Intersection of 3D Printing and Modeling - Another Diorama - Conclusion

This post concludes the the story that I started a while back under the same title.

I have declared the diorama complete though I know there are several things that really are NOT complete or should be re-done.  That said it is close enough for purposes of what I am demonstrating and I risk getting side tracked and not back to it if I don't declare it done!

There are two stories told by this diorama with the first and foremost being to show how much 3D Printed stuff can be shoved into one small diorama!  The second story told is that of a forward headquarters with a Tiger II and an anti aircraft gun guarding it.  I wanted bling you get bling.

Pretty much everything you see is printed other than the Battlefront models of the anti aircraft gun, it's trailer, and all the figures.   The tank is a print of a model by Marco Bergman from Thingiverse.  The building is a design that I purchased.  Everything else I designed either for this diorama or as part of my bling collection that is for sale on eBay and available in the public domain on Thingiverse under a creative commons Attribution non Commercial Use license.

1. Diorama base including cobble stones and sidewalk (which I mostly buried)!
2. Dragons teeth*
3. Ruined building (purchased)
4. Sandbags (customize-able on need)
5. Lumber steps
6. Ladder
7. Ammo crates*
8. Tiger II from Thingiverse (m_bergman collection)

A. Field HW furniture*
B. Ammo crates custom for this diorama
C. Lumber platform custom for this diorama
D. Large crates*
E. Barrels and Jerry Cans*

*Part of my bling collection that is for sale on eBay and available in the public domain on Thingiverse under a creative commons Attribution non Commercial Use license.

Please reach out to me if you are doing some scenery and want to explore using some 3D Printed parts.  I am interested in working with some experienced scenery folks on their projects as a way of learning.  My design skills are not where I would like them to be but I can try!

Painting Tanks - Side by Side - Final Final

I am declaring these tanks to be done for the purposes of this side by side series of articles.  I do need to add a figure to the Battlefront model and I also want to install the 3D Printed model into a diorama I am trying to finish.

All of the observations that I made from step to step of the process are captured at the end of this page.  So what tank wins?  I like the feel of the Battlefront model and I did like the way the paint felt going on to it.   The Battlefront model is also a lot more detailed than the 3D print but as 3D printable models mature more and more detail will inevitably be added.

The Tiger II might not be the best example to use for a side by side comparison.  I think there are other printed tanks that show better agains their cast or injected molded brethren.  If I were a gamer and building an army that needed Tiger II's I might well get the Battlefront models for these iconic beasts.  On the other hand if I needed T-34's the 3D printed version would be more than just fine as would a Panther for that matter (but maybe not a Jagdpanther because of the sloped top).  Trucks and support vehicles seem like a no brainer.

In any case I would want to print my tanks at the best possible resolution that time allows.  No less than 100 microns and ideally maybe 80.  Beyond that I think that the time needed for the print is getting silly.  Super ideally, with a 250 micron nozzle rather than a more standard 400 micron.  I think that I would also want to hollow the bases out and stick some weights in!

Finally, a note about print lines.  They will exist in 3D Prints into the fore seeable future given the nature of current printing technologies.  There is no denying those lines when you are painting a model but from 18 inches away, and depending on the model, they start to become invisible and the two things that you notice about the model are the quality of your painting workmanship ... and the details of the model itself.  I think it is these details that make the Tiger II model stand out from the more austere 3D Print.  Those details, however, are not missing because they can not be printed but rather because of the time it takes to design them into the source model.  I wonder if as more and more people start to get into 3D printing whether these tank models, which are in the public domain, will start to evolve?

Final Images Side by Side - Click on a Image for Larger Version

Summary of Side by Side Observations

Attribute	3D Printed Model	Battleground Model
Details	Significantly fewer details but the ones that are there are very crisp	Lots and lots of details to the point of almost too many as there is only so small that one can paint!
Painting Details	The larger more crisp details help with the painting, but,	The paint just seems to go on to the Battlefront model which I assume is due the the more dense materials.
Modd'ing	I think that 3D Models, like the one that I printed here, will start to evolve as users make their own modifications to them	Just as modd'ing the design for a 3D Printed tank requires some skills, so does modifying a model such as the one above.  Possible but not easy!
Painting Primer and Base Coat	Extruded plastic has a very difference feel than does metal and resin castings.  Not unpleasantly different but different.	When I declared myself done with the base coat it was a uniform shade of Panther Yellow of the same tone as the 3D Print.  Between then and when this picture was taken the color changed a little.  Not sure what gives!
Assembly	None required	Took some time.
Heft	It is light!  This could easily be remedied using some lead weights or something in the hull and maybe even bottom of the turret though this will require some additional work.	Not light!  Feels like a tank.
Proportions	One of these tanks is not...	...scaled right!
Cleanup	A lot of work goes into cleaning up the support material.  I find that the higher the resolution the harder the cleanup job.	Fair amount of cleanup here as well especially for the parts from the sprue.  Also need to wash parts in prep for painting.
Assembly	None required	Additional work is required but having these add on parts adds depth and detail to the model.  Figuring out where things go and how they fit was a little harder than I expected.  That is my excuse for installing the barrel off by 90 degrees

Previous Posts in the Painting Tanks thread:

Painting Tanks - Side by Side - Complete ... but for Final Touches
Painting Tanks - Side by Side - Camouflage On and Detailing Underway
Side by Side - Primed, Base Coated, and Ready for Camo
Side by Side - Ready to Start Painting
Side by Side - 3D Print vs Battlefront Model
First Blood

Hand to Hand Combat with Support Material

Prologue

My blog has been largely 3D Printing for over two years now and for the past months it has been 3D Printing as pertains to tanks.  My primary interest is in the 3D Printing but tanks are a fun proxy for more boring calibration prints!  Much if not all of what I write, however, should be applicable to printing in general...it does not have to be for tanks.

Introduction

So what about support material?   There are some models that absolutely require it and tanks are one of those things.  When I started printing tanks it was on a Makerbot clone and I was printing in ABS.  Once I got my Ultimaker I started to print in PLA and that is where some frustration started to manifest itself.   PLA supports are more challenging to remove than ABS supports...at least with the default settings in Simplify3D.   I presume that this is because of their different thermal properties.  Hot PLA laying down on top of warm PLA causes more fusing than the same thing happening with ABS...?

Battles with ABS and the Ultimaker

In any case I decided that the solution was to print ABS on my Ultimaker 2.  How hard can it be?  Well I have spent a lot of time trying, to the extent of even designing a special cooling system, and I just can not get as good a result with ABS as I can with PLA.  Don't get me wrong, the Ultimaker 2 can print really nice models in ABS, just not at the high resolution and high detail level that I want for tanks!

Simple Solution

I am not sure why it took me so long to figure this out...but...default settings are not always the way to go!  I use Simplify3D as my slicer and while there are a number of things about it that drive me mad it is a good product with one of its strengths being support material.  So I happily accepted default settings.  Not optimum!  So here are the changes that I made:

Default Settings

My Settings

Note that the above profile is for a 100 micron resolution print so adjustments might be different for other resolutions.  First, infill percentage for the support material from 30% to 12%. Second, an additional layer of separation top and bottom.  Third, inflation distance from 0 to as much as a millimeter.  This extra distance takes time to print but makes it easier to pull the support material off the model.  Another note...I will assume that you are already printing at the lowest possible temperature at which that you can till extrude?!?!

High Tech (and Expensive) Frosting on the Cake

The above makes for PLA prints that can be cleaned up pretty easily.  Much improved over the previous state.  So what could be even better?  How about a specialty filament that is supposed to combine the best aspects of both PLA and ABS but without some of the downsides of either?

Enter a reel of Colorfabb Ngen which is "produced with with Amphora™ AM3300 polymer and uses specific colorFabb developed color concentrates for good opaque quality and highest possible brightness. Eastman Amphora™ AM3300 3D polymer is a low-odor, styrene-free material uniquely suited for 3D printing enthusiasts, particularly those who need the flexibility to print within a wide processing temperature range."

It better be good as it costs 40 euros for a 750g reel!   That is twice what I am paying for an already upgraded filament.  While I am not prepared to comment yet on its performance other than for support removal...it is brilliant in that ball park!  It pulls off the model easily and leaves little if any scarring.  I am really impressed.  It is still work to remove the support but the product is really sharp.

Tools Needed for Support Removal

Here are my essential tools for support removal.  Small pair of pliers.  In the case of this pair I have actually used a dremel to file down the pointed end so it is even more narrow!   Xacto knife with a new blade being a help.  Some dentist tools.  Not sure what they are really called but that is what they remind me of.  Some files and sandpaper are good for final detailing but the below is what is needed to get the major cleanup done.

Adjusting Support Placement

Last but not least there are a couple things to be aware of when running your slicer.  Below is a screenshot from Cura.  Note the fill amount...that is where I got the idea to lower the S3D default. "Distance Z" is what I mentioned and what I used was two layers so it would be 0.2.   The other adjustment on this form is the "Overhang Angle" which can be adjusted if parts of your tank are not being supported when they should be.  Use the layers view as you change this value.

If you have sprung for a copy of Simplify3D then I would always check support layout using the manual support tool.  There are many vehicles that can benefit from some manual placement or from changing the support resolution setting.  Here is an example:

As Generated

With a Manual Support Added

Painting Tanks - Side by Side - Complete ... but for Final Touches

Not withstanding the issue with the muted colors (yes, I am spelling like a yank 'cause I am one even though I live in the UK) I still like the way the two tanks are starting to look so I thought that I would post an interim picture.

I am pretty much done at this point though I am looking for a review of what additional weathering should be done (and I need to apply a black shadow to the unit number).   I am also open to input in regards to what else I could improve without a massive repaint!

Click on Image for Larger Version

Side by Side Notes	3D Print	Battlefront
Nothing new at this point

Next Post in Series:  Final Final

Previous Posts in the Painting Tanks thread:

Painting Tanks - Side by Side - Camouflage On and Detailing Underway
Side by Side - Primed, Base Coated, and Ready for Camo
Side by Side - Ready to Start Painting
Side by Side - 3D Print vs Battlefront Model
First Blood

Material Choices for 3D Prints

One of the things that I am working on in the 3D Printing space are some experiments with various materials for prints.  The Ultimaker 2 is designed to print a variety of filaments and my addition of the Olson block makes it an even better platform for doing so given that I can have nozzles reserved for these special materials or even use a steel nozzle in some cases (carbon fibre or stone).

This page is the launch point for articles on the topic of material choices.

To Fan Your ABS or NOT (no, not those ABS)!
First "Real" Part Done in ColorFabb Carbon Fibre
Intrigued by Specialty Filament Materials - Part 2

Intrigued by Specialty Filament Materials - Part 1

To Fan Your ABS or NOT (no, not those ABS)!

My Ultimaker 2 does a superb job of printing PLA but with ABS it has struggled to achieve high resolution prints with high detail.   I need those characteristics from ABS!  This article addresses the use of a fan to achieve the stated goal.

Using a fan on PLA is a given but using one on ABS much less so.  In fact the idea is often greeted by a surprised comment of "really? a fan on ABS?".  My lsat printer was a Makerbot Clone, the Wanhao Dplicator 4S, and I equipped it with this fan upgrade:

I can not say that I know exactly why this fan worked as well as it did but it did!  Specifically it preserved fine details while printing ABS without causing the print under the extruder to warp or pop off the build platform.  I surmise that this was because the small targeted streams of air directed at the extrusion area rather than larger flows directed all over the area under the extruder assembly.

It was this idea that I am attempting to implement with my fan ducts. I am feeling pretty confident that we are heading in the right direction with the details but have gotten concerned about part strength after a conversation on the Ultimaker Forum with gr5 who is one of the most knowledgeable folks out there.  He suggested some testing so that is what I did!

3D Print Filament - Strength Tests
	Average (Kg)
PLA w/ 100% Cooling	14.3
ABS w/ No Fan (215c)	7.1
ABS w/ No Fan (245c)	6.6
ABS w/ 40% Fan (245c) - My Mod	4.8
ABS w/ 60% Fan (215) - My Mod	4.6
ABS w/ 60% Fan (245) - UM Standard	2.6

My test was pretty simple.  I printed a little test piece as shown below.  Place at each end to secure it to a leg of my desk and a baggage scale.  Pull and record the point where it breaks.  Recorded results on iPhone so as not to miss anything!

The results were interesting.  PLA was twice as strong as the strongest ABS which had been printed at 215c with no fan.  Strangely ABS printed at a higher temperature was a little weaker?   Using a fan did indeed weaken the ABS print but my mod caused less weakening than did the standard UM cooling solution.

A new result.  ColorFabb NGEN filament.  Just splurged on a reel and am liking it other than the price!  It had a breaking point the same as PLA, it seems as easy to print as PLA, and it has a higher glass point.

Before the Test

After the Test

Test Print- 2 Perimeter Walls

Painting Tanks - Side by Side - Camouflage On and Detailing Underway

I am a crappy damn blogger.  I meant to capture a step or two between the base coat and where we are with these photos but got side tracked with all the other little projects that I have going.  I can't seem to multi-task!

As you can see the two models have had camouflage applied, have had some weathering done,and are getting their details painted as we speak.  Too much weathering in fact.  When the camo went on it looked cartoonish as it was so bright.  So I tried to tone it down.   Not knowing what I was doing in the first place, or what I was doing in the second place, this is the result.  No going back so I will rationalize it away and say I like the muted colors.  As I said, I am currently finishing the detail painting and will also do a little more weathering.

Battlefront Model

3D Printed Model

Details on the Battlefront Model

Details on the 3D Printed Model

Side by Side Notes	3D Print	Battlefront
Details	Significantly fewer details but the ones that are there are very crisp	Lots and lots of details to the point of almost too many as there is only so small that one can paint!
Painting	The larger more crisp details help with the painting, but,	The paint just seems to go on to the Battlefront model which I assume is due the the more dense materials.
Modd'ing	I think that 3D Models, like the one that I printed here, will start to evolve as users make their own modifications to them	Just as modd'ing the design for a 3D Printed tank requires some skills, so does modifying a model such as the one above.  Possible but not easy!

Next Post in Series:  Side by Side - Complete ... but for Final Touches

Previous Posts in the Painting Tanks thread:

Side by Side - Primed, Base Coated, and Ready for Camo
Side by Side - Ready to Start Painting
Side by Side - 3D Print vs Battlefront Model
First Blood