6 Advanced FDM 3D Printing Tips When Adding Metal Parts to Your Build

[@Theprofessor1212]

One suggestion, try using square nuts as opposed to hex nuts as they don’t wear out the plastic as easy as hex nuts in case of over tightening.

[@x4runnergunnerx9]

I've used most of these but embedding 3D printed parts mid-print to avoid supports is a new one for me! I will have to incorporate that into a design for sure. Very helpful video!

[@kurtcrafton]

The pause feature is not limited to just stratasys software. I can very well do the same thing in Cura using the "Change at Z extension" with this extension I can add custom g-code to park the print head by layer number or using overall height allowing me to add fixed in place nuts, mesh, ect

[@jessem8928]

Any recommendations for videos on how to do this?

[@ConvSegmet]

Prusa slicer has an especially easy pause at a layer feature as well.

[@theeddies]

@@jessem8928 Search "CHEP pause at height" I would send you a link but they often don't work in comments.

[@Edgard422]

I think you can also add a firmware pause command at any step you like by editing the g code file.

[@ilyarepin7750]

I can do the same thing without cura just by opening the gcode in a gcode editor and just search the layer I want to pause at and insert a few lines of gcode to pause it.

[@b5a5m5]

1:30 "The roller chain sprocket is going to need to be made out of metal because of high force on the part" * Uses 3d printed plastic pegs printed onto the belt sprocket to transfer torque with a sheer force across the layer lines at a smaller radius than the sprocket *

[@monkeysfromvenus]

Printing those shelves and inserting them mid-print is some serious outside-the-box thinking. Awesome!

[@opensourceeducated2862]

Literally incredible. I'm leaving a lot of FDM sophistication on the table. The printed part within the other printed blew my mind 😳🤯

[@kailuasurfing]

My thoughts exactly

[@sqeaky8190]

Me too. I would probably want to to print the inserts first so that they could be check and failures isolated, but a ton things could be printed at mismatched orientation like this for a bunch of reasons.

[@SrikarMaddula]

I've had an entire course on additive manufacturing last semester and such examples were barely covered if any. This legit gave me quite a few ideas on solving a problem on a current project. Why they don't talk about it in college is beyond me.

[@Sembazuru]

All of these techniques are also applicable in the hobby space of 3D printing. I can probably do almost all of these techniques on my Prusa MK3S using PrisaSlicer, though I'm limited on the type of thermoplastics that I can use on my open frame printer since I don't have an enclosure to put around it. The technique of embedding other 3D printed parts is probably the only one that I hadn't thought of before. Thanx for introducing me to that idea.

[@nayvinyami]

Incredible insight, blew my mind away when you flipped the baffles on the build plate to assemble later mid-print.

[@seanw1550]

This is fantastic. It exemplifies an entirely new way to optimize 3D printing with FDM. I’ve done this technique with magnets and nuts but this video opens my eyes to much bigger possibilities. It also generates a lot of discussion below that is also very helpful. A bunch of us have already been doing this a little bit, here and there, but this video opened up the discussion. Really valuable.

[@Trimech]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Perry_Wolf]

Strangely, my biggest take-away from this is the non-metal, large overhang part you printed there. Had never thought of that. Other than that, I've used the "Pause at Height" post processing script with Cura and have imbedded weights in fidget spinners, magnets in a cup bottom so it's secure on metal surfaces , and a bunch of other things.

[@dealerofdeeth6043]

5:00 sir, you might want to see a chiropractor for your back. heavy, repeated lifting, such as that massive cranium, may strain it.

[@spusuf]

This is genuinely so insightful and useful for printing on any machine. I knew you could pause at layer in cura but didn't know it was this useful

[@desparky]

I've embedded magnets and nuts into builds, but hadn't considered the other tips. Thanks for sharing.

[@Vibycko]

The part where you take the already printed part and insert it into the piece is just amazing, and quite interesting technique.

[@OhNaYouDidnt]

Really interesting applications for various inserts. One thing I would add is if you have an issue with the hexagonal nuts spinning inside their holes and wearing the surrounding plastic, try square nuts instead, the corners have more area within the plane to move through compared to hexagonal nuts.

[@KHFilms]

This made me seriously rethink of the capabilities of my fdm printer. The embedded nut or magnet is a true classic but the rest of these I've never even considered. Really informative and well made video, I hope to see more like it soon!

[@EeliyaRasta]

I learned more about how to design and print my parts in this 6 min ish video than my 3 years of experience in 3d printing😅 Thank you!

[@johnathanclayton2887]

Those are some great ideas! I love it! I'm sure your Inight software makes it very easy to accomplish. But you can do these things in common 3D printing slicers as well. Cura and Prusha slicers allow for pausing after a certain layer to insert components.

[@jessem8928]

By just adding G code at a specific Z hieght?

[@pirncho]

@@jessem8928 Just add a filament color change at the desired layer and when it pauses and waits for you to change the filament, place the new component and dont change the filament.

[@cazdghost]

@@jessem8928 I am using Prusa Slicer. you can add pause inside the slicer itself. at the Sliced preview. there is a + Icon at the timeline where in you can add pause, color change or specific custom gcodes.

[@PAXthe4Th]

I have a good reason to leave makerbot behind now

[@iamlookto]

Nice techniques that you can basically use with every fdm printer and slicer on the market! Will definitely need to use these more often.

[@smoerebroetxd]

I'm flabbergasted how these techniques blew my mind... I don't know how I never thought of stoping a print midway through. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@martinbrodecki6860]

Greate video! I especially like the idea of combinding plastic parts mid printing. I dont know if you mentioned it but personaly I like to preheat any metal parts to bed temperature before inserting them, just to avoid the risk of warping or layer seperation.

[@JoeStoffa]

These are excellent examples, thank you for producing/sharing this. My favorite reinforcement are stainless steel screws. In addition to what you would expect (a steel rod significantly increases resistance to deflection/shearing) they are also quite good at moving a force on the shaft to the head. I've had a few pieces that wouldn't work because a sideways load (impact) would delaminate the z-layer easily (even with PCTG and isotropic polymers), but a screw head transformed this into a bending mode on an x-y layer, and all was fine.

[@Trimech]

Most welcome. Glad you found this useful!

[@ConvSegmet]

This is an very useful video. Great ideas for all sorts of inserts. Humble suggestion, when inserting nuts i found it worth buying an inexpensive square nut assortment in place of hex nuts. The longer edges are less prone to deforming the plastic and spinning if you get a stuck part.

[@NicholasRehm]

Are you modifying g-code pause at a selected layer or doing it manually? Are there any tools available that do this?

[@ozespresso]

Well done! I know some of these methods but the carbon fiber and the way to avoid support are very impressive!

[@heavydamage8799]

This was really useful. I'm working on a unusual water pump, the chain and nut insert techniques were really really useful. Thanks

[@beauslim]

Great stuff! Sharing tips that everyone can use (but easier with your product) is a great way to do marketing. Like others have said, the 3d printed part inside the 3d printed part is one of those ingenious "Why didn't I think of that?" ideas. Another thing you can insert: electronic components and wires.

[@Jakielopez]

Really interesting to see different way to use FDM printers. I never thought to stop the print and assemble the part to eliminate the need for supports. I'll definitely be trying to implement these ideas in future projects.

[@_the_Chad_]

Some excellent ideas I want to try! Two things to note are that McMaster has a huge amount of Cad models available for downloading and that super glue on the metal piece can help with the first layer adhesion.

[@RonnyHanssen]

Wow. This was so enlightening. Great tips. So obvious, when seeing it demonstrated. Thanks for sharing.

[@Chimney_Swift]

4:24 that's actually brilliant, I'll have to remember that for the next time I can't just design around this issue

[@dirtdart81]

How does this have zero comments? These were ingenious techniques for making your prints more useful. Can't wait to give some of them a try!

[@auxchar]

I've done this before with hex nuts and bushings, but I hadn't considered applying it to 3D printing parts to avoid support material. That's a very interesting technique, very mutch appreciate it!

[@danfarrik]

OMG so clever printing the overhang price separately and inserting it mid-print. I have done this with metal before, but I didn’t think about doing it to avoid supports and reduce waste.

[@Nobody-Nowhere]

Next level tips, great way to look at 3d printing.

[@NahtreX]

I've thought of this before, but the 3d printed part as an insert and the carbor fiber rods blew my mind. Specially tge 3d printed insert, genius.

[@SirSpence99]

It is worth noting that superslicer (free) has the built in option to, at any layer add in a pause command. (Or any arbitrary GCode for that matter.) So you should be able to do this on *any* printer that doesn't lock down what slicer you can use.

[@robertgcode965]

3:58 WOW! I could've not thought of that myself. This will definitely be useful in my future projects.

[@seankelleher4976]

Assembling mid print to cut down on support material is absolutely genius 👍

[@williamfrance-]

Can’t believe I’ve never thought to simply pause the print when incorporating other materials like metal inserts into my projects. Thanks for the great video!

[@plymouthrovadventures.646]

Do we need to heat the Metal parts before inserting them into the 3D part ?? Thanks... This is a whole new world you have created for me.. Thank YOU.

[@rixochixo]

BRO also the last build with the carbon fiber insert is genius!

[@astersfun]

Definitely neat techniques, though they certainly don't require any specific software or hardware. This can be done on any machine with some careful pre-processing and planning. PrusaSlicer's and Cura's modifier meshes can help out a lot here too, and both are completely free!

[@alexon2010]

sensational video, best video I've seen about the use of 3D printing... and it's not a little video I watch, I'm manufacturing a CNC Router, quick to assemble and disassemble and even for industrial use, I'm a Systems developer and Graphic Designer and of Product

[@tazanteflight8670]

This video has a truly incredible number, and quality of ideas, and inspiration.

[@new1ru]

A very refreshing view on subjects we all struggle with!

[@kaedkay2472]

Fantastic video. I genuinely hadnt thought of using previously-printed parts to embed into a larger assembly. Fantastic tips.

[@robinhoed5729]

love the idea of support less 3D printing when ever I get a difficult part I print it in pieces and glue it to getter when it is don this is a way better solution very creative thx

[@tbren6707]

Really awesome video! I've used the idea of pausing and inserting different hardware to my prints, but you showed some amazing yet simple concepts. Definitely a reminder to me to "think outside the filament" and incorporate other pieces to make my designs better. Thanks!

[@EdydeLeon]

Randomly came across this video in my home page. Very interesting ideas! Thanks!

[@JamesFraley]

That pause technique is cool!

[@DJWhitelow]

Seen magnets & nuts etc been inserted in this way before but this is next level, really cool stuff!

[@jonmayer]

Nice techniques. I've been thinking of doing this with the nuts before, just never got around to trying it.

[@alangregg7171]

phenomenal! I've done some basic things like adding nuts, but this is of a whole different level.

[@glennleader8880]

There were some cleaver techniques employed here. Thank you for sharing them.

[@Festivejelly]

The e3d tool changer is ideal for this. Basically you have a pick and place tool to drop in the nuts... no manual intervention needed.

[@AerialWaviator]

Great examples of FDM 3d printed composite part builds.

[@mikoaj2323]

Thank you very much for this video, I've always putted hex nuts instead of those inserts, but tip with printing few parts, then putting one on another and continuing printing is weirdly something i did not think about. This shows whole new level of 3d printing

[@Evinosx]

I've thought about doing this but haven't got around to trying it yet. Thanks for the ideas.

[@dzejkej0]

And here I was, thinking I mastered mid-print weights and magnets… You got me a with this captured sprocket, but then actually blow my mind with this printed halfs, that assembled mid-print. Genius! 2 questions though : 1. Is the layer on top of the sprocket just overhanging? Or does it stick to the metal? If so, what is the filament and how you made it stick to the metal? In my experience I leave a little gap, so that the layer on top of weight is a bridge or overhang, because when trying to print directly on metal part, it doesn’t stick at all and curls like crazy. 2. How on earth did you manage to continue print on top off assembled part? Coming from regular slicer software, so I guess this is some Insight software magic, right? Can’t be simple manual gcode editing, right?

[@mr.slappy6944]

Deam, this is brilliant! I just made a part with cutouts to insert hex nuts (using supports), but this makes more sense.

[@sorenac]

Great vid :) Opens up for a new variaty of possibilities with FDM printing :D Thanx for the tips :)

[@jmtx.]

Inserting 3D printed structures mid-print is quite thought provoking. Thanks for capturing all these ideas here.

[@drfailbucket]

Damn... Learnd more in these ~7 minutes then in 2 years of KZbining how to solve some problems 😂 amazing job and thanks ALOT for these enormous tips 👏👌

[@weisnowhere]

These techniques are great! Can't even pick a favorite!

[@robduquette1736]

These are some really awesome techniques! I knew about the hex nuts as threaded inserts, but the other tricks blew my mind!

[@bubbasplants189]

Great video thanks for sharing. I like the idea of splitting the part and stacking components mid print!

[@EnnTomi1]

awesome video. i always had similar ideas. but the lacking feature in existing slicing/printing software kinda deterred me from even trying. this is truly work smarter not harder.

[@B4I34]

Great tips! Not all new to me, but especially the insertion of printed geometry is interesting and I have to consider this some more in my designs.

[@user-il8gt2ev9d]

4:00 Mind blown, never thought about that as an option. Much better than splitting the model to reduce support

[@cmyip11]

Great idea, 3d printing can print something not only by one single material but also 2 different material at the same time. For example printing a beam with one side hard and one side soft.

[@papercrowe8772]

Wow these are some great techniques, I will definitely be trying to use these in some of my coming projects!

[@andreipirlea3102]

This is nuts!! FDM at its finest. Good job

[@connorlynch4252]

Great ideas. I’ve done captured nuts before by adding a pause into the gcode with M25, seems like that would suffice for all the other examples as well.

[@joannot6706]

Holy crap! You people are 3D printing Ninjas! especially this part 4:36 wow!

[@kibbycabbit]

Great idea! You just help us to think of possibilities that we haven't thought of in past. Thank you!

[@johnvodopija]

Thank you for sharing these very useful examples. I just need to configure my printer to pause correctly and I’ll be up and running. Cheers 👍😎🇦🇺

[@plane9182]

That’s pretty crazy. I would never have thought to print and insert a 3d print into a larger print while mid print!!

[@rasg3000]

This was truly eye opener for me. Great video!

[@SantaDragon]

Thanks. Great video. I will start with implementing these ideas to my upcoming creations for improving the stiffness.

[@ericvenneker]

Very smart ideas! I will keep this vid saved for future reference. Thanks 👍

[@facenameple4604]

This is a mind-blow for me. Absolutely amazing.

[@ianwaters6272]

Love the video, really great ideas for how to use 3d printers as a tool and not just finality.

[@pistolao_vr]

These are awesome! I'll for sure put these ideas in good use very soon!

[@bennylloyd-willner9667]

That are some great ideas, I will have that in mind when i do my humble DIY projects 👍

[@ThereIsNoRoot]

This is phenomenal! Pausing a print, inserting metal parts, and then continuing the print is absolutely brilliant. How am I the first comment?

[@ChMayer-gt9yy]

Really cool engineering and very inspiring! Looking forward to more ideas.

[@gregorzimmermann9495]

This way of thinking helps me a lot! Thanks

[@abdullahkrmzyuz5827]

Pretty cool ideas, thanks for the different advices, they will definitely come in use later. Keep it up man!

[@dobarek4548]

Holy Shit! Yesterday was my first time putting magnets in a Print, then today I saw this. I already knew that I could drop-in metal parts, but the mid-build assembly print reducing the Supports, time and so on is absolutely amazing O.O

[@TOMA21207]

Very interesting technology, and a way of using it. I have 3D printer and I will incorporate hex nut in my prints. Thanks for the idea.

[@PFBruno3]

Never even thought to do this! Awesome!

[@chuvvyyk]

Amazing! Thank you very much for sharing these techniques!

[@rixochixo]

Great video, thank you! would you mind making a simple tutorial detailing how you get the print to stop mid build then continue without affecting the print.

[@mdhafiz00]

i never thought of that. thank you for sharing the light!

[@mists_of_time]

These are very valuable tips, thank you. I will totally try doing this with my 3d printer.

[@ross2k220]

Wow that blew my mind, I'll be looking at the capabilities of my ender 3 totally differently now

[@Cvile69]

Thank you for this video, really opened up alot of options for my projects, i will surely stay tuned for future videos :)

[@Trimech]

Great to hear!

[@MarcelHuguenin]

Excellent tips! Thanks for the video.