Testing and Printing - Printing in Plastic: Build Your Own 3D Printer - page 375

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Testing and Printing
Your 3D printer is built, you've downloaded the required software, and you've successfully connected
the printer to your computer. All that's left is to configure the printer with some custom settings and
you'll be ready to perform your first 3D print job!
Remember to check the topic's web site, www.buildyourtools.com , for possible updates to this
chapter; as with all software, there are likely to be updates, patches, and new versions of the various
applications you're using. We'll do our best to keep you informed on the latest software information as
well as provide assistance for properly installing and configuring it should that be necessary.
So, without further ado, let's get this software configured properly and get printing!
Configure the 3D Printer
First, open ReplicatorG and open the Control Panel. If you've got the ReplicatorG software running, you
can open the Control Panel from the Machine menu or simply click the Control Panel button (shown in
Figure 20-1) on the ReplicatorG toolbar.
Figure 20-1. The Control Panel button on the Replicator G toolbar
Make sure that the proper settings are specified in the control panel. First, set the Motor Speed
(RPM) to 1.98. You may also need to experiment with the Extrude Duration setting to test your Extruder
and determine if it is working properly. The Extrude Duration controls the length of time the Extruder
will push the plastic filament through the barrel when the Forward button is pressed. Start with ten (10)
seconds for the amount of time for this; you can change it if you find the Extruder is pushing too much
or too little plastic into the barrel. Both settings can be seen in Figure 20-2.