Audi R18 3D Model Help

[TaylorK]

Hello,

I am trying to print this 3D model, but nothing my friend and I do seem to work.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Here is a link to the file: https://grabcad.com/library/audi-r18-1

Thank you!

[LambdaFF]

That's the issue with online repos, sometimes the files were made only to look nice. In that case inverted faces & non manifold meshes are not a problem.

Have you tried to run it through Netfabb ? Have you made an analysis in Meshmixer ?

What happened then ?

[TaylorK]

That's the issue with online repos, sometimes the files were made only to look nice. In that case inverted faces & non manifold meshes are not a problem.

Have you tried to run it through Netfabb ? Have you made an analysis in Meshmixer ?

What happened then ?

OK confession time, I'm 100% new to this.

I downloaded meshmixer and ran an analysis, below is the screenshot.


r18 meshmixer analasys.jpg

[LambdaFF]

I'm not an expert but all the blue lines mean to me the various surfaces not merged (I think). You need to go in meshmixer. Select a surface (use "expand to connected"), and then merge it to its neighbours, until everything is one continuous hole-less single shell. As it is, is it seems you have several unconnected surfaces close to each other.
That is what I meant saying that 3D printing models have additional requirements to "esthetic" 3D models.
Depending on the quality of this model, you're alsmot better off re-designing yourself.
That is also why curated repos for 3D printing and 3D designs databanks are 2 different things : not all 3D models are 3Dprintable.

Go to thingiverse or myminifactory or threeding or ... and you'll see.

[TaylorK]

I'm not an expert but all the blue lines mean to me the various surfaces not merged (I think). You need to go in meshmixer. Select a surface (use "expand to connected"), and then merge it to its neighbours, until everything is one continuous hole-less single shell. As it is, is it seems you have several unconnected surfaces close to each other.
That is what I meant saying that 3D printing models have additional requirements to "esthetic" 3D models.
Depending on the quality of this model, you're alsmot better off re-designing yourself.
That is also why curated repos for 3D printing and 3D designs databanks are 2 different things : not all 3D models are 3Dprintable.

Go to thingiverse or myminifactory or threeding or ... and you'll see.

I can't seem to figure out how to merge the surfaces, and when I tell it to fix errors on it's own it deletes almost all of the car.

I'm giving this the best shot I know how to and am falling flat, this is a CAD model so I'm assuming it's printable (with a few fixes), can anyone confirm?

Thank you!

[LambdaFF]

Hi,
I'm more an industrial designer than artist. As such considering the complexity, designing this car is a couple hours work, tops - with the proper software. So, given the unknown quality of the file :

Depending on the quality of this model, you're alsmot better off re-designing yourself.

I can't help you fix an STL, I don't really know how to : I make me own files and they work. Have you tried netfabb as suggested ?

Otherwise, I suggest you look for another model in a repository that caters for 3D printing : at least the models are checked for 3D printability.

EDIT : I see he has posted a STEP file. This is a much better quality file that should ensure a proper solid definition. Try to get that and mesh to make a STL : should work better. If you can't I'll give it a look.

[LambdaFF]

OK, so I did look into it. I was astonished at 1st to see the audi logo and the "7" in the model. Then it confirmed what I said above. If you look at the 2 arrows, the model is not manifold (it is not closed and watertight). The designer basically designed the outer shell and a few addons but didn't bother to close : these are just planes standing in thin air, they have no thickness. Can't be used for 3D printing.

At this stage :
1/ You take it and close the holes (good luck).
2/ You look in a 3D printable repository for another one.
3/ You design it yourself. we can help for that.

Sans titre 1.jpg

[TaylorK]

Thank you so much for your help!

I suppose I might as well redesign it, as I need to make several changes anyways.

Where should I go for a very beginner-level tutorial on this?

Kind regards