3D Printed Animatronic Speaking Tiki Statues

My title is Jim Leemhuis. I’m 34 years previous from Lexington, Kentucky. By day, I’m a mechanical engineer serving to design laser printers for Lexmark Worldwide Inc. By night time, I spend my time 3D printing, coding, and assembling animatronic figures.

I’ve spent the final ten years utilizing 3D printing to go with my design work at Lexmark. We use giant SLA resin and Objet printers to create and take a look at printer components and fixtures earlier than releasing merchandise to market. Having the ability to create and take a look at components rapidly was essential for me at work and, in 2015, I bought my Lulzbot Mini so I may create components at residence. I discovered I may flip round designs for work in a single day and guarantee they labored earlier than utilizing the bigger (and extra pricey to run) SLA/Objet printers at work to print the ultimate working.

I’ve all the time had a fascination with Disney audio animatronics from a really younger age. It appears, right this moment, like many theme parks are transferring increasingly in the direction of digital projections, however for my part, nothing beats a bodily determine transferring, speaking, and interacting in entrance of you. I knew once I was older that I might attempt to construct my very own animatronics. 3D printing, together with open supply platforms like Arduino, has allowed me to try this.

My first main animatronic undertaking was an audio animatronic bust with a Haunted Mansion theme. This was an enormous leap into open supply electronics and an awesome start line to make sure I may design and print purposeful components. You’ll be able to see a video of the ultimate undertaking right here: https://youtu.be/g5WGrtmRxQU

As soon as I had efficiently accomplished my Haunted Mansion audio animatronic, I knew I needed to do a undertaking primarily based on the primary present to make use of audio animatronics, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. Everybody I do know loves the chanting tiki totems within the present. After learning them for a bit, I noticed the animatronics wouldn’t be as advanced as my final undertaking, however it could positively be problem to check my 3D design and printing expertise. I had seen individuals who had designed and printed tiki poles earlier than; however nobody I knew had taken on the problem of recreating an enchanted speaking tiki totem that included movement, audio, and synchronized lighting. It’s could be my very own small tribute to these unique Disney Animatronics.

The totem design makes use of a majority of Matterhackers PRO PETG, with PLA and a few ABS used as nicely, in smaller quantities. The totem pole construction, prime, and base are all made out of PETG. Why was PETG the precise materials for this job?  PETG has an awesome mixture of robust layer adhesion, minimal warp whereas printing giant components, increased glass transition temperature, together with being far more sturdy and far simpler to post-process in comparison with PLA. This allowed for very giant components to be printed with out worrying about layer splits (extra widespread in giant ABS prints), breaking printed items as a consequence of brittleness, and being able to have components flex to create tight suits.

Examine this hyperlink to see the Tiki undergo its “present” (Word: on the time of publication, paint has not been totally utilized but): https://youtu.be/DhtXnlpF3e0

After utilizing PETG for this undertaking, there are just a few ideas I’ve discovered by experimentation with the fabric in addition to from others.

Epoxies and different glues will NOT bond to PETG. You must use a particular solvent used for acrylics. I used SciGrip Weldon #4. Word that this solvent has the consistency of water and must be utilized with an applicator with a skinny needle. It’s best to have good air flow when making use of this solvent. Making use of outdoor is finest. Nonetheless, it dries inside a couple of minutes.

I used to be capable of bond PETG components collectively simply in addition to bonding PETG components to PLA components (though the bond isn’t fairly as robust as PETG to PETG) utilizing Weldon #4. Thanks, @keebie81, for telling me about this nice solvent!

In my expertise, PETG might be very delicate to over extrusion. Make sure to set your slicer’s movement % as little as potential that also offer you a stable first layer. That is very true of components with giant preliminary floor areas. After you have it dialed in, nevertheless, it prints with none concern. This additionally minimized the probabilities of PETG materials sticking to the nozzle throughout printing. PETG appears to wish to follow the nozzle more-so than ABS or PLA. In the event you’re experiencing this concern, strive lowering your movement price a bit and ensure the Z top is right.

PETG and ABS have very comparable sanding properties. By means of testing, I’d rank ABS best to sand with PETG in a really shut second and PLA in a distant third. In the event you’re trying to put up course of your prints, hold this in thoughts if attempting to determine between PETG and PLA as a consequence of their comparable anti-warping properties. Sanding these pesky layer traces out of PETG shall be a lot faster than PLA.

Whereas warping throughout printing with PETG is minimal, you should still expertise a small quantity on bigger prints. This may increasingly trigger a niche between prints in case you’re adhering two components of an meeting collectively. To fill gaps or seams, utilizing ProBond Wooden Filler works amazingly nicely. It’s straightforward to use along with your finger, cleans up properly with water, dries rapidly, and sands flush to the half extraordinarily simply. I used this to fill in all my seams on my Tiki totem meeting.

Because of @UncleJessy4Real for initially stating this nice filler product to me.

PETG paints nicely when first coated with a sprig can primer. The Speaking Tiki is coated with Rust-oleum Common Bonding Primer. I used to be then capable of paint the components utilizing commonplace acrylic paints and a protecting clear enamel coat to guard the paint. 

Total, I’m very happy with how PETG labored for my undertaking. Whereas it does have its personal challenges, similar to gluing; the minimal printing warp, ease of sanding, elevated half power, increased glass transition temperature, and half flexibility greater than outweigh the challenges.

My remaining piece of total recommendation: Pursue a undertaking you might be extraordinarily captivated with. You usually tend to push your self, be taught from errors and take a look at once more, and put within the required effort and time when you find yourself actually “addicted” to your undertaking. Discover that undertaking that matches what you’re captivated with and don’t stop till you obtain your objective!

——————

 Observe together with Speaking Tiki progress by following Jim on twitter @jimscuba2386 or following the undertaking on Twitter by trying to find #talkingtiki.

Do you have got cool undertaking the place you employ a particular MatterHackers filament? Tell us within the feedback under or ship an e-mail to assist@matterhackers.com.