Eclipson Model A (free version)

Jim Kealey

New member
I'm going to attempt to print this in regular PLA using an Anycubic I3 Mega S printer. I'm using PLA Plus filament. I built Cura profiles using those in the earlier mentioned video on the Bobber as guide. Have done a couple test prints and it looks very promising. Using the the PLA Plus at 230c and a 64c bed temperature and it sticks well to the stock bed. This is my first attempt at a fully printed plane. Hope it isn't too fast!
 

xentronic

New member
I'm wondering if anyone can help with me this problem im having when i try to print multiple parts. I'm using A cura profile to print the wing and im having some pretty bad stringing between parts and in-between parts. I tried to lower the retraction down to 25 mm/s but that doesnt seem to make the issue go away. When I print directly from the g-code, the part comes out perfect but I can only print one piece at a time and that is getting pretty tedious.
Lots of settings can effect stringing (hot end temp, retraction, cooling fan speed, print speed). You can print off small string test models from thingiverse. I'd play around and perfect your setting before doing multi prints. Single prints will be cleaner but as you say tedious. I printed in PETG and couldn't get rid of stringing so did single prints.
I used cura profile c and petg. Mine came out fine. You could change infill to 100% to get around the problem
Just remembered all my PETG parts needed a minimum of 4 top layers. It's not as forgiving as PLA
 

eriku

New member
I setup Cura as recommended for thin wall, and test wings print well. After slicing in Cura, you can see that the wing internal structure is only connected on one side, and there is a tiny gap on the other. This is exactly how it prints, so the top of the wing isn't secured to the internal structure. Please see screen cap from Cura (looking down on Wing2L). Is this intentional, or is something setup wrong?


Capture.PNG
 

Jim Kealey

New member
I setup Cura as recommended for thin wall, and test wings print well. After slicing in Cura, you can see that the wing internal structure is only connected on one side, and there is a tiny gap on the other. This is exactly how it prints, so the top of the wing isn't secured to the internal structure. Please see screen cap from Cura (looking down on Wing2L). Is this intentional, or is something setup wrong?


View attachment 194563
I setup Cura as recommended for thin wall, and test wings print well. After slicing in Cura, you can see that the wing internal structure is only connected on one side, and there is a tiny gap on the other. This is exactly how it prints, so the top of the wing isn't secured to the internal structure. Please see screen cap from Cura (looking down on Wing2L). Is this intentional, or is something setup wrong?


View attachment 194563
I ran into the same issue when I attempted to slice the files in Cura. I went back to the g codes that were furnished by them instead of slicing them myself and so far they are printing great and fully attached on my Anycubic I3 Mega printer. The only adjustment I'm making is adjusting the temperatures a little to 230c and bed temperature of 64c. I alter them after the print starts. I'm using PLA + filament to increase strength.
 

6CMSHOOTER

New member
I'm having the same issue with the wings in cura. Tried sending the g code file straight to my SD car for my ender 3 but when I put it in the printer the file doesn't show up any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

Jim Kealey

New member
Just a thought, did you open the go code folder and copy the individual files to your SD card? If you copied just the folder full of files and not the individual file names your printer won't see the files. I believe there are 38 separate gcode files in the folder.
 

647hotrod

Rookie Pilot/Builder
I setup Cura as recommended for thin wall, and test wings print well. After slicing in Cura, you can see that the wing internal structure is only connected on one side, and there is a tiny gap on the other. This is exactly how it prints, so the top of the wing isn't secured to the internal structure. Please see screen cap from Cura (looking down on Wing2L). Is this intentional, or is something setup wrong?

I think the wings are printed in spiral vase mode. each layer is one continuous line, it just doubles back after barely touching the opposite surface.
 

eriku

New member
For some reason, when slicing, its not a continuous line and there is a gap of about one wall width between the internal structure in the top of the wing. The attached screen cap from cura showing just the first layer may better illustrate. BTW- This is using the cura profile from Eclipson. Printing the PlanePrint wing test comes out fine using the same profile.
 

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eriku

New member
I noticed that when I open the STL mesh in Fusion360 and look inside, I can see the same gaps. This doesn't make sense because it seems to make the wing weaker and allow quite a bit of twist because the upper surface is floating.
 

Jim Kealey

New member
I'm puzzled by this too. Initially in Cura I built the detailed profile provided by Plane Print. It worked great for Plane Prints test part which is very thin but would not join the Eclipson wing part structures. However when I reverted to the g codes furnished by Eclipson the structures worked perfectly. I suspect they were made in a different application. I'm not skilled enough in comparing gcode file structure to know what differs. The only additional thing I did was to adjust the filament temp to 228c and bed temp to 64c to meet the higher temp needs of the PLA + filament I'm using. My prints are fully connected and beautiful.
 

Backlund

New member
Just got mine done today. This was a bit of an experiment in patience as my i3 clone can only print about 150mm in height. So most of the parts had to be split up into additional pieces. In the end it all went together. Printed strictly in normal PLA, except for the motor mounts I used ABS.

Will it fly? Probably but it's heavy. I haven't weighed it yet though. I'll have to figure out some additional weight for the nose because it balances tail heavy even with the battery installed. I've got time to figure that out as we still have snow and it will probably be a couple months before I can take it out (and probably crash it into 50 pieces :) )
 

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jpot1

Elite member
@eriku / @Jim Kealey - if the planeprint test part works for you but eclipson does not check if your surface mode is set to surface. From my experience that is what is required for planeprint designs but this is not the case for eclipson.
 

eriku

New member
Yes, that was it. I had surface mode set on. The design of these planes aren't entirely single wall, so that's why the tops of structure weren't connected. I hope that will save time for someone else!
 

Juli4n

New member
hey guys,
I just started printing the Model A on my Ender 3 Pro using the g-code from Eclipson. All parts of the fuselage show ugly lines in a somewhat repeating pattern. I already tried slicing the parts myself using cura with the recommended settings , printed way slower, with lower temps and tried a differend brand of filament. But the lines are still there. Do your parts look the same? Any ideas what´s wrong here?
I printed a plane from thingiverse before and every part was perfect.
IMG_20210310_180014.jpg
 

Juli4n

New member
In the meantime I found the cause of this problem. I use OctoPi for my Ender 3 and the connection between OctoPi and the printer is too slow leading to short breaks and stuttering during the print. When I print directly from the SD card, everything is fine.

Another cuestion: What size of rubber band do I need to attach the wing to the fuselage? I have to order it and can´t find the size anywhere.
 

Dudley1001

Member
I had some white pla from a local shop and it was terrible. I have tried quite a few prints with it and it worked but didn't really impress me. I tried printing up the wing parts in it and it was a total fail, It was splitting along the layer lines and would have totally blow apart in the air. I picked up some esun pla+ from a new shop here in Edmonton, and what a difference, laid down great, nice smooth finish and no splitting if you press on it. WINNER WINNER! The bonus was I was talking to the guy and someone had come in to get a Creality CR-10 fixed and when the guy told him the power supply was toast, he gave it to him. I picked it up for $60 and I think it's brand new and just needs 2 caps in the power supply! It was a good day!
 

Piotrsko

Master member
Another cuestion: What size of rubber band do I need to attach the wing to the fuselage? I have to order it and can´t find the size anywhere.
Google rubber band sizes and specs and you get the relevant data, but may not be able to buy all the sizes. 30,32,34,60,64 are typical stationary store stock. Looking at the picture, 4each #32 should work. swag engineering effort.