the material choise i printed also 80° overhangs with no support and they came out perfectly.

-Marius

14

Thanks Marius,

I have already printed it, and I have a printer. Yet the problem is with the small diameter. Have you seen any model which can print down to 0.5 (mm)?

Thanks!

Borhan

The common pr

15

Hi,

do you mean that you have problems printing this because the rods in the middle are so thin ? I assume they are 0,5mm in diameter since this is what you said but please correct me if i am wrong.

I have not jet printed a part with such a small cylinder and i think this is really difficult, why can’t you make those rods a little bit thicker ?

Also it would help if you get yourself a smaller nozzle. There are nozzles that have a diameter of 0.25mm and with that you could at least somewhat print this.

Another version would be to split the model vertically. Then you have everything splitted in half and after printing you can glue both parts together. I would recommend to use ABS plastic for this purpose because it is really easy to glue (with acetone) and you can let the surface of the print fuse together (stronger layerbonding) when you brush a little bit of acetone over the part with a normal paint brush.

By the way it seems like you wanted to write another sentence after then “Thanks! Borhan” but this sentence did only get send partially, please check if your comment is complete or send it again :wink:

Hope this helps,

Marius

16

Thanks Marius,

The sentence was this:

The common printers do not print with this accuracy and I am afraid I have to print it with this accuracy.

I have actually considered smaller nozzle and I am going to give it a try.

Thanks again!
Borhan

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So i am correct when i assume that the smallest rod has a diameter of 0,5mm ?

If that is true then you are right regarding the size of detail that is archievable, is there no other solution like chaning the geometry to make this possible ? What is the purpose of this part, maybe i find a way to change the part so that it fits your needs and is still printable.

-Marius

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Yes you are absolutely right.

I want to use this model as a solid mold model to make a hollow tube.

Thanks!

Borhan

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If you just want to use this as a model for a mold then why don’t you just print the mold ?

there is a filament called moldlay (or similar) that is made for printing molds. I have not printed with this and am not experienced with mold making but it might work for you. I can sadly not help you on how to get this filament, how to print with it etc.

-Marius