3D Printing & Design

Drbindy's current thread in Critiques got me thinking it wouldn't hurt to have a running thread for resources for 3D printing a la the Toolbox, One Stop Shop, and Character Concept/Design threads currently in "General Customizing".

This thread is for sharing tips and tricks on 3D printing or design, as well as to share resources such as software or printer deals people might be interested in.

To get the ball rolling, I'll list some of my resources:

3D Model Sources:

Search Engines:

Yeggi.com -- Searches various 3D model repositories and returns results. Not all results are free and some may not be current, but overall gives decent enough search results that I usually hit it first before individual sites.
Yobi3D -- I haven't had as good of luck with this one, but sometimes it'll find some things Yeggi doesn't.
STLFinder -- I've had some luck with this one, and I like the results are always STL files (or have been fo all my searches, at least), so there's no conversion necessary.
3DMDB -- Honestly hasn't been very useful to me, but it might have some hidden treasures for others.


Repositories - A lot of these will have options to order prints online, so even if you don't own a printer, you can still get models printed:

Thingiverse -- Probably the most well-known and most popular. Tons of models available.
NASA -- Yes, that NASA. They have several various space-related items available as 3D models for printing.
The Smithsonian -- The Smithsonian has some models available. Handy if you're needing artifacts for a diorama.
Autodesk's Repository -- Autodesk, an old name in the 3D modeling arena, has a lot of user-generated content available under its 123dapp umbrella, as well as apps to allow you to create your own models.
3D Warehouse -- Trimble's Sketchup repository. Most files are in Sketchup format, so will need converted to a format accepted by your printer/online print services
You Magazine -- Ultimaker's answer to Thingiverse. Not a lot of models, but some decent ones available.
Libre3D -- Again, not a lot of models, but you can still find some interesting stuff if you look around.
My MiniFactory - A lot like thingiverse with tons of things to download. Many items not found on thingiverse. (thanks to J-Man for this one)

For designing my own models, or for cleaning up models that might not be printable otherwise, here is the software I use. Unfortunately, I only use a Windows machine for this, so I can't recommend any Linux or Mac software, but some of these have Linux/Mac versions available.

3D Modeling Software:

Windows:

Sculptris -- This is the one I use the most, as I find it the easiest for me to use, especially for organic creations. Sculptris is free for personal use, with ZBrush being the more professional version, with lots more features. I've not used ZBrush, but I know it has a lot more features, but I just can't justify the ~$150 price tag for just goofing around
zbrush - Far from low cost, but it's a mainstream program used by many. A huge learning curve. (Recommended by J-Man)
SculptGL -- Similar to Sculptris. Not as polished, but can be used from the browser or installed locally.
Sketchup -- My go-to if I'm designing something more mechanical. Not as good as some of the other CAD programs, but it's really simple to use.
TinkerCAD -- Web-based CAD software. Easy learning curve yet powerful. I don't use it much, because the machine I use for design work doesn't have internet access, so I don't really think about it.
3D Slash -- This one is a bit of an odd duck. You build by adding or removing tiny cubes (voxels - think 3D pixels) to your item to build it. Because of this, resolution can be pretty rough, but you can adjust how small the cubes are to get some decent results.
Monolith -- Another voxel editor, I'm still really new to this one so can't give a real opinion on it, other than it seems pretty powerful. I won't know how good it is until I try printing something I've designed in it.
Blender -- Honestly, I don't use this one and the learning curve is pretty steep, but a lot of people swear by it.
discontinued - 123D Catch -- I debated putting this one in the Android section, but it works on PC as well, so I'm putting it here, since I did PC apps first. This one lets you take a series of images by going around an object, then it will stitch them together in such a way that it generates a 3D model from them.
discontinued - 123D Design -- Autodesk's free CAD software. It's really simple to use and intuitive, so you can quickly model up some basic designs.
Fusion 360 - Autodesk is discontinuing 123D Design and their whole line of software that fit into that category. They are switching to this program which is similar but has several ideas merged into 1 program. (thanks to J-Man for this info)
doodle3d - A very simplistic app based program that allows you to turn doodles into 3D designs. (recommended by J-Man, thanks. I have their predecessor to this software, which was a wifi box with limited model design capabilities. It was nice, and this app builds off of and improves upon it - Mark)
ShapeShop - Lets you sketch a design then convert it to 3D. It's abandoned software that hasn't been updated in over 10 years, but it still does some things well and is fun to play with.


Android (no links for these, just search the Google Play store for them by name):

TrueSculpt -- Similar to Sculptris or SculptGL, but on your phone or tablet. I really like this, because you can manipulate the model via touch rather than mouse-click.
d3D Sculptor -- Another sculpting program. I don't like it as well as TrueSculpt, but it does have one advantage, in that you have various shapes you can add to the model to build up your design.
SCANN3D -- This one really has me excited. It's similar to 123D Catch, in that you take a series of pictures by circling an object, then let it generate the model by comparing the images. Why I like this one so much is that it does not require you to upload the images to the cloud to do the processing. It does all the processing right there on your phone or tablet. To me, that's just incredible.
123D Catch -- Covered above under the PC version.
SpaceDraw -- The free version is limited, but it lets you design by adding shapes to the screen and dragging them to make them 3D. Multiple shapes are combined to make complex shapes. Paid version works the same way, but removes the limitations (such as export size).

Miscellaneous:

Meshlab -- Cleans models, repairs models, and can convert models to different file types. Really handy for post-processing after designing something or downloading a model you're not sure about.
Microsoft's 3D Model Repair Website -- Have a model that just won't print? You can try uploading it here and letting their software try to fix it.
Netfabb -- Another STL repair software. To get it, just download the free trial. For 30 days, you have the premium version, but after that, it reverts to the basic package, which still can be used for repairs.

There are tons of other software packages out there, both free and paid, that can be used for designing, modifying, fixing, etc. For instance, I also have Bryce (for world-scaping) and Poser (character design and posing) as well as some of the other offerings from DAZ 3D. I like their software, but didn't want to recommend it because their website is, quite simply, a bit spammy and skeevy looking. Their software is also more geared to game design and such, but the created models can be printed. I like Bryce for printing out small displays I can paint for small dioramas, while Poser can be used to get generic people for background filler.





3D Modeling Software -

Awesome. I'm really interested in the picture-to-3D stuff. Right now, there doesn't seem to be anything for iOS, and I don't have a Android.

I think 123D Catch works on iOS, but I'm not positive.

I think 123D Catch works on iOS, but I'm not positive.

The App store said that it wasn't available in the US at this time.

Have you used the PC version?

Ah, bummer.

I haven't used the PC version in about a year, but it did an okay job then. You take the series of pictures and add them in it, then let it upload them and stitch them.

I'll have to try it out. I couldn't quite decide what the free version would actually allow me to do

Oh you can do pretty much anything with it, as far as photos to model.

[drbindy]

I think Jman told me the 123D program was longer supported. Looks like replaced by fusion360

[drbindy]

Also, I'm finding early on that I need to just take the time and learn some of these programs. Some files I download look great, but then my printer "makes spaghetti" as Mark said earlier. I need to learn not just that meshlab is a great place to make something more printable, but how to actually do it.

I feel like a lot of the programs I've been playing with assume some level of training or experience going in that I just don't have.

To add to the list:

Repositories -

myminifactory.com - A lot like thingiverse with tons of things to download. Many items not found on thingiverse.

============================================
3D Modeling Software -

zbrush - Far from low cost, but it's a mainstream program used by many. A huge learning curve.

Fusion 360 - Autodesk is discontinuing 123D Design and their whole line of software that fit into that category. They are switching to this program which is similar but has several ideas merged into 1 program.

doodle3d.com - A very simplistic app based program that allows you to turn doodles into 3D designs.

I'll dig around and see what else I can add. I have a ton of links and stuff. A good list of printers maybe? It's very hard to go out on the net and look at them to decide what will work. In many cases too it's impossible to even decide once you have gathered info. I've researched tons of printers. In the 3 years so far that I have been doing it, I now have 6 printers. Of course with me doing the D&J Toys stuff, I use it more than just hobby, so you don't really need 6 or more printers to make stuff of your own for hobby purposes.

I think Jman told me the 123D program was longer supported. Looks like replaced by fusion360

Yep. The program will still work, so download asap the installer before they get rid of it They already took the Mac version down. I'll still use it for a lot of things as it's so simple to operate. You have to put yourself in a totally different idea of how to design when using it, but once you do, it's hard to do anything else. You work a lot in boxes and circles to manipulate and can draw stuff in graphic programs to import over.

I'll learn Fusion 350 though too and I'm still teaching myself zbrush. I hope to be fully up and able to design faces and other harder to sculpt things eventually.

Oh and I think another list that would be nice is something on 3D scanners. Most people feel that you can scan and go, but you can't. There's still a level and work to do to the finished scan. Depending on the scanner, that can range from a lot of work to just simply getting rid of extra artifacts the scanner picked up.

drbindy - yeah, learning how to use some of the software, even if you don't really get into the design aspect of it, will help you a lot. A lot of them aren't intuitive or easy for a beginner to just jump into, but luckily, there are a lot of resources online that can help you with them.

J_Man - I don't use the 123D stuff a lot, so I'd either missed or forgotten they were discontinuing them. Looks like they're still going to have some good free-to-use software available, though. I prefer stuff that's a stand-alone install and doesn't need cloud support, because I like my 'work' computer to be disconnected so I don't get distracted by web surfing when I started out to actually do something. As far as doodle3d, I thought I'd mentioned it, but I guess that was in the critiques thread. I haven't used their web app, but I have its predecessor, which was actually a wifi box to control your printer and included a more basic version of what doodle3d has become. If the web app is even as good as the wifi box for design, then I would highly recommend it.

I also agree that maybe listing printer recommendations might be a good idea. I thought about doing that in my initial post, but it was getting long anyway, and I didn't know if anyone would really be interested in it. I do think I'll try to keep the OP updated with new recommendations, so there's one place to at least see the stuff, then people can read the thread for more info.

I started out with a Cupcake kit I had to build myself, back in 2009. I was so excited about that printer at the time, but looking back, it was so poor quality and tiny -- I think it had a 4"x4"x4" build space. In 2012, I switched to a Solidoodle 2 (got it just before they announced their Solidoodle 3, which I would have gone with instead). I still have that printer, and while it's a decent printer, I've outgrown it and will be getting rid of it. Solidoodle closed their doors in June of last year, so no more cheap printers from them.

My current printer setup: Main printer is a DaVinci Pro, got it some time early last year -- I would recommend this printer to someone starting out, because it's about as close to plug-and-play as I've seen. When I first got it, I was running my first print through it in less than 20 minutes, and the results were fantastic. I went with this one over some of their other models because it can use their cartridge system, or you can use 3rd party filament with it. Honestly, though, I've stuck to using their cartridges, since you can buy refills for them at comparable prices to other filament. It does have an add-on I've been considering -- a laser engraver. Or you can buy the Pro Duo, which comes with the engraver. You simply take out the print head and put the laser in to use it for light-duty engraving

I have coming this week a CTC Dual Extruder -- It's a Chinese knock-off of an older printer, but it gets decent reviews and has respectable print quality. What I'm excited about is the possibility to print with two filaments at once, hoping to use a soluble filament for supports to make cleaning models easier. I don't know that I'd recommend this printer to a complete newbie, but with some tweaks and mods, it's supposed to be quite good.

I found an iOS app called Trnio that seems to be like the 123D catch app. Hopefully I can get around to messing with it this weekend. If it works, I'll have to find someone to print something for me.

Yeah, scanners can be quite tricky. That's why I continue to be impressed with SCANN3D. It doesn't give me perfect models, by any means, but it has given me some really clean ones that wouldn't need a lot of work to make printable. I haven't printed any of them, yet, because I've only been scanning in stuff to test how well it will model, not anything I wanted to print, yet.

Cool, chad_ghost. If it looks like something you'd recommend, let me know and I'll add an iOS section to the OP and put it there.

Added another program to the OP -- ShapeShop. It's an older program that hasn't been updated since 2006, making it ancient in software years, but it does some things well that other apps still don't.

ETA: Didn't want to hijack drbindy's critiques thread, but wanted to piggyback of what J-Man said in there. People were asking about printing heads and other body parts. I'm going to disagree with J-Man a bit on that, because I think you can get some serviceable results from FDM printers (printers that use filament and melt it to build stuff -- the cheap printers). You'll definitely get better, even professional, quality with SLA printers (use resin and lasers to build up the item), but it all really boils down to what level of quality you're happy with. First, let's talk some measurements:

You'll see numbers thrown around like .1mm or 100 microns, and while you understand basically what they are, it helps to have some references. I'm going to stick to mm, because that's the numbers I'm used to, but just know that there are 1000 microns to a millimeter, so if you see something that says it prints at 50 microns, that means .05 millimeters.
Some comparisons:
The average human hair is .075mm thick. "Thick" hair is .1mm, while "thin" hair can be .02mm - .04mm
A typical piece of paper is .05mm thick.
The average low-cost 3D printer prints at .1mm per layer at high quality. Newer printers, especially those in the $500-$1000 range, generally have layer resolutions of .05mm at high quality. A select few, such as the Ultimaker line, even advertise .02mm resolution, which is nearly SLA quality. I say nearly because, while the vertical resolution is the same, the mechanical nature of the FDM printer means it will still be lower quality in the horizontal resolution.
If you're wanting high-quality results, you're not going to get them from those thicknesses, except the .02mm, which may give you some nearly-commercial quality. However, if you're just wanting prints that look good on your shelf, to play around with, to customize further, or to give the kids to play with, you can coax some really nice body part prints from the hobby models of 3D printers. If you're willing to tweak your printer and play around with settings, you can often get even better prints. You won't be printing out things to compete with professionals, but you can definitely get pieces that fit in nicely in a personal collection.