3D Printed Flexible Dino

I’ve printed a benchy, so I was now looking for something a bit more interesting to get used to the process of 3D printing. I came across a flexible T-rex which I thought was cool as fuck, so I chose to print that.

I was expecting to have to put things together, maybe clip the segments together in some way. I instead found out about “print in place” models - the printer prints these things pre-assembled!

Makes sense I guess - the printer is able to print around things layer-by-layer, but it is just shocking and magical to me that these rigid objects can be printed with hinges and stuff that work!

Regarding the print job itself I left it in the 0.20mm layer mode which is “standard quality” in the slicer software, resulting in noticable layers as might be expected. I think a slightly higher resolution would have been better - maybe something like 0.16mm, and a slower print speed.

Unlike last time, I did not enable the timelapse on the printer. There were almost no microplastics ejected into my lungs this time - I don’t think I’ll bother with it any more. Was also difficult to figure out how to turn it off in the software, you have to switch to an entirely different mode (“print by object” instead of “print by layer”).

I also noticed that there is a big difference between the side that was on the bed, and the top. You can really see the lines on the top but the bottom is kinda shiny but textured. There is a setting in the slicer called “ironing” which I might try, to see if it can give a better result on the top of the print.

But still! Absolutely love the creature. I think he’ll join me on my desk as a decoration.