Preparing 3d model for printing from Nomad Sculpt App

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3D printing can be a time-consuming process. You’ve stroked and sculpted your character to near perfection on screen, but when you try to print it, it collapses.

As you continue on, we’ll go through some basic approaches for fine-tuning your models for 3D printing success.

Is nomad sculpt Good for 3d printing?

Absolutely. Read my latest article How to Start a 3D printing Business from Home [Tabletop Miniature printing with Nomad sculpt]

I have printed many little models on the 3d printers that I own Anycubic Mono X ( Resin Printer)and  MakerBot Replicator+ ( FDM 3D printer) using the sculpts that I created using Nomad sculpt.

Without much ado, let’s dive into how to prep a 3d Model On Nomad for printing…

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Make the base of your model ‘flat’

Add pedastal on your model or if you afford to trim the base of your model to make it flat it will be a lot easier when you print it.

Pro Note :The below 3D is print is made with FDM Printer -FlashForge 3 The type of three-dimensional printing known as fused deposition modeling (FDM), which is also referred to as fused filament fabrication (FFF), is the one that is used by consumers the most. 

Thermoplastic filaments, such as ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) or PLA (Polylactic Acid), are fed through a heated nozzle in FDM 3D printers, which melts the material and applies it layer by layer to a build platform.

FDM 3D printers are the most common type of desktop 3D printer. Up until the point where the part is finished, each layer is applied one at a time.

3D print using an FDM printer

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The below 3D print is made with AnyCubic Photon Mono X 3D printers which are Resin 3D printers.

The use of 3D printers that use resin has reached a level of widespread acceptance.

Prints with incredible levels of detail can now be produced in a fraction of the time and for a fraction of the cost of just a few years ago, thanks to the availability of small, high-resolution machines that cost less than $400.

3D Print using Resin Printer

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Steps to prepare your Sculpt(Model) for 3D printing

Decimate your model.

This will reduce the size of your model to easily move around from nomad to printer.

Use percentage to shrink size before you hit decimate. 10% -15% is the good average value for file sizes between 15 mils to 20 mil.

Use your best judgment because, with too much reduction, you would lose details in your model.

Considering the quality of the 3d printer you are using, most 3d printed objects have lower details when compared with the model itself while you are viewing it in 3d software.

If you want to print as one piece select all parts and voxellate it ..

Keep the resolution as high as you can. Or it should say as high as your iPad can take without crashing.

Also Read: How to Start a 3D printing Business from Home [Tabletop Miniature printing with Nomad sculpt]

Saving your file and trying a few times will help you get there.

Just so you know when you are raising voxellate resolution you will see the bars turns from white to yellow and then amber and finally red. Red is when your iPad is most likely going to crash.

Also Read: 11+ Best Budget 3d printers

Scale & Size of Model

Scale & Size of Model:  Add a box and for using it as a reference for understanding the size of your model.  

By default size of the box is 1 mm in the nomad.

Once you have a box next to your model you will be able to gauge the size of your model.

If you want to increase the size of the box say because maybe the default size is too tiny when compared with your model you can do so by changing values under Box-Geometry.

Adding 10 will make the size of the box 10mm.

You can also use measuring tape under the brushes menu option to understand the size of the object.

By the way, if you are not aware the grid size of the nomad is 10mm X 100 mm. I use the top view by snapping to understand the size of my model.

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Slicing

Slicing: Slice your model where you want to use the lock key by using the split tool.

Hide one part (do not move) of the piece so that you attach your key.

In order to attach the cube with you, half piece selects both, and your voxel merge function.

Make sure the resolution is high to retain the details of your piece.

Now another part would have an Interlocking system

Now another part would have a hole where the key would fit.

We know the size of the key for instance was 1.0 cm box so another part should have a hole of the size of the key but a little smaller so the key can fit in.

Normally shape of the key is wedge-shaped and not like a cube/box so it fits in better else the edges may slightly create the problem. In order to make your cube wedge-shaped.

Make half part of your cube and then reshape so only half part will be affected by the gizmo tool when you are reshaping to yield a wedge shape key.

Once you get the desired shape then attached it to your piece.

Remember to duplicate the key as it will come to use later on to create a hole in the second piece.

Do not move the duplicated key from its original location.

So far we have not moved anything from its original location.

Consider the scale.

Make your model the right size for your needs and printers.

A Material Design Guideline’s Maximum Bounding Box specifies the maximum size of a model that can be printed in the given material.

For prints that fit together (like puzzles) or are worn, size is extremely crucial (like rings).

Certain materials, such as brass, bronze, silver, and steel, can shrink during the casting process.

When burned, ceramic prints shrink by around 3%, and when glazed, they expand by about 3%.

Now we need to make a hole in the other part where the key needs to fit it. For this, we will use duplicated Key.

The size is a little more than the key by the gizmo tool. We will use this key to make a hole into another piece by selecting duplicated resized key and a second piece using Voxellate merge.

Make sure the duplicate key is invisible by selecting the eye icon.

This will enable a hole in the other piece where the second piece will fit in after the 3d print.

Bonus if you use the key as spare/ball shaped it could help you pose your model.

In order to do this, you will need to split your model strategically. For example, a human model can have a head. limbs and body are all printed separately.

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