I’m a new user, interested in the prospect of building a Poppy. Since the first step would be to actually print the parts, I was surprised to find out very little information about this on the site (maybe I missed it). So since I’m not really familiar with 3D printing, I have some questions, and hopefully we can gather some more details for others to see too.
What material should be used for printing the parts? Is the classic PLA good for this or does it have some drawbacks? What was your experience?
What kind of settings do we need for printing? I see all kinds of things, like resoluton (100 microns seem to be the norm), printing speed, density, etc. Are there any recommended values for these things?
Is it really possible to print all the parts? The chest plate for example looks really intricate.
Basically I’m trying to get a printer without breaking the bank and I’m not at all sure what to look for.
I’m reaching that topic now… kind of very late, but in case you @ionutned or other users are still interested into the info, here are some answers.
There is no much info about 3D printing because it really depends of the technology of your printer, so you might find answers on forums dedicated to your printer. The most common printers at home are FDM technology with PLA, or sometimes also ABS plastic. If you buy Poppy parts online they will be printed through SLS technology, giving stronger and smoother parts but more expensive.
For Poppy parts, any FDM-derivated technology will generate supports, making it harder to clean after the printing process. It will work pretty well with 100microns, although I suggest that you train yourself to 3D printing will simpler shapes first, you will get to know what works fine or doesn’t with your printer. If you don’t want to spend time and energy in learning 3D printing, maybe it’s simpler to buy the SLS-printed parts online.