RMweb Gold Burkitt Posted January 1, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 1, 2012 I've been commissioned by another user of the Shapeways forum to design an N scale models of several US electric locomotives for 3D printing. The first is the General Electric E33, built originally for the Virginian Railway in 1955, then sold by its successor the Norfolk and Western to the New Haven, where they continued through Penn Central and Conrail ownership until retirement in 1981. Photo by Frank Hicks, published under Creative Commons Attributions Share Alike License. Preserved E33 at the Virginia Museum of Transportation. Painted in original Virginian livery, but with several modifications made in the Conrail era. Here are a couple of views of progress so far of the CAD design in Blender. The model is designed to fit an Atlas C-628 mechanism. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Hi Paul, Good for you! On the New Haven, these were known as 'Bricks' - probably due to their slab shape and red livery! I hope you will get a commission fee on each one sold as they should be quite popular models! Good luck with this project and the other electrics! Cheers, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Burkitt Posted January 4, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 4, 2012 Thanks John. They certainly are pretty slabby locos compared with the E40s or GG1s, though there are some nice curves at either end. As you say, I hope they will be popular models, like in the UK electrics seem to be under represented in the US model market. Here's a render showing progress so far. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon br blue Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 That look good. Will it be printed in FUD? One question - has the latest render been done in blender? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Burkitt Posted January 4, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 4, 2012 Thanks Simon. Your are correct on both accounts - it will be printed in FUD, and has been designed in Blender. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Patrick Posted January 5, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 5, 2012 Excellent work there! I'll certainly pick up a body or two once the design becomes available. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon br blue Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Thanks Simon. Your are correct on both accounts - it will be printed in FUD, and has been designed in Blender. Paul Hi , I was wondering about the actual rendered image- the white one - was that done in blender? How long has it taken so far? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Burkitt Posted January 5, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 5, 2012 Sorry SImon, yes the render was done in Blender. It's done with the Environment Lighting setting on to avoid having to position any lamps. Time so far has been about a week of evenings, and I'm hoping to get it finished tomorrow bar some adjustments to the roof area for which I'm awaiting extra photos. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
backofanenvelope Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Hi Paul, Great looking render there, can I just ask are you using a mixture of solids and surfaces or all surface then extruded for the main body? Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Burkitt Posted January 6, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 6, 2012 Thanks Tom. It's all surfaces, so far just the outer skin. I'll add the inner skin to make it a proper solid as the last step before completion, as I find it causes confusion when using wireframe view if I do it earlier. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 I assume you aren't planning to RP the handrails for the casting master? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Burkitt Posted January 6, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 6, 2012 Hi Talltim, The model won't be printed as a master for casting, it is a solely 3D printing project. The handrails will be printed as either part of the body or on a separate sprue for fitting after delivery. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyneux Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Use of ambient light is a neat trick... going to play around with rendering in Blender! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Burkitt Posted January 6, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 6, 2012 Agreed re ambient light / environment lighting, I struggled for a while placing lamps here and there trying to get decent renders before I discovered it. The bodyshell CAD is now largely finished, bar some front end and roof details for which I am awaiting some extra photos. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Burkitt Posted January 16, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 16, 2012 Here are the final renders of the N scale E33 from Blender. I had to increase the diameter of the handrails to 0.6mm in order to make it printable - at 0.3mm they would have disintegrated. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon br blue Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Looks good, how thick did you make the body and do you think the small grills will print ok? Out of intrest how big is the cad file - how many meg? I look forward to seeing the printed model. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Burkitt Posted January 16, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 16, 2012 Thanks Simon, All the details on the grilles etc are a bit over the minimum size for detail to show up in Frosted Ultra Detail, so it should print OK. The CAD file is fairly small, only 9.4MB, as there aren't many complex curved surfaces. For comparison, the Austin Maestro is about 50MB. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Burkitt Posted January 28, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2012 The E33 has been submitted to Shapeways by the guy I'm designing these for, and should hopefully be delivered in the next few days. Meanwhile, I've completed a second loco for him, the E33's successor the E44. This class had an amazing number of detail variations, especially among the lower numbered locos. The model depicts number 4400 in upgraded condition, and is probably not correct for any other members of the class. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Burkitt Posted February 2, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 2, 2012 The first print of the E33 was delivered from Shapeways yesterday. At the back is the Atlas C628 chassis being used to power the loco, and in front of the body is the sprue with all the handrails and other details. I've now moved on to the third model of the four I've been commissioned to do, the General Electric E40. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 I have to say Paul, that your abilities, and the printed result, amaze me - very well done! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Burkitt Posted February 3, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 3, 2012 Thanks Shortliner! Here's a render of the truck sideframes, which are needed for the E40 as none of the suitable chassis available have trucks that look anywhere near correct. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyneux Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Have you changed the Blender rendering settings on the last few shots (since 28th January)? If so, what did you change? They look a lot less "grainy" than before.... really nice! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Burkitt Posted February 7, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 7, 2012 Hi Lyneux, Yes, I changed the texture of the models from the default grey to white, and added a slight amount of reflectivity. The renders now take about twice as long to process but as you say look considerably less grainy. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon br blue Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 looking good. Have you tried drawing any british locos yet? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Burkitt Posted February 7, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 7, 2012 Hi Simon, I'm planning to do a couple of tube trains, and I've been looking at some EMUs too, but I hadn't really considered locos. Had you got anything in particular in mind? Here is the finished E40 design, with the underframe and some extra roof details added. I've also done a version representing the locos' original condition with underframe fairings. By request of the person who commissioned the designs, I've added very fine indented lines to guide masking of the complex New Haven livery. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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