Best PETG settings for a detailed nameplate?
Hey everyone,
So this is a first for me. The guy who plays Dracula at Universal Studios Hollywood asked me to design and 3D print a custom nameplate for him 🧛♂️ My neck is literally on the line with this one 😂
I’ve done a test print already and sent him a photo, and he was absolutely over the moon with it 🙌While I had his attention, I asked him to send a picture of the actual case he wants to mount it on...turns out the lid is curved
He mentioned possibly using a heat gun to contour the nameplate to match the curve, which got me thinking about PETG.
I have printed one in PLA and added some Rub ’n Buff to test the look & printed another in PETG, which honestly I’m pretty disappointed with
The PETG has the flexibility I want, and in theory should make shaping it easier for him, but the surface quality just isn’t there. I enabled ironing on all top surfaces, but as you can see in several areas it simply didn’t iron at all. Attached are a couple of photos of the PETG test print so you can see exactly what I’m talking about. You’ll notice the inconsistent ironing across the flat areas, especially around the lettering and the central panel. Some sections look decent, others look like ironing just didn’t happen at all.a
Printer is a Prusa Mini and I’m using PrusaSlicer.
Has anyone run into this with PETG ironing on the Mini, or have tips for dialing this in? It’s really starting to bug me and I want this to be perfect for him.
He’s planning to finish it with antique gold Rub ’n Buff for a proper aged look, which should be pretty epic once it’s done.
Any insight into what might be causing this, or PETG-specific ironing tweaks I should be looking at on the Prusa Mini, would be hugely appreciated.
RE: Best PETG settings for a detailed nameplate?
If it's not going outside then it's best to print it in PLA. This will give you more detail and a cleaner look than PETG. Also, something like this might be interesting: Protopasta Bronze Filled PLA which can be polished and/or "aged" with a pantina.
RE: Best PETG settings for a detailed nameplate?
While I agree it is best to print in PLA for quality, the issue with PLA is flexibility. I am trying to make his job easier, but making the final result as flexible as I can. He did mention about the use of a heat-gun, but I'm not so sure how PLA would react. I am thinking about sending a secondary plate, in case any mistakes are made.
RE: Best PETG settings for a detailed nameplate?
I print a ton of functional parts with PETG, but for me, it never turns out as polished as a PLA print would no matter what I do. You could consider printing it at a different orientation (eg, instead of printing it flat, print it upright - might need a raft since its pretty thin). You'll end up with layer lines rather than surface finish. Might help with resolution of the lettering as well depending on the nozzle size you are using.
I've never tried to bend something like this with heat. I would be interested to know if it works out for you - I would be worried that would ruin the print more that anything else. You might be better off printing in PLA and curving the object prior to printing.
Good luck 🙂
RE: Best PETG settings for a detailed nameplate?
The polishing results should be much nicer if PrusaSlicer can be convinced to treat the base plate and the letters as separate models. You want it to first print the base plate with a complete, continuous surface; then print the letters on top of it. That's not how the model currently gets sliced: The base plate surface is interrupted where the letters are placed, resulting in complex, irregular printing and polishing paths on that top layer.
You would have to create the base plate and the letters as two separate STL models, then combine them in the slicer. And add a dummy block to the lettering model, somewhere outside the actual sign you want to print, to lift the letters to the desired height. Otherwise the slicer will insist on dropping the letters down to the print surface level.
RE: Best PETG settings for a detailed nameplate?
When you say print surface level, I assume you mean the printing plate?
Also, do you mean print in PLA or PETG with this method?
The polishing results should be much nicer if PrusaSlicer can be convinced to treat the base plate and the letters as separate models. You want it to first print the base plate with a complete, continuous surface; then print the letters on top of it. That's not how the model currently gets sliced: The base plate surface is interrupted where the letters are placed, resulting in complex, irregular printing and polishing paths on that top layer.
You would have to create the base plate and the letters as two separate STL models, then combine them in the slicer. And add a dummy block to the lettering model, somewhere outside the actual sign you want to print, to lift the letters to the desired height. Otherwise the slicer will insist on dropping the letters down to the print surface level.
RE: Best PETG settings for a detailed nameplate?
When you say print surface level, I assume you mean the printing plate?
Also, do you mean print in PLA or PETG with this method?
Yes, when I mentioned "dropping the letters down to the print surface level", I meant the print bed.
The proposed change should improve the large upper surface of the base plate. The "ringing" artifacts on the base plate, around the letters, should go away.
But there is apparently something else at play with the PETG ironing, with the long streaks that don't get ironed right. As others have said, PETG tends to give worse finish and details than PLA, but I am wondering whether there is too little (or uneven) extrusion during the ironing. Have you properly dried the PETG before printing? If that's taken care of, you could try and tweak the flow rate (Print settings > Infill > Ironing).
RE: Best PETG settings for a detailed nameplate?
I'll admit I haven't dried any of my filament out...I know, I should have done. I have been wondering whether to buy a dryer or to just use my mothers oven...I'm sure she'll be thrilled at that.
When you say print surface level, I assume you mean the printing plate?
Also, do you mean print in PLA or PETG with this method?
Yes, when I mentioned "dropping the letters down to the print surface level", I meant the print bed.
The proposed change should improve the large upper surface of the base plate. The "ringing" artifacts on the base plate, around the letters, should go away.
But there is apparently something else at play with the PETG ironing, with the long streaks that don't get ironed right. As others have said, PETG tends to give worse finish and details than PLA, but I am wondering whether there is too little (or uneven) extrusion during the ironing. Have you properly dried the PETG before printing? If that's taken care of, you could try and tweak the flow rate (Print settings > Infill > Ironing).
RE: Best PETG settings for a detailed nameplate?
I haven't watched this video yet but it seems to mirror what you want in terms of contouring: I Printed This Flat Then Bent It Into 3D!
RE:
I haven't watched this video yet but it seems to mirror what you want in terms of contouring: I Printed This Flat Then Bent It Into 3D!
Hi, Sorry I took so long to reply, I've just looked at the link you sent, and I think it's definitely going to have to be PLA purely for quality, I am going to arrange a video call with him to discuss this, and make sure he is happy with it. I'm sure he'll know prop makers who can assist him if need with shaping it to the lid.