UK flag and country identifier for numberplates after 28 Sept 2021
Description
I have been on the UK Govt. website (https://www.gov.uk/displaying-number-plates/flags-symbols-and-identifiers) and have learned that numberplates with their GB markers will be obselete in Europe from 28/Sept/2021. Obselete and illegal, indeed. Now we've left the EU we are not Great anymore, we are just United! :) I thought about getting stickers, but then thought I might just design and print the UK sticker (with a flag above it, just for fun). However, I'm just getting over Covid, and I can't think for more than a few minutes at a time, so this has been a l o n g piece of work, born out of frustration and boredom! (Who'd have thought??) I have a single nozzle printer, and the UK flag is red, white and blue. The background is black; a total of four colours. So when I designed the sticker, I made each area a different height, so that I can apply the colours depending on height.There are 5 layers to the model, one for each colour except for red, which has 2 because the blue tends to show through. I use a 0.6 nozzle, and for this object, I'm using a layer height of 0.46, so each layer is a multiple of that. If you have a different size nozzle, you can scale the Z height appropriately. I have put a three M600 gcode calls in to prompt a change of filament when a change is needed. In order, Black for the base, then White starting at layer 2 then Blue starting at layer 3 then Red, starting at layer 4. Layer 5 is also red. Get it right! :) Be warned.while it is printing, some parts have infill coming through all four colours. it looks very odd at times, but these are just passing appearances as the object is built. I am happy with the outcome, which looks good. I had to put a double height of red on at the end, as my red filament (Anycubic) lets the blue below it show through if there is only one layer. The dimensions are within the legal requirements, at 44x106, and it stands 2.32 mm high. I can't swear that it meets all legal requirements (it's not reflective, for example) so use is at your own discretion. Attached are an stl and a 3mf from Prusa Slicer for one sticker, and a photo. The 3mf includes the 0.6 nozzle, the 0.46 layer height, the temperatures of 215 and 211 for the filament, 2 perimeters and 2 layers top and bottom, colour changes and ironing of all top layers. (With a bit of luck, this will not need to be a high impact piece!!) You can change these as you see fit, but you'll need to play with where the colour change happens. (have a look at https://www.help.prusa3d.com/en/article/color-change_1687 for instructions in how to manage this in Prusa Slicer). Sadly, these settings do not transfer into Cura. I tried writing a 3mf for CURA but I am less familiar with it, and my concentration currently extends only as far as that of any passing gnat, so I gave up. I'm sure there are people out there who might remix a cura 3mf for it. Print Time is 50 minutes (from Prusa Slicer (0.6 nozzle,0.46 layer height, ironing on top layers)) The attached photograph is totally a unretouched view of the first object I printed, straight off the print bed, with no finishing yet applied. Irritatingly there are some extrusion and adhesion errors visible on the photo, but minor adjustment and a new print will sort them out. If this share does nothing else for people, I hope it can stimulate some interesting colour printing!!
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