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3D Printing without needing third party scaling...


Bruce Glanville

Question

I have been trying to decide whether or not to purchase a 3D printer for my architecture business (looking at a Makerbot Replicator +) and read on an old forum about adding the capacity to scale models when exporting to an STL (or exporting at the layer scale for instance), there were a number of other excellent suggestions which would certainly make the process of going from a BIM model to a built model much more smooth than it currently is- are Vectorworks looking at implementing any/all of these soon or continuing to head further down the VR path?

 

I will paste below the full list of ideas from Jim W, would love to hear if imminent additions to the program are due:

 

1) Support for scaled export to STL, so that a user could print their model at the design layer scale and have that be the real scale of the resulting 3D print. Currently STLs all export at 1:1 and scaling has to be handled manually afterwards.

2) 3D "Page" area. This would allow the user to show a 3D page area, similar to the clip cube that shows the bounds of their own 3D printer's build plate, customizable by the user, maybe with a few of the more common printers sized included as defaults (Makerbot, Ultimater, etc)

3) Below-minimum size detection. Currently a 3D printers resolution is limited by a number of factors, the main of which is its nozzle size. For instance my printer's nozzle in .4mm, so it can not create "lines" or geometry smaller than that. (If a model is scaled down to fit in a printers build area, a regular problem comes about with handrails, fences and PIO details where the printer cant make the objects small enough, so you either get nothing or a pile of spaghetti where the printer tries to do its best.)

4) Overhang detection. Many aspects of an architectural model are not conducive to 3D printing, such as porches or decks that hang off the side with no support, (if the site model isn't printed with the rest of the building) hanging fixtures inside the model or standard roof overhangs. This would not be encouraging the users to change their model (this is considered an unacceptable solution) but to inform the user that they may need to enable Support in their slicing settings.

5) Manifold STL exports. Currently STLs from Vectorworks often need to be repaired by a mesh modeling utility like MeshLab or NetFABB before they can be printed cleanly, ideally this feature would be included in our STL export process.

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

Number 5 was done quietly in the background over the last few versions, I almost never need to repair my models any longer. 1-4 are in as wishes but I dont suspect they will come soon.

I recommend against the Makerbot line, they stopped properly upgrading their hardware awhile ago when they started ramping down their consumer division and closing all their stores. Generally Lulzbot, Ultimaker and FormLabs are the three best manufacturers for a user that just wants a ready-to-roll machine from the start. I use a Wanhao Duplicator i3 but it is very much a machine designed to be tinkered with and modified.

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee
4 minutes ago, Claes Lundstrom said:

Scaling should be added to the OBJ format too, as it's also used for 3D printing. 

 

Apparently if/when we add that to STL, then 3DS, OBJ and a few others would be able to inherit the capability directly.

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1 hour ago, JimW said:

Number 5 was done quietly in the background over the last few versions, I almost never need to repair my models any longer.

 

This is great to hear.

 

Quote

1-4 are in as wishes but I dont suspect they will come soon.

 

My original wish is linked below. Feel free to up-vote it. It was posted almost 4 years ago. I'm surprised some of it hasn't been implemented. While architects are slower to start using 3d printing almost every entertainment designer who designs sets is using it some of the time. That's a growing market for VW.

 

Quote

I recommend against the Makerbot line, they stopped properly upgrading their hardware awhile ago when they started ramping down their consumer division and closing all their stores. Generally Lulzbot, Ultimaker and FormLabs are the three best manufacturers for a user that just wants a ready-to-roll machine from the start. I use a Wanhao Duplicator i3 but it is very much a machine designed to be tinkered with and modified.

 

I agree with Jim about Makerbot (unless you're buying a used Makerbot Replicator 2 which is no longer available but is a great printer). There are lots of other good options. If you're going to be printing architectural elements at small scales I would invest in a resin printer (eg. Formlabs) or use a print service. I've mostly printed theatre set models at 3/8" scale or larger. I've done at bit at 1/4" but it takes a lot more prep work. You'll find some of the issues you mention require additional prep anyway (3 and 4 specifically). I get the best results when I make the entire model into a solid addition.

 

Kevin

Edited by Kevin McAllister
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Thanks very much for all your feedback- that isn't the first time I have seen people recommending against Makerbot, I would really appreciate any specific recommendations for 3D printers for architectural models- I am keen to be able to print 1:100 form models to complement our VR presentations to clients for new and renovated dwellings and also 1:200 site models for development work.

Whilst experienced in using Vectorworks (I started at Uni in 1998 and have been a user of the various versions since then) I am very new to 3D printing (at Uni we used flat bed routers to create some fairly interesting models from laminated solid timber blanks), it does surprise me that more of the CAD manufacturers haven't given more thought to what seems to be (though I'm sure in practice aren't) simple changes that would benefit greatly like the scalability of STL's etc, again thanks for your feedback, much appreciated.

 

Cheers Bruce

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6 hours ago, Bruce Glanville said:

Thanks very much for all your feedback- that isn't the first time I have seen people recommending against Makerbot, I would really appreciate any specific recommendations for 3D printers for architectural models- I am keen to be able to print 1:100 form models to complement our VR presentations to clients for new and renovated dwellings and also 1:200 site models for development work.

Whilst experienced in using Vectorworks (I started at Uni in 1998 and have been a user of the various versions since then) I am very new to 3D printing (at Uni we used flat bed routers to create some fairly interesting models from laminated solid timber blanks), it does surprise me that more of the CAD manufacturers haven't given more thought to what seems to be (though I'm sure in practice aren't) simple changes that would benefit greatly like the scalability of STL's etc, again thanks for your feedback, much appreciated.

 

Cheers Bruce

 

I guess an option to 3D printers would be to use a print and cut machine. 

 

At an entry level, and if you just want to try it a bit, you have for example the Silhouette Cameo, which allows you to cut up to say 200 grams (not sure how thick though) of photo paper and about a foot wide, and has simple printed positioning dots added. The referencing between the "picture" and the cut layout is controlled by these reference dots, using an optic eye in the machine. 

 

Admittedly, you still need to assemble the model, but on the other hand you get realistic textures and colors and it cuts very detailed models. Printing and cutting is usually much quicker than 3D printing though requiring assembly. 

 

Transferring models from VW works OK as long as you keep the contours as contours instead of with fills for the cutting part. Many cutter drivers seems to have problems with VW's polylines with holes inside, which however isn't VW's fault.

 

I use both 3D printers and print and cut machines and both have advantages.

 

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