Poor Man's OpenSCAD Screw Library by aubenc

Screw Library by syvwlch

This morning, you are waking up to two OpenSCAD screw libraries, released within hours of each other. While they were created for slightly different purposes – aubenc‘s focused on traditional 3D printed hardware and syvwlch offering a tool that works for generating threaded rods or lead screws with custom threading angles — we are the richer for having both of them available to us.

If you haven’t yet dived into this parametric design application yet via the OpenSCAD Institute of MakerBlock tutorial series, then this is a great time. These new libraries, and a host of other recent innovations by WilliamAAdams, offer some pretty broad shoulders to stand on to unlock the mysteries of OpenSCAD.

Or you can simply take advantage of the work they’ve done and simply 3D print that bolt you’ve been needing!

Untitled by syvwlch

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Obsolete 40mm Cube Test Object by bre

As some of you may know, I’ve been working on a Skeinforge calibration projected called, “ProfileMaker.”  I released v3.0 last month over at MakerBlock.com. ¹  My goal was a web-based cross-platform easy-to-use Skeinforge setting calculator.²

Calibration by cube is essentially a trial and error process.  Print a cube, examine the results, take some notes, change a setting, and LRR³ until you have a satisfactory result.  There’s nothing wrong this this, but it is time consuming and can be frustrating.  ProfileMaker uses the same math and formulas as Dave’s Profileinator to derive the flowrate (or speed at which plastic comes out of the nozzle) based on the few settings you choose.  There are also some advanced options, for the more adventurous.

When you calculate some new profile settings, ProfileMaker will generate the settings and tell you exactly where to enter them in Skeinforge.  Or, if you wish, it can e-mail a zip file containing those settings as part of a complete profile.  Just unzip into your directory and start slicing!

As always, I’d appreciate feedback!

1. In that time more than 200 people have generated nearly 1000 profiles.  I see this as a good trend.  If people weren’t happy with the profiles they’re getting, they probably wouldn’t come back to generate five profiles on average. [↩]
2. In fact, if this isn’t the easiest Skeinforge calibration system you’ve EVER used, I’ll give you your money back! [↩]
3. Lather, rinse, repeat. [↩]

Spiral Pencil/Candle/Toothbrush Cup by MakeALot, printed by Charles Pax

If you have been watching the Thingiverse Newest Things list as actively as I have,¹ then you will have noticed Mark Durbin (“MakeALot“) releasing a series of gorgeous parametric models developed using OpenSCAD.²

We have been printing a few of these objects in the BotCave and I wanted to share both that image and a bunch of links to interesting things Mark has released so far.

Mark, keep going — your work is gorgeous and that you continue to release your OpenSCAD files provides yet another masterclass for other designers learning that software right now.

Untitled by MakeALot

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1. and check out the Thingiverse Blog coverage of this work [↩]
2. Yet another incentive to follow MakerBlock’s incredibly helpful tutorials on OpenSCAD and other resources gathered here. [↩]

Heart Gears by emmett (Opened in Wings3D)

While MakerBot Operators are more than happy to print the thousands of incredible objects posted to Thingiverse, eventually many catch the design bug and reach out for guidance for how to get started designing models.

Your mission: to create a solid, manifold (“watertight”) STL-formatted file for importing into ReplicatorG. STL, created as the format for stereolithographic CAD files, is a ubiquitous format, so the design application options are vast. ReplicatorG also offers experimental OBJ and Collada file import capability — though the files are then converted into STL files. (You can open dozens of file formats in MeshLab, netfabb Studio Basic or similar 3D swiss army knife tools — and then export as binary or ASCII STL files, opening up even more models to ReplicatorG.)

Choosing Your Hammer

8-bit Heart by schmarty (3DTin.com image)

For design software, there are many powerful free and open source design tools for us to introduce to Operators. Favorites include 3dtin.com, Sketchup, OpenSCAD, Wings3D, and Blender. We have heard about but not experimented much with POV-ray (excellent tutorials here), FreeCAD, HeeksCAD, and Art of Illusion — apps that have serious fans in the 3D printing world.

Plastruder MK5 Solidworks 2011 Model by kai

For commercial solid CAD apps: Rhino (Mac users — jump on the free beta), Autodesk Autocad, Inventor, Creo, and SolidWorks are probably the biggest players in the field. But perhaps you don’t have upwards of $1k to spend on design software? Try the highly-capable $99 Alibre Personal Edition, Cheetah3D (mac only), or bonzai3d.

Below the fold is a handy five step exercise for brand new designers to get their feet wet with 3D modeling.

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