3D printers · Success stories
Case study 3D Makers Romania
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A 3D printing community made out of passion
We notice day by day that 3D printing technology is no longer in its infancy in Romania!
In the last 3 years the 3D printing industry has grown considerably and is no longer a technology used exclusively by engineers. We are glad that there is interest from individuals and companies who without a technical background want to use 3D printing technology both within internal projects and for diversification of activity.
With an ever-increasing number of 3D printer users it is essential that they have access to a community where they can find useful tips and recommendations, solutions to identified problems and share their passion.
We had the pleasure of meeting Mr. N. from Bucharest, who purchased from us this winter a Prusa Mk3s+ 3D printer.
By profession, he is a CAD design technician, but he considers himself a "Maker" who with a lot of courage and passion has learned a lot about 3D printing technology.
With great enthusiasm, he told us that he would like to assemble the printer himself because he is already familiar with the technology, and on this occasion he will prepare a video for his youtube channel.
Through the community 3D Makers Romania formed by Mr. N. on his youtube channel aims to provide timely, relevant and experienced information about the printers and consumables tested, to help the community in making a purchasing decision, as well as for troubleshooting.
We sent the Prusa MK3S+ 3D printer in the KIT version, and below we invite you to see how the assembly process went.
PRUSA MK3S+ ASSEMBLY VIDEO
From the initial discussions, he also told us about his plans to form and grow a useful 3D printing community, reflecting the experience of each individual user, to support both the experienced and those who are thinking about entering this world of 3D printing.
We are happy to join the initiative and support the efforts of the 3D Makers Romania community!
In order to reflect in the most transparent way how he discovered the technology, how he uses it and what plans he has in order to arouse the curiosity of the uninitiated, to inspire and encourage them, we have prepared a special interview.
Read below the interview with the creator of the 3D Makers Romania Community and find out:
- How the 3D printing initiation process went for a hobbyist
- If you can use a 3D printer without previous experience
- What you can achieve with the 3D printer and how it can help you
- How the 3D Makers Romania community supports future “Makers”
1. How did you discover 3D printing and how was your first experience with a printer?
"I discovered 3D printing in 2015 in the form of a friend's Anet A8. I was hooked! I got one myself and got to work. If I remember the time correctly, I think I had a 2-page instruction manual and a million parts... I read the manual in 30 seconds and then 48 hours of little sleep, frustration and resignation.
I succeeded and finished the assembly process, and to my surprise and that of my friend who already had one, everything was correctly placed except the stepper plugs in the pcb which were put in reverse and as a result all the axes moved in the opposite direction.
I spent the next year learning to work in Cura, TinkerCAD and calibrate the printer as best I could, at the time I couldn't imagine anything better or worse than my setup.
I searched and found upgrades, what I couldn't find I designed and what I couldn't design due to lack of know-how I tried to find from others, and after about 1 and a half years the upgrades were finished, everything was ready to go.
So slowly I began to need speed, a bigger bed and an easier calibration. For the most attentive, you will notice that I didn't say quality, that's because the prints were of quality. Even if I had upgrades, they were strictly for the frame, I didn't change bearings, pcb or steppers, but out of the box for a low budget, the Anet was really good.
Of course, I wasn't in the situation now where I give save g-code and print. At least 15 minutes were spent warming up, checking and minor touch-ups. I don't want to talk about filament or storage conditions between prints.”
2. How do you currently use 3D printing technology and how does it help you?
"At the moment I own 3 printers, 2 Creality and one Prusa. There will be more...
I don't know if I can call those from Creality low budget, especially after the modifications they have. I think they fall under the heading of "customized" and also helped in my transition from a simple amateur to a "hands on maker".
The Prusa came as a fad, I wanted the Prusa since around 2018, and it wasn't because of the budget that I didn't take the step towards it, but rather out of fear and mistrust. I couldn't believe that there was something that encompassed everything, and I didn't really have anyone to get information from.
I use them all for absolutely every need and obstacle/challenge I encounter in my daily life, to be more explicit below I will leave you some examples:
I am a professional fisherman
Although it is a more expensive hobby than 3D printing, as in the 3d world some things are better if they are made by yourself, so the first use was in creating component parts and enhancements. If I could make my life easier, why not?
I designed everything from flashlight holders, clamps for boat accessories, servos for model ships, light fixtures and lamps to simple hooks for a portable shower or battery-pack.
I'm a gamer!
I play Dota, NFS and strategy games, first printed a headset stand, from here to desktop modding was just a step.
I am a parent.
Do you like toy trains? My boy yes! I think you can already tell where I'm hitting.
I am human after all
When it came to helping someone in need, I did it, but I admit and am not ashamed that I also did it for money.
If you value your work and are aware of what you can do, you have every chance to make some money on the side, and if you are also dedicated enough, you can have a full time job.
But when it came to printing visor mounts for frontline medics or mask conversion nozzles/adapters for hospital oxygen generators, I did it without a second thought. As much as it was and as I could, I tried to do something.”
3. What is the impact of 3D printing technology and how is the technology perceived in your community?
“I want to answer here with some definitions.
Community, in the literary sense, as defined in the dex is the act of having several things in common, having a common possession, and/or a group of people with common interests. I stop here!
So let's help each other, support each other and be lenient.
The community, as I perceived it and which I hit like a wall, is made up of those people, from certain groups, from the various social media platforms that can be divided into four categories:
"Passionate Makers" who are engaged and want to support new users
Those who have a 3d printer or more, know what raspberry pi is, how to do troubleshooting and on top of that they are willing to help the community in the smallest detail.
"Passionate Makers" but reserved with new users
Those who have a 3d printer or more, know what a raspberry pi is, how to troubleshoot and who laugh or look down on absolutely anyone who asks or has problems at his level, often lower than theirs.
These are a kind of troll, usually with the role of admins or moderators, who at the slightest sign of "disobedience" respond fiercely and shame you out of the way as if someone wants to steal something from them or their life and honor depends on it.
This or I want to draw your attention to how what you asked has nothing to do with the group and its direction and it would be better if before you ask a question, you better document yourself about the problem and the question and then ask the question. Does your head hurt?
Well, I experienced this... what sense does it make to find the solution to a problem by myself and only then come to ask? Why should I ask?
”Subjective Makers”
Those who have an idea about something, maybe have a more limited budget or, on the contrary, they have no limit and for any question or problem they offer you a solution that is most of the time either off topic or "VERY" subjective. Usually the answer is don't look for it and don't buy it, get it from here it's cheaper and the opposite, quality bro!
With all due respect to all and sundry, none of this answers the question I originally asked, specifically how do I bed level a Cr10V2 that I don't have BLTouch for?
”Friendly Makers”
Those who know and may or may not want to help you. These are the least!
If for the latter everything is clear, for those who know and want to help you and even more, they are aware of what a community is and how it works, after seeing the above listed in the comments, they choose to write to you privately, to guide you and in most cases to remain friends.
In conclusion, we are quite a lot of "extreme users" and very few people in the middle. I didn't manage to fit myself, at the moment."
4. I noticed that you are currently supporting the education and familiarization of the community with 3D printing through the YouTube channel 3D Makers Romania. What do you propose through the activity on the channel?
The youtube channel and facebook page appeared in response to what was written above, to the previous question.
I have proposed to make review videos about any printer that passes through my hands, filament and other components and accessories, so that at the right time I can answer correctly and concretely, through direct answers, articles or videos on YouTube.
I asked about the extruder and was directed to change the filament, I asked about the Prusa and was directed to get a Wanahoo.
I want to break these habits, I want to create a community, exactly as it says on page 3D Makers Romania, on the new Group that I created and on the YouTube channel. A group and a community where people can get answers to their questions, if they need advice about a filament from Polymaker or E-Sun, not to be answered by someone with Devil Design and especially with the reply: "mine is better because I use it!".
If someone needs a purchase advice for a printer, find videos on YouTube in Romanian, not just sponsored content. In addition, it may seem paradoxical, but not everyone who has a 3d printer speaks or understands English well.
At the moment, I'm looking for sponsors because I can't invest all my resources in buying printers and filaments just for the sake of making videos on youtube. Beyond that, it sounds different when you say "today's episode is sponsored by..." not only for whoever gave you that something, but also for yourself, for credibility and professionalism.
That is why, in order to have access to as many resources as possible, we have recently been writing a lot of emails to filament and printer manufacturers, we introduced ourselves and tried to attract them to support us.
However, we don't stop here, we don't give up and we try to do something with what we have available, who knows, maybe someone will read this article and will find it in what I wrote and will want to give us a chance, not me but the community."
5. Did you have experience with this type of equipment before purchasing the Prusa i3 MK3S+ printer? How difficult do you think it would be for someone who doesn't already have direct experience to learn to use this equipment well enough?
"Each field has its tools, but also the people to use them.
Prusa is actually an all-in-one printer, the price discourages in the first phase especially if you add the small print volume.
However, it gives you the opportunity to assemble a 3d printer from scratch, learn from mistakes, and then print with it without any skills in leveling and calibration.
At the same time, if you have the necessary experience and already have a few printers running, Prusa comes and offers you a "Workhorse", a kind of old Mercedes from Africa from the 80s that does its job regardless of the conditions and treatments it is exposed to.
To summarize, whether you have experience or not, it is the printer that offers you everything you need regardless of your level, both from a technical point of view and from a community and support point of view. ”
6. Would you recommend the technologies and services offered by IRIS Robotics?
"At the moment I see IRIS Robotics among the main promoters of quality in the field of 3D Printing in Romania.
I'm not only saying this because they trusted me to deliver a product and for me to assemble it, but also because from all the discussions we had, I found myself in their ideas and this business model.
Yes, I recommend and I do so with all openness, I recommend you consult their blog, if you are still not convinced, nothing will."
You have reached the end of the interview with Mr. N., passionate about 3d printing just like you.
Enter the channel of Youtube 3D Makers Romania for more useful videos about 3d printing.
We invite you to discover useful information and other success stories about 3d printing on our blog:
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The complete guide in choosing a 3D printer
