Book Image

3D Printing Blueprints

By : Joe Larson
Book Image

3D Printing Blueprints

By: Joe Larson

Overview of this book

A new industrial age is here. Machines designed to build useful and interesting objects have moved from the factory to the home. Whether you have a 3D printer or not, learning how to design your first 3D models is the best way to become part of the 3D printing movement. 3D Printing Blueprints will teach you, step by step, the tools and techniques of using Blender, a free 3D modelling program, to build 3D models for printing with simple and fun hands-on projects.3D Printing Blueprints uses engaging and fun projects that teach Blender modeling for 3D printing through hands-on lessons. First you'll learn basic modeling and make a small simple object. Then each new project brings with it new tools and techniques as well as teaching the rules of 3D printing design. Eventually you'll be building objects designed to repair or replace everyday objects. Finally you'll be able to even tackle other people's models and fix them to be 3D printable. Through the course of doing the blueprints you will custom build one-of-a-kind objects that you can call your own. Starting from a custom vase formed from a picture, lessons will progress to a multi-part modular robot toy. Then simple machines will be designed with custom gears and functions. Eventually you'll learn how to download models from the Internet and make custom objects. Finally you'll be able to build models with near real life specifications and make a print that can be used for small object repair. 3D Printing Blueprints will teach you everything you need to know about building custom 3D models to print successfully on modern home 3D printers.
Table of Contents (17 chapters)
3D Printing Blueprints
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Creating the first shape


With this project's file created it's time to begin creating the mug. The mug will be made up of two different shapes, so the first thing to do is to add the shapes we need into the scene:

  1. In the Info panel (top menu) click on Add or press Shift + A to add a new shape.

  2. Mouse over Mesh.

  3. Select Cylinder from the sub-menu that comes up.

    Note

    Whenever you add something you have a chance to edit its options. Once these options are gone, you can't go back and change them. The new object is now just a collection of points, same as any other object to Blender so edit those options while you can.

  4. On the left-hand sidebar under the Add Cylinder option, click on the number in Vertices and change that number to 8.

  5. Press Tab to advance to the next option, Radius. The mug is designed to be 24 mm wide, so enter a radius of 12 and press Enter.

  6. Press Tab to advance to Depth. Enter a depth of 20.

  7. Choose File | Save or with the pointer over the 3D View panel press Ctrl + S and press Enter...