Category Archives: 3D Printing

Star Wars [inspired] Helmet

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Star Wars [inspired] Helmet for a Full Suit.

Another update on the slow progress of this personal, in-house project at IDM Imagineering.

This full suit of Star Wars inspired Helmet for our Stormtrooper Armour is being printed on our Creality CR10-S4 and FormBOT TREX 3d Printers in white, recycled PLA Filament.

The hardest part has been keeping the print as clean and white as possible while we glue and sand and smooth the parts. The 3D prints were fantastically smooth to start with, but some of the curves always suffer from stepping layers in FDM 3D printing.

We have tried to keep to using metal files to sand/smooth, since sand comes off all sandpapers then discolours and embeds itself in the white PLA. A combination of filing, scraping, shaving and 3D-pen welding has gone into achieving a first-look great result!

Next: onto the painting!..

Website: https://www.idmimagineering.co.uk/
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Twitter: @idmimagineering
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VANISH filament from 3D Print Works, review Pt.1

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Dissolvable Supports for Cleaner 3D Prints.

Today we received some sample 3D Prints from 3D Print Works using our Judge Dredd 2012 LawGiver STL files.

3D Print Works used their New VANISH Filament to create the 3D Printed supports, sliced using Simplify3D, and 3D printed on the Flash Forge Creator Pro using the dual head printing technique.

The next stage will be to dissolve the VANISH Filament away from the PLA Filament 3D printed parts simply by immersing the Prints in water for 20 minutes …

In Part.2 we will review the finished of the Underside of the Prints made using VANISH.
Previously the standard use of the same type of 3D Print material (PLA, ABS, etc) was used to support overhangs and usually resulted in a difficult removal of supports due to the same filament materials welding together (especially at finer 0.1 3d print resolutions) and rougher under-surfaces.

 

Harry Potter [inspired] Auror Badge

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Auror Badge inspired by Harry Potter for COSplay

This is a 3D Print made in ABS-like Resin from our new resin printers and the detail is quite a change from our FDM printers, as is the time to print and cleanup.

The modelling was done by Adam using Cinema4D and cleanup was done via MeshLAB and processed on Prise Slicer and Chitubox before being output as a 3D Print at 0.05mm layers.

Turning concepts from film and fiction into a reality, into something physical and memorable, is an integral part of what motivates us at IDM using 3D Print, Casting, machining or traditional model making crafts.

We are creative model makers based in Leeds (UK) with over 35 years experience using mixed media.

Website: https://www.idmimagineering.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/idmimagineering
Twitter: @idmimagineering
Instagram: idmimagineering

Engineering using 3D Printing

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3D Scanning for Reverse Engineering

3D scanning is a great asset to our design and imagination. At IDM, this process allows us to create complex shapes quickly into 3D CAD so that they can then be worked on from other creative software applications.

We are looking forward to using our 3D scanners for body-sizing matching, weapon-grips, textures, creating props for film/tv production, cloning sculptured forms.
The possibilities are endless! for 3D Scannng.

Turning concepts from film and fiction into a reality, into something physical and memorable, is an integral part of what motivates us at IDM.

We are creative model makers based in Leeds (UK) with over 35 years experience using mixed media for individuals, organisations and global brands.

View the full video here.

Website: https://www.idmimagineering.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/idmimagineering
Twitter: @idmimagineering
Instagram: idmimagineering

Judge Dredd 2012 [inspired] :: 1/6th Scale Armour

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1/6th Scale Model Dredd Armour

Using our existing CAD files for these Dredd Armour pieces we scaled them down to 1/6th size and printed them on our *NEW* Resin DLP 3D Printers in black ABS-like resin..

The result was excellent, especially considering that direct scaling down files can leave prints a bit thin in areas. Not this time! 

Some parts are tiny — like the Dredd Gas Grenade arm — and may be better joined to the Grenade body itself. 

What challenges have you faced when using a 1/6th Scale Model? 

Let us know your thoughts by leaving a reply below 👇

Website: https://www.idmimagineering.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/idmimagineering
Twitter: @idmimagineering
Instagram: idmimagineering

 

Rescuing a 3D Print

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We all have that moment when there is a 3D Print failure.
The Nozzle clogs or jams, we run out of filament, or things just stop [firmware issue].
The print appears to be a total waste of time and effort 🙁
BUT … watch us Rescuing a 3D Print…

Fixing or Repairing 3D Prints

Fixing or Repairing 3D Prints

This situation is repairable:

In this example, we are already using an STL file that we have halved* by positioning it lower into the 3D Print Bed.

This solution is just an extra process of that repositioning method.

We at IDM Imagineering 3D Design and 3D Print prototypes and models in-house for ourselves and our 3D Print Clients so we do not always need a perfect one-off whole print, therefore we can use glue and fillers to finish a model before undercoating and spray painting; you will never see the join.

So, all is not lost. You can simply carry on where the 3D Print stopped.

In other words; reposition your model again lower into the 3D Printing Bed and only leave the required extra amount of the model visible for 3D Printing.

1/ Measure how far you have 3D Printed so far …

Fixing or Repairing 3D Prints

Fixing or Repairing 3D Prints

2/ Subtract that amount from the Z offset in your 3D Slicing Software [we use Simplify3D].


3/ 3D Print the missing piece(s) and therefore Rescuing a 3D Print.

Written by: James [Maker] at IDM Imagineering – Equipment for SuperHEROs

*To save print time, as we have multiple 3D Printers, we often print objects as multiple pieces. Waiting for a 30-hour print is a worry; leaving it unsupervised, power cuts, heat for health & safety, noise at night … We would rather divide and conquer and get a model 3D Printed within normal working hours.

Printers: Flash Forge Creator Pro’s 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Software: Simplify3D v3.x
Filament: 3DPrintWorks PLA
Beds: Aluminium or Glass using Masking Tape or HairSpray