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Week05 3D Scanning and Printing

In Week 05 started with intensive describtion from Proff. Neil and the Senior Scientist on the sector. I explored the complete workflow of 3D scanning and additive manufacturing, learning how to capture real-world objects digitally and reproduce them through 3D printing and I also studied key additive manufacturing concepts such as layer-by-layer fabrication, infill structures, supports, tolerances, and material behavior, print some design/models that cannot be made with the subtractive methods.
Reference class page:
Scanning and 3D printing

My SSTM

week05 SSTM

Start with Local Sessions

During Week 05, I learned the fundamentals of 3D printting, scanning and how software working for 3D printing. We introduced to tools, methods,must to do and documentation status update and followup as well how to access the assesment platform. Then additive method by Rico. a. Initail design to thinkercad with Rico TinkerCadfor additivemanufacturing
Source: Local instructor, Rico

b. Progress to the additive aligned design
TinkerCadMethod
Source: Local instructor, Rico

c. Ready to 3D print for additive Manufacturing (hard to subtractive method) tinkercadwithRico Source: Local instructor, Rico

Group assignment

Week05 Group assignment

B. Individual assignment

Design, Document, and 3D Print an Object That Could Not Be Made Subtractively

Learning Outcomes

  • Understanding of Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM)
  • Designing internal cavities
  • Managing overhangs and supports
  • Tolerance and wall thickness control
  • Optimizing print settings

Objective

Design and fabricate a small 3D object (few cm³) that cannot be produced using subtractive manufacturing (e.g., CNC milling).

Why It Cannot Be Made Subtractively

  • Includes internal enclosed geometry
  • Contains hidden cavities / complex inner structures
  • No direct tool access for milling tools
  • Demonstrates advantages of additive manufacturing (DfAM)

Step-by-Step Process

1. Concept & Sketch and tools to use

  • Defined design idea and methods tool induction with Rico for the modeling of the object tha Cannot Be Made Subtractively

  • Sketched internal and external geometry

  • Considered printer time limitation

2. CAD Modeling

  • Model an object in CAD software using free model and i redesigned to meet the none substractive requiremen and its here

tinkersCad https://www.tinkercad.com/

  • Designed internal cavities and complex features that cannot be made with substactive methods
  • Checked wall thickness and clearances and neccessary printing steps

Model to be reengineered and modified Source: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:7287234

  • Modification to additive only methods for manufacturing it

Modoified to made complex Made only for additives MNf

3. Export File

  • Exported model as .STL
  • Verified mesh quality

alt text ready to sliced

4. Slicing

  • Imported STL into slicer
  • Adjusted:
  • Layer height
  • Infill percentage
  • Print orientation
  • Support settings (if needed)
  • Applied design rules identified in group assignment

MAkerBot Sketkch Slicer

5. 3D Printing (on progress) — now done

  • Printed using MakerBot Sketch
  • Ensured print time within allowed limit
  • Removed supports and cleaned model

## Final printed is:

alt text

alt text

Non subtractive printed, complexity: Spiral inner structure and once printed without assembling for moving part. Non subtractive printed

Problem and issue faced, the printed design was more complex and the pin brocken during pushing to try its slide inside. The issue was low infill density and needs support in design for that pin.

After a feedback I design my own and print with Makerbot

The concept I wanna define is the product to be printed that is not easily done with subtractive method. I include two letter growing up with the fabacademy as the foundation for me. The same step defined above in thinker cad followed but the object is the new one.

Open tinkercad and new document then please boxes and letters then arrange and design as i want

Designstage

Then exporting to .stl file for slicing to the specific setup and 3D printers i wanna use

in my case Makerbot sketch mini the picture show my setup for infill (30%), material selected - PLA, floor thickness, layers -3 optional here but durability increase as the layers increase… the default value is good here but for custom print it can be changed as i wish

alt text

Section view to see the complexity 👇 alt text

Final printed one

With expected medium complexity and density …

alt text newer version

3D Scan an Object (Optional: Print It)

Learning Outcomes

  • Proper scanning techniques
  • Mesh editing and repair
  • Difference between CAD model and scanned mesh
  • Reverse engineering basics

3D scanning workflow

Digitize a physical object using 3D scanning and prepare it for fabrication. The week focused on understanding different 3D scanning methods, processing and cleaning scanned models, optimizing mesh files, and preparing designs for fabrication using slicing software.

Scanning my PC mouse

I scanned using Peel3D scanner and the tool is licensed for peel.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Scanning

  • I Positioned object properly: Before pulling the trigger, you must prepare the environment and the object:
  • Target Placement: For objects with smooth, featureless surfaces, apply adhesive positioning targets (retro-reflective dots). The scanner uses these to maintain its position in 3D space.
  • Surface Treatment: If the object is transparent (glass), very shiny (chrome), or deep black, spray it with a temporary matte powder (like AESUB) to allow the structured light to bounce back correctly.
  • Calibration: If the scanner has been moved or experienced temperature changes, perform a quick calibration using the provided calibration plate to ensure dimensional accuracy.
  • Captured multiple angles
  • Ensured full surface coverage

alt text

2. Mesh Cleaning

  • Hole Filling:
  • Flat Fill: Best for small holes on flat surfaces.
  • Curvature Fill: Uses the surrounding geometry to “predict” the curve of the missing area (essential for organic shapes).
  • Smoothing & Decimation:
  • Smoothing: Removes “digital noise” or roughness from the surface.

mesh cleaning

  • Decimation: Reduces the triangle count in flat areas while keeping detail in complex areas, making the file easier for other software to handle.
  • Fixing Mesh Errors: * Remove Isolated Patches: Deletes tiny clusters of triangles that aren’t connected to the main body.
  • Bridge/Stitch: Manually connects two open edges that should be joined.
  • Normal Correction: Ensures all triangles are “facing” outward so the software knows what is the inside and outside of the object.

Mesh tool

3. Export

Once the mesh is “watertight” (no holes) and repaired, I export the file. Common Formats: .STL (standard for 3D printing), .OBJ (includes color/texture data), or .PLY.

Post-processing: From here, the file is ready for a slicer (for printing) or a reverse-engineering software (like Geomagic or SOLIDWORKS) to convert the mesh into a usable CAD model.

Export mesh

4. Optional Printing

  • Prepared file in slicer

  • Compared printed model with original object. This is Scanning my PC mouse with Peel scanning and then import to tinker to add text and more dimension check.

in tinker

  • export to .STL and slice in 3D printers SW

  • Printed using MakerBot Sketch
    Scanning my PC mouse with Peel scanning and printing

  • On printing

mouse on printing

Problem Faced

Error in the finalizing was due to peel software license and difficulties I Faced to print that the peel stack too many times to finish mesh....print soon updating my license issue to print it. Now corrected and printed after scanned

Design Files

New non-subtractive

3D none subtractive

3D Scanned Mouse

Week 05 AM definitions

Reference :

AI: Gemini used as prompt “Peel 3D Scanning: Full Process Description”