Problems with STL files from Autodesk Inventor?

General Software
1

Howdy. New user (Taz 5, 0.5mm nozzle, running tethered using supplied version of Cura).

I’ve gotten over the pains of making sure the Z leadscrews are level, leveling the bed, waiting a week for a replacement for the cracked idler bracket (don’t ask), but now I’m a bit stymied.

I have printed my Bed Calibration file, my Rocktopus, and 3x replacement idler brackets (not getting shut down by THAT again), BUT- I cannot seem to succeed at my first ORIGINAL print.

953×534 58.1 KB

(Screen capture from Inventor)

I created the part using the full (paid for) Autodesk Inventor Professional (2014), and exported from Inventor to an STL file. There are no discontinuities in the part file (tried to keep it simple, see attached STL file, don’t ask my why I used 2016 instead of 2015…). Cura appeared to import the file properly. Scrolling around it looked fine. Scale: 3/16" at its thickest, 4.25" long.

I’ve now attempted to print this file twice in PLA on the “High detail” mode using the “PLA (eSUN)” presets at 220 degrees extruder/60 degrees bed. In each instance, the print failed at, from what I can tell with my calipers, exactly the same point- the transition from flat base to border/lettering. The extruder kept moving in each case (on each part, you can even see where the extruder either scraped or heated the part as it carried on making the shapes to create the letters), but the feed of plastic into the extruder stopped.

I am trying to figure out if I have somehow exceeded the capacity of the printer (unlikely- none of the letters are less than 1mm thick) or if there is something in the STL conversion process from Inventor, or… ? Wit’s end, any help appreciated.

Cheers,

Andy
CHRISTMAS2016.stl (660 KB)

2

Try running it through slicer, it can tell you if it is a manifold issue. I’ve had similar oddities from a non-manifold stl

3

Another debugging tool would be to look at the layers view in Cura. Or to post the generated gcode here. Would help narrow down if it is software or hardware that is the culprit.

As an aside: just this week v18 of Cura was released. Give it a spin! https://www.lulzbot.com/cura But I’d be surprised if it fixed this particular issue you are describing.

4

It was scaled correctly for 3D printing and it came into Simplify 3D great. I do not see a problem? What issues were you having… yes I will go back and review what you said in your post.
I have some black PETG loaded into my printer, I can try to print tomorrow if you like, but I can see nothing wrong.

5

I printed it out several days ago without any problem in ABS.

6

It’s a trick, this is a duplicate thread. we fixed it for him in the other one a week back.

7

Hmm, I thought I had downloaded that file before. I just figured I must have forgot to look at the STL???