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

Cleaning up bad geometry


Now, the model should be watertight, but it is hardly clean and non-manifold. Now is the time to locate, identify, and fix the non-manifold points:

  1. Clear the selected points (A).

  2. Select all non-manifold points (Shift + Ctrl + Alt + M).

Unfortunately in sealing the edges, non-manifold geometry was accidently introduced into the model. All of the currently selected points represent a problem in the model that should be fixed.

The first step is to remove any points that are occupying the exact same spot:

  1. Select all the points (A).

  2. Click on the Remove Doubles button in the left-side bar.

  3. When that is done clear the selection (A).

  4. Select the non-manifold points again (Shift + Ctrl + Alt + M).

  5. Choose one of the selected points and zoom in on it.

Deleting an extra edge

The previous screenshot is zoomed in on one such place. The darker grey areas indicate that there are multiple surfaces overlapping each other in that area, two faces on top of each other. There is some edge on the...