Best way to prepare my model for 3d printing?

Support Modeling
#1

Lately I’ve been working on a ring that I hope to get printed through Shapeways. However, I’m not really sure how I should prepare my model for the printing process. My main problem lies in how I should position my model.

Here are a couple images of my model so you can get an idea of what it looks like:

Really rough Treasure chest closed.png960×960 1.3 MB


Really rough Treasure chest open.png960×960 1.34 MB

I thought about laying each piece flat on their open sides, but the problem is the hinges get in the way. Anyone have any ideas about how I should set this up?

Thank’s for any help, It’s much appreciated!

#2

That seems like a tough one to print. I know that many printers have the option for support structures, but they can be misprinted easily. Could you ask about the types of printers that Shapeway uses? They might be able to suggest the best option from experience.

#3

If I am not mistaken, Shapeways is using powder printers. Then it doesn’t matter that much.
When in doubt better ask Shapeways. They even have a tutorial section for preparing Blend files.

#4

Hi Landsquid,

your model looks very nice. I suppose that you would like to print this with metal material? You have to know that if you print with metal you can`t have moving parts like you have now. You can seperate your model in 2 parts and then print. The other problem that i see is the wall thickness. Choose your material and then see the technical specifications so you can make your model printable. For example, if you want your modell to be from Stainless steel you need a minimum wall thickness of 3 mm. I suggest to you that before you print your model, make a prototype from Polyamide. This is a kind of plastic, very stable and relativ chiep, see the problems that can occur and then decide the final material. When you upload your model, the company will put your model to the correct position for the best resault. Like the others said, write an email to shapeways for more details.

Hope it helps

#5

Thanks everyone for the advice! I will contact Shapeways. I have checked out the specifications for the metal material and made sure my model corresponds to them. I like the idea of making a plastic prototype first in order to check for errors, so I think I’ll do that. :slight_smile: