CHAIN LINK FENCE, SCREEN, GRID, NET, GRATING

thingiverse

This is an easy way to create a super fine chain link fence, net, screen or grid pattern, using a hack in your slicer program (I used Cura, but should work in other programs as well). Creating a model for any type of screen or chain link fencing can be difficult and tedious.. I figured out this quick hack using the FIRST TWO LAYERS OF A RAFT to create a ultra fine and flexible screen like material. Basic steps: 1, Import the attached "sizing block" into Cura, then scale it (X and Y dimensions) to the size you want your finished screen to be. (Don't worry, you will not be actually printing the block) 2, Enable "Raft" for build plate adhesion, then Set the Raft settings per the attached image. The keys settings are the thickness, width and spacing of the first two layers.. (you can adjust these to get the thickness of the material etc.. but my settings created an ultra fine and flexible mesh. Set the "raft extra margin" to Zero.. as this will make the raft the exact size of your block. Also set your base and middle speeds to 15mm to keep the lines from pulling up. 3, Add a second block off in the corner of your print bed away from the corner where your print head zero's at.. (size it to 20x 20) this will be used to move the print head away from your block when its done printing the first two layers of the raft, so you will have time to pause the print before it starts printing the third layer. 4, Make sure your bed is good and level and add a nice smooth layer of glue stick to help hold the small lines in place. 5, Start your print.. watching it as it goes,, as soon as it finishes the first two layers of your screen, hit the pause/stop button to kill the print... (the head should move to the small block in the corner, giving you time to stop it before it starts layer three. 6, Let it cool on the bed before carefully removing the screen, this will keep it from warping or rolling up. I use a razer blade to carefully remove it from the bed. You can adjust the block (or any other object) to create a screen of any size you want. For thicker "grating" just increase the line width and height and decrease the spacing.