Well This is one for the books. Of all the potential problems I envisioned for this project, i never considered this!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2nobe1HZXsEclpvRzlhbHgxcGs/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2nobe1HZXsET3FCSmMzc0RSdEk/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2nobe1HZXsEUU5TTmFqQTRUTGc/view?usp=sharing
Yep. That is my PLA parts literally melting in the 40+ deg C heat we have been having this week. It has only affected that one corner block and one ‘roller f/stepper mount’ assembly that are exposed to the morning sun (dawn to 10am). The huge deformation of the corner block is easily visible, what might not be so clear in the pics is just how much it has affected the ‘roller f’ and the stepper mount. There is now approximately a 5mm clearance between the conduit and the bearings in the roller f (that is even with my eccentric bolt adjusted to maximum tension) and the steeper now sits at approximately 15% off axis (the stepper mount is now shaped like a ‘J’!
I guess this is a sign I need to push forward with my nylon prints (I’v settled on Taulmans 910 alloy) http://www.taulman3d.com/910-features.html
Expensive, but judging by the small test parts I’ve printed. Wow! It is crazy strong! Impossible to break by hand. I am only going to print parts with 2 solid layers top/bottom and 2 perimiters with 35% infill and they will still be infinity stronger and more rigid than the PLA items.
For reference I checked the surface temp of the offending parts after they spent all morning in the sun using my infrared thermometer. 90deg C!!! You could almost fry an egg on the bloody things. Apparently black wasn’t such a good idea lol
Le sigh 