3D printing geological models tips and tricks

I wanted to drive a little discussion about 3D printing your models and ideas / tips on settings and edits needed to make it work.

The below picture is a vein model (or part of) that I increased the thickness on and restricted what volumes where included to make the printing go easier. Then I exported that out as a OBJ file (since that is something my slicer can read) and printed it on a regular home printer.

It doesn't affect the print but it did in this case fail after a while but it serves the purpose I had for it.

Any other ideas or printed shapes out there?


The only way is forward!

Comments

  • We've been printing models for a while now. My only suggestion for a shape like this is to perhaps rotate it on it's side so that it is printed flat(ish). Sometimes when you are printing a skinny thing like this on it's vertical axis, as you are holding it, as you get higher up the print it starts to go a bit squirrelly.

    Also, vertical and horizontal supports can be useful to add to the print so that large veins to break off.

    Nothing beats a great 3D print though. So nice for stakeholders to touch the deposit in the board room.