Week 3 3D scan and 3D print
Time to test the processes of 3D scan and 3D printing. I had used a 3D printer before a couple times, but not with the printers we had available - I used a MakerBot. There's a large variety of printers everywhere you go... I guess the more brands I get to know, the more problems and issues I learn to overcome. But 3D scanning was something entirely new to me.
3D SCAN
I was pretty excited to use the 3D scanner, because I am an amateur sculptor and I mostly do pop culture characters, as a hobby. I really wanted to try and scan one of the pieces I made, and the one I used was a small Groot figurine - character from Guardians of the Galaxy - in the Pop Funko style.
It took me a couple tries to get a decent scan. Using the Sense 2 scanner, I couldn't get the details of the piece, and the arms and chest were scanned as a whole block. So I decided to try the Nextengine, which was better for the details, but it missed the top of the head, neck and top/bottom of flower pot.
I was wondering if it wouldn't be possible to scan from a couple angles and stitch the images together, so I looked online and it turns out the Nextengine does have this capability. So I went back to the shop to try and scan it tilted to stitch both scans together. Unfortunately, the scanner software started crashing continuously. So I couldn't try this, but there's videos with that technique on YouTube (won't link here to prevent future dead links).
3D PRINT
Since I couldn't use the Nextengine to make the scan a little more precise, I just fused the previous scan, filled the large gaps using the software's method, saved it first in STL and then in the gcode format to send it to the printer.
Our other task for the 3D printing assignment was to create a small, simple shape that couldn't be made through milling, and send it to be printed on the Eden printer. I decided to make a moebius structure, a ring that revolves around itself.
The result was pretty good resolution. Tom sent it for me in two different materials so it was interesting to see the effect on the translucid piece.
