Hi all!
With the beginning stages of my project underway, I have found that 3D printing as well as utilizing micro controllers like Arduino’s is much easier than it seems at first glance.
Day 1
On the first day of work I found myself tasked with installing all of the programs needed to run the 3D printers. With the help of Dr. Remy, I chose three programs that I would use to get the printers running. The first program that I downloaded was Repetier-Host. Repetier-Host allows you to manage your .stl files (one way of storing 3D image files) and position the images in the desired way on the printing bed.
Once I had Repetier-host downloaded, I then had to download a program in order to slice the .stl files. Because 3D printers print from the bottom up, layer by layer, you must slice the images up into layers. The program that I decided to use for slicing is called Slic3r, and it interfaces very well with Repetier-host. The output of the slicing is what is called gCode, and the gCode is what the 3D printer uses to print the desired output.
Day 2
By the second day of work, I had a fairly solid understanding of the basic process of 3D printing. At this point I wanted to be able to print a design that I had created. There are countless CAD programs on the internet, but a basic, easy to use CAD program that I found was tinkerCAD. TinkerCad allows the users to create whatever 3D image they want and export it directly to Repetier in order to be printed.
Days 3 and 4
On the third day of work I knew that I would have to try to tackle some problems that I had been putting on the back burner due to its perceived difficulty. My goal for the day was to program an Arduino micro controller to control a stepper motor. A stepper motor basically allows the user to input the number of “steps” that they want the motor to turn in either direction. Arduino does a great job of providing sample code to the user. The code that I used to test the motor was found under File>Examples>Steppers. I was able to program the Arduino to turn the motor one full rotation at a specific speed, delay, and then return to the starting position by rotation in the opposite direction. I used the Arduino in conjunction with a ULN2003 stepper motor driver to make the motor function in the desired way.
Day 5
By the fifth day, I had come to realize that some of the 3D printing that would be necessary for my project would need to come from a CAD program that is more professional. While tinkerCAD is an easy to use software that provides good results, I felt as if it were time to experiment with a more professional form of CAD. The program that I decided to download was Fusion 360. The Fusion 360 software was much more difficult to learn and not as straight forward, however, the tools that it provides allows you to have much more freedom with your design. There is also a free 3 year trial for students to download the otherwise expensive software.
