Nice adapter for the shop vac. When I see this image, a couple questions come to mind. Number one, did you create this 3D image from default shapes within the software, which you combined and skewed to fit your purposes? Secondly, you see that second portion of the shape (counting from the bottom), the part that necks down? That angle of reduction appears to be maybe 30 degrees. My question is, what is the maximum angle of reduction that would successfully 3D print? It seems to me that you really couldn’t exceed a 45 degree reduction. If you sketched out a shape that cannot be printed, say it necks down at a 60 degree angle, would the software warn you? I’m just wondering how smart the software is in terms of determining if an “illegal” shape has been created that would require some kind of support.
Yep. Most design apps allow for precise control down to a fraction of a mm or thousands of an inch from basic shapes, and some complex shapes/objects like machine thread generators. You build the object from numerous shapes. The vac adapter was built from only 4 shapes (IIRC) in just a few minutes, mostly spent measuring dimensions.
Once you get a shape, you can copy/paste and cut off portions you want to use/lose. It's pretty fun and actually kind of fast compared to how things were done in the past. It's also fairly intuitive. You can take it as far as you want. Even to code your own shape generators if you want.
My question is, what is the maximum angle of reduction that would successfully 3D print?
A better term might be angle to horizontal. The printer has to have something to lay the next layer of filament on, but it can cross a span of a certain length depending upon a number of factors. Likewise, it can print a cantilever out past an edge to a certain distance. This is why it's able to print something with what you refer to as 'angle of reduction'. As a guess, a 3d printer can probably build a shape with less than 3-5 degrees of angle from its horizontal print bed, without any support - depending upon a number of factors, of course.
Today's slicing software will warn you of certain issues. Usually a warning, "Their is something wrong with the model, do you want to correct it". If you answer yes, it seals of a opening or something you didn't want. So it needs a lot of work, at least the less expensive software I've only had an opportunity to work with. Simply 3D simulates the build allowing you to find and fix problems layer by layer.
Simplify 3D does do a fair job of placing supporting structures where they need to be, and it offers you quite a bit of control in doing so. I just like placing them myself.
If you enjoy figuring things out, and sounds like you do, then 3D printing is for you! ;)
Btw, I forgot to mention that I had made a trip to the big box hardware store looking for an adapter - with no luck. IMO, a 3D printer is a must have for a DIY'er or prepper. Certainly so for inventors and tinkerers.
Why didn't I just print it to begin with? It's one of those things you think must be a standard accessory, readily available for just a few bucks at the nearest big box or online.
Apparently the technical term is, "degree of overhang". And it seems 80 deg is about the limit, though I'm pretty sure I've tweaked the angle to single digits looking at it from the printer base ( > 80 degrees from the "degree of overhang" perspective, 90 degrees being parallel to the base ).
