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Rivet detail and 3D printing


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I've sent a few items off to Shapeways for printing in different materials and generally been quite satisfied by the results. However, the reproduction of rivet detail in 4mm scale seems to be very hit-and-miss - I imagine it would come out fine in a larger scale.

 

It's not particularly a problem because I can reinstate the rivets with decals, but it is a tad annoying to have spent time putting the rivets on the master only to find that they don't come out reliably. Is there any particular material that would be better than others at getting the detail to show? Or is there some other trick I need to know?

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

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I've sent a few items off to Shapeways for printing in different materials and generally been quite satisfied by the results. However, the reproduction of rivet detail in 4mm scale seems to be very hit-and-miss - I imagine it would come out fine in a larger scale.

 

It's not particularly a problem because I can reinstate the rivets with decals, but it is a tad annoying to have spent time putting the rivets on the master only to find that they don't come out reliably. Is there any particular material that would be better than others at getting the detail to show? Or is there some other trick I need to know?

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

Rivets come out well in B-HDA. Beyond that I think only FUD/FXD is fine. Wouldn't recommend adding rivets for the other materials. Since all 3D prints do require some post-printing sanding my best advice would be to stick to decal rivets.

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How many rivets can you actually see on the real prototype, at same relative distance to that you view models normally?  I have found that even with WSF, the impression of a rivet still seems to be there, and paint picks it up, Making the rivets slightly bigger(oh dear, then they are not to scale!) helps.

Some people tyr to make their rivets with a rounded head, I find a flat top is fine, especially as the 3D printing will round them off slightly. Alo makin them slight longer than scale helps.

3D printing was decibed to me as an aid to scratchbuilding(not a fully fledged model building service), and treating it as such results in happier modelling. It does the hard part, so you can do the fun part finishing off, and then you feel you have actually created something, not just assembled it.

Edited by rue_d_etropal
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  • RMweb Gold

3D printing was decibed to me as an aid to scratchbuilding(not a fully fledged model building service), and treating it as such results in happier modelling. It does the hard part, so you can do the fun part finishing off, and then you feel you have actually created something, not just assembled it.

 

 

If done in the right material it's near enough a finished item,  FUD/FXD is the preferred as it will retain rivet detail (which does show). 

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Rivets in FUD/FXD will cause stripes below them. Rivets are a pain in the behind if the model needs any sanding. BHDA would offer the best riveted finish, but is hit and miss on how much sanding it will require, and you can easily end up with supports between rivets that are impossible to remove!

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In 4mm scale, printing in FUD, I find that fasteners almost always come out OK, except that one really can't tell a hex nut from a square nut from a rivet in the print. Surface detail in FUD is more reliable on surfaces facing up in the print than on vertical surfaces, and this seems to be some kind of bug in the rasterisation of the models. If the model can be broken down into large parts with their cosmetic surfaces facing up then it should print more cleanly.

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Thanks for the additional help.

 

So far I've only been sending fairly small components rather than a larger unit, so there's nothing to break down into smaller bits. However, I hadn't thought about the orientation of the part in the printer at all.

 

Perhaps I should try someone else instead of Shapeways; any ideas?

 

Thanks again!

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These problems are inherent in the 3D Systems machine that Shapeways use. One alternative is to use the StrataSys machines ie, Shapeways acrylic plastics, but these aren't as smooth as FUD. Another is to redesign the models into component parts so that the rivets are always on the upper surfaces.

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I wonder if this also explains an oddity I have had for several years. Sometimes detail on one side of a print is thinner, sometimes missing. This is with WSF, but thinking it might be when design is at edge of machine, possibly SW are trying to use too much of the space, and some should be left free, or filled with something that does not matter.

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  • RMweb Gold

... Another is to redesign the models into component parts so that the rivets are always on the upper surfaces.

 

I agree with you Bill, Mike Trice has just done this with his 6 wheelers, keeping the detail sides uppermost for best quality. The rivets/bolts look pretty good.

 

https://www.shapeways.com/product/XM3CMGDVW/gnr-dia-303-full-brake-6-wheel-carriage-basic-ki?optionId=64889823

Edited by JCL
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