TuTorials
Sculpt a character for 3D printing22
BreAK oFF AreAS
You may just decide to lay out all the individual
parts of a model and then print them that way. This can
work if there are lots of little parts that will need painting
and assembling at a later stage. It is almost like laying
them out on a model sprue. The downside here is that
there are no Key points to align the parts at the end of
the process.24
MAKe the KeyS
In order to create the Keys that will serve to marry up the two parts of
the model, you can use ZModeler.
First open up any ZTool and make it Polymesh3D. Next use Initialize and
create a QCube as a base. Then enter ZModeler (B,Z,M), hover over a Face
and select Scale. Alt+click four faces on the top of the cube and scale them
down as shown. This is the Key for the first part. Append that to the top half of
our girl model.21
A SInGle-PIece PrInt
This method can work out well for certain models.
The model tends to have lots of support material
generated as you can see, which does mean a lot of clean
up is needed. Also if you want to cast your model in parts
it may not be the best method. As long as there are no
errors with unsupported areas then this would be fine for
our character.23
KeyInG PArtS
You may need to break the model down into parts
and rejoin them after printing using Keys. For example
you may need to break the model into top and bottom
sections to fit on a printer bed. Mask off half of the
model horizontally. Duplicate that subtool and delete the
bottom half from one subtool and the top half from the
other. Make each half have its own Polygroup (Ctrl+W).25
lIVe BooleAn to ADD KeyS
Move the cube in the Subtool stack to below the top half of the body
as shown. Duplicate it. Next move this to below the lower half of the body. Put
Live Boolean on from the top menu bar. Now click the Subtract button in the
subtool of the Key and this will make a hole in the lower half, exactly the same
size as the top Key.
Go to Boolean (Tool>Subtool), make these two halves new meshes and
send them out as OBJs to print.26
SenD to PrInt
This is an example of splitting the model down
and using Keys for the top and bottom half of the body.
As you build more and more complex models you can
use this process to break down a model and add Keys
wherever there is a need. If you intend to mould and cast
all your pieces then you need to plan how to break the
model into sections and add relevant Keys. •Decimate!
To keep file sizes
low enough for the
3D printer to work
efficiently you need
to become skilled at
lowering the polygon
count of your model
without losing detail.
Decimation is the tool
that Pixologic provides
to fulfil this need.