Anyone have 3D Printer experience? -Makerbot?.

[Assembly]

Has anyone been using VW and a 3D printer?.

I'm interested in the makerbot, wondering how well VW can output files to make models with?

http://store.makerbot.com/replicator2.html

[Kevin McAllister]

I've been using VW with my Replicator 2 since December. The Replicator 2 is a great tool. I'm very happy with mine. I'm mostly printing concept models for my theatre designs at this point though I'm starting to investigate 3d scanning too.

I've tried a variety of workflows. Typically the slicer, which preps the object for the printer, wants a water-tight STL file. Initially I was using VW->C4D->STL as my workflow. Now I try to go directly from VW but you need to be aware of the potential challenges ( see http://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=37563&Number=185384#Post185384 ). There are some good resources out there for diagnosing problem STL files ( www.netfabb.com ). I wish that VW gave me more direct control over the resolution of the geometry (ie. how facetted the curves are). It would also be helpful if VW could import STL files as well as export them.

There is some strategy that goes into printing things (how to break an object down into pieces, how to orient it for printing, how to support overhangs and unusual shapes) as well as some trial and error. But you can get great results and small detail with a little patience.

I've included some sample images (an assembled model, the pieces and some simple 1/4" scale furniture).

Feel free to ask any specific questions.

Cheers,

Kevin

Edited June 27, 2013 by Kevin McAllister

[CipesDesign]

Hi Kevin, that's VERY cool ;-)

[Kevin McAllister]

Thanks Peter :-)

[Benson Shaw]

Very nice, Kevin

How long does the printer run for any of this? Eg does the group of items in C (Dbl Door & Frame, lattice squares) take a few minutes? an hour? a day?

Is the stair built of treads & risers, or is it a thick walled shell? Furniture solid or hollow?

Thanks for showing these model components.

-B

[Kevin McAllister]

Thanks Benson.

Time is based on a few variables - model complexity, layer height (resolution), number of shells and percentage of infill. All of the pieces I've printed are hollow to some degree, though they are small so there's not a lot of interior spaces to start with.

The slicing engine wants water tight models so they are exported from VW as solids (solid additions, solid subtractions, generic solids). My architectural elements were modelled using VW walls and doors so some file prep was necessary for printing. VW solid subtractions can cause problems (flipped normals) and the elements in solid additions need to align well or overlap for well behaved models. The slicer handles the "hollowing" based on a few choices made when preparing a file for the printer. These models are typically 1 shell and 10% infill with a layer height of 0.15mm. The double door took 24 minutes to print, the stairs with the newels 2 hours and 18 minutes, and the small chair about 17 minutes.

On the second project I printed elements as I finished designing them, so the printer was always running in the background while I was designing other things.

Kevin

[Assembly]

Kevin

What is the issue with VW walls and doors for printing.

What perp do you do- is it in VW or in the printers software. Is this time consuming?. does it require you to remodel elements, or more a playing with settings. I

'm interested to see how far from the VW workflow you have to deviate from to get a result?

[Kevin McAllister]

I went back and looked at that specific file to see what I did. I think I re-built the walls as simple extrudes and ungrouped the doors while in a 3D view to convert them to a collection of extrudes. All of these objects were then combined into a water tight solid addition. When I model from scratch instead of using VW plug-ins there is much less cleanup to do. This is one of the reasons I'm so interested in the auto hybrid object in VW2013, since it holds my printable geometry.

The reason for all this is print-ability more than anything. The slicing software does much better with nice, clean models. It will slice objects that are a bunch of smaller objects (ie. the wall, the door frame, the door sill, the door panels etc.) but it forms a "shell" around each individual object thinking that you want them all to be separate. If multiple faces overlap (i.e. where the side of the door object touches the doorframe object) slicing errors tend to occur.

I've posted an example file here that includes the original geometry for the wall above and the printed geometry. The VW2011 file is a little different since I was using the VW2013 auto hybrid for my molding around the door.

(The "lattices" were added to keep the print from curling. I cut them off before assembling the model.)

Kevin

[michaelk]

What would have happened if you hadn't cut off the jamb on the upstage side?

Or if you had modeled an open door?

Can the makerbot handle structures above voids?

Thanks for posting this!

mk

[Kevin McAllister]

What would have happened if you hadn't cut off the jamb on the upstage side?

I would have to print with "supports" turned on and the slicing program would auto-generate what amounts to a small scaffolding to hold up the floating areas. Alternately I could print the wall vertically instead of on its back. Both options would increase print time. Some of the small details may not print as well vertically and there may be issues keeping the wall upright and stuck to the build plate during the print run.

Or if you had modeled an open door?

I would print the wall upright in this case. The door being open would help to keep the wall upright.

Can the makerbot handle structures above voids?

To some degree yes. The slicing program is fairly good at dealing with "bridging". Bridging is where the print filament crosses from one supported area to another. You would need to use supports if its an open ended void.

I've attached another example where I modelled the support myself. The image is of the front end of a Venetian gondola rotated and printed vertically.

Kevin

Edited July 3, 2013 by Kevin McAllister