How do you avoid common errors and issues when 3D printing CAD models in automotive design?

3 Orient and position your parts

The third step to optimize your CAD models for 3D printing is to orient and position your parts on the build plate. This can have a significant impact on the quality and strength of your prints, as well as the amount of supports and material needed. You should orient and position your parts in a way that minimizes the overhangs and supports, maximizes the contact area with the build plate, and aligns the print direction with the load direction. Overhangs and supports are areas of your model that are not directly supported by the build plate or the previous layers, and they can cause sagging, curling, or drooping of your prints. You should avoid or reduce them as much as possible, or use appropriate support structures that can be easily removed or dissolved. Contact area with the build plate is important for the adhesion and stability of your prints, and you should ensure that your parts have enough surface area to stick to the build plate and avoid warping or shifting. Print direction is the direction of the layers that are deposited by the printer, and it affects the strength and durability of your prints. You should align the print direction with the load direction of your parts, which is the direction of the force or stress that your parts will experience in their use. This way, you can reduce the risk of breaking or cracking of your prints along the layer lines.

4 Check and repair your models

The fourth step to optimize your CAD models for 3D printing is to check and repair your models before sending them to the printer. This can help you avoid errors or issues that can affect the quality or success of your prints, such as non-manifold edges, inverted normals, duplicate vertices, or intersecting faces. You can use various software tools or online services to analyze and fix your models, such as Meshmixer, Netfabb, or MakePrintable. These tools can detect and correct any problems or defects in your models, such as holes, gaps, overlaps, or inverted faces, and make them ready for 3D printing.

5 Slice and preview your models

The final step to optimize your CAD models for 3D printing is to slice and preview your models using a slicer software. A slicer software is a program that converts your CAD models into G-code, which is the language that instructs the printer how to print your parts. A slicer software also allows you to adjust various settings and parameters that affect the printing process, such as layer height, infill density, print speed, temperature, and retraction. You should experiment with different settings and find the optimal balance between quality and speed for your project. You should also preview your models before printing them, using the simulation or preview mode of your slicer software. This can help you visualize how your parts will look like after printing, and identify any potential errors or issues, such as gaps, holes, overhangs, or supports. You can also estimate the printing time and cost, and make any necessary changes before starting the print.