Level 7 Sierpinski Fractal Pyramid (Vase Mode) by TBone_427120

TBone_427120

Education>Mathematics

Print Profile(6)

All

X1 Carbon

P1S

P1P

X1E

A1 mini

Lvl 6 Pyramid, 0.16mm layer, vase mode

Designer

6.8 h

1 plate

4.7(42)

Lvl 6 Pyramid, 0.2mm layer, vase mode

Designer

5.4 h

1 plate

4.6(20)

Lvl 6 Pyramid, A1-mini, 0.16mm layer, vase mode

Designer

6.9 h

1 plate

5.0(7)

Lvl 6 Pyramid, A1-mini, 0.2mm layer, vase mode

Designer

5.5 h

1 plate

5.0(2)

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Released

Description

Note: Maker World has a limit for how long it allows for slicing of Print Profiles before it gives up on verification. The Level 7 model exceeds that time limits (it takes about 8 minutes to slice on a modern PC). To get around this (beta?) limitation, Print Profiles for the base of the .16mm Pyramid and Level 6 Pyramid models have been uploaded instead. For the actual Level 7 Sierpinkski Pyramid, download appropriate .3mf file from the Raw Files section.

All versions slice properly, and the non-A1 versions have been printed successfully.

History

After having no luck slicing an existing level 7 Sierpinski fractal pyramid, I generated my own using OpenSCAD. OpenSCAD took nearly a day to generate a level 6 pyramid, so I almost gave up until I found there was an experimental Fast CSG option. It turns out a fractal pyramid is well suited to the new option and is at least 10x faster than the standard render option.

In addition to the raw STL, some .3MF project files are included because it can be difficult to properly slice such a complex object in vase mode.

Two 3MF (big_pyr_1_6 and big_pyr_2_0) are (almost) at the maximum bed size for the Bambu X1C/P1P. big_pyr_2_0 uses .2mm layer height which will take 28 hours to print using 374g of filament. While big_pyr_1_6 uses .16mm layers, is larger, and will take 40 hours to print using 446g of filament.

The A1_2_4, A1_2_0, and A1_1_6 files are scaled to the fit the A1 bed size (<180mm) using 0.24mm, 0.20mm, and 0.16mm layer heights respectively. A1_2_4 will take ~17 hours, A1_2_0 ~21 hours, and A1_1_6 ~25 hours.

The base_notch.3mf Print Profile is meant for the big_pyr_1_6_Bambu.3mf print. It is the maximum size that can fit on the X1/P1 print bed (without removing the filament cutter), and you should disable the calibration pattern for the print. The prime lines will overlap the model.

Slicing Tips

It can be difficult to successfully slice such a complex vase mode print. The difference between this

and this

is adjusting the Line Widths by only 0.02mm.

The method that gave me the most success with slicing was to scale the model to a precise height based on the layer height and the number of cells.

Each cell is a pyramid. This Level 7 Sierpinski Pyramid is 128 cells tall because Level 7 => 2^7 = 128. To resolve each pyramid cell, you would probably want at least 5 layers. The more layers, the better resolved each cell will be. To find the height for the model simply multiply 128 x Layer Height x # cell layers. The maxed size Bambu print uses

128 x 0.16mm x 8 = 163.84mm height

That scales the base to the Bambu's max bed size without entering the “reserved” areas for the cutting tool or the prime lines.

The slightly smaller version that takes 12 hours less to print uses .2mm lines so:

128 x 0.2mm x 6 = 153.6mm

For these sizes, an Extrusion Width/Line Width is set to 0.42mm.

Other print settings that needed to be changed were 0 bottom layers and setting the layer height for the first layer to be the same as the rest. Some wall generation implementations might be able to compensate for those settings being different, but I wanted to keep the math simple and reduce the number variables affecting the success of the slicing because it can take a long time on such a complex model.

If you like this “basic” Sierpinski Pyramid, check out this variation for something more fancy.
https://makerworld.com/en/models/77680

Comment & Rating (121)

@KidSlice

Print Profile

Lvl 6 Pyramid, A1-mini, 0.2mm layer, vase mode

level 6 turned out nice. This one is a really fun print to watch go down! I'm going to do the level 7 in gold when it comes in the mail. would .2 nozzle look better, or just take longer? Edit: printed the updated level 7 today!

(Edited)

The designer has replied

@TBone_427120

.2mm nozzle would probably not look significantly better (and take way longer). That nozzle is for printing small things with fine detail. It's more for competing with a resin printer with finely detailed miniatures or for making sharper multi-color flat prints (like hueforge panels).

(Edited)

@KidSlice

Replying to @TBone_427120 :

Thanks for the reply. I'll stick with the .4 then for the big one. By the way, I tried printing the .16 version twice and it failed both times in the same way. For some reason it has a completely different pattern than the .2 version. It would do one big square perimeter for the base and then when it started the base squares it didn't really extrude at all until about 1/3 of the way through the first layer. Tried the .2 version again after and it works just fine but it starts in a different spot in the bed and starts with the small squares, not the perimeter. I noticed most non-5 star reviews were for that profile so maybe there is a small mistake with it. EDIT: I just sliced it myself in the studio and there is a 1st layer problem, the first layer is just the perimeter an the 2nd layer is the base of the pyramid so it tried to print in the air. (on the a1 mini .16 version)

(Edited)

@TBone_427120

Replying to @KidSlice :

Thanks for the heads up. Do you mean the .16 for the Level 6 or Level 7?

(Edited)

@3Dmi3y

Print Profile

Lvl 6 Pyramid, A1-mini, 0.16mm layer, vase mode

Amazing!

The designer has replied

@TBone_427120

Nice. What's the filament?

@3Dmi3y

Replying to @TBone_427120 :

This is eSun Silk Tri-color. The cool part is that it looks different from different angles:

(Edited)

@3Dmi3y

Replying to @3Dmi3y :

This is probably better seen from gif than from individual photos:

(Edited)

GIF

@AiTeee

Boosted

Print Profile

Lvl 6 Pyramid, 0.16mm layer, vase mode

It fas kinda difficult to print because for some reason my sliced file made printer stop at the edge for 4 segons at every layer, and made a huge scar as u see in the image. But loos like a "me" problem rather than a model issue. It's an amazing print, kinda meserizing.

The designer has replied

@TBone_427120

Sorry to hear about the issue with the pausing. Is it possible your Timelapse setting is set to "Smooth" instead of "Traditional"? In that mode, it tries to pause the print head in the same spot to create a clean timelapse, but in vase mode I'm not sure what it would do (since there's no prime tower to park the print head on). What printer type was this? A1/X1/P1? I've heard of weird pausing on the A1-mini in certain conditions but I thought they had fixed that in the slicer. Also, did you use Bambu or Orca? Orca seems to handle this model a little better.

(Edited)

@AiTeee

Boosted

Replying to @TBone_427120 :

Thank you for your reply, I will definitely print this again and bigger, I love it. I have an X1C, and used Bambu Studio. I will try to find the problem like you mentioned and if not, then I will try orca.

@TBone_427120

Replying to @AiTeee :

Thank you for the Boost. I'm curious. Do the travel lines and travel time show up in the print preview? Or does anything indicate it's going to pause an extra 4 seconds on each layer? Maybe that's the issue. There's some minimum layer time setting, but because it's vase mode it doesn't process it correctly.

@jagerisawesome

Having an issue with the slicer causing the nozzle to travel over an area in a corner rather than printing. Any help is much appreciated. Screenshots are from the level 6 pyramid but this problem also apears in the level 7.

(Edited)

The designer has replied

@jagerisawesome

Seems to be an issue with Bambu Studio as I even tried a different pyramid entirely and the same issue pops up. Orca slicer however has 0 issues

@TBone_427120

I'm not sure what's going on there. It makes no sense to trace out the walls and not extrude. If the model was bad, there would be nothing there at all. It would skip the geometry. It's possible it's a preview issue. I do know I've printed this multiple times and it prints fine. It may be not extruding in that spot, but it doesn't seem to affect the final print. If I have some time, I'll print it and see if I can tell if it is really extruding there or just moving over the spot.

@jagerisawesome

Replying to @TBone_427120 :

I've printed it now in both slicers it seems to be vase mode just causing things to look weird in preview. I'm 90% sure its printing in the area I showed

@.s_.

19 hours later with .2 layers printed in transparent petg. it looks like a snow cone and thus would be good to remember the adage "dont eat yellow snow"

(Edited)

The designer has replied

@TBone_427120

Very nice. I love the filament swap on the last cell. It gives it the look of the The Great Pyramids when they were new with their white marble exterior capped with gold at the tip.

@.s_.

oh ya that was the goal. it came out good. gonna make it into a lamp when i get some time.

@dsarle

Printing it as we speak. One thing I am worried about is taking it off the plate since there are no layers on the bottom, and it looks very fragile. Any tips? Also, do you glue it to the base when the base is printed?

(Edited)

The designer has replied

@TBone_427120

It should come off with just a flex. The bottom is effectively solid because it's a space filling pattern. Before my Bambu printer and removable build plates, I've removed these from fixed beds with a metal scraper without damaging the models. You'll be surprised how strong these things are. Notice in the picture above the gold one in the back? It's two Level 6s glued together, and it's balancing on its tip in a holder (not glued). I've knocked that thing off its holder and onto the floor many times and the tips don't break or bend. It would be a formidable weapon if thrown. :-)

(Edited)

@TBone_427120

If you print the base, two sides are raised that the pyramid can rest in. You don't have to glue it down. I didn't glue mine so I could change the base later. The pyramid can slide out of the base with little effort, but if you're worried a cat might somehow push it (a pound of PLA!) off the base, a little build tak or quake wax should do the trick and still give you the option to change the base later.

(Edited)

@Devvalt

Print Profile

Lvl 6 Pyramid, 0.16mm layer, vase mode

first try, petg

The designer has replied

@TBone_427120

Nice. I did a double take on what was in the recesses. They almost looked like some creature peeking out until I zoomed in and saw they were rocks.

(Edited)

@.s_.

Print Profile

Lvl 6 Pyramid, 0.16mm layer, vase mode

it came out great printed a level 7 though it says i didn't have a successful print but i did as evidenced by picture. if it would let me i would rate 5/5

The designer has replied

@TBone_427120

I've had the app say prints weren't successful when they clearly were. Who knows why. I''m sure you're allowed to edit the rating at any time (if you feel like giving it five stars :-) ) Oh. Maybe because you did a manual filament swap to get the gold top it thinks it failed?

(Edited)

@.s_.

Replying to @TBone_427120 :

:( it should be 5 stars want me to delete it?

@Raybesh

this model is so cool! Having a fractal in real life feels unreal. I've printed the level 6 one since I didn't have enough commitment for the level 7 :( Either way I've printed it with a 0.2mm nozzle and in came out great! I also modeled this pyramid in openscad to experiment a little with the overlap between the little pyramid units. I've found that 0.1mm overlap really doesn't want to be sliced unless I scale it to 128mm height which is way too huge. Otherwise 0.2mm seems to be a nice sweetspot to be sliced at a reasonable height. Also experimented with using the dimensions of the pyramids of Giza instead of having them equilateral, which also looks pretty cool! Anyway I've added some pictures to show off what the 0.2mm nozzle can do :)

(Edited)