Prusa 2020 i3, I need to print a figurine with decent detail. Can you help?

I am trying to take and go from poser/daz3d to a figure of appx. 28mm in height. Is this possible to do. The model I have output will not slice correctly, that is if it will even finish. whenever I do get to a point where I try to print the detail is jsut not there and there is terrible steplines all throughout the print.
Can you suggest what I need to do and where I may find better information to learn.
Thanks for the time
DC

EDIT: corrected height.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2015 10:27PM by darkechibi.

As 3D prints go, 28mm is not very tall. If you print in 200um layers your figure will be only 140 layers. Any detail in the surface will be lost to the steps in the layers. If the extruder nozzle diameter is large, your ability to print fine details will likewise be limited.

You will have to print it in thinner layers or print it taller/larger if you want to keep the surface detail, and maybe use a smaller nozzle.

What slicer are you using? What is the extruder nozzle diameter?

please bear with me. I bought this as a kit, the nozzle/extruder is using 1.75 PLA. If you can tell me how to determine the data I need to get I will do so.
What is the um in the 200um measuring, how much smaller is possible? is any? Where can I get the smaller nozzle I need and how hard is it to make the changes.
I am using slic3r for the processing of the model. I am willing to do manual work on the models after the printing to "make it better" but the more I can do at print time the better.
However at this point I cannot even gett to the point of actually printing. Anyting that you can offer data wise is appreciated.
DC

Quote
darkechibi
please bear with me. I bought this as a kit, the nozzle/extruder is using 1.75 PLA. If you can tell me how to determine the data I need to get I will do so.
What is the um in the 200um measuring, how much smaller is possible? is any? Where can I get the smaller nozzle I need and how hard is it to make the changes.
I am using slic3r for the processing of the model. I am willing to do manual work on the models after the printing to "make it better" but the more I can do at print time the better.
However at this point I cannot even gett to the point of actually printing. Anyting that you can offer data wise is appreciated.
DC

1.75 is the filiment size.
You need to find out your nozzle size which is normally between 0.2 and 0.5 mm and sometimes stamped on the nozzel

Slic3r often chokes on complex geometry. Try using Cura instead.

"um" means micron, 1/1,000,000 meter. 200 um is a typical print layer thickness. Layer thickness is set in the slicer. Your printer's mechanical construction is the primary limit on layer thinness. A well made printer can do 50 um layers. Less solidly built machines have trouble getting below 100 um. The thinner you print the layers, the more layers you need, the longer your print will take. Switching from 200um to 100 um layers will double the print time.

You'll have to check the nozzle size that comes with your printer/extruder/hot-end. Typical diameters are 0.25.0.35.0.4, 0.5 mm. Most machines come with 0.35 or 0.4mm nozzles.

It is highly unlikely you will print satisfactory 28mm figurines on an FDM printer. The process is not well suited to those geometries.

Post a computer render of one of the figures and/or a photo of the print.

A smaller nozzle is definitely the ticket for finer detail. I've done a lot of printing with a .2mm nozzle (ABS works best for me). My layer height can't go below 100 microns because of the limitations of my direct drive extruder, but the detail is remarkable. Expect a lot of trial and error (and very long print times), but once it's dialed in correctly it's amazing.

Ah HA. I found the data. the extruder has a diameter of 0.4mm, that means I can use a smaller nozzle, right?
Will I jsut need the nozzle tip or a complete new housing? not sure if I am using the right terms so think in terms of the cost of the little screw in part, 6-8 dollars, or the piece with all the wires at 20-60 dollars.
getting ready to try print. I set slic3r to 1 thread and it seems to be working more reliably. so I may have solved that issue.
Question. are these things safe to leave running in a house overnight?

This is generally what people refer to as 28mm figures:
[www.kickstarter.com]

thats precisly what I am trying to produce, something at least along those lines. I was told that it would be possible, I am seriously beginning to doubt it however.

Yep, 3d printable... not using a FFF/FDM printer. you would need an SLA/DLP type for that kind of thing. Those types are much more suitable for artsy/fancy stuff than useable parts.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/14/2015 08:40PM by Epop.

This is about the finest detail I've gotten (so far!) with a .2mm nozzle, .1mm layer. Figure is about 28mm tall.

thats actually very nice.
I think I can begin here and try and "outgrade" (sort of up and sidegrade at the same time to something else). I will start looking into the smaller nozzle and learning better how to prep my models for printing. I appreciate everything. tommorow I install the LCD