How to trim terrain for 3D printing

[taliho]

Hi

 

I have created the terrain for the entire site. Now I would like to export STL for 3D printing - but only a smaller area of the site. Is there a way to do this?

This would be an area that may have a few iterations over the course of the project, and so I would like to work on that area alone, larger scale, more detail...

and then slot it back into the full terrain model

I've followed some previous threads from '22 but it doesn't seem to apply to what I need.

 

Thanks

 

Tali

 

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

Can you post an example file.  There are some issues with 3D printing especially after cuts or trims.

 

 

[taliho]

Thanks.

I'm showing the area I want to 3D print today in the square lower left

(PS - for just the terrain - is the file size reasonable?)

Tali

DYER 3D clip terrain VW.vwx

[Tom W.]

1 hour ago, taliho said:

Hi

 

I have created the terrain for the entire site. Now I would like to export STL for 3D printing - but only a smaller area of the site. Is there a way to do this?

This would be an area that may have a few iterations over the course of the project, and so I would like to work on that area alone, larger scale, more detail...

and then slot it back into the full terrain model

I've followed some previous threads from '22 but it doesn't seem to apply to what I need.

 

Thanks

 

Tali

 

 

Can't you edit the Site Model crop then export the cropped Site Model? 

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

HI, I looked at your file.  Just so I understand.  The area within the box has some geometry on it that I assume are buildings that sit on top of Terrain Geometry.  

 

Do you want to print the both or just the Terrain.  As per @Tom W. comment, if you could just post that area only, it would be clearer and easier.

[zoomer]

12 minutes ago, Tom W. said:

I have created the terrain for the entire site. Now I would like to export STL for 3D printing - but only a smaller area of the site. Is there a way to do this?

 

together with

 

1 hour ago, taliho said:

and then slot it back into the full terrain model

 

For me that sounds like you will need two DTMs,

the environment DTM and the detail DTM.

 

This way you could even swap versions of the design.

[taliho]

 

@VIRTUALENVIRONS  - i have some pads on the terrain. feel free to delete those for the purpose of my query... its the large terrain model I am attempting to 'clip' or 'trim'

@zoomer- do i need to recreate the DTM in smaller sections? if I can split the work I've already done into 2-3 sections, I can achieve separate pieces to print...?

 

 

also struggling with why the existing pad can update to model with the terrain, but the proposed does not.

This is my first attempt at site modeling - I have had a 'boring' existence for 40 years with only 'flatland' projects...😀

Thanks

 

 

[Tom W.]

Right-click on the Site Model + select 'Edit Crop'. Paste your polygon in the edit mode (+ delete the existing crop object) + then exit + the Site Model will conform to this shape. Export the STL file from the reduced Site Model then delete the crop to return to the full model.

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

Hi Taliho,  Below is a an STL file that I hope is of the area you want.  To be clear, this is not really an area of mine.  When it comes to the workings of site models, Tom and Zoomer are your best resources.

 

.....But, when I exported your file to another program that could check surface normals, all of your site model normals were reversed, so printing would have been problematic.

 

I sent the part that I hope your are interested in to C4D where I reversed the surface normals and then exported out an STL file of the area indicated in the box.  It seemed to have a pad ingrained in the geometry.

 

The base of the model was hollow, but 3D printers can usually add a thickness.

 

Let me know if this works or is close, I can always tweak more. 

 

SITE MODEL .stl

[taliho]

 

@VIRTUALENVIRONS  - Yes, I tried to get a pad as part of the geometry, so at least I was successful in that.... I could only get 1 file (there seem to be 4 downloads) and attempting to print now. Thanks for all the manipulations to get to my goal! @Tom W. - suggests a very simple step, and it seems to do exactly what I need.!  THANKS!

 

The model is printing now, will let you know if I got it right...

 

Thank you all for all the help!