Getting a "print" of a 3D model?
So I have a nice detailed model of a human skull that I created in ZBrush for a client and he would like it machined/printed/whatever to have a cool physical copy. The client says he would like it in titanium (though I'm thinking any kind of sleek chromey/metallic material would do) and is trying to find out how to get this done.
Does anyone here have any experience in this area? Besides breaking the skull down into a bunch of separate models and having each 3D printed, what other options do I have to get this skull transferred into a physical copy? Any specific considerations I should take with the exported model (concave shapes, polygon count, whatever)?
Does anyone here have any experience in this area? Besides breaking the skull down into a bunch of separate models and having each 3D printed, what other options do I have to get this skull transferred into a physical copy? Any specific considerations I should take with the exported model (concave shapes, polygon count, whatever)?
Replies
You can go the engineering way, in which case you put in a block of metal, and out comes a billet steel skull. Though these usually require a very different file type - BREP or some CAD (dwf might work). If you can find one, consult your local machine shop, they'll tell you more about this, what you need to give them. The upside is you get one hefty awesome skull that's usually pretty strong. The downside is they usually (not always) don't like polygonal models.
There are the layered 3d printers, that work with anything from what's basically paper to chocolate. These are usually less precise (not going to be a problem), and are much more forgiving with polygonal models. However, they're usually fairly weak (the resulting skull). Not fragile, but if you've got something that's heavy and chunky on top that's resting on something that's not (if the entire brain cavity is full and the jaw is really thin) then it's gonna break down the line.
As the layered types do everything in vertical slices it usually doesn't mind concave surfaces, but it can get messed up with detail hanging down from a hollow area (sometimes; consult the company you're getting this from about this - it WILL vary).
Also think about the finish and materials - talk to your vendor about what's available and what you can do with it. And if you've got an engineering department at your local university, go find them, usually they can be bought with cheap liquor.