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

Making a stick figure


Begin this project like all the rest. Clear the scene and save it in a new directory under MakerbotBlueprints called Ch 7 Teddy Bear and name the file Teddybear.Blend.

In the beginning all that is needed is a single point. Unfortunately Blender doesn't have an object that is just a single vertex. Fortunately it does have many basic shapes from where a single point can be taken.

  1. Begin by adding (Shift + A) a Plane.

  2. Rename this plane Bearskin.

  3. Enter Edit Mode (Tab).

  4. Select all but one vertex and Delete (X) them so there is only one left.

  5. Select and Move (G) the one remaining vertex to the origin.

    Tip

    It is important that this point ends up exactly at the origin for the next step to work. With a plane whatever point is left is exactly 1 unit in two axes away from the origin, so the best way to ensure it is at the exact origin; this is where we should type the commands and not use the mouse. For the earlier illustration, typing the following keys will center the point perfectly...