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	<title type="html"><![CDATA[SoliForum - 3D Printing Community — Guide on how to turn 3D designs into molds!]]></title>
	<link rel="self" href="https://www.soliforum.com/feed/atom/topic/11153/" />
	<updated>2016-10-28T03:49:55Z</updated>
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	<id>https://www.soliforum.com/topic/11153/guide-on-how-to-turn-3d-designs-into-molds/</id>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Re: Guide on how to turn 3D designs into molds!]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.soliforum.com/post/127787/#p127787" />
			<content type="html"><![CDATA[<div class="quotebox"><cite>Heartlander wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Agree with Rocketman. In 123D Design you<br />1.&nbsp; make the parent object you want to derive the mold from, <br />2. make a separate cube, <br />3. slide them together about halfway then <br />4. use the Combine Subtract tool to exclude overlapping parts. See attached photo for result. <br />5. Make another mold for the other half of the parent object and you&#039;re set.</p><p>Now, you need to think about how you design the parent part. Complicated parts with cutout, hollows, bridges and such may be hard to make a mold from i.e. where do you split the mold?</p></blockquote></div><p>Just curious, but wouldn&#039;t it be easier to surround your entire original part with a cube then subtract it? You could then easily add rods to create &quot;holes&quot; after subtraction (or do at with the original model from the start) to have the fill / over fill holes built in. </p><p>Splitting in 123D is ridiculously simple even if deciding where you need the split isn&#039;t <img src="https://www.soliforum.com/img/smilies/sad.png" width="15" height="15" alt="sad" /> , you can just take a cube of any size making sure the axis you want to split on is like .0001 thick, move into place and merge / subtract. I think it would be fairly simple to get the mold apart when you can make as many &quot;cuts&quot; in it to release as you need. Sliding &quot;pins&quot; from the outside of you cube that you have copied (so you have an identical one in the same place) then doing a subtraction would make it fairly easy to have matching pins and hole to hold a mold together.</p>]]></content>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[Weekend Avenger]]></name>
				<uri>https://www.soliforum.com/user/6245/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2016-10-28T03:49:55Z</updated>
			<id>https://www.soliforum.com/post/127787/#p127787</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Re: Guide on how to turn 3D designs into molds!]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.soliforum.com/post/127733/#p127733" />
			<content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Step 1 – Reducing the polycount </p><p>Use Meshlab for this process. It’s free and can be found here. Meshlab is a full-featured tool but I mostly use it for reducing polycounts. Start Meshlab up and load your STL by clicking on File-&gt;Import Mesh…<br />Next take a look at the face count. It’s circled in red in the above picture. Right now it’s at almost 1 million. I want to reduce it down to well under 100K for the first part of our process.<br />Click on:</p><p>Filters-&gt;Remeshing, Simplification, and Reconstruction-&gt;Quadratic Edge Collapse Decimation</p><p>Set the number of faces to something that still looks reasonable when you hit “Apply” but is below 100K (I chose 60K). Hit “Apply”.</p><p>Your Model is now decimated down to a workable number of faces. If you skip this step, some of the software used in later steps won’t load the model, or will crash when you try.<br />Step 2. Is it manifold?</p><p>Now we need to verify our model’s manifoldness. Quadratic Edge Decimation generally produces good-looking results but frequently breaks manifoldness. The attitude bunny I’m using was manifold before the decimation, but now is not. Here’s how you tell:</p><p><a href="http://vexmatech.com/material.html">3d printing service bangalore chennai india</a></p><p>Click Render-&gt;Show Non-Manif Edges</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;then</p><p>Click Render-&gt;Show Non-Manif Vertices</p><p> Filter-&gt;Cleaning and Repairing-&gt; Remove Duplicate Faces</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp;Filter-&gt;Cleaning and Repairing-&gt; Remove Duplicate Vertex</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp;Filter-&gt;Cleaning and Repairing-&gt; Remove Faces from Non Manif Edges</p><p>Once that’s done export your mesh as an STL even if it still isn’t perfectly manifold.</p><p>If after selecting all of the above your model still isn’t manifold, you’ll have to load it in Netfabb Basic (also free) and attempt automatic repair from there.</p><p>If Netfabb basic won’t fix it you may need to reduce the polycount further and repair it by hand in Sketchup. This is tedious and not for the faint of heart.</p><p>Speaking of Sketchup, it’s a great tool for taking a look inside our mesh to see how the insides look. It’s free and you can download it here.</p><p>You’ll need to install an STL importer/exporter. There’s one available in the Sketchup plugin library. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to import your model and have a look.</p><br /><p>Step 3. Get rid of internal structures</p><p>This used to be a long and tedious process but now there’s an easy and free solution. Autodesk’s Meshmixer tool is free and can take care of this for us.</p>]]></content>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[3dtech]]></name>
				<uri>https://www.soliforum.com/user/15271/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2016-10-26T04:38:20Z</updated>
			<id>https://www.soliforum.com/post/127733/#p127733</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Re: Guide on how to turn 3D designs into molds!]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.soliforum.com/post/112186/#p112186" />
			<content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Thank you!</p>]]></content>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[sheppyfire87]]></name>
				<uri>https://www.soliforum.com/user/12203/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2015-12-20T02:51:32Z</updated>
			<id>https://www.soliforum.com/post/112186/#p112186</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Re: Guide on how to turn 3D designs into molds!]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.soliforum.com/post/110477/#p110477" />
			<content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Agree with Rocketman. In 123D Design you<br />1.&nbsp; make the parent object you want to derive the mold from, <br />2. make a separate cube, <br />3. slide them together about halfway then <br />4. use the Combine Subtract tool to exclude overlapping parts. See attached photo for result. <br />5. Make another mold for the other half of the parent object and you&#039;re set.</p><p>Now, you need to think about how you design the parent part. Complicated parts with cutout, hollows, bridges and such may be hard to make a mold from i.e. where do you split the mold?</p>]]></content>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[Heartlander]]></name>
				<uri>https://www.soliforum.com/user/2447/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2015-11-29T19:22:05Z</updated>
			<id>https://www.soliforum.com/post/110477/#p110477</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Re: Guide on how to turn 3D designs into molds!]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.soliforum.com/post/99586/#p99586" />
			<content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Tinkcad.com can turn a shape into a hole in a larger object like a block so you can make molds that way too.</p>]]></content>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[Rocketman]]></name>
				<uri>https://www.soliforum.com/user/783/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2015-06-22T02:14:33Z</updated>
			<id>https://www.soliforum.com/post/99586/#p99586</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Re: Guide on how to turn 3D designs into molds!]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.soliforum.com/post/97835/#p97835" />
			<content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Glad you guys enjoyed it! Let us know if you&#039;ve got a tutorial idea, or would like to write a tutorial <img src="https://www.soliforum.com/img/smilies/smile.png" width="15" height="15" alt="smile" /> We&#039;re always looking to better the 3D printing community</p>]]></content>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[Pinshape]]></name>
				<uri>https://www.soliforum.com/user/10822/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2015-06-03T17:24:23Z</updated>
			<id>https://www.soliforum.com/post/97835/#p97835</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Re: Guide on how to turn 3D designs into molds!]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.soliforum.com/post/96509/#p96509" />
			<content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>saw a customizer of this on thiniverse with Scad file to change to suit</p>]]></content>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[n2ri]]></name>
				<uri>https://www.soliforum.com/user/795/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2015-05-21T01:32:45Z</updated>
			<id>https://www.soliforum.com/post/96509/#p96509</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Re: Guide on how to turn 3D designs into molds!]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.soliforum.com/post/96488/#p96488" />
			<content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>why not <img src="https://www.soliforum.com/img/smilies/tongue.png" width="15" height="15" alt="tongue" /></p>]]></content>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[ysb]]></name>
				<uri>https://www.soliforum.com/user/40/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2015-05-20T20:01:45Z</updated>
			<id>https://www.soliforum.com/post/96488/#p96488</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Re: Guide on how to turn 3D designs into molds!]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.soliforum.com/post/96466/#p96466" />
			<content type="html"><![CDATA[<div class="quotebox"><cite>ysb wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>+1 ...bookmarked your tutorial.. i learn some hints.. thanks</p></blockquote></div><p>Does this mean we can expect some scantily-clad fantasy chocolate molds soon? <img src="https://www.soliforum.com/img/smilies/wink.png" width="15" height="15" alt="wink" /></p>]]></content>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[TheBaron]]></name>
				<uri>https://www.soliforum.com/user/2752/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2015-05-20T17:41:08Z</updated>
			<id>https://www.soliforum.com/post/96466/#p96466</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Re: Guide on how to turn 3D designs into molds!]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.soliforum.com/post/96453/#p96453" />
			<content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>+1 ...bookmarked your tutorial.. i learn some hints.. thanks</p>]]></content>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[ysb]]></name>
				<uri>https://www.soliforum.com/user/40/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2015-05-20T16:08:51Z</updated>
			<id>https://www.soliforum.com/post/96453/#p96453</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Re: Guide on how to turn 3D designs into molds!]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.soliforum.com/post/96316/#p96316" />
			<content type="html"><![CDATA[<div class="quotebox"><cite>wire10ga wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Nice write up.</p></blockquote></div><p>Thanks!</p>]]></content>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[Pinshape]]></name>
				<uri>https://www.soliforum.com/user/10822/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2015-05-19T17:59:11Z</updated>
			<id>https://www.soliforum.com/post/96316/#p96316</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Re: Guide on how to turn 3D designs into molds!]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.soliforum.com/post/96058/#p96058" />
			<content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Nice write up.</p>]]></content>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[wire10ga]]></name>
				<uri>https://www.soliforum.com/user/134/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2015-05-17T12:46:30Z</updated>
			<id>https://www.soliforum.com/post/96058/#p96058</id>
		</entry>
		<entry>
			<title type="html"><![CDATA[Guide on how to turn 3D designs into molds!]]></title>
			<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.soliforum.com/post/95933/#p95933" />
			<content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Hey guys,</p><p>Here&#039;s a tutorial on how to turn a 3D object into a 3D printable mold! <br /><a href="http://bit.ly/1H7rEgN">http://bit.ly/1H7rEgN</a></p><p>You&#039;ll need:<br />- Meshlab<br />- Autodesk&#039;s meshmixer tool<br />- OpenSCAD </p><p>Cheers <img src="https://www.soliforum.com/img/smilies/smile.png" width="15" height="15" alt="smile" /></p>]]></content>
			<author>
				<name><![CDATA[Pinshape]]></name>
				<uri>https://www.soliforum.com/user/10822/</uri>
			</author>
			<updated>2015-05-15T19:58:53Z</updated>
			<id>https://www.soliforum.com/post/95933/#p95933</id>
		</entry>
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