Working on my first model!

Hello Shapeways community,

I am currently working on my first model that I would like to print out. It will not be perfect but I hope it will pass the printing stage without too much trouble. The gallery on the site is very impressive, I've seen some Assassin's Creed and Portal rings that I found really cool!

I'd also like to ask you guys some questions.

Right now in my scene I have one mesh that I would like to keep standard. All other meshes are more detailed and I have Catmull Clark enabled on those. Will it matter for the 3D printer if I have some models without Catmull Clark, and some with CC enabled?

I'm also kind of worried about the thin walls rule. I am making a medal and on the medal are very tiny detailed objects. I try to keep it as simple as possible but there are some lines that are very small but essential. Will this matter, as it is in the centre of the medal (it only serves as a decoration and not for making the medal tough)

Thanks!

If I understand your question correctly.. you need to turn OFF Catmull Clark. (or "apply" it)
It sounds like the software you're using allows you to subdivide the triangles to make your object LOOK smoother.
But, when you upload it to the printer.. those (raw) triangles are all that the printer will use.

The printer itself does not have a CatmullClark option., You need to upload the model at the finest resolution that you can handle (given the 1m triangle limit)

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The thin wall rule must be honored. If you have some part of your model that doesn't fit the thin wall rule, that item from your order will be rejected by operators, and you'll get to try again.

All right, I'll keep that in mind. Double checked all objects to make sure nothing is in a preview state; Actually forgot to APPLY all those modifiers, so glad you pointed that out.

I work in Blender 2.65 and am now measuring my model.

EDIT: My dimensions for the base medal are 5 x 4.8 x 0.25 (cm)
which means the decorations on the medal are much smaller. Do you think it will be turned down?

Thanks for the help

Take a look at it with flat shading on, not smooth. Smooth is an optical illusion, as is catmull clark subdivision until it is applied. Dupliverts are too, until you make them real.
If you are using Scene unit measurents exporting as a dae will save you the hassle of setting unit measurement at upload, like a stl or a object requires.
Curved surfaces/Fonts need to be converted to mesh before export too.

Thanks Fredd, I exported in dae and indeed I didn't have to remeasure anything. All objects cleared the auto checkup so I am sure it will be allright! I look forward to seeing it arrive here as a real object late february.

Now I will have to think on what to model next

Great news.