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How to print robot chassis parts for robotics club students

A step-by-step guide for robotics club students printing robot chassis parts, with what to prepare, common mistakes, and tool options.

By TexHouse ยท

TexHouse is published by the makers of LunarWerx 3D Print, Vector3D and MeshyDL, which are compared here alongside other tools.

LunarWerx 3D Print is a set of browser tools that work out ironing settings for your printer, check a part for injection moulding and design 3D-printable foam inserts. [1]

OptionWhat it doesFee
LunarWerx 3D PrintBrowser tools that work out ironing settings for your printer [1]Free to use [1]
Other slicers and print toolsNot described on this page; check each tool's own pageCheck the tool's own page

What you need before you start

Before you print robot chassis parts, the club needs a few things ready. Start with a 3D printer that is set up, level, and has already printed a simple test object, so you know it works. You also need the chassis model file, usually an STL or 3MF file, and a slicer, which is the program that turns the model into instructions the printer can follow.

Check the chassis size against your printer's build plate, because a long plate may not fit flat on the bed. Use filament that has been kept dry, since damp filament makes weak parts with rough surfaces. Collect the motor and wheel measurements and the bolt sizes, so the holes in the chassis line up with the parts you will attach later.

Finally, keep a shared notebook or document where students write down the settings that worked, the printer name and the filament type. That way the next team can repeat a good result instead of starting over.

Step by step

Follow these steps in order, and write down what you change at each one. Start with a small test piece, then print the real chassis parts once the settings are checked.

  1. Measure the parts that bolt to the chassis, including motor mounts, wheel holes and any sensor brackets. Compare these numbers with the holes in the model before you print anything.
  2. Open the chassis model in your slicer and check its size on screen against the build plate.
  3. Place the chassis flat side down on the plate. A flat base usually gives a stronger and straighter part than a standing one.
  4. Pick settings for the load the chassis must carry. For a plate that holds bolts, thicker walls usually matter more than dense infill, so raise the wall count before you raise infill.
  5. Print a small test piece that includes one bolt hole. Check that the bolt goes in snugly without forcing it, then adjust the hole size in the model if needed.
  6. Print the first layer of the chassis and watch it for a few minutes. It should stick to the plate, lie flat, and not lift at the corners.
  7. Print the chassis parts one at a time, and let each part cool before you remove it, because removing a warm part can bend it.
  8. Fit each printed part onto the real motors and wheels. Note any hole that needs more clearance, and change it in the model before printing again.
  9. Save the settings that worked in your club notes, so the next print starts from a known point.

Tools that can do it

LunarWerx 3D Print is made by the team that publishes this site. LunarWerx 3D Print is a set of browser tools that work out ironing settings for your printer, check a part for injection moulding and design 3D-printable foam inserts. [1] The ironing helper works out ironing settings for your printer, material and finish, and exports a ready 3MF file. [1] It also makes a 9-pad or 16-pad test plate around your settings, and you mark each pad as worked or not. [1]

One checkbox slows just the first layer to 15 mm/s by default. [1] LunarWerx 3D Print says this helps the first layer stick to a clean plate without glue. [1] For an uploaded Bambu or Orca project, it adds per-object ironing settings and keeps the rest of the file unchanged. [1]

The tool runs in a web browser. [1] You use it on its website, which is hosted on Cloudflare. [1]

Other slicers and print tools can also prepare chassis parts. This page does not describe them, so check each tool's own page for what it does, what it costs and what it needs before you choose one for the club.

Common mistakes to avoid

Skipping the test piece is the most common shortcut, and it usually costs more time later. A full chassis printed with a bolt hole that is too small means printing the whole part again. Printing on a dirty build plate causes poor first layers, so wipe the plate before each print.

Choosing thin walls for a part that holds bolts can crack the holes under load. Printing a chassis standing up to save space often gives weaker results, because the layers are joined along their sides rather than across their full width.

Forgetting to check the model's size against the build plate leads to parts that will not fit, or prints that are cut off at the edge. Taking a part off the plate while it is still warm can bend it, so wait until it has cooled. Finally, not writing down the settings that worked means the next team starts from zero.

Frequently asked questions

Is LunarWerx 3D Print free to use?

The tools are free to use. [1] You use them on a website, and they run in a web browser. [1] The website is hosted on Cloudflare. [1] Before the club relies on the tools for a project, check the tool's own page for any current terms, and confirm that the browser the club plans to use on its computers works with them.

Can LunarWerx 3D Print fix model files with backward faces?

When you open an STL file with faces turned backwards, it turns them right side out and says how many it fixed. [1] A downloaded chassis model can have this problem, and faces turned backwards can confuse a slicer about which parts of the model are solid. Check the fixed model in your slicer before printing. Keep the original file as well, so you can compare the two if the print looks wrong.

What does ironing do for robot chassis parts?

Ironing is a finishing pass where the nozzle goes back over the top of a part and smooths the surface. It can make a flat top look cleaner, which may help when a chassis plate will be handled a lot or seen closely. Ironing adds print time, and it works on flat top surfaces. Use a test piece first to see whether the finish is worth the extra time for the club's parts.

Does LunarWerx 3D Print keep settings across computers?

It runs only in your browser, and signing in lets your settings, recent test plates and print results follow you to every computer. [1] For a club, this can mean a student who starts a setting on one computer can continue it on another. Write down which account each student uses, so the club knows whose settings are whose. Check the tool's own page for how sign-in works before the club depends on it.

Can LunarWerx 3D Print add ironing to a Bambu or Orca project?

For an uploaded Bambu or Orca project, it adds per-object ironing settings and keeps the rest of the file unchanged. [1] This means the other settings in your project are left as they were. Keep a copy of your project before uploading, so you can go back if the result is not what you expected. Check the result in your slicer before you send the file to the printer.

The tools are free to use. [1]

Try LunarWerx 3D Print

Sources

  1. LunarWerx 3D Print's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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