3-D Printing

Today, I watched some tutorial videos on 3-D printing, created a Tinkercad account, and designed a toy bird. 

3-D printing basics:

• Printers create the 3D shape by arranging melted plastic in layers. 
• Overhangs: must be at < 45 degrees angle
• Bridges: < 10 mm
• thickness: > 2x nozzle width
• ORIENTATION is important: largest contact point with base as possible, few overhangs/long bridges
• supports used to support overhangs/bridges

Starting to CAD: figuring things out

• rotating object/changing perspective: drag box in the corner
• At first, I tried several ideas and settled on a design featuring a smily face.
• Then, after some more ideas, I used the semi-cylinder shape to create a bird toy that could rock back and forth.
• I considered changing the orientation of the bird so that it would lay on its side, minimizing the number of overhangs, but I was told that Brandon would adjust the orientation as needed.
• I deleted the smily face design, enlarged the bird design, and submitted the file to Canvas.

Potential problems:

• too many overhangs
• beak fragile
• spherical head hard to create
• bird unbalanced, tail possibly lighter than head