Week05 | 3D Scanning and Printing
Group members
3D Printers Available in Oulu Super FabLab
We conducted tests for the group assignment in the FabAcademy course using different 3D printers. Here is a list of printers available in Oulu Super FabLab and our experience with them:
Industrial-grade FDM printer. Known for high-strength and large-volume prints.
Desktop FDM printer. Reliable for detailed and precise prints. Can run overnight due to integrated fire alarm.
Mid-to-large format FDM printer. Good for medium complexity and high-quality prints.
Legacy FDM printer. Useful for basic prototyping and testing.
Compact FDM printer suitable for small to medium-scale prints.
There are two Ender 3 Pro printers. Their printing resolution is lower than the Prusa printers, as confirmed by our tests. The results are detailed in the 3D printer test section.
Affordable FDM printer. Suitable for educational purposes and simple prototypes.
Two Prusa printers are available, and we performed several tests with them. Their resolution and surface quality are very good:
Reliable desktop printer with consistent high-resolution output.
Fastest and most precise FDM printer in the lab, ideal for detailed prints.
For resin printing, the following printer is a good option for making acoustic and optical phantoms:
High-resolution resin printer for precise surface and fine features.
Slicing Software
- Prusa Slicer – For Prusa printers:
User-friendly slicer with excellent presets for accurate FDM printing.
- IdeaMaker – For Raise3D printers:
Comprehensive slicer for advanced 3D printing settings and supports.
3D Printing Characterization Report
For the group assignment, we conducted comparative characterization tests using two different 3D printers under controlled settings. All tests were performed using predefined slicing configurations to evaluate mechanical and geometric behavior.
TEST 1 – Ender 3Pro (With Support)
Printer Settings
- Rafts: No
- Support: With Support
- Layer Resolution: 0.2 mm
- Infill: 15%
Observations
| Feature | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Overhang | A part of the model that sticks out horizontally parallel to the build platform. This can cause layers to lose structure when printed without support. | Failed |
| Clearance | Distance required between two moving parts (e.g., gap between a gear and joint). | Not tested |
Printed Results
TEST 2 – Ender 3 Pro (Unsupported)
Printer Settings
- Printer: Ender 3 Pro
- Rafts: No
- Support: No
- Layer Resolution: 0.2 mm
- Infill: 15%
Observations & Printed Results
| Feature | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Angle | The angle at which the overhang extends from horizontal. |  |
| Bridging | Distance between two intermediate supports of a structure. |  |
| Overhang | Horizontal projection without support. |  |
| Dimension | Dimensional accuracy measurement. |  |
| Anisotropy | Variation in mechanical properties depending on the print direction. |  |
| Wall Thickness | Thickness and uniformity of printed walls. |  |
| Surface Finish | Surface texture and smoothness. | — |
| Infill | Internal density and strength distribution. | — |
TEST 3 – CORE One (With Support)
Printer Settings
- Printer: CORE One
- Rafts: No
- Support: With Support
- Layer Resolution: 0.2 mm
- Infill: 15%
Observations
| Feature | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Overhang | Horizontal projection of the model. | Printed both with and without support |
| Clearance | Distance between moving parts. | — |
Printed Results
TEST 4 – CORE One (Unsupported)
Printer Settings
- Printer: CORE One
- Rafts: No
- Support: No
- Layer Resolution: 0.2 mm
- Infill: 15%
Observations
| Feature | Observation |
|---|---|
| Angle | No visible issue until 20°; arm length not significant enough to cause deformation. |
| Bridging | No major issue until 8 mm. Deformation visible beyond 8 mm. |
| Overhang | Deformation clearly visible when horizontal extension exceeds 2 mm without support. |
| Dimension | Inner diameter: 10.2 mm; Outer diameter: 19.76 mm |
| Anisotropy | Shape acceptable but dependent on layer orientation. Mechanical properties vary with print direction. |
| Wall Thickness | Walls appear good; holes have smoother corners. Thin walls reveal printer limitations. |
| Surface Finish | — |
| Infill | One sample shows higher strength; another shows more uniform surface distribution. |
TEST 5 – Heygears Ultracraft RS Turbo
This printer used for finished surface test.
The printed part is as below.
| Feature | Result |
|---|---|
| Surface Finish | — |
Summary
The tests demonstrate:
- Overhang performance is highly dependent on support and horizontal span length.
- Bridging performance degrades significantly beyond 8 mm unsupported span.
- Anisotropic behavior is evident in layer-based FDM printing.
- Resin printing (HeyGears) offers higher surface precision.
- Industrial systems (Stratasys, Fortus) allow higher extrusion temperatures and improved mechanical stability.