Where's My 3D Print Button? Part 2

Last week we lamented the current state of personal 3D printing workflow: difficult. It's so difficult we believe many potential mainstream 3D printer owners would never be able to make their way through it. But what's the answer? What should the experience look like for the majority of future 3D printer owners? 

 

Let's look at what works: The familiar 2D "Print" button. It's not quite as simple as just hitting the button, as you must occasionally specify the number of copies, the print quality or the portion of your document to be printed. These are things that are known only by you and cannot be known by the printer - unless it can read your mind! Perhaps that will be a future feature, but for now, we must specify that stuff when we request a 2D print. 

 

What's hidden from the 2D print user is the complexity. The 2D print user does not see the printer's mechanical instructions for print head movement, temperature settings and the like. Those are the concern of the printer itself, and have been pre-engineered into the device for optimum performance. Those factors were developed by the printer's professional engineers at great time and expense and have been tested to deliver the best performance. 

 

Hiding the complexity is not done in today's home 3D print workflow. The printer operator is exposed to all that stuff, and while some may find it interesting, the masses will be vastly confused by it. 

 

Why are we exposed to all that complexity? We believe it's because today's home 3D printers are dumb. A 2D printer can accept a complex file such as PDF and figure out on its own how to move its mechanical parts to successfully render the images and text. Today's home 3D printers cannot do this. They must rely on this processing to take place separately in software on the printer owner's PC. This means that such software must necessarily be able to handle all kinds of different 3D printers, making the problem even more complex. 

 

We believe the "3D Print Button" will not truly appear until 3D printers are smart enough to accept generic 3D model files (in an appropriate format) and process them internally in the optimum way for that particular printer. Then you'll not only be able to "print" using simple commands, but you'll also be able to print on different printers, too. 

 

3D printers should be self-aware of their configuration and the currently loaded materials so they can verify the print request is valid or make appropriate corrections. This is particularly important for 3D printers with multiple heads and materials, which have different thermal requirements. 

 

When will this happen? Not for a while, we fear. It turns out that the processing required to handle 3D model slicing and rendering is daunting and probably requires PC-type processing power, at least for now, to get the job done. 

 

Meanwhile, there are some optimizations that could be attempted in the existing personal 3D printing workflow we'd like to see: 

 

• Eliminate SD card printing. 3D printers should be USB attached like other printers and accept input files on an internal buffer. 
• Printer management software should have a minimal interface, emphasizing only the most basic decisions facing the user, while hiding the more complex settings for experts to use when they feel the need.
• Printer management software should be as integrated as possible, hopefully to a single tool. Eventually we'd like to see a "3D Print" button built directly into all 3D modeling and viewing software. 
• Printers should always be bundled with highly optimized configuration files that ensure successful and accurate 3D printing right out of the box.
• 3D printers should be offered with an "assembled" option to ensure those who can't build one are still included. 
• 3D printer owners should not have to calibrate their machine or software. It should just work. 
• Software tools should validate the printability of a given model and automatically fix obvious common errors.
• Printer users should be provided with significant feedback on the validity of their print request, the estimated time required for printing.

 

That's a lot to ask, for sure. But wouldn't we like to see all of those things happen? What else would you like to see in an optimized 3D print workflow?

Where's My 3D Print Button? Part 1

We've all seen this button many times. It's how you produce 2D paper output, and you've used it perhaps all your life, maybe every day. It works because it's easy. It works because it's familiar. It works because all the hard stuff is already figured out for you behind the scenes.

 

Enter personal 3D printing. 

 

Question: Where's my 3D Print Button? 

 

Answer: There isn't one. 

 

No kidding, there really isn't one, if you examine the workflow necessary to successfully perform 3D printing in your home on a personal 3D printer. Let's take a look at a typical personal 3D print workflow:

 

• Design or obtain a desirable 3D model
• Verify the 3D model is printable by visual inspection
• If necessary, clean up the model using an appropriate software tool 
• Use another software tool to position, rotate and scale your model for the build platform and envelope
• Launch your slicing software and verify the settings are correct for your printer, material, heads, etc.
• Slice the model into printable GCODE
• Visually verify the GCODE is more or less correct with a software tool
• If you desire multiple copies and have something like MakerBot's automated build platform with conveyer belt, manually prepare sufficient code iterations within the GCODE
• Store the resulting GCODE on an SD card
• Eject and walk the SD card over to your 3D printer and insert the card into its reader
• Power on the printer and select the appropriate GCODE file from the SD card
• Initiate the 3D print
• Await the completion of the print
• Peel the print off the build platform and clean it up by hand

 

This sequence is typically performed by those owning personal 3D printers today, give or take a few steps. But there's more complications that make this even more difficult: several of the steps can take considerable time to complete; many of the steps are done using separate, and sometimes not-particularly-friendly software programs; several of the software programs are pretty complex and require skills and experience; some software runs only on specific platforms, meaning you might have to use multiple or virtual machines to complete your workflow.

 

When you write it all down like this, it does appear quite challenging. Certainly many people are able to make their way through this lengthy workflow, but there are many, many more people who could not ever even attempt to execute them. And those people are the potential future users of personal 3D printers. They're the people who are used to simply striking the "Print" button. 

 

If personal 3D printing is ever to grow, this can't go on. The majority of people require a greatly simplified print workflow. But what might that look like? We'll envision a possible future in Part 2 soon. 

Nervous Jewelry

Actually it's not the jewelry that's nervous, it's the creators. Or their company: Nervous System. They produce a line of jewelry (bracelets, rings, necklaces, earrings and brooches) that were generated by sophisticated algorithms in software. The designs are then either 3D printed, or in some cases 3D printed moulds are used to create the final objects.

Nervous System uses three different algorithms for much of their product lines: diffusion limited aggregation (which produces eerie coral-ish branching structures); Distortion meshes using a physics simulator (which produces weird twisty meshes that look strangely natural) and Catmull-Clark subdivision surfaces (which produce similar stretchy meshes, but they're a lot smoother).

Here's the best part: you can actually play with these algorithms yourself using three handy applets on their Tools page.

We're very pleased to see a few things going on here:

• 3D Printing technology is being used to create highly unique objects for a new business that might not have existed otherwise
• Advanced mathematical algorithms that emulate natural designs join 3D printing technology to produce something fantastic

Will small designers who employ these advanced techniques demonstrate the future of 21st century businesses? Will this approach grow and overtake conventional techniques? We're watching closely.

Via Nervous System (Hat tip to Jessica)

Shrunken Heads at Opend3DP!

The folks at Open3DP continue to investigate ways to produce 3D glass printing, and they've been quite successful so far. A recent post shows their work, but as one can clearly see in their image, a problem is shrinkage during the post-printing firing phase. Yes, that's right - the image on the right shows the degree of shrinkage by firing the original glass-printed object on the left.

This poses an interesting dilemma for future software makers: they'll have to include features that account for post-printing shrinkage. In the shrunken-head example above there's not much issue, but one can imagine the complexities that might occur with supports, tightly-fitting designs, multi-part assembly and designs dependent on precise dimensions.

Via Open3DP

SUBSTANCE

We ran across an intriguing software tool that can be used to develop incredibly cool 3D models. It's called "SUBSTANCE", from NeuroSystems. Here's NeuroSystem's tagline:

NeuroSystems creates and provides leading edge, high quality applications in the fields of realtime 3D simulation and Computer Graphics. One of those applications is SUBSTANCE, the Evolutionary and Organic Art Creator.

And SUBSTANCE:

SUBSTANCE is a realtime 3D application for producing photorealistic Evolutionary Art.

Powered by NeuroSystems' procedural organic modeling technology P.O.M.E and advanced rendering technology P.U.R.E, SUBSTANCE exploits the process of evolution to create an artwork which continually changes according to a genetic evolutionary algorithm. Basically, the artist is able to control the development of a piece of work through some form of "selection", in a manner analogous to natural selection. In a system such as SUBSTANCE, one or more parent virtual sculptures are mutated and/or crossbred to produce a number of "children", which are then selected again. These results are then used to produce the next "generation".

Evolutionary systems such as SUBSTANCE allow the artist to generate complex unique unpredictable computer artworks in a very visual way.

SUBSTANCE offers a variety of approaches for developing models, visualization modes, and procedural structures. Fractals are automated, and we especially like the Genetic Mutation feature for truly wild outcomes. Be sure to explore their features and image gallery for many examples.

The 32-bit Windows app has modest computer requirements, with the exception of the graphics card, which should be as fat as possible. A free viewer is available now, but a "classic" and "complete" versions should be available in December and January, respectively.

Just in case your MakerBot has nothing to do, USD$80 and SUBSTANCE can create some very interesting ideas.

Via NeuroSystems

Replacing .STL

We wrote on the problems with the prehistoric .STL format the other week, and bumped into a potential replacement: GTS. It's an open source project:

GTS stands for the GNU Triangulated Surface Library. It is an Open Source Free Software Library intended to provide a set of useful functions to deal with 3D surfaces meshed with interconnected triangles. The source code is available free of charge under the Free Software LGPL license.

The code is written entirely in C with an object-oriented approach based mostly on the design of GTK+. Careful attention is paid to performance related issues as the initial goal of GTS is to provide a simple and efficient library to scientists dealing with 3D computational surface meshes.

The major features of GTS are:

• Object oriented structure
• Delaunay triangulations
• Robust geometric predicates
• Wide variety of surface operations
• Multiresolution models
• Continuous level of detail
• Collision/Intersection capability
• Graph operations
• Metric operations
• Fast rendering

As with any open source project, you are welcome to assist its development.

Via GTS@Sourceforge (Hat tip to Jordan Miller)

A Chameleon Tears Down Barriers

A1 Technologies, the folks who make the very inexpensive RapMan 3D printer and more recently an inexpensive 3D scanner, now produce an innovative 3D mouse system: the Chameleon 3D. The Chameleon 3D is actually an effective packaging of software and hardware from other developers.

The hardware comes from Novint, whose very unusual Falcon haptic controller seems quite revolutionary:

The Novint Falcon is an entirely new type of game controller. Replacing your mouse or joystick, the Falcon is, essentially, a small robot that lets you experience true virtual touch unlike any controller in history.

The Novint Falcon lets you control a game in three dimensions, and also lets you feel high-fidelity three-dimensional force feedback. The Falcon controller moves right and left, forwards and backwards, like a mouse, but also moves up and down. When you hold the Falcon’s detachable Grip and move your cursor to interact with a virtual object, environment, or character, motors in the device turn on and are updated approximately 1000 times a second, letting you feel texture, shape, weight, dimension, and dynamics. The Falcon lets you control and interact with games in more realistic way, allowing you to develop real physical skill and muscle memory, adding a new dimension to gaming.

Our sense of touch connects us to the world around us and is an integral part of how we experience things, both physically and emotionally.  In the past, games have incorporated increasingly sophisticated graphics and sound design, but none have added realistic touch, until now. The award-winning Novint Falcon makes virtual items and experiences feel real. Hold the Falcon’s interchangeable Grip and feel a character’s actions, instead of controlling a game with mouse-clicks and meters.  Feel the weight of a basketball as you shoot it towards a hoop -- the momentum and impact as you swing a virtual golf club and strike a ball -- the recoil of a weapon – or the physical characteristics of virtual objects and environments.

 

Software for the Chameleon 3D comes from Anarkik3D, whose Cloud9 modelling software leverages the hardware capabilities of the Falcon for 3D design. To get a really good feel for how it works, you might want to watch their video demonstration. Their software is:

designed for working in a virtual 3D environment with a sense of touch … Real world interaction with a virtual 3D model or surface leads to an intuitive style of working, much more engaging and creative than conventional means of interfacing with 3D modelling and design programmes.

Now we see A1 Technologies putting these two incredible technologies together in a very inexpensive package: £350 or approximately USD$570. We see this as taking down two of the persistent barriers to widespread 3D technology: simplified creation of models and access to inexpensive equipment. Well done, A1!

Via A1 Technologies, Anarkik3D and Novint (Hat tip to Rachel)

netfabb Studio 4.2

 

Yes, it's just been updated and available for download. netfabb is a lightweight Windows software tool specifically engineered for additive design. netfabb offers a "basic" version completely free of charge, which includes these features, among others:

• Advanced model browsing and STL management
• Automatic part fixing, mesh editing and analysis
• Measurements and quality assurance
• Packing and machine preparation
• Slice editing

netfabb is capable of handling .STL files for browsing and editing, and even includes "various tools to detect and fix errors in triangulated meshes". The pay-for version includes their "Selective Space Structures" feature that allows "the creation of geometries of almost any freedom you could not have dreamed of only 10 years ago".

Via netfabb