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How to use a 3d printer：Complete Creality 3D Printing Guide for Beginners
2024-11-22 16:03:14
Introduction
With rapid advancements in 3D printing and the development of new materials, this technology has become a cost-effective, user-friendly, and high-quality solution for diverse needs. For as little as $200 (e.g., Ender 3 V3 SE), even beginners on a budget can explore 3D printing—a unique, tech-driven experience. This accessibility allows users to bring digital designs to life within hours, printing almost any object imaginable. Professionals benefit from faster, high-quality prototyping and customization.
Ender 3 V3 SE
This 3d printing guide focuses on FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printers, covering everything from Creality 3d printer setup to 3d printer maintenance, helping users gain a solid grasp of 3D printing technology and learn how to use a 3D printer from scratch.
1. How Does a 3D Printer Work?
Additive Manufacturing
3D printing, a form of additive manufacturing, creates objects by layering materials, such as 3d printing filament, one atop another. With advances in technology and affordable consumer 3D printers, 3D printing is now more accessible than ever. This 3d printing guide provides a beginner-friendly introduction to the 3d printing procedure, showcasing its ease of use for newcomers.
3d Printing Procedure
Create or Find a Design
Start by designing 3d print models using CAD software or downloading free designs online. The most common file format is STL (Standard Triangle Language), which stores information about 3D objects.
Slice the Design
Next, use 3D slicing software to convert STL files into G-code, the programming language a printer reads. The slicer prepares the design by dividing it into layers and generating instructions for the printer.
Prepare the Creality 3D printer and filament
Load your G-code into a printer suited for your project. Consider the printer’s build volume and compatible filaments to ensure the best results.
Monitor the 3d printing procedure
If equipped with an AI camera, you can monitor printing in real time, catching issues like clogging or warping early.
Post-Process the Final Piece
After printing, remove the object, clean it, and complete necessary post-processing, such as removing supports or assembling components, to finish your creation.
3D print models
2. Choose the Right 3D Printer and Printing Materials
Best Creality 3D Printers for Beginners
To help you get started, we’ve curated a list of our bestselling 3D printers designed for ease of use. If you’re still deciding which printer to purchase, refer to Creality’s 2024 Guide for expert insights on selecting the perfect model based on your needs.
3D Printing Filament
Creality 3D Printing Filament
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Categories
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Features
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UV Resistance
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Temperature Resistance
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Suitable Applications
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Recommended Settings
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PLA
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Easy to print, ideal for beginners
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Low
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Low (deforms below 40°C)
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Toys, short-term outdoor projects
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Extruder Temp: 180-220°C; Bed Temp: 50-60°C
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PETG
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High impact resistance, flexible, durable
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Moderate |
Moderate (withstands certain temperature variations)
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Outdoor equipment, stress-bearing parts
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Extruder Temp: 245±10°C; Bed Temp: 60±10°C
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ABS
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High strength, durable, but prone to warping
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Low
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High (poor heat resistance)
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Outdoor equipment, automotive parts (minimal UV exposure)
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Extruder Temp: 220-250°C; Bed Temp: 90-110°C
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ASA
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High UV resistance, temperature and moisture resistant, durable
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High
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High (withstands extreme temperature changes)
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Outdoor furniture, equipment, mechanical parts
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Extruder Temp: 240±10°C; Bed Temp: 95±10°C
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TPU
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Flexible, impact-resistant, chemically resistant
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Low
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Moderate (less suited to high temperatures)
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Flexible parts (e.g., seals, gaskets)
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Extruder Temp: 250±10°C; Bed Temp: 50±10°C
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3. 3D Printer Set Up
How to Set Up Your 3D Printer：
Before printing, assemble your Creality 3D Printer, secure all components, and check for stability. Inspect for loose or damaged parts and test its functionality to ensure everything operates smoothly. For guidance, refer to the Creality Ender 3 Unbox, Set Up, and Build video tutorial.
How to connect a 3D printer to a computer：
USB Connection: Plug the printer into your PC. The system should detect it and install drivers automatically; if not, manual driver installation is needed. Software like Creality Cloud helps manage slicing and printing.
Wi-Fi Connection: Wi-Fi-enabled printers allow remote printing, even from different rooms. Use a web interface or Creality Cloud for convenience, but monitor the process to address potential issues like clogs or filament tangles.
Auto Leveling 3D printer：
Measure the Gap
Install the Leveling Kit: Set up the compatible auto-leveling kit for your 3D printer. For example, the CR Touch kit is a good choice for Creality Ender 3.
Preheat: Preheat the nozzle and bed before starting the leveling process to ensure accurate readings under printing conditions.
Measure the Gap: The auto-leveling sensor measures the gap between the bed and the nozzle, displaying these values on the screen.
Mesh Measurement: The printer divides the bed into multiple mesh points, measuring and saving the coordinates for each.
Z-Axis Adjustment: During printing, the printer automatically adjusts the Z-axis based on these mesh coordinates to keep the bed level.
Test Print: After leveling, perform a test print to confirm that the print quality meets expectations.
Auto leveling 3D printer offers a faster, more precise leveling process, making it easier for beginners. However, it’s recommended for newbies to try manual leveling first to understand the basics.
And for more details, read through 3D Printer Bed Leveling: Tips and Solutions is reconmmendable.
Multi-Material Printing Feature:
Multi-material 3D printing combines different materials in one process to achieve varied properties like flexibility, hardness, or heat resistance. Beyond color variations, it enables enhanced functionalities for specific applications. FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) is ideal for this due to its cost-effectiveness and compatibility with various thermoplastics and composites.
The process starts with CAD design, assigning materials to specific parts. In slicer software, parameters like material transitions and printer instructions are configured. Multi-material printing is possible through printers with multiple nozzles or upgrades like Creality's K2 Plus.
The Creality K2 Plus supports multi-material printing with its Filament System (CFS), allowing up to 16 materials by combining multiple CFS units. Features include RFID-based filament detection and humidity/temperature monitoring. This makes multi-material printing accessible for applications ranging from functional prototypes to complex designs with diverse material properties.
Creality K2 Plus
4. Prepare for Your First 3D Print
For those looking to enhance their 3D printing projects, several websites offer free 3d print models and resources:
Creality Cloud: crealitycloud.com/model-category/3d-print-all
Thingiverse：thingiverse.com/
GrabCad：grabcad.com
CGTrader: cgtrader.com
Creality Slicer
Creality Print is optimized slicing software for Creality 3D printers, supporting formats like STL and 3MF. It features a user-friendly interface for model editing, slicing adjustments, and G-code generation. Advanced options, including customizable supports, layer height, and infill density, deliver high-quality prints with precision and strength.
Users can fine-tune settings such as shell lines and support structures to accommodate complex geometries. After selecting the printer profile and confirming parameters like filament diameter and print dimensions, models can be loaded, and key settings—like layer height and infill density—adjusted for resolution and support. Features such as "Fuzzy Skin" and "Infill Travel Optimization" further enhance print quality.
Once configured, the model can be sliced, previewed, and assessed for estimated print time and material usage. With preset profiles and flexible customization, Creality 3D Print ensures an efficient and adaptable printing process.
Adjusting 3D Printing Speed Settings for Optimal Performance
Speeding up 3D printing while maintaining quality requires careful calibration. Start by adjusting acceleration settings, as default rates (around 500mm/s²) may limit speed. Use calibration tools like input shapers to determine the maximum safe acceleration for your printer.
Next, optimize the maximum volumetric flow—the rate at which filament can be reliably extruded. This depends on filament type and print temperatures, with higher temperatures enabling faster flow. Ensure cooling is efficient to prevent quality loss at higher speeds.
Tools like linear or pressure advance help maintain consistent extrusion during speed changes, particularly at sharp corners. Input shapers reduce vibrations, enhancing stability for printers like bed slingers by recommending ideal acceleration settings.
Lastly, slicer adjustments for acceleration, jerk, and speed controls can further boost speed while preserving print quality. Efficient cooling allows faster 3d printer speeds without compromising layer consistency.
5. Start Printing and Monitor the Process
Ensuring a Perfect First Layer when starting 3D Printing
The first layer is critical for print stability, accuracy, and final appearance. To ensure success, start by leveling the bed—manual or automatic leveling tools, like the BL-Touch kit, can help. Select the right bed surface; textured surfaces or painter’s tape work well for materials like ABS and PETG.
Set appropriate bed and nozzle temperatures for proper adhesion and smooth extrusion. Check slicer settings and filament quality to avoid defects like knots or imperfections. Finally, fine-tune the flow rate to prevent issues such as oozing from over-extrusion or gaps from under-extrusion.
Start Printing and Monitor the Process
Top 9 3D Printing Troubleshooting Guide: Our Verdict and Solutions
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Top
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Descriptions
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Our Verdict
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| 1 |
Under Extrusion
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Addressing Under-Extrusion in 3D Printing
Under-extrusion occurs when the filament is too cool to bond properly, causing weak, fragile prints. To resolve this, check the nozzle for clogs and gradually increase the hotend temperature in 5°C increments until achieving optimal flow and part strength.
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| 2 |
Incorrectly Leveled Bed
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Quick Guide to Leveling Your 3D Printer Bed
Place folded paper under the nozzle and home the hotend. If the paper slides too freely, the nozzle is too high;
if it resists heavily, the nozzle is too low. Adjust bed height using an Allen key: loosen screws to raise, tighten to lower.
Repeat for all four corners to ensure consistent leveling for better print quality.
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| 3 |
Stringing or Oozing
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Fixing Stringing or Oozing
Stringing happens when plastic leaks during travel moves. Solutions include:
Enable Retraction: Activate retraction to pull filament back. Adjust distance (e.g., 0.5–2mm for direct-drive, up to 15mm for Bowden) and speed (1200–6000 mm/min).
Lower Temperature: Reduce nozzle temperature by 5–10°C to prevent excessive oozing.
Optimize Travel: Use "Avoid crossing outline for travel" to shorten travel paths and boost X/Y axis speed to minimize leakage time.
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| 4 |
Gaps Between Infill and Outline
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Fixing Gaps Between Infill and Outline
Gaps between infill and outline occur due to insufficient bonding. Increase Outline Overlap (e.g., from 20% to 30%) to enhance adhesion. If gaps persist, reduce print speed (e.g., from 60 mm/s to 30 mm/s) to allow better bonding, then gradually raise it once resolved.
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| 5 |
Bed Adhesion
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Achieving Optimal Bed Adhesion for Different Materials
For strong PLA adhesion, apply dollar-store hair gel on heated glass or use a 0–50°C bed with PET tape, uncovered glass, or Elmer's Glue. For ABS, print at 220°C with a 110°C heated bed to ensure reliable bonding.
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| 6 |
Stops Extruding Mid Print
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Fixing Mid-Print Extrusion Stops
If extrusion stops mid-print, check for these issues:
Out of Filament: Ensure the spool isn't empty; replace if necessary.
Stripped Filament: If the extruder motor spins but filament doesn’t move, reduce print speed or extrusion rate to prevent grinding.
Clogged Extruder: Inspect the nozzle for dust or debris on the filament; clean or unclog as needed.
Overheated Motor Driver: If the extruder motor halts while the toolhead moves, cool the electronics by turning off the printer or adding a fan to prevent thermal cutoffs.
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| 7 |
Warping
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Warping happens when parts shrink as they cool, causing them to curl and detach. This is common with materials like ABS. Solutions include:
Heated Bed: Set the bed to 100-120°C for ABS to reduce shrinkage.
Disable Cooling Fans: Turn off cooling fans to keep layers warm and minimize warping.
Heated Enclosure: Use an enclosure to regulate temperature and prevent warping in taller prints.
Brims and Rafts: Add a brim or raft to secure edges and reduce curling.
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| 8 |
Vibrations and Ringing
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Ringing, caused by vibrations during sudden direction changes, can be reduced by:
Lowering Print Speed: Reduce both "Default Printing Speed" and "X/Y Axis Movement Speed" in the "Speeds" tab.
Adjusting Firmware Acceleration: Set slower acceleration for smoother direction changes.
Fixing Mechanical Issues: Check for loose screws or damaged parts causing vibrations.
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| 9 |
Inconsistent Extrusion
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Inconsistent extrusion affects print quality. Common solutions include:
Filament Issues: Ensure the spool rotates freely and the Bowden tube is clear.
Clogged Extruder: Use Simplify3D’s manual extrusion to check and clean the nozzle.
Low Layer Height: Avoid extremely low layer heights like 0.01mm; adjust to a reasonable value.
Extrusion Width: Set extrusion width to 100-150% of the nozzle diameter.
Filament Quality: Use high-quality, moisture-free filament.
Mechanical Issues: Adjust the extruder’s drive gear tension if too loose.
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Stringing or Oozing
Advanced Tips to Optimize 3D Printing Speed Without Sacrificing Quality
Use a Larger Nozzle: Switching to a larger nozzle can significantly speed up your prints while still achieving adequate detail for many applications.
Increase Layer Height: Adjust your layer height to up to 80% of your nozzle size for faster prints. For example, with a 0.4 mm nozzle, you can set the layer height to a maximum of 0.32 mm.
Upgrade to a Sonic Pad-Compatible: Motherboard Installing an upgraded motherboard compatible with a sonic pad enables input shaping, which allows your printer to operate at its maximum physical speed. This hardware enhancement can drastically reduce print times.
Sonic Pad
Minimize Supports and Optimize Infill Reducing or eliminating supports, rafts, and other wasteful processes can save significant time. Additionally, select faster infill patterns or even eliminate infill entirely for non-structural parts.
Fine-Tune Slicer Settings Explore the extensive settings in slicers like Creality Slicer to strike the ideal balance between speed and quality. Advanced slicer options provide detailed controls for optimizing print parameters.
Note: While these strategies can enhance 3d printer speed , faster printing may compromise quality. Achieving high-speed prints with excellent quality often requires premium components. Be mindful of your printer's physical limitations, as some upgrades may be necessary for optimal performance.
6. Post-Processing and Maintenance
Post-Processing in 3D Printing: Refining and Enhancing Prints：
Post-processing is essential for refining a 3D print, enhancing both its appearance and functionality. This includes removing support structures, sanding, and applying finishes to improve surface properties and mechanical performance.
Materials like ABS and ASA are easier to sand than PLA or PETG. Cracks can be filled with super glue and baking soda, while larger imperfections benefit from sanding, filler primer, and putty. Adding extra walls during printing helps prevent over-sanding and maintains structural integrity. Fine details should be handled carefully for a polished finish.
Essential 3D Printer Maintenance Tips to Keep It in Top Condition
Clean the Nozzle and Hot End
Regularly inspect and clean the nozzle to prevent filament buildup and clogs. Replace worn or damaged nozzles, and consider upgrading to higher-quality components for better performance.
Calibrate the Print Bed
Ensure the bed is level to avoid adhesion issues and inconsistent prints. Use manual or automatic leveling systems like BL Touch, and periodically recheck the bed’s alignment, especially after moving the printer.
Inspect and Adjust Moving Parts
Check belts, roller wheels, and guide rods for wear or misalignment. Adjust tension carefully to ensure smooth movement without excessive friction. Lubricate rods as needed to maintain smooth operation.
Monitor Filament Quality
Examine filament for knots, tangles, or signs of moisture. Store filament properly in a dry environment to avoid print quality issues caused by degraded material.
Keep the Printer Clean
Regularly clean the frame, rails, and interior components using a damp cloth to remove dust and debris. Consider installing covers for rails and fans to reduce contamination from filament particles.
Check Extruder and Bowden Tube
Inspect the extruder and Bowden tube for wear, alignment, and damage. Upgrade to a metal extruder if plastic components show signs of wear, and ensure the Bowden tube is cut and fitted correctly.
Performing these maintenance tasks every 2–3 months or based on usage will help extend the life of your printer and ensure consistent, high-quality results.
7. Do it yourself 3D Printer Kits and Upgrade
For DIY enthusiasts, building a 3D printer from a kit offers a hands-on way to understand its mechanics, helping with future troubleshooting. DIY kits are also more affordable than pre-assembled printers and offer greater customization and upgrade potential, making them ideal for tinkerers.
Pros: DIY kits come with all necessary components—electronics, structural parts, bolts, screws, and wiring—ensuring compatibility. They typically include manuals, community support, and sometimes technical assistance, simplifying assembly. Buying a kit can also be more cost-effective than purchasing parts separately.
Cons: However, many kits have limited customization options and can be difficult to upgrade due to hardware or software restrictions. These factors may limit the printer’s long-term adaptability.
For those willing to learn and embrace some limitations, DIY kits are a cost-effective and rewarding option.
Creality DIY 3D printer Kit Upgrades
Upgrading your Creality DIY 3D printer can significantly enhance its functionality and improve the printing experience.
Popular upgrades include a heated bed, which boosts adhesion and minimizes warping for materials like ABS and PETG. A filament runout sensor is also useful, automatically pausing the printer when filament runs out to ensure uninterrupted printing, even for long projects. For better environmental control, an enclosed chamber maintains stable temperatures and reduces external interference, ideal for high-temperature materials or overall print quality improvement.
These upgrades provide greater versatility and performance, allowing users to customize their printers to fit specific needs.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, 3D printing involves several key steps, from designing or sourcing 3d print models to post-processing the final print. For those new to the field, following a comprehensive 3D printing guide can be invaluable in understanding the 3d printing procedure. Beginners should focus on selecting the right printer and 3D Printing Filament, ensuring proper setup, and learning how to use a 3D printer, including monitoring the printing process effectively.
Regular maintenance, such as nozzle cleaning and bed calibration, is essential to keep the printer performing optimally. Additionally, users are encouraged to explore resources available on Creality's official website and community forums, where they can find 3d printing guides, troubleshooting tips, and advice to continually improve their 3D printing skills.
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