agep Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Hi guys I recently bought a new toy, an open source 3D printer from www.makerbot.com The device came as a kit, and I had to teach myself basic soldering (there was a few times where I had to solder). It took me about five days to build the kit. The printer prints using ABS Plasticfilament, which is cheap and very sturdy. ABS is the same material that legos are made of. The resolution of the printer is between 0.2mm and 0.35mm layer thickness, depending on how it is calibrated. I use the .OBJ export plugin in A:M, import the .OBJ into a second software to have it exported as .STL. I have attached photos of a few prints and the building process. I have also attached a link to a timelapse of the printer in action. The building: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bigboote Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 You are the 1st person I know to have THAT on his desktop. VERY COOL TOY! The timelapse kinda makes it seem bigger... how big is the biggest thing you can make? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nino banano Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 that's very cool agep...have you used some character?... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agep Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 how big is the biggest thing you can make? It can print 4"x4"x6" that's very cool agep...did you use a 3d character jet?...All the prints you see are 3D models. I have not printed a whole character yet, but I did print a bust for a friend that came out very nice. There is a few limits, especially when the model has a steep overhang, though this can be fixed by printing support structures that you cut away afterwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zandoriastudios Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Cool! that makes me want one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meowx Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 That is ridiculously cool. /jealous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakerupert Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Cool, now you have your own toysfactory at home. I wonder why HP, Canon, Epson or Xerox don`t offer something like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted February 4, 2011 Hash Fellow Share Posted February 4, 2011 that's fabulous! I've been looking at their printers. I'll be eager to hear your experiences with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerry Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 That is amazing! I want one and I don't even know why! My first impression from your photos was that you had to use the cardboard box it came in as the cabinet . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agep Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 My first impression from your photos was that you had to use the cardboard box it came in as the cabinet .Yeah. Actually it is lasercut plywood (I had to clean the ash of it while building ). But since it is open source you can download the drawings and cut them out in whatever material you want, metal or something. And if you already have a printer, you can print the body of a new one (in many pieces though) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptiversen Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Cool, now you have your own toysfactory at home. I wonder why HP, Canon, Epson or Xerox don`t offer something like that? OPEN SOURCE will take over the world. Those corporate CEOs want only profits, but the real money maker is all of the individuals in the world who think, create and innovate what we need for tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Forwood Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Fantastic! I want one too. Is there any evidence of shrinking or curling in the printed parts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brainmuffin Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 I have wanted one of these for soooo long... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted February 4, 2011 Hash Fellow Share Posted February 4, 2011 I'm curious about the cathedral print. Was the square backing necessary or something you chose to add? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeSlice Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Stian, you're such a stud. You actually built one. Congratulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agep Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 Is there any evidence of shrinking or curling in the printed parts?It has happened a few times at the bottom of the model. But the build platform is heated (110c) to prevent that I'm curious about the cathedral print. Was the square backing necessary or something you chose to add?There is a few rules that apply when you do a print. The model has to be solid, no holes, eg an A:M sphere wont do it, because of the holes on the top and the bottom. Though, you can intersect two solid objects, like two cube primitives but the internal toolpath of the print might get a bit complex. Since the cathedral model consists of many non solid models I just rendered a depthmap which I the ran through an application that converts the map to a toolpath. Think of it like a displacementmap on a plane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Rodney Posted February 5, 2011 Admin Share Posted February 5, 2011 Whoa. Very nice Stian. Lots of fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsjustme Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Fantastic, Stian! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerry Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Hi Stian - I've been doing some further research on this and other 3D printers and it appears there are several companies making them. the MakerBot appears to be the least expensive and I have some ideas I'd like to take further, using a 3D printer. So I have some questions! How smooth are the finished parts? It's hard to tell from the photos on their website. They look a little rough, especially compared to some other printers, but it's hard to tell. Several users have printed and built models that use gears so I'm thinking they must be smoother than the photos look. Can't really tell though. Can the parts be sanded/drilled/painted? I've used Sculpy, a synthetic clay that bakes into a hard plastic and can be worked with this way, but other than actual Legos I have no way to compare what the MakerBot's end products are like. Could you possibly send me a part you've printed? I can pay for shipping and whatever else you would need but I would like to actually hold a part in my hands to get a better idea. Thanks for your help! EDIT: What additional software/hardware is needed to convert an A:M model into a printable format? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted February 16, 2011 Hash Fellow Share Posted February 16, 2011 I have a Q... does the conversion to polygons result in visible faceting on the finished print? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefreshestever Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 this has to be the coolest toy ever!!! i´m a bit jealous i must say Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixelplucker Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 I was looking at that and some of the other 3d printers. Big question is how clean and smooth do the objects come out? I was thinking of getting into some mold work for castings. Some of the stuff is pretty detailed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serg2 Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Terrific!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixelplucker Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 The Objet has some desktop models starting at $20,000. The resolution seems pretty good 600x600x900. At that resolution the surfaces should be pretty smooth and require very little cleanup. Anyone know the resolution on the Makerbot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerry Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Anyone know the resolution on the Makerbot? Surely Stian will be back eventually...unless he really can't tear himself away from his new toy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted February 18, 2011 Hash Fellow Share Posted February 18, 2011 The resolution of the printer is between 0.2mm and 0.35mm layer thickness, depending on how it is calibrated. There do seem to be visible lines to it, but it's impressive that it can control hot melted plastic at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xtaz Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 it is amazing ..... How type of models the software imports ?? mdl??obj???3ds??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted February 19, 2011 Hash Fellow Share Posted February 19, 2011 I believe it needs .stl files Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agep Posted February 19, 2011 Author Share Posted February 19, 2011 Hi guys The resolution is between 0.2mm to 0.35mm depending on how well it is calibrated. At the moment I export .obj models from A:M which I convert to .stl in another software. I believe they are experimenting in using .obj files in the makerbot software, so I might not need a second software to convert to .stl in in the future. Since the printer is laying down layers of plastic, the layers are visible, but it is possible to sand it to get a smooth surface Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerry Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Hi guys The resolution is between 0.2mm to 0.35mm depending on how well it is calibrated. At the moment I export .obj models from A:M which I convert to .stl in another software. I believe they are experimenting in using .obj files in the makerbot software, so I might not need a second software to convert to .stl in in the future. Since the printer is laying down layers of plastic, the layers are visible, but it is possible to sand it to get a smooth surface HI Stian- What's the additional software to convert to .stl? And is it possible to send me something you've printed? Write me at gerrymooney(at)earthlink(dot)net. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agep Posted February 20, 2011 Author Share Posted February 20, 2011 What's the additional software to convert to .stl? And is it possible to send me something you've printed? Write me at gerrymooney(at)earthlink(dot)net.I have sent you an email. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixelplucker Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 If that Makerbot has a thermal head unit then is it possible to use wax instead of a polymer? This could be a really cool way of making objects that can be sand cast using lost wax method for pewter, bronze etc, even lead binkies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted February 22, 2011 Hash Fellow Share Posted February 22, 2011 If that Makerbot has a thermal head unit then is it possible to use wax instead of a polymer? The plastic comes as a line on a spool so wax sounds unlikely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kikiriki Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Stian- this is a great topic! I wasn't aware that we can already get 3D printers in affordable price! I'm very interested in this subject. Couple of months ago I helped testing couple of different 3D printers (with different technologies). I made a model of a forest-goblin and then we printed it out with 3 different 3D printers- means 3 entirely different 3D print technologies: coloured model was made with kind of gypsium-like powder, another one was plastic and the smallest one was wax (that one was incredible precize- but unfortunately very fragile). You can find article here: http://www.monitor.si/clanek/kako-izdelati...-mavcne-skrate/ Unfortunately it's in Slovene language, but with a little help of Google translate you will be able to understand basics (when choosing a language in Google translate, don't mix Slovene language with Slovakian language!). And here is an article how I made that goblin (in Zbrush). http://www.monitor.si/clanek/nova-razseznost-modeliranja/ I made similar article couple of years back, using a basic model made in A:M (Then I exported model with UV maps from A:M to Zbrush and convert bump maps to actual geometry): http://www.monitor.si/clanek/kako-skrata-s...iz-racunalnika/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixelplucker Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Which model used wax? Interesting that you can do that out of ZBrush, I was looking at 3d coat and Mudbox. Didn't know you can convert the displacement mapping down to polys from ZBrush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeSlice Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 .... (Then I exported model with UV maps from A:M to Zbrush and convert bump maps to actual geometry): You used to be able to convert displacement maps to geometry in A:M. Export to AV2 or PLY. But I haven't tried it in many years, so it may not be possible anymore. Unfortunately, I haven't found a program that can open PLY files exported from A:M. I think they complained that A:M's ply files did not have the proper headers. The workaround is to open the ply/AV2 model in AM and export to obj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kikiriki Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Which model used wax? The blue one, which is a little bigger than a thumb nail. The level of details in this technique is incredible. Unfortunately the model is extremely fragile. It suppose to be used as a mold (for fine things line jewelry) right after it came from printer. I have my copy here with me in a small box, but it decayed in couple of days even though I didn't even touch it. Interesting that you can do that out of ZBrush, I was looking at 3d coat and Mudbox. Didn't know you can convert the displacement mapping down to polys from ZBrush. I don't have experiences with 3d coat. From what I read it has much better UI (Which is very important, because UI of ZBrush was made by Martians), but it is not production proven as Zbrush. You can export model (with UV maps) from A:M. In Zbrush you must subdivide your model to literary milions of polygons. Then you can use grayscale bump map as a Mask and transfer all those fine detail into polygons (means no displacement maps- for 3D printing you must use real geometry). You used to be able to convert displacement maps to geometry in A:M. Export to AV2 or PLY. But I haven't tried it in many years, so it may not be possible anymore. I believe that was possible before A:M got an option for pixel-displacement. The old way (I believe before version 10.) to handle displacement maps was to subdivide each patch into 16 smaller patches and move the points regarding the value of the grayscale map. The level of details was, of course, much smaller back then, but this method was useful for many other things. It would be good to have both options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted February 23, 2011 Hash Fellow Share Posted February 23, 2011 Technically, the Terrain Wizard will convert a grayscale map to geometry, although that is only on a grid, not any random mesh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixelplucker Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 .... (Then I exported model with UV maps from A:M to Zbrush and convert bump maps to actual geometry): You used to be able to convert displacement maps to geometry in A:M. Export to AV2 or PLY. But I haven't tried it in many years, so it may not be possible anymore. Unfortunately, I haven't found a program that can open PLY files exported from A:M. I think they complained that A:M's ply files did not have the proper headers. The workaround is to open the ply/AV2 model in AM and export to obj. Blender can import ply files, I do have the newest stable version installed if you want me to test anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeSlice Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Blender can import ply files, I do have the newest stable version installed if you want me to test anything. Sure! Create a simple model in A:M - like a 32patch sphere or something. Export it as PLY. Try to open it in Blender. Did it work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixelplucker Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Can't import the ply file because it says I don't have the full version of python installed and the program hangs... typical open source. Also tried to open it in ultimate unwrap but the plug in for that seems to be broken. You would think that people would check this stuff before crapping it out on the internet. Amazes me how things like that go untested, do they draft out the software with fat crayons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeSlice Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 Here is a bunny model in ply format (I think) ftp://graphics.stanford.edu/pub/3Dscanrep/bunny.tar.gz from the Stanford 3D scanning repository http://graphics.stanford.edu/data/3Dscanrep/ Those guys should have bona fide guaranteed ply files. Try to open it in UUnwrap. If it still gives you problems, then it is definitely a problem with the plugin in UUnwrap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixelplucker Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I remember the ply importer working in Blender 32 bit version because I had exported ply from AM to Blender to make an stl. I only have the 64 bit version of Blender installed and it is loaded with bugs, lots of obvious stuff broken including space mouse support which makes it virtually unusable because of the keyboard input causes the scene to roll horribly when navigating around objects. I emailed UU3d and am guessing that the plug is only 32 bit and probably the reason it is broken. What has worked for me in the past with complex objects from am is to export a faceted dxf and then use an average weld to merge the faces together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted February 24, 2011 Hash Fellow Share Posted February 24, 2011 Is there a reason to use PLY instead of OBJ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixelplucker Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 Not sure, I had some issues with patches getting funky but both formats seemed to work, I have been using obj as my main format for program hopping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeSlice Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 Is there a reason to use PLY instead of OBJ? From what I understand, PLY was inspired by the obj format, but ply was developed to handle extremely high density meshes, such as those created from high resolution 3D scanners and such. For our purposes though, I imagine OBJ is just fine. I was just wondering if it was still possible to export an A:M model with a displacement map into PLY and get the displacement baked into the model as actual geometry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixelplucker Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 Do you have a test ply file I can try to open? I exported one from AM and was able to import it back in which means AM ply i/o works but the ply file had no header when I tried to bring it into UU3d. I went to stanfords site and downloaded a file of a horse and was unable to import that in either AM or UU3d which makes me believe that the UU3d plug in might be faulty which is being checked out now and that AM's ply isn't making a real ply file. Anyways it would be really nice if you could bake a displacement map and export it as geometry. This would allow people to paint details onto objects and be able to make real models from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixelplucker Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 Ply importer is fixed for UU3D. AM doesn't create a proper .ply and the i/o isn't compatible with .ply files made in other programs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted February 25, 2011 Hash Fellow Share Posted February 25, 2011 I was just wondering if it was still possible to export an A:M model with a displacement map into PLY and get the displacement baked into the model as actual geometry. I just tried the nearest test case i had. It does, sort of... the top left is the wire frame of the A:M model, the top right is with the displacement map rendered, the bottom is the result after export to PLY with x16 chosen. There is displacement in the new mesh but it also introduced a strange radial bump pattern in addition to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixelplucker Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Baking the displacement map does alter the geometry but as an obj the file is limited to a max of 16 faces per patch so the fine detail would never show. Would the ply format offer finer results? I only saw the same tesselation options as the obj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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