Hello Shapeways forum, I've modelled a simplified elephant head in Blender which I need help/advice on how to get it accepted, this is the first time I've used Shapeways. I've rotated it, and uploaded it every way I could think of, but cannot seem to get it accepted. Each time I upload, I get the 'Your model was too big for any of our 3D Printers.' The model is 53.983cm x 55.109cm x 33.576cm, which fits within the maximum bounds for the 650 x 350 x 550 mm (White Strong & Flexible material). I emailed support, and they said although the file is within the bounds, it is showing little to no volume, this is why the system is rejecting it. They suggested I post it on the forums. I've attached the model - could someone tell me what I need to do to fix my model? Also, which is the correct way to rotate the model for printing, eg. the trunk pointing up/forward/left/right? Note: the walls are all 1mm thick- i used the 'Solididy' modifier to create the walls when I finished modelling the object. Thanks, Trent
The walls are not 1mm thick.. in may places you've got "back" walls that are completely missing. Download a copy of Netfabb Basic and use it to look at your model. All these red surfaces are improper. I don't know Blender, but you need to re-work the model. You are aware that at that size, the model is going to cost more than $1000, right? http://stonysmith.com/wired/VolumeEstimator.asp?L=530&W= 551&H=335&T=1
Your model has no thickness, it is just a skin. You need to add a modifier - solidify. I don't know what the part at the bottom is supposed to be, it looks like wire mesh as in 'wire mesh' you will have to fix this as well.
Thanks so much for your replies. I'm downloading the netfab tool now. I did apply the 1mm solidify to the whole object, but I guess that didn't work as expected. Also the bottom/back piece was just a wall mount and holes for electronics (it's supposed to be a lamp shade kind of thing, that's why i need it hollow). I had no idea it would cost that much money! Wow. I thought it would be cheap because there are not many polygons, and it's hollow on the inside? Is there anything I can do (without shrinking the size too much) to bring the costs down? Eg. print it as a wireframe only.
It is just not manifold. You want your model to have a connected outer surface to begin with, Once that is accomplished,you can remove a face from the surface, and then apply a solidify mod. Stoney the red faces were caused by the solidify being applied, creating faces so close that they turned into face on face intersection, thus what appeared as 1 face were actually 2 faces, with normals pointing in both directions. In other words it had uber doubles, thus the red faces in NF. The model was unique you have to admit. The odd grid I have no idea Keith
Trent, creating a model for 3D printing is just totally different from creating one for a good render. Do what I did, SW has some really good tutorials to help explain the basics. After reading them a couple of times, and reading forum posts, I had an "Eureka" moment. I am still pretty dumb, but I sorta understood the principles better than I did. And Blender has some really good tools for creating a model for a 3D print, so you are ahead of most. You need any help, you are free to pm me. Keith
Thanks Keith, I guess I still have a lot to learn with 3D printing. BTW, really impressed with the SW community on these forums.
Number of polygons in itself does not influence the cost of the part - you pay for the volume of material actually used in printing, and a big sheet 1mm thick will simply be expensive no matter how much you crumple it. (Although there is a discontiuity in the price model at some point - beyond a certain model size, a 50% discount is applied provided that the average density of the model stays above another threshold. ) Reducing the head to a wireframe should help - but be sure to read the "stag head" saga that was on the shapeways blog a few weeks ago for added perspective.