3D Printing

Just because you create a beautiful, seamless 3D model does not mean it can be successfully 3D printed. There are certain guidelines to keep in mind when designing and modifying an object to print. Following these pointers will increase the number of successful prints!

Water-tightness – “Watertight” is a term used to describe a 3D mesh suitable for 3D printing. It means no holes, cracks, or missing features on the mesh. The easiest way to describe a good mesh for 3D printing is to think of it as skin and filling the inside with water. It is important to create watertight meshes so that it is clear to the 3D printer what is the “inside” and what is the “outside”.

Overhang – Additive manufacturing printers build from the bottom up. There is little allowance for overhang due to gravity. For example, if you are printing a giraffe, its neck has nothing to build upon because it is out in space. You can either create thin supports to hold the extended piece (or have the software do it for you automatically) and then remove them later, or you can gradually build up at an angle to support the object as it extends upward. The latter is a more challenging technique but gives a cleaner print.

Geometry/Orientation of Objects on Print Bed – The printer moves on X, Y, & Z axes. With that in mind, certain angles are more difficult for the printer to manage. You will want to avoid jagged lines leading into curves or extremely small circles without using a raft (rafts are thin bottom supports for the printed model).

Keep It Simple – Do yourself a favor, and keep your models simple at first. This means using basic shapes to build objects. It is surprising how many designs can be created by combining shapes. This will also orient you into the 3D landscape. It takes time to get used to thinking in 3 dimensions—practicing is the key!