3D Scanning and Printing

Goals

• Test the design rules for your 3D printer(s).
• Document your work on the group work page and reflect on your individual page about what you learned regarding the characteristics of your printer(s).

Individual Assignment

• Design and 3D print an object (small, a few cm³, limited by printer time) that could not be easily made subtractively.
• 3D scan an object (and optionally print it).

Group Assignment

We used the ALL-in-one model from Thingiverse for printing.

3D Printer

The printer used is the Ender-3 V3 Plus.

The Ender-3 V3 Plus has an expanded build volume of 300×300×330mm, equipped with dual Y-axis motors and dual diagonal support rods, improving printing stability and quality. It features a CoreXZ structure, automatic bed leveling, and a quick-release nozzle, among other features.

• ·Build Volume: 300×300×330mm
• ·Machine Size: 410×445×577mm
• ·Max Printing Speed: 600mm/s
• ·Max Acceleration: 20000mm/s²
• ·Nozzle Diameter: 0.4mm
• ·Screen: HD IPS Touchscreen
• ·Auto-leveling Support: Yes

After downloading the test model, I imported the STL file into the slicing software.

The slicing software used is Creality Print 5.1.

The Ender-3 V3 Plus has an automatic print calibration function, allowing automatic nozzle cleaning, homing, and bed leveling.

Test Results:

• Convex shapes printed well.
• Concave details had lower precision.
• Overhang tests showed that angles above 50 degrees resulted in surface quality degradation.

Individual Assignment

Plan

Our studio is located in Nantou Ancient City, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, an area that represents Shenzhen’s earliest form, with a history of over 1,700 years. I wanted to create a cute figurine by adding eyes, hands, and feet to the South City Gate’s exterior.

Implementation

Model Design

I used 3Done modeling software to create the main structure of the model. The hands and feet were purchased from Taobao as pre-existing files, and I combined them with the original design.

At the center of the figurine, there is a nameplate, which signifies that this location was an important town in southern China.

3D Printing

After completing the model design, I exported it as an STL file and used a resin-based printer for detailed textures.

TThe printer model is HALOT-MAGE S.

• ·Printing Technology: LCD MSLA
• ·Build Volume: 223×126×230mm
• ·LCD Screen: 10.1-inch monochrome screen
• ·Printing Resolution: 14K (13320×5120 pixels)
• ·Printing Speed: ≤150mm/h
• ·Pixel Size: 16.8×24.8μm
• ·Light Source System: 3rd generation LCD integral light source
• ·Illumination Uniformity: >90%

I used HALOT BOX slicing software.

After importing the file, I adjusted its position and automatically added supports.

Once everything was ready, I processed the slicing and exported the print file.

I saved the print file to a USB drive, inserted it into the machine’s USB port, and transferred the file to the printer.

After printing, the model was placed into a cleaning and curing machine.For cleaning, I used 95% isopropyl alcohol, with a cleaning time of 10 minutes.

After cleaning, I performed secondary curing to allow the model’s surface to dry.

After secondary curing, I removed the supports, and the model was complete.

3D Scanning Results

For 3D scanning, I used PolyCam.

I scanned a 3D-printed fishbone model by capturing 35 photos, which were then processed using machine learning.

However, I found the software not very effective. When I rotated the camera to capture all angles, some areas were still missing. The missing areas appeared as blank spaces.

I did not print the scanned model because the accuracy was insufficient.