MakeBot Updates are Coming!

[Eddie]

MakerBot has released some details on updates they will be making before the end of the year. You can expect MakerBot Desktop to see version 3.3 and version 3.4 released with many new and helpful features. Also version 1.1 of the iOS app will come out and version 1.0 of the Android app. On top of this, 2 new designs will be added to the MakerBot PrintShop (Medals and Vases), and Thingiverse will see the addition of Thingiverse Groups. Read more about this at: http://3dprint.com/17596/makerbot-thingiverse-updates/

What do you think? What are you most looking forward to seeing?

[sapient24]

Waiting for someone to come out with software that can automate slicing a large object in parts to reassemble. But I think more companies other then Makerbot should do it.

[JohnA136]

Someone at Maker Fair NY the other weekend had a couple of life size busts. He has multiple people print it out in 4" cubes and sending them in to him for assembly. I do not know what program he used but it looked really cool.

IMG_3940.jpg IMG_3936.jpg

[sapient24]

I use blender. You can create a planes, and place them where you want. Then you apply a boolean modifier to the object you want to split...deleting the parts you don't want relative to the plane you selected. And it makes the kept part have the surface that was on the plane, as part of it, like a solid object.
So what I do is add all the planes I want, then save the project as a blender file, so I can come back to start the process all over again.

I also subdivide the planes, and manually move vertex points so I create nut and bolt effect where the parts meet. So they come together like LEGOS.
Here is an example http://www.mediafire.com/view/j3hv5h...5/IMG_0913.JPG

Solidworks has an add on that does this automatically, but It was hell for me working with meshes with that software. It's meant for solid objects form my understanding. Converting in between formats, and turning meshes to solids, takes a load from your memory and can cause crashes. I like my models to have a smooth round surface, with high poly counts. And I couln't get it to work.