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

Building the spinner


Let's build the spinner:

  1. Add (Shift + A) a cylinder. Name the object Spinner. In the Properties sidebar (N), change the dimensions to X: 58, Y: 58, Z: 2.

  2. In the properties the location can also be altered so change the Z-location to 3 to move the spinner up a bit.

Now is the time to add the gear. There is a plug-in that adds gear primates packaged with Blender, but it is not activated by default so we will need to take care of it.

Extending Blender with gears

  1. In the menu bar navigate to File | User Preferences. Click on the Addons tab.

  2. On the left-hand side click on the Add Mesh button to filter the add-ons.

  3. On the right find the Add Mesh: Extra Objects and click on the check box to enable it.

  4. Then click on the Save Settings button to make this change default so the next time Blender is opened it will be remembered and close the User Settings window.

  5. Now under the Add Object (Shift + A) Mesh menu there will be a new submenu for Extra Objects presenting many different new objects...