I’ve wasted a lot of time and filament trying to get an elephant model I found online to print successfully for my daughter. It repeatedly would not stick and gave up after it wouldn’t properly match the trunk up with the rest of the model, thereby rendering the entire model useless (I let it run overnight). This is the one I tried: 3D Printable Elephant Parade Maquette by Gabriel Martini. After 9 or 10 tries I’m done wasting filament on it.
I’m moved onto a different model but still having problems but a different kind. I’m trying to use this one (the one with the keychain ring): 3D Printable Cute Elephant by Joao Paulo Musico
I’m wondering how the hell do I ensure the hanging trunk is printed properly? Do I need to rotate the model by putting it on its back to print and print it with a raft? When left untouched filament is just spewed into thin air when the layering gets to where the tip of the trunk starts. What’s the proper solution for any model that has this type of problem?
Not sticking to the print bed: Here in the forum thre are a lot of threads on that, read a bit around. Basically the quick tipps:
Do a bed calibration
Make sure that the bed is really clean
Use a Brim or Skirt
While Brim or Skirt are printing, live-adjust Z-offset so that the filamnet is squished down just right
Trunk not aligning: Sounds a bit like a layer shift. Possible reasons: You print too fast or your Snapmaker has a defect. Again, read around, theres a bit of material on this.
I know that feeling too, my solution was to change the filament. Some filaments just dont want to stick to the surface and I realy hate to use gluestick or spray.
I also think that you should use supports and maybe a raft, a raft always helped me.
You probably need to be using supports (especially if the trunk doesn’t actually touch the surface). Luban doesn’t have great support choices. Cura is much better.
Don’t be afraid to use glue stick. While I only make sure to use it on PETG, it can help a lot with adhesion and release. Technically if your calibration is perfect, yeah you shouldn’t need it with PLA, but it does give a little more leeway until you get used to 3d printing.
The first model’s trunk is touching the build plate, but there’s no way that trunk will stay vertical without a brim. And even with a brim, it will probably need some supports. The build plate contact patch is just way too small for that much unsupported height. It’s going to wobble and detach long before it’s gets connected to the body.
I think I’d give it another try with a brim and supports touching buildplate. If that fails again, then I’d try printing it upside down, with a brim, and supports everywhere.
The second model will require supports everywhere. That’s the only way to deal with that trunk that starts printing in midair, as well as the front legs and ears. There’s no orientation that really makes that better; regardless of how you rotate it, something will require supports. It might need a brim; the build plate contact looks a little small for my tastes with only the butt and back of the feet touching. The supports behind the rear legs might be enough without the brim, it’s hard to say without trying it.
bed calibration was performed.
bed is clean
I tried brim, skirt and raft. Raft was the best and it only got as far as it did because I switched to raft from the default of skirt. But apparently was just too tall and broke loose just before it was able to get connected to the neck area.
Not too concerned about it at this point. I’ve moved on to try getting other ones to print instead.
Probably the worst filament you could imagine. Some of the production batches are fine but others are awful. Just try one from a different manufacturer.
As it has already been mentioned 5 times you need supports for a model like that. Enable that option in the slicer you are using.
I was referring to what I had tried previously prior to starting this thread, before multiple answered the question I posed regarding best practice of using supports.
Some of the production batches are fine but others are awful.
That’s a bit of a pattern with Snapmaker: Sometimes quality is great, sometimes you get a lemon. On Facebook there’s currently a flood of posts that people receive bad screws with their enclosures - the heads break off. Snapmaker really needs to improve their quality control.