Anyone knows how to produce a lithophane? Can we produce one with Cura?

[celso-santos 11]

My basic question is how can I make a 3D print in my Ultimaker 2 that reproduces one picture? This is a lithophane isn't it?

Can we do it with Cura? What is the easiest and best method to produce lithophanes? How can we also go further and make a true 3D print like 10mm high reproducing a picture?

Celso

 

[illuminarti 18]

You can open a jpg in Cura instead of an STL and it will create a lithopane.

[celso-santos 11]

Iluminarti

Absolutely amazing feature! Why is this not advertised as one of the incredible features of Cura?

Can we transform the .amf file in .stl file?

Thanks

Celso

 

[gr5 2,067]

Also I've used this wonderful utility do produce lithopanes:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:66115

It produces STL file which is nice because I can then edit the STL with other editors. Unfortunately I felt I had to reduce the polygons a bit using meshlab but it's a nice utility.

How to reduce polygons:

http://www.shapeways.com/blog/archives/226-polygon-count-reduction-with-meshlab.html

 

 

[celso-santos 11]

Is there any option to print a bass relief or high relief based on pictures using Cura? Has anyone tried that?

 

[gr5 2,067]

I guess I don't understand your question. How is this different from your first question? You can convert an image to a "height map". I think you can use the cura scale feature to make it a taller height map. The utility I mentioned definitely lets you control several variables: the "base" thickness (minimum thickness) and the remaining maximum thickness. I don't remember if you can control the same variables with Cura but I expect you can by using the "cut off object bottom" feature and the "Z scale" feature.

 

[gr5 2,067]

I just tried it in cura - it allows you to choose many options - just try it - load a jpg or other image file.

 

[eldrick 64]

The problem is that it just sets the height based on brightness - it has no relation to the actual 3D shapes in the picture.

You can, however, print the Cura output on translucent plastic to get a lithopane: http://www.thingiverse.com/search/page:1?q=lithopane

 

[gr5 2,067]

The problem is that it just sets the height based on brightness

 

I think that's the original poster's goal. He wants a relief map where the white regions are taller. Right?

 

[martin-bienz 36]

You can open a jpg in Cura instead of an STL and it will create a lithopane.

 

You learn something every day... even after more than a year of cura! I had no idea this can be done with cura out of the box, how cool! thanks illuminarti!

 

[yellowshark 153]

I have tried this a couple of times this week since reading the post. My first thought was wow this is smart! I was actually surprised how well it came out - i.e. it exceeded my expectations. The pic was of my convertible, shot from the side, and showed the windscreen, wing mirror and headrests very well; and indeed the overall shape of the body. But once I settled down and thought about, it is very limited for a lot of pictures. I.e working on contrast means shade can be real problem e.g. as a flat surface becomes two surfaces.

So I am going to put the pic into Photoshop next week and try and "tidy" it up from a 3D printing perspective.

Conversely if you wanted to print a logo then, with the right logo e.g. just a couple of primary colours, a simple clip from a web page would I suspect work really well as long as you do not pick up a lot of "noise"

 

[gr5 2,067]

Or you can get relief maps - geologic maps of an area where the color is the height and print out a mountain or a country or whatever showing the mountain range, etc.

Someone posted somewhere where to get that kind of info.