January 2023: Creating a beautiful 3D object is not always as easy as it may sound. Most of the time, one may design a beautiful thing on the computer, but upon printing, the prototype may look horrible. This can be due to difficulties encountered during the 3D printing process. These issues can be varied. From quality problems and low-resolution output to fragile parts that may not stand the printing process. Designing a pretty object and printing a horrible product can be exasperating for a designer or an engineer. To curb such issues, one must make sure that the designed object is printable. To come up with a more satisfying 3D print object, here are some tips to consider when designing a model to get the best 3D objects to print.
Tips for designing the best 3D objects to print
- Choose the right tools for 3D printing
The first thing to do when embarking on 3D printing is to look for the right tools you will use to design the models. The most essential tools you will need are; a slicing program and 3D modelling software. With the modelling software, you should consider the ease of navigating through the software and what tools are automated for you to save you time and create the best 3D objects to print.
- Consider the printing material
Knowing the suitable material that you will need is the second step. All the materials are different, with different properties and different constraints. When you know the material for the final model, it becomes easier to decide which 3D printing technology to use. In some cases, you may want to use a different material on one object for dissolving or aesthetic purposes. Finally, keep manufacturer specifications in mind because the same material produced by other manufacturers can behave differently, so always refer to the printing instructions and profiles provided with the material.
- Try to avoid using support material
To get the best 3D objects to print, one crucial factor to consider when designing a prototype is the support structures that hold the model in place during the printing process. These structures act as scaffolding and prevent the filament from dropping during printing. When the process is finished, the support structures are removed but leave marks on the surface that need post-processing which is time-consuming and incurs more money. So, the best thing to do is to avoid them as much as possible. You may consider orienting the object in a way that may reduce using a support structure or reduce the overhang angles. You can even split the model into two, more so when dealing with spheres and later on carefully joining them, or even using dissolvable supports if you are printing with a dual extruder printer.
- Watch for file quality
Before printing, the design is converted to a printable 3D file. To get the best 3D objects to print, you should ensure that the converted file is of sufficient quality according to your needs, either high quality for small features or low quality for large ones. Then, you ensure the file is watertight, as holes can confuse the slicing software. And lastly, scale your file to detail to prevent loss when scaling the up the model.
In conclusion, when you want to get the best object to 3D you should choose the right tools and the best material, check on the file quality and avoid using many support materials. In so doing, the object that goes in 3D printer 3D printing comes out looking very beautiful, and at the same time, has the best quality REad more