Case study demonstrating that learning Anarkik3D's haptic 3D modelling software for 3D printing need not be a huge steep learning curve for designer makers and artists wanting to utilise these amazing technologies to enhance their portfolios of work and make their businesses more sustainable.
Case study: 3D modelling for 3D printing for designer makers and artists
1. Anarkik3D Project: ‘3D Consequences’
Case study – Lucy Robertson:
newbie to 3D modelling and 3D printing!
Lucy’s 3rd
model
2. The objectives for the ‘3D Consequences’ project:
1. to give a designer maker new to 3D modelling some training and support to learn
3D by using Anarkik 3D Design package and to design for 3D printing.
2. generate greater awareness of Anarkik 3D Design package:
– promoting the project through a blog, presentations and case study
– exhibiting the work that arises both digital and 3D printed : November 2013 -
3DPrintShow (Anarkik3D’s stand)
• 3rd April to 7th June – StudioFusion Gallery, Oxo Tower, London
Project Stage 1: all four designer makers work on their 1st model: theme is
‘duplication’ (copy/paste, mirror)
– models and screen captures of progress saved to dropbox for swop
Project Stage 2: swop models and work on a model ‘new to them’: theme is ‘deform’
(also non-uniform scaling)
– capture progress, save new creation to dropbox, etc.
Project Stage 3: swop models again, work with Boolean* theme, save model etc.
Results: 3 iterations = 12 digital designs for 3D printing out into 12 objects
• each collaborative design transformation captured as a physical object
• Sponsored by: Sculpteo, ITEC-3D/Mcor, and Anarkik3D
* Boolean: a function to join 2objects, subtract one object from another or subtract both from each other leaving the intersection
as a new object
3. This case study demonstrates two, no, five, features of
Anarkik3D’s haptic 3D modelling software package:
Anarkik 3D Design (A3D)
1. A3D: easier to learn than most 3D modelling/CAD packages & to learn fast
2. A3D: enables users to work creatively from the start
3. for the occasional user (such as designer makers who work a lot ‘at the
bench’) they are able to come back into using the programme after a break and
be straight back in without having to relearn to the extent that complex CAD
interfaces demand.
4. Anarkik3D’s 3D modelling software plus 3D haptics (Anarkik 3D Design
package) makes 3D digital modelling an engrossing, enjoyable and productive
design experience.
5. this positions Anarkik 3D Design as a very suitable software package for
designer makers, applied artists, 3D artists and artistically creative people for
entry into 3D modelling to access to 3D printing as a sound business
proposition.
4. Case study – Lucy Robertson:
newbie to 3D modelling and 3D printing!
Her background:
Lucy graduated from DoJCoA, Dundee
University in textile design. A skilled print
and digital textile designer, she started
exploring the line between digital and
physical textiles using new technologies
and bringing together Arduino, animo-
magic technology, laser-cutting, fiber
optics and crowdsourcing.
Her experience with 3D designing and 3D
printing in the past was at arms’ length
working with technical staff at the
University as she found it hard to access
the right technology for her needs and
way of working.
Image: Graeme Binnie Photography
5. Objective 1:
to give a designer maker new to 3D modelling some
training and support to learn and to use Anarkik 3D Design
package to design for 3D printing.
Lucy came to an opening evening at Anarkik3D
and after having a brief demo, she applied to be
the 4th designer maker in Anarkik3D’s ‘3D
Consequences’ project to learn 3D modelling and
be able to access 3D printing technologies.
She sees the project as a perfect way to start
experimenting with the technology, present
design challenges and enable her to explore
these within her own work to gain new skills.
Project Time line
21st July 2013:
deadline for
applications from
designer makers to
join project.
24th July: Lucy
Robertson selected
28th July: her first
2 sessions - 3 hour
tutorial with
Anarkik 3D Design
package, then start
on designing (3- 4
hours).
30th July: Project
officially kicks off.
6. 28th July. First session:
tutorial with Anarkik 3D Design package (3 hours)
1. that it is easier to learn and to learn fast.
• Lucy worked on ‘navigating’ in the 3D
virtual work space using the capability of
the haptic device to move in 3 dimensions
and to use 3D touch (force feedback) to
know ‘where you are’ in this virtual 3
dimensional work space.
2. enables users to be working creatively from
the start without the steep learning
curve that is presented by traditional
standard CAD packages
• Within the 3 hours of this 1st session she
also started learning to use some of the
tools in the menu to develop emerging
ideas for the 3D Consequences project.
7. Session 2: Starting on designing.
(3- 4 hours)
Theme for Project Stage 1 : ‘duplication’ (copy/paste,
mirror)
• Within this session Lucy worked on 3 potential
ideas. Being a textile artists she wanted to explore
‘flexibility’ and focused on units that could be
linked.
• The tools she worked with to create and construct
more complex forms from primitives include
Boolean subtraction, copy/paste, deform, move
and rotate, group/ungroup.
• She finishing her first day with one concept well on
the way towards practical construction, refinement
and completion.
• Fact: within 7 hours of beginning to use Anarkik 3D
Design Lucy was able to create new content and
work on the forms organically towards developing
her own personal aesthetic
8. 30th July: Session 3. Supported design
session (approx. 4 hours)
• Lucy continued working on her design:
• reworking the forms (tools: deform, Boolean)
• refining linking system joining three duplicated
parts (copy/paste). Aim is to create a 3D printed
form which articulates.
• tools used were move/rotate, scaling and
measuring.
• Fact: Lucy completed her design for stage 1 of
the project at the end of this short session and in
a total of 11 hours from scratch.
9. 1st August: Session 4 (2 hours). Designing for 3D printing (1):
• Through out the designing sessions, issues
regarding 3D printability were discussed
• to test Lucy’s design for 3D printability the file
in .stl format was imported into Meshlab which
clearly showed that on one of the units, a very
small part of an inside surface had been pulled
through the outer surface making the unit
topologically problematic for 3D printing.
• This was corrected in Anarkik
3D Design by pushing the
inner surface back inside and
pulling out and deforming the
outer surface more to give
the wall sufficient thickness
for printing.
10. Designing for 3D printing (2)
Lucy’s design was also checked further by uploading it to Shapeways. Although
this doesn’t at this stage guarantee 3D printability as Shapeways do further
checks when 3D prints are ordered, the cost is given to 3D print the object at
the scale uploaded in different compatible materials:
• €800+ for ‘strong, white and flexible’, a polyamide material (nylon-like).
• As costing is by volume it can be reduced considerable by scaling down.
• With 3D print service companies,
i.materialise and Sculpteo the
object can be rescaled in real time
and the cost changes displayed
1st iteration of 3D Consequences:
• Fact: in approx 15 hours of tuition
Lucy completed her first 3D
printable design, saving it in file
formats .cr8, .stl
• Screen captures as .jpg. Also saved
to Project dropbox.
11. 3D Consequences - iteration 2: ‘deform’. (2 – 3 hours? Not clocked!)
Theme for iteration 2 is ‘deform’.
Lucy dismantled Lizzie’s design into its
constituent parts using ‘select’ & ‘move’
• She then used the ‘deform’ tool to reshape the
original objects. Touching a virtual object (haptics)
and feeling the deformation through the grasp on
the haptic device gives a real sense of control.
• She next reorganise the units into a circle using
‘select’, ‘rotate’, ‘scale’ and ‘move’.
• For a bangle the objects were ‘selected’, ‘grouped’
and ‘scaled’ uniformly to right bangle size by gently
pulling out the grasp of the haptic device to scale
up (pushing in to scale down).
• Lucy’s 1st model goes to Farah Bandookwala for the 2nd stage of the project.
• To complete circle of swops: Lizzie picked up Ann Marie’s design, Ann Marie
picked up Farah’s design. Lucy picked up the ring design that Lizzie Armour
completed in round 1.
12. 3D Consequences - iteration 2: ‘deform’. 2nd August: Session 5
(approx. 3-4 hours).
• Lucy’s bangle design was completed early in
this session giving time to discuss possible 3D
printing materials and finishing processes.
• Lucy had experimented at College with thermo
chromic paint and dyes in the final year of her
textile degree and is interested in exploring
their use with 3D objects and accessories.
• Potential 3D printed materials that could be
used with thermo chromic colouring are
polyamide and paper.
• both materials could be painted and/or dyed
• parts of the bangle touching the
body or being touched would
change colour.
• This part of the project will be
completed when we have suitable
3D prints on which to experiment.
13. 3D Consequences cont. 12th August: Session 6 (approx. 2 hours)
3. for the occasional user (especially designer makers
who work a lot ‘at the bench’) they are able to come
back into using the programme after a break and be
straight back in without having to relearn to the extent
that complex interfaces demand.
• After 10 days away from 3D designing, Lucy was able
to get going straight away with Anarkik 3D Design.
• Theme for iteration 3 is ‘Boolean’ which in Anarkik
3D Design has 3 parts: union (2 conjoined parts
become one), subtraction (removing the overlap of
one object from another), Intersection (leaving just
the overlapping section between 2).
• Lucy picked up Lizzie’s iteration 2 (from Ann Marie’s 1st
design) and deconstructed it into its constituent parts.
• using the ‘Boolean’ function Lucy created new individual
forms by subtracting one part from another.
• These new forms were then reassembled into a ‘string’.
14. • Lucy’s ‘string’ of forms, ready for her to work with in this her final session
(before heading off to a residency in India) to create a 3D printable object.
• ‘String’ copied and pasted, each one coloured differently & the group applied
to different bases from which rectangular blocks had been subtracted.
• Purpose: to create a button to apply to fabric.
3D Consequences cont. 14th August: Session 7 (approx. 2 hours)
15. Final Design and Statement from Lucy
As a textile designer interested in digital design I was keen to explore 3D
modelling. I found Anarkik3D's software intuitive and easy to learn. After only a
few hours of training I was confident enough to play on my own. I found the best
way to learn was to start on the 3D Consequences project as this gave me a brief
and boundaries to start experimenting with.
The software paired with the falcon device was strange at first but after a short
introduction I was able to use both with confidence. Once I started I found it hard
to stop. Anarkik3D’s software gives you great scope and freedom to explore many
designs quickly. After a short break it was very easy to pick up again. I have now
finished my 3 designs for the 3D consequences project. The next stage is very
exciting, I look forward to seeing the designs printed and hope to respond to this
with new and exciting 3D designs.
16. 3D Consequences: 3D printed objects from Lucy’s 3D modelling
3 printed in polyamide by Sculpteo and one in paper from ITEC-3D
The next stage for Lucy is experimenting with
thermo chromic paints and dyed on the 3D
printed materials to discover how they take
to the surface and react to body heat.
The waste 3D printed
paper can be used to test
the paints and dyes before
applying to the printed
objects. Watch this space!
Lucy’s first model 3D
printed in polyamide
(top) & paper (right)
Lucy’s second
model (right)
& 3rd model
(left) 3D
printed in
polyamide.
17. In conclusion . . .
Bear one thing in mind: Lucy started on the project from near zero hands-
on experience of 3D modelling and 3D printing.
Her total time on project was approximately 24 hours (not days!).
In this time she completed 3 designs with numerous concepts models
exploring possibilities.
Her final 3 designs are capable of being 3D printing with just one small
part needing remodelling.
These three designs were successfully printed in polyamide by Sculpteo
without any surface repair required.
One model in paper (the bangle) did not print successfully.
(This is not due to faults on the 3D modelling side but are likely due to
constraints of this particular 3D modelling system and the software used to
prepare the .stl file for slicing.)
18. This case study clearly demonstrates the following, that:
1. Anarkik 3D Design (A3D) is easier to learn than most 3D
modelling/CAD packages & to learn fast
2. Anarkik 3D Design enables users to work creatively from the start
3. for the occasional user (such as designer makers who work a lot ‘at
the bench’) they are able to come back into using the programme after a
break and be straight back in without having to relearn to the extent that
complex CAD interfaces demand.
4. Anarkik3D’s 3D modelling software plus 3D haptics (bundled: Anarkik
3D Design package) makes 3D digital modelling an engrossing, enjoyable
and productive design experience.
5. this positions Anarkik 3D Design as a very suitable software package
for designer makers, applied artists, 3D artists and artistically creative
people for entry into 3D modelling to access to 3D printing as a sound
business proposition
19. Links:
The artists: Lucy Robertson
3D printing service companies: Sculpteo, ITEC-3D, i.materialise, Shapeways.
3D printer manufacturer: Mcor Technologies
3D modelling software Anarkik 3D Design from Anarkik3D Ltd
3D mesh processing software system: MeshLab
Exhibitions: StudioFusion Gallery, 3DPrintShow