3D Printed Vehicles

[Mark W]

I've been working on this one for a while now, even before I got my first Photon.  I knew there would be multiple prints required, taking months, before finalizing something through Shapeways.

Well, Thursday night I decided to open up the file and make it happen!


https://i.imgur.com/y6JB0mG.jpg

[narrowminded]

Nice, Mark.

[Bryn]

Impressive finish, nice work.

[Philip H]

And you will take orders when?

[DKS]

Looks really good, Mark, except... the wheels. Is there no way to work in at least a little surface detail where it's flat silver right now?



You can tell me where to stick this suggestion if it's just not practical. It's all good.

 

[peteski]

Looks really good, Mark, except... the wheels. Is there no way to work in at least a little surface detail where it's flat silver right now?

That was my thought also.  Those "wheel covers" look like something you would see on a salt-flats world-speed record vehicles. Even if the wheels had to be printed as separate parts, it would be worth it to gain some details.

Speaking of that, many Photon-printed items could benefit from being printed in multiple pieces (for ease in painting)>  I see this issue in many Shapeways items too. The designers are so excited that they can print the entire vehicle as a single item (wheels, body, interior, bumpers, etc.) that they seem to ignore the fact that painting one of those (and installing "glass") will be virtually impossible.

[Mark W]

This was just my first test print, which I was worried more about the overall success.  I got the file from a VFX source long ago, and as such, not a single part in the model (except for the wheels, amooseingy) were a 'closed' 3d print ready object.  So to get going, I left the wheels alone and spent several hours repairing the rest and ran a print test as soon as I thought I was done.  With that first one printing perfectly, I just had to paint it up and show it off. 

So yes, now it's time to go back and add rim and tread detail, and improve a few other things.  But I had a more pressing situation to deal with first.... 


https://i.imgur.com/J1NhSfb.jpg

[peteski]

Yes, that is an amoosing situation. 

[timwatson]

Getting wheels to print is kind of hard. 356 Porsche wheel on one side glob on the other. [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[Lemosteam]

Separate the wheels from the car and print the faces on top away from the build plate.  Just add a pocket to the body for the user to glue the wheels into (in this case) or a pin to mount the wheel.

[narrowminded]

Getting wheels to print is kind of hard. 356 Porsche wheel on one side glob on the other. (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)

Take a good look at the progression of the print and the support afforded as the part progresses. 

On that wheel, an initial support or two at the tire face can be pretty robust and will work for just the tire but THEN, as it progresses, the wheel has very narrow spokes initially that then get wider until it's a pretty substantial cross section BUT, before it has had a chance to reach/ attach at the body.  That means the spindly little spokes are asked to support the much bigger cross section of the wheel center as it develops until it finally reaches the main body.  That's where the failure occurred.  And once it separates nothing more happens beyond the glob.  The light continues to light and develops whatever resin is in the light's path but in the between cycle, nothing is attached. 

Additional support for the wheel center would be required that builds right along with the wheel, supporting it until it finally reaches the main body.  That also might look pretty bad as I don't think in this case that you can easily get in behind the wheel to hide the attachment point BUT... as John said, maybe print the wheels separately and laying flat, all supported from the back.  That would assure a very nice looking wheel and make painting in detail MUCH easier.  A win all of the way around.

I had a few of these issues early on but after studying the failure quickly came to the realization just described.  It was a big "duh" moment.   Add some strategically placed supports, print as a separate part, or.... whatever the specific situation logically presents.

[peteski]

Printing the wheels separately would make the problems go away (and would make painting easier too). Win-Win situation.

[Mark W]

Preachin' to the choir. 


https://i.imgur.com/TbCri7D.jpg

[narrowminded]

@Mark W is that how you ship your kits?  On the platform? 

[Mark W]

Yep.  They help protect the parts during transit.  I also feel that letting the end user remove them, helps acclimate them to working with the material. 

Plus, less time I have to fiddle with each item, so less markup too!