3D Printing Guide

ToekomstTech has two Prusa MK4S FDM printers and one Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra resin printer. This guide covers the FDM printers primarily — resin printing has its own safety and process considerations and requires a separate induction.

Before you start

• Check the inventory system to see if a printer is currently in use.
• If a print is already running, do not touch it. You can see how long is left via PrusaLink (see below).
• Load your file onto a USB stick or use the PrusaLink web interface.

Slicing your model

We recommend PrusaSlicer (free download from prusa3d.com). Use the MK4S profile — it's pre-configured for our machines.

Recommended settings for common materials

Material	Nozzle temp	Bed temp	Notes
PLA	215 °C	60 °C	Easiest to print, good for most projects
PETG	235 °C	85 °C	More durable, slightly stringy
ASA	255 °C	100 °C	UV resistant, requires enclosure (ask)
TPU	230 °C	60 °C	Flexible, print slowly (25 mm/s)

Default infill: 15% gyroid for most prints. Increase to 40%+ for structural parts.

Supports

Use the "organic" support style in PrusaSlicer — it breaks away cleanly and leaves a better surface finish than the grid style.

Bed levelling

The MK4S has automatic mesh bed levelling — it runs before every print. You should not need to manually adjust the first layer, but if you notice it's off, you can tune the Live Adjust Z value from the LCD during the first layer.

If the bed is visibly dirty (fingerprints, residue), clean it with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) before printing. The IPA bottle and lint-free wipes are in the drawer under the printer table.

Loading and unloading filament

To load:

1. Heat the nozzle to the target temperature for your material.
2. Go to Filament > Load Filament on the LCD.
3. Feed the filament into the inlet until the extruder grabs it, then let the printer do the rest.

To unload:

1. Go to Filament > Unload Filament.
2. The printer will heat, retract, and prompt you to pull the filament out.
3. Clip any bent or dirty tip before storing the filament on the spool rack.

During the print

The first 3-4 layers are the most critical. Watch the first layer carefully — it should be slightly squished onto the bed with no gaps between lines. If it's not sticking, pause and clean the bed or adjust Live Adjust Z.

Don't leave a long print completely unattended for your first few prints on our machines. Once you trust them, feel free to start a 10-hour print and go home — they have thermal runaway protection and pause-on-error.

After the print

1. Let the bed cool to at least 40 °C before removing the print — it'll pop off on its own.
2. If it's really stuck, flex the spring steel sheet gently (don't use tools on the bed surface).
3. Remove any purge lines or skirt material from the bed.
4. Log your print in the usage tracker — we use this data to track filament consumption.

Filament stock

Communal filament is on the spool rack next to the printers. It's labelled by material and colour. If you use more than ~100g, log it in the inventory system. If a spool runs out, let #workshop on Slack know.

You're welcome to bring your own filament — just label it with your name.

PrusaLink

Each printer has a web interface accessible on the member network:

• Printer 1: http://prusa-1.local
• Printer 2: http://prusa-2.local

You can upload files, monitor progress, and control the printer remotely. Login credentials are on the laminated card on the printer table.