Hi all,

A typical way of using with POV-Ray is the following. You take something from
the real world, say, a hammer that you really like, and model it in POV-Ray.
Subsequently, you use the model to create one or more images. You can, however,
also go in the opposite direction. Model an object in POV-Ray, and use that
model to realize the object in the real world, for example via 3D printing.

I recently did this, and the attached image shows the result. To be absolutely
clear, before anyone starts complimenting me on my wood and metal texturing
skills, the image is a photograph. It is not a render.

The image shows a 3D-printed object, which when viewed from the right direction
looks like an impossible triangle. It has been printed in stainless steel, with
a Bronze Plate finish. In the background you see an image created by POV-Ray.

Both the 3D-printed object and the background image were created from the same
POV-Ray based model. Custom macros were used to calculate each point in the
mesh. Parameters control amongst others the granularity of the mesh and the
number of cubes in the model. To convert the model to a format suitable for
3D-printing, the mesh was exported to file and further processed via MeshLab and
Sketchup.

I have put the object up for sale at Shapeways [1]. I am curious to see if there
will be any takers, but not getting my hopes up too high.

Kind regards,
Erwin

[1] https://www.shapeways.com/shops/eriban

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On Sun, 21 Jul 2013 15:42:04 +0200, Eriban  
<pov### [at] spamgourmetcom> wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> A typical way of using with POV-Ray is the following. You take something  
> from
> the real world, say, a hammer that you really like, and model it in  
> POV-Ray.
> Subsequently, you use the model to create one or more images. You can,  
> however,
> also go in the opposite direction. Model an object in POV-Ray, and use  
> that
> model to realize the object in the real world, for example via 3D  
> printing.
>
> I recently did this, and the attached image shows the result. To be  
> absolutely
> clear, before anyone starts complimenting me on my wood and metal  
> texturing
> skills, the image is a photograph. It is not a render.
>
> The image shows a 3D-printed object, which when viewed from the right  
> direction
> looks like an impossible triangle. It has been printed in stainless  
> steel, with
> a Bronze Plate finish. In the background you see an image created by  
> POV-Ray.
>
> Both the 3D-printed object and the background image were created from  
> the same
> POV-Ray based model. Custom macros were used to calculate each point in  
> the
> mesh. Parameters control amongst others the granularity of the mesh and  
> the
> number of cubes in the model. To convert the model to a format suitable  
> for
> 3D-printing, the mesh was exported to file and further processed via  
> MeshLab and
> Sketchup.
>
> I have put the object up for sale at Shapeways [1]. I am curious to see  
> if there
> will be any takers, but not getting my hopes up too high.
>
> Kind regards,
> Erwin
>
> [1] https://www.shapeways.com/shops/eriban
>
>
>
Cool!


-- 
-Nekar Xenos-

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nice work!

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Very nice indeed.

Question:
> The image shows a 3D-printed object, which when viewed from the right direction
> looks like an impossible triangle. It has been printed in stainless steel, with
> a Bronze Plate finish. In the background you see an image created by POV-Ray.

/printed in stainless steel/ ?? I think you mean something else than I 
do read... :-)

Thomas

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Am 22.07.2013 09:00, schrieb Thomas de Groot:
> Very nice indeed.
>
> Question:
>> The image shows a 3D-printed object, which when viewed from the right
>> direction
>> looks like an impossible triangle. It has been printed in stainless
>> steel, with
>> a Bronze Plate finish. In the background you see an image created by
>> POV-Ray.
>
> /printed in stainless steel/ ?? I think you mean something else than I
> do read... :-)

That's the marvels of modern 3D printing.

AFAIK shapeways actually print a wax model, and then die-cast it in 
bronze steel; but there are 3D printers out there that work directly 
with bare metal, using either sintering or depositing processes.

You can also get your stainless steel with a gold plating, and solid 
sterling silver is another option (they do use some direct process for 
the latter). Or how about glazed ceramic?

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On 22-7-2013 10:09, clipka wrote:


> That's the marvels of modern 3D printing.
>
> AFAIK shapeways actually print a wax model, and then die-cast it in
> bronze steel; but there are 3D printers out there that work directly
> with bare metal, using either sintering or depositing processes.
>
> You can also get your stainless steel with a gold plating, and solid
> sterling silver is another option (they do use some direct process for
> the latter). Or how about glazed ceramic?
>

Really? I thought it went through a casting process... But then of 
course, I have not been following closely the developments of the 
technique.

Thomas

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On 07/22/2013 07:27 AM, Thomas de Groot wrote:
> On 22-7-2013 10:09, clipka wrote:
>
>
>> That's the marvels of modern 3D printing.
>>
>> AFAIK shapeways actually print a wax model, and then die-cast it in
>> bronze steel; but there are 3D printers out there that work directly
>> with bare metal, using either sintering or depositing processes.
>>
>> You can also get your stainless steel with a gold plating, and solid
>> sterling silver is another option (they do use some direct process for
>> the latter). Or how about glazed ceramic?
>>
>
> Really? I thought it went through a casting process... But then of
> course, I have not been following closely the developments of the
> technique.
>
> Thomas

all kinds of things can be 3D printed now-a-days :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82t84VIwlTE

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> /printed in stainless steel/ ?? I think you mean something else than I
> do read... :-)

Google "DMLS" - most rapid prototyping houses will do it, our local one 
does.

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Thomas de Groot <tho### [at] degrootorg> wrote:
> On 22-7-2013 10:09, clipka wrote:
> > That's the marvels of modern 3D printing.
> >
> > AFAIK shapeways actually print a wax model, and then die-cast it in
> > bronze steel; but there are 3D printers out there that work directly
> > with bare metal, using either sintering or depositing processes.
>
> Really? I thought it went through a casting process... But then of
> course, I have not been following closely the developments of the
> technique.
>
> Thomas

For creating objects from stainless steel, Shapeways actually does not use a
die-cast either. As far as I understand it, glue is printed on thin layers of
metal powder, which results in a fragile structure. This then is post-processed
into a strong metal object. I assume by first removing unused powder and next
hardening it, presumably by applying heat, but now I am just guessing. Some
details can be found here: https://www.shapeways.com/materials/steel

Anyway, I find it fascinating that you can model something from your own home,
and have it subsequently realized in 3D, in a whole range of materials. This was
the first object I had printed in stainless steel, but I have used 3D printing
before to prototype a puzzle I designed. At that time, I used a cheaper, plastic
material. Cool stuff.

Erwin

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On 22-7-2013 15:21, scott wrote:
>> /printed in stainless steel/ ?? I think you mean something else than I
>> do read... :-)
>
> Google "DMLS" - most rapid prototyping houses will do it, our local one
> does.
>

I am showing my age... ;-)

Thomas

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