3D printing of custom casings
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@BulldogLowell Thanks! That is excellent!
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I use SketchUp for my 3D prints. You will need to install a couple plug-ins, a converter to stereo-lithograph file (.stl), and also useful to get the 'round corners' and 'soap-skin and bubble' plug-ins. Check out the MOD-t on Indiegogo, I'm getting one of those printers. Currently, I use a Makerbot.
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Thanks for the tips guys. I have used sketch up before, but for apartment-level of modeling. I found it a bit too clunky for precision work. I have created an account at tinkercad which seem interesting. I believe it is similar to the autodesk tool, but online only. I'll tinker with it for a while to see if it meets my demands.
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Don't underestimate the power of SketchUp. The main problem with SketchUp is that it is easy to get started, but takes a long time to master. I'm still learning and I've been a casual user for 5 years, or so. Our architects used SketchUp to design every last detail of our new house. And I have done some very fine precision work on rope tension holders that print perfectly.
...Now getting the printer settings correct is another story...
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Don't underestimate the power of SketchUp. The main problem with SketchUp is that it is easy to get started, but takes a long time to master. I'm still learning and I've been a casual user for 5 years, or so. Our architects used SketchUp to design every last detail of our new house. And I have done some very fine precision work on rope tension holders that print perfectly.
...Now getting the printer settings correct is another story...
@therik you're probably right. But I think I'll start of with something more feature poor tools and design my gateway box and get it printed and evaluate the result before I consider more sophisticated tools. I'll put the design on the forum for sure if anybody is interested. I'm going to build it from modules found in the MySensors store and a perma-proto board. Not pretty but when inside a box it wouldn't matter :)
Do you feel secure today? No? Start requiring some signatures and feel better tomorrow ;)
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@therik you're probably right. But I think I'll start of with something more feature poor tools and design my gateway box and get it printed and evaluate the result before I consider more sophisticated tools. I'll put the design on the forum for sure if anybody is interested. I'm going to build it from modules found in the MySensors store and a perma-proto board. Not pretty but when inside a box it wouldn't matter :)
@Anticimex I am with @therik .
In fact I found that creating a casing in SketchUp was not too difficult.
But, to be honest, I am waiting for my 3D printer so I don't know yet how good the design is.Fulltime Servoy Developer
Parttime Moderator MySensors boardI use Domoticz as controller for Z-Wave and MySensors (previously Indigo and OpenHAB).
I have a FABtotum to print cases. -
@Anticimex I am with @therik .
In fact I found that creating a casing in SketchUp was not too difficult.
But, to be honest, I am waiting for my 3D printer so I don't know yet how good the design is.@marceltrapman it was a couple of years since I used it. Perhaps it has improved. Last time it was barely usable, bloated and very slow. Making cut-outs was incomprehensible, faces randomly disappeared, and it hade a tendency to crash. But you get what you pay for, and I know for sure that there are free tools that are very powerful once you get the hang of then. The gEDA toolsuite is a perfect example of that.
Do you feel secure today? No? Start requiring some signatures and feel better tomorrow ;)
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@marceltrapman it was a couple of years since I used it. Perhaps it has improved. Last time it was barely usable, bloated and very slow. Making cut-outs was incomprehensible, faces randomly disappeared, and it hade a tendency to crash. But you get what you pay for, and I know for sure that there are free tools that are very powerful once you get the hang of then. The gEDA toolsuite is a perfect example of that.
@Anticimex I have not experienced once what you describe.
I guess SketchUp is more mature now.
Having said that I was a bit overwhelmed when I started and tried 123 Design.
I found that to be the stupidest platform for 3D ever.
But that could just be me...Fulltime Servoy Developer
Parttime Moderator MySensors boardI use Domoticz as controller for Z-Wave and MySensors (previously Indigo and OpenHAB).
I have a FABtotum to print cases. -
@Anticimex I have not experienced once what you describe.
I guess SketchUp is more mature now.
Having said that I was a bit overwhelmed when I started and tried 123 Design.
I found that to be the stupidest platform for 3D ever.
But that could just be me...@marceltrapman Hehe, I think this is a matter of taste. Anyway, I will start off with tinkercad and if the first "product" is successful, I am going to try to convert it to SketchUp format (basically, redesigning it in SketchUp) to see if it can be done just as easy there. I have heard rumors that tinkercad with shut down it's free online service, so this might happen sooner than later...
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Actually, one thing that speaks for SketchUp is the availability of other designs. So for a case-design, it should be possible to download a 3D model of an Arduino board, in order to make sure it fits well.
