3D Printing Thread

[xiombarg]

There's been enough talk about 3D printing around here that we should probably have a thread. So to start off I thought it would be good to give some resource links with brief descriptions.

Free 3D modelling programs:

Blender
www.blender.org

Pros: Easily the best and most comprehensive free modelling and animation program out there with thousands of dedicated users. Tons of tutorials and support sites. Offers tools and capabilities that are on par with the likes of 3DStudioMax and Maya.

Cons: Very advanced and could easily overwhelm the beginning user. Not geared specifically for product or architectural design, so not very CAD-like in the way it functions (which can be a good thing in some ways).

Sketchup
www.sketchup.com

Pros: Easy to learn. New features can be added as the user is ready for more advanced features. Great tutorial system. Lots of users and support. LOTS of plugins. Fairly CAD-like in its functionality.

Cons: LOTS of plugins (almost too many to choose from). Very linear in how it deals with geometry. Not geared for organic shapes. Can be buggy at times.

Note: To export .stl files in Sketchup, you need to install this plugin which cannot be downloaded unless you register as a member:
sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=24515

123D
www.autodesk.com

Pros: Autodesk product with very CAD-like properties, so a good choice for those that want to move into Autocad at some point.

Cons: Autodesk product with very CAD-like properties. While Autocad (and 123D) is powerful, it's an old school interface system and how it funtions, so not intuitive for the new user.


Where to get stuff printed:

www.ponoko.com (based in US and New Zealand)
www.shapeways.com (based in Europe and US, New York)
www.imaterialise.com (based in Europe, free shipping on orders above $99)
www.moddler.com (based in the US, San Francisco)


Personal 3D Printers:

www.formlabs.com (around $3000 USD) stereolithography "SLA"

www.makerbot.com ($1750 - $2200 USD) extrusion

b9creator.com/ ($2500 USD) stereolithography "SLA"

www.pandarobotics.com (around $800 USD) extrusion

(about $1000 USD) stereolithography "SLA" do-it-youself kit

Printing types and hierarchy of resolution:

Objet process- Highest definition currently available at 16 microns, expensive.
SLA- Stereolithography - High definition, usually expensive.
SLS- Selective Laser Sintering - Medium to high definition (depending on the printer), medium range expense.
FDM - Fused Deposition Modelling - Low to medium definition (depends on the printer), inexpensive.

Note: Magengar has posted some good example videos of these processes located below.

[roboneil]

Add www.moddler.com/ as provider of 3d printing service. Great details and wider choices of materials.

For desktop 3D printers, I personally like www.formlabs.com, a resin based 3d printer using stereolithography method.

[Mr. Ginrai]

There is some more to add here from another semi-related thread...I will look it over and post some stuff up tomorrow.

[xiombarg]

Thanks for the info roboneil. Added your info to my post. I had never heard of www.moddler.com before, but I noticed in their "about us" section they have a pic showing their Objet Connex printer. Really high quality printer (really expensive printer too).

[TheMazingerZ]

Awesome thread! I'm so ready to purchase one of these stereolithography "SLA" printers. I think I'll do it once I get familiar with 3D modeling... and prices come down a bit.

As soon as magengar is done with my wings I'll give www.moddler.com a try, since they are in my backyard anyway. ;D

}D

[xiombarg]

FYI for anybody interested, just put this thread as a sticky.

[TheMazingerZ]

Cool! Thanks!

}D

[nikodiablo]

Need help from those who's had experience creating 3d print objects from, say like shapeways.

Due to my clumsy fingers, the elbow joint of my fansproject Explorer/Not Blast-off just sheared off. I have noticed that I can replicate the shape of the elbow joint using Blender by creating a tube, a cylinder, a ball and merge these basic shapes together using boolean operation (all measurements are guesstimation, since I don't have a micrometer ready at home). I exported the final mesh as an .stl file, then checked the file using netfabbs as recommended by shapeways. The model seems to be coming out good and printable.

My question is, since there's a minimum $25 order with shapeways, what is the best way to increase the amount to print? Do I make multiple prints of the same object (@ $1.50 handling fee per object), or do I increase the amount of the objects in my stl file - and create some sort of a sprue to hold them together - like on a model kit? Can shapeways print multiple objects in a single .stl file if the objects are not held together by some sort of a sprue? And is it better to send models in high polygon counts rather than low polygon counts, even if the size is small (about 12 mm x 5 mm or 0.5" x 0.2" in size).

Any info or advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks beforehand.

[magengar]

For those who have never seen the actual 3D printing process,
this video shows a time-lapse run of the process...



.....and, this website here has everything
(machines, models, software, etc...) you ever wanted
to know about the history and process of 3D printing...
www.3dprinterprices.net/

zozo-mag

[magengar]

some 3D printing techniques...

Stereolithography (SLA)


and

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)


and

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)


... this should answer questions as to why model files
must be submitted in a certain way/format.

zozo-mag

[bourno]

I have decided to contribute to this 3d resin printer. For the price, and print building size, I think it should work well for myself. Thought I would share this project, it is on the beta stages yet, but I have faith that the guy will continue to make improvements and needs a hand up on his work done so far.



I like the Form 1 project with its software, but didn't have the money to spend last Fall and they want $3300 for a kit today. Also liked the B8Creator, but the 3" x 4" print size was too small for myself.

Been waiting for some more resin based printers, but not much for happenings. Chemshapes mentioned two months ago about some news, but has been silence since then.

[xiombarg]

Cool, I'll add it to the list! The price is right and it sounds like he's really thought it all out with high efficiency and speed.

Apr 11, 2013 10:54:30 GMT -5 bourno said:

I have decided to contribute to this 3d resin printer. For the price, and print building size, I think it should work well for myself. Thought I would share this project, it is on the beta stages yet, but I have faith that the guy will continue to make improvements and needs a hand up on his work done so far.



I like the Form 1 project with its software, but didn't have the money to spend last Fall and they want $3300 for a kit today. Also liked the B8Creator, but the 3" x 4" print size was too small for myself.

Been waiting for some more resin based printers, but not much for happenings. Chemshapes mentioned two months ago about some news, but has been silence since then.

[magengar]

Thanks for Stickying this thread, Xiombarg,
You iz da Man!

Hey TMZ, can you show us a pic of the wing bones
you got printed at Shapeways?

Wear a glove so as not to reveal yer secret identity. ;D

zozo-mag

Nov 2, 2012 21:09:57 GMT -5 xiombarg said:

FYI for anybody interested, just put this thread as a sticky.

[Watari]

This will make an awesome companion for your new 3D printer ;D

Lynx A: World's first point-and-shoot 3D camera/tablet

[magengar]

Badass camera, buy either version is waaaaay
too expensive for me.
Thanks for the link, though.

zozo-mag

Apr 19, 2013 6:34:03 GMT -5 Watari said:

This will make an awesome companion for your new 3D printer ;D

Lynx A: World's first point-and-shoot 3D camera/tablet

[bourno]

A couple other softwares:

Geomagic: Does have a yearly license. Seems easier for myself when first playing around with it than AutoDesk.

3d Crafter: Has a free version, but if wanting to export STL, need to buy their Pro version for only $69. I haven't played with it yet. Looking at their "tips" dialog, it has some interesting tools like; bend, shear, bulge. Not sure if other softwares have similar tools.

ViaCad: A $99 software. Not seeing much activity in the last year on their forum. Their demo video seems pretty easy for basic shape making and extruding. I haven't read into it more for what it can all do.

I started to watch a couple videos on Blender, but I got lost pretty quickly for the so called "introduction". With most videos, I have to pause and re-play as most of the time, they are clicking spots too quickly and not sure what they selected as I want to have the software open to follow along.

So, which software are you using?

[magengar]

I use a Japanese program known as Metasequoia, for making
3D objects and shapes... it will export stuff as STL files,
but then I'd have to open those STL files in Netfab to clean
up and repair the object before I upload it to Shapeways.

I still haven't mastered the netfab program yet, and I rarely
use it unless I really wanna print an object.

zozo-mag

[bourno]

Been playing with ViaCAD tonight and starting to like it, maybe over GeoMagic and AutoDesk that were my front runners.

I like the quick views for drawing by Top, Front, etc. With GeoMagic, going from 2d to 3d never seemed to match up for how I thought I was drawing and extruding and had to rotate the 3d drawing back to my perspective.

The tool I like the most with ViaCAD is the elliptical filet. Really handy with the Shogun torsos. May not give a perfect smooth blended radius with other radii, but a little sandpaper could take care of that easily enough. GeoMagic and AutoDesk, as far as I found, have a single, or gradient radius (starting at say .5" on one side and going down to .25" along the edge)

Looks like the download version I am playing with, is their version 7 PRO. Found this page between their cheaper consumer version which you can buy currently for $65 instead of $99. Their PRO version is $250, but with 20% off, then $200.

www.punchcad.com/c-30-compare-viacad.aspx


I haven't gone back and tried Blender again. Anyone here that has used it?

[magengar]

I avoid Blender as though it were a hag with crabs!
Tried it a few years ago, and I could never figure out
its window interface nor get it to model anything.
But then, at the time, I was more into CG than using
the programs for modeling objects to be printed out live.

zozo-mag

[TheMazingerZ]

Man, I need to learn how to do 3D stuff for printing. Once I get good at it, I will flood Shapeways with orders... and will never have to buy another figure again! ;D

}D