topic Re: 3D dimensional printer in Collaboration with other software

3D dimensional printer

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 18:06:14 GMT

Hi Guys.

So we are sending a coupel files up to New Hampshire to have our 3D model information spit into a machine that will "print" out model in real life. So we can actually touch it.

I think it works by taking a block of some sort of material, plastic or something, and our building information and puts it in this machine, and tada- we have a real 3d model.

Fabulous.

I am wondering if you guys had heard of this? Used it? Recomend it/Dont?
We want to buy one. How Exciting!

The company is called CAD Edge.

Re: 3D dimensional printer

TomWaltz — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 18:16:58 GMT

I've seen the models made that way. It's kind of cool. The one I saw was all white and weighed a ton because it's pretty much solid plastic and glue.

I think the machines are in the low $40K range, but I could be wrong about that.

Re: 3D dimensional printer

Dwight — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 22:18:51 GMT

This is a well-used method for modeling.
Within the modeling chamber, powder layers accumulate, activated by laser to solidify into the modeled form. The excess powder is recycled and while in the chamber supports un-attached pieces.

Designers are using this method to do short-run plastic and metal parts - not just models.

See:

http://home.utah.edu/~asn8200/rapid.html

http://www.solidconcepts.com/

A primer on this can be had for real from Ralph Guisti [mailto:rpg@macdac.com] of MacDac Engineering in CT who says:

"The method is actually quite simple. You take your model and view it in a 3D window and then you save the file in a .vrml format
I did a model that I created on an old mill building that I did renovations on. It created the .vrml file simply and the file took with it all my colors, textures, etc. You can also use an old feature of Archicad to split the model on the x,y or z-axis so the model can be printed in sections and pieced together. The first model we printed on the Z-Corp printer came out amazingly well. It was a bit too detailed for the size I created, so I had to split my model into 2 sections and reprint it. The model is very cool, accurate and shows a lot of detail inside and out .
I'm reprinting it again and I could send you a picture of it if you want... let me know.
My company (Macdac Engineering) sells the Z-Corp printer line."

Re: 3D dimensional printer

Dwight — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 22:27:41 GMT

Bur NEVER EVER EVER buy one of these machines. If it was cars, this technology would be the 1920's.

Re: 3D dimensional printer

Link — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 03:48:57 GMT

There are some really good color pictures of 3D printed models here.

Stereolithography has been discussed before here and here and here!

Cheers,
Link.

Re: 3D dimensional printer

stefan — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 08:11:08 GMT

FWIW, try to use a service office instead of buying such a machine... By the time you start to get good results, the technology has been replaced.

Unless you want to start a service bureau for architects, that is...

Re: 3D dimensional printer

Mats_Knutsson — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 20:53:55 GMT

Jesikuh123 wrote:
Hi Guys.

So we are sending a coupel files up to New Hampshire to have our 3D model information spit into a machine that will "print" out model in real life. So we can actually touch it.

I think it works by taking a block of some sort of material, plastic or something, and our building information and puts it in this machine, and tada- we have a real 3d model.

Fabulous.

I am wondering if you guys had heard of this? Used it? Recomend it/Dont?
We want to buy one. How Exciting!

The company is called CAD Edge.

Beware of physics though (depending of technology I suppose)! One of my AC customers ordered a 3D model in scale 1:50 or something...guess what will the happen to the 300 mm thick walls when heavily scaled down...it collapsed and he thickened the structurals for the next model.
:)M

Re: 3D dimensional printer

stefan — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 07:22:27 GMT

Mats_Knutsson wrote:
Beware of physics though (depending of technology I suppose)! One of my AC customers ordered a 3D model in scale 1:50 or something...guess what will the happen to the 300 mm thick walls when heavily scaled down...it collapsed and he thickened the structurals for the next model.
:)M

Reality bites. And experience matters.

It is NOT a case of pressing the 3D-Print button! With all the details, overlapping faces, inconsistent normals and "floating" geometry, you can not expect a flawless 3D print.

A friend of mine, who works at a service and research company for Rapid Prototyping has just spent about 50 hours cleaning up a 3D model from one of our students, to be able to be "printed".
And this was using their own specialized software, created in-house, for the purpose of optimizing STL documents before they are sent to the machine.