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3D Printing Blueprints
3D Printing Blueprints

3D Printing Blueprints: Using the free open-source Blender software, anyone can design models for 3D printing. Fantastic fun and a great experience whether or not you have a 3D printer, this book is a crash course in the new technology.

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3D Printing Blueprints

Chapter 1. Design Tools and Basics

Owning a Makerbot 3D printer means being able to make anything you want at a push of a button, right? 3D printer owners quickly find that while 3D printers have no end of things they can produce, they also are not without their limitations. Designing an object without 3D printing in mind will result in a failed print that more resembles a bird nest or a bowl of spaghetti.

Making a 3D printable object requires learning a few rules, some careful planning, and design. But once you know the rules the results can be astounding. 3D printers can even produce things with ease that traditional manufacturing cannot, for example, objects with complex internal geometry that machining cannot touch.

There are many places online such as Makerbot's own Thingiverse that hosts a daily growing library of printable objects. Printing out other people's designs is all well and good for a while, but the most exciting part about 3D printing is that it can produce your designs and models. Eventually, learning how to model for 3D printing is a must.

Can you learn 3D modeling? If you've ever won a round of Pictionary you've got all the artistic skill it takes to get started. If you've ever gotten past level 1 on Tetris then you've got spatial reasoning. If you've ever played with modeling clay then you know all about designing in three dimensions.

Design basics


There are some design rules and basic ideas that will be true regardless of the modeling software used.

The working of 3D printing

3D printing has come a long way in terms of technology and cost allowing home 3D printers to be a reality. In this process there have been choices that will limit what can be printed. Seeing a 3D printer in action is the best way to learn about the process. Fortunately there are many 3D printing time lapse videos online of printers in action that can be found with a simple search.

3D printers build an object layer-by-layer from the bottom to the top. Plastic filament is heated and extruded, and each layer is built upon the last one. Usually the outside of the object is drawn and sometimes additional shells are added for strength. Then the inside is usually filled with a lattice to save plastic and provide some support for higher layers, however the inside is mostly air. This continues until the object is complete as shown in the following screenshot:

Because of this layer-by-layer process, if a design is made so that any part has nothing underneath it, dangling in the air, then the printer will still extrude some plastic to try to print the part which will just dangle from the nozzle and be dragged into the next area where it will build up an ugly mess and ruin the print:

Building for supportless prints

One way of fixing the dangling object problem is to configure the preparing software to build the model "with supports". This means the slicer will automatically build a support lattice of plastic, up to the dangling part so that it has something to print on. Higher-end printers can actually print with a different material that can be dissolved away, but so far most home printers only use break-away supports. Either way after the print is complete it is left to the user to clean up this support material to extract the desired part.

While supports do allow the creation of objects that would be impossible any other way, the supports themselves are a waste of material and often don't remove cleanly leading to a messy bottom surface where they contact the print. If a part is designed needing supports that are hard to remove, such as if they're internal and partially obscured, it can be difficult and frustrating to completely remove the support material (this can be true for even the higher-end 3D printers). The process of removing it may actually damage the print.

It is possible and very easy with just the slightest application of cleverness to make designs that are printable without the need for any supports. So the blueprints in this book focus on making designs that print without supports. The limitations imposed by this demands just a little more effort but allow for the teaching of principles that are generally good to know.

Designing for dual extruders

Some models of Makerbot and other 3D printers have the ability to print in multiple colors at once using two different extruder heads feeding plastic from two different spools. There are some fun prints that come from this process. But as most Makerbots and other brands of home 3D printers do not have dual extruders at this time this book will not explore this process in detail. The basic idea of the process is creating two files that are aligned to print in the same space and combining them in the slicer.

Designing supportless – overhangs and bridges

When designing for supportless printing the rules are simple: Y prints, H prints okay, T does not print well.

Branching out with overhangs

It is possible to have the current layer slightly larger than the previous layer provided the overhang is not more than 45 degrees. This is because the current layer will have enough of the previous layer to stick to. Hence a shape like the capital letter Y will successfully print standing up.

However, if the overhang is too great or too abrupt the new layer will droop causing a print fail, hence a shape like the capital letter T does not print. (If the T is serif and thus has downward dangling bits, it will fail even worse, as illustrated previously.) So it is important to try to keep overhangs within a 45 degree cone as they go upwards.

Building bridges

If a part of the print has nothing above it, but has something on either side that it can attach to, then it may be able to bridge the gap. But use caution. The printer makes no special effort in making bridges; they are drawn like any other layer: outline first, then infill. As long as the outline has something to attach to on both sides it should be fine. But if that outline is too complex or contains parts that will print in mid-air, it may not succeed. Being aware of bridges in the design and keeping them simple is the key to successful bridging. Even with a simple bridge some 3D printers need a little bit more calibration to print it well. Hence a shape like the capital letter H will successfully print most of the time.

Of course this discussion is purely illustrative of the way overhangs work or fail. In real life if a Y, H, or T needed to be printed the best way to do it would be to lay them down. But for purposes of illustration it still stands that Y prints, H prints okay, T does not.

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Key benefits

  • Design 3D models that will print successfully using Blender, a free 3D modelling program
  • Customize, edit, repair, and then share your creations on Makerbot's Thingiverse website
  • Easy-to-follow guide on 3D printing; learn to create a new model at the end of each chapter

Description

A new industrial age is here. Machines designed to build useful and interesting objects have moved from the factory to the home. Whether you have a 3D printer or not, learning how to design your first 3D models is the best way to become part of the 3D printing movement. 3D Printing Blueprints will teach you, step by step, the tools and techniques of using Blender, a free 3D modelling program, to build 3D models for printing with simple and fun hands-on projects.3D Printing Blueprints uses engaging and fun projects that teach Blender modeling for 3D printing through hands-on lessons. First you'll learn basic modeling and make a small simple object. Then each new project brings with it new tools and techniques as well as teaching the rules of 3D printing design. Eventually you'll be building objects designed to repair or replace everyday objects. Finally you'll be able to even tackle other people's models and fix them to be 3D printable. Through the course of doing the blueprints you will custom build one-of-a-kind objects that you can call your own. Starting from a custom vase formed from a picture, lessons will progress to a multi-part modular robot toy. Then simple machines will be designed with custom gears and functions. Eventually you'll learn how to download models from the Internet and make custom objects. Finally you'll be able to build models with near real life specifications and make a print that can be used for small object repair. 3D Printing Blueprints will teach you everything you need to know about building custom 3D models to print successfully on modern home 3D printers.

Who is this book for?

"3D Printing Blueprints" is for anyone with an interest in the 3D printing revolution and the slightest bit of computer skills. Whether you own a 3D printer or not you can design for them. All it takes is Blender, a free 3D modeling tool. Couple this book with a little creativity and someday you'll be able to hold something you designed on the computer in your hands.

What you will learn

  • Use the rules of Y, H, and T to guide your designs
  • Build 3D objects from simple shapes
  • Edit shapes using modifiers and directly modify their geometry
  • Build objects to real-life specifications
  • Make interconnecting parts
  • Build machines that will perform simple tasks
  • Learn about sculpting tools that will allow for the creation of organic shapes
  • Reproduce the shape of real-life objects in the virtual space accurately
  • Repair downloaded 3D models that may not be ready to print
  • Edit the settings on your 3D printer to make cool print effects
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Publication date : Aug 23, 2013
Length: 310 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781849697088
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Blender Foundation
Concepts :
Tools :

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ISBN-13 : 9781849697088
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Concepts :
Tools :

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Table of Contents

10 Chapters
Design Tools and Basics Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Mini Mug Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Face Illusion Vase Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
SD Card Holder Ring Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Modular Robot Toy Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
D6 Spinner Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Teddy Bear Figurine Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Repairing Bad Models Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Stretchy Bracelet Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Measuring – Tips and Tricks Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

Top Reviews
Rating distribution
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon 4.3
(11 Ratings)
5 star 63.6%
4 star 9.1%
3 star 18.2%
2 star 9.1%
1 star 0%
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Doug Jul 20, 2014
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Great book for learning blender
Amazon Verified review Amazon
J. Swanson Nov 14, 2013
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
I liked this book on 3D Printing by Joe Larson. I know a lot about Blender, at least I thought I did, and a little about 3D printing. Having read the book I know a lot more about both.I found the text easy to follow because it is well laid out in a thoughtful, intelligent manner. Although the 'Getting acquainted with Blender' is a quick no-nonsense overview of the program's layout I think it, along with the following instructions, is more than enough tho get you through the process required to end up with a printable model.My favorite chapter involved the making of a small Teddy Bear. I not only ended up with a model but actually ended up learning techniques on modeling within Blender that I did not yet know.I haven't yet tried following the steps in the chapter that shows how to clean up a model in Blender with problems but having read it through I see it is full of information I will want to get under my belt.I have no trouble recommending a book like this to anyone who wants to get started with 3D printing in an affordable way. It is a well paced book with information that builds on itself allowing the reader to progress through the examples in a way that benefits him or her without a lot of useless repetition.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
PRR Jan 09, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Excellent book. Not finished with book but am already able to create and print my own designs.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Thomas Sep 24, 2013
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
This book reads like the author is beside you. Delightful prose guide you with clear explanations, succinctly stated on what task you're performing, why you are performing it and highlights on technique. After the first design project I had a model that was print ready, and moreover I was able to use what I had learned as a guide to make my own creation without further reading!Subsequent projects have expanded my tool set and continue to grow my professional design skills. I am able to be creative and/or technical and don't feel limited in the least. This book is will take you from knowing nothing to as far as you'd like to go professionally or otherwise.I've truly enjoyed this book, thank you!I took a look at the publisher's site too.[...]
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Anon Ymouse Aug 16, 2017
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
The book may be a few years old now, but it still appears to be a good learning aid should you wish to start designing models for 3D printing.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
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