The mask data, which can be printed on a 3D printer, is available for free.My friend was interested in this mask, so I decided to print it.
Mask data for a 3D printer
A company called Ignus has released STL data of masks that can be output with a 3D printer.
Example of finished product From the page of Ignas
There are men's and women's sizes, among which are thin and thick STL files.
This mask seems to be able to be printed on ordinary 3D printers. However, this mask uses the SLS method, which uses a powerful laser beam to solidify the powder to form a shape. It's supposed to print on the most amazing 3D printer that can print any shape.
DMM 3D Printer Service
I don't think there is an SLS printer in every home, so I'd like to ask DMM's 3D printer service, which allows anyone to do 3D printing online.I tried to estimate how much I could make.
How much 8137 yen !!! This printer is one of the best printers that can print in any shape.The price is too high, so I'm going to print it myself.
Printing with Anycubic I3 Mega
Print as is
First, I printed with the PETG filament that I had at home.If you lay it down and print it, many pillars for supporting the mask will be formed on the back of the mask, so I tried to print it upright and minimize the support.
In this mask data, there is a slit where rubber passes, and that part cannot be printed correctly.The holes have penetrated all the way to the side of the mask, so the rubber cannot be fixed.
Well, this data is not supposed to be printed in this direction, so it can't be helped.
Moreover, I made this with PETG filament, so it is very hard.Your face will hurt if you wear a mask.
Make it look good
Modifying the 3D data
This mask has a slit next to the hole that the rubber goes through, so it won't print well, so I'll change the data and fill that slit.I don't know how to use CAD software, so I'm going to use Blender, a 3D modeling software, to modify the data.
When I imported the STL file of the mask into Blender, it loaded well.Then, the surface with the slit was extended and connected to the other surface to close the slit.
Export the created data in STL to complete the modified STL data.
Buy TPU Filament
Printing with regular filament is hard and painful to wear, so I'm going to print with flexible TPU.I bought the PRILINE filament, which has a good reputation.
However, my 3D printer, Anycubic I3 Mega, is not compatible with TPU.For my printer, there is a little gap in the mechanism called the extruder that feeds the filament. Therefore, if you use a strange TPU filament, it will bend during feeding and will be caught in the gap.
The appearance of the filament winding and jumping out
If this happens, the filament will not be fed.
The Anycubic I3 Mega-S, an improved version of the Anycubic I3 Mega, has an improved feed mechanism and is TPU compatible.
It's too early to give up.There is a kit for upgrading a stock i3 Mega to a TPU compliant I3 Mega-S.
Replacing this extruder with the Mega's extruder will transform the Mega into the Mega-S.
I ordered this kit immediately, but I tried to print it before it arrived, and I was able to print it with the following parameters.
Parameters that can print TPU in Mega
First of all, I try to find the angle of the mask that produces less support when printing with the mask upright.I think I rotated it about 89 degrees from the original data. I'm sorry if I don't remember.
In this state, set the parameters as follows.
- Preheat temperature: 240°C (Recommended operating temperature: 190-230°C, but I made it higher to make it softer anyway)
- Build plate temperature: 65°C (TPU is very sticky and sticks well even at low temperatures)
- Print speed: 20mm/s (I made it as slow as possible so as to reduce the amount of filament feed)
- Retraction: Off (If the filament is pulled back, there is not enough pressure on the feed, and the thin parts, such as between the holes, will print thinner.I tried to print two types, ON and OFF, this time ).
- Cooling fans: stop (important.(If not stopped, the temperature of the head will drop during printing and the filament will become clogged.
Output to G-code and save to SD card.
Print on Normal I3 Mega
About 8 hours.I finished the printing while I was sleeping.
The support was cut with nippers, and the thread-like object in the hole was removed with a soldering iron set to 250°C.
Ordinary soldering irons cannot adjust the temperature, but this soldering iron can be adjusted from 250°C to 450°C.The lowest temperature, 250°C, was used to remove the TPU threads while melting them.
It was finished in a pretty good way.
Comparison with Retraction ON/OFF
Retraction is Left: ON, right: OFF.The holes in the mesh are larger in the ON and the mesh tends to be blocked in the OFF.
This is the part of the hole through which the rubber is threaded.Retraction is Left: ON, right: OFF.When ON, the space between the hole and the side has become thin.It seems to be a little too thin and weak, so I think it is better to turn off retraction.
TPU filament made a soft 3D mask
Unfortunately, the rubber for the mask is sold out at the store near our house.It's unfinished as a mask because I have no rubber, but I was able to print a soft mask with TPU filament.I'm going to send this mask to a friend who is interested in it immediately.
It is the harvest that I found out that TPU filament can be used for printing even with the stock Anycubic I3 Mega.When the updater kit arrives, I hope to update it to be a Mega-S.(I found out that I could print without updating, so maybe I didn't need it...)
