On his blog my plastic future, Gregg Wygonik lays out why Bonzai 3D (B3D) is a good tool for modeling for your MakerBot, and maybe better than SketchUp Pro. Gregg says he wanted to find an alternative, in case SketchUp goes through some changes after Trimble takes it over from Google.

Sketch Up Pro and B3D run about the same in terms of price (just under $500 for both). However, he says his files from SketchUp occasionally have some problems when you try to slice them in ReplicatorG. No such problems in B3D:

Half the time I would have to rework parts I made in SketchUp that had holes or other simple design bits due to errors with slicing in RepG; no such issue with the many things I threw at it from B3D. Interestingly B3D has the ability to “diagnose” various potential problems when you export a STL file, but even with it reporting issues with a few of my objects, I had no problems with slicing/printing.

Here’s Gregg’s Pro/Con list for Bonzai 3D.

Things I liked:

• ability to draw lines and primitives as walls (think: no need to draw an extruded hexagon followed by another one a little smaller and push/pull to remove the middle, just draw an extruded hexagon with a set wall size and done!);
• some pretty sweet additions to regular booleans (slicing, object and surface splitting);
• NURBS with some really cool blending tools, in a much more approachable interface than Blender;
• 4-up “old school” view (top, left, right, perspective all at once);
• helix creation (screw tops!!);
• rounded or faceted edges with myriad settings;
• right-click on any tool and set a keyboard shortcut;
• and my new favorite: thicken, which takes any non-solid and turns it into a solid of a specified width

Things I didn’t like:

• some features require the setting of custom workplanes while some don’t and you don’t know until it throws an error dialog (workplanes are all new to me, but I like overall);
• inconsistent workplane handling (“lock workplane” sometimes doesn’t lock, and you have to use “save custom workplane”);
• adding dimensions to a part is hit-or-miss whether or not it will measure between the points you click or the entire edge you’re touching, while “measure distance” works perfect but doesn’t leave the dimensions on screen;
• too much reliance on hovering to open up tool groups and additional options (small gripe)

More here.

Click here to view the embedded video.

A Quick Note: I’m running Autodesk 123D Catch on my mac through VMware Fusion.  Autodesk just released a web version, which is great for mac users, but it lacks some of the advanced features like creation tools.  So to use this tip, you need to use the desktop application on Windows.

This class is focused on the program modeling program Blender. In order to participate, those attending the class should take some time to download the following programs before class:

• ReplicatorG
• Blender
• MeshLab
• KinectToStl
• NetFabb

And then you should bring that computer, a 3-button mouse, and a desire to learn some awesome stuff about 3D modeling and MakerBotting!

RSVP now to reserve your spot! You can view the invitation here.

Tekserve – Seminar Room
119 W 23rd Street
NY, NY 10011
212-929-3645

Thursday, May 10; 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Joinery - Not just for lasercutters any more

The Make Blog recent posted about CNC panel joinery techniques.  However, there’s no reason these really amazing assembly techniques should be relegated to just CNC cutting machines.  Any of these techniques could be easily applied to 3D printing to create objects that can be assembled without any tools or hardware.  Some of my favorite things to 3D print of all time are multi-part pieces that can be hand assembled.  There’s the dinosaur, the spider, the 27-to-1 gear ratio crank, and Tony Buser’s Toy Robot Toolkit.

Of course, having a 3D printer at your disposal means you don’t need to use joinery to create a 90 degree angle or a corner like those pictured above.  Even so, there’s no reason why one couldn’t use those same techniques to connect larger, more complex, 3D parts.  I would love to see an OpenSCAD library of joinery – little cutouts and tabs that could just be dropped into a design to make it snap-slide-slot together.

From Fabbaloo:

Autodesk is previewing its Inventor Fusion software, which “unites direct and parametric workflows within a single digital model created in Autodesk Inventor.”

Here are the updates touted in the press release:

Surfacing support! Users can now work seamlessly between solids and surfaces, expanding their confidence and capabilities to tackle design changes. By enhancing the existing translators to read surface data and adding new Parasolid, Rhino, IGES and AliasDesign .wire file import capabilities user have access to an even larger number of design formats.
Simplification wizard. Simulation users now have one button simplification of designs. This makes simplifying common geometry fast and easy and ensures that mesh and solves times are as fast as possible.
Ease of use improvements. New marking menus, sketch ease of use and modeling ease of use, make this release of Inventor Fusion the easiest to use yet. Did we mention it was easy?

Well that sounds fun. I downloaded Inventor Fusion for myself, and there’s just a brief questionnaire to fill out beforehand. If you’re looking for a great 3D modeling option, give it a try. But act now, since the previews will expire.

– The Microsoft Windows compatible technology preview executable expires on April 1, 2013.
– The Apple OS X compatible version of the technology preview expires on January 1, 2013.

Hey Mac users, see that? You can use this Autodesk program!

Worthless Dice by blarbles

Now, don’t get me wrong – I love me my OpenSCAD.  While it’s an amazing and powerful tool for 3D modeling, the text editor is not as full featured as one would want.  Thankfully, Thingiverse citizen justblair has put together a short tutorial on how to use the text editor of your choice with OpenSCAD for the best of both worlds – a full featured text editor and an awesome 3D modeling program.

Justblair recommends my personal pick for a text editor, the free, open source, and very feature rich Notepad++.  (I prefer the PortableApps.com version). ¹  The process basically involves changing a few settings so that OpenSCAD will immediately re-compile the current objects from a file being edited, whenever that file is saved.

The process is really easy and very worthwhile.  Being able to find/replace and perform regex searches make designing in OpenSCAD so much easier.

OpenSCAD/Notepad++ Language File (including useage guide) by Justblair

This guide is for Windows Users. I am growing to love OpenSCAD as a creative tool for 3D design but I do find that it's text editor lacks many of the basic features that I appreciate when writing code... Namely: Auto-Completion Syntax Highlighting Collapsible Outline levels Line Numbering Automatic Tabbing Search and Replace Block Tabbing using the tab key. I was pleased to discover however that you don't need to put up with the standard text editor. There is a feature that allows you to conveniently use the text editor of your choice with OpenSCAD. My editor of choice is Notepad++ a fast well featured open source text editor. You can download it from notepad-plus-plus.org/ Notepad++ supports many different programming languages but not unfortunately OpenSCAD. It does however have the facility that allows you to create your own language file which I have included here. This is definitely a work in progress as I have had to make a few compromises due to the limitations of Notepad++'s language editor. I dare say other more experienced coders opinions will differ as to how best to syntax code the OpenSCAD language. I am currently working on adding auto-complete functionality to notepad++ as we speak. I have included a working though not complete file called openscad_removethisbitandcopy.xml. Currently most if not all functions will auto-complete, what is going to take me longer is adding call-tips to all the functions which would be nice though is not critical. **** Edits ***** 13/5/2012 Added extension type to openscad.xml so that Notepad++ will now automatically detect language when .scad files are opened. Thankyou CrazyJaw, saved me some time there.

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1. See a pattern?

Memory Card Enclosure by rvanchie

In this OpenSCAD tutorial series we’ve covered the basics of the OpenSCAD interface, how to make 2D forms, how to make some basic 3D forms, how to position those forms in 3D space, the different ways to combine forms, how to create mashups of one or more existing STL’s and OpenSCAD forms, how to use modules to reuse your code to make your life easier, how to extrude flat 2D forms into 3D forms, and how to fix design problems.  Although I described a few of the last tutorials as “intermediate” levels, that’s really only because you learned the basics so quickly from the first few tutorials.

Today I’d like to show you how easy it is to make some neat organic looking forms with OpenSCAD.  The secret behind doing so are two functions, “hull” and “minkowski.”  Let’s learn a little bit about what each of these functions do and try out some code.  More, after the break!

• Hull
• The “hull” function essentially connects two or more 2D shapes, almost as if they were “shrink-wrapped” together.  Suppose you wanted to create an pear-shape, you could do this by creating two circles – one larger than another – and tracing around the both of them.  Let’s see what these two circles would look like without the hull function first:
1. translate([0,50,0]) circle(30);
2. circle(50);
• What you should expect to see is the two circles, somewhat overlapping.  Now, let’s see how the hull function automatically connects these two shapes into just one shape:
  1. “hull()
  2. {
  3. translate([0,40,0]) circle(30);
  4. circle(50);
  5. }”
• By using hull to connect squares and circles, anyone can easily create extremely organic seeming shapes.  One interesting way to use this function is to create just the major points of your desired complex organic 2D object, and then apply the hull function as we did above.  This way you can be sure the final object created by hull would have all the important features you were trying to create.
• Pro Tip:  The hull function can be used with more than one 2D shape.
• Pro Tip:  Since a complex object created with hull is also a 2D shape, you can make another 2D shape by using hull around other 2D shapes and other complex shapes created by a hull function.
• Minkowski
• The “minkowski” function basically takes one 2D shape and traces it around the edge of another 2D shape.  As with “hull”, the best way to understand how this function works is to see how the two objects appear without, and then with, the minkowski function around them.  So, first try:
1. square(50);
2. circle(10);
• You should see a square and a circle overlapping at the origin point.  Now, let’s try it again with the minkowski function around those two 2D objects:
1. minkowski()
2. {
3. square(50);
4. circle(10);
5. }
• You should now see a square with rounded corners!
• Wait, wait…  I promised you organic, right?  Try this on for size:
• minkowski()
•      {
•      circle(4);
•      for(i=[0:5])
•           {
•           rotate([0,0,360/5 * i])
•           hull()
•                {
•                translate([20,0,0]) square(10);
•                square(2);
•                }
•           }
•      }
• Conclusion
• Hull and Minkowski functions let you combine two or more 2D shapes in ways that would be really difficult in other methods.  Using these two interesting functions in conjunction make even more amazing organic appearing shapes possible.  Once you’ve created a complex shape by using hull, or several hull objects combined, being able to trace another shape around that complex object can make interesting, and sometimes slightly unpredictable results.
  
• Homework Assignment
• Now that you’ve learned how to use hull and minkowski functions, show everyone what you can do!  Use what you’ve learned today to either (a) create one 2D object using hull and one 2D object using minkowski or (b) one object that uses both hull and minkowski, then upload your your OpenSCAD file and the STL to Thingiverse.
• Extra credit:  If you want to make me extra proud, please tag it with “openscadtutorial.”  That way anyone who clicks that link will be able to see all of our hard work!
• Last but not least, today’s gold star goes to… rvanchie for their OpenSCAD tutorial homework.  I’d like to include a picture of your homework next time – so don’t forget your homework!

[simple_series title="OpenSCAD Tutorial Series"]

The topic of the next tutorial is up to you.  What would you like to learn next?  Is there something you’d like to learn how to make?  Is there something more you’d like to learn about some of the topics we’ve covered?

Memory Card Enclosure by rvanchie

I needed a thing to hold the guts of a worn out thumb drive. I thought it would be a simple project to learn openscad.

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Paper Folding Models by aubenc

The recent news of a process for creating balloons of any shape using 3D printed molds and sophisticated balloon deflating modelling, reminded me of two really cool ways for creating paper models.

First is TreeMaker by Robert Lang, an engineer and world-renowned origami master.  Lang’s free and open source program lets the user specify the number and ratio of major “flaps” and it designs a base that should collapse into a model with that number and ratio of flaps.  When folding an octopus, one uses a base with 9 flaps – 8 equal flaps for the eight legs and 1 shorter flap that forms the head.  A giraffe would probably use five really long flaps (for the legs and neck) and one very short one (for the tail).

The second is a type of software that assists with creating papercraft models by exploding a 3D model into a flat pattern that, when cut out and assembled using glue and tabs, would create a physical paper version of the 3D model.  There are several different programs that do this, but I’m not aware of any that are free or open source. ¹

If you know of any versions that are either free or open source – please share!

Paper Folding Models by aubenc

Few ages ago I was using a piece of paper "quite a 2D thing" to get 3 dimensional models, so this is a tribute to a couple of my first ever "made things". It's a quick OpenSCAD that don't take in account some important aspects to make the models easyly printable. Take a look to the instructions and the scad script itself for more info. Some more pictures: flickr.com/photos/aubenc/sets/72157628926382411/

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1. The wikipedia article provides several suggestions and links if you’re interested.

There was a really nice set of responses to a post last week about sketching. Basically, I asked whether blog readers and MakerBot operators were accustomed to sketching their designs from the very beginning or using CAD tools to 3D model a design from the get go.

I just thought the responses deserved a quick recap, especially because they underscore the point that there is no right answer. As someone who jumped into this company with no background in 3D printing or any other hardware hacking, I have been continually surprised how accessible the concepts are. I think it’s nice to point out that those of you who do such great work all also have varying processes — so the results aren’t just individualized, the process is too.

The star of today’s episode of MakerBot TV, Kacie Hultgren (aka PrettySmallThings), said that the sketching stage is often absent from her work; not because she eschews pencil and paper, but because much of what she does comes from photographs. It’s pre-sketched, in a way.

Emmett, whose Things number among the most notable contributions in the Thingiverse, similarly doesn’t sketch much. But in his case, it’s because his “imagination works in 3D already.” Communicating an idea to someone else, however, deserves a sketch. Renee  not only sketches, but cleans that sketch up in Illustrator before bringing it into a modeling environment.

The creator of MakerBot mascot R.Maker (pictured above), ErikJDurwoodII, said he sketches to lend some purpose to the CAD process, even if that sketch will change over time, and Gregg Wygonik also uses sketching to make sure the computer phase doesn’t include avoidable elements that cause discouragement. (Visit Gregg’s Thingiverse page here.)

Stephen Holmes, who writes for Develop3D, pinged us on twitter with a really relevant article showing yet another mindset: 3D sketching. The people at the UK product design consultancy 3form Design (3fD) do specifically leave pencil and paper sketching out of their process. Founder Austen Miller argues that the “reverse engineering” required to take a designers sketch on paper into the domain of the engineer can cause the loss of original design intentions. Instead, the groups designers start in SolidWorks.

Echoing what our commenters said:

Miller doesn’t succumb to the argument that by jumping straight into CAD stifles creativity. In his opinion, just like pen and paper, CAD is a tool and depends whose hand it’s in as to the end result. “Creativity should not be measured by the medium we choose but how successful we can be with it…”

Thanks, all, for the input!

ParentBots and their Robot Masters, living in harmony

Dr. Techniko recently posted a really great way to introduce kids to programming.  By having the children’s parents act like the robots and giving the children a “Robot Language Dictionary” of simple action commands, the children can write down instructions for their robots to carry out.  This is a fantastic way to teach kids planning, creative and logical thinking, and problem solving.  One of the amazing things about Dr. Techniko’s write-up is his descriptions of how the children will naturally develop and discovery certain programming practices such as parametrization, composition, abstraction, and testing all on their own!

If you want to try this out for yourself, Dr. Techniko has made the instructions and entire “Robot Language Dictionary” free to download!