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

Constructing a robot


The peg is done and its hole is defined. Now, to build something that will use them. This new build will need the PegHole from the other project.

  1. Start a new project (Ctrl + N). Clear the scene and Save (Ctrl + S) this project in the same directory as Peg.blend but name it Robot1.blend.

  2. In the Info panel on the top of the screen select File | Append or press Shift + F1.

  3. Select the Peg.blend file. Select the Object directory and select the PegHole. The PegHole from the previous project will be brought into the Robot1 project.

The robot as planned will need four pegs. Two at the shoulders, one at the torso, and one at the hips. To make things easier the one at the hips will be this peg at origin so it doesn't have to move and the robot will be built around it. Rename this PegHole to PegHip.

Engineering the body

  1. Hide (H) the PegHip for now.

  2. Jump to the front (Numpad 1) orthographic (Numpad 5) view.

  3. Add (Shift + A) a cube.

  4. Scale (S) it 0.5. Scale (S) again and press Enter to end...