LA TERCERA
3D PRINTING
A PERSONAL PROJECT: DRAW A 3D PRINT
MAKE A SILHOUETTE OR OUTLINE. TRANSFORM YOUR OUTLINE INTO A DIGITAL DRAWING. MAKE THE DRAWING INTO 3D. 3D-PRINT THE DRAWING. First think of something that can make a good ‘silhouette’. A silhouette is a shape and outline of someone or something (nothing inside, just the outline). It should be something that you can recognize by just looking at the outline (some shapes are better than others). For example:
not a very good outline of a bat; the outline does not show what it is
better outline; you can tell that it’s a bat
HOW TO MAKE A GOOD OUTLINE: One easy way is to take something (for example, your hand) and lay it on a piece of paper, and trace the outline. Another way is to trace the outline of someone or something in a picture. Or you could also print a silhouette from the Internet (just search for ‘silhouette’ in Google images). Note: be sure to make your outline very thick so that it can later become a good 3d object. (at least 1/8 inch, to 1/4 inch)
HOW TO TRANSFORM IT INTO DIGITAL: When you took a phone picture of your outline, it already became ‘digital’. But in order to make it into 3D, the picture needs to be made into a different digital format, like SVG. Use this website to convert your outline picture into SVG: convertio.co
HOW TO MAKE IT INTO 3D: Bring your SVG file into the TinkerCAD 3D Model program and use ‘extrude’ to turn it from 2D into 3D: 1. Set up the grid (click ‘edit grid’ and choose units=inches, 8x8 inches). 2. Import the SVG file (settings: import on ‘Art’ and max dimension ‘1000’). 3. When you import it into TinkerCAD, your outline will already be extruded a bit (1/8 inch). (’extrude’ means that the shape is pulled straight up, and your outline shape is kind of like a wall) 4. Edit dimensions: First make it the right width: make the longest side around 3 inches. 5. Edit dimensions: Make the height (extrusion) into around 3/8 inch. 6. Export a 3D object (OBJ) or 3D print file (STL) that you can use in many places including 3D printers.
HOW TO 3D-PRINT: Once you have an OBJ or STL file, you can send it to the 3D printer by using the translation program: QIDI Education: 1. Open your OBJ or STL file. 2. Make sure that the 3D object is on the print platform in the program. And that the one ‘outline’ side is flat on the printer bed. And that the 3D object is about 3 inches wide. 3. Send it to the X-Maker 3D printer. 4. It might take about half hour to print.