what should I use to make 3D models for printing?

[mnjean 0]

 

Hi everyone!

 

I'm thinking about getting a 3D printer for me and my kids, but I'm worried about the 3D design part since I have no experience. Recently, at the Nantes Maker Campus, I met some people who showed me their site, Chat3D.ai, which creates 3D models from images or text. I've tryed their tryal plan and the 3d models seems of good quality. I saw they have a cheap plan that costs "only" 5€.

 

Does anyone have any experience with it?

 

These 3d model are made by that software, I did screenshot, it seems alright to me.

[Slashee_the_Cow 543]

This is just my "judge a business by its graphics design" initial reaction, but the screenshots give me a bad first impression because they're using a square overlay which is clearly nothing to do with the actual model - which are made from triangles and not a regular size like that.

 

I'd be surprised if it could generate good models based on anything other than a simple prompt (like, in this case, a gun).

 

I think any promises they'd make seem too good to be true. If I wasn't capable of making models, I would stick to sites like Thingiverse which have tons of free models.

[mnjean 0]

4 minutes ago, Slashee_the_Cow said:

This is just my "judge a business by its graphics design" initial reaction, but the screenshots give me a bad first impression because they're using a square overlay which is clearly nothing to do with the actual model - which are made from triangles and not a regular size like that.

 

I'd be surprised if it could generate good models based on anything other than a simple prompt (like, in this case, a gun).

 

I think any promises they'd make seem too good to be true. If I wasn't capable of making models, I would stick to sites like Thingiverse which have tons of free models.

I think I could chose between square and triangles and I choose square. They didn't exactly do only square. So it's better with triangles ? 
The colors of the gun were good

[gr5 2,295]

Try typing "gun" into thingivers.com search instead.  See if it's better or worse.

 

It depends on your goals.  One use for a 3d printer is to make things around the house - particularly in the kitchen.  Things like say a shelf bracket, or to replace a broken knob on a stove.  I don't think ai models will help with that.  ai will probably be good at making artwork and toys but not precise dimensional connections needed to connect with existing things.  Or maybe the ai lets you specify hole diameters, angles, distances?  I don't know.

 

Maybe toys and artwork are exactly what you want but for me there is much too much of that already in my house.

[Slashee_the_Cow 543]

3 hours ago, mnjean said:

I think I could chose between square and triangles and I choose square. They didn't exactly do only square. So it's better with triangles ? 

That's just an overlay showing the mesh. It's the same model underneath, regardless of which you choose - all STL models are just made of triangles, and they're not a regular size like their preview would probably show, they're all different:

 

3 hours ago, mnjean said:

The colors of the gun were good

The colour of the preview has absolutely nothing to do with what colour it will be when printed. That part depends entirely on the filament and printing settings you use.

 

36 minutes ago, gr5 said:

Maybe toys and artwork are exactly what you want but for me there is much too much of that already in my house.

No there isn't. There's not enough cows. You can never have too many cows.

 

(20 Slashee points to whoever can message me - please don't derail the thread - what that model I posted the picture of is for)

[gr5 2,295]

Is it for the moolympic games?  sorry, can't resist posting in this thread.

[Slashee_the_Cow 543]

11 hours ago, gr5 said:

Is it for the moolympic games?  sorry, can't resist posting in this thread.

No, but it would be very good for that.

 

Also I just realised, important warning about searching for gun models: don't be Australian.

It's illegal to own anything which even looks like a real gun in most states. And your internet provider legally has to log all the websites you visit and give that information to government authorities if asked without any judicial oversight and without even needing to inform you.

[mnjean 0]

no it's for toys for my kids

[gr5 2,295]

Then try thingiverse.com.  It's free.  It's easy.  There are several million models.  Lots of really cool toys.

[jaysenodell 23]

5 hours ago, mnjean said:

no it's for toys for my kids

well, as an American, I might suggest that doesn't mean much. 

[Slashee_the_Cow 543]

I would love to see what a generative AI 3D model maker would spit out if I gave it the input:

Quote

A square milk carton (about the aspect ratio of a 600ml carton) with "MILK" engraved in the front and back in a playful font (sideways to make best use of the space) and my Slashee avatar embossed on the top flaps of the front and back.

Because if it could make something that looked anything like this:

I would give the creators my life savings.

(Joke’s on them, that currently amounts to about AU$2.32)