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Date Created
April 30, 2026
Author
U
UntitledTools & Skills
3d printer
[CoF] Careers of the Future
Launch Lab Connection
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Feedback Needed
Looking for a printable version of this tutorial? Look no further!
Printing with 3d printer OS (printable version).pdf3.1 MiB
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What is 3D Printer OS?
- 3D Printer OS is the slicing software we use to print to all of our 3d printers
- 3D printers cannot read 3d model files on their own. They need a software to translate the file into âslices,â so that the printer knows the right steps to follow in order to successfully print your file.
- This kind of software is called âslicing software.â
- In order to change your viewing angle, right-click and drag the screen.
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Prepare your file
- Download your file. Preferred file types are .stl or .obj.
- Log into 3D Printer OS.
- If youâre a student, use your TPZ username and password.
- If you are a staff member, you can log in through JumpCloud.
- Your screen will look like this. Start by clicking âAdd filesâ in the top left.
This will open a dialog box. Select your file, then choose âopenâ in the bottom right of this window.
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Lay out your file
- These steps are aimed at telling the slicing software to make the 3d printer print the file in the right place on the print bed.
- When you click âlayoutâ, this is what your screen will look like (more or less):
- The blue square (outlined in red) represents the print plate.
- Tell the software what printer youâre planning to use by going to âprintersâ on the top and select âBambu P2S.â
- Next, tell the software that the file should be printed on the print plate, not hovering above it.
- To do this, click âon bedâ on the right side of the screen.
- This should bring the file down onto the plate.
- If it looks like nothing happened, thatâs ok â sometimes it is already on the plate!
- Now we have to ask the software to print in the middle of the plate.
- To do this, press âCenterâ on the right side of the screen.
- This saves a little bit of time when printing and prevents prints from hanging off the side of the plate.
- Finally, we ask the software to rotate the file in the most efficient way. This will help to minimize the amount of support we need later on.
- To do this, select âOptimal Rotateâ on the right side of the screen.
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Slice your file
- Now that weâve told the software where on the print plate to make the model, itâs time to help it figure out more specifics about the printing process.
- The slicing software will then translate the model into âG-code,â which is a file format that the 3D printer knows how to use.
- From the layout page, select âSliceâ in the top right corner.
- Your screen will look like this. I have carefully dialed in the default settings, so if youâre new to 3d printing then donât worry about changing anything.
- If you want to make changes, please see below for info on each aspect of this menu.
- Once youâre happy with the settings, select âSliceâ in the bottom right.
- This is set to Bambu PLA
- Different types of filament have different settings
- If you were printing with a different kind of filament (TPU, ABS, etc) then youâd choose a different profile.
- The nozzle is the part of the printer that filament is squeezed through.
- Our nozzles are .4mm in diameter.
- Do not change this setting unless you also change the nozzle in the machine.
- These are pre-configured printing settings. Altering the process might change the layer thickness, wall loops, infill density, and infill type.
- The processes are listed in the dropdown in order of quality.
- This means that a .08mm quality print is the highest possible quality, and will take the longest
- Different types of filament need different temperatures to print at. We only use PLA in the Bambu printers, so donât worry about changing this setting.
- Layer thickness describes how thick the layers are (surprise! /s).
- Thinner layers make better looking prints, but take longer.
- How thick are outer the walls of the print?
- Thicker walls are more sturdy
- Thinner walls take less time to print and save filament
- 3D prints are not (usually) solid plastic! The inside is partially hollow.
- Having low percentage of infill takes less time, uses less filament, but is less strong.
- Having a high percentage of infill takes significantly longer and uses more filament, but it is stronger.
- This is how the 3d prints look on the inside
- Using different infill patterns wonât significantly change the final product of your 3d print, but it can be fun to see as theyâre printing đ
- Sometimes prints donât adhere to the print plate on the first pass. When this happens, a brim may be necessary.
- Before trying a brim, remove the print plate and wipe it with warm soapy water, then dry it.
- If the print still fails, you can add a brim.
- The brim is a thin layer that is printed before the rest of the print, so that if it fails there is no harm done to the real print.
- There are 3 types of brims. A raft is the most extreme while the skirt is minimal.
- The plate is always the Textured PEI Plate.
- There are other types available but we donât have them. This space will be updated if we get those plates!
- 3d printers work by stacking layers of filament. If there is an overhang (sharp unsupported angle) then it needs something to be layered on top of when printing. This is called âsupportâ material.
- Support material is removed after printing.
- Our default is to use tree-shaped supports because they are the easiest to remove and use less filament than traditional supports.
- The plastic we use to print melts when it reaches ~220° Celcius
- There is a range of temperatures that PLA can print at, but our printers are optimized to print at 220°.
- If prints are not adhering to the bed, increasing the build plate temperature can help.
- Finally, select âSliceâ. This will send you back to the main page. Look for your file name followed by an orange âPrintâ button.
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Print your model
- When you click âPrint,â you will see this screen. Hover your mouse over the grey highlighted section to see which colors are loaded into that printer. Then select which printer you want and click âPrintâ.
- If âQueueâ is the only option for that printer, you can either add your print to be next in line or use a different printer.
- The next step is to take a quick survey about what youâre printing. Once youâve completed the survey, select âContinue with Print.â
- At this point you will choose what color you want to print with.
- (hint: once you learn to use Bambu Studio youâll be able to use multiple colors in the same print!)
- Finally, click âPrint.â
- Donât forget to pick up your print when itâs finished!
- If it hasnât been removed already, allow it to cool and then open the printer door and gently pick your print up off the plate.
- If the print is stuck to the plate, remove the plate and gently flex it until the model pops off.
