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3D Printing Using Anim8or
Old Codger:
I have decided to get into 3D printing and intend to do the basic 3D model in Anim8or. Now, is anyone here already doing 3D printing? I think I understand the basic steps: create the 3D model - save/export it in a format the next software understands (.obj most likely) - send the result to a "slicer" to turn the 3D model into a series of layers - send the output of the slicer to the printer for printing.
Now I got a great deal on a used 3D printer ($89 vs $250) with a print area roughly 8 inches on a side (210mm X 210mm X 205mm) that uses PLA plastic line as print stock. What I would LIKE to be able to do is break a model into components smaller than 8 inches with an eye towards assembling the pieces into models LARGER THAN 8 inches. From what I have been able to gather, turning a single 3D object into multiple pieces requires some sort of CAD software. If so, can anyone here suggest a good - hopefully free - CAD suite to do the conversion? I figure somebody here has already gone where I am going and so can point me in the correct direction.
Here goes. {crossing fingers}
davdud101:
I'll tell ya - I have a small desktop CNC which is the closest I personally own to a 3d printer. I have had some parts that I modeled ion Anim8or 3d printed by a guy and they came out great. I've been trying to get into 3d carving with my CNC (even downloaded Fusion 360) but I haven't even opened the program yet. I'm going to buy a 3d printer soon, probably within the next year or so and perhaps we can learn together.
That said, I'm *thinking* Fusion 360 or SketchUp **miiiight** have tools for that in them. Not sure about generating gcode directly in the programs as I haven't tried.
Also Anim8or isn't the most dead-nuts precise tool out there so just be aware of that. I like it for rough dimensions and it can definitely work for less intricate stuff, but for things like boolean operations and extremely precise operations it's a bit tough to get clean results that would be useful on something like a 3d printer or CNC router.
2020 Hindsight:
I've done 3D printing using Anim8or. The way to do it is to export to a .stl file. To do this, in Object view, select Object->Export ...
This opens the "Pick a File:" dialogue. At the bottome of this dialogue there is a drop down selection "Save as type" for the file type. Select "STL (Binary)(*.stl)", (or "STL (ASCII)(*.stl)" should also work , but the files will be bigger - theoretically you can tweak these in a text editor, but I've never felt the need to do this.)
Once you have your STL file you can import them into a slicer of your choice - you can pretty much use any slicer for any printer as printers all take gcode files. However if you want to do something printer specific like two colour printing, you are best sticking to the slicer the printer maker recommends. My go to slicer is Raise3D IdeaMaker.
You can also create gcode for CNC machines from the STL files - but that gcode has instructions for a cutter - so passing 3D printer gcode to a CNC machine is a bad idea. For starters there won't be a code to spin the cutter. (Obviously you need to use the appropriate software to convert your .stl file to a CNC cutting path.)
2020 Hindsight:
If you are lucky you may be close to a FabLab. They are almost guaranteed to have 3D printers available (at my local FabLab they charge for usage time). And if you are lucky they will also have a CNC machine. My local FabLab has two: a small one (Roland MDX40), and one big enough to make large furnature (ShopBot).
Here is a map of FabLab locations:
https://www.fablabs.io/labs/map
There will be people there who can give you help and advice too.
2020 Hindsight:
I've used - or at least played with Fusion 360. My biggest problem with it is the free licence for people with revenue of less than £10,000 per year (or however it is worded). They have now reduced functionality twice for the free version while I've had it installed. Personally I think any company using it need their heads examined, because they are putting their entire business at the mercy of a license that can be changed at any time. And they keep changing the interface, so the workflow that worked yesterday won't necessarily work today.
I keep meaning to look at FreeCad. But I've seen a video saying that it has a fundamental design flaw in it, and you are better off using a development branch that addresses this problem. I suggest you listen to the video, and read some of the comments:
&ab_channel=MakerTales
Under the video there is a link to the RealThunders Branch: https://bit.ly/3iBzQly I've not looked at it, but I think that it is probably the version to learn with.
I noted to myself that this FreeCAD course looked like it may be worth watching:
&ab_channel=FreeCADAcademy
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