7 Tips – Modeling for 3D Printing by Jeremy Ortiz

Jeremy Ortiz is a digital sculptor. Jeremy is the founder of Neural Entertainment, an indie video game company based in New York. In this post you will see 7 Tips – Modeling for 3D Printing by Jeremy Ortiz.

1. Keep Your Parts Manifold

 

For modelers coming from animation, illustration, or gaming backgrounds, one important thing to remember is that your 3D prints must be composed of watertight manifold volume parts. Always check your model for artifacts, loose faces or unwelding edges and verts.

That means:
– No one dimensional planes,shells or extruded edges
– No double sided faces
– No self intersecting faces
– No open faced holes
– No unwelded verts or edges

 

2. Multi-object Prints

 

Does my part need to be one continuous mesh? This is a question that many new modelers have when creating for 3D printing. The simple answer is that a continuous mesh is not required. You can design prints from overlapping or intersecting objects so long as all components involved are manifold parts.

 

3. Know Your Build Area

 

When designing your part, keep in mind your build area. However, your printer’s build volume does not have to limit the size of your final model. Be creative! Clever layout in your build area can help you get larger prints. For instance, the diagonal space from top to bottom in your build area will give you the longest build size of your printer.

 

4. Small prints and exaggerated details

 

When sculpting small parts, it’s often very helpful to slightly exaggerate details. This means making your surface details with slightly deeper cuts and more pronounced surface texture. If possible, making slender parts slightly thicker will help ensure that they will print clean.

 

5. Save Material

 

Making your model hollow using shell and boolean functions available in your modeling software will save you resin material. Be sure to make a large enough “vent hole” that connects to your hollowed area to the outside of your model this will allow uncured material to flow out.

 

6. Clean Up Well

 

After your print is finished you have to soak your finished print in IPA for 12-15 minutes. I find that towards the end of the soak you can give your part a gentle rubdown with your gloved hand to help break down and remove any resin stuck to the surface of your print. Using a soft brush also helps to reach area that you can’t reach with your hand, this added step this helps get a quality finish to your print.

7. Remove Supports Carefully

Take your time when removing your support material. Rushing this process could ruin an otherwise flawless print. Using an X-acto knife to score a line at the connection point will give a cleaner break. Give thicker supports a gentle wiggle, don’t pull or use excessive force.

Website: http://jeremyrobertortiz.com/

Watch the interview, tutorial at: http://formlabs.com/stories/modeling-3d-printing-tips-jeremy-ortiz/

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