Overview🔗
Taiwan Tech Digital Atelier (TTDA) offers a range of FDM and Resin 3D Printers, capable of printing a wide variety of materials.
Warning
Some printers are TA-operated only and part of a paid print service. Others are available for free to use by all department users. Unauthorized use of TA-only printers may result in suspension from all TTDA resources.
FDM Printer Safety Warning🔗
 Caution hot* |
 Hands may be caught in moving parts |
* Both machine and extruded material may be hot.
Access and reservation🔗
Free-to-Use🔗
3D printers located on the shelf outside of RB910 are available for free use, with no reservation or payment required. Access is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Note
- TTDA does not provide or sell filament for free-use printers.
- Users must bring their own filament and SD card.
- Unauthorized repairs or modifications are strictly prohibited.
Maintenance Advisory
These machines are maintained by faculty only during summer break. Users are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the equipment to avoid causing breakdowns that may render the printers unavailable for the rest of the academic year.
Available Machines🔗
| Machine | Count | Build Volume (mm) | Filament |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ender 3 V2 | 1 | 220 x 220 x 250 | PLA - 1.75mm |
| Ender 3 S1 Pro | 11 | 220 x 220 x 270 | PLA, PETG, TPU - 1.75mm |
Info
S1 Pro machines uses PEI sheets, prints should automatically detach from the plate when cooled.
Material Restrictions
TTDA printers are equipped with bronze nozzles, which are only compatible with basic filaments. Materials such as carbon fiber composites, ASA, ABS, etc., are not allowed.
Print Profiles🔗
OrcaSlicer, Chitubox and SatelLite print profiles are available for download
TA-Operated Printers🔗
TA-operated printers are located inside RB910 and are exclusively for 3D printing service. These machines are not to be operated by general users under any circumstances.
Available Machines🔗
| Machine | Count | Build Volume (mm) | Filament |
|---|---|---|---|
| FLSUN V400 | 3 | ⌀300 x 380 | PLA, PETG, TPU - 1.75mm |
| Elegoo Centauri Carbon | 1 | 256 x 256 x 256 | PLA, PETG, TPU - 1.75mm |
| Bambu Lab P1S | 4 | 256 x 256 x 250 | PLA, PETG, TPU - 1.75mm |
| Saturn 4 Ultra | 1 | 218 x 122 x220 (10") | Resin |
| Sonic Mega 8K S | 1 | 330 x 185 x 300 (15") | Resin |
Note
It is recommended to not fill the whole build plate, leaving at least a 15 mm margin on each side is recommended.
3D Printing Service🔗
To request a print, submit a request via the 3D Print Service Portal. A TA will review your request and provide a cost estimate.
- For FDM prints, users may provide their own filament.
- For resin prints, only TTDA-supplied resin is permitted.
- Users may request specific colors, but availability is not guaranteed.
flowchart
Z["User preps their files"]-..->A("User submits a print request")
A --> B{"TA checks the files"}
B --"Files can be printed without issue" --> C["Quote provided to user"]
B -- "Files have issues" --> D["User makes changes"]
D --"Contacts the same TA"--> B
C --> E["User pays the TA"]
E --> F["TA queues the print"]
F --"Print Finishes"-->G["User notified for pickup"]File Preparation Guidelines🔗
Ensure your model is suitable for 3D printing by following these requirements:
Solid Model🔗
Models must be watertight solid objects with actual thickness (i.e., not surface-only geometry).
Print Resolutions:
| Type | XY resolution | Z resolution |
|---|---|---|
| FDM | ≥0.4mm (min) ≥0.8mm (recommended) |
≥0.1mm (min) ≥0.2mm (recommended) |
| Resin | ≥0.05mm (min) ≥0.1mm (recommended) |
≥0.025mm (min) ≥0.1mm (recommended) |
Overhangs and Supports (FDM)🔗
Overhangs (free-floating areas) require support structures, which increase material use and print time.
Bridges can often be printed without support, provided they are short (≤1 cm).
To avoid using support, consider angling overhangs in your model or adjusting the print orientation. As a general rule, overhangs angled less than 60° can usually print successfully without support.
Spliting your model🔗
When printing complex models, printing them as a single piece can often require excessive support structures. To reduce material usage, print time, and improve overall quality, consider splitting the model into multiple parts. This allows each part to be oriented in a way that minimizes or eliminates the need for supports.
For example, the model below, if printed as a whole, would require significant supports:
Reducing supports not only saves filament and reduces print time, but also minimizes post-processing work, such as removing support material.
However, by dividing the model into two separate parts, each can be printed without supports:
OrcaSlicer🔗
For FDM printers, the atelier only officially support OrcaSlicer.
Presets🔗
Its profiles can be found here. Once these profiles are imported, presets annotated with TTDA should be available. These presets are suitable for general use.
For process presets, there should be two. one annotated with support, the other without. The one without will try to minimize support generation and save time; while the other will prioritize support generation to ensure a successful print.
Parameters🔗
Despite the presets, some adjustments may be needed based on the model geometry and usage.
Quality🔗
Layer Height🔗
With a standard 0.4 mm nozzle, a layer height of 0.1 to 0.28 is recommended. Lowering the layer height gives a smoother print finish, at the cost of more time, and vice-versa.
We recommend leaving First layer height at 0.2, even if you change the normal layer height, this is due to the fact that the bed mesh may not be perfect, too high or too low of a first layer may cause adhesion issues.
Precise Wall🔗
If you have more than 3 walls configured for your print, prcise walls may give you a slight increase in XY dimensional accuracy.
But if you have less than 3 walls configured, this option isn't recommended.
Another consideration is overhangs, precise wall works best with Outer/Inner wall printing order, but this option makes unsupported overhangs more difficult to print.
Wall Generator🔗
The recommended option is Arachne. This feature adjusts the flow rate to make the extrusion width vairable in an attempt to increase dimensional accuracy.
However, in some edge cases this makes the extrusion inconsistent, resulting in a poor print finish. In this case, choose Classic if athestics is the most important.
Strength🔗
Wall loops🔗
If you're printing a visual model that doesn't need to be structural, 2 loops is the best balance between time and aesthetics.
If your print need to be structural, 3 or more loops are recommended.
Alternate extra wall🔗
Only needed if you need a stronger print.
Sparse infill density🔗
For very rectangular prints, a value of 5~10% would generally be enough.
However, if your print if very large, or have very slanted/organic surfaces, 15~20% might be a safer bet.
Sparse infill pattern🔗
Many of the patterns will create overlaping lines, which can cause problems with denser/larger prints. As such, the recommended options are either Gyroid or Cross Hatch
Infill combination🔗
This options save time by printing a thicker infill pattern every other layer, this comes at the cost of a much weaker print.
If the print needs to be functional, it'd be best to disable this option.
Support🔗
Type🔗
Tree is the recommended option, as it'll usually be easier to remove while also using less filament. but on some edge cases, this might not be the case, and Normal might save you more time and filament.
Support critical regions only🔗
Remove small overhangs🔗
These two features can dramatically reduce the amount of support needed, however, there are a lot of scenarios where it's too aggressive, resulting in poor overhangs.
Check print preview to determine if these features should be used.
Others🔗
Skirt loops🔗
Completely unnessecary most of the time, and should be set to 0.
Brim type🔗
If you are experiencing warping while printing, consider setting this feature to Mouse ear or Auto depending on how severe it is. But generally speaking, No-brim should be the best option
Resin Printing🔗
Atelier resin printers are TA-only.
For detailed information on resin printing, please refer to the resin overview.