Today, they have added a new Windows 10 IoT Core sample app, 'Network 3D Printer' that adds support for an even wider range of 3D printers and allows you to access them over your network. Introduction To 3D Printing Software. Unless you're planning to download ready-made blueprints of models from the Internet and use them to print objects, you will need to understand what kind of 3D printing software you need. We had discussed this topic briefly in the previous chapter; we will now discuss 3D printing software in more detail.
Published on January 22, 2019. Written by: Mackenzie Crary
One of the synergies of combining 3D scanning with 3D printing is the ability to create physical replicas of real-world objects with true likeness to the original. In this tutorial, we are going to demonstrate the 3D scan to print process by taking a squirrel skull and making it twice the original size. The intention is to enlarge the skull so it can be examined in greater detail.
Let's take a closer look at what this process looks like and then look into the various applications that would benefit its use.
Video Demonstration
If you would like a condensed version of this tutorial, view the video here:
Step 1: 3D Scanning a Part for 3D Printing (Physical to Digital)
The squirrel skull measures approximately 2.25 inches, which is a relatively small object to scan. If you need to capture small objects into 3D in fine detail, in terms of getting the best resolution and accuracy, using a macro 3D scanning would be your best choice. A macro 3D scanner is designed specifically for scanning small objects.
In order to obtain the best quality results, the Metron Macro 3D scanner was used in the scanning portion of the project. FlexScan3D 3D scanning software comes with the Metron Macro 3D scanner. It captured individual 3D scans and merged them together into a complete digital 3D model.
Step 2: Preparing the Model for 3D Printing
Typically in our lab, we would use FlexScan3D for preparing the scan data for 3D printing by:
- Capturing 3D scans
- Cleaning up the scan data (post-processing)
- Converting the model into a watertight model
However, in this instance, Geomagic Design X was chosen instead for advanced post-processing the scan data.
Why use Geomagic Design X?The squirrel skull contained lots of very thin walled sections as well as small intricate holes. These features are likely too complex and unnecessary for the 3D printer to replicate. FlexScan3D has great hole filling tools and could have done a fairly decent job. When it comes to thin wall data and intricate data selection, Geomagic Design X has a more comprehensive toolset.
Instead of just filling holes, with Geomagic Design X you can build up and create new materials that were previously flat or empty in order to make a good 3D printed model. FlexScan3D does not have the ability to create more materials. In this instance, Geomagic Design X has a slight edge for post-processing this particular squirrel skull 3D model. For objects simpler than the squirrel skull, FlexScan3D would have been more than sufficient.
What is a watertight model and why do we need it?When we talk about getting a watertight mesh file for 3D printing, this means that the 3D model needs to be completely sealed. There should be no holes and all parts of the model have been connected properly to create a sealed solid.
The word 'watertight' means that if you put water inside the model, water will not leak out. Geomagic Design X and FlexScan3D software can make watertight .stl models from 3D scanner data for 3D printing.
If you don't have a watertight model, your 3D printing job will be unsuccessful. Since 3D printing sometimes can take hours to print depending on the complexity of your object, it is best to make sure your file is properly constructed before you enter into the final 3D printing stage. If you have a bad file, your 3D printing job will get messed up. Hours will be wasted and you would have to start all over again. Double-check that your file is watertight.
Step 3: 3D Printing a Replica (Digital to Physical)
We are now ready for 3D printing. Airwolf Axiom 3D printer 3D printed the model in PLA material. Built on top of Cura's open source slicing engine, Apex 3D printing software was developed exclusively for Airwolf printers and is optimized to make 3D printing a straightforward process. The software easily creates a customizable print job that allows for the most efficient printing of the skull. The 3D printer uses precise electronics that allow for accurate printing, getting the tiniest of details printed. Together, the combination produces a beautiful result that is dimensionally accurate and robust.
3D printing using Apex:- Open APEX and select your Airwolf 3D printer.
- Load your model file.
- Choose your four simple Quickprint settings (Filament, Print Quality, Print Support, and Platform Adhesion).
- Save your GCode and you're ready to print.
It is relatively simple to 3D print using the Airwolf Axiom 3D printer. It took about a little more than 10 hours to 3D print the skull using high quality settings. It slowed down the printing process, but it would produce better results than using normal settings.
Final Results
Overall, we are happy with the final 3D print. We are able to print the squirrel skull in great detail, especially around the eye socket, teeth, and the areas around the mouth. The jaw piece is also firmly attached to the model whereas the physical skull is in two pieces. The detailed model accurately represents all the features of the skull that is also robust and durable.
Applications for 3D Scanning to 3D Printing for Object Replication
Now that we gained a good understanding of the process, let's examine how this process is put into real-life uses. How to download 64 bit windows 7 free.
- Art and Cultural Restoration Efforts
3D scanning and 3D printing can be beneficial for restoration efforts, particularly for cultural and art preservation. Precious pieces that represent our history are often destroyed with time or destruction. They require special maintenance and repair to preserve our history.
The restoration process involves scanning the remaining artifact, reconstructing the missing pieces using 3D modeling techniques, and finally recreating the missing pieces physically with 3D printing.
Case Study: Damaged Stone Sculptures Receive New Life Through 3D PrintingStep 1: 3D Scanning Step 2: 3D Modeling Step 3: 3D Printing Capturing 3D images of the authentic piece. Recreating missing fragments to create complete artifact. Sometimes, a duplicate or similar object can be used as a reference for scanning and modeling the missing pieces. Missing parts are 3D printed and adhere to the original piece to make it whole again. Funeral Busts dated back to the second century AD were severely damaged with hammers when Isis terrorists rampaged through the archaeological site and museum. The busts, one man and one woman, was taken back to Rome where cultural heritage experts from the Italian Institute of Conservation and Restoration spent time repairing the damaged bust. The restoration efforts involved using a 3D scanner to capture the shattered faces into 3D and 3D printer to print the prosthetics.
'The resin prosthetics were coated with a very fine layer of stone dust to make them blend in with the original stone. It was a great honour for us to be able to restore such extraordinary artefacts, which were so brutally damaged by Isis.'
Gisella Capponi, director of the Italian Institute for Conservation and Restoration.
The prosthetics are removable and can be replaced with the original missing piece if they were ever found.
Read more about the restorative efforts:Stone sculptures smashed by Isil in ancient city of Palmyra restored to former glory by Italian experts
- Gain a Better Understanding of Our Past
Artefacts and fossils are often fragile, irreplaceable, and priceless, which makes it impossible to be handled on a constant basis. Researchers can use 3D scanners to capture the original specimen into 3D digital form and then 3D print them for a thorough in-depth analysis.
We as humans are tactile in nature. Once an object is 3D scanned into a digital 3D model, the way we interact with a physical model is completely different than interacting with the model on screen. We can gain more insights by seeing and touching a physical tangible 3D printed model because it is often easier than looking at digital scan data.
Case Study: 3D Printing Makes Its Way Into Online CoursesAt the University of Southern Queensland, Professor Bryce Barker in the Department of Anthropology gives off-campus students the opportunity to get practical hands-on lab experience which is essential to learning the course. Students will be able to handle the 3D printed specimens in their home while getting a guided tour from the professor through online course materials to improve the way students learn. The cost of 3D printing the specimens and shipping to their homes would be much cheaper than bringing the distance and online students physically into the university (in terms of cost of travel, accommodation, etc.).
- Making Large-Scale Sculptures
The art of sculpture making can be further enhanced with the use of 3D technologies. Object replication using 3D scanning isn't just restricted to the use of a 3D printer. To expand the list of material choices for producing the final sculpture, 3D scanned data can be exported for use on a CNC machine (using wood or plastic) or for a molding process (bronze casting). Typically, artists choose to work in clay first. Once the sculpture is complete, it is 3D scanned, scaled to the appropriate size (enlarge or reduction), and produced in the finishing material.
Case Study: Making CNC-Carved Wooden Statues from Clay SculpturesStep 1: Creating the Physical Sculpture Step 2: 3D Scanning Step 3: 3D Printing, CNC, or Molding Process Sculpting the piece in clay. 3D scanning the sculpture into 3D digital form and making any necessary modifications. Produce the final sculpture in the desired materials as specified by the artist. Commissioned by the Schweizerholz (Swiss wood) initiative and the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, figurative artist Inigo Gheyselinck created wooden figures of famous Swiss people to make history come alive and to show what a great material wood is with the #WOODVETIA campaign. The purpose of the campaign was to raise awareness of the benefits of wood, which is biodegradable and an eco-friendly material for construction and furniture production.
Gheyselinck modeled the famous heads in clay. He scanned the clay sculptures and found human models which was also 3D scanned to compose the body.
After scanning his clay sculptures using Artec Eva, the digital 3D models were then exported to CAD-compatible CNC milling machine for creating the sculpture in wood. CNC has the ability to machine soft woods at high speed.
Read more:Making CNC-carved wooden statues of historical Swiss personalities
3D scanning broadens the use of 3D printing by expanding the number of things you can do with a 3D printer. Hopefully this will give you a better understanding of the 3D print to scan process and inspire you to find more commercial applications that can benefit from the use of these technologies. How to play pokemon on emulator.
Related Articles
If you have used 3D printers for some time, you might have they produce an odor when printing. Many consumers are often concerned whether these fumes are harmful when breather. In this article, this concern will be addressed.
Before starting any 3D printing job, there are various factors to take into consideration. Among the factors are the environment you are printing your objects in and the type of material you intend to use.
Illinois Institute of Technology did a study in 2016 to determine the harmfulness of 3D printing fumes. Their findings indicate that materials like ABS should be used in areas with good ventilation while PLA is safer and can be used in any environment.
PLA Filament Fumes
Sugarcane and maize are amongst the natural substances used to make PLA filament. Therefore, the filament is safe to use because of its natural composition. The fumes produced are somewhat sweet when the filament heats up. Lactide is a non-toxic chemical that is given off when PLA is heated up.
Although many experts argue that you can use PLA without the need to be concerned about breathing the fumes, you should still use common sense. Leaving your printer on for extended periods of times, for example, in a bedroom with your baby is just not a good idea.
Try to invest in a good air purifier. This will help with the circulation of quality air in your environment.
ABS Filament Fumes
When you print ABS, it produces an odor that is similar to a plastic burn. ABS gives off a chemical called Styrene, which is toxic to the human body. If you breathe the filamentís fumes regularly, you might start to suffer from headaches and fatigue.
When printing with ABS, ensure that you have good ventilation in the working area.
Everyday Air Pollution
You are susceptible to breathing in harmful fumes during your day to day activities. These might include the fumes you are aware of as well as those you might not think are harmful.
A good example of how you can be breathing in bad fumes is when you walk and cycle through a city/big town. You may know that there will be bad smells in the environment and that some may be toxic, so you would rather avoid them.
Still, you might find yourself breathing in bad fumes. For example, when you are driving in your new car and enjoying the ënew carí smell. Even though the car smells good and gives you a happy feeling, the air you are breathing is a combination of PVC chemicals and Styrene.
When it comes to your 3D printer you have to be careful of the fumes it gives off because you will share the same air with the machine for a few hours to even days, depending with the model you are printing
Where Do You Use Your 3D Printer?
Garage/Workshop
If you need to leave your prints unsupervised for a long time or print regularly, a garage would be the perfect place to put your printer. Simply leave the door or a window open for proper ventilation. If the ventilation is not enough, you can improve it by using a manual fan or getting an air filter.
When you place the 3D printer in a garage, you donít have to be concerned about its noise annoying your family.
Home Office
This is another good place to put your 3D printer given that the room is separate from the house and has a window that you can open during the printing process. You can switch the printer on throughout the day when you are at work or overnight.
When you work in your home office while printing objects, it is better to start investing in an air purifier. Try to place the machine close to the window.
Living Room/ Family Room
When your family is interested in 3D printing, the best place to put your print would be none other than the living room. The downside to this is that your loved ones will have to share their space with your printer, including the air they breathe.
To eliminate the possibility of the fumes affecting your family members, buy a room purifier to filter all the bad particles given off by your printer.
Bedroom
The bedroom might be the ideal place to put your 3D printer when you have a 3D printer for kids. However, it comes with some health risks.
Ensure the room is well-ventilated remove bad particles from the air that you or your children breathe. Ventilation is even more important when you run your printer overnight.
Ventilation Solutions
The cheapest ventilation option is leaving your window open. Unfortunately, you might not always be able to do this, e.g. when itís cold or a lot of bugs get attracted to your printer screen.
The printer is also affected by the immediate ambient temperature around it. When the temperature keeps fluctuating, it can influence your prints in a negative way.
Air Purifier
If you live in a small space like an apartment or living room, you will find an air purifier useful.
Printing materials like ABS can give off a pungent scent. However, the odor will be barely noticeable when using an air purifier.
When looking for an air purifier, choose one that has HEPA filtration and is charcoal activated. These two features allow your purifier to filter small particles in the air, especially chemical compounds, for example, VOCís.
One great benefit of an air purifier is the ability to switch it off and on as you like. For example, you can leave it off during the day when you are away and switch it back on hours before you want to use it. Not only will the purifier absorb the fumes given off by your 3D printer, but it will also remove other smells such stinky eggs or the smell of pets.
Available on Amazon.comAir Extraction
There are different forms of air extractors, from the wall-mounted to the industrial-size ones usually found in spray booths. There are two things that youíll have to take note of when you get an extractor.
- It needs to be located in the right spot, i.e. above your 3D printer
- It has to extract the contaminated air.
3D Printer Enclosure
Keeping your printer away from the environment by placing it in an enclosure is, perhaps, the best way to keep harmful fumes from the air you breathe. The downside of this option is that there are not many types of enclosure available on the market as this is a more recent invention.
According to user reports, one of the best 3D printer enclosures is the BuzzBox, which host a printer up to H12?xW16?xD11?. The Monoprice Select Mini printer fits perfectly in this enclosure. Moreover, getting the printer inside is not a difficult process.
The ventilation implemented by the enclosure is passive. In other words, it does not use any fan to drive the flow of air but instead allows the heat from the printer to determine the air flow. Most modern buildings use ventilation method to get rid of noises that might be created by fans.
By putting your printer in an enclosure, your room will have constant humidity and temperature. Therefore, you can be sure the printer will produce quality prints constantly. The printer also becomes more reliable and youíll not have to worry about failed builds.
Available on Amazon.com7 Best 3D Printing Software For Beginners In 2019
3D Printer with Build in Filtration
Even though manufacturers are aware of the fumes their printers produce, only a few have built-in filtration systems as a standard feature. The only printer that comes with true HEPA filtration is the UP BOX+. HEPS filtration is important because it will allow you to filter out really small particles.
Available on Amazon.comCached
Verdict
Staples 3d Printing Service
Most 3D printer manufacturers focus on bringing their printers into your home office instead of the industrial type of printers they focussed on previously. Even though home based 3D printers give off fumes that can be harmful, this should not scare you away from trying 3D printing for yourself.
Get yourself an air purifier and youíll be all set to enjoy 3D printing.
