Who is our resident 3D printing expert?

[alvordr]

As the title suggests, who is our expert in 3D printing with 3D Coat?  I'm looking into using 3DC for 3D printing, but while I've gone to Shapeways and Cubicle, among others, I can't be certain from the information on their site how my models will turn out, in terms of scale and accuracy.  I wouldn't want to waste money on something that doesn't print correctly.

[Carlosan]

http://3d-coat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=11796

[Tony Nemo]

Staples is starting a 3D printing service that uses paper as a basic material (of which they sell alot). It turns out an object that resembles wood and is  painted as it emerges with some sort of color printer that works with the 3D sort.

[Marc Wakefield]

Hi,

 

Here's one I made earlier: http://3d-coat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4957&hl=printing

 

I have also worked on a few other bits using 3D Coat and recently printed some 3d business cards via shapeways (while pushing the minimum wall thickness to the limits).

 

It really is a pretty awesome tool for creating 3D printable content although it is a good idea to also use (free & opensource) Meshlab http://meshlab.sourceforge.net/ to check / prepare your files.

 

Netfab is pretty much essential as it does seem to help with accurate measurements and re-sizing. You can even fix holes, make the mesh watertight, etc... There is a free version here: http://www.netfabb.com/downloadcenter.php?basic=1

 

While I wouldn't call myself an expert, know my way around the process of printing, I have a 3D Scanner on the way http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/45699157/fuel3d-a-handheld-3d-scanner-for-less-than-1000 and I have pre-ordered a copy of Mesh Up http://www.uformia.com/products/mesh-up which looks like it us the perfect suite to prepare meshes for print.

 

I am also getting a Buccaneer when they are available. I am fast becoming a 3D printing Geek! It is the future! 

 

I didn't see Phil's sculpture before. It is pretty awesome!

[Aethyr]

This is awesome. My company is looking in to 3D printing miniatures of our game models for kickstarter early doners. Any tips for a 3D Coat user? I am assuming normal maps are meaningless so I'd need to just autopologize my vox sculpt?

[sculptactive]

Still wish 3DC had an option to export a model as an STL file.

.

[polyxo]

Still wish 3DC had an option to export a model as an STL file.

.

3DCoat exports every widely used format for 3D printing: ply, wrl (for colour prints), and also stl.

[sculptactive]

Only as a low poly stl as far as I am aware.

 

Where us the option to export a 29622k high poly count stl file?

[polyxo]

You need to be more precise. 3DC exports stls from different workspaces with different algorythms.

It makes a difference to export an stl from a low poly mesh imported to the paint workspace or to do the same thing from the Voxel workspace.

What exactly is what you want to do?

[sculptactive]

Well my work flow is normally I import a LWO to Ptex Paint then either:

 

Export as a low poly model LWO for animation in LW

or

Export  a high poly count model OBJ file for 3D printing.

 

There is no option to export the model as an STL file only as a OBJ file

[polyxo]

There's indeed none of the triangulated mesh options in this particular exporter. That's  probably just an oversight but it should be easy to add.

You might suggest to ask Andrew to add this.That said - many 3D-Print vendors nowadays also accept obj's too.

A workaround might be to import the hires obj in Lightwave again and to export as an .stl from here - it's just a triangulation which takes place.

[sculptactive]

^{Have requested it several times. It is not an oversight, I wish it was.}

 

^{Then again if you are reading this Andrew, please add it as it would really help my workflow.}

Edited September 8, 2013 by sculptactive

[Andrew Shpagin]

3D-Coat may export/import STL without any size limitations. STL export shold be fastest of all (along with PLY). I see no any problem there.

[sculptactive]

Thanks for the reply Andrew, but maybe I am not explaining myself very well.

 

You say there is no size limitation?

I am talking about importing a Low-poly model for Ptex painting then exporting the High-poly version.

 

See here..

 

 

You can only export the model as a Low-poly STL file.

There is no option to export a High-poly STL file.

In the image above if I choose High-poly Mesh, my only option is an OBJ file.

 

 

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Edited September 29, 2013 by sculptactive