3D Printing models and parts...

I've noticed many people seem to think a 3D printer this neat new technology they can use to "spit out" a whole model in one piece. While it's certainly possible to print an entire spaceship, that's not often a very effective way to produce a nice model of it.

It might be better to think in terms of using a 3D printer as a tool to help you create your own model "kit." First, you'll need some accurate and well-engineered 3D patterns. That means learning how to study a subject and then use a 3D modeling program to recreate it. Your subject needs to be laid out and then broken down into parts and components. Each piece can then be printed/produced in the most appropriate manner. If a part is to be printed, this involves choosing the best process/material and also the correct orientation of the part in order to achieve the highest quality output.

Looking at it this way, a 3D printer really isn't that much different from a power tool such as a lathe or mill that can be used to make your own model parts from scratch. It's up to you -- the designer of your project -- to figure out how to engineer and fabricate all those parts. All this is in addition to the traditional work of assembling, detailing, lighting and painting your model.

With this approach, you can use a 3D printer to help you create some stunning models. On the other hand, if all you want to do is download stuff off the Internet and then try to print out a finished model, you may be very disappointed with the results.

star-art said:

I've noticed many people seem to think a 3D printer this neat new technology they can use to "spit out" a whole model in one piece. While it's certainly possible to print an entire spaceship, that's not often a very effective way to produce a nice model of it.

It might be better to think in terms of using a 3D printer as a tool to help you create your own model "kit." First, you'll need some accurate and well-engineered 3D patterns. That means learning how to study a subject and then use a 3D modeling program to recreate it. Your subject needs to be laid out and then broken down into parts and components. Each piece can then be printed/produced in the most appropriate manner. If a part is to be printed, this involves choosing the best process/material and also the correct orientation of the part in order to achieve the highest quality output.

Looking at it this way, a 3D printer really isn't that much different from a power tool such as a lathe or mill that can be used to make your own model parts from scratch. It's up to you -- the designer of your project -- to figure out how to engineer and fabricate all those parts. All this is in addition to the traditional work of assembling, detailing, lighting and painting your model.

With this approach, you can use a 3D printer to help you create some stunning models. On the other hand, if all you want to do is download stuff off the Internet and then try to print out a finished model, you may be very disappointed with the results.

Click to expand...

Ultimately this is exactly what I want to do.

I want to use the printer for ships I can't get or can't get in the scale I am doing. Personally I think these came out pretty nice.

I've been printing up a storm over the past week. I have this printer pretty much running nonstop!

So far I've printed a Viper MK I, Buck Rogers Starfighter/Thunderfighter, three snow speeders, a U-Wing, a bunch of Tauntauns, several gantries in different sizes, an 'Angry' Baby Groot, and of course the obligatory sample prints everyone prints first to test their printer. Right now I have a 1/72 scale X-Wing body coming out of the vat. It's pretty cool watching something come out of a pool of liquid

This X-Wing looks pretty nice so far from what I saw from the first parts plate I printed last night. The wings are articulated and the parts are engineered with very tight and precise tolerance. They 'snap' together and are very firm and a solid fit. This is one print I am learning a lot from. Most of the others were a single object, so it was a complete ship printed at once. That's okay I guess for smaller scale things, but the goal is to print bigger things as well as print off clear parts for lighting regular model kits. This X-Wing was originally in 1/64 scale so I resized it to 1/72 for the 1/72 project I am working on, and also resized it for 1/32 (another scale comparison/perspective project) as well as 1/18 for the Hasbro builds I will be doing. I'm particularly interested in the wing articulation parts so I can transform the 1/18 toy with fixed wings (closed) into wings that can open or close and hopefully even motorize them.

Even though I have a Bandai A-Wing waiting to be built, I'll probably print off another A-Wing and make it a different version/variant for my hangar bay scene I am doing. This will be different and an interesting display because I am showing a size comparison between all the classic SciFi fighters as well as showing them next to real world fighter jets. So far I have an F4 Phantom, F-16, F-18, Corsair, and Stuka all in 1/72. It is interesting seeing them side by side and how small some of them are compared to real world fighter jets.

whb64 said:

Personally I think these came out pretty nice.

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if you're happy with it, great! But looking at it objectively, there are a lot of visible print lines and some areas of segmentation. You might be surprised to see how drastically print lines can be reduced in visibility by correctly orienting the parts...this can only be done by breaking the model down and orienting each piece for optimal results. The visible segments means the model might be subdivided/smoothed more. Both processes will save a lot of post-production work!

I'm still in the learning phase of things.

As far as print lines, yes orientation does improve that, but after priming and painting I can say it isn't noticeable, not like with FDM prints. I agree about breaking things into components, and for larger builds I will be doing that. Again that's part of the learning curve. I've already progressed leaps and bounds in just the past week.

Let me say this... as far as these printers go, yes home users are using them for something they originally weren't intended for. They were created and used to prototype things and then make molds for mass production. Since home users aren't planning on doing mass production that step is skipped. Seeing these are primarily display items people are printing they don't need to be as durable as a toy a kid will be playing with and abusing. For that I personally feel these printers do their job well.

The detail with these resin SLA printers is amazing and blow away anything an FDM pronter can produce, but... FDM can print larger parts. It's a trade off. And yes I am happy with being able to print ships that are not currently available as a kit, or not available in the scale I want.

After I get over this 1/72 kick I am on I plan on doing some 1/32 scale ships with lights and the whole treatment Those will be printed in parts and closer to a 'kit' build. It will also be nice to print parts in clear for lighting and things like that. Do I think this will replace me buying actual kits and other parts/items? No. Is it going to be useful and allow me to do things I previously couldn't? Absolutely

DonS said:

if you're happy with it, great! But looking at it objectively, there are a lot of visible print lines and some areas of segmentation. You might be surprised to see how drastically print lines can be reduced in visibility by correctly orienting the parts...this can only be done by breaking the model down and orienting each piece for optimal results. The visible segments means the model might be subdivided/smoothed more. Both processes will save a lot of post-production work!

Click to expand...

Don I looked at the pictures I posted, and if we're talking about the Starfighter, I think what you are seeing and thinking are print lines aren't. That's actually how the .stl looks when I pull it in and view it in Meshmixer, 3D builder and other programs. The curves in the file itself aren't a perfect circle or smooth. I think what you are seeing is how the file is. Again, I am still in the learning stage. I am pretty sure there are tools I could have used to smooth that out before printing.

That said, yes I have seen some banding in some prints, as well as a deformity now and then due to not having a support that was needed. I've also had an issue with some prints (not all) that when the supports are removed they left 'pricklies' on the print and in some areas pock marks. That was kind or irritating because I wasn't expecting that. Unlike FDM though, it's super easy to take care of- for the pock marks just dip a toothpick in the vat and dab some resin in the pock mark and then throw it in the UV station. The 'pricklies' come right off with an emery board. Again once primed they aren't noticeable when taken care of.

All in all this is pretty amazing technology. It's like seeing a very early very crude prototype of a Star Trek replicator sitting on my desk! It really is incredible when you think about it... pour in some resin and out comes an object!